| A partially destroyed stone
chair dominates
this place. It is hewn of brown marble,
veined
with black, and stands near
the middle of the north wall. Both arms have been broken off, and the seat is chipped. A piece is missing from the back, and the whole is fractured. Rubble and broken furniture are strewn about the room. The ceiling overhead is at least 35' high —possibly more, lost in the shadows of the supporting arches. The stench of rotting flesh faintly lingers throughout the AREA. |
<broken furniture: cushion, pallet, wood billets, pedestal, screen, hogshead>
18 stirges lurk in the ceiling vault,
nesting in the nooks and crannies of the supporting arches and buttresses
and 90%
undetectable until their attack. They thus
have a 50% chance of surprise unless someone does notice them, or unless
an overhead
lookout is maintained. In any event,
intruders are attacked within 3 rounds <roll d3>
of entering the room. When half the stirges
are slain, the remainder retire to their ceiling
nests, where 10 young remain (which are
1 week from maturity).
Stirges (18): AC 8, MV 3"/18", HD 1
+ 1,
hp 6, 5, or 4 (equal numbers of each),
THACO 15, #AT 1, D 1-3, SA attack as if 4 HD,
blood drain after hit (D 1-4 per round);
XP 48 (x6), 46 (x6), 44 (x6)
(Total XP: 828)
Close examination of the AREA reveals bones
and 1-4 cp per searcher each round (to
a maximum of 40 cp in all). <2, 3, 4, 1,
2, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 3, 1, 4, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 18 rounds>
If the floor is carefully searched, a ring
of shooting stars may
be found; allow a 5% chance of success per
searcher per round (or 100% if a detect
magick spell is employed).
This item belonged to one of the victims of the stirges,
which availed not in this place.
(Ring XP: 3,000)
<theory: moderate evocation, faint
alteration>
The secret door is counterbalanced to
swing inward at the bottom when a wall
stone is pulled to the right.
RECRUITS: Add 10 stirges after 1 week.
May 20, 579.