Rework of Level 1

General ACKS Forums Dwimmermount
1

I run a different style game that the author does. I’ve reworked Level 1 to be more consistent with my style & preferences. You can see my notes here: http://rpggeek.com/geeklist/152775/shamwowing-a-famous-megadungeon-before-its-actuall

Yes, that’s the URL even though it looks cut off. I edited the main Word file, which looks much nicer than the paste job I just did in to this message. Ug! This is a draft, but I’m mostly done except for some tighter editing.

Chapter 1 : Factions Within the Dungeon
Level 1
Bogloids
Twisted from captured Dwarves by the mad dwarf Gurgan in room 40, who’s an agent for a demonic spider “The Spawn of Aracha Nana” that is in turn an agent for a demon-lord that wants to take over the entire dungeon. This is his foothold. The Spawn wants this level, then the entire dungeon. He may twist other captured creatures on other levels if he gets a toehold on them. He will also abandon Gurgan for more powerful allies should they appear … Gurgan and the Spawn would be very interested in captives and intel on the dungeon … if the group can make it past their murderous Boglings.
Lab Rats
Most dungeon rats pay lip-service to being under the rule of The Rat Man, who lives in [some big ass vile city.] The Rat Man likes treasure and info, because he trades them both for favors from the other animal kings and Men.
Mol-Min
The L1 groups are an expedition from L2, which in turn is a break-away group. They are looking for their “promised land”; a tale that was related to them by a strange mol-min that wandered through their camp one night, speaking of whiskey lakes and and soft digging earth. Not super-evil, but kind of assholes who are used to EVERYONE attacking them on sight.
Chapter 2 The Path of Mavors, Level 1
Level 1: The Path of Mavors Wandering Monsters
1 in 6 each 3 turns. If so, roll on each table.
Dice Roll Monster
1 Bogloids (4-16)
2 Mol-Min (2-8)
3 Spooky Bones (3-12)
4 Lab Rats (3-18)
5 Giant Centipedes (2-8)
6 C Spiders (1-4)
7 Gelatinous Cube (1)
8 Fire Beetles (1-8)
9 Dwarves (1-6)
10 NPC Party (5-8)
11 Freaky Shit
12 Past Ghosts (1-6)

They are engaged in:

  1. Diplomacy

  2. Patrolling

  3. Hurt

  4. Horney

  5. Hungry

  6. Napping

  7. Fighting (Roll again to see who)

  8. Raiding

  9. Art

  10. Home

  11. Entrance Chamber
    Statues of the old gods with their heads OBVIOUSLY replaced by one of Turms Termax. Sixth statue is of a woman and unrelated to the other 5. When approached the 5 go in to full on “There is no Sanctuary” reverb with a “Free us from our disgrace” mantra, while the heads vibrate and shake violently. Heads explode after 3 rounds of this. 1d4 to anyone next to them, 1d2 to anyone in the room. Save for half.

  12. Abandoned Guard Room

  13. Faded Fresco/Reception Hall
    7 shaky/nervous Mol-min who just saw some particularly disturbing Past Shadows. They have -1 to attack. Leader is tough; has Max HP and is is 1 AC lower.

  14. Dusty Storeroom
    DEX check on entering or character disturbs dust. all Loud Sneezing & coughing for 1d4 rounds if failed, with a wandering monste check made each round.

  15. Trapped Gallery of Masks
    5 demonic Thul war masks hang on the walls – 1 is on a decomposing skeleton on the gound. Touching a mask releases a weak poison directly in front of it. +2 save or retch guts up for the next day during stressfull situations (50% chance

