Author: Scott "Volstagg" Casper

A 1st ed. AD&D lair for 5-9 4th-7th level PCs

SETUP

The PCs have been exploring the UnderOerth beneath the Crystalmist Mountains, and come upon this cavern.

ENCOUNTER AREAS

1. Temple Processional (70'x70'x25')

Taking up half of the cave before you is a stone building, 30' on a side and 15' tall. The building seems expertly carved. It rests with its back wall flush with the back wall of the cave. Above and behind the building, on the back wall of the cave, is the giant image of a nude woman with a lobster's head and pincer-hands, though whether the image is a statue imbedded in the wall or a bas-relief carving is hard to say. The figure stands 10' tall, with the head touching the ceiling. There is a single large doorway, 10' tall, leading into the building, flanked by pillars. A stone walkway leads from this portal out into the water, almost like a pier. On the walkway stand two fish-like men with slimy grey scales, and armed with spears and shields. Flanking the walkway are two more fish-men mounted on the backs of giant beetles with large, pad-like feet that stand on the water.

The two elite guards on foot jump in the water and wade out to attack, accompanied by their leader, Sploop, and his second -- both mounted on the backs of domesticated giant water beetles. The two mounted kuo-toans are armed with harpoons, and attempt to pull PCs underwater with them. Anyone stuck to a shield or stunned by the harpoon is pinned underwater until rescued or drowned. There is a 50% chance per round of either beetle trying to bite anyone attacking its rider. If either rider is "unhorsed," the beetle begins attacking random targets, possibly even kuo-toans. The kuo-toans and the beetle fight to the death, though they will not pursue more than 180' away from the cave.

The pillars on either side of the doorway are actually modified cayatid columns. These columns become animated statues and attack as soon as a non-kuo-toan steps either way across the threshold of the shrine. However, these caryatid columns will resemble Blibdoolpoolp (the kuo-toan patron goddess -- as seen in the relief carving above the shrine). Their countenance has the magical effect of a scare spell. They will attack with their pincers until destroyed, or stop when non-kuo-toans are no longer in the building or on the walkway.

The two elite guards each has a spear, shield, dagger, and 3 gp. The second has a harpoon, dagger, and 4 gp. Their leader has a harpoon, dagger, 5 gp, and wears bracers of defense AC 7. The bracers do not improve the kuo-toan's AC.

2 elite kuo-toan guards: AC 4; MV 9"/18"; HD 3; hp 18; #At 1 spear +1 or 1 shield +1 or 1 bite +1; Dmg by weapon type or 2-5; SA +1 strength bonus on all weapon attacks, adhesive shield (25% chance of weapon attacking from the front of sticking to shield, roll Open Doors to free); SD skin secretions reduce chances to grapple, grasp, tie, or web to 25%, surprised only on a 1; immune to poison, paralysis, and illusion magic, electrical attacks cause only half damage, magic missiles cause only 1 hp damage; INT High; Align NE(C); Sz M; XP 134 each.

Kuo-toan sub-leader: AC 4; MV 9"/18"; HD 4; hp 28; #At 1 harpoon +1 or 1 dagger +1 or 1 bite +1; Dmg by weapon type or 2-5; SA +1 strength bonus on all weapon attacks, impaling harpoon (victim must roll 13 or highter on 1d20 or be pulled down and stunned 1-2 rounds); SD skin secretions reduce chances to grapple, grasp, tie, or web to 25%, surprised only on a 1; immune to poison, paralysis, and illusion magic, electrical attacks cause only half damage, magic missiles cause only 1 hp damage; INT High; Align NE(C); Sz M; XP 247.

Sploop, kuo-toan leader: AC 4; MV 9"/18"; HD 5; hp 35; #At 1 harpoon +1 or 1 dagger +1 or 1 bite +1; Dmg by weapon type or 2-5; SA +1 strength bonus on all weapon attacks, impaling harpoon (victim must roll 13 or highter on 1d20 or be pulled down and stunned 1-2 rounds); SD skin secretions reduce chances to grapple, grasp, tie, or web to 25%, surprised only on a 1; immune to poison, paralysis, and illusion magic, electrical attacks cause only half damage, magic missiles cause only 1 hp damage; INT High; Align NE(C); Sz M; XP 425.

