Going past the magical mirror, the party finds a huge pit in the ground. This pit is 50' radius and descends into darkness. There is no obvious way down.
The pit goes to a depth of 720' into a large cavern. That cave then opens up into an even larger cavern.
This large cavern has been carved into a building façade.
This appears to be the entrance to the tomb proper.
Past the necrotic slime, the party comes to an opening leading to a single circular room some 50' in diameter. The floor of the room is a reflective, mirror-like black stone. The far wall is dominated by a large blood-red mirror.
Once a character sees their own reflection in the mirror out comes a Fetch.
A fetch is an undead reflection of the character. They have all the same abilities but appear as corpse versions of the characters. They fight as monsters with the same HD as the character's level, but only half their hit point total.
The mirrored floor has similar magic. When the fetch of the character is freed then a Shadow of the character also comes up from the floor. They are normal shadows, but neither they nor the fetches can be turned.
Whatever weapons the characters have their Fetch and their Shadow will have similar ones. Both monsters use the opposite hand of the characters. The Fetch appears as an undead version, the Shadow is a shadowed version.
Once both the Fetches and the Shadows are defeated they will crumble to nothing. No treasure.
The mirror on the wall will likewise crumble and reveal a passageway beyond.
Once the doors to this tomb are open, the party will see a hallway with many alcoves. When the party enters the hall, green slime begins to pour in.
This slime looks like Green Slime and has many of the same properties, but this is Necrotic Slime. Instead of eating flesh, it eats "life."
Necrotic Slime
Armor Class: 10
Hit Dice: 12* (54 hp)
Attacks 1 × touch (consume life energy)
THAC0 8 [+11]
Movement 3’ (1’)
Saving Throws D6 W7 P8 B9 S10 (12)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaotic
XP 2,700
Number Appearing 1 (0)
Treasure Type None
The slimes can reach 5' with a pseudopod. If the Necrotic slime touches a character, it drains 1 level or 1 point of Con (GM's choice).
They can be destroyed by fire and are immune to lightning attacks.
There are four Necrotic Slimes here.
The passageway has a slight (5 degrees), which can easily be detected by a dwarf, gnome, or other subterranean species can easily detect. At the end of the mile, the characters have descended an additional 460 feet.
All along this passageway, the characters will encounter the ghosts of the servants she killed to ensure they would protect her. There are also thousands of bats flying hidden in the darkness above.
At the end of this passageway, there is a large set of double doors. These doors are decorated with many bats.
The bats will speak once the characters approach. Their voices are high-pitched whispers, but there are so many that the volume is loud and seems to come from everywhere, echoing in the passageway.
They ask, "What does the Queen desire?"
To open the doors, two characters must put their hands into the mouths of the only two bats with their mouths open. Once they put their hands in, the bats will bite and draw blood. The characters will take 1d4 hp of damage. This damage cannot be healed via magic, only through natural healing. If the characters leave this level then they can heal via magic, but not while here.
One they have their blood the doors open as thousands of bats fly out.
Entering the mausoleum proper, there are statues of the chief servants of the Vampire Queen lining the walls. An inspection by a magic-using class or using means to detect magic will reveal that these statues are in fact her former servants turned to stone.
If a character casts "Stone to Flesh" or similar magic the targeted statue/servant will return to life, but will gasp and die of old age. If they do enough of these (at least 3) they will learn that the Vampire Queen took her servants with her to her final death.
Ahead of the characters is a long hallway. The hallway is long, 1 mile, and descends deep into this structure. There are arcane lights that flicker and glow every so many yards. There are shadows that flicker and dance in the corner of their eyes. These are the ghosts of the servants. They are powerless to attack the characters.
The party moves towards the only structure on this plane. The large mausoleum of the Vampire Queen.
The large double doors are trapped (normal rolls to remove) and double locked.
The entry way is guarded by two large iron golems. They attack any who enter the entry way.
The portal takes the party to large and mostly empty expanse.
Everything is predominantly gray. The sky is dark and a lifeless moon hangs in the sky. The light is roughly twilight and there is no sun in the sky.
On entering this plane all characters must make a saving throw vs. Death. Failing means they lose 1 point of Constitution and 1d6+2 hp of damage permanently. A successful save means the loss is only 1d4+1 hp of damage, but this is permanent also.
There is a dark castle in the distance.
As the party exits this layer following a grand flight of stairs they see a large glowing portal before them.
This portal will transport the characters to the Tomb of the Vampire Queen.
The exit to this maze is in sight. The only thing stopping you is the titanic red dragon.
Unlike the black dragon from earlier in this maze, the red dragon (Raxafalion) has made his home here. He has amassed a pile of gold from the Dwarven tombs above and whatever Akelarre has not claimed.
If Sir Fluffles is still with the party he will attack.
This dragon has maximum hp (80 hp) and twice the normal treasure (Hx2).
Encounter area 29 is a large goat demon. He has been waiting for you.
This is the Demon Prince Akelarre.
He is the demonic patron of the Vampire Queen. They have an agreement and he is protecting her tomb, but he is under no obligation to stay and will retreat if the battle goes against him.
