Presented
in this page is the general statistics for the monsters found within
the Devil's Stair Side Adventure. This is a good adventure for those
adventurers needing to improve their levels.
The
Storyline
About a
one day trek sout-east of Verge, lies a famous druidic circle often
frequented by many faithful of the Circle of the
Raven. This place of worship has been recently cursed by an mysterious
ancient evil that has re-awakened. A farmer's son, name Ludovic, somehow
discovered a passage way when lightning struck and knocked one of the
stones down. Ludovic discovered the stairway and journeyed downwards.
He was never heard from again.
Afterwards,
many sheep of the herdsmen were disappearing. Strange rumors of a black
unicorn appearing near the druidic circle was often told. The villagers
are wise to stay away from this area and move their cattle to other
pastures.
If the
player's do not investigate the Devil's Stair, as the villagers
call it, the players's will be approached by members of the Circle
of the Raven. The Circle will request assistance of the party to
investigate this stair and destroy whatever evil may lie below.
Within
the Devil's Stair is a dungeon untouched for untold thousands
of years before the time when dinosaur's roamed Mystara. Within is an
artifact named The Founding Stone that existed during the time
when the fey ruled Mystara. This artifact uses an ancient forgotten
powerful magic to summon nightmarish creatures.
Within
the depths of the dungeons lies a cave (Room 38) that connects
to the rest of the underworld. These caves connect to other places including
the Shadow Elves' and the Dark Elves' areas within the underworld. Also,
the caves connect to the dungeons under the Moathouse (Room
31 of Moathouse Dungeons).
Game
Master's Notes
The module
and dungeon's used for this adventure is based on a module called The
Shattered Circle.
The overall module content is actually pretty good, but the module references
four different Monstrous Compendium Annuals, which were out of print
at the release of the module. Some may argue that these are not needed,
but some statistics, ecology notes, combat notes, may prove invaluable
and necessary to the utilization of these monsters. Also players may
demand photos of the opponent. None of this information is provided
within the module context. Game Masters should be aware of this issue
before purchasing the module.
Provided
within this text is some alternative monsters presented that are within
the spirit of the module and the artifact known as "the founding
stone". Some of these monsters will be more of a challenge
for the party. This is designed for players that take advantage of specialization,
kits, speciality priests, proficiencies, and even psionics.
The
Monsters
59
Hachioji's Lair
This monster
is surprisingly enchanced with greater hide in shadows and move silently
abilities. This makes it an ideal creature to perform ambush tactics
against the players as the module describes.
Hachioji,
male meazel: AC 8; MV 24 (boots of speed);
HD 4; hp 25; THAC0 17 (13 from behind); Speed 3; #AT 2; Dmg 1d4/1d4
or strangulation (save vs death or die in 2 rounds); SA backstab; SD
hide in shadows, move silently; SZ M (5' tall); ML Steady (12); XP 120
Thief's
abilities: PP 45, OL 37, FRT 35, HS 70, MS 70, DN 15, CW 88
63
I Saw It On The Stairwell
This is
the real description of a black unicorn. The module makes this creature
significantly weaker. There are also no description, nor statistics
for the centaur form.
Mizar
(Black Unicorn form): AC 3; MV 24; HD 4+4;
hp 29; THAC0 15; Speed 3; #AT 4; Dmg 1d6/1d6/1d4/1d12; SA charge for
3d12, cause light wounds three times a day; SD teleport once
per day; SZ L; ML Fearless (20); XP 975
Mizar
(Dark Centaur form): AC 3; MV 18; HD 4+4;
hp 29; THAC0 15; Speed 3; #AT 4 or 2; Dmg 1d6/1d6/1d2/1d2 or bow 1d8;
SD
teleport once per day; SZ L (7'
tall); ML Fearless (20); XP 975
70
Defended Territory
This area
contains a custom monster described as a Deinoychus with froggy legs.
This is suppose to be a pre-historic creature summoned by The Foundingstone.
Howver perhaps a more primitive Bvanen's can be used. (page 18 of Monterous
Compendium Annual 3).
