Dungeon of the Fire Opal - Dungeon Magazine 84 (part 7: areas 34 through 38)

More of the restocking. We cover areas 34 through 38. 

Unless otherwise stated, all areas are unlit.

Unless otherwise stated ceiling height is 10 feet. 

All secret doors require a DC14 or better perception to spot.

All areas other than 0, 1, and 3 are grey stone.

Should you decide to have random encounters in the southern part of the dungeon, the following are suggested: 2 Toruk Rul, 1 Sorn Ulth, both, the sound of clicking in the distance, a sudden breeze that stops just as suddenly. 

Toruk Rul and Sorn Ulth are in the 5e update of the Ptolus core book pages 598 & 599.

Area 34: Empty.

Area 35: On the walls of the room are a total of 7 copper plaques covered in heavy verdigris. Each is 3 foot by 3 foot and weighs 10 pounds. Cleaning them shows the writing in both Abyssal and Infernal. Translating them reveals spells that can be copied into spellbooks. The spells are: Ray of Sickness, Crown of Madness, Fear, Dominate Beast, Dominate Person, Circle of Death, Finger of Death.

It takes 10 minutes of careful work to remove a plaque from the wall without damaging it. See the magic section of the 5e Players Handbook for the value and cost of transcribing or buying/selling spells.

Area 36: The door is locked. Ruined furnishings. (you may want to roll for a random encounter)

Area 37: Empty. (you may want to roll for a random encounter)

Area 38: Note: Replace the secret door between areas 38 and 40 with a Blue Steel door. The cost to pass through is to forsake the respect of another. After the initial cost, the password that character becomes the name of the one who has lost respect for the character.

The circular room is tall, with a domed ceiling peaking at a height of 30 feet. Standing in the center of the red granite floor is a man covered in stitches as if his parts are not originally his own. He stares blankly until someone enters the room and then he attacks. He will not pursue retreating creatures beyond the door.

Encounter: Flesh Golem. 5e Monster Manual page 169.

Levitating 25 feet above the center of the floor is a jagged black crown. (see blog post Magic Item - Lesser Crown of Harrowing)

Magic Item - Gloves of the Seamstress

Rembaud cast his detect magic spell on the pile of accumulated treasure. One item stood out immediately. "There", pointing at a pair of gloves.

Embuk picked them up. "Pretty, a gift for you", he smiled and handed them to Mercilinda.

Mercilinda took the fine green silk gloves, admiring the gold silk embroidery as she put them on. As she looked around admiring them she noticed the dagger slice in Embuk's leather armor. "I see it! I see it!

Embuk looked puzzled as she reached over and let the gloves go to work. The hole mended at a touch.

"There, good as new."

Gloves of the Seamstress is a simple and elegant item. The wearer can look at any damaged or broken item and immediately see the pattern of how to put it back together allowing for repairs. After assembling the damaged item into the correct placement the gloves cast a Mending cantrip to begin the repair process.

Item Availability: Common. User 1st level or higher. Cost 50 - 100 gold pieces.

Magic Item - Named Morningstar (Creature)

Plurin spat a curse, raised Creature above his head and summoned a Dretch between himself and the interlopers. He commanded it to attack, then he spun on his heel and slipped away through the secret door.

Named Morningstar (Creature)

Creature is a cursed morningstar +1 (1d8+1 piercing damage) with the ability to summon a Dretch under the wielder's control, for 1 minute at the cost of reducing the wielder's maximum hit point total by 5 for 24 hours. Reductions can accumulate. After a short rest the weapon regains the ability to summon. Using the summon ability requires attunement.

Curse: Attunement to Creature prevents the wielder from using or attuning to any other weapon. The wielder must succeed on a DC13 Wisdom saving throw to resist the urge to engage in melee with enemies. The saving throw may be repeated at the end of the user's turn. Removing the curse requires the casting of a Remove Curse spell. 

Item Availability: Uncommon. User 1st level or higher. Cost 101 - 500 gold pieces.

Dungeon of the Fire Opal - Dungeon Magazine 84 (part 6: areas 29 through 33)

Continuing the restock of the southern part of the dungeon. We cover areas 29 through 33.

Unless otherwise stated, all areas are unlit.

Unless otherwise stated ceiling height is 10 feet. 

All secret doors require a DC14 or better perception to spot.

All areas other than 0, 1, and 3 are grey stone.

Should you decide to have random encounters in the southern part of the dungeon, the following are suggested: 2 Toruk Rul, 1 Sorn Ulth, both, the sound of clicking in the distance, a sudden breeze that stops just as suddenly. 

Toruk Rul and Sorn Ulth are in the 5e update of the Ptolus core book pages 598 & 599.

Area 29: This is a treasury. In the southeast section of the room are piled 4 wooden chests, 3 leather bags, and a scattering of loose coins. All of the chests are locked and trapped. 1) poison needle 3d4 poison plus paralysis, DC12 Dexterity save to avoid, 2) slicing blade 2d8, DC12 Dexterity save for half damage, 3) Freezing Hands (same as Burning Hands spell) for cold damage, DC12 Dexterity save for half damage, 4) Must make a DC12 Wisdom saving throw. Failure results in a curse of Disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws until curse is removed.

