d20 Crooked Staff Productions A Typical Tomb.pdf

A Typical Tomb

A Dungeons & Dragons ® d20 adventure

supplement suitable for low level characters

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/hosted/csp

A Typical Tomb

Getting Started

Adventure Hooks

To use this adventure supplement you will require

use of the Dungeons & Dragons ® Players Handbook

(third edition) published by Wizards of the Coast ® .

Following are a number of circumstances in which

you may find this mini-adventure useful, as well as

several ideas on how to use this supplement as an

adventure in itself.

y The adventurers are simply journeying from A to B

and happen to spot the ancient burial mound along

the way.

y The adventurers are looking for a place to shelter

during extreme weather conditions and stumble

across the burial mound.

y During a separate dungeon adventure, the PC’s

have had a run of luck - easily defeating /

bypassing most of the obstacles placed before

them. Therefore you may like to add a secret door

within the existing dungeon that leads to the

entrance of this ancient subterranean crypt (thus

adding a few more hazards to the adventure).

y The adventurers have simply ‘wondered off’ (much

to your displeasure) to see what that mysterious

‘ruin’ or ‘tomb’ icon is on the campaign / treasure

map.

y The adventure at hand takes place in a graveyard or

amongst other burial mounds / mausoleums / etc.,

and the PC’s insist on ‘checking-out’ one of the

other tombs as well.

Introduction

PC’s, on the whole, can be an unpredictable lot,

suddenly going off in completely the opposite direction

to that which you (the DM) had planned, or insisting on

visiting a possible adventure area that appears on their

campaign map - but which you have not designed yet.

This is where a ‘side-track’ adventure may be able to

help. The basic idea behind these ‘mini-adventure’

supplements is that, while they can be used as small

adventures on their own, they can also be ‘inserted’ into

an existing adventure or campaign as an extra area for

your players to explore.

Each ‘side-track’ adventure therefore concentrates

solely on the ‘dungeon’ aspect of the encounter(s), and

contains full colour floor-plans for use with your

25-30mm miniatures (if you so desire). Even if you

don’t use miniatures, using the floorplans to show the

layout of the dungeon is a great time saver (rather than

having to quote the exact room dimensions for the

party’s mapper all of the time).

With any luck, these ‘side-track’ adventures may

help you create a more believable world for your

players to explore - after all, it’s always a good idea to

have a back-up dungeon or two up your sleeve for those

times when your players seem to ignore every hint you

throw at them and go off at a complete tangent.

The Dungeon Layout

Background Information

& Adventure Summary

This adventure supplement details the layout of a

small burial mound. Although the default entrance

description is that of a simple circular burial mound

(most likely located on the outskirts of an old town or

village), the tomb itself could be found within an

existing dungeon, carved into the base of a mountain, or

even be part of some kind of organised excavation…

the possibilities are endless.

Within the dungeon are the regular mix of traps to

avoid, monsters to overcome, and puzzles to solve, all

of which lead to the inevitable treasure trove at the end.

All in all, this is a pretty straightforward supplement

to run (and play), which should (hopefully) prove useful

should you require a burial mound or crypt style

adventure… and need one fast!

The Dungeon

Entrance

Junction

Two large marble pillars flank the entrance to this

ancient tomb, in-between which lies a rusty old iron

door sitting slightly ajar. The door itself is held in

place by three huge corroded hinges that look more

than adequate to support it’s weight, and around it’s

weather-beaten handle is fastened a sturdy chain

threaded though an old rusting padlock.

The passage runs for around 25’ to the north - at the

end of which is rotten wooden door. At the half way

point of this narrow corridor there is also a

cross-roads type junction - with similar passages

leading off to the east and to the west.

Once the centre of the junction is reached:

Both east and west passages run for a short distance,

at the end of which lie yet more doors. The door to

the west is an ancient looking wooden construction

while the one to the east looks almost identical to

the iron door at the entrance except for some kind of

rusted metallic plaque or ornate design upon it.

