#Dungeon23 completed!!!

(So, being the end of the year, it's been a little busy. I had a bunch of absolutely epic encounters planned out to finish off the personally and professionally successful daily creative writing experimental challenge that is #Dungeon23. However, I thought, hang on, you're a bit time-poor right now, let's close it out with a final few easy adventure locales. 

Why not grasp the low-hanging fruit - it's not like I've been slacking off all year right? Also, given this current experiment totals 120k+ words and will hopefully see print (accompanied by maps and illustrations) as an official Advanced Fighting Fantasy combination sandbox adventure/campaign/mega-dungeon sourcebook, why not save the super-cool end of campaign and uber-boss lair stuff for that? 

So, what follows is a brief summary of six nearby adventure locations for your Found Tombs of Arvakaten campaign to round out the year. Subsequently, I may well do a short post on what I learned from this entire exercise, and what I will do next year, because if I did learn anything, it is that, on average, 300 words a day as a creative writing exercise does yield tangible results, and therefore there will be a #Anything24!)

Nearby Locations to the immediate area of Pellod, Dust Town and surrounds.

These are nearby locations to the main adventure sites, and, in some cases, are based on some iconic places from the original published Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. Many of them are written to deliberately link back to Pellod, Dust Town and the Found Tombs of Arvakaten, so as widen the expanse of your campaign if necessary.

Fire Island (#26/31, #360/365)

Fire Island is a large rugged tropical volcanic island in the Western Ocean, offshore from Oyster Bay and the Skull Coast. Its jungles are full of warring tribes, its swamps treacherous and monster-haunted. A Lizard King once reigned here, a distant satrap of the Empire of Silur Cha, whose captives mined gold while Lizard Men kidnappers raided the mainland for more people to work the seams. Mutants and carnivorous vegetation lurk in the hinterland, but one of the most famous inhabitants is the Shaman, a holy man of no small power who serves an unknown god.

Blood Island (#27/31, #361/365)

Blood Island is smaller than Fire Island and located further south along the coast. It is a rocky island with few permanent water sources, whose main feature is the Arena of Death, a gladiatorial coliseum ruled by the vicious Lord Carnuss, exiled brother of Baron Sukumvit of Fang. Carnuss uses the Arena of Death to weed out weaklings from the captives obtained for him by the Pirate Captain Bartella. The most powerful surviving champion will be entered in his brother's infamous Deathtrap Dungeon competition.

The Lost City of Vatos (#28/31, #362/365)

In the aftermath of the Splitting of Irritaria, some semblances of Djaratian culture remained in the region and remodeled themselves into an endless succession of small squabbling lands and cities, dotted about the margins of the desert and its criss-crossing caravan trails. Vatos was the last and most powerful of these, a city growing up around a series of oases in the northern reaches of the desert, controlling the trade routes between the kingdom of Allansia to the north, and the strange southern nation of Arantis. Lasting for many centuries, Vatos eventually succumbed to unrelenting series of attacks by the Caarth armies, not too long before the second major global conflagration that would be known elsewhere in Allansia as the War of the Wizards but here in this corner of the land as the Burning of Ciarensia.

 

Ciarensia was the southern-most province of the Allansian kingdom, occupying the narrow strip of arable land south of the Whitewater River.  It was not fully independent, like the kingdom of Salamonis, which it bordered in the east, but it was afforded more agency by the Allansian capital of Carsepolis owing to the trading riches generated by its two cities, Cutsilver and Balkash. Balkash was a prosperous port, south of what is now Oyster Bay, ferrying trade from Carsepolis itself further south to Arantis. Cutsilver was another oasis town, in the middle of the baking plains, trading with both Vatos to the south and Salamonis to the east. Both of these cities were fine stone-walled settlements, however, during the War of the Wizards all of this apparent prosperity would be completely destroyed.

 

This was the age of wizards, and of knowledge. Influences from Yore to the east meant that both cities had wizard academies, training up magi and sorcerers from promising apprentices. Like Carsepolis, the language of instruction here was Ancient Allansian, and inscriptions in this tongue can be found all over the ruins of Cutsilver and Balkash today. Further south, Vatos, before its destruction, had developed its own language and script, Vatosian, which was both a derivation and a simplification of the old Djaratian language on which it was based. Scholars and adventurers thus exploring the varied ruins of Ciarensia and its environs have to be well-versed in several ancient tongues if they are to make any sense of the stone tablets and inscribed cenotaphs they may find.

Surprisingly, in the Desert of Skulls, there are rumours that Vatos is being rebuilt under a mysterious High Priestess known as Leesha. Apparently having entered into an alliance with the Caarth, she controls an army of slave warriors and several priesthoods devoted to dark and depraved gods. Even more bizarrely, she is patron of a yearly competition, where starving artists make the dangerous trek through the dunes to the ruined city to create a masterpiece that will enable them to win the grand prize of three hundred Gold Pieces. Needless to say in such a den of debauchery, the losers are all executed – sacrificed in honour of the Dark One.

The Lair of Ktuliaxus the Cruel (#29/31, #363/365)

Ktuliaxus the Cruel is an ancient evil Skeletal Dragon who lives in a cavern system among the rugged uplands that lie between the Skull Coast and the Desert of Skulls proper. It is possible they are the lich-like remnants of a Blue Dragon who dwelt here during Vatosian times, without a breath-weapon but with a surfeit of magical lore at their disposal. Ktuliaxus is rumoured to be heavily guarded by both Flame Dead that they have personally created, along with various Dragonpact allies of differing stripes. Ktuliaxus will personally lead their followers out into battle against unfortunate desert trading caravans. They also have an undying enmity for both the Doom Demon and the Crimson Fury, and will fight them above all others!

Shazaar, City of Madness (#30/31, #364/365)

This city lies in the midst of the sweltering Southern Plain, an oasis settlement referred to as the City of Madness due to the eccentricity of its inhabitants and the bizarre appearance of its buildings' architecture. A barony ruled by Lord Tanneth, the prime deity of Shazaar is the Trickster God Logaan, though many other cults and sects make their home there. Shazaar is also famous for its ale, served at establishments such as the Fatted Pig, its festivals such as Lucre Week, and as the birthplace of the legendary hero Zofia of Shazaar. 

Protecting the city, as well as regular troops, are fifty elite Shazâar Rangers. These are most likely to be encountered away from the city, either on official business for their lord, such as accompanying officials who are tax-collecting or census-taking, or on routine patrols to ensure the safety of the caravan trails on whose wealth Shazâar depends. From time to time they may also undergo clandestine missions to root out pockets of Chaos and Evil that are deemed a threat to the future of their city-state.

Shazâar Rangers are experienced soldiers, armed with swords, spears and longbows, clad in chainmail armour, and usually mounted on horses for rapid travel across the plains. A Ranger typically wears a grey or brown cloak and the device on their shield is eight red arrows radiating from a central point upon a grey field. As natives of the City of Madness they are also followers of one of the weird sects that hold sway in that town; roll a die on the table below for each Ranger to determine their cult allegiance.

