Fantasy Core RPG Adventure: Goth Hallow-Burial Chamber 1

Goth Hallow

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Index

Burial Chamber of the Skeleton King

1. The Cave-In (1 XP)

This area was an unfinished crypt for the burial mound.  It’s 20’ down from the cave-in and ends in a 2’ standing pool of stagnant water along with debris from above.

Immediately after someone has hit the water, an Armored Ghoul rises up and attacks from surprise (DC 18 to detect).  Another one will rise up when the next person drops in (DC 12 to detect).  As soon as everyone is at the bottom, Zombies from above will start dropping in, one at a time.  It’s a DC 18 Ref Sv to avoid them (DC 12 after the first one) or take 1d10 damage and will be pinned underwater (next rd, DC 12 Str Check to get loose and DC 12 Fort Sv each rd or drowned).  Zombies that hit bottom will be stunned for 1 rd and will also be reduced to 1 Hp.  A total of six will be coming down this way, so it’s imperative for the characters to make it out of this chamber quickly. 

As soon as the group vacates, Ghouls from above (slightly smarter) will start clamoring down the rope, one at a time.  The characters may wish to cut that rope, as a Ghoul will be coming down every 2 rds, for a total of four.   The passage goes upward and on to dry ground.

          

2. Passageway (0 XP)

Large stones line the walls and support a stone roof.  Graffiti from various ages line the walls.  Most unintelligible, but a few are in known tongues.  Of course, all they say is the equivalent of, “Kilroy was here.”

Two dead guards that are now Armored ghouls hunt in the corridor.  They’ll be in front of the boulder-filled passage that used to be the entrance to the tomb.  They’ll be attracted to any fighting in the passage, like the Ghouls following the characters into the passageway. 

3. The Ritual (2 XP)

There is a burial chamber across from the former entrance.  Inside are four stone sarcophagi.  All of them are closed for now and contain a Barrow Wight.  Disturbing any of the lids will awaken all of them, and require at least two people to move.      

The center of the room is a little more eye-catching.  A bloody pentagram has crudely painted onto the floor, along with various paraphernalia of a magic ceremony.  The blood came from the four young bodies that were part of the ceremony.  One has been disemboweled, one beheaded, one cleaved in twain, and one girl’s body has been staked out in the center, her chest cracked open.  This is where the ceremony took place that awakened all the dead of Goth Hallow. 

These are the students that the characters were sent to find.  However, all of them are wearing their signet rings.  If any of the bodies are disturbed, the party will hear a faint girl’s voice calling out.  “Where’s my heart!  Where’s my heart!”  The next rd, the voice becomes more insistent, along with random items moving around the chamber.  The next rd, the voice is screaming, everyone must make a DC 12 Ref Sv or take 1d6 damage from flying debris.  The next rd, DC 18 Ref Sv or 1d8 damage, and by this time, the Wights have woken up and are moving aside their sarcophagi lids and will attack the next rd (and the poltergeist attack stops). 

The Wights won’t leave the chamber if the characters leave the room.  If the party stays and defeats them, the girl’s voice returns, asking for her heart, sobbing.  At this point, the party can try to interact with the spirit.  She’s nearly incoherent, but can identify herself as Samantha, that she was a student, and that their professor, Wickum, was killed by creatures in the tombs, and then he...  At which point she breaks down and asks for her heart again, before fading off.   

(Optionally, upon exiting the chamber, the group runs into 10 weakened Zombies (1 Hp each).  They were massing for an attack.  It can be implied that there are more behind this group.  This can be used to move the group along.) 

Fantasy Core RPG Adventure: Goth Hallow-Temple and Mausoleum

Goth Hallow

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Index

The Sign of Peace Temple (0 XP)

[Note: I think this map is from Wikipedia.]

A small moat surrounds a massive three level, terraced hill, with a Greek-style temple at the top of it.  A quaint bridge crosses the water and a long series of steps goes straight up the mound to the temple.  There are many graves and small mausoleums on each level of the terraced mound.  Some of the graves have been disturbed and some of the mausoleums are open.  (I’m assuming again that the characters will not be interested in petty grave robbing either here or in the crypt area.  Also, if you’re looking to expand the conflict in this adventure, you can have the characters fighting their way up the hill.)

