The House of the Falerii
Jackal
Monkeys (23 total) live in areas 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10. They will harass anyone who intrudes on their
territory. Typically they will throw
their feces from a distance, only attacking physically if one or two party
members get separated from the group.
They can go in and out of the arrow slits at will. The Jackal Monkeys are fond of shiny objects
and some treasure is scattered about their lair areas. Typically this requires a search through dung
piles which have a 20% chance to contain rot grubs (burrow to heart in 2d5
rounds. Fort Save DC 20 or die. Can be burned in first 2 rounds causing 1d6
or cut out in first 5 rounds causing 2d6 damage).
Jackal
Monkeys:
Init +2, Atk bite +2 melee (1d4+1), or thrown excrement +3 missile fire (dmg
special); AC 14; HD 1d8; MV 30' or climb 30'; Act 1d20; SP Leap up to full
movement; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will -1; AL N.
Throw Poo: Jackal Monkeys can (and
often do) throw their own feces up to 40' at intruders into their territory. The ordure does not cause physical damage but
anyone hit must make a Fortitude save DC 12 or become nauseous (-1d on all
attacks, ability, skill or spell checks) until the offending stool is washed
off. Subsequent poo-missiles have no
further effect.
Leap: The Jackal Monkey can leap using its powerful
hind legs up to 30', consuming its entire movement for the round.
Jackal Monkeys are the result of
bizarre experimentations by wizards in ages past. Why any magic user powerful enough to conduct
such experiments would choose two of the most annoying animals in the history
of mammal-dom to combine is a mystery.
Perhaps the plan was to unleash them as a plague upon a rival nation or
they are simply an attempt at a practical joke by a half-mad archmage with too
much time on his hands. Either way, they
present a definite annoyance, and potential danger to unprepared adventurers.
1. Entry.
The powerful bronze doors are still intact, requiring tools or a key to
open. Any creature spending more than a
few rounds in this area will draw the attention, and subsequent thrown manure
of the Jackal Monkeys.
2. Tower. Dung Pile: Silver Ring (15 GP), 40
GP in assorted coins.
3. Fortified Hallway. There is a hidden 20' pit trap (2d6 damage). Reflex DC 14 to avoid. The lid is hinged and on a surprisingly still
working spring. Several Jackal Monkey
corpses are in the pit.
4. Tower.
The door to 5 has fallen off the hinges due to exposure. Dung Pile: Gold Necklace (45 GP), Platinum
cloak pin with inset ruby (60 GP).
5. Stable Yard. The large gate is warped and open. It could be jury rigged to close again with a
little effort. In addition to the Jackal
Monkeys that inhabit the yard, 5 Giant Rats: (Init +4; Atk bite +2
melee (1d4+1 plus disease); AC 13; HD 1d6+2; MV 30’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP
disease (DC 7 Fort save or additional 1d6 damage); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will -1;
AL N.) live in the dark corners of filthy enclosure. The stairs on the southern wall lead up to the battlements.
6. Entry Hall. The pool is dark, stagnant and 2' deep. Anyone feeling around the bottom with their
bare hand has a chance (Luck check) to pull up a random coin.
7. Secret Stairs. To anywhere you like!
8. Child's Play. A little girl sits alone in this room playing
with her dolly. She is a ghost but seems
real. An observant character may notice
that a scarf the child wears conceals a ghastly and fatally deep gash across
the throat. The child will readily talk
to adventurers claiming that "Mommy said if I was a good girl and stay
weally, weally quiet I could have a sweet.
Did you bring me a sweet? I tried
to be quiet Mommy...I tried to be quiet..." Anyone giving the child a 'sweet' gets a +2
to any save for 3 days, afterward the child will disappear. Anyone being a 'meanie' will cause the child
to wail a baleful curse causing 1d3 Personality loss. Willpower DC 14 to resist.
9. Empty Room.
...
