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I wrote The Temple of Poseidon
early in the spring of 1980 as part
of an application for employment at TSR
Hobbies, Inc. Having grown
tired of 14 straight years of school, I
decided to take some time
off from college and work full-time for
a CHANGE. The problem was
where to find a job. I had already had
several, all of which were boring
or (as was with the case with piano moving)
physically undesirable.
A year earlier, TSR had hired my good friend
Erol Otus as a staff
artist. After visiting Erol out in the
chilly wastes of Wisconsin, and
learning that—contrary to what I had heard—the
men and women of
TSR were not evil, hateful creatures, I
decided that perhaps a job
with TSR was the kind of change I was looking
for. So with several
years of playing experience and authorship
of 2 fantasy roleplaying supplements under my belt (Booty and The Beasts
and The
Necromican co-authored with Mathias
Genser and Erol Otus).
I started work on the Temple of Poseidon.
In designing the module, I drew upon 2 of
my favorite fantasy
authors, H.P.
Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, for a mood. I attempted to balance
the hack-and-slash elements of the work with
sections that required mental effort. In
order to make the module as
fresh and unique as possible, I purposely
chose some rarely used
Monster Manual
beasts (in addition to the monsters I created).
Although I have learned a lot since I wrote
the module, I am still quite
pleased with it.
Well, I did end up getting a position with
TSR and have been
working away quite happily for more than
half a year now in the
development and design departments. When
I learned of an opportunity to have The Temple of Poseidon considered for
publication in
Dragon magazine, I eagerly investigated
the possibility—and the
end result can be found on the pages which
follow this one. I
sincerely Hope that both the Temple’s players
and DM’s enjoy exploring its heinous depths as much as I enjoyed designing
them.
THE TEMPLE OF POSEIDON
BACKGROUND
For the past several days, dozens of strong
earthquakes have
rocked the coastal area surrounding the
underground Temple of
Poseidon. Since the 1st quake, there have
been a growing number
of reports of strange events
and macabre occurrences throughout
the area. Several families near the temple
have abandoned their
farms and refused to return. They claim
to have been terrorized by
inhuman specters
who prowled about their farms late at night. One of
the farmers says he found a farm animal
crucified and eviscerated in
a ritualistic fashion on his front porch.
Following the first tremors, all communications
with the Temple
of Poseidon, seemingly the center of the
troubled area, were cut off.
Messengers dispatched to the temple to
request guidance from the
Holy Oracle
located there have not returned. Now the darkness has
spread to this town. Unnatural births have
occurred. Strange cries
can be heard in the night, and there is
a cowl around the moon.
Magical divining has proven useless in
naming the dark forces that
invade.
Many of the townspeople have already abandoned
their homes
and those who remain have but 1 recourse
left: They have sent out
a cry for hardened adventurers, experienced
in dispatching evil.
They must travel to the temple to discover
the fate of the men there,
and, if possible, elicit their help in
destroying the growing heinous
power.
SUGGESTED PARTY
COMPOSITION
This is a dangerous quest!
A strong party and experienced
players are required to succeed in the
mission with minimal casualties. 7 to 10 characters of mixed class are
recommended with a
combined total of at least 70 levels. The
adventurers should also be
well equipped with magic spells
and weaponry.
START
The party leaves the town just before dawn
and arrives at the
coast unmolested, late in the day. They
must make the final leg of
their journey by boat. The craft supplied
for the mission are 8 feet
long and about 3 feet wide. The boats fit
4 characters each, and can
be paddled at the rate of 8” per turn.
The adventurers make their way up the coast
and reach the
temple’s entrance. 2 dark openings
lead into the cliff, the 1 on
the West slightly larger than the
east. About 30 feet up and further to
the West there is a slight depression
in the rock face, but little else can
be seen of it.
The adventure begins here with the party
entering one of the 2
dim cavern entrances.
NOTES FOR THE DUNGEON
MASTER
The party must choose which of the 2 openings
it will enter. In
either case, they must light torches
or lanterns, for, unless otherwise
noted, the entire cavern and temple areas
are dark. The sides of the
cave are covered with barnacles, anemones
and various small crustaceans. Unless otherwise stated, the depth of the
water is from 11 to
20 feet. The water is murky, nearly opaque.
The ceilings vary in
height from 6 to 25 feet (always 25 feet
above beaches or bridges),
and are covered with moss and small sharp
stalactites. The WALLS are
wet and smooth, making climbing
impossible. All of the bridges are <either impossible or very difficult>
high enough to allow passage beneath them.
At one time, magickal fields protected this
cavernous AREA from
transgression by dangerous sea beasts.
However, the protective
fields are Now, for the most part, gone.
The only portions of the
enchanted wards that still function restrict
all flight and levitation in
the cavern, and will negate light produced
by a magick spell or item.
The temple complex itself (areas 8-19) is
made of stone, and
should be treated as an ordinary dungeon
for most purposes. The
wards preventing flight and illumination
do not operate here. Due to
the extremely moist air, fireballs
and similar flaming weapons do only
2/3 normal fire
damage. There is a 10% chance per turn of encountering
wandering monsters while in the cavern
or temple structure.
The walls of the aliens’ subterranean complex
(everything
beyond room 19) are made of an unknown
substance that has the
qualities of plastic and steel. Due to
this material, both teleportation
and dimension
doors are impossible. The material is nearly indestructible, and will
reflect all light or energy directed at it. There is
no chance of encountering wandering monsters
while in this AREA.
SWIMMING
In some cases characters might for some
reason jump or otherwise move into the water. It is to be assumed that
every member of
the party knows how to swim. However, this
does not grant any
adventurer the ability to do the breast
stroke in full plate mail. An
unemcumbered human swims at 6” per turn.
If he is wearing clothes,
boots, and the other assorted oddities
most characters carry, then he
will swim at 4” per turn. If he enters
water wearing leather armor, he
must roll 1/2 his STR or less on d20 to
move at 2” per turn;
otherwise, he will sink. If someone wearing
plate or full chain mail
attempts to swim, he will drop like a rock
and drown in 2-8 melee
rounds. Chain mail requires 1 melee round
to remove, leather 2, and
plate 4.
There is a chance that drowned characters
can be revived after
the body is recovered. The process requires
1 full turn. The drowned
individual’s chance of survival is designated
by his CON x 3
expressed as a percent. If the roll is
made, the person will revive but
have -4 to his CON,
STR and DEX
for 1 day. If the
roll is failed, the drowned character will
die.
WANDERING MONSTER
ENCOUNTER CHART
If the dice indicate that the party is
to meet a group of wandering
monsters, they will meet 1 of the following
(roll 1d6). Every time
they meet 1 of the groups, cross it off
the list and next time choose
only from those groups not yet encountered.
1. 2-8 (4 hit dice each)
Vampiric Ixitachitl
2. 1-4 Giant
Lizards +
3. 1-10 Troglodytes
+
4. 1-3 Umber
Hulks +
5. 1-12 Lizard
Men +
6. 1-4 Giant
Killer Frogs plus 1-4 Poisonous
Frogs +
Area 1. [You find
your way blocked by a sandbar which fans out
into a small beach.
The shortest path across the sand is only about
15 feet long and lies next to the West
wall. Due to the shallow draft of
your small vessels,
it should be easy to pull your boats across the
obstruction and continue on.]
The benign appearance of the sand is a carefully
wrought deception. Just a few feet beneath the surface of the beach lies
the dread
Subsilicate Cephalopod, also known
as the Sand Squid, which will
erupt from beneath the sand and attack
the characters as they pull
their 1st boat across. Due to the beast’s
adaption to the dry, gritty
environment, it has grown a thick hide,
giving it an AC of 4.
The creature has 8 HD (56 hit points),
and movement 6”. It
attacks with its six 20-foot-long tentacles,
each of which constricts for
2-12 points damage. Each separate tentacle
can take 5 points of
damage before it is rendered useless. When
something comes
within 5 feet of the main body, the Sand
Squid may attack with its
pointed beak. If this blow is successful,
the attack will inflict 3-24
points damage and coat the target in a
viscous acid slime which will
burn for 3 melee rounds, doing 2-16 points
damage each round.
