Endless Night: The Head Housekeeper's Room

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Head Housekeeper’s Room

Description: A simple, modest living room with a desk and a bed.  If a fight starts in here, the room will expand to twice its size.

Status: The door is closed.  There is a sign on it identifying it as the Head Housekeeper’s Room and “Please Knock first.”  The door will only open if the characters knock and are invited in by Causewell, “Yes, come in.”

Inhabitants: Head Housekeeper Causewell is inside.  Here we have a Ghoul in a proper servant’s dress.  She has the key to the Residence Area on a ring at her waist.  (Use your best shrill Englishwoman’s voice.)

Objective: Causewell’s key is needed to get into the Residence Area.  The characters can fight her for it or make a deal for it.  Award 2 XP for killing her.

She’s a very proper Ghoul as she stands to greet the characters.  Causewell asks if they’ve found the accommodations to their liking and if there’s anything she can help them with, for example she could let them into the Residence Area (meaningfully jingles key).  Of course, Causewell wants a favor in return for letting them have her key: she wants Solomon “taught a lesson about manners” or the Gillmen “put in their place.”  (Depending on if Solomon is alive or not.)  

The characters could go ahead and attack her and get the key and/or complete their deal with Solomon/the Gillmen.  Or, they could go back out and attack Causewell’s enemies.  (Solomon will come looking for them.  Causewell will say that the Gillmen should be in the bathroom.)

Head Housekeeper Causewell (Ghast)

HD 4 (d12), Hp 29, AC 17 (natural)

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6

Melee: Bite +5 to hit 1d8+3 and 2 claws +3 to hit 1d4+1 + (on any hit) DC 12 Fort Sv or paralysis 1 turn

Stench: When combat begins, the Ghast will start emitting a powerful stench.  Everyone at close range must make a DC 18 Fort Sv or be sickened (stunned) 2 rds.  Everyone in short range must make a DC 12 Fort Sv or be sickened (stunned) 1 rd.

Endless Night: Second Floor Index

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

The Second Floor

Head Housekeeper’s Room

Servant Quarters/Servant Bathrooms

Nanny’s Room

The Scandinavian Room

The Egyptian Room

The Voodoo Room

The Nursery

The Abyss Room

The Oriental Room

The Observatory

The Master Bedroom (The Elvish Trial)

The Master’s and Mistresses’ Bathrooms

The Astral Graveyard and Afterward

The Servant Areas

This could get messy in a diplomatic sense.  Here are the two initial conditions.

If the characters made a deal with Solomon:

When the characters go up the stairs, they will be met at the top by Solomon, who reminds them of their agreement.  He will point them towards Causewell’s room.  If they decide not to kill her at some point, Solomon shows up in the corridor, looking for them.    

If the characters killed Solomon:

Upon entering the Second Floor, the group is met by a Gillman, peeking his head out of the bathroom.  The Gillmen are planning a rebellion against the Ghouls, but they need Causewell taken out.  They tell the characters that she holds the key to the Residence Areas, which the Gillman assumes they are trying to get into.     

The Residence Area

The doors to this area are locked, requiring Causewell’s key to enter.  Carter greets the characters upon entry.  He’ll introduce the rooms to the characters.  He can do this one at a time or all of them at once.  However the characters want it.  Carter can give a little extra information about the residents if asked.  The encounters in this area are unconnected with one another, generally lairing monsters with some novel gimmicks and environments attached to them.

I’ve set no random encounters for the Second Floor, but add them if you wish.  There are several windows on this level.  Hopefully the players have figured out by now that they shouldn’t open them.  If they do, once again, it is an exposure to the naked, insanity-inducing Astral Plane outside.  DC 12 Will Save or driven catatonic for 1 turn.  Those saving are immune to this effect thereafter.  If you want to come up with something more interesting behind the windows (like maybe a knocking sound, voices calling out character names, etc), go ahead. 

Endless Night: The Cellar

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

First Floor Index

The Cellar

Description: Dank, dark (characters have to bring in their own light), musty, and cobweb-filled underground chamber.  It was never this bad when the house was inhabited by the living.  There is a pantry that used hold valuable spices and exotic food items, which are now ruined.  There is a large wine rack, which still holds many bottles of now finely aged wine.

Status: The door to the Cellar is locked and requires the Butler’s key to enter.

Inhabitants: Archina Creighton and 4 Giant Spiders

Objective: Kill Archina Creighton.  Award 3 XP for this encounter, because it means the group has finally cleared the First Floor.  This counts a major accomplishment.

