Thursday, December 28, 2023

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 28

The large double door to the the next room is triple locks (needing three separate rolls to open) and each lock is trapped with a fatal poison. Getting past these will take an expert thief. 

This large circular room is the goal of your quest. This is the crypt of Darlessa, the Vampire Queen.

Room 28

Her sarcophagus is located in the middle of this room. A combined strength of 35 is needed to lift of the stone lid. Once open the PCs will have one round to attack her before she is revived. They have +2 on their initiative rolls.

The Vampire Queen is dead but far from helpless. She is shocked you made it this far, but she is prepared all the same. 

Darlessa the Vampire Queen
Darlessa, The Queen of Vampires

Female Vampire Witch, Demonic Tradition
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 120’ (40’)
   Fly: 180’ (60’)
Armor Class: -5 (bracers of defense, amulet of protection, ring of protection)
Hit Dice: 13
Attacks: 1 (touch, see below) or spell
Damage: 1d10, drain 2 points of Constitution, Witch Spells
Save: W13
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XXII
XP: 11,400

Str: 18 Int: 15 Wis: 14 Dex: 18 Con: (18) Cha: 22

In addition to the powers of a vampire, Darlessa has the following witch spells and Occult Powers.  She casts spells as a 13th-level witch.

Spells by Level
Cantrip (3+5): Alarm Ward, Black Flame, Daze, Knot, Mend, Mote of Light, Object Reading, Spark
1st (4+3): Burning Hands, Cause Fear, Everlasting Candle, Hecate's Spiritual Dog, Minor Curse, Read Languages
2nd (4+3): Agony, Bewitch II, Burning Gaze, Enthrall, Ghost Touch, Produce Flame, Rite of Remote Seeing
3rd (3+2): Astral Sense, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Danse Macabre, Toad Mind, Tongues
4th (3+2): Arcane Eye, Bewitch IV, Elemental Armor, Moonlit Way, Phantom Lacerations
5th (2): Death Curse, Greater Command
6th (2): Death Blade
7th (1): Wave of Mutilation

Occult Powers
Familiar (Undead Raven)
Evil’s Touch
Devil’s Tongue

Magic Items
Intangible Cloak of Shadows, Amulet of Protection* (also prevents cleric turning), bracers of defense, ring of protection, ring spell storing (3 stored Magic Missile spells).

Her coffin can be destroyed after she is dead. There is a spare coffin underneath this one. Even if her body is burned, she can come back due to the dark necromancies she has practiced for centuries. 

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 27

 This appears to be a long hallway with mirrors on both sides. Light from torches that ignite as you enter scatters in all directions.

Room 27

The mirrors are in fact portals from the astral plane. There are 16 in total. As the PCs walk past an Astral Ghoul is released. 

Astral Ghoul

Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 8+16* (52 hp)
Attacks: 2 × claw (1d4 x2 + paralysis), 1 × bite (1d8 + paralysis)
THAC0: 12 [+7]
Movement: 90’ (30’) fly 90' (30')
Saving Throws: D8 W93 P10 B11 S12 (2)
Morale: 12
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 650
Number Appearing: 1
Treasure Type None

These creatures look like ghouls but are partially in substantial. They have the same paralyzing touch of all ghouls.

Astral ghoul

I dreamed about these guys last night.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Mail Call and Boxing Day 2023

Today I normally like to post some sort of Boxed Set thing I have going on. But instead, I'll just talk about my D&D-related fun from the last couple of days. BTW I sliced my finger open on a mandolin making sliced potatoes, so this post is taking a lot longer.

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen

Up first I got my copies of Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen from Mark Taomino. Both the 10th Anniversary OSR and the new 5th Edition versions.

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen

I signed on early for these adventures. No shock given my love for the original Wee Warriors Vampire Queen. So now I have three different printings of this Vampire Queen.

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen

Party Like It's 1979!

For Christmas, my oldest son decided to go all out for everyone. This is what he got me.

Atari 2600 and Monster Manual minis

Atari 2600 and Monster Manual minis

The Atari 2600 plugs into any HCMI TV/Monitor and even has an aspect ratio switch.  But the coolest part is it will run old 2600 cartridges. So time to start cruising the Half-Price Books and second-hand stores!

The Monster Manual minis are from set G-J. Though really, G-I.