Neutralize
Poison will render the goo inert. If 4 tentacles have been
incapacitated, the monster will retreat
15 feet beneath the sand and
wait for less dangerous prey to wander
past.
Area 2. [In the middle
of the cavern is a low, sandy island with a
stone path
traversing it. 2 bridges arch off either
end of the isle
and lead into dark openings in the cavern
WALLS. A marble bench is
located slightly off the path in the center
of the island.]
This area is a resting stop along the temple’s
Path of Meditation.
If anyone ventures onto the island, he
will be attacked by a group of 3
Sea Lions.
Each of this pride can reach up to 15 feet inland and
attack with its 2 claws and mighty bite
for 1-6, 1-6 and 2-12 points
damage, respectively. The beasts have 6
HD (43, 37, 35 hit
points), AC 4, and movement 18”. They will
attack until SLAIN.
Area 3. [You enter
a large grotto about 100 feet in diameter. The
area is dimly lit by 2 urns filled with
burning oil, set into the walls on
either side of the cavern. To the SouthWest
there is a dock with steps
leading up to a raised platform.]
Little do the adventurers realize that the
pool beneath them is 100
feet deep and contains the temple's guardian,
a mammoth Plesiosaurus. The 60-foot-long
dinosaur resembles a huge snake with a
bloated midsection and small fin-like flippers.
The guardian wears an
enchanted metal chain about its neck which
gives the beast powers
of telepathy, diminution
and limited INT. Once the boats
have reached the center of the grotto,
the Plesiosaurus will rise up
and block their way to the dock. For the
next 3 melee rounds, the
creature will probe the minds of the party.
If the beast is not attacked,
at the end of the 3 melee rounds it will
smile a toothy grin and sink,
letting the party pass by, having realized
the purpose of their visit.
However, if attacked, the Plesiosaurus will
retaliate. The dinosaur has 20 HD (HP 139), AC 7, and movement
15”. It will slash with its 2 front flippers
for 2-12 points damage
each, and bite for an additional 5-20.
The guardian can crush a boat
in 1 melee round by wrapping its tail around
the vessel and constricting, sending all passengers into the
icy waters. The magickal chain
the dinosaur wears will function only for
the Plesiosaurus.
Area 4. [Your passage
is brought to a halt by a large, sandy area
that completely blocks your path. The beach
extends at least 30 feet
inland; from somewhere in the darkness
ahead on the beach you
hear a wet, slapping sound.]
Just beyond the party’s vision stands a
complement of the
Locathah
Warrior Elite, outfitted for surface travel in rubbery, moisture suits,
and wearing spherical, water-filled,
transparent helmets. If
any of the party rolls an 11 or 12 on a
12-sided die, he will see
movement ahead and a glimpse of light
that is reflected off the
Locathah’s bubble helmets. The fishmen
recently learned of the
temple’s new vulnerability. They are investigating
the caverns for
future assault. Among the group of 10 are
7 warriors, 2 leader-class
fighters and 1 great chief. Each warrior
has 16 HP, AC
6, and movement 4”. They wield bladed lances
that strike for 1-10
points damage. The leader-class fighters
have 18 HP, AC 6, movement 4”. They use large, barbed tridents
that strike for
2-16 points damage each. The chief has
30 HP, AC 4,
movement 6”. He carries a +2 two-handed
sword that strikes for
6-24 (2d10 + 4) points damage, and can
sweep in a circle, striking up
to 3 targets in a round if they are no
more than 10 feet away. The
bubble masks are AC 0 and take 5 points
of damage before
they are shattered. Any Locathah without
a mask must roll 5 or 6 on a
6-sided die to continue fighting. Otherwise
it will run for the nearest
water to avoid painful asphyxiation.
Due to the strange anatomy of the Locathah
hand, all their
weapon grips are cumbersome to the human
grasp. Any person
using one of these items will attack at
-2 and do 1/2 damage. The
leader wears a ceremonial necklace, containing
5 opal gems, each
of which are worth 1,000 GP.
Area 5. [The cavern
ahead narrows to a passage 5 feet wide.
You travel at 1/2 SPEED. The WALLS of the
cavern are coated with
small, furry spiders,
about 2 inches in diameter.]
The spiders are completely innocuous and
can be killed with a
torch’s
flame. The true dangers hide within shadowed recesses in
the cavern wall. They are 3 Subterranean
Lizards. Each lizard has 6
HD, (HP 40, 36 and 12). When the boats
pass by their dark
abodes, the reptilian beasts will lunge
out and snap at their opponents for 2-12 points damage. The lizards expose
only a small
portion of their 20-foot-long
bodies, and so have a modified AC of 2.
Area 6. [Your journey
is again impeded; a broad expanse of
sand blocks your way. The light
of your torches partially illuminates
the AREA in front of you, and a bizarre,
lumpy terrain can be seen. You
detect something moving, just beyond the
light of your torches.]
As the boats approach the beach, 3 fearsome
beasts with the
looks of Eye
Tyrants rush out of the shadows. They
are, in fact, Gas
Spores!
The darkness assists their naturally
deceptive appearance,
and there is only a 25% chance that the
party will recognize the <Fungi
Lore check>
fungoids as anything but Beholders. The
plant-like monsters attack
by touching their opponents, needing a
10 or better to do so. If 1
succeeds, it will inject thousands of spores,
which will begin to grow
inside the victim. Unless a Cure
Disease spell is CAST upon the
afflicted person, he will fall into unconsciousness
in 15 turns, and
burst open, releasing 2-8 new gas spores,
24 hours later. If any one
of the gas spores is struck, it will violently
explode, inflicting 6-36
points damage (save = 1/2 damage) to all
within 20 feet. If either of
the other 2 gas spores are within the explosion
radius, there is a
33% chance that they will explode as well.
Area 7. [The tunnel
dead ends and there is no way out but the
way you came in. Your boats seem to be
scraping on something just
beneath the surface of the murky water.]
The rasping sound is produced by the bottoms
of the boats
scraping the tops of Giant
Sea Spiders’ lairs. Within the fibrous
abode dwell dozens of these huge
arachnids, each over 6 feet in
diameter. The creatures will climb up into
the boats at the rate of 1 per
melee round; roll randomly to ascertain
which craft is attacked. Each
spider has 7 HD (44 + 1-12 HP), armor class
5, movement 15", and can bite for 1-6 points damage. In addition, the spiders
inject a venom which wilt paralyze their
victims unless a save versus
poison is made. Even if the saving throw
is successful, the effects of
the poison will still retard the victim’s
movement, causing him to fight
and defend at -3 for 1-10 turns.
Area 8. [The platform
is made of marble and is obviously the
dock and main entrance to the temple. Tall,
stone pillars frame the
open doorway. The wide double doors have
been broken outward
and hang at a skewed angle the wall. Slimy
tracks leading into the
temple show signs that sea beasts have
entered the complex, and
that the AREA is indeed unguarded. Burned
remnants of torches hang
on the walls. No sounds emerge from the
black opening. There is
only darkness.]
Room 9. [These 4
rooms are furnished as temporary housing
for those nobs and wealthy merchants
who often visited the oracle
within the temple for guidance. Each room
has a thick, oak door,
holds a desk, 2 chairs <chairs=x>, a
large wardrobe and a bed of water
contained in a magickal field of retention.
Each room is detailed
below:
A. Empty, aside
from that mentioned above. However, a crack
runs across the center
of the room‘s floor and 1 side of the
floor is 1 foot lower
than the other.
B. A horrid stench
comes from this room. Inside one will find a
man and a woman, both
clothed in lavish robes, lying dead in
long-dried pools of
blood. In one hand the man holds a
dagger,
stained red. A carefully scribed note, written in the
common tongue, rests
on the desk and reads as follows:
“We have at last retreated
to our own room. The priest, our
only hope, is dead.
I think my wife and I are the last ones left.
The great upheaval sank
all of the boats and broke the wards.
