Grimspanner Level 2

I've reworked the dungeon I randomly generated in my previous post "Rogue-Like". It is now the second level of a morlock fortress in my Labyrinth Lord campaign. Here is the new drawing:

Dice Math

 

Manananggal

I ran through this adventure outline a while ago with my Labyrinth Lord group, which I'm calling my Yhthyrst campaign, after the city the party is based out of. The outline went over particularly well mostly because it is based on the Manananggal or Separator, a terrifying creature from Filipino folk-lore. This one session adventure is probably appropriate for a group of 4-6 1st level characters. The Manananggal is powerful, but the group will have plenty of time to plan out an ambush after unraveling the mystery.

Rumor: "There have been three miscarriages in Kuva - the villagers say that something nefarious is afoot."

The 3 mothers: Runtu, Carua, Acor all had children disappear under the same lunar phase.

Town is three days to the southwest of Yhthyrst, in a valley in the forest. Contains Villiage Leaders House, a Church of Apos God of Yhthyrst the Crossroads, a Physician, a Courthouse, farmers, vagrants, population is about 350 people.

Village Head Umberth human-m probably will offer a reward to anyone who solves the problem.
Asankh elf-m advisor to Village Head.

Chrysoprase-250 gp, Lapis Lazuli-10 gp, Malachite-50 gp, Malachite-50 gp, Total Value: 460 gp.

Physician Asuth human-f

Manananggal by day transforms into a nun of House Antinum.
Ionia f Human

Other nun: Nartiya Cleric Level 3 HP 16 Female Str 14 Dex 8 Con 7 Int 11 Wis 13 Cha 10

Manananggal - hideous, bat-like wings, can separate upper half from lower half and fly around. It preys on pregnant women, stealing their unborn children in the night.

Chtc 90(30) or 240(80) flying AC7 HD4(HP16) DMG claws 1d4/1d4 or bite 1d6+poison SvF4 Mor8 XP245

An older, more reliable source may know that it is similar to 75 year old events, when a manananggal - a separator, was terrorizing the town.

Also, there is one book in the library of the village leaders house with records on what happened 75 years ago and how they finally defeated the Manananggal. If separated in sunlight it will die. Putting salt or crushed garlic on top of separated legs will prevent it from reattaching.

Rogue-like

I have written a somewhat procedural random dungeon generator based on a lot of random numbers. I find that it is a bit easier to just use a random number generator than actually rolling dice most of the time.

I'm going to make a somewhat large dungeon, starting with 1d4x8 rooms. I got a 4, so I'll have 32 rooms. I need 32 random numbers between 1 and 100. I use this link a few times and write out what I have plus an entrance, marked "E".

Start to fill out
rooms according to the dungeon generator.....

 

You should sort of try to guide things into a general form you like, the little swirls are connected portals: 

 

next I sort of digitize, meld together and rearrange 

 

 And then add doors and numbers, also putting in some locked and secret doors of course.

This time I am populating the rooms using the Labyrinth Lord room stocking tables because I want to keep an old school feel, but I think this can be adapted for any genre. The LL table has a "unique" room, for these I made up story and puzzle points.

    1.    Cavern entryway, three blue flames in braziers create a magic force field. At least one torch must be extinguished to enter.
    2.    kobold
    3.    narrow trench, light is visible high above through falling droplets of water, only single file passage is possible.
    4.    goblin 400 sp
    5.    Three red flames
    6.    empty
    7.    empty
    8.    a large deactivated portal exists here next to two unlit braziers. If both red and blue flames are transferred to the braziers, the portal activates and connects to room 28.
    9.    Contains a study with some old maps of the region and the journal of the goblin king. The key to the door between 17 and 18 is in a small chest on the desk
    10.    empty
    11.    empty
    12.    Orc
    13.    empty
    14.    empty
    15.    Gnome
    16.    trap
    17.    Giant Bat
    18.    Unoccupied orc and goblin war room. rats scurry around. a well springs from a mossy elevated area with shafts of sunlight coming down.
    19.    Cliff
    20.    Zombie
    21.    empty
    22.    Goblin 500 sp Gold Crown (500gp value)
    23.    6 ancient goblin sized full plate armor statues line the walls could be worth some gp
    24.    Stirge
    25.    Unoccupied goblin kings throne room.
    26.    empty 200 sp 10gp
    27.    trap 300 sp
    28.    A large deactivated portal exists here next to two unlit braziers. If both red and blue flames are transferred to the braziers in room 8, the portal activates and connects to room 8.