Roll	Cult Allegiance	Sphere of Influence	Notes
1	Osmani	God of Mercenaries	Has Greatsword as a weapon
2	Fourga	God of Pride	Body is dyed black or dark grey
3	Logaan	The Trickster	Have no money
4	Sindla	Goddess of Luck	Use dice to make decisions
5	Telak	God of Courage	Hair is dyed gold
6	Hamaskis	God of Learning	Tattooed with holy scripts

SHAZÂAR RANGER

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 12

WEAPON: Sword, Spear or Longbow

ARMOUR: Chainmail Cuirass and Small Shield

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 2-7

REACTION: Neutral

Riding Horses (skill 7 stamina 9, Hooves (as per Large Claw)

Sapphire City (#31/31, #365/365)

Sapphire City is a prosperous township on the southern edge of the Desert of Skulls, reached by the most westerly trails across the sand dunes and rock spires, and ruled under a local governor loosely associated with the southern city of Rimon. It is very much an “anything goes” frontier-town, full of rough miners and prospectors, who trade with Hill Barbarians, Desert Nomads, and various non-human races. Rogue gangs of miners and prospectors sometimes strike out north, through the desert’s rockier wastes, looking for seams of gold and gemstone deposits. They have also been known to uncover ancient ruins from the earlier civilizations that once ruled the Desert of Skulls.

Caverns of the Under-Realm (Part Two)

Lair of the Karanth (#25/31, #359/365)

"You enter a lonely dusty cave with a high ceiling. Hanging in the shadows above you, you notice several large bundles, which move feebly, and moan piteously:

'Is - is there anybody there? Anybody? Please, if you can, help us out of these things! We're trapped! We can't escape! We've been here for days! PLEASE HELP US!'

You see the dangling bundles appear to be some sort of cocoon of sticky fibres."

Contents: If anyone stands directly under one of the cocoons and tries to free what they think may be a victim, the cocoon will suddenly drop straight towards them, splitting open along its underside to reveal a moist, fetid interior ringed with fang-like spines. This is a Karanth!

(If anyone is unaware of a cocoon/Karanth above them, the thing will drop and land on them on a roll of 1-5 on one die.)

Otherwise, a normal Attack Round should be rolled. If the Karanth hits successfully it has landed on its victim; if not it has missed and can be fought normally on the floor. Once the creature has struck, it will start to feed, causing Small Bite damage. A normal Attack Round must then be rolled to remove the Karanth; if the beast wins, it continues to digest its victim. If it loses, it will be injured as normal, and will drop to the floor. If the victim is not quick enough to finish it off, it will scamper up the walls to the ceiling to recuperate while hanging out of reach.

Another method to avoid being eaten by the creature is to try and survive without breathing until the Karanth loses its grip. Roll four dice; if the total is equal to or more than the victim's STAMINA they have been digested alive. If however, the total is less than their STAMINA, they are still conscious when the Karanth, assuming them to be dead, briefly relaxes. Pushing with all their might, the survivor can burst from the Karanth's hold and stagger away from the creature; roll a die - this is how many STAMINA points they lose from being injured by the creature's spines and digestive juices.

Stats:

2-7 KARANTH, SKILL 7 STAMINA 7, Small Bite.

Caverns of the Under Realm (Part One)

Barometz Bolt-Hole (#23/31, #357/365)

"This large cavern offers up a rather strange underground scene. A herd of sheep-like creatures, with matted coats and plaintive bleats, are grazing on pallid cave moss, which covers the floor of the cavern in a grass-like sward."

Contents: These lambs are Barometz, the free-living stage of the Vegetable Lamb life-cycle, charged with wandering the uplands and the underworlds, to find new germination points for the plant symbiote whose seed they carry within them, and that will germinate if they die in an appropriate place.

Barometz are considered an excellent food source for inhabitants of the Down Below, and each animal provides enough food for 1-3 Provisions if prepared properly. However, if one is attacked, the rest of the flock will pile in and attack the marauders.

If left alone, the Barometz will placidly graze on the cave moss. It is poisonous for humanoid consumption however, and anyone eating it must lose 1-2 STAMINA points due to nausea.

Stats:

6-36 BAROMETZ, SKILL 4 STAMINA 4, Butt (1 damage). Anyone hit by a Barometz must test their Skill or fall over.

Tree Goose Tunnel (#24/31, #358/365)

"This long tunnel leads ever downwards. At times a strange red bird flies overhead, in either direction, glaring and honking at you almost like some sort of goose."

Contents: At the end of the tunnel is a small cave containing a rock pool, standing by which is a TREE GOOSE TREE. This is a small, strange-looking tree with pale green leaves and very large green pod-like fruits. Flying around it are 4-24 Tree Geese, which, being highly territorial to non-Tree Geese, will attack immediately to protect their tree.

There are 1-6 green pod-like fruits hanging from the tree's branches. Anyone picking them without due care will cause them to 'hatch' into further Tree Geese that will attack immediately.

However, should someone carefullly pick and prepare the Tree Goose fruit (by making two Herb Lore Special Skill rolles), they can use it in combat by throwing the fruit at an enemy. The furious bird will hatch on impact and instantly attack!

The pool contains clear, fresh water that is completely drinkable and free of any contamination.

Stats:

4-24 TREE GEESE, SKILL 6 STAMINA 5, Small Bite. Anyone fighting a Tree Goose must deduct -2 from their Attack Strength during each Attack Round, unless the Goose's STAMINA is reduced to 2 or less, as it then has a broken wing and cannot fly, and thus not have this attack advantage.

A chamber containing small clay gourd-like receptacles...

This room is accessed only by the Silver Key.

Room of Jars (#22/31, #356/365)

"This cramped room contains mouldering wooden shelves covered in clay jars, some of which appear to be slightly bloodstained. From several jars on various shelves, you think to hear weird scrabbling noises..."

Contents: This is where the canopic jars of the Emperor himself have been hidden, among a score of booby-trapped jars containing a wide variety of contents. There are 24 jars on the shelves, of which four contain the Emperor's mummified stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver. If these are destroyed by burning the contents with magical flame, the Emperor will loose -1 STAMINA per jar and contents destroyed in such a manner, and -1 SKILL per two jars destroyed. These jars have been stacked at the back of the shelves, two at the far wall, and one each on the side shelves.

Roll a die on the table below to determine the contents of the other twenty canopic jars that the Heroes open:

1. Completely Empty.

2. A Pile of Reddish Dust. This counts as Tomb Dust for potion-making purposes.

3. A Mummified Cobra. Uncoils from the jar and attacks immediately.

4. A Bone Scorpion. Animates and leaps from the jar.

5. A Mummified Mongoose. Explodes from the jar, will attack any snakes and serpents nearby, including Mummified Cobras, before attacking whoever opened the jar, if not already slain.

6. An Animated Hand, Amputated from a Criminal. The hand (decaying, mummified, covered in dried bandages) wishes to reunite with its previous bearer, whose remains are in the Bone Pit. The Animated Hand will accompany the Heroes, indicating which direction it wishes to travel in to reach the Bone Pit; they may think the hand is guiding them to safety unless one of the Heroes can communicate with the dead (hand). The hand will defend itself if attacked.

These jars can be lobbed as simple thrown grenades that cause improvised damage upon hitting (which then activates their contents). Anything animated by a smashed jar will attack whatever it hit (if living), or whatever is closest to the impact site. 

Stats:

MUMMIFIED COBRA, SKILL 6 STAMINA 4, Poisonous Bite (4 STAMINA damage), Light Armour. Mummified creatures are immune to all attacks, and will reanimate 20 minutes after being 'slain' and hunt their attackers down. It can only be permanently killed by fire, magical weapons or spells.

