[PF] Encounters for a research lab

[Silus]

Ok so I'm kinda hitting a wall with regards to an upcoming ruin/dungeon that I'll be running this coming Friday. Specifically in level appropriate encounters.

Things to know/keep in mind:

-Party is level 4. Magus, LE Cleric, fighter, Sorcerer/Rogue and Fighter/Ranger with a wolf and zombie pet.

-Player have shown to be able to take on level-inapproriate encounters (up to a least CR6).

-I'd like to avoid any undead if I could, lest the Cleric try to dominate them all.

-Players are a little undergeared (my fault as DM really. This ruin will hopefully solve that).

-Players are (almost) all VERY experienced players and have been making things hellish for me as a pretty green DM :smallannoyed: (Would like to give them a run for their money)

-The idea is that the ruin was, ~1000 years ago, a research facility for coming up with a way to lock the world on a planar level (No intrusion from outsiders or gods). Place has been sealed up tight since the planar lock had been put up. Experiments may have gotten out and bred in the confines of the research facility.

-As the place was a research facility, I can't think of any traps to use aside from "the place is falling apart" based traps.

Please help, I don't want to screw this up and I'm strapped for ideas as it is D= Default enemies would be a Deathweb as the boss and just varying degrees of spiders and large vermin.

[Kudaku]

What kind of research was done at the center?

Bah, that's what I get for replying to posts at 4 AM.

Well, it kind of depends. Was the lab designed to be self-sufficient once the lock went up? What kind of power level did the original inhabitants of the dungeon have access to?

Typically the encounters you'll have in a dungeon that has been locked up for a long time will be limited to creatures that do not age, eat or drink, since said creature has spent the last x amount of years in what is essentially a tomb. That usually means undead, constructs, or summoned monsters (via traps).

However, if the lab is big enough and has the ability to sustain life (ie inhabitants have access to water, air, sustenance) then you have a lot more options.

[Silus]

What kind of research was done at the center?

Bah, that's what I get for replying to posts at 4 AM.

Well, it kind of depends. Was the lab designed to be self-sufficient once the lock went up? What kind of power level did the original inhabitants of the dungeon have access to?

Typically the encounters you'll have in a dungeon that has been locked up for a long time will be limited to creatures that do not age, eat or drink, since said creature has spent the last x amount of years in what is essentially a tomb. That usually means undead, constructs, or summoned monsters (via traps).

However, if the lab is big enough and has the ability to sustain life (ie inhabitants have access to water, air, sustenance) then you have a lot more options.

Idea is that after the lock went up, the researchers all more or less had a "oh God what have we done" moment, locked the research center up, and killed themselves and their families.

Encounters I have thus far are:

Attic Whisperer x1: Nursery/living quarters (Dead child of researchers)
Slime Mold x2: Kitchens (Should have washed them dishes better)
Giant Crab Spider x8: Holding Pens (Snuck in and bred like mad)
Graven Guardian x1: Boss (A "You are not authorized to be here. Leave now" kinda boss. Thinking Artifice and Law. Will not attack if the PCs are wearing keycard necklaces that the dead researchers are wearing)

I kinda figure that after 1000 years, cracks and holes have formed in the foundations to allow more...conventional creatures inside.

[Kudaku]

If it's a laboratory that studied how to design a planar "lock", then it might make sense that they have designed chambers and areas to interact with creatures from other planes to figure out how they work and interact with the Prime...?

How about... A maximum-security chamber designed to study creatures from the Dark Tapestry (http://www.pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Dark_Tapestry)? Throw in something like the Stargate with a mess of rubbery tentacles that were severed when the Lock was put into place.

[Crustypeanut]

Alchemical Ooze Swarms would be an awesome encounter. There are four types, ranging from CR 1/3rd to CR 2 - a few advanced versions of the CR 2 type could be an interesting fight.

They're from the 1st Carrion Crown AP book.

[North_Ranger]

Suitably-leveled outsiders escaped from holding pens - or better yet, inadvertently let loose by the adventuring party when they breached the compound. Perhaps the original researchers captured and planar locked different outsiders of growing strength to stress-test their designs? And over time, some of the creatures have managed to break loose, either due to inherent flaws in the locks or simply by pounding at their chains until they broke. Some of the still-captive creatures might even attempt to bargain for their freedom, or try and use their spell-like abilities to coax adventurers to let them loose.

You could also consider magical traps set up outside these holding pens: summon monster traps that summon celestial monsters outside holding pens for demons, devils and daemons, and traps that summon fiendish creatures outside holding pens that house low-level archons, angels, azatas and agathions.

Some potential creatures:
-Demons: dretches, quasits, vermleks, perhaps even a brimorak or incubus - or a vrock or nabasu that has been severely weakened by the planar lock. In an interesting twist, a locked and weakened succubus might offer its aid or information in return for her freedom - or try to use dominate person or suggestion to get a weak-willed adventurer to break the locks of her cell.
- Devils: a holding pen that's turned into a gaav orrery; a partly disassembled levaloch; a loose bearded devil hunting other escaped "specimens" for sport.
- Daemons. Can't help you much here; I'm barely conversant with these nihilistic bastards.
- A cassisian angel or lantern archon that remembers with crystal clarity the proper code for opening its cage - but cannot let himself free due to being a flying helmet with no hands or a floating ball of light :smallwink: Alternatively, the lantern archon might beseech the adventurers to find its eight companions so that they can use their gestalt ability to wreak the place or knock out an escape route for the party.