Chest Inventory:

1) 500 gold pieces, a marble statuette of an armor clad warrior worth 125 gold pieces, a Potion of Vitality.

2) 839 silver pieces, a Scroll of Protection from Good.

3) 1,406 copper pieces, damaged Wand of Sickening (see Eyebite spell, sickened effect, DC15 Wisdom save to resist, the wand has only a single charge per 24 hour period and on each use must roll 1d10, on a 1 the wand snaps losing all magical properties.

4)  727 gold pieces, Potion of Resistance (Thunder damage), Gloves of the Seamstress (see blog post Magic Item - Gloves of the Seamstress)

Leather Bags Inventory:

These are small leather bags.

The first bag opened summons a Swarm of Poisonous Snakes 5e Monster Manual page 338.

1) 13 gems valued in gold pieces, 1x 500, 3x 100, 7x 50, 2x 10

2) 38 gems valued in gold pieces, 17x 25, 14x 10, 6x 50, 1x 200

3) 1 emerald worth 1,000 gold pieces

Scattered Inventory:

84 gold pieces, 179 silver pieces, 344 copper pieces.

Area 30: Creatures entering the 10 foot section marked 30 are catapulted against the wall and tumble down the stairs into are 41 taking 3d6 damage, half with a successful DC14 Dexterity saving throw. Both success and failure result in the prone condition.

Area 31: A large bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe occupy this room. The furniture has long since fallen into disrepair and dry-rot. On the desk sit a dry inkwell, and a worm-eaten tome. Opening the book causes the pages to crumble to dust and fragments.

Area 32: Tossing and up-ending furniture, 2 Toruk Rul are conducting an aggressive, but ineffective search for valuables. The ancient bunks are torn asunder and their rotted mattresses litter the floor. Any fight here brings the Sorn Ulth from area 33 to join the battle.

These Toruk Rul carry a total of 6 gold, 13 silver, and 19 copper pieces.

Area 33: A lone Sorn Ulth is conducting a lazy search of this room full of deteriorating bunks. 

Gronekz wields the cursed Morningstar "Creature" and if engaging in combat will immediately summon a Dretch behind his enemies. (see blog post Magic Item - Named Morningstar Creature)

Gronekz carries 15 gold pieces.

Dungeon of the Fire Opal - Dungeon Magazine 84 (part 5: areas 24 through 28)

Continuing the restock into the southern section of the dungeon. We cover areas 24 through 28.

Unless otherwise stated, all areas are unlit.

Unless otherwise stated ceiling height is 10 feet. 

All secret doors require a DC14 or better perception to spot.

All areas other than 0, 1, and 3 are grey stone.

Should you decide to have random encounters in the southern part of the dungeon, the following are suggested: 2 Toruk Rul, 1 Sorn Ulth, both, the sound of clicking in the distance, a sudden breeze that stops just as suddenly. 

Toruk Rul and Sorn Ulth are in the 5e update of the Ptolus core book pages 598 & 599.

A party of Toruk Rul led by Sorn Ulth broke into the southern section of the dungeon through a door at area 39, and are exploring the dungeon.

Area 24: Empty. (you may want to roll for a random encounter)

Area 25: Empty. (you may want to roll for a random encounter)

A & B - These Caryatid Columns are activated once a creature steps on the T in this area. Caryatid Column 5e Into The Borderlands by Goodman Games, page 343. The Caryatid Columns resemble humanoids assembled from multiple different types of creatures. 

B - An alcove in the west wall holds a small chest containing 2 scrolls. The cleric spells are Bestow Curse and Contagion.

Area 26: Empty. (you may want to roll for a random encounter)

Area 27: Small bowls are carved into the north and south walls and contain unlit cones of incense. 

Area 28: Strange script is chiseled onto the entire surface of every wall. Hidden among the text are two words in a different language. These are the separate passwords for the two secret doors. Both doors are inscribed with a Glyph of Warding, Explosive Runes, for Thunder Damage. The Glyphs are activated by attempting to open the doors and can be bypassed if the correct password is used. 

A DC15 Perception roll or searching for 10 minutes reveals the different style of script.

Comprehend Languages will reveal the language for most script as Abyssal and Infernal for the passwords. The Abyssal script goes on endlessly about destruction and death. The two passwords are Death and Taxes. One of the two secret doors does not contain the word death in the script. (you decide what works)

A - The stone visage of a Toruk Rul lies on its side in this alcove.

B - A statue of Ghul, 9 feet tall stands in this alcove. The paint used on the statue remains vibrant and life-like. The eye sockets are empty and show chipping and scratching around the edges.

