Fantasy Core RPG Adventure--Dump Hunt Part 4

DUMP HUNT
A Fantasy Core RPG Adventure
© Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.


Top Level

About 40’ in radius. There are two rooms on this level. A hallway with a door on either side goes to the rooms. At the end of the hall is a spiral staircase down.

Trophy Hall: Here is a macabre collection of mounted human and humanoid heads and other body parts on the wall or in glass cases. Also there are four complete stuffed human bodies and dramatic poses, who look a lot like typical adventurers. These are berserker zombies, who attack when everyone has entered the room. If this level isn’t entered first, the zombies will come to life to help Vaughn escape.

Library: If the alarm went off above, there are two tiefling thugs in this room, waiting to ambush or to help the zombies. Otherwise, one tiefling will be present to help the zombies if they are attacked first. The tieflings will not fight to the death here, but will teleport out and run downstairs. Otherwise, the room is empty of inhabitants.

There is nothing of real value in the room other than a generous amount of good brandy (flagon of wine rules apply). (If a goatman is with the group, he will attempt to eat the books at the first opportunity.)

Berserker Zombies (4)
HD 2, Hp 8, AC 12
Fort +3 Ref 0 Will 0
Slam +2 to hit 1d8, +2 1d8

Tieflings

Unihorn
HD 1+1, Hp 6, AC 14
Fort 0 Ref +2 Will +2
Short Sword +1 to hit 1d6
Magic Missile 1d6 (To cast +2 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 13)
Teleport once per encounter

Red Eyes
HD 1+1, Hp 4, AC 12
Fort 0 Ref +2 Will +2
Dagger +1 to hit 1d4
Sleep (up to 4 HD) (To cast +2 DC 13, Fort Sv DC 13)
Teleport once per encounter


Bottom Level

About 40’ in radius. There is only one room on this level. There is a set of spiral stairs going up at the other side of the room.

Lab: This open chamber is a mixture of Frankenstein’s lab and an evil temple. Four human bodies are strapped down to slabs around the room. These are berserker zombies. They will start squirming as soon as the room is entered and break free a round later. If this level isn’t entered first. The zombies will break free to help Vaughn escape.

Vaughn’s spellbook is here on a table and easily found with a search. (If a goatman is with the group, he will find it first and start eating it. Then will spit it out, because it tastes “funny.”)

Berserker Zombies (4)
HD 2, Hp 8, AC 12
Fort +3 Ref 0 Will 0
Slam +2 1d8, +2 1d8


Middle Level

About 40’ in radius. There are three rooms on this level (two doors on one side, 1 on the other) with a hallway between them and spiral stairs at either end.

Kitchen: Typical cooking and food storage area. (If the dogmen or goatmen are with the group, they will attack the food at first opportunity.)

Dorm: Two sets of bunk beds and four footlockers (10 + 1d6 gp inside each).

Vaughn’s Chambers: Here is the wizard in his opulently upholstered apartment. There is a canopied bed, overstuffed chair (which he is sitting in), dresser, desk, painting on the wall of Vaughn in a heroic, magic-wielding pose (worth 10 gp), and a bearskin rug (worth 20 gp). There is a trapped chest at the foot of the bed. (DC 12 to detect, DC 12 to disarm, poison DC 12 Con save or paralyzed 1 turn) It contains 115 gp, 2 50 gp gems, and a map of an underground area somewhere in the dump.

Tactics: All 4 tieflings will be on this level (if they’re alive) and will try to ambush the party, either in the kitchen/dorm or hidden in Vaughn’s chamber. They all fight to the death here.

Vaughn himself will relaxing in a chair and welcome the party as they enter his room, “Ah, more volunteers for my exhibit.” In spite of his power and bravado (he will taunt the characters every round), Vaughn will let others fight for him mostly, flinging magic missiles to help out. He will reluctantly fire a lightning bolt and then loudly regret it, as his bed will be ruined from the blast.

If he takes 10 hp in damage, Vaughn goes invisible and runs for it. He will go either up or down depending on which level the characters did not enter through. From the top, he will try to fly away. From the bottom, he collapses the escape tunnel behind him and then flies away when he gets outside. He will surrender at 5 hp.

Tieflings

Unihorn
HD 1+1, Hp 6, AC 14
Fort 0 Ref +2 Will +2
Short sword +1 to hit 1d6
Magic Missile 1d6 (To cast +2 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 13)
Teleport once per encounter

Red Eyes
HD 1+1, Hp 4, AC 12
Fort 0 Ref +2 Will +2
Dagger +1 to hit 1d4
Sleep (up to 4 HD) (To cast +2 DC 13, Fort Sv DC 13)
Teleport once per encounter

Long Tail
HD 1+1, Hp 9, AC 15
Fort +1 Ref +2 Will +2
Longsword +2 to hit 1d8
No spells
Teleport once per encounter

Big Pointy Ears
HD 1+1, Hp 4, AC 12
Fort 0 Ref +2 Will +2
Dagger +1 to hit 1d4
Burning Hands 1d6 (to cast +4 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 13)
Teleport once per encounter

Vaughn (5th level wizard)
HD 5, Hp 25, AC 13
Fort +1 Ref +1 Will +4
Has no weapons
Usual attack spells
   Magic Missile 3d6 (To cast +7 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 15)
   Lightening Bolt 3d8 (To cast +7 DC 15, Ref Sv DC 15 ½ dam)
   Fireball 1d6 +3 20’ radius (To cast +7 DC 15, Ref Sv DC 15½ dam)
Other usual spells
   Fly (To cast +7 DC 15) for escape
   Invisibility 5 rds or until attack (To cast +7 DC 14)


Conclusion

There are no further encounters for the group getting out of the dump if they leave before midday (1 XP each character just for getting in and out of the dump). Otherwise, they’ll have to stay the night, and probably have an adventure they won’t want.

Getting the wizard is going to be tough, dead or alive. Sheriff Newel will gladly pay the bounty (1 XP each character). Just bringing back his spellbook will be seen as pretty impressive (1 XP each character). There are 8 spells within, including 2 forbidden ones. When delivering the book to the Wizard Council member in Cross, Gren (aka Wiz), he will demand to see any wizard’s spellbook to see if the forbidden spells have been copied into it. If they are, Gren will tear out the pages and burn them as a warning.

Gren remarks after looking at Vaughn’s spellbook, that he couldn’t have been the one casting those undead spells. He wasn’t advanced enough in his studies or experience. The actual necromancer may still be on the loose.

Spells in Spellbook
Animate Dead (Forbidden), Create Berserker Zombies (Unique and Forbidden), Invisibility, Fly, Magic Missile, Arcane Eye, Fireball, Identify, Burning Hands

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3