Our only escape route
is cut off. We are doomed. There is but
one choice we have left:
Either we take our own lives, or we let
ourselves be SLAIN by
those hideous things out there, who will
steal our souls as well.
We have no alternative. Farewell.”
C. Obviously
a well-to-do tradesman lived here, for the room is
hung with rich tapestries
and the wardrobe is filled with fine
clothing. If the pockets
of the clothes are searched, the party
will find 20 PP and
a finely cut sapphire gem
worth 1,500 GP.
D. The door to
this chamber is slightly ajar and quite warm to the
touch. If anyone attempts
to listen at the portal, there is a 50%
chance they will hear
high-pitched keening, interspersed with
a low, rumbling sound,
probably a voice. When the door is
opened, the adventurers
will find a truly strange spectacle
before them: In one
corner of the room, huddled in a fetal
position, is a haggard,
wild-eyed human. From his loud rant
ings, it will be clear
that the man is insane. Looming over him <insanity=x>
is a 12-foot-tall,
reddish-skinned humanoid, pleading with the
madman. After a few
seconds, the large creature, an Efreeti,
will turn around and
beg the party to help his sick master by
removing the horrid
cursed amulet from about his master’s
neck. If any of the
party complies with this request, the Efreeti
will immediately attack
that person, shouting, “And so I fulfill
my final command; to
attack those who assault my master or
attempt to take his
possession.” The enchanted creature,
actually a Pasha noble,
has 11 HD (88 hit points), AC 1,
and movement 9” walking,
24" flying. Aside from his
numerous Efreet powers,
he may strike with each great claw
for 3-24 points damage
each. Due to his elevated position in
the Efreet hierarchy,
the Pasha has been granted the ability
to breathe magickal
fire once per day in a cone 25 feet long and
15 feet wide. All caught
within the burning area will suffer 4-32
points <fire>
damage, unless they make their saving throws, in
which case the damage
will be halved.
Once the person holding
the mystic amulet has been slain
or subdued, the Efreeti
will snatch the item and shift to the
astral
plane to make good his escape. If the party refuses to
remove the amulet, the
devious creature will use his cunning
to make the characters
either, take something from the insane
man, or attack him,
as either act would fulfill his last command
of releasing the Efreeti
from bondage. He will insult, degrade,
and verbally abuse the
adventurers. The reason for the
Pasha’s strange behavior
is due to the nature of the neckpiece the insane man wears. Once per week,
for a maximum
duration of 3 hours
per USE, this item may summon the Efreeti
from his home in the
City of Brass to perform 1 command for
the holder. The single
limitation to this device is its inability to
force the Efreeti to
grant wishes. If the beast is slain, 1
month
will pass before he
recorporates and is able to be summoned
once more.
Room 10. [The large
room you have just entered is evidently
some sort of refectory or commons. There
is a crack across the
room, leaving one side of the room 6 inches
higher than the other. In
the middle of the chamber there is a 30-foot-long,
stone table,
surrounded by 21 chairs. On the North wall
there is a large hearth <chairs=x>
with wood piled beside it. Against the
West wall there are various
utensils for use in food
preparation. In the northwest corner there is a
covered pit used, no doubt, for refuse
disposal. The walls are covered with bas reliefs of tremendous sea beasts,
such as the Great
White Shark,
Leviathan, and Devil Kraken. One design,
however,
seems to be slightly obscured, as though
the wall were fused
smooth.]
This “fused” wall is actually covered by
a large (25 HP)
Ochre
Jelly, turned gray through adaptation
to the environment. This
slimy beast will remain stuck to the stone
until something comes
within 5 feet. The jelly will then drop
off the wall onto an area 10 feet
wide by 15 feet long, burning those in
the area for 3-12 points of
caustic damage. The amoeba has AC 8, movement
3”. It
attacks by sending out up to 3 pseudopods
per melee round, each of
which strike for 1-8 points damage. Unlike
the non-mutated ochre
jelly, this beast is immune to fire and
cold-based attacks.
In addition, deep within the pit there are
3 salt-water equivalents
of the Carrion
Crawler. Like their land-going brethren, each has 3
+ 1 HD (23, 20 and 17 HP), movement 12”
and AC 3/7.
The creatures attack with 4 five-foot-long, tongue-like
tentacles, which each hit for 1 point of
damage, and secrete an
enzyme that paralyzes their opponents unless
their victims make a
SAVE versus poison’. Since the Carrion
Crawlers are so deep
in the pit, it will be 10 melee rounds
before they arrive at the surface
and can attack the party. They will NOT
follow the adventurers out of
the room.
THE PATH OF MEDITATION
This smooth stone path was used by the
temple’s residents for
solitude and contemplation. The walls of
the trail are covered with
frescoes. Every few yards the wall paintings
display a different scene
from some myth concerning Poseidon.
Area 11. [This is
a sunlit room, containing neat rows of flowers.
The light is supplied by a clever arrangement
of prisms and mirrors
that bring the sun’s
rays from the surface. 2 marble benches,
located in dark, shadowed
recesses, face the flower beds. They are
surrounded by the shards of a
shattered crystal bowl. There are 4
different sections of flowers; a single
set is located several feet from
the other 3.]
The northernmost bench is actually a Killer
Mimic, which will
attack anyone coming within 5 feet. The
creature extrudes a member
from its body and punches its opponent
for 4-12 points damage. The
Mimic has 9 HD (50 HP), AC 7, movement
3”. All
weapons striking the Mimic will adhere
to the monster’s skin due to a
powerful gloo. The weapons may be wrenched
free in 2-8 melee
rounds by a character who rolls his STR
or less on d20. The
mimic will not move out of the
shadowed alcove due to its strong
aversion to sunlight.
The isolated section of flowers consists
of a variant of the carnivorous Venus flytrap. The plants look like a normal
blood-red
flower, with a thick stalk. These Cannibal
Carnations each have 2 HP, AC 8, and movement 0. If something ventures
within
the range of the ravenous little devils
(usually about 3 feet), the plants
will bend toward their TARGET and expose
their hidden jaws. At any
time when a target is in range, from 1-10
of the beasts will be in a
position to attack that target, inflicting
1 point of damage each. Every
Cannibal Carnation contains 1 seed which,
if planted, will sprout and
grow into an adult within 1 week.
Area 12. [You travel
up 25 feet of steps and reach an opening in
the wall, into which
sunlight pours. This opening leads to a semicircular, amphitheater-like
balcony that looks down on the crashing
surf. The floor is made of marble, and
pillars reach 35 feet up to the
rock ceiling. In one end of the balcony
lies a huge pile of sticks, grass
and small rocks. Mewing
sounds come from behind it.]
The adventurers have chanced upon a Dragonne
nest. Behind
the pile of sticks and grass lie a female
adult and a young male cub.
The adult male will return from outside
in 1-4 melee rounds, and
attack the party if they are still there.
The female will attack if anyone
approaches within 10 feet. She has 7 HD
(47 HP), AC 3, movement 15”/9”. The creature attacks with 2 claws and a
bite, doing 1-6, 1-6 and 2-12 points of
damage respectively. The cub
has only 1 HD and cannot attack, but could
be trained as a pet or
guardian once full-grown. The male has
9 HD (68 HP),
AC 2, movement the same as the female;
he uses his claws
for 1-8 each, bites for 3-18, and can produce
a tremendous roar as
well. The deep bellow will cause weakness
to all within 100 feet and
will deafen all those within 30 feet. The
weakness results in 1/2
STR
for 2-12 melee rounds. The deafness
will last a similar
length of Time and, in addition to ruining
the victim’s hearing, will <cf. keen-eared>
cause him to fight and defend at -2 due
to disorientation.
Among the detritus making up the Dragonne
nest, the adventurers may find a brass ring
which allows the wearer to regenerate
as
per a Troll. The chance of finding the
ring is 10% times the number of
party members who SEARCH — but even if
a dice roll indicates success, the search must be continued for 3-6 turns
to be fruitful.