In order to gain access to the tomb the character(s) will

need to break trough the chain or padlock to open the

door. The padlock itself cannot be opened (or picked),

as it is so old that all the internal workings have

corroded.

Padlock & Chain : Hardness 6; hp 5; Break DC22.

If a successful listen check (DC15) is made at the

western door, the character will hear a slight hissing

sound in the room beyond (which is from the snake

residing within). If a successful search check (DC10) is

made upon the same door, the character will discover a

small hole in the bottom of the door (just enough for the

snake to fit through). If a character peeks through the

hole and has darkvision he/she will spot the snake

coiled up in the room beyond the door - but will be able

to see little else. If a character tosses anything into the

room through the gap, or places a light source next to

the gap (to illuminate what’s beyond) - the snake will

flee and hide in one of the corners. If this happens, any

character that peeks through the hole will need to make

a successful spot check (versus the snake’s hide check)

to discover the animal lurking inside.

(Note that the hardness and Break DC of the above have

been reduced due to the iron’s corroded nature)

In addition if a character searches the entrance to the

tomb, he/she will discover (on a successful search check

DC15) some strange archaic runic symbols above the

doorway.

If the runes are discovered:

Above the door, slightly protruding from the stone

lintel, you discover a row of strange archaic runes

that have almost been worn flat by the elements and

the passage of time.

A successful Decipher Script check (DC20) will allow a

character to roughly understand that the runes indicate

that this is the tomb of Lord Hearra Gârmann II.

If the eastern door is examined:

2. Pit Room

Note that the character(s) will require a light source (or

have darkvision) to see any of the following areas

within the dungeon.

When the entrance door is opened:

Upon further inspection you discover that the

metallic object is not a plaque at all, but instead

looks to be some kind of complex locking

mechanism. Set into the mechanism itself is a recess

of a five pointed star, below which there is a small

inscription covered in dust.

The ancient door creaks open to reveal a short dusty

corridor that runs for around 5ft before opening out

into a dingy looking room. In the centre of this small

square chamber is a long chasm that stretches across

the entire width of the room, while to the north

(across from the chasm) there is another narrow

passage that leads off into darkness.

To read the inscription a character will have to remove

the dust from the mechanism to be able to examine it

properly. However doing so will require that the

character make a Fort save (DC10) or suffer a bout of

sneezing (-2 penalty to all rolls) for d6 turns.

Once a character is able to see the inscription clearly,

he/she will see that it reads as follows:

Note: if any character(s) can see further (if they have

darkvision for example) you may also read aloud the

first description of area 3.

The chasm that stretches across the width of the room is

5ft wide x 20ft deep, and any character may attempt to

jump the pit in the normal way. If a character falls into

the pit he/she will suffer 2d6 points of damage as a

result of the fall, and will require a successful climb

check (DC20) to climb out.

Two to the right and the same again,

back to the start, and your journey’s end.

To operate the locking mechanism (and thus open the

door) a character must place the star amulet (from the

ghoul in area 5) into the star shaped recess of the door

and turn it as directed in the above riddle (i.e. four times

to the right and four times to the left).

Iron Door : AC5; Hardness 10; hp 60; Break DC 28.

The door at the end of the northern passage is trapped

with a wall spikes trap (see below) that is triggered by

anyone who attempts to open the door.

Wall Spikes Trap : CR1; +4 melee (2 blades for 1d4

points of damage per successful hit); Search (DC 20);

Disable Device (DC 20).

The wall spikes trap consists of two 3ft long metal

spikes, each of which are concealed in opposite walls,

and at different heights. The top spike shoots out at

around 5ft from the floor while the distance between the

lower spike and the ground is around 3ft. Obviously any

character who is shorter than a particular spike (or is

crouching below it) will not be affected by that

particular attack.