  16. Looted Trophy Room
    Two dead dwarves bodies, fresh but cold. Completely looted.

  17. Vault of Spoils
    Locked iron door Pile of minor spoils worth 8,000 gp weighing 500 lbs, including hairpins, forks, nice plates, candlesticks, lockets, snuff boxes, small tables, hairbrushes. combs, tiny carved ivory sailing ship, nice backpack, good crowbar, herb kit, spyglass, 16 holy symbols (good and evil one touching and smoke coming up from the pile because of this. Hidden amongst the trinkets are The Tuba Resounding, Aidru – Slayer of Men, a Thul Maggot, and a treasure map to the Thulian tax hoard. (16,000 gp value).
    A wight in tattered robes rises from the horde.
    Wight (1) [AL C, MV 90’ (30’), AC 5, HD 3, HP 14, #AT 1, DG Drain life energy, SV F3, ML 12]

  18. Looted Chapel To Turns Termax
    Six columns have a sconce on which rests a spooky bones as a candelobra. The desecrated alter can be pushed aside to find the secret door. Scratches on the floor reveal it. The bones suck life/heat from the living an animate to attack.

  19. Secret Treasury
    Bags contain 387 sp, 10 gp, 4 gems (obsidian, 10 gp; zircon, 100 gp; tourmaline, 500 gp; onyx, 100 gp), a scarab of death, and the carved stone head of the goddess Tyche, once part of her statue in room 1. It mouths “Save Me!” before melting.

  20. Statue of Turms-Mavors
    Statue of old god of war with head replaced by Turns. +10/hit in next to hit if real head replced.

  21. Destroyed Barracks
    Searching amidst the debris will uncover 312 sp and a puch with 40 gp.

  22. Empty, Rotted Pantry

  23. Antechamber
    4 Past Ghosts, soldiers, discussing drills, schedules, etc. Bones of four soldiers. Proper burial/rites results in the ghostly soldiers apparition appearing to ‘take the blow’ the next time the character would receive a killing blow.

  24. Hall of Memories
    Six Pedastels. Murals show people kneelingin front of them. Doing so puts a memory in the chracters mind.
    Memory 1: A massive pitched battle between Thulian armies and the orcs and demons commanded by the Red Elves.
    Memory 2: Fighting in the corridors of Dwimmermount, as the Thulians clear it of its Chaotic defenders.
    Memory 3: A visit from the Thulian emperor and his entourage.
    Memory 4: Scenes of magic-users being treated roughly and interrogated by soldiers.
    Memory 5: Scenes of other magic-users commanding soldiers as they go into battle.
    Memory 6: Soldiers around a large table in the center of which is a head of a bearded man made from bronze. The head looks similar to the heads of Turms Termax seen throughout this level of Dwimmermount.

  25. Empty Armory
    Three fresh dwarf corpses, unlooted.

  26. Automated Training Room
    9 mechanical dummies in grooves, each hold a sword and shield, activated by 10 switches on wall… AC 8 and deal 1d6 damage per successful hit, striking as 1 HD creatures. Doors lock dummies activated.

  27. Laboratory with lots of broken glassware

  28. Mostly looted Library
    • An annotated copy of Arto Bellumoi, a biography of the campaigns of the Anean mercenary Turok Brainard. If read by a fighting man over the course of one week, grants 500 experience points.
    • A map of a place called “the exarchate of Theana” that would be worth about 500 gp to an interested buyer.
    • A partially-burnt scroll of ward against magic that, if read, has a 50% chance of removing one spell of the lowest level known from the mind of the caster rather than working as intended.

  29. Abandoned Storeroom
    11 bogloids asleep among empty crates and snoring VERY loudly They have 18 cp apiece, threadbare blankets, and dried rat meat.

  30. Emptyish Workshop
    Three warm metal boxes mounted on the south wall, with kbobs, dials, and charred scars on the floor in front of them. Fiddling causes whirring for 1d4 rounds, with a wandering roll each round. Shoots out sparks doing 1d10 (save vs breath weapon for half) to anyone in front of the box.

  31. Empty Oil Trap
    The floor of the eastern two-thirds of the room has been visibly coated with oil. The oil is flammable and is intended to be used as part of the bogloid defense of their caverns (see Room 23).

  32. Bogoid Guards
    10 bogloids engaged in a fire dance & drumming and just waiting to toss their torches in to room 22. Each possesses 22 cp.