The main front doors of the temple are wide open, smashed.  There is a great statue and rows of shattered pews before it.  Everything inside has been wrecked and broken.  Four Ghouls, who were priests, are there and attack the party on sight.  One of them is dressed obviously as a head priest and has a large key on a chain around his neck.  There are two locked doors to either side of the statue that require the key (otherwise DC 12 lock). 

Meanwhile, the dead have started rising from the cemetery and are massing outside the chamber.  They are noticeable within 4 rds after entry and will rush in to attack the next rd.  Ten Skeletons come in first, with Five Zombies following.  However, there is comfortably an undead army who will be following them (think cinematically here, rather than tactically). 

The rear chamber is also trashed and has a set of large vault doors down to the crypt, currently standing open.  Here are one more Priest Ghoul and one Armored Ghoul, guarding the entrance.  The Skeleton and Zombie force will be following in 3 rds.    

The Crypt Mausoleum (0 XP)

The vault doors can be barred from the inside or out.  The bar is on the landing to the stairs going down.  20’ below is a chamber lit by magical lights.  The chamber walls are filled with crypts, stacked upon each other in two’s.  At the far end of the chamber, there is a small altar with a slumped over priest on it.  Behind the altar is a large heavy curtain, which covers the cave-in area. 

The body is another Ghoul, which activates as soon as it is disturbed or someone comes near it.  As soon as that happens, a constant scrapping noise can be heard coming from the inside of the crypts.  1 rd later, Zombies start breaking out at a rate of 1d2/rd (up to 10 total).  After this occurs, pounding can be heard on the outer doors, which will be constant.  The doors should shatter with loud clang of the bar as soon as the characters look behind the curtain.  3 rds later, ten Skeletons enter the room (with more undead to follow).     

On the other side of the curtain is a ruined set of crypts that have collapsed into a large hole.  The hole is currently covered by a cloth with a religious symbol painted on it.  There is an assembly over the hole which was used to secure a rope and winch.  The rope attached has been cut, but there’s more rope nearby.  It’ll take 2 rds to secure a new assembly.  It’s a 20’ drop into the dark below and there’s standing water there.  It will take 1 rd to rappel down, but the characters can only safely go one at a time.  Falling down will cause 2d6 damage and a DC 12 Fort Sv or they will be rendered stunned for 1 rd.

Fantasy Core RPG Adventure: Goth Hallow-Cemetery and Temple Grounds

Goth Hallow

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Index

Goth Hallow Cemetery and Temple

The Temple Grounds (0 XP)

Party’s horses are suddenly spooked as they near the cemetery.  Off to the side of the road in a ditch, there is a dead horse and rider.  They appear to be dead from several bloody wounds.  The rider has a message, but it’s too bloody to read. 

The party comes to the walled cemetery and can see the hill and the temple upon it.  At the gates is a food deliveryman (Mel) on a wagon at the front gate.  He got there at daybreak and nobody has shown up to let him in for two hours.  He’s quite agitated.  Mel didn’t see the dead rider and doesn’t know anything about what’s going on, he just wants to sell his goods.  (Note: the deliveryman will not join the party in breaking into Goth Hallow, but he will return to town and alert the constables, and eventually the town militia is mobilized.)

The gate is not only locked but also sealed and has a holy symbol jammed into it.  No one is at the guardhouse.  The 10’ walls are fairly easily scalable.  The entry log inside the guardhouse contains Wickum’s and his apprentices’ names written in it as the last visitors.  Inside, there are holy symbols painted on the insides of the cemetery walls.

The whole place at first seems totally deserted.  It’s very quiet and idyllic with trees lining a path to the hill.  A couple of guard dogs go running by, whimpering and barking.  Later, the main path continues towards the hill and a discreet side path forks off behind the screen of trees.

The Living Compound (0 XP)

[This is primarily a looting encounter.  It’s entirely expendable.] 

A couple of saddled horses are running around free as the characters enter the area.  There is a courtyard garden with a small shrine and three surrounding buildings.  This is where the groundskeepers, priests, and guards lived.  They’re all now Ghouls.  They won’t come out into the sun, but will attack anyone entering a building.   