Area 13. [As you
walk along the footpath, you come to a wide
crack in the wall. Strange, cheesy odors
come from the fissure.
There is a slight luminescence produced
by odd fungus, 1/2 revealing a 4-foot-wide tunnel going back into the rock.
If you continue, you
will find your eyes adjust rapidly to the
the pale green light, and torches
are no longer needed. The tunnel leads
to an irregular cavern, about
30 feet wide, which is covered with lichens,
molds and various types
of mushrooms.]
The party is attacked by a colony of 7 Myconymphs,
a race of
intelligent fungi. The creatures stand
7 feet tall, and are spindly in
build, having thin arms and legs. They
have vaguely humanoid
features but from various parts of their
bodies hang oddly-shaped
bunches of mold. Each has 4 + 1 HD (25
plus 1-8 HP
each), AC 7, and movement 9”. They attack
by flailing their
opponents with their thin arms for 1-4
points damage each. The
Myconymphs also bite for 1-3 points damage,
and a successful bite
will inject a soporific venom that will
cause total immobility for 1-6 full
turns. A SAVE results in a slowing effect,
which will halve
Dexterity
and movement for 1-10 melee rounds. The flesh of the
fungus-men is deadly poison
to all humanoids.
Area 14. [Crossing
the bridge, you enter a square cave, lit by a
nearly exhausted oil
lantern. In one corner sits a large fountain and
basin. Water pours from the mouth of a
fearsome sea-serpent statue
whose eyes are made of emeralds, each worth
6,000 GP.
The floor is made of uneven mounds of sand.]
If someone attempts to pluck the valuable
eyes from the fountain
statue, a Water
Weird will spring forth from the basin and attack the
offender. The Weird has 25 HP, AC 4, movement
12”
up to 10 feet away from the pool. It can
strike 1 enemy up to 10 feet
away each melee round, hitting on an 11
or better. The victim must
SAVE vs paralyzation
or be drawn into the water. While the Weird
lives, the character cannot be removed.
If 4 melee rounds pass
without other party members having destroyed
the Water Weird, the
victim will have drowned. Sharp weapons
do only 1 point of damage
to the creature, but blunt ones do full
damage. Cold spells slow
it, fire
does half damage, and a Purify
water spell will kill the creature. If
SLAIN, the
Weird will re-form in 2 melee rounds.
Room 15. [The AREA
is filled with rows of beds, 40 in all, and in
the western third of the room there are
tall stacks of books. Next to
each bed there is a small table on which
REST writing tools and a small,
glass bowl. On the South wall there
is a large, crystalline jar
set in a
niche in the wall. This vessel is filled
with sparkling water.]
This room served as both Acolyte
quarters and library. The piles
of books all concern the nature of ocean
and sea mythologies found
throughout the world. The
crystal water vessel has been
enchanted
to remain forever full of pure water to
be used by the apprentices in
their meditation
rituals. The common procedure to attain enlightenment involved an Acolyte
filling his personal bowl with water from the
sacred jar, and then slowly walking along
the Path of Meditation,
concentrating deeply upon the sparkling
motes of light within the
liquid. The magick vessel weighs 15 pounds
when empty (but it is
never empty for long!) and will produce
up to 3 gallons of water per
melee round.
Room 16. [you pass
through a massive iron-bound door into a
dimly lit room. On the North side
of the chamber there is a large,
wooden table, a bed and other assorted
accoutrements. A shallow
dish made of gold
rests on a marble stand beside the bed. It is filled
with water.
The room evidently belonged to the arch-priest of this
temple. On the priest’s desk rest a variety
of books concerning
ancient sea lore. In addition, there is
an open journal. The 1st
section is dated 16 days past, and the
last entry is only a few days
old. It reads as follows, beginning with
the earliest notation:
“Today was truly exciting.
We were hit by a rather large
earthquake,
the 1st in decades. The temple suffered a few
cracks in the floors
and walls, but no one was hurt and repairs
are underway. One thing
does trouble me, though. The wards
barring dangerous creatures
from our caverns seem to have
been weakened by the
shock; nothing drastic, but I am
concerned.”
The next entry was written a week later:
“More quakes, not as
great as the 1st but damaging
nonetheless. The floor
of the commons sinks with each successive tremor. Another problem: The
protective wards are
definitely weakening.
2 Acolytes walking along the Path of
Meditation were attacked
yesterday. One was badly hurt
before we could drive
the beasts off. We can only pray to the
Sea Lord that things
don’t get worse before help arrives, since
all our boats were destroyed
by falling rocks during the last
tremor. The morale
of the Acolytes is failing. They are afraid
and even miss services
occasionally. One claimed to see an
inhuman apparition late
last night.”
4 days later:
“Something unspeakably
bad is happening here. The
monstrous specters are
a reality. I saw one myself last night.
An evil influence is
growing here. Just hours ago one of my
pupils went insane and
attacked a group of his FRIENDS with a
knife.
He killed one and wounded two others before he was
subdued. The visitors
here have retreated to their rooms in
fear, and come out only
for meals. The wards have failed
completely Now, and
we are subject to continuous attack.
Worst of all, the
oracle is deaf to our pleas. It has not spoken a
word since three days
past. Poseidon save us!”
The last entry is 2 days old:
“We have been attacked
by an evil beyond description.
It is the Elder gods,
the dark ones who eat Time! Only in the last
few hours have I realized
what is truly happening to us. Years
ago this AREA was found
to have incredibly high mana, the
power on which all magick
feeds. To take advantage of this
natural wonder, my ancestors
built this temple on top of the
mana -source. How were
they to know that they were not the
1st? How were they to
know that beneath our stone corridors
there resides another
complex, built by darkly evil inhumans in
millenia past. The earthquakes
must have awakened them,
and now they rise again
in their attempt to conquer the world.
for their evil lords!
How are we to—Wait, a tremendous
crash in the oracle
chamber! Voices, too, I think. I must investigate.”
The rest of the journal is blank
The sourthern part of
the chamber contains a small library
of rare
and arcane sea lore.
Included are articles on water-based sorcery
and treatises concerning
the dread, dark powers that reside in the
ocean depths. One of
the books, bound in the hide of a giant
eel, is a
Libram of Sea Sorcery.
Following one week of study, the tome will
grant the reader the
power to control sea creatures up to 16 HD in
size as per a charm
monster spell. The power may be employed but
once per day, and the
book may be read only once and by only one
character. Another book,
written in the language of the Triton,
is
entitled The Secret
Passage. When it is opened to page 333, a
secret door on the south
wall will open into a small passage.
Room 17. [The secret
passage continues for 10 feet and ends at
a large metal portal.
The portal opens with a slight push and exposes
the entire room to view. Oil
lanterns illuminate the small vault, which
is filled with gold, silver, gems
and jewelry. This is obviously the
temple’s treasure hoard, valuables acquired
from the oracle’s visitors in return for
the counsel they received here.]
Before gaining any of the trove in front
of them, the party must
reckon with the vault’s sentinel, an invisible
Guardian Naga. The
creature has 12 HD (85 HP), AC 0, movement
15”,
and can attack physically by constricting
for 2-8 points and biting for
1-6. The Naga also spits lethal Venom at
opponents (once per melee
round) up to 30 feet away, which will SLAY
them unless they make
their SAVE.
Although the Guardian possesses these physical
attacks, in this
situation it will opt 1st to use its magical
abilities, for the Naga’s state
of invisibility
will remain intact as long as it does not move quickly, as
in melee,
or use any of its physical attacks. The creature has the
following spells at its disposal: Cause
light wounds, Fear,
Hold
person,
Silence (15-foot radius), and
Cause blindness.
