Encounter area 22 has another Gate. This one swirls and out stomps a giant demon.
This demon is an Utukku, his name is Zaidu, the Hunter and he is bound to the Vampire Queen to hunt her enemies. Which is currently the PCs.
Encounter area 22 has another Gate. This one swirls and out stomps a giant demon.
This demon is an Utukku, his name is Zaidu, the Hunter and he is bound to the Vampire Queen to hunt her enemies. Which is currently the PCs.
Encounter area 21 is a cul-de-sac with a flight of stairs down to a collection of books in a small library.
There are scores of books. Most are mundane but there are 30 books detailing monsters enough to grant readers an additional 500 xp.
There are also five spell books with random spells.
First level: 1d10+3
Second level: 1d8+4
Third level: 1d6+2
Fourth level: 1d6+1
Fifth level: 1d4+1
The creature in Encounter Area 20 looks like some sort of glowing ball floating in mid-air. In truth it is the glowing heart of an Infernal Gelatinous Cube.
An Infernal Gelatinous Cube is a larger cousin to the common Gelatinous Cube.
In addition to greater HD (10) and enhanced hp, this monstrosity has an infernal intelligence.
It has an aura of heat that causes 1d8 hp of damage to all within 5' of it. It is also immune to fire and flame attacks.
Characters can hear a loud droning sound coming from encounter area 19 long before they see it.
The monster is a Mezzalorn (a Wasp Demon).
Mezzalorn Demon (Wasp Demon)
Armor Class -3 [22]
Hit Dice 12* (54 hp)
Attacks 2 claws (1d6), 1 sting (2d6 + poison)
Special Magic resistance (10%), immune to poison
THAC0 11 [+8]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Fly 120' (40')
Saving Throws D6 W7 P8 B9 S10 (12)
Morale 10
Alignment Chaotic
XP 3,400
Number Appearing 1 (1)
Treasure Type A
A mezzalorn looks like a hellish giant wasp with the head and torso of a man. When reduced to half its hit points it releases a pheromone that gives it and all other mezzalorns a +1 to-hit bonus. The poison injected by a mezzalorn’s stinger is lethal if the victim fails a saving throw.
Encounter area 18 has a hidden pit trap.
The 15' by 15' trap is hidden. The floor gives way and the party falls 20' for 2d6 hp of damage. The walls are smooth and offer no footholds.
Encounter area 17 is the normal haunt of a favorite creature of the Vampire Queen. A creature she had brought in from beyond reality.
She called the creature the Labyrinthine Lurker.
The Labyrinthine Lurker is a creature of stealth and shadow, resembling a sleek, upright, serpentine being with iridescent scales that blend seamlessly with the darkness of the maze. Its eyes glow with an eerie, hypnotic light, and it moves with a sinuous grace that allows it to navigate the labyrinthine corridors with ease.
It has something akin to arms and hands, but these are manifestations of shadows it can use to manipulate items.
Labyrinthine Lurker
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 11+22 (72 hp)
Move: 15" (Can phase through solid objects for 1 round)
Attacks: 1 bite or special
Damage: 2d6 or special
THAC0: 11 [+8]
No. Appearing: 1
Save As: D6 W7 P8 B9 S10 (11)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 1300
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: Nil
The Lurker takes advantage of the strange magical energies of this maze.
It's attack is a bite. It drains a little bit of blood each time. It tries reducing a victim to 0 hp so it can feed on the dying energies of the victims.
It has the following Special Abilities.
Shadow Cloak: The Labyrinthine Lurker can blend into the shadows, becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye. It uses this ability to lie in wait for unsuspecting adventurers, striking with precision when they least expect it.
Echo Step: The creature can move without making a sound, allowing it to stalk its prey silently. It leaves behind illusory echoes, confusing adventurers about its actual location within the maze.
Dimensional Phasing: The Labyrinthine Lurker has the power to phase through solid objects within the maze temporarily. This ability enables it to ambush adventurers by emerging from walls or the floor, making it a formidable opponent.
Labyrinth's Embrace: When the Labyrinthine Lurker closes in on its target, it can envelop them in a temporary pocket dimension. Inside this dimension, time seems to slow down for the trapped adventurer, giving the Lurker an advantage (+2 to hit) in combat.
Killing the Lurker will cause it to dissolve into a caustic pool of black goo. Anyone within 5' of it, when it reaches 0 hp, will be splashed with the black acidic blood and take 1d6 hp of damage per round until the goo is removed. Water is good, any form of alcohol is better.
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I am sitting in a parking lot waiting for my wife to wrap up a work thing. Hopefully, the formating is fine.
When the characters enter Encounter Area 16 they are met with a Night Hag.
The Night Hag is angry, but not at the characters (yet). She was trapped here by the same magic that draws others into this Labyrinth. Talking to the Hag will let them know more about the magic that grabbed her. She was not in the lower planes, but rather on the Prime Material in a different part of the PC's world.
The Hag will claim she only needs the power from one soul to be able to Gate them all out, the PCs just need to choose.
If they don't then she will try to kill one PC and then just gate herself out once she has the soul.
In addition to her normal treasure she has five (5) soul coins. These coins contain the souls of one person. They can be used as currency in the Lower Planes or be given to a cleric of 18th level who can use them to raise the person whose soul was taken.
Encounter area 15 is in an odd little cul-de-sac. There is a group of monsters like goblins, trolls, and even a couple of minotaurs. They are all sitting around an ethereal woman playing a cello.