BONE SCORPION, SKILL 8 STAMINA 3, Poisonous Sting (4 STAMINA damage), Light Armour. Pointed or bladed weapons do only 1 STAMINA damage; blunt and crushing weapons do normal damage. 

MUMMIFIED MONGOOSE, SKILL 4 STAMINA 4, Small Bite, 1 Damage. Mummified creatures are immune to all attacks, and will reanimate 20 minutes after being 'slain' and hunt their attackers down. It can only be permanently killed by fire, magical weapons or spells.

ANIMATED (MUMMIFIED) HAND, SKILL 6 STAMINA 2, Damage as per Unarmed Human. Mummified creatures are immune to all attacks, and will reanimate 20 minutes after being 'slain' and hunt their attackers down. It can only be permanently killed by fire, magical weapons or spells.

A random sidewise yanking into an alternate dimension... (part two)

The Plane of Pain (#17/31, #351/365)

"The Plane of Pain is a rock-strewn wilderness of smoking vents belching fire and brimstone, of stinking sinkholes full of sludge bracketed by rugged cliffs of black stone, and of spiny forests where one may mischance upon impromptu crucifixions and tortured executions. It is a place of bleak cruelness and blind raging hatred of the light, where unspeakable atrocities are inflicted upon the powerless, and indescribable horrors shockingly rendered as commonplace and mundane. Captivity is its law, where ragged hordes toil in the dust for no reward whatsoever."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 12)

Due to the proximity of the Palace of Agony, the Plane of Pain is the effective nerve-centre of the Pit, and as such staffed with highly-trusted entities such as Lesser Night and Snake Demons, Greater Shadow Demons, and Plague Demons. On their missions these creatures will be guarded by lesser minions, including Hell Demons, Horned Demons, and the Diabolus. Lurking in the wastes are simpler things; Soulstealers, Rock Demons and Hellfire Spirits.

A map of the Demonic Pit itself can be found in the Rough Guide to the Pit (p. 38), as well as general encounter tables (pp. 40-41), and some notes on potential terrain and special features (pp. 31-33) relevant specifically to the Plane of Pain. 

The Plane of Pain is a place of torture and agony. All prime characteristics of a Hero are insidiously subject to a constant painful assault on the senses. Every week a Hero spends on the Plane of Pain, they must decide what one characteristic point (SKILL, STAMINA, LUCK, or MAGIC/PSIONICS) has been lost to pain that week (if a score reaches zero, the Hero perishes). Such losses are usually permanent, though great magical resources may restore them. As a result, to survive here requires high levels of mental fortitude and tolerance of pain, both mental and physical.

The Palace of Agony (#18/31, #352/365)

The great work Titan by the demented sage Mh'ark Ghazcoin described the Palace of Agony thusly (and accurately):

"The three Snake Demons, Sith, Ishtra and Myurr govern the pit from the ornate blood-diamond thrones of the echoing league-wide Ruling Hall of the Palace of Agony, at the very centre of the Demonic Plane. Ostensibly they rule by combined strength of will, but in truth they argue and disagree so often that it is only when two side together against the third that any decisions are actually made. Elsewhere the armies of Hell are commanded by the four Night Demons, Kalin, Relem, Shakor and Vradna. They sit in the war-room of the Palace of Agony, huddled in their carved thrones around a deep, misty pool set in the cold stone floor. The pool allows them to watch the results of their plans on the Earthly Plane. The Princes are devious tacticians, working subtlety or blatantly, according to the situation, to further the evil ends of the Forces of Chaos on Titan.

Despite their perpetual differences, squabbles and cruel and violent wars, the Demon Princes and their favoured minions frequently gather together at the Palace of Agony to take part in gigantic banquets. Here you might find several thousand undead and demonic beings, sprawled and slumped at tables covered by curious blood-red cloths with the texture of flayed skin, and piled high with all manner of dead, semi-dead and very-much-alive foodstuffs. The stomach-churning food frantically gibbers, squeals and scuttles until caught and eaten by the obnoxious revelers. Some diners get so excited they start to feast upon their fellow guests!

For entertainers there are the merry antics of the torturers, who gleefully flay new arrivals to produce the most exquisite music; the Demonspawn jugglers who mutate endlessly and juggle with loose parts of their bodies, and the more traditional singers and musicians playing naughty ballads. With the floor knee-deep in blood and slime, and the air rent by the screams of the dying and the sounds of so many vile things chewing other vile things, the whole scene is how a pious man would imagine Hell - except that this is Hell and it is far worse than any mortal man could imagine."

Titan by Mh'ark Ghazcoin (pp. 72-73)

Aside from major areas detailed above such as the Ruling Hall, War Room and Grand Banquet Chamber, the majority of the Palace of Agony is a warren of random corridors and rooms, best created using the Random Dungeon Generator in the Advanced Fighting Fantasy rulebook (pp. 134-137). 

For inhabitants of these rooms, roll two dice to determine potential encounters here on the table below:

2 2-7 Adventurers. (Roll on the table (p. 58) in Heroes of Titan for party composition, and assume all are Champion grade level (see Combat Companion, pp. 7-9)

3 1 Monster. Roll for type: 1-2 Kragon, 3-4 Quag-Shugguth, 5-6 Skeleton Dragon.

4 2-4 Spirits. Roll for type: 1 Spirit Stalker 2 Nightshade 3 Hellfire Spirit 4 Shade 5 Glyth 6 Dire Spectre.

5 2-7 Pets. Roll for type: 1 Xlaia, 2 Undead Steed, 3 Hellcat, 4 Hellhound, 5 Demon Steed, 6 Devil Hound.

6 2-7 Guards. Roll for type: 1-2. Spike Demons, 3-4. Hell Demons, 5-6. Rock Demons.

7 2-12 Servants. Roll for type: 1-2 Minor Demon, 3-4 Demonic Servant 5-6 Demonspawn.

8 2-7 Entertainers. Roll for type: 1-2 Minor Demon, 3-4 Demonic Servant 5-6 Demonspawn.

9 2-12 Prisoners (Roll for type: 1 Demons (roll on the Servants table) 2 Humans, 3 Orcs, 4 Goblins 5 Ogres 6 Trolls) with 2-7 Guards (see above for type)

10 2-7 Undead. Roll for type: 1 Death-Knight 2 Wight 3 Greater Ghoul 4 Soulsucker 5 Vampyre 6 Lich.

11 2-7 Constructs. Roll for type: 1 Corpse Golem, 2 Bone Golem, 3 Flesh Golem, 4 Minor Thassaloss, 5 Brimstone Golem, 6 Major Thassaloss.

12 Delegation. A legation is here to observe and report. Roll on the @ table below for the Prime Delegate and * table below for the 2-12 Delegates.

* Table (Delegates)

Roll for type: 1-2 Diabolus, 3-4 Plague Demon, 5-6 Netherworld Demon.

@ Table (Prime Delegates)

Roll for type: 1-2 Lesser Snake Demon, 3-4 Greater Shadow Demon, 5-6 Lesser Night Demon.

