Dragonhall

I'll be editing these posts as I add to them, I think. I don't think I want stuff scattered all over this blog...but maybe...

Dragonhall
Dragonhall is one of the Temples of the Elements in Daen-Ral (the Fire Temple). It's several levels deep. The Wraithlord of Dragonhall is a Firewraith (which will be a new creature - more info to come).

Upper Caverns
The Upper Caverns of Dragonhall have become the home to a tribe of goblins who are terrified of SOMETHING that leads to the deeps.

This huge natural cavern slopes gently down from right to left (from the perspective of the entrance). The ceiling, lost in darkness, is at least 100' above the floor. To the left is a sizable pool of water and ahead the cavern floor rises in terraced steps high into the darkness with a stone staircase at the center.

Air moves gently through the cavern and all sounds seem to be amplified (the cavern echoes terribly).

a. In an alcove 10' above the floor on either side of the entrance hide 8 goblin guards (hp 2,3,3,3,4,4,5,5) armed with swords, bows, and oil pots (there are 20 oil pots in each alcove). Each alcove has a small covered brazier that the guards will use to ignite their oiled arrow tips and piles of rotting foodstuffs. These guards have been put on high alert in recent weeks and will sound an alarm (each alcove has a rope that leads up to a chamber with a huge bell in it) if the party begins climbing the staircase (or if the party discovers the guards) and then will attack the party with oil and flaming arrows if at all possible. Because of the ogres, below, the goblin guards have been at this post for a week and are expecting to spend another two days before the “shift change.” The goblin guards will fight to the death.

Generally, their tactics are to throw the oil pots (clay pots filled with very flammable oil) and then shoot flaming arrows at the PCs. The pots only do 1 hp damage if they hit a PC, but if hit, the PC is covered with oil. Any pot that misses by 3 or less (that is, if the goblin needs a 20 to hit but rolls an 18), the oil splashes on the PC (and any nearby PCs – DM discretion). Any flaming arrow that hits or misses an oil covered PC by 3 or less, the PC is ignited and burns for 1-4 rounds (per pot of oil that hit the PC) or 1-2 rounds (per pot of oil that splashed the PC) for 1d6 hp damage per round unless doused. NOTE that hits and splashes are cumulative, so if a PC is hit by two pots and splashed by two pots, he or she will burn for 4-12 rounds at 1d6 hp damage per round.

Melee here will attract the attention of the Goblins in the Palisaide Tower (area i1).

b. This area of the cavern is littered with crumbling bits of stone. Some of the stone has shape (if the party looks carefully, they will find some shaped like fingers and a foot). This is where the goblins honor their dead by heaping their remains in piles. There is some kind of organization to the piles, but only to a goblin mind.

c. Diseased Pool
This pool of water has been fouled by the goblins' offal. It looks muddy, smells slightly sulphuric. Any PC who drinks the water (it tastes very salty) must make a Constitution check at -4 (CON-4 or less on d20). Any PC who enters the water (if, say he or she is on fire), make a normal Constitution check. If the Constitution check fails, the PC contracts a parasitic disease which will begin draining one hp per day until the PC dies, is cured, or until 2 weeks pass. Note that complete 24 hr rest will slow the hp loss to one hp every 3 days, but the lost hp will not regenerate, even with complete rest, until 2 weeks have passed. Anyone who drinks the water, whether infected or not, will spend 1-7 rounds (2d4-1) retching and unable to do anything else. The goblin guards, if still alive, will likely use this opportunity to attack.

d. The Stairs
Natural stone ledges climb from the tilting floor of the cavern here up to the first “landing,” rising a total of 12 feet in 8 uneven ledges. The stones are so slippery that if a PC cannot concentrate fully on climbing the steps, he or she must make a DEX check (DEX or lower on d20 for success) or slip and fall. A second failed DEX check means the PC falls to the main floor (1d6 hp damage).

e. First Ladder
If the complex is under alert, the ladder at point “d” is pulled up onto the upper ledge (10' above). Otherwise, a 24' long wooden ladder (lashed with ropes) leans here against the cliff wall. The ladder is strong enough for an ogre to climb (about 400 lbs). It is obviously well used, but also well maintained.

