Let's build an Epic Dungeon! Design Stage: Brainstorm!

[Ormagoden]

Are any of you familiar with the Earthdawn series of RPGs

In the book "horrors" there is a particularly vicious Shedim (horror)

That is a dungeon. Think the movie Event horizon but in a fantasy setting.

I can't remember it's name or details and the books aren't on hand at the moment. All I remember is if you go in...you don't come out.

[AgentPaper]

You know, Castle Abomination and Hellhold Asunder are so similar that you could really use pretty much everything from both and not really lose out on anything. The backstory of Abomination up to it starting to show up on the material plane could very easily be the backstory behind the Hellhold, and then the mages come in and partially force it into the shadow plane, where the Shadar-Kai use their crystal to hold it, or perhaps replace the shadar-kai with the mages, some of whom went through with the banished part of the castle and used the crystal or just their magic to hold it there.

Anyways, this would just be one option for the "What the castle is, what inhabits it, and what its ultimate goals are" that is up for debate.

[Melamoto]

You know, Castle Abomination and Hellhold Asunder are so similar that you could really use pretty much everything from both and not really lose out on anything. The backstory of Abomination up to it starting to show up on the material plane could very easily be the backstory behind the Hellhold, and then the mages come in and partially force it into the shadow plane, where the Shadar-Kai use their crystal to hold it, or perhaps replace the shadar-kai with the mages, some of whom went through with the banished part of the castle and used the crystal or just their magic to hold it there.

Anyways, this would just be one option for the "What the castle is, what inhabits it, and what its ultimate goals are" that is up for debate.

Elements that could have been added to Castle Abomination could also be added just as easily to A Hellhold Asunder, and any ideas that anyone had for it can still be used. However, the current dungeon will stay the current dungeon until one of the later design stages, where we are fleshing out the dungeon. However, the dungeon stays as it is described.
If you have ideas on how you want the dungeon to be different, then wait until the next stage where you may be chosen as a primary dungeon designer.

[Harperfan7]

Boneguard - monster Boneguard
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 11 (-1 Size, +2 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Claw +6 (2d6+4 x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +6 (2d6+4 x4) and Bite +4 (1d8+2 x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+6)
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, DR 5/magic & bludgeoning, darkvision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack
CR: 5ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

A bone guard is a large human shaped skeleton with two preying mantis scythe arms instead of human arms. Its skull has three sets of tiny horns and the creature sports two prominent saber fangs in addition to a mouth full of smaller, thinner fangs. It walks hunched forward. Small red flames burn in each eye socket.

Rend (Ex): When a boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

I estimate its about CR 4-5, so ...5?

Apocalyptic Boneguard - Monster
Apocalyptic Boneguard
Large Undead (Evil)
Hit Dice: 14d12+70 (157hp)
Initiative +6
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 19 (-1 Size, +3 Natural, +2 Dex, +5 Profane)
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Claw +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4) and Bite +10 (1d8+3+1d6 acid and poison x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+9+1 con damage), smite good (+14 1/day), spell-like abilities, wounding claws
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, acid resistance 10, electricity 10, fire 10, DR 10/good, magic, & bludgeoning, SR 24, turn resistance +2, unholy toughness, unholy grace, frightful presence, dark vision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con -, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +22, Intimidate +22, Hide +15, Listen +17, Move Silently +19, Spot +17
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack, Ability Focus (Poison), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Burning Blood)
CR: 9ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

An apocalyptic boneguard is a large human shaped skeleton with crimson red bones, two prey mantis scythe arms instead of human arms, a skull ringed in tiny horns, and a fanged mouth with two prominent saber fangs that drip caustic black venom, and a black pentagram on its forehead. It walks hunched forward. Its eye sockets are alight with black flame and have smaller and brighter green or violet flames inside the larger flames.
An apocalyptic boneguard speaks abyssal, infernal, and celestial.

An apocalyptic boneguard usually surrounds itself with weaker undead to serve as fodder during battle while the boneguard uses its spell-like abilities before wading into melee itself. Given its stealth and perception abilities, an apocalyptic boneguard will often prepare the battlefield ahead of time. It will usually instigate a duel of wills with an opponent if given the opportunity before battle.

Only cultists that seek the end of the world bring apocalyptic boneguards into it. Even necromancers are leery of them. They exist only to separate souls from bodies

Rend (Ex): When an apocalyptic boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial damage 1d6 con, secondary damage 1d6 con

Smite Good (Su): Once per day an apocalyptic boneguard may smite good with a single attack (usually a bite).

Spell-like abilities: As Sorcerer (CL 14th): 3/day: Darkness, Poison, Unholy Aura, Burning Blood. 1/day: Desecrate, Unholy Blight, Contagion, Blasphemy, Unhallow, Fire Shield (warm only, same color as flame pupils).

Wounding Claws (Su): An apocalyptic boneguards claws are treated as if they have the wounding weapon enhancement.

Frightful Presence (Ex): When attacking, DC 22, 30ft., 5d6 rounds.

Unholy Toughness (Ex): Bonus hit points equal to Cha mod x HD.

Unholy Grace (Ex): Profane bonus to AC equal to Cha mod.

I estimate its about CR 9, so...9?

My shout out to icewind dale I & II.

[Harperfan7]

Boneguard - monster Boneguard
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 11 (-1 Size, +2 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Claw +6 (2d6+4 x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +6 (2d6+4 x4) and Bite +4 (1d8+2 x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+6)
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, DR 5/magic & bludgeoning, darkvision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack
CR: 5ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

A bone guard is a large human shaped skeleton with two preying mantis scythe arms instead of human arms. Its skull has three sets of tiny horns and the creature sports two prominent saber fangs in addition to a mouth full of smaller, thinner fangs. It walks hunched forward. Small red flames burn in each eye socket.

Rend (Ex): When a boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

I estimate its about CR 4-5, so ...5?

