Deadly Dungeons 2: Ironbone Tower, Sublevel 1

Below are the notes I promised in yesterday’s post. If you haven’t read that post, they will doubtless seem sketchy and incomplete. Long story short: my new method of keying dungeons is to describe them on a single line of notebook paper, with one additional line each added for Monsters, Traps, Secrets, and Loot. These notes are meant to provide a starting point for the imagination, so the GM can come up with more detailed room descriptions during play.

This is going to be quite lengthy, but a few notes first:

1) If you are playing in my D&D&LB campaign, do not read any further than this line. I don’t think any of those players actually read my website. But on the off chance you see this post, do not read it. It’ll make the game pretty damned boring for you.

2) If you’re interested in how this system works, I’ve already played two sessions using this very dungeon. And I’ve finished a play report for the first of those sessions.

3) The rule-set I’m using is a hideous bastard child of OD&D, and my own rulings. You’re better off not trying to make sense of things, because I’m making a lot of it up as I go. Though if you’re curious, monsters which show up commonly have their stats on index cards, which is why most don’t have listed stats.

4) Courtney of Hack & Slash recently pointed me to a post of his where he described a method very similar to the one I’m using here. I’m certain his ideas will work their way into how I prepare my own dungeons in the future.

5) Bear in mind these are my personal gaming notes, transcribed word-for-word from my notebook. They’re not pretty, and perhaps this will not be interesting to read. But it’s okay if I post something that isn’t interesting to read sometimes, because there’s just gonna be another post up soon anyway!

And with that out of the way:

Ironbone Tower Dungeon: Sublevel 1

Room 1: Stone room, simple wooden doors. Piles of refuse in corners. 3 skeletons worth of bones scattered around.
T: SE door is locked.

1-W1: Tables to left and right. Chairs on north and south. Dead goblin in center with arrow in head.
T: Square 10×10 pressure plate in center of room. Crossbow bolt from ceiling. THAC2: 17

1-W2: Four rough chalk circles are drawn on the stone floor. Hay and scraps of cloth are piled in the corner like a bed.
M: 3 goblins wrestle with one another in one of the circles. Weapons are nearby.
L: In one of the hay piles is a small leather purse with 40 silver coins.

1-W3: Two bookshelves. Floor covered in torn books. Large piles of charred books 2ft high. Was bonfire.
L: Under charred bonfire pile is an intact scroll of cure light wounds.

1-W4: Room is filled with counters and broken class. Two cabinets against the wall.
T: Right cabinet shoots a crossbow bolt when door is opened. THAC2: 16
L: Right cabinet. Potion of +1 attack for 1 turn. Ruby worth 20gp.

1-W5: Crates block the entrance. Goblins have made a tiny fortress of crates here.
M: 10 goblins w/ swords and bows.
T: Tripwire 5ft from the entrance causes crossbow above door to fire. THAC2: 16
L: Chest with 40 gold coins, 3 rubies worth 20gp/ea, & wood cat worth 100gp

1-W6: A well stocked alchemical lab. Extremely dusty. Single long counter with chairs around it.
L: 2 cure light wounds potion, 1 invisibility potion.

1-W7: Torture chamber. Iron maidens, thumb screws, racks, southern wall lined with cells.
L: One of the iron maidens has a body in it. Clutching jade statue worth 120gp.

1-W8: A small room with hay and a tin plate on the floor.
M: Skeleton. Only animates when secret door in 1-W9 is opened.

1-W9: Completely bare stone room.
S: Stone wall is mounted on a wooden door. Slides away if trigger in 1-W11 activates.

1-W10: Used as storage. 2 crates with rotted grain, moldy rope.

1-W11:Stone cell. Chains & manacles mounted on the wall.
S: Pulling chains on wall opens secret door in 1-W9

1-W12: Bare stone sell. Hay in the corner.

1-W13: Four suits of full plate are on display here, each holding an axe.
T: If the armor is jostled, axe will swing. THAC2: 17
L: Each of the four has an emerald worth 50gp behind visor.

1-W14: Targets set up near the entrance. Arrows all over the floor.
M: Two goblins with shortbows up on the catwalk.

1-W15: Small armory. Simple swords, boxes of arrows, some bows. Spears on a rack across from the stairs.
T: First step depresses. Rack angles down, and all 4 spears shoot at the stairs from behind. THAC2: 15

1-W16: Workshop filled with stonecutting tools. Life sized statue of a woman in the center.
L: In a box on the shelf are 2 sapphires cut to look like eyes. 60gp each.

1-W17: The outside edge of the hallway is straight. Inside edge is rounded.
S: Pressing on a stone at foot level on the door marked S opens it.

1-W18: An active smithy. Anvil in center. Forge on west wall. Racks & raw materials.
M: 3 goblin smiths. Will spill molten iron on the floor.

1-W19:Fountain against north wall. Dry, but small bit of standing water at bottom.

1-W20: Small altar on south wall. Broken pews fill the rest. Torn drapes cover stone walls.
T: 5x5ft pressure plate north of the altar. Flame from above. Save V. Breath, 1d6+1
L: Behind torn drape is small alcove. Gold holy symbol of bloody jaw. 30gp standard/100gp collector.

1-W21: Small table and chairs on right side of the room.
M: Two goblins play cards at the table.

1-W22: South door is iron. Faded mosaic of bloody jaw above door. Circular carpet.
T: Poison needle trap on door handle. Save V. Poison. Fail: 1d2 con per turn, 5 turns.
S: Under rug is a pressure plate. It is very small, and must be pressed intentionally. Opens 1’x1′ in east wall.
L: Secret alcove in east wall contains chest. 60gp in there.