f. Ogre Cave
Goron, Agor and Firian the ogres (hp 15, 18, 22) live in this cave. The ogres hate the goblins, but they have been put here by the Wraithlord to both keep intruders out and to keep the goblins in check. The ogres will gladly eat any creature (goblin, elf, human, goat, whatever) that comes near them. The guards frequently have to fight the ogres when they change shifts and often lose one of their number so the others can escape up the Second Ladder, below. The ogres have sacks containing 200 gp, 300 sp, 6 goblin swords, 3 goblin bows and hundreds of goblin and animal bones.

g. Second Ladder
This ladder is far less sturdy than the lower ladder. It has obviously been repaired and looks unsteady. Goblins can easily climb the 10' up this rickety ladder to the upper cave, but any creature over 150 lbs will have a cumulative 5% chance per foot climbed to have the ladder collapse in an unusable pile of sticks and rope, with the PC falling for 1d6 hp damage per 10' climbed (round up – so if a character makes it to the 15' mark, he she takes 2d6 hp damage if a fall occurs there or above). The ogres have tried unsuccessfully to climb the ladder a number of times and each time it has collapsed on them. Occasionally, when the goblins have to make forays out of the caverns without the ogres, they throw a cask of brandy or a barrel of beer down to the ogres.

h. Upper Goblin Lair
The Goblin Chief (actually, a huge Hobgoblin) and his warriors live here.
h1. 4 Goblins
h2. Common Room
12 Goblin warriors, 5 Hobgoblins, Goblin subchief
h3. Room of Vision
There are always 2 Hobgoblins on guard in this room.
A crystal ball sits in the center of a small stone table. The ball is attuned to the crystal ball in the Wight's lair (area 2). The Wight communicates to the subchief through the crystal ball. This room also functions as the treasury. The goblins have made numerous raids so the room is stacked with many mundane items (carpets, clothing, etc). In addition there is a chest with 3,000 sp, 10, 000 cp and a sword +1 (Lawmaker - a Lawful Good sword +1 with the ability to detect lie 2x per day - non-lawful good beings take damage holding Lawbringer - other good, 1 hp damage - any evil 1-4 hp damage). The Goblin subchief has tried numerous ways to wield Lawmaker, but has been unsuccessful. He knows it is powerful and has kept it in his treasury.

h4. Goblins
6 Goblins and 6 Hobgoblins

h5. Goblins
5 Goblins and 3 Hobgoblins

i. The Palisaide
Some time ago the Wight directed the Goblins to begin to cut down trees and drag them into the cavern. The Ogres were likewise pressed into service to get the logs up to the landing. The logs were lashed together and a 12' tall strong palisaide was built.

i1. The Tower
On the southwestern corner of the palisaide is a watchtower. 4 goblins and a Hobgoblin are generally posted here.

2. Small Cavern
The roof is about 35' above the floor here. A stream crosses this cavern, dividing it almost in half, running from a waterfall on the East Side to a crevice in the cavern wall on the West side. A mostly natural series of stone steps runs West to East on the North wall to a landing. A cave opens in the Northwest cave wall. There is a 50% chance that the Wight is prowling in the cavern when the party enters. If there has been melee with the goblins, unless the PCs were very stealthy and prevented them from using the crystal ball, the Wight will be laying in wait to ambush the party.

2j. Pool of Pure Water
The water in this pool has just a slightly metallic taste, but it is pure and clear water. The pool is 17' deep near the center. At the bottom of the pool is a skeleton with a dagger (rusting) and 32 gp are scattered about near it.