10. Observation Room. Dung Pile: 100 GP in assorted coins.
11. Chamber. 3 Ghouls (Init +1; Atk bite +3 melee
(1d4 plus paralyzation) or claw +1 melee (1d3); AC 12; HD 2d6; MV 30’; Act
1d20; SP un-dead traits, paralyzation, infravision 100’; SV Fort +1, Ref +0,
Will +0; AL C.) have gained access to this room via the secret door and made it
their lair. A pile of bones in the
western nook contains 80 GP in assorted coins and a fine dagger (+1 to hit and 1d5 damage).
12. The Baths. These rooms were once opulent, marble baths. Water randomly, but steadily, drips from the
ceiling throughout the chamber. The dark
pool is now home to a giant water moccasin (Viper, giant: Init
+6; Atk bite +8 melee (3d6 + poison DC 12 Fort or 1d4 Stamina); AC 16; HD 4d8;
MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; AL N.). The northwest corner was once the privy and
there is a concealed hole that the snake will use to retreat to the tunnel at
17 if the situation turns dire.
13. Steam Room. The natural fissure in the floor here permits
a pleasant steam to periodically vent into the room. Less pleasant are the two Steam Devils (Init
+2; Atk bite +4 melee (1d6+2) or breath weapon - 20' cone of steam, Ref DC 12
or 2d6 damage; AC 12; HD 2d6; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP immune to damage from fire
or heat; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1; AL L.) that now make this room their
home. If slain they will explode in a
burst of steam causing 1d8 damage to all within 5'.
14. Dining Room. The statue at end of hall is of toga-clad
woman holding an amphora pouring into a basin.
It is dry. 5 command words in
ancient common (Intelligence DC 15 or related to decipher) are chiseled into
the base. When spoken a liquid magically
pours from the amphora into the basin.
It is enough to fill 1 Waterskin.
The liquid will drain away in 1d3 rounds unless captured in a vessel. The statue can produce 10 times per day,
regardless of the combination of the following:
1. Water (potable)
2. Wine (Excellent quality. Made from grape that is extinct. 15 GP per wineskin)
3. Vinegar (1 skin of vinegar will dissolve 10'
cube of spider webs in 16 if splashed on them)
4. Honey Milk (counts as a 'Sweet' for encounter
in room 8)
5. Garum (a foul smelling fish sauce - tastes
delicious though!)
15. Servants
Corridor. This area would
provide a safe and quiet place to rest.
There is even a fully stocked kitchen, although all of the foodstuffs
have been eaten by vermin long ago.
16. Temple of the
Falerii. The columns and
vaulted ceiling have been inhabited by several generations of Giant Spiders (Init +1; Atk bite +3
melee (1d4 + poison); AC 12; HD 2d8; MV fly 30’; Act 1d20; SP poison (DC 8 Fort
save or death); SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1; AL L.). 4 such live here now. Hidden completely by the vast amount of webs
are the many corpses of their past victims.
Two are, or were, humanoid and some of their treasure is still cocooned
with them. One has a scroll of Haste and
a Magic Cloak (+2 to all Saves)made
of human skin (-2 to all Reaction rolls with Humans). The other has a golden statue worth 100 GP
with glowing green jewels for eyes. The
'eyes' can be removed and permanently shed an eerie green light in a 20' radius
unless covered. If the webs are burned,
only the statue will survive the flames.
The altar contains a
platinum service worth 250 GP for the metal alone but upwards of 1,000 GP if
the right collector can be found. There
is also a secret compartment in the right side (isn't there always) that
contains a Magic Ring which will
grant the wearer the ability to cast Word of Command as per the Cleric spell
with a Spell Check of +5, twice per day.
There is no penalty for failure.
The ring also functions as a Ring
of the Falerii for the related adventure, The Tomb of the Falerii (http://thecastellanscorner.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-tomb-of-falerii.html).
17. Sewer. A fine trickle of water runs from the baths
in 12 down the center of this sloping tunnel.
It empties into a river about a half mile to the west.