Burial Chamber

A waft of stale are greets your nostrils as you open

the door into a large unlit chamber. Upon the far

wall, sitting under a thick blanket of dust, is an large

ornate sarcophagus with it’s lid still in place though

cracked into two equal sized pieces. Other than that,

this grim mausoleum lies empty.

Each half of the sarcophagus’ lid weighs 500 lb, and so

any character wishing to open the tomb must therefore

be able to push or drag this weight in order to be

successful (note that multiple characters may try to

remove each part of the lid together - effectively adding

their push/drag capacities together).

Sarcophagus lid : Hardness 8; HP 30; Break DC 28.

If the tomb is opened:

Viper Lair

The door swings into a small square room roughly

15ft wide, with faded decorations barely visible on

the crumbling plaster-covered walls. In the centre of

the room, coiled and ready to spring, is a small but

rather angry looking snake, that hisses in protest to

the disturbance.

As the first half of the tomb lid falls free you notice

a slight movement within the confines of the

darkened sarcophagus. Within a heartbeat, the

tombs occupant, a gaunt figure dressed in tattered

rags, sits up and turns the disturbing gaze of it’s

milky-white eyes upon YOU - the defiler of it’s

tomb!

(note: if the snake attempted to hide before the door was

opened, it will be found in the corner of the room - not

the centre).

At this point you should roll for initiative (i.e. before

the ghoul has fully emerged from the sarcophagus). If

the undead creature it attacked while still seated in the

tomb it is considered to have half cover (+4 AC & +2 to

Reflex saves). On the ghoul’s turn it will push itself to

it’s feet (a move equivalent action that does not provoke

an AoO - as it has more than one half cover), and then

attack anyone within it’s reach.

As long as the snake in this room is left alone it will not

cause the character(s) any trouble. However if a

character enters the room, attacks the snake, or does

anything that would disturb it - the animal will become

hostile.

Snake, Viper : CR1; medium size animal; HD 2d8;

hp 9; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 20ft, climb 20ft, swim 20ft;

AC16#; Atk +4 melee (1d4-1 and poison, bite); SA

poison; SQ scent; AL N; Sv Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1;

Str 8, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.

Skills and Feats : Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12,

Listen +9, Spot +9; Weapon Finesse (bite).

Special Attack : Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save DC 11;

initial and secondary damage 1d6 temporary

Constitution.

Special Qualities : Scent (Ex): The viper can detect an

opponent’s presence but not its specific location within

30 ft (60ft upwind / 15ft downwind). If it moves within

5 feet of the scent’s source, the viper can pinpoint that

source. The viper can also follow tracks by smell,

making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track.

When the ghoul rises:

The gruesome undead figure pushes itself to it’s

feet, an old dusty amulet swinging about it’s neck as

it does so. Hissing something indecipherable

through it’s sharp needle-like teeth, the foul creature

readies it’s long claws and prepares to attack.

Ghoul : CR1; medium-size undead; HD 2d12; hp 13;

Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30ft; AC14; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1

and paralysis, bite, +0 melee (1d3 and paralysis [x2],

claws); SA paralysis, create spawn; SQ undead, +2 turn

resistance; AL CE; Sv Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 13,

Dex 15, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.

Skills and Feats : Climb +6, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7,

Intuit Direction +3, Jump +6, Listen +7, Move Silently

+7, Search +6, Spot +7; Multiattack, Weapon Finesse

(bite).

Special Attacks : Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s

bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC

14) or be paralysed for 1d6+2 minutes. Elves are

immune to this paralysis; Create Spawn (Su): In most

cases, ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time,

however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where

they fell, to rise as ghouls themselves in 1d4 days.

If a character examines the walls:

The decoration upon the walls is somewhat difficult

to make out in it’s current condition, but you can see

what looks to be various depictions of battles and

perhaps a portrait of a man with a star shaped amulet

around his neck.

Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of

that time averts the transformation.

Special Qualities : Undead: Immune to mind-influencing

effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease.

Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability

damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Once the ghoul has been dealt with, the character(s)

may remove the star shaped amulet from the creature’s

neck - which may then be used to open the door that

leads into area 6. Searching the inside of the

sarcophagus will reveal nothing.

Scaling The Adventure

For a higher level party (e.g. level 3-4) you may find it

beneficial to alter this adventure slightly - so that it

proves more challenging to your players. If this is the

case, it is suggested that you replace the ghoul found in

area 5 with a wight, and replace the wall spikes trap on

the burial chamber door with a swinging blades trap

(see description below). Note that in the case of the

swinging blades trap - the trap is triggered by a pressure

plate at the junction of the passages in area 3 - not on

the door itself. Treading on the pressure plate will start

the blades in motion - which appear 5ft and 10ft away

from the burial chamber door.

6. Treasure Chamber

The lock ‘clicks’ and is then followed by a loud

squeaking sound as the door swings open to reveal a

small square room. Directly opposite, underneath

years of dust and tiny cobwebs, lies an old wooden

chest with a similar star shaped locking mechanism

set into it’s lid.

Wight : CR3; medium-size undead; HD 4d12; hp 26;

Init +1 (Dex); Spd 30ft; AC15; Atk +3 melee (1d4+1

and energy drain, slam); SA energy drain, create spawn;

SQ Undead; AL LE; Sv Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5; Str

12, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15.

Skills and Feats : Climb +5, Hide +8, Listen +8, Move

Silently +16, Search +7, Spot +8; Blind-Fight.

Special Attack : Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit

by a wight’s slam attack receive one negative level. The

Fortitude save to remove the negative level has a DC of

14; Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a wight

becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the

command of the wight that created them and remain

enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the

abilities they had in life.

Special Qualities : Undead: Immune to mind-influencing

effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease.

Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability

damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

If the character examines the chest:

Just below the lock you can make out the phrase:

“Turn in the right direction,

or be left with disappointment.”

For the chest to be opened a character needs to insert

the same amulet that opened the door to this room, into

the lock of the chest and turn it to the right. If a

characters instead turns the amulet to the left, he/she

will trigger a 20ft deep pit trap (directly in front of the

chest).

Pit Trap : CR2; no attack roll necessary (2d6);

Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 25); Disable

Device (DC 20).

Swinging Blades Trap : CR3; +6 melee (2d6) or no

attack roll & Reflex save (DC20) avoids; Search (DC

20); Disable Device (DC 25).

Chest : Hardness 5; HP 15; Break DC 23.

Note that once the amulet key has been used to open the

chest it will become stuck in the lock (tough it may be

turned more than once - for example, if the character

has triggered the pit trap and would like to try and open

the chest again)

Inside the chest is an Amulet of Natural Armour +1*

and 1000 ancient gold coins. The amulet itself is in the

form of a another five pointed star and is crafted from

some kind of animal bone. When worn, the amulet

toughens the wearer’s body and flesh, giving him/her a

natural armour bonus of +1 (to AC).

This trap consists of 2 large battle-axe type blades that

swing side to side within a narrow corridor or passage.

The blades are placed roughly 5ft apart - thus giving a

character (with a 5ft x 5ft facing) room to stand

between them without fear of being hit. To successfully

traverse the trap a character must choose to either

‘dodge’ past the blades (and thus make a reflex save for

each blade attempted), or try to battle their way through

(and therefore take a +6 melee attack for each blade).

Additional Notes

•

Characters with the dodge feat are allowed their +1

bonus to AC against the blades as long as they only

attempt to pass one blade per round.

* Note: if you are using this adventure for a higher level

party (see opposite for more details), then you may like

to replace this item with an Amulet of Natural Armour

+2 instead.

•

Characters with the tumble skill may instead use this

in place of their Reflex save if the value is greater.

•

Characters that take damage from a blade do not

progress past that blade during the attempt.

•

Opening the door to the burial chamber will cause

the blades to cease their swinging.

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