2k. Lair of the Wight
1. Porcullis - these steel bars are nearly undetectable (treat as secret door). Once any of the traps in the maze are tripped (marked with an x, see below) the portcullis will slam down and the Wight will begin hunting the PCs in the maze.
2. Maze of the Wight - these twisting tunnels contain many pit traps, each is marked with an x on the map. Note that there is one safe route through the maze and the wight usually uses it so very perceptive characters may notice that there is a bit of a "path" noticable on this route. The pit traps are well camoflagued, the first encountered is detectable as a secret door (or with a thief's abilities - though at -20%). After the first, each is detectable normally by a thief, and as secret door with +2 for success for others. Each pit is as wide as the corridor, 8' long and lined with rusty spikes. Falling in a pit means 2-12 damage and a 10% chance of contracting a disease.
3. The Lair of the Wight - the Wight spends about half of its time here, when it's not threatening the goblins or on some task for the Wraithlord. On a small stone bench sits a crystal ball. The crystal ball is attuned to both the Goblins' crystal ball and the Wraithlord's crystal ball. In addition, the Wight has 500 gp, a dagger +1 and a ruby (worth 200 gp) scattered among the filth and debris of the room - bones and bits of leather, metal and cloth. The Wight knows the secret command word that stops the fire breathing dragon heads in the Upper Temple (Ashatal).

2l. Waterfall
Behind the waterfall is a secret tunnel leading to Room 3 - the Entrance to the Deeps of Dragonhall. A stone secret door covers the tunnel, so it is difficult to detect.

2m. Ledge
This ledge contains four candle stubs, two bent silver pieces and a piece of sulfur.

3. Entrance to the Deeps of Dragonhall
The roof is about 35'-40' above the floor of this cavern. To the left, steps rise to a collumned platform. Near the center of the room, a huge circular hole is cut in the floor, and the roof disappears above in the darkness.

3n. Draft
This huge hole in the roof of the cavern allows air to enter the Deeps. It goes up for about 500' where it meets another cavern which branches to the surface on the slopes of the mountain above. Below it drops down to the deepest depths.

3o. Giant Spiders' Lair
Near the roof, a small cave (hard to notice) breaks into the wall. I nthis cave live 6 giant spiders.

3p. The Portico
This collumned platform is 200' wide. Carved into the floor here, in ancient Elven (Exile) are the words: "Sleep and dreams and darkness lie, fire and blood and hopelessness, but to the dragonforged, the fools and the valiant, the end is not as it was." Who knows what it means... In the western wall is a secret door leading to the first temple.

3q. The First Temple
Near the center of this large room are stairs descending into the darkness. The floor and the top of the stairs are blackened with soot (see Deadly Stair below).

Jutting out of the Southern Wall are two stone red dragons. These are statues. More accurately, they are real red dragons that were turned to stone by powerful magic and were fused with the stone of the room. anyone who comes within 10' of the Deadly Stair without saying the word Ashatal is in for a surprise. The dragons' heads animate and they breathe fire (16d6 hp damage each, save vs. magic for half). The dragons can breathe fire three times a day each.

The northern wall is decorated in tile mosaics depicting a god of fire surrounded by fire creatures - red dragons, fire demons, etc. above the altar (described 3s below)

3r. The Deadly Stair
Descending steeply into the blackness, this straight staircase is 200 steps from top to bottom. The entry to the stairs is a stylized demonic face wreathed in flame. When a character steps on the first descending step, the flames become "real" and begin to dance around the face. The flames are illusion, however, and do no damage nor give off any heat.

Weight on the 20th step, 30th step and 39th step turn this whole staircase into a slide. Very observant characters might notice that these steps are not worn as the others are (there's just a hint of a path wearing in the center of the steps. If the slide trap is triggered, the PCs will slide completely to the bottom of the stairs (Deep Level 1 room 1 Stairs End) for some pretty significant damage unless they can determine some method of preventing the slide (levitation, for example, or somehow anchoring themselves).

3s. Altar to the Fire God
This dais is raised up 6 ' above the floor below. Worshippers of the elemental god of fire would crowd the floor around the dais as the high priest offered sacrifices on the altar and fires consumed the sacrifices. Now only the altar remains. It is redstone, carved to depict writhing flames.

Deeps Level 1

1. Stairs End
If the staircase has turned into a slide, the bottom of the stairs is a pit lined with spikes which will cause 4-24 points of damage for anyone falling into the pit. If the slide has not been triggered, there will be an obvious plate on the floor here, but the pit will remain covered.