[DM]: The Runic Maze (Post Includes Run Down, and Picture)

[killem2]

Basically this area of this complex that continues to go underground, is the mad creation of a Half-Illithid Elan 20 Wizard/20 Psion Gestalt, that has made some nasty dealings with some evil beings over the years. This is just a part of his massive fun house.

The top Spoiler is the DM breakdown, and the bottom spoiler is the actual hand made map for my own uses.

To a super optimized group, I don't see it being much a dungeon, to my players though, it is going to be one hell of a challenge :smallcool:.

The Runic Maze

All runes are invisible until stepped on or stepped off, and then they become visible. Until they do step off them, there is no other light in the rooms unless the magic wall gives off light. The rune generates light equal to a candle.

All runes are based off the spell Teleportation Circle

The entire area is under the effect of (Amplify Spell).

All DC saves (where asked) assume the caster had an intelligence of 24. So DC = 10+7+spell level.

The ceiling is or divider rather, is two layers of darkness both cast from a 9th level spell slot.

As you walk downward along this wide passage way, you begin faintly to smell, taste, and even see what appears to be fire. From sight along you notice the flickering of its waving flames. The doorway you stand in opens to a room surrounded in flames.

[Rune A1]: You stand in an area surrounded by flames. They stand 15ft high before disappearing into darkness above you. The room is well lit from the fire[as torches] (Permanent Wall of Fire, CL12)
This room also contains runes M1, N1.

[Rune A2]: A sickly purple haze surrounds the walls. It is a vertical wall of festering, stinking organic ooze that seems to bubble into being. (Permanent Wall of Ooze CL 14)
This room also contains runes E1, E2, B1, C1.

[Rune B1]: A sickly purple haze surrounds the walls. It is a vertical wall of festering, stinking organic ooze that seems to bubble into being. (Permanent Wall of Ooze CL 14)
This room also contains runes E1, E2, A2, C1.

[Rune B2]: A white substance surrounds the room. It has the faintest taint in color, pink or flesh like in tone. (Permanent Wall of Ectoplasm CL 13)
This room also contains rune F1.

[Rune C1]: A sickly purple haze surrounds the walls. It is a vertical wall of festering, stinking organic ooze that seems to bubble into being. (Permanent Wall of Ooze CL 14)
This room also contains runes E1, E2, A2, B1.

[Rune C2]: A putrid looking opaque fog surrounds this room. The 10ft wide hall way leads two ways both are dead ends. (Permanent Cloud Kill CL 15)
This room also contains runes D1, D2.

[Rune D1, D2]: A putrid looking opaque fog surrounds this room. The 10ft wide hall way leads two ways both are dead ends. (Permanent Cloud Kill CL 15)
This room also contains rune C2.

[Runes E1 / E2]: A sickly purple haze surrounds the walls. It is a vertical wall of festering, stinking organic ooze that seems to bubble into being. (Permanent Wall of Ooze CL 14)
This room also contains runes A2, B1, C1.

[Rune F1]: A white substance surrounds the room. It has the faintest taint in color, pink or flesh like in tone. (Permanent Wall of Ectoplasm CL 13)
This room also contains rune B2.

[Rune F2]: A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14))
This room also contains runes L1, G1.

[Rune G1]: A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14))
This room also contains runes L1, F2.

[Rune G2]: You appear in an open area. You can see to the north about 70 ft an outline of bones to the east of that about another 10ft is an iron structure. Above you, you can see only darkness. To the south east you see a stationary billowing cloud. You see nothing but the same natural stone to the east, and to the west you can see a large amount of ice pillars that jettison into the darkness above most appear to be 10ft wide, with one directly 70ft from where you stand a 20ft wide pillar of ice. To the south east, 60ft or so is possibly a hexagonal or octagonal wall; the material from this distance is not known. Farther still to the east 65 ft or so you can see flicking walls of fire that are disappearing into the darkness. (Permanent Wall of Force CL15)
This room contains runes H1, I1, K1, J1.

