π Dungeon23 - The Fallen Star Chamber
Level 3 - The Fallen Star Chamber
Map created using Watabou's Cave/Glade generator
Deep in the sunken caverns below Mistreach village is where Stilwell Carls (distraught after losing his family during a famine and having found what he believed to be the answer) fled when the strange fungal affliction began to affect his mind, he has built a shrine of sorts to his family down here and dwells here, a crazed phantom reliving better days and haunted by the memory of his loss.
The exits from areas 7 and 8 of the Mushroom Grotto eventually merge and lead into area 1 on this map.
Wandering Monsters
Roll 1D6 every other turn, there is a 1-in-6 chance of an encounter. Encounter distance, etc should be determine as normal using your system of preference.
| 1D6 roll | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1D3 Fungus creatures (see notes below for stats). |
| 2 | 1 Fungus Phantom (see below for stats). |
| 3 | Stilwell Carls (see area 5 for stats, if Carls has been dealt with then the encounter is with an appropriate animals) |
| 4 | Carcass crawler (see area 6 for stats, if it has already been slain choose an appropriate animal) |
| 5 | 1 Fungus Phantom (see below for stats). |
| 6 | 1D3 Fungus creatures (see notes below for stats). |
Fungus Creature AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 hp), Att 1d6, THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60' (20'), SV D12 W13 P14 15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL C, XP 35
- Guardians: Always attack on sight.
- Initiative: Always lose (no roll).
- Immunity: Unharmed by all attacks but fire (a burning torch does 1d4 damage).
- Repelled by alcohol: Although not harmed by it, the creatures can be warded off by the smell or touch of strong spirits.
- Spore cloud: 50% chance of releasing spores if touched (or damaged): releases a cloud of spores affecting all within a 10β cube area.
- Choking: Save versus death or die within 6 rounds.
- Erosion: Wood or leather in contact with the mould will be eaten away.
Fungus Phantom These creatures are created from the memories of those infected by the star fragment and the spores of the mutated fungus, they are barely-sentient clouds of spores in the rough shape of a humanoid that are drawn to the heat of living creatures and sound.
Fungus phantoms are 10 x 10 ft clouds of spores, they do not have stats as such but anyone enveloped by the spore cloud must make a Save vs Death of die within 6 rounds.
Fungus phantoms can be warded off by fire, anyone covering their nose and mouth with alcohol-soaked cloth is immune to their effects.
Twisted and Mutated Rockforms
In the central chamber of this cavern system lies a substantial fragment of a fallen star which gives off strange and eldritch emanations, over a long period of time these emanations warped the natural surroundings of Mistreach leading to the fungal menace that now plagues it, the fragment has had a strange effort on the rocks here, seemingly guided by the memories of Stilwell and others who have ventured down here. The rocks slowly change to reflect fragments of memory. Each time the heroes enter a new chamber or examine rockfaces roll on the chart below.
| 1d6 Roll | Eldritch Rockforms |
|---|---|
| 1 | A stalagmite vaguely resembles the face of someone the PCs have lost. |
| 2 | A jumble of rocks forms a vaguely humanoid form. |
| 3 | Seemingly carved into the rockface is a likeness of one of the PCs. |
| 4 | Multiple hands made of stone seem to be emerging from a nearby rockface. |
| 5 | A rockface contains a likeness of Stilwell Carl's wife Martha. |
| 6 | A rockface contains a likeness of Stilwell Carl's son Jonathan. |
These rock phenomenon are harmless but change, each time the heroes leave a chamber describe the sound of grinding rocks and stones behind them, should they re-enter the chamber roll on the chart above again to see what configuration the rocks now take.
Location 1 - A Cry of Pain
Graffiti (as Stilwell Carls move through here carrying the fragment of the fallen star his mind snapped, the name of his wife Martha is daubed in a mixture of blood and viscous slim on one of the cavern walls). Screaming stones (when the PCs move through this cavern, stone faces in the likeness of Stilwell Carls emerge from the walls and begin screaming (this is in addition to any randomly determined rock formations)).
- Southwest: Rubble strewn passageway to location 2, the sound of rocks falling can be heard.
- Southeast: Clear natural tunnel to location 3.
Location 2 - Falling Stones
Unstable cavern (small rocks and pebbles constantly fall from the ceiling). Rain of dust (trickles down from above making people cough and reducing visibility).
- North: Pebble filled passageway back to location 1, listening occasional, strange whispered voices can be heard down the passageway.
- South: Natural passageway leading to location 4, if any heroes speak near the entrance of this passageway then their voices echo back to them with odd words changed.
Falling Rocks
For each turn that PCs spend in here there is a 1-in-6 chance that a larger rock will fall from the ceiling, the unlucky PC must make aΒ _save vs petrification_Β or take 1d10 damage from the falling rock.
Location 3 - A Shrine to Loss
Shrine (this cavern is decorated with the remnants of a home and is a monument of sorts to Stilwell Carls memories of his family). Stained cloth (covers the walls in a rough approximation of a home). Rotten food (infested with maggotts).
Since becoming infected by the star fragment Stilwell Carls has been fruitlessly attempting to gather supplies and wealth from the village above to help a family that is already lost to him, amongst the filth and debris is a small, rotten, wooden chest containing 300SP and 600GP.
- North: Clear, natural passageway leading back to location 1, occasionally strange whispers seem to echo down the passage.
- South: A rubble strewn passageway leading to location 4, if PCs speak near the entrance of this passageway then their voices echo back to them with odd words changed.