Any creature attempting to pass the statue in either direction, without use of the pass phrase triggers the forced and rapid release of Gorgon Gas in the three squares immediately in front of the statue. The gas remains active in those squares, dispersing after 10 minutes. Creatures that enter these squares or begin their turn in these squares must make a DC13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save they are restrained and begin turning to stone. Restrained targets must repeat their saving throw with failure resulting in petrification. Greater Restoration or a  potion of Stone to Flesh is require to free the creature.

Dungeon of the Fire Opal - Dungeon Magazine 84 (part 4: areas 19 through 23)

Dungeeon restocking continued. We cover areas 19 through 23.

Unless otherwise stated, all areas are unlit.

Unless otherwise stated ceiling height is 10 feet. The ceiling in area 22 is 20 feet.

All secret doors require a DC14 or better perception to spot.

All areas other than 0, 1, and 3 are grey stone.

Note: When characters reach the hall outside either area 7 or 10 the Telluric Slink in area 22 begins moving. When the characters enter areas 8, 9, or area 11 it would move to area 16, then the next to 14, and so on, as the party progresses. This makes it possible for the party to meet or bypass the Slink at various locations. Reminder - it has blindsight and will detect their movement or other vibration causing activity within 60 feet distance and begin moving toward such activity.

Area 19: A faded painting of Ghul the Half-God is centered on the south wall. Below it sit three rusted iron chests, open and empty,

Area 20: The walls floor, ceiling, and doors within the room are painted black. The paint is fading to a dingy, dark grey and flaking off some areas.

Area 21: In the eastern section of this room is a bedroll and a backpack. Inside the backpack are three days of rations and two water skins. One of the water skins is empty.

A strange apparatus is attached to the northern wall. A hand shaped plate is affixed to the side of a device connected to 3 mechanical arms that end in needles. Above them are 4 glass tubes containing colored liquids. Hanging from the ceiling is a fully encasing helmet with a smooth, featureless face, only the eyes are not covered. It is not possible for the creature in the helmet to operate the device.

Pressing the hand plate allows for control of the device mentally. A creature standing beneath the helmet becomes locked in and held in place until treatment is complete. The device is for injecting the various liquids into the subject's eyes for different effects. All benefits gained cease after one month without repeat treatment. Drawbacks are permanent without a restoration or remove curse.

Translucent yellow - This liquid turns the iris bright golden yellow and gives the recipient dark vision out to 60'. It has no effect other than color change for creatures that already have dark vision.

Syrupy green - This liquid turns the entire eye black and gives the recipient the ability to function in bright light without penalty. Other than color change it provides no benefit to those who have no problems in daylight.

Translucent pale blue - This liquid turns the eye completely transparent resulting in blindness except in magical darkness. 

Opaque red - This liquid is the catalyst that allows other liquids to be mixed effectively and safely.

Mixing yellow with green results in glowing green eyes and provides both benefits.

Mixing yellow with blue results in a green iris and both benefits.

Mixing green with blue results in no color change to the eye, and provides x-ray vision through up to 6 inches of wood, 1 inch of metal, but not through lead. No other benefits are achieved.

Mixing any colors without including red liquid requires a DC15 Constitution saving throw. Failure results in 3d6 poison damage, the poisoned condition for 24 hours, and severe vision difficulties giving disadvantage on anything affected by vision. Attack rolls, Dexterity saving throws, and skills needing eyesight are examples.

Both eyes must be treated alike or the same penalty to vision related efforts occurs.

Area 22: Empty. See above to determine location of the Telluric Slink.

Area 23: Rotted wooden furniture and a rotted rug adorn this room. Otherwise empty.

New Monster - Telluric Slink

We'll be reskinning and modifying the Carrion Crawler to create this monster. The base stats are in the 5e Monster Manual page 37.

Telluric Slinks were created in one of the many laboratories within Ghul's Labyrinth below Ptolus. They are one of a vast number of aberrations born into the Squirming Horde and unleashed against the forces of good during the Ghul War.

Nearly 9' long and weighing close to 600lbs., the Slink is covered in a thick mass of long black hair. Its bulbous head has two slavering mouths filled with jagged teeth. Jutting out of where its eyes would be are two nest-like bundles of fine metal wires.

An apt description of the creature would be "an enormous hairy slug made of muscle, electricity, and evil".

Below are the changes to the Carrion Crawler. All other stats remain as written.

Increase the Armor Class to 14

Replace the climb speed with a swim speed of 10'

Replace Darkvision with Blindsense, same range.

Remove Keen Smell, Spider Climb and all Carrion Crawler attacks.

Add Immunity to electricity.

Modify the remainder as follows:

Multiattack. The Telluric Slink makes two attacks. Two bites against the same target or one bite and one sweeping slam against separate targets.

Sweeping Slam. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5' one or more creatures directly to either the left or right of the Telluric Slink. Hit: 2d6+2 bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC13 Dexterity saving throw or become prone.

Bite. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5' one creature. Hit: 1d6+2 piecing damage.

Telluric Burst. All creatures within 10' of the Telluric Slink must make a DC13 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 electric damage. Recharge 5-6.