Apocalyptic Boneguard - Monster
Apocalyptic Boneguard
Large Undead (Evil)
Hit Dice: 14d12+70 (157hp)
Initiative +6
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 19 (-1 Size, +3 Natural, +2 Dex, +5 Profane)
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Claw +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4) and Bite +10 (1d8+3+1d6 acid and poison x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+9+1 con damage), smite good (+14 1/day), spell-like abilities, wounding claws
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, acid resistance 10, electricity 10, fire 10, DR 10/good, magic, & bludgeoning, SR 24, turn resistance +2, unholy toughness, unholy grace, frightful presence, dark vision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con -, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +22, Intimidate +22, Hide +15, Listen +17, Move Silently +19, Spot +17
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack, Ability Focus (Poison), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Burning Blood)
CR: 9ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

An apocalyptic boneguard is a large human shaped skeleton with crimson red bones, two prey mantis scythe arms instead of human arms, a skull ringed in tiny horns, and a fanged mouth with two prominent saber fangs that drip caustic black venom, and a black pentagram on its forehead. It walks hunched forward. Its eye sockets are alight with black flame and have smaller and brighter green or violet flames inside the larger flames.
An apocalyptic boneguard speaks abyssal, infernal, and celestial.

An apocalyptic boneguard usually surrounds itself with weaker undead to serve as fodder during battle while the boneguard uses its spell-like abilities before wading into melee itself. Given its stealth and perception abilities, an apocalyptic boneguard will often prepare the battlefield ahead of time. It will usually instigate a duel of wills with an opponent if given the opportunity before battle.

Only cultists that seek the end of the world bring apocalyptic boneguards into it. Even necromancers are leery of them. They exist only to separate souls from bodies

Rend (Ex): When an apocalyptic boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial damage 1d6 con, secondary damage 1d6 con

Smite Good (Su): Once per day an apocalyptic boneguard may smite good with a single attack (usually a bite).

Spell-like abilities: As Sorcerer (CL 14th): 3/day: Darkness, Poison, Unholy Aura, Burning Blood. 1/day: Desecrate, Unholy Blight, Contagion, Blasphemy, Unhallow, Fire Shield (warm only, same color as flame pupils).

Wounding Claws (Su): An apocalyptic boneguards claws are treated as if they have the wounding weapon enhancement.

Frightful Presence (Ex): When attacking, DC 22, 30ft., 5d6 rounds.

Unholy Toughness (Ex): Bonus hit points equal to Cha mod x HD.

Unholy Grace (Ex): Profane bonus to AC equal to Cha mod.

I estimate its about CR 9, so...9?

My shout out to icewind dale I & II.

EDIT: Why don't we use the crystal (my sig)? They are something like 20-epic. Maybe they could be whats left of the circle of archmages, or conversely, agents of the BBEG.

The Crystal(s) - Monster
The Crystal(s) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7505590#post7505590)
20+


Didn't mean to double post...

[AgentPaper]

Elements that could have been added to Castle Abomination could also be added just as easily to A Hellhold Asunder, and any ideas that anyone had for it can still be used. However, the current dungeon will stay the current dungeon until one of the later design stages, where we are fleshing out the dungeon. However, the dungeon stays as it is described.
If you have ideas on how you want the dungeon to be different, then wait until the next stage where you may be chosen as a primary dungeon designer.

Oh, I'm not saying we should switch wholesale to Castle Abomination or anything, I was just noting that most to all of the elements of Castle Abomination could work well for many of the areas of A Hellhold Asunder that weren't fleshed out, so I figured I'd throw all of Castle Abomination in as a contribution to the brainstorm.

Also, although this isn't going to be relevant for a while yet, I'll throw myself in as willing and able to convert all the monster stats and such to 4E, once we get closer to finishing this.

[Harperfan7]

Well, this is going nowhere fast.

Wanna start a new thread for the Design Stage?

I think the whole "nine pages" thing is scaring people off.

[AgentPaper]

Probably a good idea. I'd recommend calling it "Community world-building" or some such as well instead of vote-up, since the voting is largely done, I think?

[Melamoto]

It might work, but it seems a little unnecessary. We could be losing interest due to the number of pages, but I don't think creating a new thread is really a proportionate response. If this carries on for too long I might do it though.

[flabort]

The Hen Gardens-puzzle

The Hen Gardens are a (seemingly infinite) series of 25x25 foot rooms (5x5 squares), in which several chickens are located. Each room has 3 doors, each in the exact center of it's wall, one in each cardinal direction, exept one. The dirrection without a door is random. When the characters move from one room to another, roll a d4 to determine the direction in which there is no door. If the direction from which the players came is rolled, reroll.
1: north
2: south
3: east
4: west
Each room contains 1d4+2 chickens, all females, and one large statue of a chicken in the center. It's facing should always be towards the wall without a door. The statue will have 10 HP, and 14 hardness.
Should the players backtrack, go in a circle of some sorts, or should a wall be rolled were a door in another room should be, or roll a door were there isn't one in a previous room, ignore any contradictions.
If a character enters a room he has already been in, reroll for which wall has no door. However, the statue will still face in the same direction as before.
To solve the Puzzle, enter a door which a chicken statue is facing. This can be solved quickly by moving between two rooms, until the statue in the center faces a door, then moving through the door.
This puzzle is created by enchanting a single room, 25x25 feet. on a DM's map, the set of rooms only takes up that much space. however, a DM should take notes in the form of a grid, with arrows, as to determine the dirrection a chicken is facing in any given room the players have already been in.
Level: 1
note: level may be increased by aplying templates to the chickens, or swaping the chickens for similar creatures.

[AgentPaper]

Hm, what about something like a ballroom, which has the shadows of various lords and ladies dancing about can be seen, but not the actual lords and ladies. The players themselves don't have any shadows, when they enter the room, but if they step on one of the dancing shadows, it attempts to control their mind and force them to do the dance that the shadow is a shadow of. (if that makes sense)

[Radar]

Impromptu Skeleton - Monster
Impromptu Skeleton, Small
Small Undead
Hit Dice: 4d4 (10hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 12 to negate))
Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 12 to negate))
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attack: Can attempt a grapple on a charge, Constrict 1d3+2 plus 1d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 12 to negate)
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, blindsight 30 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: Improved Grapple
Enviroment: Negative Energy Plane, places with strong necrotic aura
Organization: Any
Challenge Rating: 2?
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Level Adjustement: -

Impromptu Skeletons are piles of random bones animated by chance and held together by massive amounts of Negative Energy - so much, that even slight contact with them is harmful. Dispite their disfigured appearance, they are able to move remakably fast. They tend to jump on living creatures and cling to them. They emit a very faint glow (as if struck by Faerie Fire spell).

