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.
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.
--
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.