[Rune H1]: You appear in an open area (refer to G2 for similar description).
This room contains runes G2, I1, K1, J1.

[Rune H2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune I1]: You appear in an open area (refer to G2 for similar description).
This room contains runes G2, H1, K1, J1.

[Rune I2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune J1]: You appear in an open area (refer to G2 for similar description).
This room contains runes G2, H1, K1, I1.

[Rune J2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune K1]: You appear in an open area (refer to G2 for similar description).
This room contains runes G2, H1, J1, I1.

[Rune K2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune L1]: A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14)
This room also contains runes F2, G1

[Rune L2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune M1]: You stand in an area surrounded by flames. They stand 15ft high before disappearing into darkness above you. The room is well lit from the fire[as torches] (Permanent Wall of Fire, CL12)
This room also contains runes A1, N1

[Rune M2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune N1]: You stand in an area surrounded by flames. They stand 15ft high before disappearing into darkness above you. The room is well lit from the fire[as torches] (Permanent Wall of Fire, CL12)
This room also contains runes A1, M1.

[Rune N2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune O1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune O2]: You feel cold. This area is very very cold. (Permanent Wall of Coldfire, CL 14)
This room contains rune P1.

[Rune P1]: You feel cold. This area is very very cold. (Permanent Wall of Coldfire, CL 14)
This room contains Rune O2.

[Rune P2]: You free fall 100ft. On to a heap of corpses 40ft high. Take 6d6 damage. Reflex Save of DC 15 can allow the person if they survive to regain their balance and walk down the mountain, other wise they roll down and take another 4d6 damage.
You can see pillars of ice to the south of you, and A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14).

[Rune Q1]: A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14))
This room contains rune R1.

[Rune Q2]: You are surrounded by paper walls with writing sporadically written on them. Closer inspection reveals they are diary entries.
Day 34 – I’ve been down here for weeks. I’m writing now with two broken legs and a day and half left of rations. I fell from a damn column. I saw many other adventurers before me. I’m sure I’ll join them now. – Donovan Mclane, Warrior of Candlekeep. Year of our Lord, 5390.
Day 74 – My party is gone, they died giving up. They lost their minds. I went on without them. I don’t know what to do anymore. If I can’t find my way back to the flaming entrance, I am going to fall on my own sword. – Frolock, Wisslepiss Halfling of the Golden Eagle Brigade. Year of our Lord, 4300.
Day 4 – I’m so excited today. My two brothers are taking me on an adventure. I know I’m only 13, but I know I can handle it. – Molly Gargland
Day 5 – I’m so scared, My brothers are missing. I can hear them screaming for help somewhere in here. – Molly Gargland
Day 6 – I’m so hungry. My brothers are not making any sounds anymore. I’m really scared, I don’t have any light here. Molly Gargland
Day 13 -- I counted 34 bodies down here. Most are around the columns. I will find my way out of here. I will not be 35. – Garret Julian – Elven Assassin.
Day 1 – I’ve been separate from my party. I can’t find Frolock. – Ginger Halfwilt, Gnome of the Golden Eagle Bridgade.
Day 14 – I found my brothers. *The rest of this page is hard to read, from water smears*
Day 84 – I’ve only been down here a few weeks. I wish I would have picked up that damn map. I’m sure it was a map. I’m foolish for thinking it was crude artwork. Someone was trying to map this place out. Damn. – Author of tis entry is unreadable. It is covered with blood stains.


[Rune R1]: A wall of bones surrounds this room. They erupt from what almost seems the nothingness and form a crude barrier. (Permanent Wall of Bones, CL 14))
This room contains Rune Q1.