The Guardian will first cast silence (15-foot radius). All within the room
except
the Naga must SAVE or become deaf and dumb,
unable to communicate or use spells. The creature will then use its hold
spell on as
many targets as possible. Following this,
the Naga will quietly pass
through the party, inflicting blindness
and light wounds. Its touch is
so light that there is only a 25% chance
that anyone will notice
contact. All the spells can be cast only
once. Once the Guardian
Naga’s magick is exhausted, or if its invisible
state is exposed, it will
attack physically until slain. <check
invisibility>
The treasure
consists of the following: 8,763 GP (weighing about 900#); 322 PP (weighing
about 45#);
15 gems worth 600 GP each; 1 polymorph
self
potion
with 2 doses left; 1 pouch of Disappearance
Dust (2 doses); 1
potion
of giant strength (cloud giant)
and 1 heavy silver ring set with
<all rings in AD&D look the same, so I use the
1 ring as a default, gold with possible hidden
writing>
an aquamarine gem. The ring will grant
the wearer the following
powers:
1. Water
breathing, unlimited duration and no depth limitation.
2. Swimming,
as per the ring.
3. Once per day the
bearer of this ring can fire a bolt of water
30
feet long and 2 feet
in diameter. The water will travel 90 feet
before losing its shape.
All those in the bolt’s path will take
3-36 points damage,
be knocked back 1-10 feet, and must
save vs. magick or have
their lungs fill with water, drowning
them in 1-3 melee rounds.
However, once slipped on, the ring will
graft itself to the victim’s
hand and begin turning him into a Triton
at the rate of 1% more
CHANGE per day. Only 2 Wishes
cast simultaneously can enable the
wearer to remove the ring.
Room 18, Oracle
Room. [Your party walks down a long, white
corridor.
Tall, fluted pillars line either side of the path. Finally, you
come to the end of the corridor and pass
through a high arched
opening into a dark room. Your torches
reveal the vague outlines of a
huge chamber, about
80 feet long and at least 60 feet wide. The walls
are carved with seemingly alive ocean scenes.
In the west end of the
room there stands a gargantuan coral statue
of Poseidon, wielding
his great Trident. The statue has a tail
which wraps around a bottomless oval pool filled with cerulean
blue salt water. Boulders and rock
fragments surround a ragged opening in
the South wall. From this
tunnel come noxious
green fumes. In the dust surrounding the hole,
tracks can be discovered. Some appear
human, but most are long,
wide swaths, as though something had been
dragged across the
AREA.]
If the party observes carefully, they will
find that indeed the stone
sea creatures carved into the walls move
very slowly. It is as though a
scene from hundreds of feet beneath the
surface were transformed
into living rock. 3 melee rounds after
the party has entered the
room, the water in the pool will begin
to froth and boil. During the next
melee round, the head and torso of a bearded
man will form and rise
out of the water, reaching a total height
of 15 feet. The man will slowly
survey the room, and then say to the party,
“It seems I am too late in
penetrating the barrier. My temple is destroyed.”
If no one questions
him, he will disappear is 2 melee rounds.
If someone does query the
watery form, that character may ask up
to 3 questions which
Poseidon will then answer. After responding
to all the questions to be
asked, Poseidon will say the following
and then disappear: “If you go
to avenge the deaths of my followers, then
drink of my waters in times
of need. But only once in the life of a
mortal may you quaff this liquid,
for it is derived from ambrosia and would
surely SLAY any mortal a
2nd time.”
The pool will then fill with golden
liquid. Each character may fill
one container with a portion of the divine
liquid. Regardless of how
much is consumed at one time, the following
will happen:
1. All damage to the
drinker will be cured, back to the number of
HP with which he or
she began the adventure.
2. All poison
in the individual’s body will be neutralized.
3. All disease
in the drinker’s body will be eradicated
If someone partakes of the water
a second time, regardless of
how little the character consumes, the
drinker will be SLAIN with no
SAVE applicable. The liquid remains potent
for only 3 hours,
after which it will transform back into
sea water.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Time
and the way the party spends it plays an integral part in this
adventure. Exactly 10 turns after the characters
descend the spiral
staircase and enter the
alien base, the evil Priests
of Ythog Nthlei will
succeed in freeing their Master. The only
way to prevent them from
attaining their goal is to kill them before
the end of 10 turns. If they
succeed, Ythog Nthlei will instantly move
to Room 31 with his treasure: The priests will remain
in their room.
Area 19. [The opening
in the oracle room leads to a wide rent in
the rock, which angles down. After several
hundred yards, you reach
a small chamber. On
the South side of the cave there are steps
leading up; however, they are blocked after
only a few feet by
mounds of rock and stone
slabs. The other exit from this room leads
to a pit 40 feet across and over 100 feet
deep. Set against the wall,
spiraling downward, is a long staircase.
666
steps descend to the bottom of the pit.
On each step of the winding
stairway there is carved in great detail
a representation of one of the
corresponding layers of The
Abyss. Each scene is more horrible than
the one preceding it. A foul stench grows
stronger with every foot you
move downward, and your torches
and lanterns begin to flicker and
burn low.]
Room 20. [You leave
the spiral staircase and enter the 1st
passage of this
alien complex. The corridor is
8-sided, and the walls
are made of a smooth,
gray material. The roof reaches a height of 24
feet. The fitful flames of your torches
and lanterns die completely.
However, you Now notice that the walls
emit a slight glow, granting
clear sight for 40 feet. After walking
a short distance you enter an
octagonal chamber. In the middle of the
chamber stands a shiny,
black, four-sided pillar that reaches up
into the darkness above you.
All four sides of the pillar are covered
with grotesque runes and
hieroglyphics. The north wall opens into
a passage; however, a
metallic, web-like barrier blocks your
way. Unintelligible, chant-like
whispers are heard coming from further
down this blocked passageway.
Another corridor opposite from the one
you came in is unbarred
and extends to the east out of sight.]
If the party wishes to break through the
barrier, they must do so
as per bending bars, at a penalty of 10%
on the chance for success.
The writings on the onyx column tell the
history of this complex. If any
of the party attempts to translate the
glyphs, he will read the passage
given below out loud, and then fall silent,
reading the rest to himself.
At the end of 1 melee round, the
translator will then do one of the
following things (roll d4):
1. Pass out, and be unable
to recall anything beyond the section
he spoke out loud when
he revives.
2. Finish reading and
say that there is nothing more of interest.
However, unknown to
the rest of the party, he has turned
irrevocably LE.
3. As the reader progresses
through the work, he becomes
increasingly agitated
and will NOT let any of the party members
prevent him from continuing.
At the end of the translation, he
will begin to gibber
and babble incoherently, for he has become permanently insane.
4. At the end of the
reading, the translator will turn and begin to
speak. However, a
bolt of coruscating green energy will leap
from the pillar and
strike the character, killing him unless he
makes a saving throw
at -3. If he survives, the effects will be
the same as in number
1.
The part spoken out loud goes as follows:
“During the 9th rotation of our galactic cluster in this the
34321st year of our Master’s reign, we, the remaining children
of the Great Lord Ythog-Nthlei do hereby register and sanctify
this, our Holy Base. From these divine depths we shall build
and grow until we have enough strength to release our Father,
Zoth Ommog, from his imprisonment beyond the curtain of
time.”
Room 21. [The chanting
becomes louder and louder as you
approach this AREA. Your party reaches
a tall, double door, made of
the same material as the WALLS. The doors
open with a strong push
and reveaI a bizarre scene. The
room is large and 8-sided. In the
center of the chamber there is a 15-foot-wide
brazier roaring with
yellow flames
and giving off a foul, green smoke. Set into four of the
walls are triangular grooves 5 feet deep
and 12 feet high. Shards of a
smoky, amber-like material surround each
groove area. The most
shocking element of this room is its occupants:
Around the tall flames
stand 4 loathsome creatures that sway and
chant in a most inhuman
fashion. Although the things are clad in
long, flowing robes, the cloth
is mostly tatters, and reveals their true
forms. Each is nearly 10 feet
tall, and has 2 long, triple-jointed, barbed
legs. Extending from a
scaled barrel-chest are 4 thick tentacles
which each end in 8 opposing fingers. The head of the monster, perhaps
the most hideous
aspect, is totally inhuman. It is basically
heart-shaped, cleaved down
the middle. From either side of the head
extend 2-foot-long, comblike feelers, similar to those of a moth. Set on
either side of the face
are clusters of waving tendrils, each of
which end in small eyes,
giving the creature complete peripheral
vision. On the bottom of the
face there is a large circular
orifice. When the beast opens this ring of
flesh to scream, thousands of writhing
wormlike tongues are exposed. As you stand in near shock surveying the
inhuman scene, the
creatures turn to confront you.]