Random Wizard Review

I found the Random Wizard flikr page the other day, which is the flickr page of Random Wizard's One Page Dungeon Contest full of single page RPG adventure modules. Among the stream are the poster sized Barb-el-Shay, an Arabian nights style city slum map with excellent artwork, The Great Lunar Staircase, a cross-sectional map of a space elevator connecting the earth and the moon, and probably my favorite so far despite its crayon scribble map which sort of doesn't even make sense - The Sunless Hollow - a nightmarish fey grove surrounding a corrupted dryad.... I am intentionally not posting any links because I think it is best to search through the seemingly endless list of adventures and find your own favorites. The image is the map from The River of Stars.

Subsector generated mostly using the Classic Traveller rulebook. Used excel, a bunch of online sci-fi name generators.

Detailed stats are here:

Name	Location	starport	Size	atmosphere	hydrographic	population	govt	law level	Tech level
Akafar	081,	7	3	5	4	5	6	1	10
Directorate of Suns	091,	2	4	4	7	6	11	9	5
Rwanti	012,	11	6	4	7	3	3	6	3
Veja-Motina	022,	12	7	7	3	4	7	4	8
Vitellius	032,	8	4	6	1	2	1	0	5
Confederacy of Suns	042,	2	3	5	4	4	4	4	7
Alklha	052,	7	2	0	0	3	4	4	9
Crelga Prime	062,	7	7	3	6	6	9	5	8
Furaka	072,	11	3	0	0	7	5	4	12
6168 Librae	102,	3	5	3	0	7	9	10	9
Ventos Prime	023,	6	4	6	6	3	3	1	8
Corbomite	083,	4	7	8	9	6	6	6	5
Kingdom of Urlan	024,	11	5	3	6	4	5	2	15
3853 Lyncis	064,	8	5	4	4	3	1	1	6
Huoxi System	074,	9	8	7	8	3	0	3	7
iygantu	084,	8	5	5	5	4	5	3	8
Gelnii Prime	094,	8	10	12	10	5	10	10	11
Coraxia	104,	7	6	6	3	4	1	0	4
Snypso	055,	10	5	5	3	6	4	6	7
Collective of Territories	105,	6	8	5	5	4	7	5	5
Omia	066,	6	2	3	2	5	7	6	9
Gorzon System	076,	7	2	0	2	8	5	5	9
lobleon	086,	9	7	6	7	6	6	2	7
Ventil	096,	7	1	0	0	5	2	0	9
Vani	106,	5	7	8	10	4	0	0	7
Madrela	017,	9	4	0	2	5	7	4	9
Nation of Delonia	057,	2	3	4	3	0	1	2	8
Zinti	107,	10	2	0	2	6	11	10	5
Principality of Laurasia	048,	4	4	5	5	3	4	0	9
Fidea	088,	10	6	7	5	7	2	3	9
Veloxi	098,	6	7	7	7	8	8	6	5

The Icarus

This is the first in hopefully a long series of system-neutral RPG adventure modules:

Photo by Rod Waddington. No changes have been made.

[Read aloud] You have been hired by a patron to rescue a rich artist named Ulnith the Raven. He has agreed to give you a modest pay which includes rations for the trip. Rumors are that he disappeared on a 100 mile stretch of road between two cities, and you are exploring that road. The first day on the road the group crosses trails with three inbound travelers.

The travelers:

Casper (M) an assistant cook looking for ingredients. (meticulous, beard, dark blue eyes)
Issac (M) a bored noble. (preoccupied, round, pompadour)
Akrilabie (F) has the ability to give magical tattoos. (incisive, sarcastic, strong arms)

     If the PCs gain Akrilabie’s trust, she may tell the characters that; (1) the road is dangerous of late because of attacks, and (2) the danger may be associated with a gathering evil in the hills to the north.

     On the second day of travel you pass a trail leading to the nearby village of herders. On the third night of travel, the party is attacked in the dead of night. 

     The attackers are a species of semi-intelligent bird-lizard called Vala-Curi. They appear similar to the archaeopteryx, though they are a bit larger. The average bird-lizard stands three feet tall on the ground, and has an eight foot wingspan. Vala-Curi should be pretty strong, maybe about the equivalent of two or three soldiers. And of course they can fly and claw and bite.
     There are six of them though it is difficult to count as they attack from all directions including straight up, and flee almost immediately after meeting resistance. They may or may not have made off with a significant amount of PC loot. A large number of clawed footprints are left around the campsite. 

     For anyone examining the tracks carefully, most end abruptly 50 feet to the north and that they realize that the creatures were running fastest just as they disappeared because they had been taking flight.

A flock of six bird-lizards can be seen in the distance to the south. Several appear to be carrying large objects and sacks. On the horizon, the bird-lizards fly into a tower on the tallest of three immense columns of stone.

     They are returning with their loot to a tower in the north, the PCs can easily follow them for a days journey through scrub brush into a mountain valley. The vala-curi are far ahead and they travel quickly on wing, so the PCs probably can't catch up.

