This cell is locked and boarded up. Movement can be heard inside. There are two doors here, the cell and the doors behind it.
Inside this room is an ancient and immortal Grimlock. The Grimlock is very old and blind. The magical experiments done on him have made him immortal, hungry, and insane. It will attack as long as there is no light greater than torchlight.
This cell, just down the passageway and on the right, has an eerie glow inside.
The glow comes from somewhere inside the cell but it is difficult tell exactly where. Everywhere the characters look for it seems to be somewhere else.
There are no monsters in this cell and the glow is from the pervasive magic in this area.
This room looks much like the last, save there is no mistake about what is here.
This room houses a creature similar to the one before it. A human-bugbear hybrid, but this one has other features. It is a wight, and its arms have been removed and large crab-like arms end in claws.
It uses the same stats as a wight but adds +1 to all damage rolls.
Like the wraith before it, this creature has been imprisoned for so long that it gives no thought to freedom but only the chance to kill.
Moving on down the hallway, you see a light in the cell to your left.
This cell seems empty but there is a light on the inside.
The light is a wraith that has been trapped here since imprisoned by the Necromancers long ago. It was a human-bugbear hybrid but it was too stupid to be of use to the Necromancers, it was however violent and ill-tempered. It died and now only its wraith remains.
It is so consumed with anger that it will attack first before any thoughts of leaving its prison.
Its stats are the same as a wight, but it is ghost-like. It still drains like a wraith and needs magic to hit.
Moving down the hall there is another cell on the left.
This is a false cell, used to confuse those here to set the monsters free. The guards and many of the monsters are long gone, but the trap remains.
The cell bars are electrified. Anyone touching it must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis/ Petrify or take 2d6 hp worth of damage. A thief can find this trap and disable it. Failure to do either will also result in a shock, no save.
The cell opens up but there is no cell beyond. A trick of the stonework makes it look larger than it really is.
The bars to this cell are long gone, and it is easy to see why. Inside is a large armadillo-like creature. Once the PCs come close to the opening, it rushes out in a frenzy of hunger.
The stairs from the back of Room 28 on level 2 lead a long way down. They end at a large iron gate. The gate is 20' wide and at least 15' tall. It opens in the middle, and it is locked. The rusty nature of this lock imposes a -5% penalty on opening. The gate, though, is also weak enough that combined strength of 24 can pull it open.
There are claw marks visible on the stone after the gate, but none before it. There are alcoves to either side for guards on both sides of the gate (four total). There is an ambient eldritch glow throughout the place.
The hallway continues on.
--
Notes about this level. This is where the Citadel of Conjurers kept their magical experiments. It has long been rumored that this is the birthplace of the Owlbear and other magical monstrosities. When the Vampire Queen took control here, she raised many of these dead creatures as various types of undead so she could keep them as "guard dogs."
My goal this month will be to populate this level with all sorts of new monsters.
Down this short passageway from the torture chamber is another large room. The door is standard to unlock.
This large room used to be the barracks for this dungeon level. It was also where all the weapons were kept. There are plenty of weapons here and a few are still usable. Allow players to restock what they need.
As the characters search the room they will begin to uncover a nest of 3 Ghost Spiders. These look like large undead spiders but they are really demonic necromantic projections. They were summoned here from all the fear and death and have never left.
They will attack the party as soon as they are found.
In the back is hidden door that is easily discovered it leads to a flight of stairs going down.
The hall turns to the right and opens up into a large area.
This room was obviously a torture chamber. There are still racks, stocks, and other implements of torture still to be found here.
There are still two victims here who have been unable to leave, Two Wraiths.
These wraiths are not allied and will attack the party without regard for other.
There is some treasure here the wraiths have collected from previous victims. Both have Treasure Type E.
Turning to your right the hallway continues on a bit. On the corner to your right, there is, if the proper rolls are made, a secret door. This is very similar to Room #7 and Room #Room 19.
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 guard 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 dagger +1, two-handed sword +1, and 2 +1 sling bullet stored here for the guard's use in addition to some normal items. There had been food, but it has since rotted away. Additionally, there is a bag of gold pieces, 14 GP.
Finding these treasures is worth 2,714xp.
Opening this door is much easier, it feels like it had been opened already and not properly locked.
They are currently eating the remains of two goblins. They will stop and attack the party, but the party will get +1 to their initiative rolls.
They have standard treasure for ghouls and what ever the two goblins had.