The All-Seeing Eye (#19/31, #353/365)

"This is allegedly the greatest viewing artifact in the multiverse; a mountain-sized black sphere of obsidian, housing within an epic eye, whose orange pupil within a black iris have scanned the cosmos since the dawn of time. Whereas scrying devices elsewhere in the Pit, such as the war-room of the Night Demons, focus on specific places or times, the Eye sees All. As such, an army of recorders and archivists has grown up around the Eye, dwelling in colonies of cell-like mud huts, focusing only on one particular aspect of the multiverse visible to the Eye. As with anything in the Pit, competition between these Eye-recorders is rife and collaboration is rare, resulting in vast seams of knowledge being collected with little, if any, effort put into collating such information into more useful and thus more dangerous formats."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 13)

Much knowledge is collected by the Eye, but its use and distribution is dissipated by the warring actions of the seven major Gazer-Clans of the Eye, whose myriad scrying devices, from crystal orbs to telescopes, are all directed at All the Eye Sees. The Eye is also attended by maintenance workers, visiting scholars and delegates and its own ecosystem of parasitic pests and symbiotic mini-avatars.

Roll two dice to determine potential encounters here on the table below (for any entry marked by a symbol, such as *, + or @, roll further on the appropriate sub-table, also below):

2 2-7 Visiting Scholars attempting to glean forbidden knowledge from the Eye. Roll for type: 1 Dark Elve Sorcerers, 2-3 Caarth Scryers, 4-5 Lizard Men Priests, 6 Brain Slayer Psionicists.

3 2-7 Attendant Eye Beasts. Roll for type: 1-2 Eye Stingers, 3-4 Diadrones, 5-6 Walking Mouths.

4 Gazer Clan: The Blinded Eye. Sphere: Nihilism. Anarchists who are attempting to destroy the Eye or impair its functioning. Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

5 Gazer Clan: The One True Eye. Sphere: Monomania. Fanatical zealots using the Eye to justify the power of their Chosen Truth. Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

6 Gazer Clan: The Twin Eyes. Sphere: Duality of Conflict. Each follower of one twin Eye hates the other faction more than the other Gazer Clans combined. Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

7 2-7 Maintenance workers. Roll for type: 1-2 Animated Cloth-bearing Hands polishing the surface of the Eye, 3-4 Demonspawn workers, cleaning the surroundings and exterminating pests and irritants, 5-6 Demonic Servant scribes, bearing 2-12 devices bearing lore gleaned from the Eye - roll for type of device (1-2 scroll, 3-4 recording orb, psy-sensitive mushroom) and lore (1-2 Demon Lore, 3-4 Religion Lore, 5-6 Undead Lore).

8 Gazer Clan: The Three Eyes. Sphere: Balance. Their belief in the equality of all views is sorely tested by the seething Chaos around them. Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

9 Gazer Clan: The Many Eyes. Sphere: Understanding. Jaded defeatists who realise that struggle is futile, and that there is no absolute truth, simply degrees of shadow and light that define one's soul. Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

10 Gazer Clan: Eyes! Eyes! Everywhere! Sphere: Paranoia. Insane mystics who claim the influence of the Eye upon All! It sees! It does! Your will is not your own! Roll on the @ table below for the Gazer Clan Chief and * table below for the 2-12 Gazer Clan Believers, and the + table below for the 3-18 Gazer Clan Followers.

11 2-7 Interfering Pests. Roll for type: 1-2 Mind Warp Beasts, 3-4 Quagrants, 5-6 Medusa Coven.

12 Delegation. A legation from the Palace of Agony is here to observe and report. Roll on the @ table below for the Prime Delegate and * table below for the 2-12 Delegates.

* Table (Delegates, Gazer Clan Chiefs)

Roll for type: 1-2 Diabolus, 3-4 Plague Demon, 5-6 Netherworld Demon.

@ Table (Prime Delegates, Gazer Clan Believers)

Roll for type: 1-2 Lesser Snake Demon, 3-4 Greater Shadow Demon, 5-6 Lesser Night Demon.

+ Table (Gazer Clan Followers)

Roll for type: 1-2 Minor Demon, 3-4 Demonic Servant 5-6 Demonspawn.

The Tower of the Wheel (#20/31, #354/365)

"This cyclopean tower of black basalt rises up from the surface of the Plane of Pain, a short distance from the Palace of Agony, and troops of demonic pilgrims and servitors readily travel between the two. The purpose of the Tower is to contain the great Wheel of Destiny, an enormous basalt disc that is spun to determine the fate of all souls brought before it (such as when a Demon's Essence is entirely drained from them). The precepts of the Wheel are many and varied; a Greater Demon brought here for being too nice may find themselves reborn as a Demonspawn galley-captive in a warship on the Plane of Blood; an evil Necromancer lusting after lost knowledge may find their sentience imbued in the blood moss that grows on the summit of the Palace of Agony. It is staffed by bureaucratic cults of demons skilled in both interpreting the whims and results of the Wheel, as well as carrying out their more explicit instructions savagely, personally and with extreme prejudice."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 13)

The Tower of the Wheel has been the sight of many dramatic denouements and rebirths. When especially propitious or ominous souls are scheduled for judgement, armies of tourists and spectators, along with the attendant hangers-on, are rife. In a Demonic campaign, this location could be the site of many dramatic adventures when a Demon's Essence is reduced to zero. Regardless, the Tower is always a hive of activity. 

Roll two dice to determine potential encounters here on the table below (for any entry marked by a symbol, such as *, + or @, roll further on the appropriate sub-table, also below):

2 Saviours! 1-3 Sumas are attempting to rescue the  soul of a Goodly champion from an unjust fate!

3 A Petitioner * and 2-7 Scribes +

4 A Condemned Demon * guarded by 2-7 Wheel Spinners (see below)

5 2-7 Wheel Spinners. Roll for type: 1-2. Spike Demons, 3-4. Hell Demons, 5-6. Rock Demons.

6 2-7 Wheelies. Strangely common in this region for some obscure reason! Roll for type: 1-2. Cleaners, with mops, 3. Maintenance, with hammers, 4. Mechanics, with wrenches, 5. Pilgrims of the Chaos Circle Rune Cult, 6. Priests of the Chaos Circle Rune Cult.

7 2-7 Scribes +

8 3-18 Pilgrims +

9 3-18 Spectators + and 1-6 Shysters (Roll for type: 1-2 Soulstealers, 3-4 Lesser Shadow Demons, 5-6 Hellfire Spirits)

10 A Lawyer * and 2-7 Scribes +

11 A Judge @ ,  2-4 Lawyers * , and 2-12 Scribes +

12 Delegation. A legation from the Palace of Agony is here to observe and report. Roll on the @ table below for the Prime Delegate and * table below for the 2-12 Delegates.

* Table (Petitioners, the Condemned, Lawyers and Delegates)

Roll for type: 1-2 Diabolus, 3-4 Plague Demon, 5-6 Netherworld Demon.

+ Table (Scribes, Pilgrims and Spectators)

Roll for type: 1-2 Minor Demon, 3-4 Demonic Servant 5-6 Demonspawn.

@ Table (Judges and Prime Delegates)

Roll for type: 1-2 Lesser Snake Demon, 3-4 Greater Shadow Demon, 5-6 Lesser Night Demon.

The Voidal Sump (#21/31, #355/365)

"This is an immense waterfall, composed entirely of blood, bile, ichor, slime and other effluvia, draining the Pit of waste as it billows down into the Void; the nothingness that exists outside of existence; infinitely large and eternal. Guilds of weird demonic scavengers exist here, picking over the scraps floating in the currents of the Sump's waters before they flow over the edge. Some of the scavengers are fast swimmers, others are flyers, and some skilled with various sorts of boats and water-craft, but all must move quickly lest they get stuck in the currents and are hurtled screaming into the Void themselves."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 13)

Anything that falls off the edge, into the Void, is effectively destroyed. Nevertheless, here at the Final Gateway to Doom exists a thriving ecosystem of chancers and scavengers, those right at the very bottom of the heap, scraping the residual dried film of scum off from the bottom of the very barrels of life itself. 

