Thursday, February 27, 2014

The House of the Falerii

Here is a sister map to The Tomb of the Falerii.  The adventure is written to be a prequel, but could easily be adopted as a sequel or loosely related adventure locale.  



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.


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