[Rune R2]: Exuding the stench of festering carrion, waves upon waves of buzzing, clambering, clicking bugs can be heard from all sides of you. (Permanent Wall of Vermin, CL13). You can see hall ways 10ft wide from all directions.
This room contains runes, S1, S2, T1, Z1

[Rune S1]: Exuding the stench of festering carrion, waves upon waves of buzzing, clambering, clicking bugs can be heard from all sides of you. (Permanent Wall of Vermin, CL13). You can see hall ways 10ft wide from all directions.
This room contains runes, R2, S2, T1, Z1

[Rune S2]: Exuding the stench of festering carrion, waves upon waves of buzzing, clambering, clicking bugs can be heard from all sides of you. (Permanent Wall of Vermin, CL13). You can see hall ways 10ft wide from all directions.
This room contains runes, R2, S1, T1, Z1

[Rune T1]: You are in a small room, incased in an Iron Wall that rises upward 50 ft into darkness. (Permanent Wall of Iron, CL 13)
This room contains rune Z2.

[Rune T2]: Exuding the stench of festering carrion, waves upon waves of buzzing, clambering, clicking bugs can be heard from all sides of you. (Permanent Wall of Vermin, CL13). You can see hall ways 10ft wide from all directions.
This room contains runes, R2, S1, S2, Z1

[Rune U1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune U2]: You stand in a room that is incased in walls of ice. You see a stair way heading downward into darkness. (Permanent Wall of Ice, cl14)

[Rune V1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune V2]: You are surrounded by paper walls with writing sporadically written on them. Closer inspection reveals they are diary entries.
Day 15 – Without my brothers, I can’t find my way out. I’m going to bed now, I hope I don’t wake up. – Molly Gargland.
Day 45 – I found this diary that is very old. Some little girl was using it. I feel bad for doing this, but I need paper for my spell book.
Day 345 – I think I have this place down. It’s a good thing I don’t need to eat or drink or sleep, gives me a lot to do. I hear something coming journal I need to go. Jooken, Warfarged Servant of Frocklock.
Day 346. – Stupid machine. I don’t know what hit was thinking. Its brain was quite tasty; much like Molly’s was years earlier. Ha, Ha. – The Dark One.
Day 30 – My worst fears come true. This factory of death has been in service for more years than many realized. A month I’ve been down here and I almost died from falling from one of those blasted runes this mad man put on the damn ceiling. I fell onto a pile of corpses that was at least 25 ft high, then a rolled off it and almost took a fatal blow. The Gods be with anyone who dares come down here. – Hargold Nunamyer, Clergy of Western Lands.
Day 14 – I found these two rooms with paper walls made of journal entries. I don’t know what kind of sick bastard created this place, but if I find my way out, I am going to get help. I hope this doesn’t become part of the décor. I’ve passed hundreds of would be journals on the many corpses. – Ulgarth Cannonbreaker, Dwarven Navigator of the Iron Gnome.

[Rune W1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it. This pillar however is 20ft by 20ft. It seems to be four pillars combined.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune W2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune X1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune X2]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune Y1]: You stand atop of a column of ice that is drops roughly 40ft into darkness. The only think you can see is another pillar next to it.
Column is 100ft tall. 40ft above darkness. Rune is not visible unless they jump up and down and come back or drop off or leave the pillar.
DC10 Balance checks to move, if fail, then they fall prone and must make DC12 reflex save or fall off. 10d6 Falling damage. (Column of Ice, CL14)

[Rune Y2]: You free fall 100ft. On to a heap of corpses 40ft high. Take 6d6 damage. Reflex Save of DC 15 can allow the person if they survive to regain their balance and walk down the mountain, otherwise they roll down and take another 4d6 damage.
You can see walls of ice to the south, and thick fog to the north, and more pillars to the east.

[Rune Z1]: Exuding the stench of festering carrion, waves upon waves of buzzing, clambering, clicking bugs can be heard from all sides of you. (Permanent Wall of Vermin, CL13). You can see hall ways 10ft wide from all directions.
This room contains runes, S1, S2, T1,

[Rune Z2]: You are in a small room, incased in an Iron Wall that rises upward 50 ft into darkness. (Permanent Wall of Iron, CL 13)
This room contains rune T2.