Roll two dice to determine potential encounters here on the table below:

2 Lithogen, whose mouth is a cave in the substrate wall behind the Sump.

3 Castaways, 1-6 on a rocky outcrop surrounded by the waters of the Sump. Roll for type: 1-2 Minor Demons, 3-4 Demonspawn, 5-6 Demonic Servants.

4 Flock of 2-7 Ectovults, flitting through the spray-mist of the falls, 1-in-6 chance each Ectovult has a Magic Object stored within their transparent body.

5 2-7 Demons on a flimsy fungal raft, netting for refuse. Roll for type: 1-2 Netherworld Demons, 3-4 Soulstealers, 5-6 Hellfire Spirits.

6 Flyers, flitting for flung garbage. Roll for type: 1-2. 2-4 Horned Demons, 3-4. 2-12 Lesser Shadow Demons (Minor), 5-6 4-24 Stygian Imps.

7 Swimmers on the Edge. Roll for type: 1-2. 2-7 Sea Demons, 3-4. 2-12 Yuemo, 5-6. 2-7 Muck Demons.

8 Floaters, drifting through the air. 1-3 Slime Demons in a floating gas-bubble dirigible, with 2-7 Quag-Shugguth along for the ride, and all with tentacles extended.

9 2-7 Demons in a warped wooden skiff, harpooning larger objects before they careen off the edge. Roll for type: 1-2 Hell Demons, 3-4 Smoke Demons, 5-6 Brimstone Demons.

10 Shoal of 2-7 Anemorus, patrolling the waters above the falls for scraps.

11 1-3 Barbmesh Plants, (CHAOS PLANT, SKILL 6 STAMINA 20, 4 Attacks, Tendrils or Large Bite, Heavy Armour, +1 to Damage Roll, Mutations: Gigantic, Throttle Loops (Test for Luck to avoid, or lose 2 STAMINA per Attack Round until cut free), Gaping Mouth, Tendrils). Large yellow tree with sprawling ochre net-like branches that grows on the sides of the Sump, sifting the waters of the fall with its foliage.

12 2-7 Shadow Entities flitting up from the Void: (Roll: 1, Shadow 2, Shadow Fiend 3, Shadow Ghoul 4, Shadow Monster 5, Shadow Self 6 Shadow Stalker)

A random sidewise yanking into an alternate dimension... (part one)

The Plane of Ichor (#14/31, #348/365)

"The Plane of Ichor is a quivering fungal plain, adorned with great living tentacled thread-forests, immense sporeballs scattered across the plant-scape, and hideous trembling swamps and lakes full of disturbing aquatic life. Amid the cloying murk and gloom rise gleaming pyramid-like temple cities; spires of purity amidst a sea of unrelenting decay. It is a place of endless death and rebirth; a cycle of life eternal, where one's own lifespan may be measured paradoxically by the blink of an eye or the infinite timeline of the universe, impossibly ancient and incalculably evil."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 10)

The corrupting fungal landscape of this plane is a patchwork of rival demonic domains ruled by individual Plague, Rust, Greater Shadow and Venom Demons. The decaying wilderness between these dominions is home to all manner of foul minions including warring tribes of savage Acid and Toad Demons, while deep in the darkness of the fungi jungles and thread-forests lurk truly hideous foes: Ishkarim, Death Spiders, Nanka and the Angaroc.

A map of the Demonic Pit itself can be found in the Rough Guide to the Pit (p. 38), as well as general encounter tables (pp. 39-41), and some notes on potential terrain and special features (pp. 31-33) relevant specifically to the Plane of Ichor. 

The Plane of Ichor is a place of rot and corruption. Any cloth, leather or wood items will gradually rot away to dust if they are not magical, enchanted or blessed in some way. Every week a Hero spends on the Plane of Ichor, they must decide what one cloth, leather or wood item (weapon, shield, armour etc.) has been lost to rot that week. As a result, if not magical, most items and implements are either made from bone, metal, rock or stone, or treated with potions that prevent rust.

The Necrotic Wilderness of Q'Yann (#15/31, #349/365)

"This eldritch realm means different things to different beings. It is an otherworldly dimension of unimaginable horror that will snap the mind of most mortals and cause them irrevocable insanity. Originally, it was thought to be the lair of an obscure Demon-Prince known as Rivel, who was subsequently imprisoned upon Titan. Its current master is a servant of Ishtra, known as Morpheus, and under the rule of Morpheus, Q'Yann has become a dream-world of enternal nightmares. Mawn Pretoragus, a necromancer who lived a century past in the Old World city of Blackhaven, was one of the few mortals who ventured to Q'Yann through his personal Door Beyond; unfortunately his abode and sanctum lies in ruins beneath the Blackhaven slums. Another intrepid adventurer, believed by some to be Stey Van Hund in his treatise Vampire Blood, wandered here accidentally and somehow remained sane, described Q'Yann thusly:

    ''The magic portal transported me across unguessable gulfs, and I was in a place that had not a single element of familiarity. It was night, but the breeze carried the perfume of unknown flowers; the shapes of the trees were all wrong. The moon was too big, too yellow. It seemed to have a sardonically winking face..."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 10)

As Morpheus is a minion of Ishtra, and aligned to the element of fire, this has caused some conflict on a plane more given over to the element of water. A local demonic potentate, the Scarlet Queen, has arisen in opposition to the rule of Morpheus, and dwells within Q'Yann, at the fortified Garden of Nightmares, from whence she sends forth her champions, a rogue company of Iron Demons, known as the Sisters of Silent Death to battle the Everchanging Legions of the Dream Lord. The Sisters carry a geas gifted to them by a long-forgotten demigod, though some point to Tanit for involvement. When a Sister is slain, she will instantly be reborn a second time as a Silent Death, hence the name of their chapter, disappearing only if they avenge themselves upon their slayer or die a second death trying in the attempt.

The Temple-Fortress of Ishtra (#16/31, #350/365)

"This is a series of heavily fortified pyramid-shaped temples, each carved eons ago from gigantic blocks of jade; the temples also contain gardens cultivating various horrific strains of carnivorous fungi. It is the lair of the Demon Lord Ishtra, one of the three eternal Snake Demons, though he prefers to take the form of a gigantic goat-headed crocodile, or a raging ball of energy, spitting streams of electrical sparks in all directions. Ishtra is particularly fascinated by fire, and so, unusually for the Plane of Ichor, his palace is staffed with various kinds of Fire Demons, Lava Demons, and other incendiary beasts. This extends to the temples themselves, with each of the three greatest pyramids housing a gigantic central chamber containing a fire that has been burning continously since the First Battle Elsewhere, there are subterranean catacombs and breeding pits, populated by a mutated hybrid denizens including Prowlers, Chaos Beast Men, and Hellhorns."

Vade Mecum Infernum by Aughm Lightchaser (p. 10)

The domain of Ishtra is the paradox that stands at the heart of this area of the Pit, where the Planes of Blood, Bile and Ichor all claim influence from the Magical Plane of Water, yet lack a Demon Lord to call their own. For Ishtra is an agent of Fire, a long-lost exile or a rank invader, and stands in opposition to the inherent elemental power of the Plane of Ichor. Sith is well at home on the Plane of Steel, allied with Earth, and likewise Myurr on the Plane of Rust, influenced by Air, so only the Demonic Thrones of Fire and Water remain empty (for Ishtra the Fire King is not on the Plane of Obsidian to claim his throne, and the identity and status of the Water Lord are unknown.)