Impromptu Skeleton, Large
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 8d8+20 (60hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flatfooted 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+19
Attack: Tentacle +11 melee (1d8+5 plus 3d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 15 for half))
Full Attack: 2 x Tentacle +11 melee (1d8+5 plus 3d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 15 for half))
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attack: Constrict 1d8+5 plus 3d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 15 for half)
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, blindsight 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits, Improved Grab
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative
Enviroment: Negative Energy Plane, places with strong necrotic aura
Organization: Solitary or with packs of Small Impromptu Skeletons
Challenge Rating: 6/7?
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Level Adjustement: -

Large Impromtu Skeletons look much like their smaller companions, yet they seem to have no definite structure - all their bones are in constant move. They attack with long tentacle-like structures and grab their opponents if possible. Their sickly green glow lits the surrounding area with dim light (20 ft.).
Bone Chaos - Monster

Gargantuan Undead
Hit Dice: 15d10+40 (123 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 15ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+28
Attack: Tentacle +16 melee (2d6+7 plus 4d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 18 for half))
Full Attack: 3 x Tentacle +16 melee (2d6+7 plus 4d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 18 for half))
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.
Special Attack: Constrict 2d6+7 plus 4d6 Negative Energy (Fort DC 18 for half), Swallow Whole & Engulf (both up to 2 Large creatures or equivalent; Constrict damage + 2d6 HP drain (Fort 18 to negate)), Bone Burst (25 ft. burst, 5d6 bludgeoning Ref 16 for half; 1d4 rounds cooldown)
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/bludgeoning, blindsight 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits, Improved Grab
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes
Enviroment: Negative Energy Plane, places with strong necrotic aura
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: Nasty, 10/12?
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Level Adjustement: -

Bone Chaos is a giant roaring whirlwind that sucks in every bone in an area and devours undead and living alike. Flashes of green light dance through it's everchanging body accompanied by an almost deafening sound of bones crashing into each other. After Bone Chaos flings bones around using Bone Burst attack, it takes him a few round to pull those bones back.

Example encounter would be something like this: PCs venture through desacrated catacombs and enter a large hall with heaps of bones partially filling the place. They hear a constant rustling sound coming from about everywere (observant PCs might notice slight movement of the bones). Suddenly all bones start to move toward the center of the hall, where they begin spinning around faster and faster as the whirlwind grows forming a Bone Chaos, which then proceeds to munch out on everything unlucky enough to stand nearby.

[Melamoto]

Hm, what about something like a ballroom, which has the shadows of various lords and ladies dancing about can be seen, but not the actual lords and ladies. The players themselves don't have any shadows, when they enter the room, but if they step on one of the dancing shadows, it attempts to control their mind and force them to do the dance that the shadow is a shadow of. (if that makes sense)

The Ballroom - Puzzle
The room is a large hall, 50'x30' in size. When the players enter, the following scene is described to them:
The room is a large hall, with marble walls, statues, and a polished floor. There is a great door at the other end of the hall, at the top of a pair of winding staircases. There is a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. As you look around some more, you can see the shadows of well dressed men and women dancing together. However, the room is empty, the shadows have no source. Another disturbing thing of note, is that you notice that none of you yourselves have shadows.
If a player steps onto a shadow, then he must make a DC 14 Will Save, or be forced to dance alongside the shadow, becoming it's new source. The effect will not end until the person is removed from the room. They will make all attempts to avoid being moved as long as it does not stop the dance.
If a player casually walks across the room, there is a 25% chance the player will step on a shadow for every 20' he moves.
If the chandelier is destroyed, then the room loses it's only light source, turning it pitch black unless alternative light is supplied. All shadows disappear, and anybody who was under the effect of the shadows is released.

3

[AgentPaper]

Hmm, what about a swarm of Purple Worms, later on in the dungeon, that have taken to feeding off the dessicated remains of some part of the castle, like over-sized maggots? You'd have the normal purple worms and in addition a couple larger ones hopped up on necrotic energy.

At first, the players would mostly try to avoid the place, and maybe have to deal with the odd stray worm that felt them moving about the castle or fighting something else. Eventually, the players would find out that they need to get at the organ that the worms are feeding off of for whatever reason, at which point they would have to either sneak in, or find some way to distract the worms, or even just try to kill them all if they're feeling ballsy.

[Mushroom Ninja]

I just found out about this project, so I thought I'd add a deadly encounter or two.

Here's what I've got so far:

Hall of Deathshades - Other

The hallway is 70 feet long and 10 feet wide. The floor is covered in rubble making it difficult terrain. A flickering torch is inset every twenty feet along the wall. The lighting is dim. When the players enter, the following scene is described to them:
A long, rubble-strewn hallway extends before you. Despite the flickering torches inset every twenty feet along the walls, the light is quite dim. You can make out engravings on the walls.

This innocent-looking hallway is actually a fiendish death-trap. Three advanced shadows are hiding in the walls 10 feet away from the hall. If they hear the PCs walking through the hall, they will attack.

Creatures: 3 Advanced Shadows
Advanced Shadow
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
HD 6d12 (38)
Speed 40 ft. fly (good) (8 squares)
Init: +2
AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Deflection); touch 14; flat-footed 12
BAB +3; Grp -
Attack Incorporeal touch + 5 Melee (1d6 STR)
Full-Attack Incorporeal touch + 5 Melee (1d6 STR)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Create Spawn, Strength Damage
Special Qualities Darkvision 60ft, incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits
Saves Fort +2 Ref +4 Will +6
Abilities Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills Hide +8, Listen +7, Search +4, Spot +7, Tumble +4
Feats Alertness, Dodge, Flyby attack
Environment Any
Organization Solitary, gang (2-5), or swarm (6-11)
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement 7-9 (Medium)
Level Adjustment --

Combat

Shadows lurk in dark places, waiting for living prey to happen by.

Strength Damage (Su)
The touch of a shadow deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is a negative energy effect.

Create Spawn (Su)
Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.

Skills
Shadows have a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks and a +4 racial bonus on Search checks. *A shadow gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination. In brightly lit areas, it takes a -4 penalty on Hide checks.

Tactics:
The shadows are incorporeal and have flyby attack. On their turns they fly out of the wall, attack the nearest PC, then fly back into the safety of the wall.

Challenge Level: ?
Honestly, I'm not quite sure what level of PCs should be able to not get completely slaughtered by this encounter. Probably somewhere between Level 5 and 9. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

[Melamoto]

The Shadows themselves total at CR 7, and then you have to add the situational CR bonus, which I'd put at +2. So I'd personally reckon CR 9. Never been good at judging things like that though, so I wouldn't trust myself on it.

[AgentPaper]

One thing, I'm not so great with 3.5 in general, and never have, but I can definitely whip up some mean 4E creatures with interesting abilities. Would it be possible for someone to then convert these into appropriate 3.5 monsters?