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Archina Creighton was an etymologist.  She had a weakness for insects, and unfortunately, spider venom as well, which is what killed her.  She is also the last spirit haunting the First Floor.  It's dark down there, be careful.  Meow.”

Going down the steps into the dark chamber, the characters will nearly trip over several cocooned bodies.  If they examine them, it’s characters themselves inside, dead.  The pantry is unlocked and open, with only ruined items inside.  The wine rack contains 40 bottles (50 gp each, healing effect 1d4+1 hp).  For every missed attack in the cellar, roll 1d4 for the number of bottles broken. 

Four Giant Spiders are also hiding inside the rack.  It is a DC 16 Detection to notice one of them first.  Attacking one, doesn’t activate the others (and will break 1d6 bottles of wine).  Setting fire to the basement will destroy all of the wine, smoke out the characters, and Archina and the remaining Giant Spiders will start their attack in the kitchen, 1 rd later, dropping from the ceiling. 

 

Two rds after entry in the basement, Archina will slowly reveal herself at the far end of the Cellar, producing the Fear effect.  The Giant Spiders hiding in the rack will attack from surprise if they were undetected.  Archina will then fire her Web on those left, then following it up with her Acid Arrow, before engaging in melee.    

Archina Crieghton (Drider-human torso on large spider body)

HD 6, Hp 35, AC 17 (natural), Enhanced Init +3

Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8

Melee: Spear +7 to hit 1d8 + Venom DC 18 Fort Sv or Unconscious 1 turn

Cause Fear: Upon first viewing, DC 18 Will Sv or flee 1d4 rds.  (Classes and characters immune to supernatural fear are not effected.)

Spells: May automatically cast each once per turn.

Acid Arrow: 7 acid damage + -1 to non-Dex bonus AC. (DC 15 Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Web: Fills 20-ft.-radius spread with sticky spiderwebs. Entangled 4 rds (DC 15 Ref Sv to avoid. DC 18 Str to break or Escape Artist skill)

Giant Spider (4)

HD 2, Hp 8, AC 14 (natural)

Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0

Melee: Bite +4 to hit 1d6 + Poison DC 12 Fort Sv or sickened 1 turn (all bonuses and skill go to 0)

Stealth +4 (DC 16 to Detect)

Afterward

With Archina’s death, the grandfather clock chimes again.  The First Floor suddenly turns back into its real, dilapidated state.  However, the outside of the house is still inside the Astral Plane.  The real world can be seen through a haze, but not entered. 

The door to the Servant Stairway is now open.  Carter will appear upon the stairs and congratulate the characters.  He’ll tell them that they are safe where they are, if they wish to get some sleep.  He’ll warn them also warn them that once they go up the stairs, they can’t go back down.  The only way back to the real world is to end the haunting on the Second Floor. 

Endless Night: The Butler's Quarters

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

First Floor Index

The Butler’s Quarters

Description: A simple, modest living room with a desk and a bed.  If a fight starts in here, the room will expand to twice its size.

Status: The door is closed.  There is a sign on it identifying it as the Butler’s Quarters and “Please Knock first.”  The door will only open if the characters knock and are invited in by Solomon, “Yes, come in.”

Inhabitants: The very proper and dignified Solomon the Butler. (If you’re not playing this guy as Carson the Butler from Downton Abbey, you’re doing him a disservice.) 

Objective: The characters need Solomon’s key to the Cellar.  They can obtain it by either killing him, or making a deal with him.  Award 2 XP for killing him.

Seated at his desk is Solomon, a large, cadaverous being wearing an immaculately clean tux.  He has a key on a ring at his waist.  “Yes, may I help you?” he asks.  From here the characters could just outright attack him and get the key. 

If they choose to parley and state that they want into the Cellar, Solomon will defer, saying that the guests aren’t allowed there, they shouldn’t even be in the Servant Area.  “However, since you are here and look rather capable, I could let you into the Cellar, for a favor.”  The Head Housekeeper, Causewell, has been stirring up the rest of the staff against the Butler.  (Via a random encounter, the characters may know that the Ghouls are unhappy with the Butler.)  If the characters could issue some “correction” to Causewell after they’ve completed their business in the Cellar that would be equitable to him.

It’s up to the players which path they choose.  There likely isn’t an optimal choice here.

 

Solomon the Butler (Flesh Golem)

HD 9 (d10), Hp 50, AC 18* (natural, Magic to hit, immune to spells)

Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3

Melee: +1 Magic Rod of Correction +10 to hit 1d10+1 + Knocked Down

(+1 Str to use two-handed, +3 to use one-handed)

Immunity to Magic: Golems have immunity to most magic spells and supernatural effects (including Smite).  Any electrical-based attacks will actually heal the golem.