Click for larger image. The lines link the runes together so I can follow where they go.
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2551/3pyr.jpg (http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/584/67fp.jpg)

Just curious what ya think of it.

[GilesTheCleric]

This looks both like great fun, and a great pain. Hopefully you've estimated how long it will take for your party to get through it? It looks like it would take at least 5+ hours.

This reminds me of Sabrina's gym in the old GB pokemon games, or that bit where you try to get to the top floor of the sylph co building.

Also, I'm assuming these are 5' squares - is the whole party teleported when they step on a glyph, or just the one person? Also, you might want to note their info for detect magic, because I'm sure the players will want to use that on these.

It seems like Meld With Stone would obviate a lot of these challenges, or other means of movement that don't require LoS (d-door, gaseous form, fly, etc). Is there anything in place for those, or are those actually the solutions to these?

If your players don't have spells like dark way, dispel magic, wind walk, or other low-level staples, it seems like there are only a few mundane ways of getting around some of these, and most of them involve rope or poles or other objects that can be used in that kind of way. If the party doesn't have any of these things, they might be totally screwed.

The other thing I can think of (besides including an Indiana Jones-esque "leap" of faith) is some way of keeping the party moving. If they just run through this, they're going to take a ton of damage and die. However, most of the rooms seem fairly easy to camp in for a sweet 10-min workday. A good balance seems necessary, but I'm not sure how to nudge them into that place.

[killem2]

This looks both like great fun, and a great pain. Hopefully you've estimated how long it will take for your party to get through it? It looks like it would take at least 5+ hours.

I didn't really estimate anything for this. I just made it. It will take a while to complete I'm sure.


This reminds me of Sabrina's gym in the old GB pokemon games, or that bit where you try to get to the top floor of the sylph co building. That's been said before, when I was asking about making this dungeon :P.


Also, I'm assuming these are 5' squares - is the whole party teleported when they step on a glyph, or just the one person? Also, you might want to note their info for detect magic, because I'm sure the players will want to use that on these. They are 5 foot squares, and only the person who steps in it will be teleported. I will jot down the detect magic info, that's a good idea.


It seems like Meld With Stone would obviate a lot of these challenges, or other means of movement that don't require LoS (d-door, gaseous form, fly, etc). Is there anything in place for those, or are those actually the solutions to these? Those are very possible alternatives, except my players don't really think out side of the box much. Some do, but we'll see. I am still considering putting a cloud of some sort of sickness with in the darkness layer but I dunno.


If your players don't have spells like dark way, dispel magic, wind walk, or other low-level staples, it seems like there are only a few mundane ways of getting around some of these, and most of them involve rope or poles or other objects that can be used in that kind of way. If the party doesn't have any of these things, they might be totally screwed. They might be :). I don't feel bad if this turns out to be a total party kill. From the last adventure they will be sitting on a small fortune, about 40-50k in gold each, there are 8 players with one of the players controlling two characters. (Hold over from when we only had 3 people). They also have almost a magic shop like city, and they have the power of the local Clergy of Moradin on their side, so they will have the tools available, whether they take advantage of it, is something else.


The other thing I can think of (besides including an Indiana Jones-esque "leap" of faith) is some way of keeping the party moving. If they just run through this, they're going to take a ton of damage and die. However, most of the rooms seem fairly easy to camp in for a sweet 10-min workday. A good balance seems necessary, but I'm not sure how to nudge them into that place.

They are all at least level 8 at this point. A cleric, wizard, rogue, assassin, scout, fighter, fighter, barbarian, barbarian. (They have some prestige/multiclass in there too)

We'll see. They are a VERY cautious bunch. rarely do they rush in to anything. So we will see. lol.