Either that, or I just keep throwing out random vague ideas, like "Rot Trolls", or "Ashen Phoenix", with a brief description of what their special abilties and such might be, and then let someone else stat them out.

[Mushroom Ninja]

The Shadows themselves total at CR 7, and then you have to add the situational CR bonus, which I'd put at +2. So I'd personally reckon CR 9. Never been good at judging things like that though, so I wouldn't trust myself on it.

That sounds about right.

[Mushroom Ninja]

Well, this is supposed to be a dangerous campaign at lower levels so...

That Damn Fiendish Crab - Creature

Fiendish Monstrous Crab
Large Magical Beast(Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+35 (74 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), swim 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+25
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+9, improved grab, powerful claws, Smite Good 1/day (+7 Damage)
Special Qualities: Amphibious, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic, Cold and Fire resistance 5, SR 12
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Spot +10
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes
Environment: Hellhold
Organization: Solitary, pair, or swarm (6-10)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Evil
Advancement: 8-10 HD (Large), 11-21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: --


Combat


Constrict (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a monstrous crab can crush a grabbed opponent, dealing 1d8+9 points of bludgeoning damage.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a monstrous crab hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a claw attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it also constricts on the same round.

Powerful Claws (Ex): A monstrous crab always applies 1.5 times its Strength modifier to damage inflicted with its claws. Additionally, it gains a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

CR: 4

It's that damn crab, all fiended up for the hellhold!

In some ways this is even sillier than the original (SR, DR, Higher Grapple, Feats, more HP), but it does have a weakness that the original Damn Crab lacked (mind affecting spells).

[flabort]

Hmmm...

Bridges of Bone-Puzzle

The Bridges of Bone are located in a single room, with a size of 60x60 feet, and about 3 stories high, with a bottomless pit for a floor. This results from a rift in the castle, from the incomplete spell, in a place were the effect was more wholly concentrated, but the castle did not fall through.
4 tall pillars rise from the pit, with several platforms carven into each. each pillar is 10x10 feet, and each platform is 5x5 feet. Long bridges formed of collosal back-bones stretch between platforms. On entering, a party has this scene described to them:
You stand on a ledge, the floor beyond you seeming to not exist, and yet still visible in patches that seem to fade in and out of existance. A long, thick backbone, of some beast of ages gone by, with rotting ropes interwoven into it, is bolted to the single ledge on which you stand. The other end rises way up, to the top of one of four massive pillars you can see rising out of the floor. You can see several ledges and gaps in the pillars. Several more backbones stretch between these ledges and gaps, as if they were designed as bridges.
When the last member of the party steps off a bridge, in snaps and crumbles behind them. Each platform in a pillar has two bridges stretching from it. each pillar top has four. this includes the bridge from which the party may come from. The bridges are as follows:

East door-east pillar top
east pillar top-north platform A
east pillar top-south pillar top
east pillar top-north platform B
North platform A-west platform A
north platform B-North door
west platform A-north pillar top
south pillar top-east platform A
south pillar top-north platform C
south pillar top-west platform B
north pillar top-west platform B
north pillar top-east platform B
north pillar top-south platform A
north platform C-west pillar top
east platform A-west platform C
east platform B-west pillar top
south platform A-south door
west pillar top-west door
west pillar top-west platform C

On each pillar top is a key. each key corresponds to the opposite door.
to enter the room, from any door, requires a lockpick check of DC 17. each door has the same lock DC, a hardness of 30, and 5 HP.
Flying may get you from door to door, which is a solution, or figuring out a path between two doors, may grant a one-time solution. By reinforcing the bridges, using 50 feet of rope, and a DC 9 Use Rope check, or by using 300 gp of metal materials, a bridge can be prevented from breaking for 1d4+3 weeks. however, in order to reinforce all off the bridges, a lot of materials must be used.
Should the players try to put their trust into the phasing floor, it funtions as a normal floor, only with each 5 feet they move, there is a 50% chance they will fall through, into a 3000 ft. deep pit. at the bottom, is a group of nine large gelatinous cubes, each 20x20x20 feet, which break the characters falls. However, there is no path back up, and should they find a way to get up, they will have entered a representation of the castle in the astral plane.

3

[Mushroom Ninja]

Netta Grubb, Goblin Lich – NPC

Description:

You see a short, squat creature. At first, it appears to be a very thin goblin. On second glance, however, you notice its withered skin, stretched taut over its bones. Its eyes are missing, and bright pinpricks of crimson light burn in its sockets.

Lurching forward, it begins to babble in a grating voice, “hello FIRE blargle dog, grablab. MY SHINY blagagrag YOU HAS IT!”



Backstory:

Netta was a tribal witch in a goblin clan that lived in the portion of the castle that remained on the material plane. She was always fascinated by the promise of secrets hidden in the deep bowls of the castle and, despite the warnings of her clan elders, explored deep into the castle. She found many magical substances and items of power in her many delves.

On one fateful journey, Netta uncovered an ancient text detailing the transcention of mortality via lichdom. Excited by the prospect, Netta gathered together all the items she had found over her years of scrounging and sought to complete the ritual. It was a success, though it drove her mad.

That was decades ago. Netta’s clan has long since left, but she has remained behind, having lost her phylactery somewhere in the castle’s winding halls. She now wanders the corridors, mumbling to herself and trying to find her misplaced phylactery.


Using Netta:

Early on, the PCs find what they think to be a mundane item but is actually Netta’s phylactery. Shortly thereafter, Netta will attack the PCs spewing forth gibberish and demanding the return of her “shiny.” Assuming they kill her, she’ll be back again in 1d10 days with more of the same. As the PCs level (assuming they don’t solve the issue for once and for all), Netta will probably become more of a comic relief than an actual threat, but she will continue her assault.


Mechanics of Lich Transformation:

To become a lich, you need to be able to cast spells, have Craft Wonderous Item, and CL 11. She completed the transformation to lichdom at level 3 (note: the XP burn dropped her back down to 1st level). In her many excursions to the depths of the castle, Netta uncovered a wide variety of CL-boosting items (Bead of Karma, Skiurid Nugget, Humanoid hearts, etc.). Through these, she was able to make the requisit CL. The items have long since been lost and/or destroyed.