2 giant water beetles: AC 3; MV 3"//12"; HD 4; hp 19, 18; #At 1 bite; Dmg 3-18; INT Non; Align N; Sz M; XP 169, 165.

2 caryatid columns (modified): AC 5; MV 6"; HD 5; hp 22; #At 1 pincer/1 pincer; Dmg 1-6/1-6; SA scare gaze; SD half damage from non-magic weapons, magic weapons do not add bonuses, 25% chance per weapon hit of it breaking (-10% per plus); INT Non; Align N; Sz M; XP 355 each.

2. FOYER (20'x20'x10')

The walls of this room are carved with many symbols. The symbols are strange to you, but they appear to be a combination of hieroglyphs and some written language. The symbols surround three large squares -- one on either side wall, and one carved in the floor inside the doorway you just came through. In each square is a picture of some sort of sea creature. In the middle of the room is a raised platform, three feet high, resembling a small table. A small chest that looks like its made out of coral sits on the table. There appears to be no exit.

A PC with any experience at sea may recognize the sea creatures as a tortoise on the left wall, a whale on the far wall, and a dolphin on the right wall. Comprehend languages, or a lucky thief, can decipher the kuo-toan writing around the boxes. Around the tortoise, it says: "The tortoise is our enemy for it crawls to the land." Around the dolphin, it says: "The dolphin is our enemy for it will aid man." Around the whale, it says: "The whale is our friend for, like us, it is great and strong."

Touching the image of the tortoise or the dolphin triggers this room's trap. A one foot thick slab of rock slides up out of the floor, blocking the room's exit (the entrance to the shrine area). One fast-acting PC could get out in time. Holes open in the walls, letting water flow into the room. The water pours in slowly, rising three inches each game turn. After three game turns, holes in the ceiling open and streams of flaming oil fall down. Each PC in the room is "attacked" every round as if by a 4 HD monster (2d6 plus 1d6 points of damage on a hit), and even a missed PC is splashed for 1-3 points of damage. In addition, the fire spreads out over the water, so anyone standing in the water takes 1-6 points of damage per round automatically. The oil spray continues for six rounds, but the water rises for two hours, up to a height of three feet, and then stops. Then the platform rises six inches, unplugging a hole in the floor. As the water descends, so does the slab over the doorway.

A thief detecting traps in this room, or a find traps spell, reveals concealed holes in the walls and ceiling, stoppered with a thin layer of wax. The floor in the doorway is also sealed with wax, that breaks when the slab rises. The pressure plates in the walls and ceiling can be jammed, but nothing else can be done to stop the trap if it is already sprung. Up to two PCs can stand on the platform so as not to stand in the water.

The coral box has an unlocked, hinged lid. The box is actually a box of holding with a four foot cubical room inside it. Sitting on the floor of the extra-dimensional room is a gold ring set with a pearl, an iron rod, and a wooden club. The club is a club +2. The rod is a rod of beguiling with 11 charges remaining (this particular rod of beguiling is not rechargeable). The ring is a ring of spell storing with the following magic-user spells: blink, lightning bolt, and protection from evil 10' radius (all cast as 5th level). The box rests atop a pressure plate in the top of the platform, sensitive to the box's weight. Any attempt to remove the box also triggers the trap described above, though simply opening the box will not do so.

There is a secret door in the back wall of the room. The correct way to open it is to press on the whale's square, which causes a slab to sink into the floor. This secret door can be detected normally. Opening the secret door automatically deactivates the trap. Lastly, the loud grinding of the sinking slab alerts the kuo-toan priests in the next chamber.

3. HIDDEN PRAYER ROOM (30'x30'x12')

The walls of this room have rows of life-sized carvings that depict a lobster-headed woman. The floor of this room is slightly lower, and filled with at least an inch of water. In the middle of the room is a 10' square raised dais, with large rocks in each corner and a basin of water in the center. Two more fish-men stand atop the dais holding shields. They turn their heads to look at you with their large, glassy eyes.

