The Steel City

[brian 333]

The PCs discover a rusting steel city as they explore a region. Individual houses are mostly decayed, with thinner partition walls visible only as the remnants of rib beams dividing the heavier exterior walls. Formerly sliding doors have rusted into place, and the roofs have caved in, becoming brown and black detritus beneath the plants which grow lush and green within the rusted shells.

The city is laid out on an exacting grid which forced terracing where the land slopes. The terrace walls were of steel, of course, and have collapsed, leaving very few visible remnants. Closer to the core of the city the remains of two or three story buildings stand. If one had courage or desperation to bolster his fortitude, he could camp within the lowest floor of these structures and gain some degree of respite from inclement weather. Otherwise, the structural integrity of these buildings would discourage any attempt to use, or even explore, them.

At the city center is a square, rusted castle about 300 feet on a side. A 20' high curtain wall is pierced in the center of each side by a gate into which the rusted gatehouses have collapsed. At each corner stand the stubs of towers which were 30' square at the base, but of indeterminate height since their collapsed remains lie scattered around their bases. The center of the castle was a 90' square tower which occupied the center square of the tic-tac-toe grid which divides the castle yard. The lowest three floors of this structure are more or less intact, but the upper floors have collapsed.

Throughout the city 90 Rust Golems lie, immobile unless something enters their perception range. One third of them are within the castle. Formerly Steel Golems, like the city they have degraded almost to the point of uselessness. However, they can still animate, with difficulty. Because they are rusted, they squeak and squeal as they move, (+10 listen checks.). Going from motionless to fully animated requires 2d3-1 rounds. During this period they may move 1/3, 1/2, then 2/3 of a movement, but may not attack.

They are, by 3.5 ed standards, 10th level constructs with two punch attacks, (+15, +10) for 2d4+5 damage, or a Slam for 2d8+5 + Stun (Fort: 20) for 1d3 rounds. Rust golems may also, 1/day, breathe rusty grit in a 15' long x 5' wide cone causing Blindness (Ref:20) for 1d3 rounds. Rust golems do not help each other, or in any way communicate. Each attacks without regard for tactics or cooperation.

[Potato_Priest]

Cool idea! I really like the aesthetic. Why the rust golems would be hostile confuses me though.