Stats:

Netta Grubb
NE Lich Goblin Adept 1
HP: 12
Init: +5
Speed: 30 feet
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5ft
AC: 16
BAB: +0
Attack: +0 Lich Touch Attack (1d8+5, Will save (DC 7 for half), Paralysis (Fort save DC 7)
Abilities: Str 8 Dex 12 Con – Int 10 Wis 14 Cha 5
Saves: Fort Ref Will
Skills: Spellcraft +4, Survival +6, Hide +8, Move Silently +8, Search +8, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8
Languages: Goblin, Common
Feats: Improved Initiative
Possessions: Ragged Clothing
Features:
Fear Aura
60’ DC 9
Turn Resistance
DR 15/blugeonding and Magic
Undead Traits
Immunity to cold, electricity, and polymorph

Spellcasting:
Adept:
0th: 3
1st: 2

CR 3

[Harperfan7]

Room of bones - other (encounter)

At least one room of the castle has walls that are completely covered in bones and skeletons. This hides actual skeletons (from the MM) that stand (or lay, if the floor is whats covered) perfectly still until the pcs do somethings, then all attack at once. Mixed in among the skeletons (and boneguards?) are bone golems (which also need to be created) that resemble skeletons, but are actually constructs.

Basic, really. Anybody who wants to fix this up can have it.

[Lord Loss]

I remeber this trap-maker from the Wizards forum (Ravenwood, I think his name was) he made the most awesome traps. Here are the few I saved:

1) Greedy Gas Trap

The PC's Enter large round room, maybe 60' in diameter. Across the room is a stone door with a really tough lock. The Party's Rogue will have to pick it for a long time, or the fighters will have to beat it for a while before it crumbles.
The ground is made of sand, and the ceiling appears to be made of glass, the topside of which is covered in gold coins. This is how you find out who the greedy guy in your party is. It only takes one projectile from a crossbow, sling, bow, etc. to completely shatter the glass. The weight of the coins causes it to break further, and all under the glass (everyone in the room) must make a Reflex save of whatever the DM deems fair or take 3d6 damage from the falling glass. About two rounds after, while everyone is buzzing around picking up gold pieces, they realize the glass was not only holding back coins. A poisonous gas begins seeping down towards the ground, and every round their in it, they have to make a Fort save or fall unconscious. That could put some pressure on the guy trying to get the door open. If they just run back the way they came, the DM could make it so that the room can't be entered again, and now they have to take "the long way" around.
(Ravenwood)

2) Treadmill Trap

The PC's enter a long hallway at a T-junction. There is a small step down into the hall, which appears to be about 70'-90' feet long and ten feet across. Down one end appears to be a dead in wall with a bunch of holes in it, down the other end appears to be a door. Once everyone is in the hallway, they here a grinding noise, and the floor starts to slowly move towards the dead end wall. They now notice the floor is made of rubber. The movement increases in speed until the PC's find themselves running. This is pretty much a big treadmill, and the wall with the holes in it now has spike sticking through them. Anyone who is taken into that wall will be impaled on the spikes for 5d6 damage (or however much you like.) In any case, the trick is to run as fast as you can, which could be difficult for heavily burdened or armed folk, and remember, you're only moving about 5-10 forward a turn. About ten feet in front of the door is a stone platform that
the players can jump onto for safety. For every round a PC remains on the treadmill, they have to roll a balance check of about 10 to stay on their feet. If they fail, then they lose about ten feet, and are that much more closer to the spikes.
There is a switch in the wall on the platform by the door that many will mistake to be the 'off' switch. The trick is the machine starts when all feet hit the rubber, and stop when all of them are off. Whoever hits the switch only reverses the direction of the treadmill, knocking everone still on it down and catapulting them onto the platform, perhaps breaking throught the door.
If you are the type of DM like I am, you will perhaps put some hulking bad guys on the other side of that door ready to hack & slash at the PC's who are out of breath and fatigued.
Have fun. (Ravenwood)

3) The Meat(shield) Fryer

The PC’s get to the end of a hall, and come upon a chain dangling from a hole in the ceiling and a smooth stone slab door. Written on the door is the message “A test of Strength Lies Beyond”. If your PC’s are smart, they will make it so their heavy hitters and fighters will be the first in the room for what lies ahead. The chain obviously opens the door, simply pulling down on it with a Strength Check of about 12 will open the door quite easily. Whoever grasps the chain will feel as though the metal links are wet.
When the chain is yoinked, the door is raised and the fighters rush in, ready for battle, but find a nearly empty room. The room is 100' long, and about 50' wide, and completely dark. There is a small step down through the threshold, leaving everyone standing in shin deep water. About thirty feet away, hanging from the ceiling, about five feet above the water, are two, fat, parallel metal bars, arcs of lightning bounce back and forth between them.
The PC’s will now hear a sickening, wooden crack. That was the ancient block and tackle system that allowed for such an easy Strength Check to lift a heavy stone door and two metal electrodes bursting into hundreds of pieces. The Strength Check to keep the door open and the electrodes in the air is now about 20 or higher. It should be noted that it is at about this point the PC holding the chain realizes his hands have been Sovereign Glued to the chain, and he cant let go. There are a few busted pillar pieces laying around inside the room the others could try to seek refuge on, but they would only allow one person to stay on. They could try to push these under the electrodes to keep them from breeching the water, but they weight about a ton a piece.
Another PC may go back through the door and help the other keep the chain pulled so that the electrodes and the door don’t plunge, but they too, will become glued to the chain.
If all else fails, and the PC holding the chain cannot keep the chain pulled down, all in the room are now trapped and will be electrocuted for 5d6 damage (or more >D) for every round the electrodes are in the water.
The trick is that at the end of the room sits a small table, and on it sits a tube of Universal Solvent with enough for one application. If the person can make it back to the door in time, they can fix the PC right up, unless of course, there are now two holding on to it.
Rather than just being a jerk, it might be a good idea to put a vast treasure in the room, give the PC’s reason to continue risking the chance of going back inside time after time.
If another PC is glues to the chain, it might be an entire side quest in itself to find a way to get him unstuck. (Ravenwood)


4) Run for it, Bobby!, part two

The PC’s appear to step through a door in the middle of a very long hallway. There is a door to the left and a wall with spikes at the other end. If they venture out, they will note that the floor appears to made out of rubber. When the last person steps out onto the hallway, the party hears a low rumble then a whining noise. The floor suddenly begins to move towards the spiked wall. The PC's are basically on a large treadmill that begins pulling them