Moving down the passageway the next cell is on your right.
The doors to this room are wide open.
It appears there had been a fight here, and not that long ago. There are three dead goblins and one dead human. The bodies have been looted, but there is a 1 in 6 chance for all characters (or a 3 in 6 for thieves) that someone will find a Potion of Healing on the human.
Otherwise, this room is empty.
--
The part of adventurers that is ahead of this party started about three to four days before this group. They are others, but they are all slowing being picked off.
This cell looks like it is the same size as the others, but it begins to shift and change.
This effect is an illusion and a very powerful one. This illusion makes the room look larger on the inside than it is. Additionally, there is an effect that will confuse anyone inside. The room's illusion is not related to the creature inside and a save vs. Magic will reveal the room for what it is.
The inhabitant of this room takes advantage of this illusion. Inside this room is a Will-o-the-wisp.
AC 3 [17], HD 5+1 (22 hp), Att 1, life drain, THAC0 15 [+4], MV 90’ (30’), SV D11 W11 P12 B13 S15, ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 575, NA 1 (1d4), TT see below.
This is not the Will-o-the-Wisp normally encountered. This is an undead creature. While it has high HD it is a single creature and has low hp. It can be turned by a cleric as a 5HD creature. The creature can only be hit by magic. Its low AC is due to its size, its erratic movement, and its magical protection.
The wisp leads characters into this room and uses the illusion to keep victims confused and scared. It then feeds on the life energies of those trapped. It can't drain the victims directly and has to wait till they start to die of other causes.
The Wisp does not collect treasure, but there is a lot material left from former victims. The only way to find it though is make the save vs. spells to stop the illusions.
--
I am reworking Will-O-the-Wisps for my Basic Bestiary. This is a rough draft.
This cell is locked and the door feels stuck. A combined strength of 28 is needed to force it open.
This room has a large blue portal that leads to a different dungeon. Someone has been using this as a storage room. There is a treasure chest with 5,000 gp inside! There are two large Bags of Holding. Many mundane swords, daggers, longbows, arrows, and shields. There is also food that seems to be fine (it is) but none of it is recognizable. It tastes weird but is perfectly healthy to eat.
If DMs wish they could have the inhabitants of this realm making a deposit. They are closely related to lizardmen. They are not expecting to fight and have a morale of 6.
This cell is just down the passageway from the last room.
This cell is empty.
This door looks like it leads to another guard room (like 19 before it).
A thief can find this trap, but not disable it. They can however avoid it.
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.
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.
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.
Monster Mash is now out in both PDF and Print on Demand, and I am very, very happy with it.
Work is going on for Monster Mash II: A Green and Pleasant Land now. Classes are built, just need some edits. I also bought a bunch of art from Dean Spencer so his art will fill the book for a single artistic vision.
But one thing people have asked me is, "Can I use Monster Mash" with the OSE-Advanced Rules?
While my intent was always to stick with OSE-Classic, there is nothing stopping you from using OSE-Advanced rules. In fact, here are my guidelines.
For this, I am going to use the races and classes from OSE-Advanced. If there is another race or class (say from one of Carcass Crawlers or other sources) you can use the closest analog.
Races
OSE, for the moment still uses the out-moded "Races." I fully expect that will change but until I am using it as a "rules term" only.
Note: ANY Game Master can over-rule these level limits as they see fit.
In every case these different races retain any abilities from 1st level on.
Awakened Golem
Requirements: 13 or greater in STR and CON, 10 or greater in WIS
Ability Modifiers: +1 to STR and CON, -2 to CHA
Acrobat: NA
Assassin: 10th (must have a DEX score greater than 13
Barbarian: 14th
Bard: NA
Cleric: NA
Druid: NA (and I would add they are so far removed to nature they can never be druids)
Fighter: 14th
Illusionist: NA
Knight: NA
Magic-User: NA* (special cases could arise)
Paladin: NA
Ranger: NA
Thief: 14th
Gothic Witch: NA
Profane Necromancer: 10th (similar special cases)
Catflok
Requirements: 12 or greater in DEX
Ability Modifiers: +1 to STR and CON, -2 to CHA
Acrobat: 10th
Assassin: 10th
Barbarian: 9th
Bard: 7th
Cleric: 8th
Druid: 9th
Fighter: 10th
Illusionist: 7th
Knight: NA
Magic-User: 7th
Paladin: NA
Ranger: 8th
Thief: 10th
Gothic Witch: 9th
Profane Necromancer: 7th
Ghost
Requirements: None
Ability Modifiers: STR, DEX, and CON are effectively 0
Ghosts can be anything but are limited to 10th level.