Endless Night: Servant Bathrooms, Servant Stairs, The Laundry

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

First Floor Index

Servant Bathrooms

Description: Men and Women’s privies.  Nowhere near as nice as the Guest Bathrooms, but still very clean.  In contrast to every other room on this level, this one is empty.  The characters are free to relieve themselves in peace here.

Servant Stairs

Description: There is a locked door blocking access to the stairs.  The door is labeled, “Second Floor.”

Status: The door will only open after the characters have cleared the First Floor.

The Laundry

Description: Here’s where the monumental task of daily clothes cleaning is done.  Depending on the era of the house, there’s either washers and dryers here or a large washtub and some hanging laundry.  Bright sunlight comes through the windows here.  There’s a door to outside that goes straight into the naked, insanity-inducing Astral Plane.  DC 12 Will Save or driven catatonic for 1 turn.  Those saving are immune to this effect thereafter.

 

Status: Open to entry.

Inhabitants: 1 mean Cloaker

Objective: The characters can gain an ally here.  0 XP award.

Along with the usual laundry you’d expect here, there’s a hanging sheet stretched across the room.  Anyone approaching it is attacked by Surprise by the Cloaker.  It is trying to capture a victim and then disappear.  If it fails to do this and is reduced to 5 or less Hp, the Cloaker ceases to attack, folds itself into a napkin, and a disembodied voice says, “I will serve you.”  (It heals itself completely in 1 turn.) 

The group can take the Cloaker along with them.  Taking it out and flinging it at an enemy, it’ll attack.  Though it can’t cause damage to creatures needing magic to hit, it can still distract and Engulf (as long as the opponent is corporeal).  After the fight, if it’s still alive, it will fold up and disappear.     

Minor Cloaker

HD 4, Hp 16, AC 16 (natural)

Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4

Melee: Slap +4 to hit 1d6, on a natural 14 hit, the Cloaker engulfs its opponent

Engulf: The Cloaker has wrapped itself around a victim.  DC 18 Str or Escape Artist to get free.  (Give any minor monster attacked a +2 to escape, major monster +5.)  Each rd, the Cloaker squeezes, requiring a DC 18 Fort Sv or rendered unconscious.  After that happens, the next rd, the Cloaker kills the victim.  The next, it folds itself up and disappears.  Any attack on the Cloaker with a victim causes half damage to the victim.

Can Fly

Endless Night: Kitchen, Galley, Larder Continued

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

First Floor Index

Kitchen, Galley, Larder Continued

Elf Warriors (10/5 reinforcements)

HD 1, Hp 4, AC 15 (non-magical Elvish chain mail)

Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2

(Immunity to sleep spells and effects, ghoul paralysis, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.)

Melee: Rapier +2 to hit 1d6+1

Ranged: +1 Magic Longbow +3 to hit 1d8+1 (10 arrows)

Spells: To cast +2 Spellcheck DC 13, Save Against DC 13, 3 failures/encounter

Magic Missile: 6 impact damage + Knocked down. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range. 

(Just to make things simple, the Elf Warriors only use this spell here. Figure 1/3 are casting spells, 1/3 firing arrows, and the rest are engaging in melee.)

Duke Torren (or another Elf noble if needed)

HD 6, Hp 36, AC 17 (+2 magical Elvish chain mail shirt), Enhanced Init +3

Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +5

(Immunity to sleep spells and effects, ghoul paralysis, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.)

Melee: Rapier +9 to hit 1d6+3

Ranged: +1 Magic Longbow +10 to hit 1d8+1 (10 arrows)

Spells: To cast +5 Spellcheck, Save Against DC 15, 3 failures/encounter

1^st Level Spells, DC 13 to cast

Magic Missile: 9 impact damage + Knocked down. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Shield: Invisible disc gives + 4 to AC, blocks magic missiles. Encounter.

2nd Level Spell, DC 14 to cast

Web: Fills 20-ft.-radius spread with sticky spiderwebs. Entangled 4 rds (Ref Sv to avoid. DC 18 Str to break or Escape Artist skill)

3^rd Level Spells, DC 15 to cast

Displacement: Successful attacks miss subject 50%. Encounter.

Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 6 rds. (Will Sv)

Lightning Bolt: 11 electrical damage + Stun 1 rd + Knocked Down. (Ref Sv ½ damage) Medium range.

