#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 21

This cell is just down the passageway from the last room.

This cell is empty.

Monstrous Monday: Basic Assumptions about Basic Bestiary

With the OGL fiasco settled (for now), I have returned to work on Basic Bestiary. In truth, I have enough to publish right now; I just need some art for...well, most of them. 

I was recently (this last weekend) going through an old hard drive I rebuilt (ugh...never buying a Seagate drive again), and I found some files from 2013. One, in particular, was filled with monsters I had written for a Pathfinder project that was never picked up. It has about 170 monsters on it but the point of view is of a fantasy Earth.  Many of these creatures already have similar entries in BB. Other ideas went on to live in Monster Mash and Monstrous Maleficarum. But many of them are still good and worth giving new life to. 

This leaves me with two conundrums.  Both relate to a basic assumption I am making about Basic Bestiary.

When I was working on Basic Bestiary, I focused on the monsters of myth and legend, especially the cool, lesser-known monsters. Many, if not most, of these creatures are very much tied to a specific location and cultural set of myths. The assumption is then I would be crafting these using an Earth-based or Earth-like frame of reference. Something that many publishers try to avoid.

So Conundrum 1 is "How do I make Angels work?" D&D has angels. I have a lot more. They are very much tied with the myths, legends, and stories of various real-world religions.  They are the biggest section of BB I still need to finish.  My wife suggested I move them over to my demon book and make it "2024 problem." There is a certain amount of logic to that. Angels and Demons are more alike to each other than they are to say to dragons or goblins.  It might be a good idea to move them on over. It would reduce the total monster count right now, but this new batch I found would more than make up for it.

Conundrum 2 deals with my Earth-centric focus. One of the monsters I found was a very Norwegian-focused Troll. Another was a very Algonquin-focused.  Do I clean those up or lean into them? Classic wisdom suggests I make it all more generic, but other publishers have had some solid success keeping an Earth focus. I am thinking of leaning into them to be honest. So when I say a monster is from Norwegian mythology and tales readers can know where to put it in their own worlds. 

I know. I keep finding ways to over complicate this project, and I have been doing it for so long I nearly lost my window to publish.  So I think I am going to try to wrap this up soon. I'd like to be done with this one and maybe even BBII by this year.

One can hope.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 20

This door looks like it leads to another guard room (like 19 before it).

 The floor of this room is trapped. If a pressure plate is stepped on the floor gives way and all occupants slid down (away from the door) to the next level below.

A thief can find this trap, but not disable it. They can however avoid it.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 19

Turning to your right the hallway continues on.  On the corner to your right there is, if the proper rolls are made, a secret door.  This is very similar to Room #7.

This room is found behind a secret door in the corner of the hallway, not on the flat walls. 

This room appears to have been a guar room. There are chairs for three with a small table and weapons on the walls.  There are slots in the wall where guards can watch both hallways.

This room has been untouched by the waves of denizens here. There is a axe +1, short sword +1, and 2 +1 crossbow arrows stored here for the guard's use in addition to some normal items. There had been food but it has since rotted away. 

Finding these treasures is worth 2,300xp.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 18

The cell opens easier than the others on this level.  Thieves get a +5% bonus to any pick locks roll.

Opening this door will reveal that this cell is also very different on the inside.

Inside is a bas-relief of the Vampire Queen. It is newer than the surrounding rock.  

As the party approaches and gets within 5' of the 7' tall relief its mouth will open a spout of red acid will spill out. Everyone within 5' must make a save versus Breath Weapon or take 2d8 points of damage.  The acid used to be much stronger.

There is no treasure in this room.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 17

Continuing down this hallway is the next cell.

This room is filled with Green Slime.  There are two on the floor, and one dripping from the ceiling. They are packed in so tightly there is no chance of surprise. One on the floor gets an "attack" as it rolls out.

Destroying the slimes will reveal 2 Swords +1. These are all that are left from the last group of adventurers. 

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 2, Room 16

This door is open and there is light coming from a portal inside the room.

This room also has a large number of goblins, 1d6+3. Again these goblins are different than all the previous ones (from yet another world, these goblins have monkey feet) these goblins are a bit tougher and all wield +1 maces or +1 spears. Their world is rather magic rich.  

They have XP as a 1+1 HD creature.

Each goblin has a bag of 6 GP and 1d6+5 SP.

The portal will close in 1d4 rounds and reopen again in 6+1d12 days.