As a result, while Ishtra claims ownership of this Plane and through Morpheus, the Realm of Q'Yann, that influnce is always being contested. There is eternal warfare in the fungus jungles here, between the bestial troops of Ishtra, led by Fire Demons, whose patrols are under constant attack from the demons indigenous to the area, mainly feuding tribes of Acid and Toad Demons, lead by rival potentates of many a varied demonic stripe.

In addition, the Temple-Fortress of Ishtra is a gigantic shrine to the everburning Flames of the First Battle, and documented thusly:

"This magical flame dates from when a combined fire-bolt from the Sun Goddess Glantanka, Kilanirax the Dragon King and Galana the Veiled Sorceress, blew apart the Time God Chronada. After the First Battle, the Demon Prince Ishtra collected some burning embers of the fiery remains of Chronada's charred corpse, and brought them here to his temple-fortress, where the flames have burned continuously for millenia, in the great halls of the three largest jade pyramids."

Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 147)

Because of this, extra-planar incursions braving the mystic defences of the temple-fortress (aided perhaps by the elemental opposition and instability of the region) are not uncommon, usually by various beings intent on tempering their weapons in these eternal tongues of fire, including crusading adventurers (such as Stey Van Hund), Chaos Warlords, evil Demonologists and assorted other folk intent on fighting for or against Demons and their ilk.

Accessed only by the silver key...

(Note: both of these chambers can only be accessed by the Silver Key)

Tomb of the Companions (#12/31, #346/365)

"This is an opulent chamber whose walls are carved with elaborate inscriptions in Djaratian script. In the centre of the chamber are six immense sarcophagi, whose outer lids have been sculpted to represent courtiers, consorts and viziers."

Contents: The sarcophagi contain the mummified remains of six of the Emperor's favourite courtiers, consorts and viziers, entombed with him in death to be reborn as GREAT MUMMIES, extremely powerful undead servants and guardians. As soon as the Heroes touch the sarcophagi, the Great Mummies will erupt forth and attack!

In each sarcophagus is a bag of 3-36 ancient Djaratian gold coins, 1-3 canopic jars (carved from Agate and worth 50GP each) containing nothing but dust, and a gold ceremonial head-dress adorned with small sapphires emeralds and obsidian pieces worth 200GP total.

Stats:

6 GREAT MUMMIES, SKILL 10 STAMINA 22, 2 Attacks, Small Claw, +1 to Damage Roll. Great Mummies are immune to all attacks and will reanimate 20 minutes after being 'slain' and hunt their attackers down. They can only be permanently killed by magical weapons or spells. These are also fire-proof and immune to damage.

Treasury of the Emperor (#13/31, #347/365)

"This large, high-ceilinged chamber contains ten caskets carved completely from stone. The walls are unmarked, the air thick with dust, the atmosphere dank and oppressive. What could be within these ancient caskets?"

Contents: This is the treasury of the Emperor of Djarat. Each casket contains various treasures from Djarat, entombed with the Emperor after his demise. Each casket is trapped - roll on the table below to determine the nature of the trap:

2 Haunted

3 Fungi

4 Electrical

5 Blade

6 Fire

7 Gas

8 Poison Needle

9 Poison Darts

10 Acid

11 Explosion

12 Magical

All traps are described in Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 33-38). Note that some traps may trigger a cascade of events - a Fire trap set off immediately after a Gas trap may ignite, causing an Explosion trap to detonate.

If all ten traps are set off (as opposed to being successfully disarmed), a futher trap is set off - a stone slab slides down and seals off the only exit!

The contents of the caskets are as follows:

• 1786 Gold Pieces
  
• 7 Sapphires (30GP each), 5 Diamonds (50 GP each), 4 Gold Nuggets (40GP each), in separate tattered cloth bags
  
• 4 Elephant Tusks (50GP each)
  
• Gold jewellery (2-12 random items, each worth 25GP)
  
• bales of wheat, long since rotted away and into dust
  
• bales of barley, long since rotted away and into dust
  
• bales of silk, long since rotted away and into dust
  
• an enormous tapestry, long since rotted away and into dust
  
• blocks of spices, long since rotted away and into dust
  
• Two ivory scroll cases (10GP each) containing a papyrus Scroll of Agonizing Doom and a papyrus Scroll of Time (both inscribed in Djaratian), an Eye of Amber, a Jewel-Studded Medallion, four ceramic bottles containing a Doppleganger Potion, a Potion of Heat Resistance, a Potion of Mind Control and a Potion of Trap Control, a pouch of ten Black Pearls, a Silver Scorpion Brooch, an Amulet of Opening, a Bracelet of Zombie Control, and a Ring of Wishes (2 left)
  

More silent vestibules in the darkness...

Soldiers' Tomb (#9/31, #343/365)

"You enter a large chamber, atop a small stone platform with rocky steps leading down to the main floor, which is crowded with rows of skeletal soldiers, armed with curved swords and clad in bronze scale armour. Many of them have collapsed into small piles of bones leaving large gaps in the ranks, but, eeriely, as you enter the room all the skulls of the remaining skeletons snap in your direction, eyeing you warily."

Contents: These Skeleton Warriors are the remaining legionaries of the Djaratian Emperor. They will attack anyone who descends to the floor, who is not Undead, a Necromancer, Demonologist or Black Sorcerer, or a bearer of the Ring of the Black Skull. Otherwise, they will merely stand where they are, though watching the entry platform. If commanded as a fighting force, their Mass Combat stats are given below.

Stats:

8-48 SKELETON WARRIORS, SKILL 8 STAMINA 6, Khopesh (as per Scimitar), Scale Armour, Large Shield. Bladed and pointed weapons cause 1 STAMINA damage, blunt and crushing weapons do full damage.

Mass Combat stats: 

SKELETON WARRIOR INFANTRY

Battle Skill: 8

Battle Stamina: 6

Attacks: 1

Morale: 8

Movement: 4

Special: Undead

Weapons: Khopesh (as per Scimitar)

Armour: Scale Armour, Large Shield

Numbers: 8-48

Cavalry Tomb (#10/31, #344/365)

"You enter a large chamber, atop a small stone platform with rocky steps leading down to the main floor, which is crowded with rows of skeletal horses, on which sit skeletal soldiers, armed with spears, shortbows, and clad in bronze scale armour. Many of them have collapsed into small piles of bones leaving large gaps in the ranks, but, eerily, as you enter the room all the skulls of the remaining skeletons, both soldiers and horses, snap in your direction, eyeing you warily."

Contents: These Skeleton Warriors and their Skeletal Steeds are the remaining cavalry legionaries of the Djaratian Emperor. They will attack anyone who descends to the floor, who is not Undead, a Necromancer, Demonologist or Black Sorcerer, or a bearer of the Ring of the Black Skull. Otherwise, they will merely stand where they are, though watching the entry platform. If commanded as a fighting force, their Mass Combat stats are given below.

Stats:

8-48 UNDEAD (SKELETAL) STEEDS, SKILL 7 STAMINA 7, Hooves (as per Large Claw. Bladed and pointed weapons cause 1 STAMINA damage, blunt and crushing weapons do full damage.