Stone Remembrance
In the centre of the chamber is what seems to be a roughly carved stone statue depicted a young woman cradling a small child (Stilwell's wife and son); this statue was created from the emanations of the star fragment and Stilwell's pain/memories, if the PCs attempt to interfere with anything in the chamber then the statue animates and attacks, screeching "Why won't you leave our family alone!?" in a distorted female voice.
Monument to Pain AC 2 [17], HD 8x (36 hp), Att 1 x blow (1d8), THAC0 12 [+7], MV 60' (20'), SV D8 W9 P10 10 S12 (8), ML 10, AL N, XP 1200
- Mundane damage immunity: Can only be harmed by magical attacks.
- Size: 8β tall.
- Blocked by water: Cannot cross a channel wider than own height.
- Harm creatures on the ground: Inflict extra 1d8 damage.
The creature has only an echo of the remembered intellect of Stilwell's wife and child, but if a charismatic PC can confirm the stone creature that they are here to help Stilwell Carls then it will cease attacking and will allow them to leave.
Location 4 - Echo Chamber
Strange mutterings (as the PCs approach this chamber it seems to be filled with a hubbub of barely audibly voices, this voices stop immediately as the PCs enter the empty chamber).
- Northwest: A dusty passageway leading to area 2, occasional sounds of falling pebbles can be heard.
- Northeast: A short, rubble strewn passageway leading to area 3, occasionally the sounds of stone grinding against stone can be heard.
- Southwest: A narrowing, natural passageway that leads to area 5, the sounds of groaning can be heard and a strange green-ish light filters out of the passageway.
- Southeast: A short tunnel leading to area 6.
Eldritch Echoes
This large, naturally echoey cha,ber lies close to where the star fragment rests (in area 5) and has been exposed to the emanations for a lot longer that some of the other caverns; when anyone speaks in this chamber their voice, distorted and changed echoes back to them.
GMs should feel to play this how they see fit, parrotting the PCs words back to them, but with the odd word or two changed. If you need a random system, each time a PC speaks roll 1d4 and that is how many times their voice echoes back, each time a word will be changed, added or removed.
For example: A warrior, upon entering the chamber says "I don't like the look of this place"
The GM rolls a 2 and then the echoes come back as "I don't like the look of your place" "I don't like the look of your face"
Location 5 - The Star Fragment
Odd lighting (an unhealthy green glow from the star fragment fills the chamber). Distorted rock (exposed to the emanations the rock in here has an odd look as though it were wax that has been melted and reset). Living chamber (the rock occasionally seems to move as though the chamber is breathing).
- Northeast: A widening passageway to area 4, sounds echo strangely in this passage.
- South: A twisting, rubble strewen passageway to area 7.
Stilwell Carls, Maddened by Pain and Loss
Unless encountered as part of a wandering monster roll and already dealt with, Stilwell Carl dwells here. His mind almost gone Stilwell clings to the single memory that the star fragment can save the village and his (already lost) family. Constant exposure to the emanations of the fragment has caused Stilwell to swell to monstrous size, his body covered in tumours and weeping sores. There is only a 1-in-12 change that a PC will be able to get through to what little remains of the man inside the monster, otherwise he will attack.
Giant-mutated villager AC 5 [14], HD 4+1 (19 hp), Att 1 x club (1d10), THAC0 15 [+4], MV 90' (30'), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4), ML 10, AL C, XP 125
- Sack: Carries a sack containing 200GP and 600SP that he uses as a club.
- Size: 8β tall.
Fragment of a Dark Star
Crystalline fragment (fist-sized, with a dark green hue). Lit by an inner light (of an unhealthy leprous green, can function as a torch).
- Value: The star fragment is worth 500GP to a scholar, wizard or academic.
- Effects of carrying the fragment: There are a few effects of carrying the fragment
- Non-spellcasters: Will receive a +2 bonus to their strength attribute whilst carrying the fragment.
- Spell-casters: Each time the magic-user casts a spell there is a 1-in-6 chance that the slot will not be expended and can be used again.
- Mind-rot: Each day that a PC carries the stone they must make a Save vs Poison or lose 1 point from their intelligence score, if they reach zero then they become a maddened fungus creature with none of their previous memories intact.
- Carrying safely: If the fragment is carried in a lead-lined box then it may be carried safely but bestows none of it's benefits.
Location 6 - Lurking Danger
Rubble strewn chamber (full of filth and rotting bodies of villagers).
A carcass crawler has made this chamber it's home, assuming that it has not already been encountered as a result of a random roll it will be here clinging to the ceiling.
Carcass Crawler AC 7 [12], HD 3+1 (14 hp), Att 8 x tentacle (paralysis), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9, AL N, XP 75
- Paralysis: A hit by a tentacle causes paralysis for 2d4 turns (save versus paralysis). Paralysed victims will be devoured, if the crawler is left in peace.
- Cling: Can walk on walls and ceilings.
In the chamber lies the remnants of the wealth of previous villagers and elven scouts that have been slain by the creature:
- 4000CP
- 3 small, verdant green gems (each worth 10GP)
- A +1 shield made of silver fashioned to look like overlapping leaves, it glows faintly in moonlight.
Location 7 - Empty Chamber
This chamber is empty and contains nothing of interest beyond strange rock formations.
- North: A winding passageway to area 5, a strange green glow seems to filter from the end of the passage and the rocks seem to sigh as though breathing.