(Torren will have already cast Displacement and Shield upon himself before the attack begins.  He’ll attempt to capture a character using Web and Hold Person and drag them into the Larder.  If those fail, he’ll likely focus on using Lightning Bolt and his bow to kill.  Torren will hang back to the rear of fight, keeping at least a couple of Elves between himself and the party.)

Goblin Warriors (20/10 reinforcements)

HD 1, Hp 3, AC 15 (rough leather armor)

Fort +3, Ref +1, Will –1

Melee: Short Sword +2 to hit 1d6

Ranged: Javelin +3 to hit 1d4

(Figure half the group throwing Javelins and the other half engaging in melee.  Unlike the Elves, the Goblins do not have the Crackshot ability and must make a Called Shot (natural 12) against someone engaged in melee, or they’ll hit the other person. 

Here, the Goblins will make an attempt at grappling in a Swarm to take a captive.  They’ll attack in groups of 4, at +4 to hit.  DC 18 Str check or Escape Artist to get free the next rd.  It will take the Goblins 2 rds to drag a held person off into the Larder and disappear.) 

Goblin Captain (Noose, if he’s alive, or someone else)

HD 5 (d12 Barbarian class), Hp 35, AC 17 (rough leather armor)

Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1

Melee: Battle Axe +6 to hit 1d8+1 + poison DC 12 Fort Sv or sickened 1 turn (no bonuses for skills or combat), if recovered, figure 1d4 uses remaining before the poison is wiped off.   

(The Goblin Captain will be at the front of the battle, trying to take out the most dangerous member of the group.)

Endless Night: Kitchen, Galley, Larder

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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

Adventure Overview Index

First Floor Index

Kitchen, Galley, Larder

Description: These areas are very clean and functional, though not very ornate or decorative.  There are ovens, cabinets, a large work table, and a couple of large sinks.  When the battle begins, these areas will suddenly expand to double-size to accommodate all of the combatants.  Bright sunshine comes through the open windows.  There is a Service Door to the side.  If opened, it exposes naked, insanity-inducing Astral Plane outside.  DC 12 Will Save or driven catatonic for 1 turn.  Those saving are immune to this effect thereafter.

Status: These areas are locked to the characters until they do a favor for either the Elves or the Goblins, and then they open the doors for them.

Inhabitants: A bunch of pissed off Elves or Goblins and their commanders.

Objective: Ideally, taking out the Fey commander will disperse the rest of the troops in a rout.  However, the group will have to wade through a bunch of underlings to do it.  Award 2 XP.

Carter’s Introduction (before the doors are opened): “Meow.  You can get into the Servant Areas of the house, if you do the Elves or the Goblins a favor.  Meow.” 

Carter’s Introduction (after entering): “Meow.  I think you’ve made some enemies getting here.  (Battle horn sounds down the hall.)  Meow!”  (Scampers off quickly.)

This is the main battle on the First Floor.  Whether the characters pissed off the Goblins to get the Elves’ help to get here, or vice-versa, here the aggrieved party comes after them for revenge.  Whichever servant door the characters come through, the other side will come at them from the other. 

There are several conditions of battle.  The Fey wish to kill or capture the party (and then kill them).  If they can take a captured character into the Larder, they’re gone.  If the Goblin captain is killed or the Elf noble is reduced to 5 or less hp (he’ll personally retreat), the rest of the troops must make a DC 18 Will Sv the next rd or they will be routed.  If the number of Fey is reduced below 50%, they will call for the reinforcements, who will come out of the Larder, as long as their commander is still present.

If the characters helped the Ghoul servant in the Guest Bath, he’ll lock the Larder door and keep the reinforcements from appearing.  If the characters helped the Gillman in the Guest Bath, the Kitchen water pipes will suddenly erupt and the water will shut the Larder door as well.  The Fey must make a DC 18 Will Sv or retreat in either case.  If the reinforcements arrive and the total number of Fey are again reduced below half, it’s the same Will Sv.

If either Fey group manages to kill or capture at least one character and then go below half in numbers or lose their leader, they’ll automatically retreat.  A captured character is dragged into the Larder and unfortunately is as good as dead.  (A quick show trial and execution.)  The Larder will only appear as a food pantry to the characters.  (The Fey are able to use it as an Astral portal.)  Activate a replacement character.

In the worst case scenario, somehow the characters have managed to offend both groups of Fey.  The adventure wasn’t written to accommodate it, but never underestimate player ingenuity.  The servant doors will still be open.  Put in both captains and half the initial number of troops, but leave the reinforcements the same. 

After the battle, Carter should put in an appearance.  “Meow.  You’re almost done with the First Floor.  You just need to get into the Cellar now.  Meow.”