8-48 SKELETON WARRIORS (one for each steed), SKILL 8 STAMINA 6, Spear, Short Bow, Khopesh (as per Scimitar), Scale Armour, Large Shield. Bladed and pointed weapons cause 1 STAMINA damage, blunt and crushing weapons do full damage.

Mass Combat stats:  

SKELETON HEAVY CAVALRY

Battle Skill: 8

Battle Stamina: 7

Attacks: 2

Morale: 8

Movement: 8

Special: Undead

Weapons: Spear, Long Bow, Hooves

Armour: Scale Armour, Large Shield

Numbers: 8-48

Keeper of the Silver Key (#11/31, #345/365)

"This is an opulent chamber whose walls are carved with elaborate inscriptions in Djaratian script. In the centre of the chamber are three immense sarcophagi, whose outer lids have been sculpted to represent fearsome warriors."

Contents: The sarcophagi contain the mummified remains of Commander-Marshall Ilkya-Tenkanen the Malevolent and two of his strongest and most loyal bodyguards, entombed with him in death to be reborn as REVENANTS, extremely powerful undead servants and guardians. As soon as the Heroes touch the sarcophagi, all Revenants will erupt forth and attack!

The inscriptions on the walls detail the lives of this might warrior and his conquests over the newly risen Caarth, various Orc tribes and the armies of neighbouring nations.

In each sarcophagus is a bag of 4-48 ancient Djaratian gold coins, 1-3 canopic jars (carved from Agate and worth 50GP each) containing nothing but dust, and a gold ceremonial head-dress adorned with small sapphires emeralds and obsidian pieces worth 200GP total. In addition to his magical weapon and armour (see stats below), Ilkya-Tenkanen also has two unique magical objects - the Ring of the Black Skull and the Silver Key.

Ring of the Black Skull: This bronze ring bears a flat obsidian stud carved in the shape of a black skull. The ring is dedicated to Quezkari, God of Dark Sorcery, and can only be worn by followers of Quezkari, Undead creatures, or spellcasters with at least 2 points in Necromancy. The ring allows the wearer to command up to 100 Undead troops.

Silver Key: This is the only known key that opens the Emperor's Tomb and Treasury.

Stats:

Commander-Marshall Ilkya-Tenkanen the Malevolent, GRAND REVENANT, SKILL 10 STAMINA 14, Green Metal Khopesh (as per Scimitar), Black Steel Plate Armour, Large Shield. Bladed and pointed weapons cause 1 STAMINA damage, blunt and crushing weapons do full damage. Grand Revenants can only be slain by powerful enchanted objects, such as a vial of Blackfire or a flask of Oil of Disenchantment, All other attacks will appear to cause damage only for the creature's bones to knit together and for it to jump back on its feet, ready to carry on the attack!

Ilkya's Green Metal Khopesh functions as a Sword of Sharpness, their shield is an Arrow-Proof Shield, and their Black Steel Plate Armour is a suit of Armour of Protections, while they wear the Ring of the Black Skull (see above) on a skeletal finger of their left hand and keep the Silver Key on a pendant around their neck. To claim these though, it is necessary to permanently slay the Grand Revenant (see above).

2 LESSER REVENANTS, SKILL 9 STAMINA 8, Khopesh (as per Scimitar), Scale Armour, Large Shield. Bladed and pointed weapons cause 1 STAMINA damage, blunt and crushing weapons do full damage.

An undead scaly mouth-breather...

Lair of the Guardian (#8/31, #342/365)

"This enormous room is more cave than chamber; some walls having been laid with clay bricks and carved, while others are bare dusty rock. There is an awful stench in the air, and scattered across the floor are the dismembered and dessicated remains of several apparent humanoids. The far wall is all clay brick, but in front of it is a mound of bones and scales and skin, at least that is what you think it is, before the whole thing starts to rise up into a worryingly familiar dragon-like form..."

Contents: This is a Kragon called Alazrak-Thuban (the "Azure Serpent"), once a mighty Blue Dragon and flying steed of Djaratian Lich-Kings and Mummy-Lords, but now a decaying undead hulk, guarding the tomb of its master. Alazrak, by sheer dint of will, retains something of its former intelligence and powers; it can, for example, still breathe lightning bolts at adversaries, although somewhat lower-powered than they were when it was truly alive.

Alazrak only speaks Dragon and Djaratian; it will attack all who cannot converse with it in those tongues. If spoken to however, Alazrak will demand treasure from those it perceives as weaker than it, but its evaluation skills are lacking, and any remotely valuable looking curio will probably buy safe passage from this chamber. If confronted with more powerful entities, Alazarak will plead ignorance of this chamber (such as the trap below, and the need for a Silver Key, although it does actually know these things, as well as the secret exit above), and allow Heroes to poke about, but will prefer to keep its limited treasure safe.

The far wall is a locked, trapped slab leading onwards, and requires the Silver Key to open, using a keyhole in the centre of the slab. Any other keys that are used, or attempts to pick the lock, triggers a bronze-axe pendulum blade trap, that will swing down and slice through anyone standing around the far wall (Test for Luck to avoid or lose 5 STAMINA damage less Armour).

If anyone actually bothers to look up, they will notice a very high, rocky ceiling to the chamber. Hidden up here is a large entrance, big enough for a Dragon, that leads to the Chasm of Doom (and from there, outside).

Stats:

Alazrak-Thuban, an undead Blue KRAGON, SKILL 14 STAMINA 28, 4 Attacks, Very Large Claws and Bite, Heavy Armour, Double Damage. For the first Attack Round, and every third Attack Round thereafter, the Kragon can breathe a lightning bolt at one target, who must Test their Luck to avoid; it does 4 STAMINA damage, which is doubled if the target wears metal armour (see also Return to the Pit, pp. 119-120).

Kragons do not normally collect treasure, however, Alazrak has slain several tomb-robbers and adventurers over the years, and some valuables can be found among their bones, namely 127GP in mixed coins, a slightly rusty but useable grappling hook, an large iron shield, a dusty bag with 4 Sapphires (worth 10GP each), a Throwing Dagger of Caarth-Slaying (carved from a Giant Sandworm tooth), and a Bronze Scorpion Brooch, charged with two more uses.

Mirrors, shadows and traps...

The Hall of Souls (#7/30, #341/365)

"You have entered some sort of long pillared antechamber, with tall columns of strange glittering black stone, while at the far end, you spy a weird irregular green glow, bobbing up and down on the wall, that appears to be getting larger as you edge towards it."

Contents: This antechamber is the main entrance to the tombs beyond and is heavily trapped with both physical and magical snares:

1. Between each pair of pillars are dart traps triggered by a clay tile being trod upon in the central path through the pillars. It requires a Test for Luck or Skill to avoid, otherwise the victim is hit by a poison dart causing 2-7 STAMINA points of damage.

2. Each pillar is magically enchanted to create a TULPA monster copy of anyone standing too close to the pillar and causing a reflection. The Tulpa will have the same current SKILL and STAMINA as the victim, the same (non-magical) weapons and armour, but no LUCK attribute. They will fight the victim to the death, but if slain both they and the pillar they came from will shatter into shards of black glass, causing 1-6 STAMINA damage to anyone nearby.

3. If all pillars are destroyed, the ceiling will immediately collapse over 2-7 Attack Rounds, causing 1-6 STAMINA damage each Attack Round due to falling masonry to anyone present in the chamber.

