Canonfire!

Here is a second room based in a complex in the Amedio Jungles of Greyhawk.

A room like this is meant for the biggest and baddest of challengers....and when you have PC's gaining power, it is rooms like this that can end a career in a hurry....

This little idea is going to be part of a vast complex deep in the Amedio Jungle of Greyhawk. A sect of priests worked for years to spread word of their vast wealth in gems hidden in a dungeon complex deep in the Amedio.

The cult was devoted to Nerull Greater God of Death, Darkness, & the Underworld. They had fled to the Amedio from the Great Kingdom early in its existence. They had outworn the welcome in the Kingdom, and the forces of good were tracking them about Oerth for decades. They finally found a safe haven in the Amedio Jungle.

The priests lacked for proper devotes and servitors in the rustic location, so they came up with a plan to entice groups of greedy or adventurous fools to come to their complex in search of vast stores of gems found in the region, and one enormous black diamond artifact called the Heart of Darkness.

They would hire groups of nefarious sorts to spread the word of the complex and show off small amounts of the gems to serve as proof of the complexes existence. The cover story involved an ancient Suelese arch mages crypt and its fallen ward and vast treasures.
There was even a bit of truth in it, because there was an ancient Suelese lich that did assist the priests if properly motivated. Both the priests and the lich would provide means to make the tale undetectable as a lie. It lead to many servants arriving for both.

The complex was actually a gauntlet of death to weed out the weak, which provided the cult with a read source of undead servitors of many types. There is always just enough loot in a room to motivate a group (if still living) to move just one room further in. The clerics have actually created a spell that renders a treasure caches size in the room to be exactly that amount. Included are healing potions to help keep the wounded in the mix ….until well into the gauntlet.

Getting in is far easier than getting out. Part of the gauntlets power comes from the fact that those that have fallen in an area arise to prevent the departure of groups as they pass through their area. They even possess cunning to help divert a party to elsewhere. In order for a party to get out they must retrace their steps. Also all translocational magic fails utterly within the confines of the complex.

Also an occasional adventurous evil type would slip in and become enticed by what the cult offered. This led to the converts that the priesthood needed to acquire slaves and other necessities of life in such a secluded area.

This room is one of 3 set near the end of the gauntlet. The path here is arduous and only the cream of the crop could reach these areas….ALIVE!

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DESCRIPTION…

The room has a strong iron doors that opens with a squeal on rusty old hinges.

There is the sound of dripping water and old stagnant water. The only light in the room is that provided by the party.

This room is octagonal 80’ room with 200’ tall vaulted ceiling. Each side measures 40’ wide.

It is covered in spines of metal at irregular intervals of 1”-2” in length which extend from floor, walls, and ceiling all of which face in a counter clockwise leaning. If swept away by the water a creature will suffer 1-4 pts of damage each round from this sharpened spines.

Water covered convex floor, and raised portion is covered with thin layer of dirt. The outer area is covered in 6” of water.

Four fake doors on four of the walls. There is a blank wall at either side of the room, and real doors at either end. There is a stylized gargoyle above each door.

Triggered Affect….

When occupied by 400 lbs it slips into a concave collapsing affect which has water rushing into it. The depth is 15’ deep at the deepest part. The edges are concealed under water. When the concave collapsing event happens all the water in the room rushes to the depression…DEX or be sucked into the hole.

After the triggering the water comes down from around door ways concealed vent above both doors….2’ diameter..gyser-like volume. Gargoyle mouth nozzles turn down at doorway…which block all but the hardiest attempts to reach it. (Only M sized and larger can attempt and each must make a -8 DEX check each round for 3 rounds to reach the door area. The doors will be held closed by the pressure of the swirling waters requiring a 40 STR or greater to open and wedge the door.

The water flow forms a clockwise rotating whirlpool in 1 rd after triggering of the collapse, as the force of the water fills the room. Drain at bottom of pit recycles it so that it can never be more than 3’ deep.

This causes a -1 DEX roll the first round as the water reaches 1’ in height, -2 DEX the second round and 2’ in depth, and on the third round it is a -4 DEX check and the depth is 3’. The entire affect lasts for 2 full turns before slowly resetting itself. (This takes 1 hour).

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Monsters…….

There is a delay of 3 rounds after the trigger then the third element of the room makes an appearance. Two great iron golems slip out of the two walls that appear blank. Each wall opens 4’ off the ground. It leads to a 45 degree slide from which the golems leap. They will seek the walls at first but then attack. The doors pivot at the top then snap shut in a single fluid motion once the golems are emitted.