[GilesTheCleric]

My favourite part of this adventure is the walls made of journal entries - it made me think of the mirror of opposition (I think that's the one; there's so many mirrors in D&D), where you get sucked into a mirror-world, and a clone of yourself is in there with you, trying to kill you and then take your place in the real world. Anyway, the journals make for quite a neat room-type.

If you're going for a TPK, I would expect those ice pillars to do the trick. I only ever put ranks into balance on my rogues, and rogues and barbs are the only ones with decent ref saves. Is there a way back up once they all fall down? Also, if you want to increase the scare factor, maybe you could add something like the trash-compactor monster from Star Wars. There seems to be little/nothing in the way of actual baddies here for your melee brutes to enjoy smashing.

I guess with lots of magic items but only two full casters, they'll have to rely on their wits. Hopefully you have at least one of those players who buys one of every mundane "utility" item from the PHB.

Well, unless you're after specific comments, that's most of my response.

[killem2]

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm not actively TRYING to kill them mind you but I've have some difficulty making a challenging place for them with straight combat :).

Do you feel I should lower the pillars from 100ft, to say 40ft?:smallconfused:

[dysprosium]

It has a first edition feel to it. Back in the old days when not every encounter in a dungeon was a monster. You had to think back then!

I read the DM spoiler containing the runes' effects and such but is there a way out (besides dying)?

I also liked the paper rooms with the scribbled journals. Very creepy with the girl.

Just thought of this: it also reminds me of that movie Cube.

[killem2]

There is a way out, the room before this, has a force wall that locks them in, but it is password activated, said password is available later on in the dungeon, but since this dungeon isn't made to let you out, its very difficult once they get this far.

The point of the dungeon is that it is this mad beings playground, and only the truly intelligent have any way of getting to him.

Tippy's signature had a partial inspiration factor for this. You WILL NOTjust walk in and beat him.

Prior to this room, there is a room that unlocked the force shield thing, and it is a dial crank, that simply must be put into the right position to unlock it for 10 mins. Any failures cast reverse gravity on the entire room.

Before that room, there is a ball room, with a Black Dragon that is this gestalts slave.

But when the party gets there, all they see is a goblin at a check in desk, and they are confronted by 6 groups of 6 dancing animated dead bodies that sing to them lies about what is coming up.

If you ever played Final Fantasy 3 (usa), and went to the town of Zozo, that's what I got going on here. (http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Zozo)

However, the Goblin in question is actually the Black Dragon, poly morphed. And its horde that was visible before, through a meer opening in a wall, is blocked by an illusion. Should they press this goblin any further than listening to him, he will transform into his Dragon Shape, and then proceed to quiz them on the riddles they were given VIA the DREAM spell when they arrived back on this home land from their adventure.

Failure of the riddles, means he attacks. Chances of that happening, are middle of the road how ever, and this dragon was advised by his master, to at all cost allow passage, but do toy with them as much as he could.

[Karoht]

The game Valkyrie Profile has a level like this. All the rooms are identical save for the encounters in them. One slight difference is that there are some rooms with multiple teleporters with multiple teleport options each, and every room has an option to teleport back to the first room. The goal is to get yourself to the boss chamber.

My only problem with puzzles like this, is that the solution is basically "twist all the knobs, record them carefully, find the finish eventually." To really really shine, it kind of needs a bit of an X factor. IE-Every 3rd teleport, some of the runes flip over to reveal a different one that goes elsewhere, something that may be difficult to notice initially. Once they do notice it, they have to take it into account for their solution to going places. Integrate these new runes into your 'solution' for a bit of added depth.
Another way to add some depth, every time the runes flip, the encounters in certain rooms change or get more stuff inside. Have a room at the end which keeps stacking more and more of a certain enemy, admittedly one that is easy for the party to kill. One final room where a bajillion dudes are waiting for them, to give them an army to fight through. Then the boss room is right after that.