>------------------------|--|---------------------|----| 200' long
>------------------------------------------------------| Door
>-------------------------------------------------|----| 10' wide

towards danger. If the PC’s make a run for it they will have to make a Balance check of 15 to ensure they stay on , their feet while running on the conveyer belt. If they fail, they fall and zoom towards the spiked wall at about 50 feet a round and must make a Balance check of 15 just to stand back up. They should also realize that though they maybe able to move at 4x their regular speed, they only move a few feet every round. The last ten feet of the hall towards the left is stone, and the PC’s must make a Jump check of 14 to make it onto the stone floor. Once there, there is a switch in the wall. If the players assume it is a stop switch, they are wrong.
Throwing the switch merely reverses the direction of the treadmill. If any are unfortunate enough to hit the spikes, they take 3d8 piercing damage, an evilly aligned DM might make them diseased or poisoned. They will remain on the spike and take an additional 1d8 damage every round until someone throws the switch. When that occurs, the PC’s remaining must make a Balance check of 30 or fall to the ground as they are suddenly pitched forward, and eventually shot off the treadmill. The conveyer will not actually stop until everyone is off. PC’s on the treadmill being hurled into the PC’s on the stone floor near the door will end up doing lots of bludgeoning damage to each other and probably break through the door too.(Ravenwood)

5) Chimney Sweep

The players come to a room with what looks like a chimney, which is in fact a tunnel leading up. It is about a 200 foot climb, but the chimney is studded with smooth stones for many foot and hand holds. The tunnel is narrow, so the players will have to go one at a time up the chimney. About halfway up, there is a trigger stone. Whoever trips the stone will afterwards be awarded a Concentration check of 20 to remember what the stone felt like. Rough, and sharp.
The trigger stone releases a spiked weight that is in place at the very top of the chimney, and causes it to fall at an alarming speed. Faster than the PC’s can climb down, and they will probably find that just letting go and falling is the fastest way down. If the players make a successful jump check, the first ten feet of the fall go by with no damage, otherwise, every other ten feet they fall is 1d6 worth of gravity damage. If they are hit by the weight, they take 4d8 piercing damage, and another 1d8 bludgeoning from the weight itself, not to mention they weight will knock them free from the tunnel, and they take whatever falling damage is left. If there are multiple people in the tunnel, it is likely that one falling will cause a chain reaction to cause a massive pile up at the bottom of the chimney.
The weight will stop with a jerk about 10 feet from the bottom of the tunnel, and then slowly crank back up to its usual position as the trap resets itself. Every player has about a 50% chance of triggering the trap, but if the person who tripped it can remember what the trigger stone felt like, and divulges this info to the rest of the party, that percentage drops to about 5%.
Even if the PC’s think they can scramble up the tunnel while the trap is resetting itself are sorely mistaken, for if the trigger is tripped, no matter where the weight is, it will fall, and then start back up. (Ravenwood)

6) The Invisible Wall of Pain

This is more of a comical trap than anything that will cause damage. In a relatively short, narrow hallway, the floor is suddenly split by a five foot wide, ten foot across, and five foot deep pit. No problem. The first person who jumps across should have detected magic. About halfway across is an invisible wall. When the PC takes that running jump, he’ll hit that thing like a fly hitting a windshield, and then slowly slide down. The trick is to just climb down into the pit, walk under the wall, and climb up the other side. Hitting the wall with that running jump might cause 2d6 or so damage, but make it low.

7) Shredded Wheats

This is a good sadistic trap to put in a fighting arena. The room should be relatively large, and have lots of levels for fighting, with lots of cauldrons of burning tar for light, and other stuff. Put some heavy hitting enemies in the room, like some ogres or trolls. Ever some-odd feet, there is a five by five foot shaft. Falling in, or getting knocked into, rather, is a new level of pain all together. After good forty foot drop, the tunnel takes a 45 degree slope, and has protrusions in the surface much like a cheese grater. After so many feet of this (5d6 or 5d8 worth of damage) the player takes another vertical spill and lands in a forty by forty by five foot deep vat of salt water. This should probably just deal subdual damage, but it is very sadistic non the less. The only way he’s getting out is climb back out the way he went.

8) Cloaks of Darkness

Cloaker pit: A varient on the classic illusion pit have a cloaker hide in a pit with a darkness spell over it. Have the cloaker use its silent image ability to create an image of a foe, wait for char to fall in pit and be engulfed by cloaker. Should players figure it out have cloaker rise from pit and attack. (note cloaker needs to speak common to understand when players figure it out)

9) Run for the - SPLAT!

The PCs are being pursued closely by multiple enemies (hopefully stronger than them or an illusion). The PCs come to a twisting hall (so they cannot charge away) with doors on either side. Inside every door the room immediately drops 20 ft onto spikes as they enter

10) Pitfall

Its true, this is a trap I just use for comic relief. The PC's enter a room that appears to a have a rope dangling from the ceiling. upon further inspection, it appears to lead up through a hole in the ceiling into blackness. In a true case of curiosity killing the PC, if anyone attempts to climb the rope, their weight opens a trap door underneath them and snaps the rope

11) Stairway to heaven

About halfway up a flight of steps is a false step. Its cover is made of brittle material, like disguised glass, and when stepped on with a certain weight shatters, and the PC's foot falls through. If he doesn't remove his foot carefully, and just pulls it on out, he'll relize his mistake, for there are spikes inside angled at about 45 degrees, so when his foot goes in, nothing happens, but when he tries to pull it out...have the PC take whatever damage you deem appropriate, but cut his base movement by half.

12) Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

In a 10' wide halway, make it pretty long, there appear to be pressure plates all along the floor. It looks as though who ever built the place didn't even go through the trouble of disguising them, and they are easily avoidable.
However, to tests ones greedy habits, ever so many feet down the hall is a platnum lever in the up position. They look really appealing, and a successful apraise check will show they are worth about 500 gp each.
They can break off with a strength check of 20, but if they miss the check there is a 50% chance they inadventantly threw the switch. Now it's time to see which of the part is the best sprinter.
A heavy thud echos through the hallway, and up the way they came, they can see three stone wheels, about the size of a modern day truck tire, rolling down the hallway, setting off all the pressure plates, sending up an array of traps from darts, arrows, gasses, acids, flames, etc.

13) Break me, and ye shall pass...