Devised by a devious Duegar that he sect employed. He worked in conjunction with the lich to fashion a set of iron golems that were fashioned to look like a Portia Hunting Spider Duegar-like upper torso that rode upon the body. This creation was equipped with automaton weapons as well as bladed forearms and special spell casting forelimbs. These limbs would repeatedly cast spells at set intervals.

The creature was fashioned after an underground version of the Portia Hunting spiders of earth. These golems have a portion of their creators and the spiders mind fused together. It remains dormant until the trap is triggered.

Portia/Duegar
Iron Golem

Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Solitary & Independent
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: None Needed
Intelligence: Exceptional
Treasure: As Guarded
Alignment: Neutral
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No. Appearing: 1 or 2
Armor Class: 2/4
Movement: 12” / Jump 3”/ Climb Walls 6”/ Web 12”
Hit Dice: 20 (200 hp)
THACO: 3
No. of Attacks: 7 +

Damage Attacks: Duegar Arms (x2 Automaton Weaponry); Tri-length Sword Forelegs (x2) 1-8 @; Forearm Bash (x2) 1-4 @; Bite 1-3; + Leaping Crush 4-40 in 10’ Diameter.

Automaton weapon is spinning blades extending lance that lashes out to 10’ in a single melee segment.

Special Attacks: Leaping Overbear; Spellcaster Wands (2x pedipalps & 2x Forlegs)or (x4); (1x 5 rds) Web Cloud 30’ Diameter (Mist becomes webs);

Special Defenses: +2 or Better To Hit; Spider Spinneret & Web Climbing Claw

Fire Magic does ½ or NO damage; Elect Magic Slow it for 3 rds

Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: 10’ Body; 10’ of Leg +5’ Width; 5’ Tall Smallest or 8’ Tallest
Morale: Fearless
XP Value:

Basic Description:

It is an iron golem shaped like 8 legged, 2 pedipalps, & 2 armed duegar upper torso/ Portia spider body Iron Golem. The Portia spider body features a mechanical torso of Duegar on a mechanical spider body and simulated spider eyes. The Duegar torso is 4’ tall on the body which has the following measurements: 10’ Long x 8’ Wide Body; The legs add 10’ of Leg +5’ Width per side, and it can be as short as 5’ Tall at its smallest hunkered down size, to 10’ at it tallest rearing size.

The iron of this body is fashioned of a non rust iron plate. It incorporates plant DNA in its matrix that allows it to heal/grow over long periods of time. This incorporation of plant flexibility and regenerative powers allow it to make Portia fast moves. This metal alloy is a uniform dark grey. Only the eyes and the weapons are made of different materials.

This is an iron golem with a twist though, as this creation actually incorporated the mind of both the Portia Spider and the duegar…contributors in it. This makes it not a mindless golem, but one with the guile and skills to kill almost any creature…in a very evil manner.

Combat:

This creature is a combat on 8 legs. It is best to list its attacks separately to best reflect each of them in turn. The Duegar torso is on a 360 degree pivot that allows it to counter back attacking foes in a single melee segment.

Duegar Arms (x2 Automaton Weaponry); This weapon fits over the forearms of the Duegar upper limbs. It has an automaton weapon on each limb that is 3’ long, and that is activated by a trigger pull inside the forearm covering device.

The device has three 1’ blades (like a table saw along the sides, and there is a central front (where the knuckles are) blade that vaguely resembles a 4” sharpened propeller.
This item can inflict wounds of 1-4 d8 each round one successfully strikes. (roll 1d4 for how many blades hit from it in a round).
In addition once per 3 rounds the weapon can spring out on 8’ extensions in a single melee segment. This is sure to surprise (-3 Init the 1st round) any creature facing them. .

Tri-length Sword Forelegs (x2) 1-8 @; The third and forth legs of this creature have been covered in long sword-like devices that are part of the creature. These are treated as standard long sword, except that the creature can cause them to extend out in a single segment to 9’ in length. The weapon doesn’t do any more damage, but it does gain that surprise (-3 Init the 1st round) any creature facing them.

Forearm Bash (x2) 1-4 @; There are two forward legs that have metal spellcaster wand on them. If the creature wishes it can bash with them, instead of spellcasting. Such blows will cause M sized creatures or smaller to make a DEX roll or be knocked to the ground for 1-3 rounds.