Hagling
Requirements: 12 or greater in WIS
Ability Modifiers: +1 to WIS
Acrobat: NA
Assassin: NA
Barbarian: 8th
Bard: NA
Cleric: 10th
Druid: 10th
Fighter: 10th
Illusionist: 10th
Knight: NA
Magic-User: 11th
Paladin: NA
Ranger: NA
Thief: 10th
Gothic Witch: 13th
Profane Necromancer: 13th
Hobgoblin
Requirements: None
Ability Modifiers: +1 to CON
Acrobat: NA
Assassin: 8th
Barbarian: 10th
Bard: NA
Cleric: 5th
Druid: 6th
Fighter: 10th
Illusionist: NA
Knight: NA
Magic-User: NA
Paladin: NA
Ranger: 5th
Thief: 10th
Gothic Witch: 4th
Profane Necromancer: 4th
Lycanthrope, Wererat
Requirements: 11 or greater on DEX and CON
Ability Modifiers: +1 to DEX
Acrobat: 8th
Assassin: 8th
Barbarian: 5th
Bard: 5th
Cleric: 4th
Druid: 4th
Fighter: 6th
Illusionist: NA
Knight: NA
Magic-User: NA
Paladin: NA
Ranger: NA
Thief: 8th
Gothic Witch: NA
Profane Necromancer: NA
Lycanthrope, Werewolf
Requirements: 11 or greater on STR and CON
Ability Modifiers: +1 to STR
Acrobat: NA
Assassin: 8th
Barbarian: 10th
Bard: 5th
Cleric: 4th
Druid: 4th
Fighter: 10th
Illusionist: NA
Knight: NA
Magic-User: NA
Paladin: NA
Ranger: NA
Thief: 8th
Gothic Witch: NA
Profane Necromancer: NA
Revenant
Requirements: None
Ability Modifiers: +1 to STR, DEX, and CON
Revenants can be anything but are limited to 9th level.
Shade
Requirements: 12 or greater on CHA
Ability Modifiers: None
Shades can be anything but are limited to 10th level.
Shadow Elf
Requirements: 15 or greater on DEX
Ability Modifiers: +1 to DEX
Acrobat: 10th
Assassin: 10th
Barbarian: NA
Bard: 10th
Cleric: 5th
Druid: 5th
Fighter: 10th
Illusionist: 9th
Knight: 10th
Magic-User: 8th
Paladin: NA
Ranger: NA
Thief: 10th
Gothic Witch: 10th
Profane Necromancer: 10th
Vampire
Requirements: 13 or greater on STR and CHA
Ability Modifiers: +1 to STR
Vampires can be anything, but combined with a class they are limited to 12th level.
Classes
Monster Mash also includes two "human" Classes, the Gothic Witch and the Profane Necromancer. The Gothic witch follows the same format of my other witch classes. The Profane Necromancer is essentially a Necromancer with various evil Cleric abilities added in.
Here are some suggestions.
Gothic Witch
Drow: 10th
Duergar: 7th
Dwarf: NA* (Dwarf witches are known as Xothia and use other witch rules.)
Elf: NA* (Elf witches are known as Kuruni and use other witch rules.)
Gnome: NA* (Gnome witches are known as Good Walkers and use other witch rules.)
Half-Elf: 14th (Half-elves can choose a variety of witches.)
Halfling: NA* (Halfling witches are known as Herb Women and use other witch rules.)
Half-Orc: 10th* (Half-orc witches are also known as Bogglebos.)
Human: 14th
Svirfneblin: NA (Svirfneblin would likely be a type of Xothia.)
Profane Necromancer
Drow: 9th
Duergar: 7th
Dwarf: NA
Elf: 8th
Gnome: NA
Half-Elf: 9th
Halfling: NA
Half-Orc: NA
Human: 13th
Svirfneblin: NA
A note about the Profane Necromancer.
There are so many Necromancer classes for Basic-era rule and OSR rulesets. Even OSE has its own Necromancer. Mine is an homage to the Death Master of the late Len Lakofka. But use whichever one you like the best, and feel free to use some or all of my spells with it.
Again, individual GMs can make adjustments as they see fit.