4. The far wall is a weird slab of reflective green stone; if the Heroes stand before it with a light source, this will activate a SHADOW FIEND, one for every Hero present, who will then attack. If all the Shadow Fiends are slain, the wall will crumble into chunks of green stone, revealing a dark passageway leading onwards.

Stats:

TULPA, SKILL as victim STAMINA as victim, Weapon as normal version of the victim's, armour as normal version of the victim's.

SHADOW FIEND, SKILL 11 STAMINA 13, Choking Hands, only harmed by magical weapons.

Under-Fiends of the Maintenance Corridors...

Fiend Bunkhouse (#5/31, #339/365)

"This room is a barracks of some sort and very warm to enter. Flaming torches blaze on every wall and there are brass mirrors everywhere, reflecting light and heat. Against one wall are a series of copper urns, padded out with blankets and pillows, while in the centre of the room is a flat black stone table, set up with some sort of board game made from ivory pieces.

Roll a die. On a 1-2:

"Sleeping in the urns are half a dozen red scaly Fiends, snoring their heads off and dead to the world. Their weapons are dumped on the floor next to each urn."

On a 3-6:

"Seated at the table are half a dozen red scaly Fiends, drinking liquor from clay gourds, and playing the board game. They look up at your approach."

'Fancy a game?' one of them says."

Contents: The Fiends are currently playing a game of Tenet (see Curse of the Mummy, p. 274) but are bored, and will happily challenge Heroes to a game or two, for either cash wagers, information, or access to passage onward.

If attacked at least one of them will smash a Potion of Noise upon the floor, while the rest calmly insert their ear plugs before attacking, while at least one will head off to get reinforcements.

If the Fiends are sleeping, the Heroes may attempt to sneak through the chamber, but attempting to murder the Fiends in their sleep will wake at least one of them up, who will raise the alarm.

Stats:

6 FIEND Maintenance Workers: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Spear or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. 

The Fiends have 1-6 GP, and ear plugs, and three of them also have Potions of Noise.

The Tenet gameboard and pieces are made from ivory and ebony, and are in excellent condition. They could be worth 100-600GP to a collector of Djaratian antiquities.

Also on the table are six clay gourds, and a jug of Shroomshine.

Fiend Messhouse (#6/31, #340/365)

"This large chamber contains several long tables with stone benches. At the far end of the room, a red scaly Fiend is stirring a pot on a low fire, next to a table covered in foodstuffs of various types and sources, alongside a stone casket and three barrels. A bunch of Fiends and other weird creatures are seated at the tables and eating and drinking, and all look up at your entrance."

Contents: This is the main eating chamber of the Fiends who maintain the various aspects of the Road to Bisu, as well as any other underground reprobates that have cared to join them. At any time, in addition to Vrek the FIEND Brewer-Cook, three other groups of creatures will be eating or drinking in here; roll on the Clientele Table below to determine who. How they react depends on the Heroes' situation; if the Heroes are covered in Fiend blood from previous encounters then the creatures will attack immediately.

However, if the Heroes are more friendly, or accompanied by Fiends or other allied creatures, Vrek will assume they are hungry and offer them a bill of fare (see below). The Fiends may even challenge them to an Shroomshine drinking competition (not recommended!).

Ye Bille of Faire (available food and drink):

Orc Ale, 5SP per pint

Shroomshine Liquor, 1GP per gourd, 5GP per jug

Spleen Eleven Spirit, 2GP per shot

Giant Lizard Steak, 3GP, restores 1-3 STAMINA

Mudworm Soup, 1GP, -1-3 STAMINA to any non-Goblins or Troglodytes

Giant Slug Escargot, 5GP, -1-3 STAMINA to any non-Flayers or Brain Slayers. 

Stats:

Vrek, FIEND Brewer-Cook: SKILL 7 STAMINA 10, Sword or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. Vrek has 2-12GP, earplugs, a Potion of Noise, a flask of Shroomshine Grog, and a slim book in both Orcish and the Goblin language, entitled "Badduz's Special Brewz" that appears to be full of recipes for fungi-based alcohol beverages, including Shroomshine Grog, and a strange purple syrup called Spleen Eleven.

In an enormous stone casket containing an ICE MITE (SKILL 8 STAMINA 2) in a brass cage, are 2-12 haunches of prepared meat, equal to an equivalent number of provisions. Next to this are three lead-lined barrels containing Shroomshine, Guursh and Spleen Eleven.

Clientele:

To determine the customers roll three times on the following table:

First Roll 1-3: FIENDS!

Second Roll 1: 2-7 FIEND Maintenance Workers: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Spear or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The Maintenance Workers have 1-6 GP, ear plugs, and a Potion of Noise each. One of them has keys to all the grilles on their maintenance rotation. Drinking Shroomshine and bitching about the Beastkeepers not doing their jobs.

Second Roll 2: 2-7 FIEND Beastkeepers: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Spear or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The Beastkeepers have 1-6 GP, ear plugs, and a Potion of Noise each. One of them has keys to all the grilles on their feeding rotation. Drinking Shroomshine and bitching about the Maintenance Workers not doing their jobs.

Second Roll 3: 2-4 FIEND Gardeners: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Sickle or Trowel (as per Improvised) or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The Gardeners have 1-6 GP, and ear plugs, and two of them also have Potions of Noise. Drinking Spleen Eleven from tiny clay tumblers and yelling incoherently at each other, as they are all a bit hard of hearing.

Second Roll 4: 2-4 FIEND Meat-Preparers: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Cleaver or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The Meat-Preparers have 1-6 GP, and ear plugs, and one of them also has a Potion of Noise. Drinking Shroomshine and boasting about the biggest monsters they've had to slice and dice recently, and who got hit the hardest with the resultant arterial spray/bile eruption/burst intestinal tract.

Second Roll 5: 2-7 FIEND Guards: SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Spear or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The guards have 1-6 GP, and ear plugs, and all of them also have Potions of Noise. Drinking Shroomshine and bitching about Guard duty rotations and the everlasting tedium of being a lonely dungeon sentinel.

Second Roll 6: The Senior Leadership Team. Khorthax and Vengorfing have deigned to visit the Messhouse to 'catch the wind's whispers' as it were. Ostentatiously drinking glass tumblers of water.

First Roll 4-6: "Other weird creatures..."

Second Roll 1: 2-4 Flayers and 1 Brain Slayer: big game hunters from Grx, with tentacle nets and poison tridents. Brain Slayer has purple steel plate armour and a blue glowing Force-Glaive. Drinking Shroomshine and looking intimidating in a tentacular sort of way.

Second Roll 2: 2-4 N'yadach: hunters in banded armour, with clubs and rope. Drinking Shroomshine and just looking plain angry.

Second Roll 3: 2-4 Spider Cultists: in ragged spider-shaped cloaks, with daggers covered in Spider Venom. Sipping tiny thimbles of Spleen Eleven and acting furtive.

Second Roll 4: 2-4 Skeleton Men: mercenaries, wearing breastplates and wielding swords. Drinking Guursh from clay tankards and spoiling for a fight with people who have more flesh on their bones.

Second Roll 5: 2-7 Dark Goblins: trappers with iron armour, nets and spears. Professionals, sipping at Shroomshine and looking disdainful at all others.

Second Roll 6: 2-12 Troglodytes: tribal warriors in warpaint, armed with obsidian knives, short bows, and arrows coated in fungal poison. Absolutely plastered on a big clay jug of Shroomshine, into which have been inserted numerous papyrus straws.