The Groundskeepers’ Quarters—a simple barracks and tool shed.  There are four Ghouls inside in hiding and will attempt attack from surprise (DC 12 to detect).  There are a couple of places later where a pick or sledgehammer will come in handy.

The Priests’ quarters—a two-story building.  The lower floor has the priest’s rooms and a scribing room.  The top floor has a library and the Head Priest’s room.  There are two Ghouls hiding in the lower level.  The Head Priest’s room has a cabinet with 4 Holy Water vials (2d4+3 damage to undead) and 4 Healing Potions (heals 2d4 Hp).  They are all labeled.  There’s also a locked (DC 18 lock) and hidden (DC 12 to find) vault with 200 gp inside.  (If this adventure is part of an ongoing campaign, this stolen gold should eventually bring the party some form of trouble.  There’s some small amount of wealth scattered around everyone’s personal effects, but I’m assuming that experienced characters would not care about such petty thievery.)

The Guards’ barracks and Stable—another simple barracks.  There are two Armored Ghouls inside.  They are not hiding and will attack immediately.  There is a private room for the commander.  Inside, out on a shelf, are a couple more Healing potions, a +1 Dagger, and a quiver of 20 +1 Arrows, slung to the side.  Chain mail suits and other normal weapons can be found with the other troops’ effects.  The stables are currently empty.    

Fantasy Core RPG Adventure: Goth Hallow-History

Goth Hallow

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Index

History

Goth Hallow is an exclusive noble cemetery and crypt with its own temple.  It is located in an idyllic countryside, well away from the urban area.  The temple there is well endowed and is kept guarded to keep away would be treasure hunters from the graves.

However, the crypt beneath the temple was always known to have been excavated on shaky ground.  A stress fracture in the chamber finally opened up into a minor cave-in.  Not surprisingly, a cave was discovered underneath which appeared to be part of old burial tomb.  As the temple prided itself as a well paid for restful peace for deceased nobles, discretion was taken and only a single scholar from outside the cemetery was brought in to investigate.  Professor Wickum and four of his choicest students, along with several guards were lowered into the pit.  

Within an hour, the guards, who were now undead, attempted to clamor up the rope.  The priests had been prepared for this possibility and fought them off.  The head priest warded the hole to keep any undead inside and another discreet call went out, this time for adventurers.  

This graveyard is actually much older than the Goth Hallow attendants suspect.  In fact, the whole temple and cemetery are built on top of the giant burial mound, as well as an even more ancient underground burial vault.    

The vile Emperor, Senet, is thought more mythic than real several centuries removed from his rule.  His history was set mostly by his detractors, but fairly accurate in describing his cruelty and greed.  When his magicks were no longer able to sustain him, Senet was no longer fit to rule.  He built his burial vault and filled it with treasure and goods for the afterlife and became undead to guard his possessions for eternity.  

What Senet did not prepare for was his political rivals succeeding him immediately upon his “un-death.”  As a former emperor he was considered divine and his rivals respected that and placed him in his own vault.  However, they placed his mummified corpse in a hidden arcane cage to keep him in.  Then they stripped the halls of virtually all the treasure and fled while the cage’s strong magic held him (which have since long faded).  Senet’s furious spirit is able to wander around the tomb, but cannot interact with anything, other than through faint whispers.

Old King Markus came to power long after Senet and his civilization had passed from memory into legend.  The land Markus had chosen for his gravesite was already considered ill omened before the digging began.  A multitude of accidental deaths, hauntings, and other unnerving incidents occurred before they reached the sealed vault doors inscribed with dire pictographic warnings.  Superstition won out over curiosity.  Work was hastily finished and Markus was laid to rest.  Later, his prince sons would be placed in another chamber and eventually an ossuary created for other noble dead.  

The tomb fell into disuse.  The priests’ yearly consecration ceremonies would cease and the tomb buried over.  However, the unhallowed ground would not let these spirits rest easy.  Would-be tomb robbers would find that out the hard way.  Not one who met the old king would live to tell the tale, so Senet’s doors remained shut.  Centuries later and oblivious to history, Goth Hallow cemetery was constructed over this overly quiet, scenic patch of land.