  33. Treasure Cave
    Hidden in a hollowed out portion of a stalagmite, there is 700 sp and 40 gp.

  34. Alcove
    Large metal key to room 7 hidden in a crevice in the wall.

  35. Webbed Antechamber with various sucked-out husks

  36. Spider Lair
    This cavern is the lair 3 crab spiders arguesing over a tasty Mol-Min morsel. Scattered around the room is a total of 67 cp.
    Crab Spiders (3) [AL N, MV 120’ (40’), AC 7, HD 2, hp 12, 10, 9, #AT 1, DG 1d8 + poison, SV F2, ML 7].

  37. Cave of the Moon Pool
    Halfling-sized hole in the ceiling, 20’ up, through which sun or moon light can enter. Could be enlarged for a man in 3 turns of LOUD work. The pool holds Aqua Luna, primordial water that can’t be fronzen or evaporated. Drinking it results in one of the following, but only once in your lifetime. Effects last for a full lunar cycle.
    MOON POOL EFFECTS TABLE
    Random Roll (1D20) Lunar Phase Effect
    1-3 New Moon −1 caster level, −1 spell (lowest and highest levels)
    4-5 Waxing Crescent +1 caster level
    6-8 First Quarter +1 spell (lowest level)
    9-10 Waxing Gibbous +1 spell (highest level)
    11-13 Full Moon +1 caster level, +1 spell (lowest and highest levels)
    14-15 Waning Gibbous −1 caster level
    16-18 Last Quarter −1 spell (lowest level)
    19-20 Waning Crescent −1 spell (highest level)

  38. Dark & Damp Fungal Cave
    A powerful scent of mold and mildew emanates. The shriekers are in the SW corner and react to light within 60’.
    Shriekers (3) [AL N, MV 9’ (3’), AC 7, HD 3, HP 12, 11, 8, #AT 0, DG 0, SV F1, ML 12]

  39. Entrance Cave
    This cave is accessible by means of a set of stone-wrought stairs located on the side of mountains exterior. Blood stains on floor and 2 long-dead human bodies peppered b arrows and looted.

  40. Garbage cave of crushed, broken bone refuse.

  41. Ritual Bogloids
    10 bogloids engaged in the bizarre ‘ceremony of the shelled brother. 1 bogloid is ¼ HP and -2 AC.

  42. Oil Storage Cave
    Five barrels of oil and two of sand.

  43. Dwarven Cemetery
    27 dwarf ‘statues’, which Gurgan has dreams of subverting. 8 bogloids currently grooming themselves by rolling the dirt and mutual delousing.

  44. Hidden Treasure
    Hidden small plain mahogany box has a finger bone. In hand of a LAW character it glows warm to touch, in neutral hands it always feel cold. In CHAOS hands it deals 1d6/round, no save.

  45. Shrine to Tyche
    Rough wall-carving of goddess of luck In the carvings hands are 82 old gold coins… Adding 1 gives +1 to all saves for next 24hrs. Stealing gives a -1 to saves and to iht for the next month.

  46. Azoth Spring
    A small vial fetches 50 gp in town …

  47. Bogloid Wall
    16 fanatic bogloids wokingon a half-built defensive wall, armed with bows and flasks of oil. +1 to morale. 9cp each. Will fall back to room 39 if things go badly.

  48. Spider Guardians
    4 c spiders hiding on the ceiling, waiting for goodies to come in. 64 cp scattered on the ground from bogloids they could not resist.

  49. King Bogloid
    The insane dwarf Gurgan/bogloid king is here with 6 fanatic bogloids and his pet spider, all enjoying a mildly stimulatin drip from a roto-piercer on the ceiling. He will flee at half hp and wears Cig basil and wields Shine Like Thunder. 3876cp in a chest that also contains a 20gp ivory comb.
    Gurgan (1) (AL C, MV 60’ (20’), AC 4, HD 2, hp 16, #AT 1, D 1d6+1, DV D2, ML 8)

  50. The Spawn of Arach-Nana
    Currently praying to its dark master for the downfall of the overworlders. two gems: malachite and zircon, worth 10 gp and 100 gp.
    Spawn of Arach-Nana (1) [AL C, MV 120’ (40’), AC 5, HD 3, hp 20, #AT 1, DG 2d8 + poison, SV F2, ML 10].