These are the priests of the King Ythog-Nthlei,
who lies imprisoned in the room downstairs. They chant for his release,
and will
succeed in this task 10 turns after the
characters have entered the
complex unless the priests are SLAIN by
then. After being freed from
their bondage by a series of earthquakes,
the priests first eliminated
the human
temple above and then went about reactivating their
base. They are now in the final and most
difficult stages of the task of
freeing their leader from the tomb he was
trapped in hundreds of
years ago. The creatures will, of course,
attack the party instantly.
Their statistics are as follows: HD 7 (HP
42 + 1-12), AC 3, movement 18”.
Each of the priests is 40% magic resistant
and is immune to poison, acid and cold
attacks.
The evil Priests attack with their 4 tentacle/hands
for 2-12 points
damage each. For every additional appendage
that strikes a single
TARGET after the first, the priest will
do 1-8 more points of damage,
because he will then begin ripping his
opponent apart. The dark
creatures
can also attack by extending their many-pointed tongues
and piercing their opponents with them.
This assault inflicts 1-6
points damage and will drain one of the
enemy’s senses. RolI d6 to
determine which sense is drained:
1 = taste; 2 = smell;
3 = touch; 4 = hearing; 5 = sight; 6 =
psychic or psionic abilities
If the victim makes his SAVE, the sense
drain will last only
1-6 melee rounds before the ability returns.
Otherwise, the only way
to cure this loss is to cast a Remove
curse spell and a Restoration
spell simultaneously upon the afflicted
character. If a roll calls for the
draining of a sense the victim has already
lost or never possessed,
treat the roll as “no affect.”
Room 22. [The opening
leading from the Priest’s room connects
to a set of stairs going down. However,
covering the first 5 feet of the
opening is a bright
orange wall of light. The staircase leads down 100
feet and ends in a small
chamber. On the East wall there are two
glowing imprints of human
hands, set about 2 feet apart. The entire
South wall is composed of a set
of 2 closed stone doors, crisscrossed with
thick metal bands. Set in the middle of the door is a
gold
seal, 3 feet
in diameter. Indecipherable writings have been carved
into the disk.]
The orange light
is actually a highly magickal field of protection,
preventing the Priests from descending
into the lower chambers. It
wilt affect those who pass through it differently,
depending upon what
kind of creature they are. Humans
passing through the area will feel
dizzy and confused, but will suffer no
other effects. Evil individuals
will suffer the above with intense wracking
pains and convulsions, as
well. Any non-human who attempts to pass
through the barrier of
light must SAVE
versus death at -2. Even if the save is successful,
the creature will still be repulsed, unable
to enter the AREA.
The chamber at the bottom of the stairs
is the outer portion of the
prison of King Ythog-Nthlei, who lies in
an enchanted slumber
beyond the sealed portal. If someone places
his hands on the 2
glowing spots, a 3-dimensional image of
a human Sorcerer will
appear and speak the following:
“We have at last imprisoned
the Dark King, Ythog-Nthlei,
here beneath his very
base. The process cost more than we
could have believed
in Time and lives. For over 200 years our
brotherhood of magicians
has struggled to prevent these sons
of the old ones from
releasing their horrible sires. Now only a
few of us remain, but
the task is compleat. This image is a
WARNING.
Do NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to enter
the chamber beyond this
door. Any transgression into the AREA
will release the King
from his bondage, and will surely spell
your doom.”
The image will then disappear. The doors
may be opened at any
Time, but it will require the entire STR
of the party to break the seal
and the Metal bonds holding it shut.
The room behind the gate is dominated by
a long slab of marble
upon which rests a monstrous sarcophagus,
at least 15 feet in
length. Tall urns filled with some mystic
liquid stand burning at either
end of the pallet, illuminating the chamber.
Unless the stone coffin is
opened, 2 melee rounds will pass before
anything happens. Then,
with a tremendous explosion, the sarcophagus
will shatter, revealing
the unholy King. All within 30 feet of
the coffin will take 2-12 points of
damage from the stone
shrapnel.
The creature’s form barely fits beneath
the 20-foot-tall ceiling.
The aspect of Ythog-Nthtei is that of a
gargantuan synthesis of a man
and some type of slug. He stands on a slimy,
thick, snail-like
appendage that sprouts from his human
chest. In 1 humanoid hand
he holds a long,
black mace. His face is a mixture of bulbous snail <mace=x>
antennae and evil human features. About
his form Ythog-Nthlei
wears a tong yellow
robe. The King has 26 HD (208 HP),
AC -2, movement 12”.
The King attacks his opponents with his
large black mace. The
weapon is +5, hits for 4-24 (+13 if wielded
by Ythog-Nthtei) points
damage, and drains 1 life level each time
it hits. The mace can <alt>
also radiate a field of darkness
if a 30-foot radius, which totally
obscures all vision, except that of the
holder. The mace can animate
3-18 zombies
of twice-normal strength once per week. Ythog-Nthlei
can project scintillating beams of energy
from his 4 large eyes at the
rate of 1 per melee round. Each beam hits
on a 4 or better and drains
1 point of STR
from its target for 1 turn unless the victim makes
a SAVE. The King may also bite, inflictng
3-18 points damage, and injecting a poison
into his opponent. A poison victim must
SAVE at -2 or fall under the control of
the creature for 1-10 turns.
Ythog-Nthlei is immune to all non-magical
attacks and reflects any
type of spell cast at him back to the enchantment's
sander.
If the party succeeds in slaying this creature,
they will find a small
bag made of black,
velvety material that contains 10 loun
stones.
The collection of stones consists of the
following:
2 pale blue rhomboids
(each adds 1 point to STR up to
a
maximum of 18);
2 scarlet and
blue spheres (each adds 1 point to
INT
up to a maximum of 18);
1 incandescent blue
sphere
(adds 1 point to WIS
up to a maximum of 18);
1 deep red sphere
(adds 1 point to DEX
up to a maximum of 18);
1 pink rhomboid
(adds 1 point to CON
up to a maximum of 18);
1 clear spindle
(sustains person without food or water);
1 iridescent spindle (sustains person without air);
and 1 dusty rose prism (gives +1 protection).
loun stones whirl about their user’s head
in an orbit of about 3
feet. Whenever loun stones are attacked,
they are to be treated as
AC -4. If they take <10?> points of
damage, they will turn dull
gray and be
forever useless. They save as if they were made of hard
Metal which is +3 in enchantment.
Area 23. [A 20-foot
long staircase leads up to an 8-sided room
30 feet across. In the center of the room
sits a 7-foot-tall, glowing
pyramid. The construction has 3<4?>
sides, each 10 feet long at the base,
and is made of a bluish,
translucent material. Dull glimmers of light
flicker from the center of the tetrahedron,
revealing a strange, crystalline network of dark
fibers within the structure. As you watch the
pyramid, the light
coming from within intensifies.]
This area served as a communications link
between the members of the base crew and their leaders. Through psychic
stimulation,
the device can be activated, as displayed
by the increased internal
luminance when the party studies the pyramid.
The relic was also
used as an interdimensional portal, which
transported the inhuman
creatures’ brethren across space and Time
to assist them in their
unholy cause.
There is a possibility that members of the
party can initiate full
function capacity from the pyramid through
intense concentration.
The chance of success, dependent solely
upon an individual’s Intelligence,
is as follows:
| INT | Chance of Sussess |
| 13 or less | No chance of activation |
| 14 or 15 | 15% chance of activation |
| 16 or 17 | 30% chance of activation |
| 18 or better | 60% chance of activation |
Every member of the party may try only once.
A failure indicates
complete inability to operate the machine.
Success causes 1 of
the following events to occur (roll d8):
1. A scene from the astral
plane appears on all of the faces of the
pillars.