[killem2]

While as players in game they can trial and error until its over, it certainly sets the mind **** game in motion, so they won't know if every level will be like this or what to expect :D.

[GilesTheCleric]

Re ice pillars - well, it depends on how lethal you want them, really. A fall will do 35 avg damage, which is a pretty significant chunk of hp. At level 8 with d8 and +2 con, they have average 57.5 hp. They now have access to cure crit, which will heal ~18+8 per application. So a single application of their best heal will only fix 2/3 of that hp loss, and you'll have to assume that every single party member will eventually fall. One cleric who has either 2 or 3 of those heals total (plus smaller heals, but hopefully an item of infinite CLW which solves all problems) won't be able to restore much of the damage sustained.

When are you going to run this? I would be interested to hear how it goes.

[killem2]

Re ice pillars - well, it depends on how lethal you want them, really. A fall will do 35 avg damage, which is a pretty significant chunk of hp. At level 8 with d8 and +2 con, they have average 57.5 hp. They now have access to cure crit, which will heal ~18+8 per application. So a single application of their best heal will only fix 2/3 of that hp loss, and you'll have to assume that every single party member will eventually fall. One cleric who has either 2 or 3 of those heals total (plus smaller heals, but hopefully an item of infinite CLW which solves all problems) won't be able to restore much of the damage sustained.

When are you going to run this? I would be interested to hear how it goes.

I'm running it possible this weekend, its middle of the dungeon, the stuff before it isn't really involved so I imagine they will reach it half way through the session.

I've been thinking about it, and I think I might go ahead and keep it at 100ft tall. I think to be nice, I will include a couple of potions of feather fall or scrolls in the treasure haul they have, because they always chose to keep all consumables like that.

I'm sure it will only take one or two drops for them to get the message. Luckily the one cleric is also by far the most experienced player. (easily 20+ years of playing d&d). He knows what is limitations are.

In a ship encounter, before they took off, he said he wanted to tie himself to the ships mast like you would a dog, so it can only go out so far, so he could not be toppled over the edge and sink LOL.

I went ahead and made 3d terrain for the encounter, I have about 20 pillars, and they are 10 inches inches in height. I can always tell them, you see 50ft down, and the darkness coves up the remainder 20ft. so 70ft total.

I don't think the centaur/barbarians/rogues/scout will have issue with the balance/jumping. The wizard will probably already be flying/polymorphed by that point.

The cleric, fighter, and animal companions might be in trouble but well see. They can buy scrolls of raise dead if they want LOL.

[killem2]

Need last minute opinions, just found out the level 5 rogue/3 assassin, and level 2 ranger/5 scout/1 cleric

scout can't make it for this session and wants to be MIA and return later.

[killem2]

Update 1: So we went in.

It started out as a lot of follow the leader, thankfully, since we have a centuar, he's too big to just walk around, so he ended up going a different way, and on top of that our only rogue fell off one of the pillars.


Even with giving them one hour of free reign to buy stuff ahead of time, a free bag of holding each, they barley brought anything.

The centaur however did bring a grappling hook and rope. Which helped the rogue and him explore a bit further and find some of the other runes. They got to one room with journal entries.

The wizard who was flying around saw the cleric marking one of the runes (happen to be the one in the force room) and since all the pillars under the darkness have day light torch-like items on them they can see pretty much anything under the darkness.

She had fly going, and she flew right in to the wall lol. She did proceeded to watch the cleric mark the force wall where she was with candle wax and then he vanished. She ended up flying up and around scouting, and use her flying to make out quite a lot of the runes.

She put up a couple of shelters in the force room, and then they have slept there for a few nights until they were fully healed. It took them about 5 hours to get through that, and I think they are maybe 30% through it, and have mapped basically a through f pretty well, and through climbing up out of sync they found a couple more. It'll take em a bit to get it figured out.

Overall, without a couple of our players it went well. Having those other players though would help a lot because they are some of our best outside-the-box thinkers we have at the table.