  51. Battered military murals

  52. Rotting Storeroom
    Most crates empty. One has a suit of Thulian Chain.

  53. Poisoned Guard room
    South door is metal and trapped with a poison needle on handle Does 1d4 damage on failed save and loose use of hand for 2 months. Ouchies!

  54. Mildewy stairs
    Noticably moist and musty. Stairs down have a green variety of yellow mold.
    Yellow mold (2) [AL N, MV 0, AC always hit, HD 2, hp 12 (x2), #AT Spores, D 1d6 + suffocation, SV F2, ML n/a].

  55. Trashy Storeroom of Lab Rats
    Door partially gnawed through by rats. Large rat nest in middle of room made up of wooden/random refuse. 9 Lab Rats currently engaged in group seizue, half visible and half in nest. Seizures stop in 1d4 rounds. For 1d3 rounds after they are -1 to hit. In refuse pile are 2156cp, a jewelled cloak pin showing a scantily clad elf chick beheading a humanoid monster (blood splatters are rubies) woth 800gp, An ivory comb worth 10gp, part of 3-piece set worhth 300gp if all found. Taking any coin results in wandering monster checks increasing to every turn, and they will always be with lab rats, as long as the coins are carried in the dungeon.

  56. Map Room
    Mosaics of the empire at its height. 6 disspirated Mol-Min talking about their expedition to find their promised land. They have a group bag with 1798gp in it. Five have gens in their groin pouches: two rhodochrosite (50 gp each), rock crystal (100 gp), sardonyx (75 gp), and a star rose quartz (100gp).

  57. Remains of an Opulent Meeting Room

  58. Undisturbed Commandant’s Quarters
    Remarkably clean. Time does not pass, torches don’t burn down, spell durations extended, etc while in this room.

  59. Secret Room
    Demonic humanoid illusion challenges intruders. AC9 4HD, 1d8d per hit from flaming scimitar for any hit who fail save vs spells. A single hit dispels the illusion.

  60. Hidden Treasure Room
    In a small nature-inspired carved wooden box (worth 10gp) on a pedestal in the middle of the room is: 600 sp, hematite (10 gp), rock crystal (100 gp), azurite (25 gp), jasper (250gp), and a Gong of the Prefect.

  61. Looted dining area with metal table

  62. Kitchen
    Kitchen with 7 fire beetles. RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DOOR!! -1 to surprise for both groups.
    Fire beetles (7) [AL N, MV 120’ (40’), AC 4, HD 1+2, hp 10, 9 (x2), 8 (x2), 7, 5, #AT 1, D 2d4, SV F1, ML 7].

  63. Crack of Goo.
    6 large silvery-black bubbles floating, coming from a crack in the floor, like blowing bubbles. Metallic taste in the air, and the inconsequential tiny ones pop LOUDLY and leave traces of smoke ALL the time. A large one popping deals 1d6 damage within 5’ (save vs petrify for half.) 2in6 chance that one exploding causes thenext to explode, and so on.

  64. Latrine
    Gang toilets on a small wood dias. Dismantling reveals holes going a LONG way down. Small shel in one with a load of fresh poo with a diamond and gold ‘Heart of Fire’ engagement ring (1000gp) in it.

  65. Locked Elevator to level 5.

  66. Trashed Barracks
    6 giant centipedes hiding in refuse. Hidden VERY well all over room, but not on purpose VERY hungry for living food and reveal themselves too soon. -2 on centipede surprise.
    Giant centipedes (6) [AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 9, HD 1d4 hp, hp 3 (x3), 2, 1 (x2), #AT 1, D poison, SV 0 LH, ML 7].