This is a good trap for the token meathead tank of the party. The party enters a long, wide hall that has no traps visable at first. After walking about thirty feet, a thick, wooden beam fires out from one wall of the corridor into the next, and a message carved on the wood states "Break me, and ye' shall pass". The Tank will take a wack at it, the beam has a harness of 12, and hp of 20. Once broken, the PCs will walk another 30' down the hall, and a stone beam will shoot out the same size and dimension as the wooden one. The message now says "Is that all ye' got?" The tank will take the challenge, and try to smash through again. Stone beam has a harness of 16, and an hp of 30.
Another 30' down the hall, and a steel beam shoots out with the message, "C'mon ye' bonnie lass, try an' break this un'." Steel beam has a hardness of 20, and an hp of 45.
After this one, the party gets about fifty feet down the corridor, almost to the end, when a thin wooden pole shoots across the corridor with the message, "Go ahead, laddy, make my day"
The wooden pole has a harness of 8 and an hp of 5, but what the tank doesn't know is that this is a staff of pain. When he (or she) breaks it, the tank is hit with 'Inflict serious wounds' (3d6+11 negative energy damage, will22/half) 'Eyebite' (target becomes becomes panicked, sickend and comotose for 8 hours, will22/negate) and 'Wrack' (Renders the victim helpless with pain for 24 hours, will22/negate)

14) Hobson's Choice

The PC's find a spot that looks promising for a search for traps (a door is best). When the rogue is done, he will have found that the trap is (flaming, acidic, gasious, etc.) and is tripped by motion detection as soon as the door is open, which means he has to open the door to disarm it, but everyone in a 10' spread on either side of the door has to be really still. However, as soon as the rogue pops the door open, the party sees on the other side a really hungry, growling (owl-bear, dire bear, displacer beast, etc), and he lunges towards the party. If the party flees they'll set off the trap, but the hungry beast will set it off anyway...

15)Go to the Ball...

The party has to walk up a very long, pretty steeply sloping corridor. At the bottom, they have to jump over a pit to continue up the corridor. At the top there's a large door. When opened, the party sees a steel ball rumbling and rolling towards them, picking up speed.

The party I DM'd this for assumed that the ball would fall into the pit, so they had to make it there, jump it, and let the ball fall in. In matter of fact, there's a one-way wall of force midway above the pit, triggered by the trap and lasting as long as it takes for the ball to get to the pit.

Going hell-for-leather down a sharp incline, your PC's are moving at a fair old clip, and the leap into a wall kinda hurts the first guy there. The PCs coming behind him need to make Reflex saves, otherwise they are unable to stop themselves and rocket straight into the pit as well

16) I spy with my little- SPLAT!

Tired of PC's who look through keyholes to see what lies ahead? Simple solution; there's an invisible needle sticking out of This particular keyhole, and they just impaled their eye on it.

17) Kobold Kamikaze

This trap works best on low level henchman, like kobolds or goblins, or something of the like. They are all wearing these vibrant red medallions that the party will truly want ( because they're greedy, duh) but what they do not realize that these kabolds are fanatics and will stop at nothing to prevent the party from taking another step in their dungeon. When the fight begins to sway in favor of the party, the kobolds will lead a charge into the party, all striking their medallions before they hit. The medallions explode, dealing
2d6 damage to everyone withing 5' of the explosion, which doesn't sound like much, but when you have a few dozen go off around the PC's, that's a lot of damage. Another thing, one explosion will trigger the others, so even the dead kobold's charges go off too

18) Breakdown

This is a good trap for the meathead of the party (as so many of these traps seem to target) But a heavy door in the wall of the castle your PC's are traveling through that leads to...nowhere. The door is set into the wall, and is un-openable When the hefty dude (or dudette) of the party tries to open it the old fashioned way, via a foot through the thing, the door gives way, and the PC needs to role a balance check, or fall out the side of the castle wall. Works particularly well on towers that are pretty darn high

19)

Four PCs come across a cubic pedestal with a button on top labelled "Press to Open." When all of the PCs are inside, the door shuts and four pressure plates rise at the four sides of the pedestal. If the PCs stand on the pressure plates and press the button, two metal rods bash each of them in the legs (deals damage as two Quarterstaff hits, Reflex to avoid, failure reduces their speed by 10 feet and gives them a -2 penalty on the upcoming Reflex Save) followed by larger metal rods to the groin (deals damage as a Club, Reflex to avoid damage, failure induces a Fortitude save to avoid being stunned, sickened, and becoming unconscious from the excruciating pain). If the PCs inspect the door, they find that it only shut, it didn't lock.

20) I prepared Explosive Runes This Morning...

A book that holds some information that is important for the adventure, which must be read. 'cept it's written in EXPLOSIVE RUNES. How to read it you ask? trap yerself in otiluke's res sphere or some such, and flip the pages with telekinesis.(there, and you thought raven was sadistic

21) Twist of The Knife... Er, Bridge

This can turn a wussy CR 5 ogre into a challenge that can slay a high-level character.
Okay, the set up:
Ogre: Rogue 2, 8 ranks in balance, improved bull rush feat.
Bridge: Suspended over lava/acid, a rope bridge [Literally-it is made out of ropes separated about 2 feet from each other.] Requires a DC 15 balance check to stay on while moving or if the bridge moves.
The Action: The ogre bull rushes the poor PCs into the lava, nailing them with 20D6 points of fire damage. The ogre could also shake the bridge from the end, forcing balance checks from the PCs.
22) Ants under a Magnifying Glass

A group of henchmen enter the room, and upon discovery of the party, initiate the engagment.
The floor tiles are white, so the sun shining through lights up the whole room, but it also makes a consentrated beam of solar light invisble to the eye. Anybody who crosses over the beam in any way, whether it by through fighting, grappling, shoving, falling, whatever, they immediatly take 3d8 heat damage. It is amazing how long it takes for PC's to figure out that the skylight is acting like a big magnifying glass, and I actually had a PC enter the beam to fight, and stood there fighting for a few rounds because he thought some spell caster was casting something on him so that he took 3d6 damage ever round with no save. What drove him insane was that a party of nothing but axe wielding orcs was attacking the party, so he thought the spellcaster was in cognito

[Melamoto]

That is...a nice set of traps and puzzles. They are a bit too vague in their current form, but I'll add them all anyway. Anyone who wants to can fix them up and get credit for themselves. Although I will be adding them all into the other section, under the same entry. That's where to look if you want to fully patch these up.
And the other ideas we've been getting through (Especially Netta Grub) are pretty awesome as well. Adding them all up to the list. When we finally run dry of ideas, there will be more than enough to fill up the whole of the dungeon.

And, I'm removing the whole votes system for this design stage, because this is getting too big.