2. Same as 1, but this time it is the ethereal plane.
3. A view of Room
21 appears for a few short seconds, then
fades back to the pyramid
material.
4. As with 3, but with Room 22.
5. As with 3, but with Room 31.
6. A tableau of stars
forms within the pyramid. The portal would
appear to lead to deepest
intergalactic space, from which the evil
ones, no doubt, emerged.
7. The eye of Zoth Ommog
appears in the pyramid and turns to
confront the person
controlling the machine. The controller must
make a SAVE
throw vs. magic or die permanently. If he does save,
he will succumb to a
random insanity for 1-100 days.
8. The image of a lesser
devil of random type appears in the
pyramid. The demon
will follow the controller’s 1st command explicitly; however, if it is
not directed, it will disappear in 2 melee
rounds and will do so,
in any case, after it has fulfilled the single
command.
In the first 6 cases, anyone may pass into
the scene projected by
simply stepping into one of the faces of
the pyramid. However, the
portal is 1-way, and once someone has moved
through the
device, he may NOT return. If someone enters
deepest outer space,
he will, of course, explode and freeze
simultaneously, dying in the
process.
Area 24. [You enter
this room from the SouthWest wall. Corridors
lead away from the chamber in both the
North and NorthEast walls.
Chairs circle the area, facing inward,
and bizarre, abstract sculptures
extrude randomly from the chamber floor,
creating insane angles
and casting hideous
shadows. There is a 20-foot-wide circle of
gleaming silvery
Metal inset in the exact middle of the floor. Strains of
high, atonal, whispering Music filter through
the area.]
This section of the complex was used by
the aliens
as a combination commons, recreation and meditation
area.
It was also an important nexus of travel
throughout the complex; not only does it have
3 passages radiating outward, but it also
has 1 passage exiting down
through the metallic iris in the center
of the room. If any party member
stands on the metallic area, the iris will
open up, leaving a 20-footwide circular hole in the floor. Anyone standing
in the area will fall 20
feet to the bottom of the pit, incurring
3-18 points damage. At one
time the shaft contained a kinetic absorption
field which slowed the
user’s fall; however, it is not operational
now.
Room 25. [The party
travels up 10 feet of stairs and passes
through an open door into a
huge, round room. The walls angle
inward toward the octagonal floor, making
a kind of flat-bottomed
dish. A line of chairs, set into the sloping
sides up near the ceiling, <chairs=x>
circle the outer rim of the room. A narrow
staircase leads down to the
floor. The surface of the area is made
of some kind of coppery Metal.
Inset into the center of the floor is a
thick metal ring. Spaced evenly
about the perimeter of the area are 8 holes,
each 2 feet in diameter.
From these holes come deep rumblings and
foul smells. A large stain
of human
blood covers most of the floor.]
This AREA was used by the complex’s residents
as both a recreation facility and a sacrifical altar.
The prisoners were led to the floor AREA
and chained there to the ring set in the middle. Drawn by the
smell of prey, hideous creatures emerged
from the holes and devoured the helpless victims.
If any of the party takes more than 1 step
on the floor, the
vibrations of footsteps will summon the
Devil Wyrms from their
abodes. Simultaneously, the 8 long annelids
will squiggle out of the
openings and attack all those in the AREA.
Each has 7 HD (HP 40 plus 1-12), AC 3, and movement 8”.
The appearance of the Devil Wyrm is that
of a pink, fat worm, 20 feet long and
about 1½ feet in diameter. Each
segment of the creature is made of a
kind of chitinous armor, giving the creature
its low AC. The
Wyrm has no head to speak of, but rather
has a kind of serrated
mouth at either end. Each of the monster’s
openings can attack once
per melee round, delivering 2-12 points
damage. In +addition+, once
every 3 melee rounds, the creatures can
spit an acidic venom on a
single TARGET up to 30 feet away that will
cause 3-18 points damage
and paralyze the victim unless he makes
his SAVE.
A SAVE results in no paralyzation effect and
full damage.
Once all of the Wyrms have been SLAIN,
their dark dens may be
searched Within each lair, the party will
find a mound of partially
eaten human
bodies. The party has found the missing residents of
the Temple of Poseidon.
In addition, within one of the tunnels the
adventurers will find a small necklace
made of strung miniature
skulls. Each of the 3 skulls may be removed
and used in combat. It
will then transform into a random type
of demon (1-6).
The summoned creature will follow the necklace
wearer’s commands for 1
day or until the wearer is SLAIN.
The demon will then disappear. The
summoned demon may NOT gate in another
demon.
Area 26. [You enter
a dark, round room, 20 feet across. The air
is humid,
sticky, almost wet, and smells vaguely acidic. As you walk
in, you notice the floor is slick and spongy,
and there is an opening
across from the door you came in.]
This chamber acts as the “bars” for the
prison beyond. The
guards consist of a deadly duo: a Trapper
and a Lurker Above, acting
in concert. The Trapper has 12 HD (85 HP),
AC 3,
movement 0. The Lurker Above has 10 HD
(63 HP), AC 6,
movement 0. As the party fills the room, or when they realize
their predicament, the pair will immediately
pounce upon their prey.
The Lurker will drop down and the Trapper
will snap up, delivering a
total of 2-16 points of crushing damage
per melee round to those
within the room. In +addition+, each member
of the party will not be able
to move unless they roll one-half their
DEX or less on a 20-sided
die. The characters will asphyxiate in
2-5 melee rounds after being
attacked (roll for each character).
Both creatures must be SLAIN
before the characters are released.
However, if 1 is killed, the damage per
turn will be halved from then
on, and the amount of Time left before
smothering to DEATH will be
doubled.
Among the debris beneath the Trapper are
800 PP,
a pair of earrings set with blue
diamonds worth 4,500 GP
each, and a clerical cross that strikes
all targets as though they were
AC 4, delivering 2-12 points damage, and
can resurrect the
dead once per week.
Area 27. [A series
of 10 steps descend into this large area. Each
of the steps is made of a different precious
stone or Metal. Listed
from the top in order, they are onyx, amethyst,
topaz, carnelian,
bloodstone, silver,
ruby, moonstone, chrysoprase, and gold. The
chamber is at least 100 feet long with
10-foot-wide platforms at either
end. Between the platforms runs a 15-foot-wide
causeway, raised 6
inches above the level of 2 adjoining pools.
It appears that magickal
“rails” once protected those walking along
the path from beasts
within the pools. However, broken posts
and slimy trails across the
way suggest that the enchanted defenses
are no longer potent. The
pools themselves are muddy and overgrown
with algae and swamp
grass. Slurping sounds come from beneath
the muck.]
Removing pieces of the stairs will require
5 turns per stair and will
provide 1,600 GP worth of chips. The swampy
area was
once the pool of contemplation in which
the horrid residents of this
base spent most of their free Time. Actually,
aside from the broken
railings, the mucky swamp has changed little
over the years, since
the form of meditation
the aliens
most enjoyed usually involved
watching the violent death
struggles of creatures in the muck. As the
adventurers pass across the causeway, they
will probably be
attacked by the swamp residents. Each time
the adventurers pass a
numbered area, there is a 75% chance that
they will be attacked by
the monster designated by that number.
1. Shambling
Mound. HD 10 (HP 63), AC 0,
movement 6”. Attacks
with pulpy arms for 2-16 points each and if
both hit, the target
will suffocate in 2-5 melee rounds, unless the
Shambling Mound is killed.
It is immune to fire and cold,
and lightning
causes it to grow 1-3
hit dice in size.
2. Shambling
Mound. HD 10 (HP 74), AC 0,
movement 6”. Attacks
as number 1.
3. Giant
Toad. HD 2 + 4 (HP 18), AC 6,
movement 6”. Bites for
3-12 points damage.
4. Giant
Toad. HD 2 + 4 (HP 16) AC 6,
movement 6”. Attacks
as number 3.
5. Ice
Toad. HD 5 (HP 34), AC 4, movement
9”. Ice toads bite for
3-12, and every other melee round can generate
a field of cold in a
10-foot radius around them for 3-18 points, save for
1/2 damage.