Unlike the others on this level, he can come and go as he pleases. Indeed he is the one that summons these creatures here. He is given all the spoils of this level.
Encounter area 28 is another portal. Out hops (yes) is a white rabbit dressed as an adventurer.
This is Sir Fluffles. He is a Neutral Good 7th-level Ranger. His favored enemies are dragons. He is about the size of a halfling. He will join the party if asked, he is actually quite brave. He has a short sword +1, +3 vs dragons. He knows nothing about Vampire Queen but thinks she sounds positively horrible. He asks if you know anything about the Dragon King.
If the party encounters a dragon he will quite literally hop at the chance to fight it.
--
Sir Fluffles is not a bad character and would be fun with the right group. He comes from a world where all the main lifeforms are anthropomorphic animals. Think D&D meets Bunnies & Burrows.
We were playing with the bunnies tonight.
Encounter area 27 is quite bright. For 100' feet in either direction (East-West) of 27 is filled with glowing mushrooms. There is a mushroom every 5'.
As the party moves through there is a 1 in 6 chance that they will set off one of the mushrooms.
The mushrooms, if touched, will explode. If it explodes there is a 1 in 4 chance that the next one will explode as well. This will keep going for the 200 total feet.
Each explosion deals 4d6 hp of damage, save for half. Drop a d6 for every 10' the mushroom is from the victim.
A portal in Area 26 is similar to the one found in Area 25. From this one, a horse-headed demon comes out.
This is a Mezu Demon, a type of Yokai demon.
Mezu Demon (Yokai)
Armor Class -1 [20]
Hit Dice 8* (36 hp)
Attacks 2 claws (1d8+6, 1d8+6), 1 bite (1d10+6)
Special Magic resistance (45%), darkness, immune to poison.
THAC0 12 [+7]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Saving Throws D8 W9 P10 B11 S12 SS 8 (8)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaotic
XP 1,750
Number Appearing 1 (1)
Treasure Type C
Mezu demons are low-level, but powerful horse-headed demons that have two purposes, keep people out of hell nad keep those in from coming out.
They are very strong (22 strength). They can use weapons but prefer to use their claws and bite. Their heads are horse-like, but filled with sharp teeth.
They can gate in 1d4 Mezu Demons or 1d4 Jigoku Demons (similar stats, but with Ox heads). Gating them in comes with an obligation of future service, so the Mezu will not gate them in unless the Hóu Yaoguai is with the party.
If the party has the Hóu Yaoguai demon with them they will attack each other. The Yaoguai and the Yokai are ancient enemies. This is true is the Mezu is with the party when encountering the Hóu.
Area 25 is the home to a portal to another world. Like all the portals on this level is it one way. When the party gets within 15' of it a humanoid monkey-like creature steps through.
The creature is a Hóu Yaoguai. It is evil, it is angry, but it is also intelligent. If the party explains their are not the reason it is here it will not attack them, yet. The Hóu Yaoguai will attempt to discover all it can about his world and attempt to recruit the PC to its side by claiming it will aid them in their quest to find the Vampire Queen.
This is all true, but the demon still plans on betraying them the first chance it gets.
Entering Encounter Area 24 the characters hear growling and the squawking of birds.
Here are two Type I demons, Vrocks, fighting over a dead elf.
Vrock Demon: HD 8; AC 0 [19]; Atk 1 beak (1d6), 2 foreclaws (1d8), 2 rear claws (1d6); Move 12 (Fly 18); Save 8; AL C; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Magic resistance (50%), darkness, immune to fire.
Type I Demon (Vrock)
Armor Class 0 [19]
Hit Dice 8* (36 hp)
Attacks 2 foreclaws (1d8), 2 rear claws (1d6), 1 beak (1d6)
Special Magic resistance (50%), darkness, immune to fire.
THAC0 12 [+7]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Fly 180' (60')
Saving Throws D8 W9 P10 B11 S12 SS 8 (8)
Morale 10
Alignment Chaotic
XP 1,750
Number Appearing 1 (1)
Treasure Type A
These demons are vulture-headed, with feathered but humanoid bodies, and huge dark-feathered wings. All can create darkness in a radius of 5-ft. and are immune to fire. They use their wings to allow both their arms and legs to be brought into combat, along with their beaked bite. Vrock demons are quite stupid, though like most demons they consider themselves to be tremendously intelligent. A Vrock has a 10% chance to gate another first-category demon to its assistance. (S&W SRD).
--
Here are a couple of Turkey Demons, Happy Thanksgiving from The Other Side!
Encounter area 23 is the strangest one yet.
When the characters enter the area they hear a loud metallic grating sound. A blue box, about 8 ft tall and 4ft by 4ft on base appears out of nowhere. A light shines on the top of the box.
A man in strange garb pokes his head out and looks around. He says "Oh. Hello. Sorry, but stupid question, is this Earth? I am supposed to meet someone, about a thing. Well. Two things."
He looks around for a moment, then says "Right. Have to be off."
He goes back into the box and it makes the same grating and groaning noise and disappears.
--
Happy 60th Anniversary Doctor Who!
Please feel free to use any version of the Doctor you like.
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.