[Lord Loss]

Cloaker Pit (Revised Edition):

a long Hallway (60 ft x 10 ft), with a pit containing a Cloaker with the darkness spell cast above it. The pit occupies a 2 x 2 area, and is found 30 ft into the hallway. The cloaker is projecting the image of a skeleton standing where the pit it. It will attack PCs who step into the pit. ''A Skeletal warrior stands in the hallway, wearing silver armor and weilding dual scimtars. (Spot DC 22) He seems to flicker and wane, as if he was a trick of the light. You feel as though you could run right through him.

[Mushroom Ninja]

And, I'm removing the whole votes system for this design stage, because this is getting too big.

That makes sense. If this dungeon takes a party from low levels to epic, we're going to need a lot of content.

[flabort]

Enflamed Soul-Monster (template)
As the party enters the ballroom, all the lights suddenly vanish. Blue, glowing runes cover the walls, and wisps of flame shoot from circular patterns formed by the runes. The flames slowly gather over the central staircase, growing denser and more defined. A womans form, made soley of the flames that enshrine her, turns to the party, screaming.
creating an Enflamed Soul
Enflamed Soul is an aquired template that may be applied to any corpereal creature with an Int score of at least 5, excluding outsiders, undead, constructs, and plants, hereby refered to as the Base creature. A single room, Stone circle, fairy ring, or similar, with little or no obstacles contained, hereby refered to as the base room, must be chosen as well.

type and subtype
The Enflamed soul retains all subtypes of the Base creature, but her type changes to undead. recaulculate racial hit dice, if any, with a d12, as it is undead. As well, it gains the incorpereal and fire subtypes.

imunities
The Enflamed Soul gains all imunities of the Base creature, as well as gaining the undead imunities, including imunity to mind affecting effects; poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects; critical hits, nonleathal damage, ability drain, and imunity to physical ability damage, as well as fatuige and exaustion effects. having the fire subtype, it is imune to fire, but takes +50% damage from cold. And, as an incorpereal creature, it is imune to all nonmagical attack forms, with a 50% miss chance for magical attack forms, excluding standard incropereal weaknesses.

abilities
The Base creature loses it's Con score, gains +2 to int and cha, and gains -2 to Str and Dex.

Move speed - the Enflamed soul keeps all the existing move speeds the base creature had before, but does not gain any new ones.

other
Colored Flame - There are various strengths of Enflamed souls. If the base creature had 1-4 hit dice, it's fire is colored blue. contact with a blue Enflamed Soul deals 1d4 fire damage. If the base creature had 5-8 hit dice, the Enflamed Soul deals 2d6 fire damage on contact, and is colored orange. a base creature with 9-14 hit dice becomes bright red, with flickers of brighter yellow visible, and deals 4d8 fire damage on contact. between 15 and 20 hit dice, the Enflamed soul becomes bright white, dealing 5d10 fire damage on contact, and dealing 1d4 heat damage to any within a 30' radius from the Enflamed soul each round. if the base creature has over 20 hit dice, the Enflamed soul remains bright white, but a purpleish aura enshrines it even further. at this point, it deals 6d12 fire damage to contact, and deals 2d6 heat damage each round, within a 50' radius.

Bound - The Enflamed soul cannot leave the base room. it may disperse into the physical borders of said room, but is unable to leave. As well, it may at any time materialise within the room. it takes a full-round action to disperse or materialise, during which all the physical borders start to glow with bright runes, of the same color as the Enflamed soul. the Enflamed soul cannot do anything while dispersed, although it may materialise in any location withing the base room it wants. The only time an Enflamed soul may leave it's base room is for teritory expansion, detailed below.

Expansion of borders - An enflamed soul may take over rooms beyond it's base room, given various variables. All captured teritory must not excede the size of it's base room, and must have physical borders. It must leave it's Base room to do so, and takes 1d10 damage each round it remains out of it's pre-existing teritory. It must make a DC 9 Craft (runes) check each round, for a number of rounds equal to the length of the borders of the room, divided by 10'. this means that a 10 by 10 room would take 4 rounds to complete, and deal 4d10 damage. After it finishes, it no longer takes damage in that room, and may consider it part of it's base room, except when expanding teritory. However, any dispell magic cast on the Enflamed soul while in that room instantly disperses the Enflamed soul into it's base room, and causes the room it was in to revert from being the Soul's teritory. the hieght of a wall does not matter, meaning a room can be larger than the base room overall, if it's taller.

spell casting and memories - the Enflamed soul keeps all levels and spell casting, as well as other abilities, that it had in life. however, it loses all of it's memories, and would attack even it's closest friend in life. It only remember's what it's re-animater lets it, which may be made up by whoever re-animated it.

Challenge rating: As base creature, +2


Sample encounter

the party enters a small room, with a tall roof, such as a 15'x25'x100' room. a single door leads out, besides the one the party entered. the walls flash with orange and blue runes, and pillars of orange and blue flame spout from the walls, materializing into an orange Griffons shape, with a blue rider.
Will edit tomorrow with relevant stats
The rider shouts, "this is our teritory!", and the griffon flies to a height which the players cannot reach, except the party mage. the rider then proceeds to hail down magic missle, and other spells, being a 3rd level human mage, with quicken and maximize metamagic feats.
Should the party mage cast Dispell magic, or something similar, the griffon will disapear, and the mage will fall to the ground, taking apropriate dammage. given all his imunities, he should take a while to finnish off, but he'll be rather easy. he will not be able to be dispelled.
The next room is the griffon's base room. the room will be larger, about 30'x60'x90'. The griffon will attack with physical attacks, diving upon the PCs, and full attacking with pounce, causing all availible damage, including the 2d6 contact fire damage from being an Enflamed soul. Since it's his base room, he will not be able to be dispelled. When the PC's enter, he should be waiting for them, since the battle with the mage should have given him enough time to materialize.

14-15

[Asta Kask]

I made a Shrieker demi-lich once - I'll see if I can I dig out my notes. :smallsmile:

[AgentPaper]

With a castle and necromancy involved, there's no way you could get through the place without encountering at least ONE haunted armory, either with the weapons possessed directly or with ghosts throwing stuff around.

[Lord Loss]

Maybe we could start a thread in the Homebrew section, to attract people interested in building stuffs for this project. Because we're not getting all that many people here since the voting stopped ...

[Melamoto]

That's a good idea. I've put up a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7886828) for it in the homebrew section. Hopefully that will generate some more interest.