  67. Mass of working water pipes, dials, spiggots, basins.

  68. Ghosty Games
    2 Past Ghost soldiers play an ancient strategy game on a board. They both look VERY bored.

  69. Abandoned/Looted Lounge

  70. Waiting Room
    4-foot tall pillar of black basalt with unknown runes. Non-humans touching Sv vs spells or are COMPLETELY peaceful for 1d6 turns.

  71. Regal Audience Chamber
    Small stone dias with fragile wooden throne on top.

  72. Former Guard Post
    6 Mol-Min taking a load off, packs off, weaponson floor, not paying attention. 476gp total in pouches tied to their har and worn close to their bodies. Who’s searching? :relaxed:

  73. Chamber of the Face
    Set up like a modern church (pews, etc), but now partially destroyed, and with a large rusty metal face on the wall where the alter would be. Getting within 5 feet causes face to move, but sounds are intelligible. Greasing, etc, will allow it to answer one question a day, truthfully. It’s information is 200 years out of date, and only knows about this level.

  74. Locked Holding Cell

  75. Theater with military mosaics on walls.

  76. Reception Room
    7 Mol-Min cooking a tasty meal of giant centipedes that smalles like poo. They think they are great cooks.

  77. Smashed Magician’s Quarters
    4 Mol-Men interrogate a gnome (point blue hat kind) named Baffur.
    Baffur (1) [AL L, MV 60’ (20’), AC 9, HD 1, hp 3, #AT 1, D 1d4 + spell, SV D1, ML 8]
    Baffur can cast the spell wall of vapor (see page XX), but he no longer has it memorized. He entered the dungeon a few days ago with a group of dwarves to look for a drawf cemetery. He thinks he’s the only survivor. Ambushed by Mol-min. Reward sparty with 500gp if taken back to town.

Chapter 3 : New Magic Items (Levels 1-6)
Thul Maggot
A couple of inches long, squirmy, pale … ie: looks like a maggot. Except it can open it’s mouth REALLY wide, the size of a fist. It has an extra dimensional stomach so it otherwise acts like a bag of holding and it never digests anything. Ya gotta reach in to pull stuff out. Who knows what else it’s swallowed? It tries to digest, so reaching in is a bit slimy & gross.

The Tuba Resounding
Emits ultra-low (tuba) sonic blast. Deafens, confuses, sickens: -1 to hit to EVERYTHING nearby. Does 2d6 damage in a cone 100’ by 20’ at the end. If used more than once a day there’s a 50% chance per additional usage that tuba gets a reverb stuck in it. Explode for 3d6 on the use and 1d6 in a 10’ radius.

Aidru - Slayer of Men
A longsword engraved the full length with arcane runes. The hilt is bare and will need to be recovered. Created by the death-priests of Ghoekra and wielded during their bloody crusade to rid the earth of all life. Moderately well know; feared and coveted. Drips blood, not because of the creation but through the sympathetic magic caused by all of the bodies it has been soaked in while killing them. Disturbing dreams while possessing; slaughter, etc. +1 hit, causes immediate morale check for any creature/group that recognizes it. (Who then inevitably yell “Aidru - Slayer of Men!!!”) Glows with a pale red light and gives the wielder a +1 CHR bump when wielded BECAUE OF FEAR!

Scarab of Death
A necklace. When worn near heat the beetle design comes alive. Save vs Petrify or the giant beetle it transforms in toattaches to the characters back, melds with his pack/back armor, and obviously sinks parasitic probiscicus in to them. IE: totally freak the player out and take away their pack. Pack & rear armor melted.

Shines like Thunder
Myth says it was wielded by a son of Gaia during her battle against the coming of The Dawn. Seems to blur when moved/moving. Crude, almost like a rough chunk of metal with a club for a handle. Occasionally sparks like a static charge is emitted. It can shoot a 1d6 lightning bolt; roll to hit like normal, with a save also. +1 hit/damage in combat. Use of lightning power drains a hit point from wielder. Turns in to a full on Hammer of Thunderbolts effect during thunderstorms.