D&D en Español

My son also ran some D&D for us. We played the "Witchlight Carnival" adventure.

I made a character, but to help with my Spanish, I opted to only use my new Spanish language Players Handbook.

Sombra en Español

El es Brujo y Elfo. For play, I limited myself to what I could read and understand in this book. 

Hope everyone is having a great holiday.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 26

 The last room on the right opens to an empty space, a room with many alcoves on either side.  There appears to be some sort of pile of treasure in the center.

Room 26

Once inside the room, the illusion of the treasure disappears and a horde of undead stream out.

There are 3d12 zombies, 2d10 ghouls, 1d8 ghasts, and 1d6 wights.

If the PCs can get back to the door they can close off the attacks to just a few at a time. Otherwise, in one round they will be surrounded in the "Kill box."

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Happy Boxing Day, enjoy the kill box.


Monday, December 25, 2023

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 25

 The second room on the left is the treasure room of Vampire Queen.

Room 25

This room is filled with treasure.

There is Type Ax5, Type Bx10, Type Gx5, Type Hx10.

In addition, there are five spell books with 4d6 spells each of levels 1-6. 2d4 Swords of +1 enchantment, 1d6 of +2, 1d4 of +3, and 1 of +4. Armor +1, Staff of the Magi.

There are no magic items here vs. undead, demons, or devils here.  There are also no potions of healing or magical healing of any sort. Vampires of no need of such magic.

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

Sunday, December 24, 2023

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 24

 The first chamber on the right is the Cenotaphs of the Vampire Queen's Council of Advisors.  Each is a stone monument erected for her council of 20 advisors.

Room 24

The Vampire Lords are as follows. Each stone has a brief description of the vampire lord or lady whose ashes are inside.

  1. Corvus Nox - A brooding lord wielding shadows like weapons.
  2. Amara Tenebris - A cunning duchess, weaving webs of intrigue in moonlit courts.
  3. Zale Moondragon - A tempestuous warrior, leading their coven with fiery passion.
  4. Silas Ember - A melancholic scholar, haunted by memories of their mortal life.
  5. Seraphina Thorne - A seductive siren, luring prey into an alluring abyss.
  6. Lyander Blackwood - A stoic sentinel, guarding ancient secrets amidst crumbling ruins.
  7. Esme Wysteria - A whimsical trickster, dancing on the edge of chaos with laughter.
  8. Cassius Vervain - A noble alchemist, seeking an elixir to gain true immortality.
  9. Luna Sanguis - A fierce huntress, stalking the night with unerring instincts.
  10. Erebus Umbra - A cryptic oracle, whispering prophecies in forgotten tongues.
  11. Isolde Morraine - A vengeful spirit, driven by an undying thirst for retribution against the gods of light.
  12. Lucian Fane - A charming storyteller, weaving illusions with silken words.
  13. Nyn Obsidian - A master of shadows, vanishing like smoke on the wind.
  14. Aurora Vesper - A radiant anomaly, defying the darkness with a defiant glow.
  15. Darius Argent - A skilled strategist, playing pawns in a grand, blood-soaked game.
  16. Lillian Crimson - A fiery rebel, sparking revolutions against oppressive elders.
  17. Caspian Hawthorne - A gentle healer, offering solace in the heart of darkness.
  18. Amara Whisperer - A silent assassin, leaving only whispers of their victims.
  19. Zephyr Dusk - A fleet-footed scout, mapping forgotten paths across forgotten lands.
  20. Thanatos Requiem - A harbinger of death, wielding a chilling scythe and a bone-chilling smile.

The Cenotaphs are hollow with an earn inside containing the ashes of these vampire lords and ladies. If any are mixed with living blood the vampire lord will return to unlife. They 8+1d6 HD.

Here the PCs will find Treasure Types Ax10, Hx4 & Mx2 stored here.

Saturday, December 23, 2023

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 23

 The first room on the left is a Ritual Room.

Room 23

This room has altars and ritual spaces dedicated to the demon lords Akelarre and Orcus, the arch Devil Dispater, and to the dark gods Ereshkigal, Hecate, and Hel. The last and central altar is to the Vampire Queen herself.

There are treasures here upwards of 100,000 gp, but all are cursed.  Removing them from this room requires a save vs. Death or die. A Remove Curse can be used, but it must be done on each item. There are seven altars here.

There are no creatures here.