The first PC to cross through the doorway sets off a glyph of warding that inflicts 10 points of electrical damage (save for half). The two kuo-toan priests here are impossible to surprise, thanks in part to the loud secret door. The kuo-toan prefect, Plash, began casting silence 15' radius as soon as the door opened, and finishes at the start of the first combat round. Plash centers it five feet into the foyer, so the radius does not touch the dais. His companion, Drippy, starts casting hold person as soon as he sees the PCs, targeting fighter-types. Plash and Drippy then wade into melee, trying to catch PCs on their shields and then bash the held PCs against walls, or the rocks on the dais, for 2-7 points of damage. If either cleric reaches half its hp, he tries to cast sanctuary on himself, followed by however many cure light wounds the situation dictates. If this fails, the clerics resort to biting. If one is killed, the other runs up to the basin in the dais and splashes a hand in the water. This activates a second glyph of warding that triggers a feign death spell that lasts for seven rounds.

The rocks on the dais are roughly 3' in diameter, and only siting in place. The basin is three feet in diameter, and one foot deep. At the bottom of the basin is a red, opaque carnelian stone worth 50 gp; a brown, opaque jasper worth 50 gp; a blue-green zircon worth 50 gp; and a yellow pearl worth 100 gp.

There is writing above the archway leading into the next room. Written in the Kuo-Toan language, it says: "Those who do not believe must not look upon our history."

Plaash, kuo-toan prefect: AC 4; MV 9"//18"; HD 5; hp 35; #At 1 shield +1 or 1 bite +1; Dmg weapon type and/or 2-5; SA clerical spells, +1 strength bonus on all weapon attacks, adhesive shield (25% chance of weapon attacking from the front of sticking to shield, roll Open Doors to free); SD skin secretions reduce chances to grapple, grasp, tie, or web to 25%, surprised only on a 1; immune to poison, paralysis, and illusion magic, electrical attacks cause only half damage, magic missiles cause only 1 hp damage; INT Exc; Align NE(C); Sz M; XP 500.
Spells: create water, cure light wounds (x3), purify food & water, sanctuary; augury, resist fire, silence 15' radius; create food & water.

Durrip, kuo-toan priest: AC 4; MV 9"//18"; HD 3; hp 18; #At 1 shield +1 or 1 bite +1; Dmg weapon type and/or 2-5; SA clerical spells, +1 strength bonus on all weapon attacks, adhesive shield (25% chance of weapon attacking from the front of sticking to shield, roll Open Doors to free); SD skin secretions reduce chances to grapple, grasp, tie, or web to 25%, surprised only on a 1; immune to poison, paralysis, and illusion magic, electrical attacks cause only half damage, magic missiles cause only 1 hp damage; INT High; Align NE(C); Sz M; XP 189.
Spells: create water, cure light wounds, sanctuary; hold person.

4. HALL OF DIRE LEARNINGS (60'x20'x14')

The hallway before you has been meticulously carved, even given a vaulted ceiling. There is an archway at the far end. To either side, murals line the walls. The room seems unnaturally quiet.

There are eleven 10 foot square murals along the hall. They show, running clockwise from the left, the following:
1. A lobster-woman icon sitting over a mound of eggs
2. Grey fish-men laying prone before the lobster-woman
3. The grey fish-men stabbing large fish(dolphins) with spears
4 and 5. These both show fish-men fighting small, ugly humanoids and humans
6. Shows fish-men marching towards mountains
7. Shows fish-men fighting giant bats
8. (More) grey fish-men laying prone before the lobster-woman
9. Blank
10. A pink-skinned figure with bird-like wings is fighting or dancing with the fish-men
11. The fish-men battle a long, insectoid creature
12. A group of humanoids with green skin and pink faces are laying at the feet of a group of fish-men.