Cig Basils
Forged, Worn & made famous by Cig Basil during the disgrace of the Idons of Ilaz. Still a gash in the side where his fatal wound came from. Sparkles keenly in full sunlight and has a whispered rumors of the wearer dying in combat. (Hey Mr DwimmerDwarf who’s wearing this and about to get slaughtered by the party, that’s some precog shit just for you!) +1 AC but also +1 damage every time the wearer is hit. Occasional piercing pain in the side (where the wound was) during high stress situations (5%?)

Thulian Chain
A kind of analog to elven chain that also gives +1 vs spells because it’s infused with magical hoo-haw’ness. Well, let’s infuse it then! It shimmers because of a thin oil-like substance, but silvery grey, that seems to subtly flow over the surface. It will be recognized in civilized and uncivilized lands through legends of what the former Terror Troops used to wear. AC4

Gong of Prefect Nar
A 2’ diameter gong, bronze with a light frame made up of human leg bones and a striker made up of a tiny intricately carved hammer, attached through a “Leather” thong. One side has intricate engravings of doors opening. The other side clearly shows it to be the doors of hell. This thing was used by the former high tax collector of the empire to force his way in to peoples homes and coffers. There is a chance (25%? 50%? 100%?) that when rung is rings REALLY loudly, forcing TWO immediate wandering monster checks. Opens locked thing when struck.

Chapter 4 : New Monsters
Bogloids (c)
Movement: 60’ (5’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1-1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 6
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Small, randomly colored chaos-spawned humanoids. Flesh-eating, utterly evil (aside from the deviant Misfits). Wield crude weapons such as spears, clubs and tomahawks.
Mol-Min (n-c)
Movement: 90’ (10’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d6
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Small, darkly furry, bald-headed humanoids, like a short Cousin IT. Those hit by Mol- Min glow with a pale phosphorescence for 1 hour, add 1 to hit for attacks upon the glowing character. Wield pick-axes and javelins. Everyone hates them because their tunnels are always collapsing. Sometimes wear miners hats. Talk in a lisp and their voice is high and cracks a lot. Like to shout “Surface Dwellers! Destroy Them!”
Lab Rats (n)
Movement: 90’ (10’)
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1-1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d4
Save: F5
Morale: 9
Giant rabid albino rats with pink eyes, escaped from nefarious labs, breed throughout the depths. Bites accumulate for increasing itching unless save is made. Twelve together form a rudimentary hive mind capable of primitive speech.
Spooky Bones (n)
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d6 or weapon +1
Save: F1
Morale: 12
Spooky bones are the reanimated skeletons of slain soldiers. Unlike most other types of skeletons, eldritch bones are not undead. Rather, they are magical constructs brought back to a semblance of life through the use of minute quantities of azoth, which not only gives them the ability to move and attack but also strengthens their bones. Consequently, eldritch bones have a metallic appearance, thanks to the silvery-black azoth that suffuses them.
The process of creating them was originally an invention of the Eld, but was perfected by the cult of Turms Termax. Eldritch bones suffer only one-half damage from sharp/edged weapons, while blunt weapons do full damage. They are immune sleep, charm, and hold spells and are unaffected by holy water.
Spawn of Arach-nana (c)
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Web: 180’ (60’)
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 2d8 + poison
Save: F3
Morale: 10
A Spawn of Arach-Nacha is a hideous 7-foot long spider, sent to the Material Plane to wreak havoc in the name of its master, the demon lord Arach-Nacha. Looking like a hairy black spider with a face resembling a twisted mockery of a Man’s, a Spawn of Arach-Nacha considers itself “royalty” among terrestrial spiders, which obey its commands instinctively and without question. Indeed, a Spawn have a 30% chance of being able to summon 1d3 black widow (50%) or crab spiders (50%) to its aid once per day.
A Spawn of Arach-Nacha is dangerous in combat, especially if fought within its web, which has the same properties as the magic-user spell of the same name. Its bite is extremely poisonous, requiring a save versus poison at -2 to avoid immediate death.