  

In the present, the professor and his group had been attacked by the princes, now barrow wights.  Professor Wickum and the guards were energy drained.  Senet’s spirit, aware of and observing the conflict, was able to enter into the professor, as he was still a living body, but without a soul.  Senet was then able to command the wights and take the students prisoner.  He sent the newly undead guards to attempt to take the crypt, but was not surprised that they were repulsed.  

As the hole was warded over, Senet decided to take a more dramatic step to destroy the interlopers above his tomb.  Senet had Wickum sacrifice the prisoners to unhallow all of the grounds and awaken the multitudes of dead in the cemetery.  That night, undead swarmed and killed everyone at the temple, however the grounds were well warded and at least kept them in.  Senet (Wickum) waits outside the Markus’ chamber.  The old king is unwillingly Senet’s thrall too, but is spiritually chained to his burial chamber and cannot leave it.  The vile emperor has his pawns ready to repel any future invasion of his domain.  

Fantasy Core RPG Adventure: Goth Hallow-Setup

Goth Hallow

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

History
Cemetery and Temple Grounds

Templeand Mausoleum

Burial Chamber Part 1, Burial Chamber Part 2

The Vault Part 1, The Vault Part 2

Monster Stats, Vault Monster Stats

This was written a while back as a sample adventure for a previous attempt at creating a set of D&D-ish rules. I like the concept of different types of tombs built on top of each other.  It’s extremely linear though.  It could work well as a tournament-like module or for a single evening’s entertainment.  Encounters can be easily dropped out for time constraints or switched out for replay-ability.

For this adventure, I’d suggest a party of five or six, fourth and fifth level characters that the players aren’t too attached to.  This adventure is something of a deathtrap, getting worse as it goes along.  They should also be carrying some magic weapons. 

Setup

An old tomb has been discovered beneath a temple crypt.  A scholar and his students were brought in to investigate the tomb with an armed escort.  Undead creatures attempted to exit the hole shortly thereafter.  They were beaten back, and the tomb was magically sealed over.

The party has been hired as mercenaries, expert undead hunters, or professional treasure hunters to investigate.  There is a 100 GP reward for each the four lost students (or at least returning their signet rings), as they were children of nobility.  Remuneration for any treasure or artifacts that may be found below can be negotiated afterward.  The temple and the noble families wish discretion and speed in resolving this matter.  At the moment, no one else knows about the find.  

Sports Journal 6-8-2014

Weekend Meal: A Blake Shelton BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pizza Hut.  While I typically only like pepperoni on my pizza and most people have an adverse reaction to even the thought of putting barbeque and chicken on a pizza, this is one alternate topping I really like.  Unlike the Parmesan pizzas, this creation from Pizza Hut was very tasty.  Obviously, country singer, Blake Shelton’s, input was critical.  One warning, this pizza did not reheat well, microwave or oven.  Try to eat the whole thing hot out of the box.

F1 The Canadian GP

It’s an unassuming track in an unassuming country that somehow often produces dramatic results.  From a last turn wall that collects champions to a race retirement attributed to . . .  a beaver, in golf terms, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a hazard.  The greatest race I ever saw was Jensen Button’s rainy 2011 Canadian GP, running last to first, and passing for the lead on the final lap.  (The Kurt Busch-Ricky Craven duel at Darlington is a close second.  The Kurt Busch Indy-Charlotte Double documentary ran after this race.  Kind of interesting, but not terribly informative.)  The announcers kept bringing up that Button race, though today’s race was bright and sunny. 

This race’s main drama would seem to be whether it would be Rosberg or Hamilton winning it for Mercedes and would their inter-team feud lead to handbags and a slap-fight at dawn.  I know the F1 media loves these fratricidal team affairs, but I’m over them.  One-car teams would do nothing but increase the level of competition (or at least separate sponsors for the cars, like other series).  How about letting constructors go ahead and supply other teams with chassis’s (like up to four)?  Teams already let out their engines to other teams.  Let the points accumulated by these teams contribute to the Constructor’s championship.