The room is blanketed with the effects of a silence 15' radius spell. This spell can be dispelled as if cast by a 12th level caster.

The blank space on the wall is actually a guardian daemon who has taken the form of a mimic. The guardian daemon is charged with protecting the knowledge in the murals, so it only attacks those PCs who have stopped to examine the murals. The daemon at first takes the form of a paper-thin blob peeling off the wall. Then it expands like a balloon into a frog-like humanoid and attacks. It cannot leave this hall, but it will recognize past offenders if PCs leave and come back; it will simply renew its attacks. It prefers to toy with its prey, only making one physical attack per round, and only breathing fire if no one will melee with it. This changes once it has taken 8 or more hp of damage.

There is no monetary treasure here.

1 guardian daemon: AC 1; MV 9"; HD 8; hp 30; #At 1 claw/1 claw/1 bite; Dmg 1-6/1-6/1-2; SA breathe fire -- 30'x10', 5-30 dmg (save for 1/2); SD immune to mind-spells, polymorphing, and water-spells, +2 or better weapon to hit; INT Very; Align N(E); Sz L (8' tall); XP 1,575.

5. THE PRISON (40'x40'x20')

The hall opens up into a natural cavern. The cave is empty except for a stone pedestal 4' tall with a small, stone cylinder justting out from its top. Markings, perhaps comprising a single word, are carved in the wall behind the pedestal.

When the kuo-toans reached these caves, so long ago, they discovered a nycadaemon roaming freely in the lower caves. The nycadaemon, after a fierce battle, was imprisoned in an iron flask held by the kuo-toan chief. The flask rests in the top of the pedestal, and is easily removed. The word on the wall, written in Kuo-Toan, says: "Hodok." It is the command word for the flask, but speaking it does nothing until the flask is unstoppered. If anyone opens the flask, read the following:

The stopper finally pulls free, perhaps for the first time in many years, from the old iron flask. Suddenly, the flask begins to vibrate, nearly shaking itself loose from your hand. Smoke begins to pour from the flask, and then fire and brimstone belch forth from its mouth.

[If no one has plugged the flask by now, the process cannot be stopped.]

From out of this incendiary cloud, a thing appears. It stands 8' tall, but is immensely obese. Its leathery hide is splotched and warted, its color ranging from brown, to grey, to black, to purple. Hideously muscular arms end in large hands with wickedly curved talons. Its face is the face of a giant bat, but its bat-like wings look dead and decayed. You feel no need to pinch yourselves because your worst nightmares could not produce this horrible thing. Yellow fangs stained blood-red line its smiling face. You try to feel brave, but you feel as though your knees would turn to jelly if it were to look directly at you.

Unless a PC does something to get its attention, the now-freed nycadaemon will leave to seek revenge on any kuo-toan it comes across. Anyone engaging it in melee will receive one claw attack, and other attacks will be retaliated with its reduce power (save vs. spells or be shrunk 200% for 2 hours, equipment is shrunk 100%). If the command work "Hodok" is spoken, the nycadaemon must serve the PC who spoke it for 1 turn, or 1 hour for a minor service, at the end of which time it will kill its master and anyone else in sight. Speaking the command word a second time forces the nycadaemon to save vs. spells or be imprisoned a second time (magic resistance does not apply, but the daemon saves as if a 19th level magic-user).

1 nycadaemon: AC -4; MV 12"/36"; HD 12+36; hp 88; #At 1 claw/1 claw; Dmg 9-16/9-16; SA command 3/day, reverse gravity 2/day, enlarge/reduce at will, fear by touch; SD dispel magic and mirror image 2/day, dimension door and wind walk 3/day, gaseous form and word of recall 1/day, comprehend languages, detect invisibility, detect magic, invisibility, polymorph self, project image, read magic, and telepathy at will, +2 or better weapon to hit, regenerates 3 hp/turn, immune to paralysis, poison, and mind-spells, 1/2-dmg from acid, cold and fire, 100% magic resistance to 1st lvl spells, vision covers entire spectrum; INT Exc; Align NE; Sz L; XP 8,208.