Fantasy Ireland Adventure: Keeper Hill-Workshop and Crypt

KEEPER HILL

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

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Fantasy Ireland Index

Keeper Hill Index

VAULT LEVEL “MOTHERLODE”

[While the Characters are unlikely to even find this encounter area, much less have any business here, it as it is part of the Keeper Hill complex.  It might be interesting for possible future adventures.]

The silver and various gems taken from the mine were stored here under high security.  Really high security, a Stone Golem.  This creation likely could have turned the tide against the undead invasion.  And indeed, it’s why the Elves didn’t try forcing their way in more than once after they encountered it.

Unfortunately, legendary Dwarvish avarice was their undoing.  One of Thane Braygan’s last orders was to hold the Vault at all costs.  Shortly thereafter, he was dead and individuals more concerned with survival were in charge, but the delay was deadly.  A mob of survivors grabbed whatever they could carry out of the Vault and fled into the escape tunnel.  The Golem was ordered to destroy the passage behind them and to seal itself inside the Vault and to wait for their return.  That day has not come.

The current Formorian residents have no clue that it is there.  Mara had little trouble finding the Vault in her explorations of Keeper Hill.  (I’m pretty sure she must have gotten some inside information somewhere.  Perhaps she found the survivors?  Hmmm.)  It seemed like a good place to set up her magic workshop.  With her Teleportation Amulet, Mara has no trouble getting in and out of the hidden area.  With her Invisibility Cloak and a little caution, she pretty much has free reign over much of the complex.

Entry

1 XP for finding the Secret Door (but uninvited guests are seriously unwelcome).

4) The Secret Door entry to the Vault is actually on the next level, the Work Level.  It is a DC 18 Search to find it there.  (The Dwarves knew where it was.  It was hidden just in case they were ever invaded, which they were.)  After a sharp turn, there is a set of broad steps leading down to a heavy door with a peephole.  It was Arcane Locked, but after Mara took possession of the area, she dispelled it.  As such, it is now only protected with a DC 18 lock (which Mara crafted a replacement key for).   

Caretaker’s Area (Mara’s Workshop)

5) This chamber was used by the Vault guards and by the scribes, who carefully noted everything brought in and out of the Vault.  Their logbook tomes are piled up in a corner.  Currently, the room is filled with various magical paraphernalia where Mara researches spells and enchantments.  (Her magic broomstick is leaning in the corner.)  There is a cot and a small amount of food stores.  The two sets of doors leading out to the Crypt are usually left open.

Mara has some salvaged treasure from the Dwarf Chief Enchanter Storg’s apartment on the Noble Level.  There are a half dozen spell scrolls here stored on a shelf: Two each of Fireball, Lightning, and Daylight.  (FC rules: Scrolls are single use spells.  A Wizard adds +10 to their Spellcheck, but still must roll for it.  By the way, creating a spell scroll requires 5 + spell level XP and a Permanency spell cast on it.  This is why magic scrolls aren’t lying around everywhere.)  

The real treasure here is the Enchanter’s spellbook.  FC Rules: It contains all 0 through 4^th level spells, along with Cloudkill, Permanency, Chain Lightning, Greater Dispel Magic, and Undeath to Death.  Desperate Wizards may attempt to temporarily learn new spells in the following manner, if they are level-qualified to cast them.  They may learn a new spell with an hour of study.  If used and the Spellcheck fails, they must make a DC 12 Will Sv or permanently lose 1 point of Wis.  Whether the spell succeeds or fails, they would have to study it again before attempting further casting.  For 5e, include all 0 to 4^th level basic Wizard spells and Chain Lightning, Globe of Invulnerability, and Disintegrate.     

Crypt

2 XP for defeating the ghost (which will make the group permanent enemies of Mara)

6) This chamber is oppressively humid with a low fog covering the floor.  Dwarvish miners who met their end while working in the depths were interred here.  What could be a more sanctified space for a deceased Dwarf than to be buried next to a vault?  Perhaps the colony thought that the spirits of the departed would provide an extra layer of protection for the valuables.  (Boy, were they wrong.  They became vengeful Wraiths.)    

Often little in the way of remains were recovered after an accident.  The Crypt was functionally an ossuary, a chamber of safe deposit boxes filled with bleached out bones.  Sometimes only the personal mementos of the victim were all that was left of them to bury.  There is a random smattering of valuables scattered among the 100 or so boxes.  The boxes vary greatly in size and all have a solid metal door (DC 18 to pick).  No doubt the Wraiths would not take kindly to such a violation, which is why Mara leaves them alone.   

Mara has made one change to the facility.  There are perpetually burning candles outside one crypt.  It is a large, man-sized slot with a glass door.  Inside is a perfectly preserved handsome young man with an unfortunate-looking gaping hole where his heart should be.  This is Jack Keening, Mara’s husband.  She is often here talking to him, which isn’t as one-sided a conversation as you’d think.  Jack’s spirit (a Ghost) is also here.    

The Ghost is chained to the Vault area, but is capable of appearing elsewhere inside Keeper Hill.  Jack would not be inclined to speak to anyone other than Mara, unless he seriously needed to communicate with them for her sake (as we’ll see later).  Needless to say, he’s very protective of her and her belongings here and would defend them ruthlessly.

Ghost (FC)

HD 10 (d12), Hp 60, AC 13* (Magic to hit)     

Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +10

Melee: Life Draining Touch +10 to hit, DC 18 Will Sv or lose 1d8 Negative Hp

Can become invisible and intangible at will (0 BAB to attack when invisible), but the Ghost cannot attack in those forms.

Possession:  When visible, the Ghost may attempt to move into a person and take them over.  DC 18 Will Sv or controlled for 1d4 rds.  Smite, Divine Light, Consecrate, Exorcism, magic weapons, and magic spell attacks on the host will affect the Ghost instead (use Ghost stats), but any other type of attack damages the host (use host stats).  This attack may be attempted on a person once per encounter.

Fright: On initial visible appearance in Encounter, DC 18 Will Sv or panic 1d4 rds.  (Paladins are immune.)

Moan Scare: When visible, the Ghost can make an audible moan, DC 18 Will Sv or panic 1d4 rds.  (Paladins are immune.)

Ghost (5e)

HD 10d8, Hp 45, AC 11 (Natural)

Str −2, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +3

Damage Resistances: acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,

piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Damage Immunities: cold, necrotic, poison

Darkvision

Ethereal Sight: The ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.

Etherealness: The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.

Incorporeal Movement: The ghost can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Passive Perception 11

Melee: Withering Touch +5 to hit 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic

Horrifying Visage: Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 × 10 years. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to this ghost’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed with a greater restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring.

Possession (Recharge 6): One humanoid that the ghost can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears, and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. The ghost now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The ghost can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics, but doesn’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.

The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this ghost’s Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.