The cellist plays and the monsters are entranced. As long as she plays the monsters here will stay entranced. She will not attack, nor get the monsters to do so. If she is attacked she will entice them to attack back.
The monsters are:
The cellist herself is a Faerie Lord who has the stats of a 10th-level elf.
Encounter area 14 features a true horror.
This is an Eye Tyrant / Eye of Terror / Beholder (depending on the game you are using).
It will attack as soon as it can. It is guarding double the amount of treasure listed.
Entering encounter area 13 the party sees what appears to be a giant dwarf.
This "dwarf" is 16 ft. tall, and is in truth a powerful Earth Elemental.
This Elemental was summoned by the dwarven geomancers, but corrupted by the magics of the Vampire Queen.
Encounter area 12 also has a swirling portal, this one from above. When the party comes near a giant abomination drops from the portal; a Giant Astral Spider.
This nightmare is accompanied by a normal Astral Spider.
These creatures are like their smaller cousins in they have no physical form but can still attack creatures on the Prime Material.
Encounter Area 11 also features a monster who has just arrived from a swirling portal.
This monster is a Type II Demon, also known as a Hezrou. It is a large frog-like demon. The portal was not like a summoning gate, so no magic circle and the demon is free to move around as it needs.
Encounter area 10 features two classic monsters. A glowing portal can be seen nearby.
Two huge Manticores roam these halls. They have maximum hit points and they always hit for maximum damage.
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A few of these monsters in this level are inspired by this old ad.
Stalking the halls of this maze are two Warp Beasts / Displacer Beasts.
There is nothing out of the ordinary about these two, other than the obvious, they wander these halls looking for prey.
Note: I always like these guys. I always wanted to add them to this level. I know the art is not exactly right, but I like how it came out anyway.
The monster in encounter area 8 can be smelled before it is seen.
The creature crawling on all fours is a gigantic ghoul. It is about the size of a Frost Giant. Even though there is room, it is still on all fours.
Ghoul, Giant
Armor Class 6 [13]
Hit Dice 11+11* (61 hp)
Attacks 2 × claw (1d12 + paralysis), 1 × bite (1d8 + paralysis)
THAC0 11 [+8]
Movement 90’ (30’)
Saving Throws D6 W7 P8 B9 S10 (11)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaotic
XP 1100
Number Appearing 1 (1)
Treasure Type Bx2
Been down with COVID-19 so most of my posts have been things I wrote a while back.
But here is something new, some of my latest mail calls. All with a Basic, as in B/X, theme.
Up first is the OSE version of Dark Places & Demogorgons.
I like the idea of an OSE version, but I am more likely to play it using its original rules. Still nice to have and the Cryptid Manual is a great addition to any OSE game. My only question is do I shelves these with my OSE books or my Dark Places & Demogorgons ones?
Speaking of Demogorgons.
Ryan Thompson's Demonology for OSE is now being shipped. I have already stated most of these creatures for myself (and many posted here) but it is always nice to see more and different takes on the same creatures.
This is OSE so it is compatible with B/X and DP&D OSE above. Bring in the real Demogorgon into your DP&D game!
Since it was Halloween, I treated myself to another adventure.
Witch, Grave, and Haunt from Pacesetter Games is for BX and 5e. I got the BX version.
The "Witch" portion is an updated version of The Witch of Monte Rosa. There are some changes to the adventure which is fine. The other two are not unknown to me, but this is the first time I have them in print.
This and the Demonology book will work great for my War of the Witch Queens campaign.
And finally, I have been playing a LOT of Baldur's Gate 3 so I treated myself to a little Print on Demand fun.
This is Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II, released to support the Baldur's Gate II game back in the late 1990s. It would be nice if Wizards put out something to support the new game, given how popular it is.
One of the most prevalent monsters in this maze is found first in Encounter Area 7.
This is a demonic Minotaur.
These minotaurs are related to the demonic lord of minotaurs are are much larger, stronger and deadlier.
Minotaur, Demonic*
Armor Class 3 [16]
Hit Dice 9+9 (50 hp)
Attacks [1 × gore (1d8), 1 × bite] or 1 × weapon (1d8 + 4 or by weapon + 4) or 4d8
THAC0 11 [+8]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Stampede 180' (60')
Saving Throws D8 W9 P10 B11 S12 (9)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaotic
XP 904
Number Appearing 1d2 (1d4)
Treasure Type C
These giant creatures often wield giant axes. 1 in 6 has a Flaming Axe that does an extra 1d8 hp of damage.
Demonic Minotaurs can stampede to run victims down. They need at least 10' to get up to speed. They can then run down up to 10 HD/levels of victims. These victims must be in a line up to 30'.
Entering this encounter area the party can see exactly what they are encountering. Ahead are four (4) gargoyles.
These gargoyles are inanimate until the party comes within 10' of them. They can thus be avoided.
They have standard treasure.
Moving to encounter area 5 the party sees a pile of bones. The bones reassemble themselves into two large bone golems that attack.
If they are defeated they will reconstitute in 3 hours.
The only way to permanently kill them is to burn their bodies.
Entering encounter area 4 the party encounters a black dragon.
The dragon is angry and demands to know why it is here and not in its swamp. The party has a 10% (+5% per bonus of Charisma) to convince the dragon not to attack right away.
If it talks it will tell the party it had been in its swamp and it was pulled here. It is angry and thinks the party has had something to do with it being here.
Consequently, it has no treasure here with it.
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Some monsters are brought in by magic, others are stuck here.