Bite 1-3; The Duegar head is capable of inflicting a nasty bite of anything near it, or brought to it. Things impaled on the sword forelimbs will also be subject to such an attack.

Leaping Crush 4-40 in 10’ Diameter. The creature can leap 30’ horizontally and 10’ vertically. It can also walk up the walls (especially in this rooms of iron spines). The creature will either leap or take the high ground and leap down on creatures with devastating affect. It will crush creatures with its massive body. It’s favorite tactic for larger creatures is to land on their backs and dig in. It can them use any of its forelimb attacks at will. Smaller targets are just crushed.

Special Attacks:

Leaping Overbear; In this special type of bull rush the creature will expend its movement closing with the creature taking what blows it can inflict. Then it takes its massive body and presses them to the floor or wall preventing movement or affective attacks for the next round. The creature must take the next round to reposition itself for attacks on the round after that.

Spellcaster Wands (2x pedipalps & 2x forelegs)or (x4); On the short pedipalps and the forelegs of the creature are four 3’ long metal rods 4” in diameter. Each has a spell known as Lv 8 Spellcaster placed on it. This variation of the spell allows the magic to continue to function even if moved. The cast the spells initially at the golems will, and then will recast the spell every 1-10 rounds without casting components.

The creature can trigger this spell affect once ever other round. The spell affect are:
1) Web
2) Fog
3) Darkness 15’ radius
4) Grease

Each affect is at 24th level of spell casting.

Breathe Cloud: Breathe a white cloud that will create a 30’ diameter sphere in a single melee segment. This forms a cloud shaped web at the end of the round that it was breathed out. This attack can be affected (1x per 5 rds). The webs last for 3-30 rounds after its creation. At that time it dissipates into a cloud of white mist. .

Special Defenses:

+2 or Better To Hit: As with all Golems this construct has the capability to ignore most weapons of +2 or less.

Spider Spinneret: The construct has a special magical gland that mimics a spiders spinnerets. The organ is actually living tissue which can produce unlimited supplies of web. As with many spiders the material can be recycled. The creature also can use ingested proteins to create new or replenish supplies of web materials.

This adaptation can make any type of web structure from box webs to standard web structures.

Web Climbing Claw: A small hook at the ankle joint of each leg can be used to move across webbing at normal land movement rates.

Half damage from magic fire attacks, and electricity slows it for 3 rounds. Use of electricity in the room is highly dangerous.

Habitat & Society:

This creature isn’t a living organism, but an animated one. It does possess intelligence of the Portia spiders that they represent. They are only living in the sense of that mental link.

They remain in a state of torpor until the trap mechanism in the room is trapped. They then animate to full readiness in 2 rounds and launch into the room on the third.

Ecology:

The creatures have a digestive tract that is mechanical and cybernetic-like biological protein ingestion systems, that allows them to ingest food for their spinneret system. Otherwise they don’t need to eat.

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Should the Porita Spider Golems be destroyed on contained for over 5 rounds, then the water slows its flowing in 2 rounds. As the water starts for slow there will be one last assault on the survivors. This attack takes place 3 rounds after the water stops flowing. The gargoyles continue to emit a much reduced stream of water, but its noise will cover the entrance of the final challenge that this room offers. Among the material emitted in the stream is a lot of mud…in this muddy slurry are two large colonies of brown mold that have inhabited the pipes. .

This mold simply absorbs heat from any creature that is within 5’ of it. It doesn’t move, but the water will carry it around the room during the course of any given round. All in the area are affected by the mold.

Brown Mold will drain heat 4d8 per rd. Due to its attack nature the creature might seem to be heat vulnerable. A ring of warmth offers complete protection from the attack.

In actuality it grows from any heat source. The heat doubles its size….if torch size….oil 4x size; FB 8x size.

Only disintegrate, plant magic, and cold magic can affect it. It is immune to the rest. Ice storm renders it dormant for 5d6 rounds. Direct cold attacks like cone of cold and dragon breath will kill the colony though.

The party will be surprised 90% of the time by this last attack. Just as they start to evaluate the outcome of the rooms environment and the attack of the Portia Golems, the party will be hit by this last and possibly deadliest attack.

Only the best will have any chance of survival at all…

More to come....

Later

Cool

BTW...If I ever get the uploading an image thing working I have the room designed on Campaign Cartographer...and my little friend Portia is also done up...Neat really.

Turn them all into rainbow mushrooms and drop them all 300' to the strains of the Anvil Chorus!!

Like El and Simbul do to the Malagrym!