     Ascending the escarpment and cliff faces is possible but treacherous. The tower is built on top of the tallest plateau, which rises 300 feet above ground level.

Art by John Roberts. No changes have been 

made.

     At the feet of the cliffs and at the beginning of the trail up the escarpment is a small village of about 30 squat humanoids. They will snarl jumping and make threatening gestures towards any approaching PCs, though they fear an all out battle in their village with their young and elderly present. Instead they will attempt to chase or lure the PCs back into the forest and a group of 4 will attack them a safe distance away. They will attack anyone entering their village without some form of consent or agreement. The village chief Meteor can be bribed with 10 rations, and can command the others with unopposed authority. Colezan has promised to revive Meteors dead son in exchange for the loyalty of the tribe. He has told her that they need to help him collect magical items needed to perform the miracle, although he is only manipulating her for his own gains.

     If there is an uproar from the humanoid village, Colezan will attempt to flee and abandon the location, taking his flying machine for its virgin flight. 

     A rickety flying machine clatters off of the cliff overhead. Mid-flight, the machine emits a cloud of amber vapor and loses control, careening through the sky and crashing half a mile away on the opposite side of the valley.

      The crash site is about an hour away from the plateaus, and contains Colezans body, a few arcane tomes, and one or two powerful items. The name "The Icarus" is engraved into the side of the ship.

Wellcome Library, London

     If the PCs make it up the escarpment to the lower plateau, they notice the wind is stronger outside of the forest. The lower plateau is on level with the tree tops while a few enormous trees reach quite a bit higher. One of these trees has bird-lizards squabbling in it. As the PCs are watching, another one flies from the tower to join those in the tree carrying a large piece of meat. They have been given their reward of fresh sweetmeat, which they feast on in their treetop nests. If Colezan has fled, they have broken into his sweetmeats barrel instead of having been rewarded.

     The six Vala-Curi attack anyone they see attempting to reach the upper plateau. 

     On the first level is a construct which Colezan has excavated and reprogrammed. It defends the tower to its death, but allows Colezan and authorized humanoids to pass freely. Also on the first level of the tower is the entrance to an underground structure that Colezan has begun to excavate. He has been trying to loot some ruins inside of the plateau, though much of the winding structures remain unexplored.

     A stairway winds up to the second and third levels of the tower. The second level is a great library with arcane objects scattered about. 

     On the third and topmost level is Colezan's chambers. This is where Ulnith has been taken. Colezan believes Ulnith to possess magical power, and wants to take that power for himself. They also may or may not be falling in love with each other. Colezan is an arcanist and engineer who has committed a heinous crime for which he is now keeping a low profile. 

     The top floor also contains a closet, a bed, a sweetmeat barrel with a latching lid, and several desks containing projects at various levels of completion containing some valuable and powerful items. In the center of the room sits a nearly completed flying machine aimed toward a hole smashed into the tower wall big enough for the machine to fit through. Torn tapestries are draped over the opening but it still flutters in the wind. If the PCs fought the construct on the first floor, he will be in the cockpit of his flying machine ready to escape by taking it on its first flight (with results similar as above). In this case, he will begin to launch as soon as the PCs reach the 3rd floor.

     In combat Colezan attempts to use a psychokinetic attack, slamming PCs into walls and even trying to throw them out of the tower. A roll can be made to avoid being thrown from the tower and a second roll can be made to grab on to a ledge a few feet down.

Colezan (M) is a criminal magic user and tinkerer. (cerebral, fickle)

Ulnith (M) is a performance artist. (challenging, tragic, lip and eye paint)

Below the tower through the carefully made opening is a large area made of several perfectly spherical chambers connected to each other. The chamber has three apertures which lead downwards cutting winding paths through the earth. These tunnels area also made of a strong transparent material through which the stone beyond is visible. The stone contains large fossilized starfish creatures with animalistic skulls on some of their appendages, as well as colorful stone formations. Each of the three tunnels occasionally open to wide sections which contain complex machinery. One of these sections contains a large beam projector which can be scavenged by a clever PC. It only has charges for three shots.

1. Entrance where Colezan has cut a hole, ceiling of area 2.

2. Main chamber. 5 humanoids + 3 other more powerful creatures who serve Colezan. Contains some scrap organized into crates and in loose piles.

3. Small areas with complex machinery.

4. A large, powerful, floating construct. It is outside the walls through a broken viewport. Will only attack those coming close to it and can probably be made docile somehow.

5. Evil grinder

6. Piles of trash, item that gives permanent intelligence increase, an interesting melee weapon.

7. More trash

Evil Grinder a construct that guards area 5. It is a 3 foot orifice in the wall filled with spinning blades. It attacks by shooting one of 5 barbed darts attached to cords out of the center of the orifice, which it then retracts, drawing prey into the spinning blades.