Bvanen(4):
AC 4; MV 6, Sw 12; HD 4+1; hp 25; THAC0 17; Speed
3; #AT 3; Dmg 1d3/1d3/2d4; SA secreted ooze; SD secreted ooze; SZ M(5'
tall); ML Average(10); XP 420
The
ooze of the bvanen reduces the damage taken by one point. This ooze
is also used can be used to stick to enemies instead of inflicting damage.
The inflicted body part (on d8: 1: head, 2-3: right arm, 4-5: left arm,
6-8: either leg) is unusable until a bend bars roll is made. A hit to
the head to a foe of equal or smaller size means that the victim may
suffocate as if drowning.
All
summoned Bvanen have the following pscionic powers (note use this option
if player's in the group possess psionics):
Summary:
Dis 2/Sci 3/Dev 3; PS 10; PsPs 40; Att: EW, II, MT; Def: MB, MBk,
TS
Player's Option: #AT1; MTHACO 16; MAC
4
Psychometabolism: Sciences: animal affinity; Devotions:
displacement, flesh armor, immovability.
Telepathy: Sciencies: domination, mindlink; Devotions:
attraction, contact (send thoughts),
ego whip (sight link), id insinuation
(inflict pain), mind thrust (synaptic
static), phobia amplification.
75
Necromanfeion
Caullum,
werespider (hybrid form): AC 0 (natural AC4, Dex, Cloak of Protection
+1); MV 12, Web 9; Fighter 5; hp 45; THAC0 9 (ice razor)
and 10 (web sword +1) or 14 (bite); Speed 1 (ice razor)
and 2 (web sword+1) or 1 (bite); #AT 4; Dmg 1d8+9 (ice razor)
and 1d8+8 (web sword +1) or bite 1d4+1; SA web traps, transformation,
poison; SD regeneration; SZ M(5' takk); ML Steady (12); Str 16, Dex
17, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 5 (13 to chitines); XP 2000
Caullum,
werespider (spider form): AC 1 (natural AC4, Dex); MV 12, Web 18;
Fighter 5; hp 45; THAC0 14 (bite); Speed 4 (bite); #AT 1; Dmg 1-12;
SA web traps, transformation, poison; SD regeneration; SZ L(8' diameter);
ML Steady (12); Str 16, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 5 (13 to
chitines); XP 2000
Notes
Caullum regenerates 3 hit points per round due to the power of The
Foundingstone. All weapons have been coated with the werespider's
own poison (Type A: save vs. poison or take 15 points of damage within
15 minutes). The werespider spins webs at the rate of 1 foot per round.
Victims caught in the webs require 1 round per point of their strength
below 19. Caullum can prepare traps just like the chitinese were disguised
webbing conceals spikes that inflict 1d6 points of damage.
Caullum
was a reknown warrior and thus specializes in long sword. Additionally
Caullum practiced Dual Weapon Style and is naturally ambidexterous like
other chitines.
Caullum's
culmative bonuses when using a sword +3 for THACO (hybrid form, specialization),
+7 for damage (hybrid form, specialization, strength), and +2 for speed
factor (Dex). Additionally the enchanted web swords grant a bonus +1
and the ice razor grants a bonus of +2.
In spider
form, the bite of the werespider is more damage and the poison is more
potent (Type F: save s. poison or die immediately). The bite also injects
a lycantrophic eggs (30% chance). These eggs will be injected into the
body and have a two week gesteration period, where the egg will hatch
and release muti-genic cells into the blood stream which transform the
victem into a werespider (1% per day).
Ice
Ravor
is
a magical sword which appears as a sword completely made of ice. A nature
roll of 20 causes a shard to break off in the wound causing additional
damage. The damage will 1 point per round until the shard melts in 1d10
rounds. For every four levels the wielder posesses, the sword has a
+1 point of damage. Additionally, all of the additional damage is inflicted
in the wound, thus a 17th level wielder would have a +5 blade, and inflict
5 points of damage per round for 1d10 rounds should a shard fall into
a wound.
References
The
Shattered Circle by Bruce Cordell (TSR#
11325, ISBN# 0-7869-1325-8)
MONSTEROUS
COMPENDIUM Annual Volume Two
by Jon Pickens (TSR# 2158, ISBN# 0-7869-0199-3)