6. Ice
Toad. HD 5 (hit points 33), AC 4, movement 9”.
Attacks as number 5.
7. Poisonous
Toad. HD 2 (HP 15), AC 7,
movement 6”. Bites for
2-12 points damage, plus save versus deadly
venom.
8. Poisonous
Toad. HD 2 (HP 10), AC 7,
movement 6”. Attacks
as number 7.
9. Giant
Crayfish. HD 4 + 4 (HP 36), AC 4,
movement 8”. Attacks
with 2 claws for 2-12 each.
10. Giant
Crayfish. HD 4 + 4 (HP 30), AC 4,
movement 8”. Attacks
If the Crayfish are cut
open, the party will find a <small> shield inside one
of them. The shield
is banded with mithril, giving it an enchantment
of
+4. In addition, the
insignia on the item is that of a coiled king cobra
preparing to strike.
Once per day the holder of this shield may
command the serpent
to attack. The cobra will strike from the shield
as a g-HDmonster
and inflict 1-4 points of damage while injecting
a neurotoxic poison.
The enemy struck must SAVE vs. poison
at -2 or die.
Area 28. [An arched
opening leads to a thin (5-foot-wide) bridge
across a deep pit. The path is coated with
ice and coming from the
darkness
beneath the party can hear a clacking, as though bones
were being knocked together.]
A fireball
or similar flaming attack will remove all the ice covering
the bridge. Any flying
or levitation in this area is impossible.
The
guardian of the chasm will emerge from
the darkness of the Southern
opening and attack the 1st person who reaches
the middle of the
pathway. The guardian, an Ice
Devil, has 11 HD (88 HP),
AC -1, movement 6”, magic
resistance 55%. The 11-foot tall creature
carries a great spear with which it impales
its opponents,
needing an 8 or better to hit all ACs.
Anyone struck will take
2-12 plus 6 points damage, and must SAVE
or be paralyzed by the
numbing cold.
The victim will, in addition, be knocked off the platform
unless he rolls 1/2 his DEX or less. If
the ice has been
removed from the bridge, the victim gets
+4 to this die roll. The Ice
Devil can attack with its mandibles and
tail for 2-8 and 3-12 points
damage, respectively. Once during the battle,
the Devil can cause an
ice storm,
inflicting 3-30 points damage to all within the room. The
Devil regenerates 1 point per melee round.
Those who are knocked
off the bridge fall 30 feet to the bottom
and suffer 3-18 points
damage. They are stunned for 2 melee rounds,
as well.
Within the pit are 2 Malebranche,
or Homed Devils. Each has 5
HD, AC 5, movement 9”/18”, magic
resistance 50%.
Each attacks for 1-4 with its bite and
also with a weapon. One carries
a two-tined fork which does 2-12 points
damage and stuns for a
similar length of time unless a SAVE
versus magick is made. Once per
day the Malebranches can create a wall
of fire, which causes 3-24
points of damage to all within its confines.
Area 29. [You enter
a large, square room, lit by 4 floating orbs
that shine a brilliant
green. On either side of the room there is a great
procession of pillars which each have 8
faces. An opening in the far
end of the chamber leads to a
dark area of unknown size. Two
13-foot-tall iron
statues stand to either side of the opening. Each
looks somewhat humanoid, as it has 2 legs
and carries a great sword
in its two 3-fingered hands. However, the
head of each statue much
closer resembles that of a Mind
Flayer, having 2 bulbous eyes
separated by a bony ridge. Where a human
mouth might be, the
sculpture’s face forms into 8 long cilliated
tentacles.]
If the adventurers do not come within 25
feet of the statues, the
structures will remain inanimate. In this
condition, the figures will not
be detected as evil, alive, or even magickal.
However, if someone
does come within the prescribed radius,
the 2 statues will suddenly
and without warning come to life and attack.
Each of the metallic
creatures has 10 HD (80 hit points), AC
-6, movement
6”. Before engaging their enemies physically,
the living statues will
1st use their psychic blasts. Each blast
of mental energy will affect a
conical area 40 feet long and 25 feet wide
directly in front of the
statue. It will inflict 7-42 points damage
to all within the AREA. In
addition, alI affected must make their
SAVE or pass out for 10
melee rounds due to the psychic assault.
If a victim makes his SAVE,
he will take 1/2 damage and have all his psionic abilities
disabled for 1-10 turns. The Guardians
can do this only once. After
blasting their opponents, the animated
constructs will engage their
opponents with their long, bizarre swords.
Each of the oddly shaped
weapons will strike at +5, and if successful,
will inflict 4-40 points
damage with its serrated edge. The attack
can hit up to 4 opponents
in a single swing if they are all within
15 feet of the statue. Each of the
statues is immune to fire.
Lightning and acid add to their HP on a
1:1 ratio. They are 40% magic resistant
and cannot be hit by weapons of less than +2 in enchantment.
The glowing orbs may be retrieved and each
will glow with the
light of a full moon
for the next 10,000 years.
Area 30. [The long
corridor leads to a blank wall. However, as
you approach the dead end, a thick slab
of the wall material slides
back. The entrance leads to a
small room whose floor and ceiling are
riddled with hundreds of
small holes about the width of one’s finger.
Set in the north wall there is an oddly
displayed assortment of
grooves and depressions which glow a bright
yellow-green.
A crack
in the wall opposite you indicates that
there is indeed an exit out,
similar to the one you came in.]
This room served as a security chamber,
ensuring that no un-
wanted visitors passed through this AREA.
If the party has already
encountered the Priests, they will recognize
the mark in the wall as
the imprint of the Priests’ hand tentacles.
The only way to bypass this
security measure is to perfectly imitate
the inhuman hand, either by
cutting 1 from 1 of the creatures and using
it, |or| by polymorphing
a part of one of the character’s bodies
to the proper size and
shape. If performed successfully, the slab
on the other side of the
room will open, allowing passage through
the AREA.
If the party attempts to USE their own hands
to activate the
glowing imprint, the door behind them will
slide shut, cutting anything
in its path in 1/2. Characters in the doorway
are allowed to roll 1/2
their Dexterity
or less to jump out of the slab’s path. Then,
from the
many holes in the ceiling, rot
grubs will emerge and drop down onto
the trapped party. Every melee round from
1-10 of these hideous,
wormlike creatures will attack each character.
Every successful
attack will indicate that the rot grub
has burrowed beneath the
person's skin and is slowly eating its
way to the victim’s heart. Unless
fire
is applied to each wound (1-6 points damage to the person per
application), or a cure
disease spell is cast, the grubs will reach the
heart in 3-30 melee rounds, killing the
victim.
The only unorthodox way to escape the room
is to destroy 1 of
the doors leading out. The portals wilI
each sustain 150 points of
damage before breaking open. A Disintegrate
or Polymorph Any
Object
spell will succeed in removing the obstacle 50% of the time.
Room 31. [This appears
to be the throne room of the complex.
Directly in front of the party there is
a strange type of chair, clearly
made for some inhuman creature several
times the size of a man.
The throne is inlaid with many precious
stones. On either side of the <precious = 500 gp gems>
room there is a large, 2-faced stone effigy
20 feet tall. The eyes of
the carvings gleam with inner flame and
seem to watch the party as it
moves about the room.]
If Ythog-Nthlei has escaped his bondage,
he will appear on the
throne and attack the party as it enters
(see Room 22 for his statistics).
Otherwise, the room wiIl remain free from
aggressors. However,
anyone who enters the area must SAVE versus
fear due to the <morale check?>
hideous, leering faces on either wall.
If they fail, they will run from the
room at top SPEED and will not return to
the area under any circumstances.
A saving throw results in no effect.
The stones in the throne may be removed
with little difficulty and
will be worth a total of 20,000 GP. If
the adventurers try to pry
the shining eyes from the 2 large statues,
they will find the orbs to be
actually living eyes that, when punctured,
ooze a thick, yellowish fluid
and then dry out and wither.