There were the usual wrecks and retirements at this high-attrition track.  What was unexpected was the two Mercedes cars also having problems.  Running way out front, both cars had an issue with their Energy Return Systems overheating (the brakes charging their batteries like a hybrid car) that dropped their speed by 20 mph.  Hamilton then lost his brakes and was forced to pull in.  Rosberg gingerly held his lead for most of the rest of the race.  It took the competition that long to finally catch up to him, even with him being hobbled. 

Rookie, Red Bull driver Ricciardo would make a strong pass to take the lead.  Behind him, Perez, who had been in second, started dropping.  Massa would plow into his tires, attempting a pass on the last lap.  Both would careen into the tire barrier, violently.  Perez was blamed for the incident for blocking.  I say that’s a bit questionable.  Jenson Button would come from mid-pack to finish fourth.  Awesome.

The announcers were thrilled for Daniel Ricciardo.  He is well-liked on the paddock.  They said the Aussie always has a smile on his face.  On the top step of the podium, he had an ear to ear grin that never stopped.  This is a popular, feel-good win.  Ricciardo’s got this Joe Dimaggio blue collar look to him that’s hard to dislike.     

Tennis

I turned on the TV Saturday morning to watch the Ladies Final, since Maria Sharapova was in it.  Before the picture actually came on the screen, I immediately heard a woman making a screaming grunt.  That killed it for me.  Even with the sound off, I couldn’t watch.  Somebody has got to muzzle these players.

Hockey

Given how the Stanley Cup is going (3-0 Kings at the moment), I probably should have watched this instead of the baseball game on Saturday.  I managed to miss all of the exciting scoring in regulation (Kings came back from being down by two goals to the Rangers twice), but did see the overtime.  The first one was actually quite exciting, but as the minutes wound down without a winner, dread of another OT period set in. 

The second OT was about what you’d expect from a bunch of exhausted players.  Even the L.A. fans were almost too tired to continue cheering.  The end came so quickly and unexpectedly, I didn’t see it, even while watching closely.  The Kings won it on a deflection from a blue line shot.  HD does not help the game broadcast with moments that fast.  You could just barely see it on slowed down replay.  Hockey has a problem there.  The sport doesn’t translate to the dominate medium well.  Perhaps somebody could bring back the glowing, streaking puck effect.    

Baseball

I said I wouldn’t be complaining about my reception anymore.  So I picked up the Royals vs. Yankees game in the 4^th inning when my Fox reception came back after going out shortly after the first pitch, but I’m not complaining.  I was able to listen to the Tigers vs. Red Sox game on the radio, which was the game I really wanted anyway.  I didn’t get to hear the end of it, but the Tigers seemed to have things well in hand.  There wasn’t much point in listening to the Fox broadcast while the other game was on the radio.  From what I was watching, it was a non-stop tribute to Derek Jeter and endless replays of a successfully challenged pick-off call.  The Royals won it 6-3 off of the Yankees’ questionable bullpen.

On Sunday, the Rangers lost to the Indians 3-2.  One of those Ranger runs was off of a wild pitch.  Not good.  During the game, the second baseman, who’s name I didn’t even know, was injured.  This was the guy replacing the injured Profar, taking the place of Ian Kinsler (now on the Tigers).  Meanwhile at first base, was another replacement, who was taking the place of the injured Triple A guy, who taking the place of an injured Mitch Moreland, who was taking the place of an injured Prince Fielder.  I know Darvish, Beltre, Choo, and Andrus on the current roster.  That’s about it.  I wonder if Eric or Matt in the broadcast booth will be called upon to play a position?

After that depressing game, I flipped over to the El Paso Chihuahuas game in progress.  The game started an hour after the Ranger game, but I’d only missed half of it.  I was there for the exciting part of the game, Tim Haggerty looking at the clock and wondering if the team was going to be able to make their flight in two hours, given the game’s glacial pace.  He started looking up PCL rules for curfews and suspended games.  The dogs would go up 10-7 late.  I think both teams may have decided that neither wanted to have to continue the game on a later date, so things sped up a bit.  A bit after 5:00, my time, the game finished.  The team charged off the field.  Tim gave a professional, but very efficient game recap, which closed with, “I’ve got a flight to catch in less than an hour.  I’m outta here.”  Such are the perils of a nearly 4 hour, 9 inning game.

