Southland Adventure: Stone Grave-Noble Level

STONE GRAVE

A Fantasy Core and D&D 5^th Edition Southland Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2015

Published here as Open Game Content. 

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Southland Index

Stone Grave Index

Entry

Temple/Throne Room

Library

Opera House

Saloon/Kitchen/Dining

Apartments/Enchanter’s Apartment

King’s Quarters

Crypt

NOBLE LEVEL

This level was built when Stone Grave was turned into a survival bunker.  It was originally a small system of unused caves.  The sometimes awkward architecture of this level reflects the integration of the natural terrain.  The level is generally richly upholstered (rugs, curtains [even though there weren’t any windows], bedding) and features ornate furniture.  All of this would probably be worth quite a bit of money (25-75 gp apiece at an antique dealer), though the trouble of getting it out might not make it worth it.  Frescos of the Wizard-King’s achievements fill the corridors and rooms. 

The level is shockingly intact for the most part given what happened.  The paint on the walls is flaking with age and a layer of thick dust has settled over everything.  (Save vs sneezing?  Up to you.)  There should be a good deal of dried blood about the place, but the current inhabitants have licked it all up.  This level is near the top of Mount Connor.  There were water tanks above this level.  Now the tanks are empty, except when filled by occasional downpours.  There is evidence of some minor flooding from leakage in certain areas.

The whole complex was theoretically warded against the Catastrophe.  In reality, only the Noble Level was heavily shielded.  Their scheme almost worked.  Almost.  The nobles survived, but were immediately screwed.  Unfortunately, nearly all of the food stores were on the lower levels.  No one anticipated those levels being filled with undead.  The security station on the residential level was overrun quickly when the small numbers of warriors and wizards who survived in the noble level tried to re-enter the Residence Level.  The last defense of the level held back the undead long enough for a wall to be magically created to keep them out.

The inhabitants ran out of food supplies immediately, at which point many resorted to cannibalism.  Everyone who ate human flesh and later died, became Ghouls thanks to the weird effects of the magic shield and Catastrophe.  These creatures are now in a state of torpor, because of the lack of human flesh and since they’re shut in.  That situation is now about to change.

Encounters on this level can be somewhat fluid, or they can be played statically.  You have the option of doing either.