Week #2

 "For another such kiss I  would invent a whole new continent."

    - Sinbad in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad

I have continued inventing new lands in this second week, including the first dungeon locations on January Isle.

8 Western Castle

The remains of a ruined castle are strewn across the area.

Within the ruins, two pirates stand over a shaft leading downward. They are debating whether they should climb down into the darkness in search of an escaped captive. They are equally afraid of the dangers below and the danger of reporting failure to their captain.

The shaft if 5 ft wide and goes down about 40 ft to what might be water. A knotted rope has been attached to aid climbing.

More ruins can be seen to the east (location 7) across a wide chasm with no visible bottom. It extends for miles to the north and south. A delicate stone bridge once spanned the chasm, but it has collapsed in the center, leaving an 80 ft gap. Any fall into the chasm would be fatal.

9 Tunnel

A narrow, rocky ridge would have blocked the path here, but a 10 ft wide, 80 ft-long tunnel provides access to the far side. Daylight can be seen clearly at the far end. Both walls of the tunnel are carved with bas relief scenes of unfamiliar animals and trees.

At the midpoint, inscriptions in an ancient language can be seen. Intelligence (Cryptography) 15 to decipher that this is a story about a great wizard named Ibab Kornitz and his search for the True Name of an angel referred to as The Hand of Burning Truth. There is also a warning about the danger of passing between the Pillars of Truth.

10 Pond

A small freshwater pond is surrounded and shaded by large vine-draped trees. Scattered bits of overgrown stonework suggests that there were once buildings here. The pond has some weeds, algae, and noisy blue frogs, but is safe enough to drink.

11 West Entrance

The knotted rope extends down to an ankle-deep puddle of water in the NE corner. The entire dungeon is cool, musty, and completely dark. Surfaces are cut or paved with native volcanic rock.

Perception (Seeing or Tracking) 11 will spot faint muddy footprints leading to the south chute. This slopes down steeply and is damp and slippery. Staying on one’s feet would be extremely difficult but it can be safely descended by sitting and sliding. Ascending without a rope or other climbing gear would be impossible for anyone without climbing skills [OSR thieves or FAGE: Strength (Climbing required 11)].

12 Moldy Face

Damp. The floor covered in muddy debris and small yellow mushrooms. Intelligence (Natural Lore) 18 to identify them. These are poisonous if eaten and if harvested retain their potency for one month.  Western wall is covered in pallid moldy growth that, in flickering torchlight, resembles a large, leering human face.

13 Cages

See 11 for chute leading up. All doors in this dungeon are old, rotting cypress wood with no locks. They open easily unless otherwise noted.

In each corner of the room is a large iron cage that might once have held several prisoners or large animals each. They are empty and open now. Each has a latch with a padlock. As with most rooms in this dungeon, the floors are strewn with debris that might have been furniture, carpet, or tapestries in the distant past.

If debris on the floor is searched, Perception (Searching) 11 discovers a single iron key that fits all four padlocks and a pair of crystal dice (value 50 coins).

14 Two Chairs

Although other furnishings have rotten to debris, two heavy bronze chairs rest side-by-side along the north wall, facing to the south.

Beneath each is a hidden pressure plate. If two people sit more-or-less simultaneously, (1) a small secret door unlocks and swings open on the west wall, and (2) the trap is disabled until the secret door is closed.

If a single person sits in either chair, the trap is triggered causing the ceiling to collapse in the northern half of the room, causing 2d6 damage. Dexterity (Acrobatics) 11 to dodge and take half damage.

The secret door, normally locked, reveals a small compartment containing 200 coins, an iron key that fits the locks in 13, and a gold necklace worth 100 coins. The necklace is magical. It enhances the wearer’s singing voice, allowing even the most tone-deaf to perform with respectable effect.