Sports Journal 6-1-2014

I’m listening to 1380 KHEY El Paso to the Rangers game on Sunday.  I got to hear my first double video review, as two different elements of the same play were challenged by both managers.  For one heart-stopping minute, I thought they were about to take an extra commercial break to deal with it.  Oh God, if challenges came with an automatic commercial breaks, baseball is over!  Nobody, not even me, will sit through a five-hour game. 

(Meanwhile, in the Dodgers/Pirates game on Saturday, there was an unsuccessful challenge by the Pirates early in the game.  Later, there was another disputed call, that probably needed to be overturned, which lead to a big inning, that couldn’t be challenged because they were wrong on their first one.  I thought the purpose of this challenge crap was to make sure they got the calls right?) 

KHEY has had their up’s and down’s doing Ranger games.  This season, they’ve stopped broadcasting the pre-game for some reason.  They’ve joined games late and in progress for no reason (including the first game of the season).  Today, they carried the game on time, but a half-hour later, went back to Foxsports talk. 

I listened for a while, hoping they’d change back.  After a while, I had to turn it off though.  Two idiot hosts, that I hadn’t heard before, were explaining the fineries of the Donald Sterling situation to a Black caller.  The caller had said that he didn’t agree with the old man, but that his grandfather had fought in WWII to protect Free Speech pretty much regardless of content.  The hosts had to explain that Sterling wasn’t going to prison for what he said, therefore we have Free Speech.  If he’s punished to speaking his mind, that’s just a consequence of not being politically correct.  “So if I say something wrong, I deserve to lose my house?” asked the caller.  This is an important topic, but not as important as the game didn’t get to listen to.  Thanks, KHEY.

Not to be outdone, KROD powered down about an hour and half before sundown.  This meant I only got to listen to about an inning of the El Paso Chihuahuas game, instead the usual 2/3 that I usually get in this situation.  Thanks, KROD.

KVIA still broadcasting black.  That’s okay.  I wasn’t going to watch the two crummy Indycar road races this weekend anyway.  Screw you, KVIA.

Well, I did get to see the NASCAR race at Dover.  Two red flags later, it was like an all day affair.  Dover, in spite of whatever similarities to Bristol, seldom produces great races.  The strongest car has a habit of driving off into the sunset, unchallenged, with most of the field going laps down in the process.  This was Fox’s and my last race of the season (unless KVIA comes back on).  At least I'll be missing the Pocono races, thank goodness.  All I can do now is wait for next year and hope next year is better with KTSM (NBC) picking up the races.  The highlight of the race was Michael Waltrip's gridwalk when he asked Dale for hug.  (Comedic pause) "Okay, sure."      

A couple of notes from Saturday.  While I was laid up in bed listening to some really terrible reception of the Rangers getting pounded by the Nationals, I couldn’t help but notice that Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks were chatting with each other during the game.  The Rangers radio call is a little strange in format.  It’s not a true two-man booth.  Essentially, Eric calls most of the game, with Matt chipping in a few comments and taking over for a couple of innings.  For this blowout, they were interacting with each other like a regular two-man operation.  Frankly, I don’t know why they don’t do it all the time.  Keep in mind, I love both of these guys, both if I’ve got one complaint, it’s their lack of interaction.  If you’ve got two people there, why not have a conversation?

Foxsports must have been gagging to death during the two blowout games they were broadcasting Saturday night.  I wonder how close we’re getting to NOT seeing anymore over-the-air regular season baseball?  I wonder how bad the World Series ratings are going to be, even if it’s the Yankees/Red Sox vs. the Dodgers, if there’s no national over-the-air baseball anymore?  Though the media world has changed a lot since the 80’s, I still think the two are connected (along with teams like the Braves and others getting daily national broadcasts of their games on cable). 

Finally, I think I’m going to have to put a moratorium on complaining about my continuing inability to watch and listen to sports broadcasts.  Though it’s frankly not my fault by and large, if this is getting tedious to write, I can only imagine what it’s like to read it.  That said, this may necessarily severely limit my future sports writing, until/unless I go ahead and get cable and an Internet connection at home.