1-W23: Four statues, one in each corner, all depict a woman. Each is a different age. All are defaced.
T: Each statue’s pedestal can be opened. If opened, the statue comes alive.
M: Four faceless statues. HP 7, AC5, DR: 3, THAC2: 16
L: Statue 1,2,3,4: 200gp, +1 short sword, Diamond worth 100gp, Scroll of Fireball

1-W24: A library apparently filled with ancient text, in an old dialect. (Tongue Before The Fall)
S: Texts are religious worship of Neve Canri, though never mentioned by name. One contains a “Hymn of Release”

1-W25: A formerly elegant bed chamber. Torn apart by goblins. Defaced paintings, rotted mattress, etc.
M: Two giant snakes under the bed. AC: 6, THAC2: 15
L: In the snake’s nest is an exquisitely carved silver crown worth 300gp.

1-W26:A faded mural covers the walls of this room. With an empty pedestal in each alcove.
S: The part of the mural over the S door shows a woman in profile. Her eye strangely looks directly out into the room. Press eye, open door.

1-W27: A sword in the center of this small room.
S: Sword can only be removed with the hymn from 1-W24
L: Longsword. Deals +1d6 damage v. undead.

1-W28: Vestebule. Racks for clothing, but empty. Double doors to the south.

1-W29: I apparently forgot to add 1-W29 to the map. Whups.

1-W30: Statue of a kobold with a scythe. Head is smashed off, on the ground. Door is barred on this side.

1-W31: Stone stairs down into darkness.

1-W32: Cathedral. High ceiling. 3 altars. Statue of a woman, lich, and demon. Dry fountain in center w/ dark stains on it.
M: 10 goblins. 3 goblins +1.
T: Statue pedestals open, have poison gas inside of them. Save v. Poison 1d6 Wis damage/3 rounds.
L: Under demon: Ruby worth 200gp, Under Lich: dagger +1, Under woman: spellbook with 4 random level 2 spells.

1-W33: Side chapel. Large frame on west wall with tatters of canvas on edges.
T: When leaving the room, door has needle trap. 1d6 str dmg for 2 turns.
L: Strapped to the bottom of a pew is a silver dagger.

1-W34: Opulent, trashed, bedchamber. Bookshelf north, bed south, fireplace east, dresser west.
M: Ash monster in fireplace. Activates if ash disturbed. Killed w/water. THAC2: 16
L: In fireplace, obsidian orb worth 60GB. Bookcase: Scroll with Wizard Lock

1-W35: Dormitory. 3 Bunkbeds. Fireplace on east wall.
L: Bag of gold under top mattress on 1 bed. 40gp.

1-X1: Large fountain in center. Mirrors on angled walls. Fountain has stagnant water.
L: Press on the SW mirror. Clicks & swings open on hinges. Box w/20gp behind.

1-X2: Kitchen. Tables, knives, rotting food. Large counter down center.
M: 2 Zombies

1-X3: Storage room. Boxes filled with rotted grain. Barrels of old wine.

1-X4:Weapons storage. Rock of swords, spears, bows, shields.
L: One longsword is silvered.

1-X5: Guard room. Table & chairs, piles of bones.
M: Bones form into 2 skeletons when people leave the room.

1-X6: Painting of a noble warrior hangs on wast wall. Broken bed.

1-X7: Slabes which are meant for dead bodies. 3ft wide walkspace between each.
M: 6 zombies. Have difficulty moving between slabs.

1-X8: Alchemy lab. Shelves & broken glass. Rug on the floor in the center.
T: Rug covers a pit 10ft deep w/ spikes at the bottom.
L: Bookshelf has wand of magic missile on it. 3 charges.

1-X9: Bodies hang from hooks on the ceiling. Magic circle in center.
L: Bodies each have some gold. 10 bodies, 40gp total.

1-X10: Dirt floor, dead plants. Room is lit very dimly from above magic spell. Dry fountain to the north.

1-X11: Mirrors on every wall, except walls w/doors. Pillows & couches.
M: 1 Skeleton
S: Press on mirror on S wall. It swings open to reveal a door.
T: Press on any mirror aside from S mirror. Spear launches from behind mirror. THAC2: 15

1-X12: Parlor, couch, chair, fireplace on east wall. Sword hangs above fireplace.
T: If sword is removed from hooks, flame shoots from fireplace. Save v. Breath, 2d6
L: Sword is +1 v. goblinoids. Says “Goblinbane” on blade.

1-X13: Dusty wineracks with only 4 bottles remaining.
L: Wine is old & very fine. 50gp for each bottle.
T: Snake living behind winerack. Poison bite deals 1d2 con damage for 6 turns.

1-X14: Toilet area. Very dirty.
T: Crossbow bolt activated by sitting on toilet. No save.

1-X15: A small, hidden armory.
L: 1 set of silvered full plate armor, 3 vials of poison (1d6 str for 3 turns), Crossbow w/ Bayonet & 30 silver bolts.

1-X16: A small library with a few shelves of books written in old common.
L: One of the books is a spellbook with 3 first level spells, and 4 second level spells.

1-X17: A large dining hall with 3 long tables. Tapestries cover the walls.
M: 3 Skeletons
L: Tapestries are worth 100gp each. 4 of them total.

1-X18: Room is filled with tables stained darkly. Large cleavers present.
M: 2 zombies.
T: East door has needle trap. 1d2 Con for 6 turns.

1-X19: Chains on wall & floor restrain long-dead bodies. East has shrine to demon.
L: Demon’s eyes are obsidion gems worth 50gp each.
T: If eyes are removed, all 15 bodies animate. Still chained, though. Zombie stats.

1-X20: Statue of woman w/ wings dominates center. She points with spear at entrance of room.
S: Statue can be turned. Point at S door, and it opens.
M: 2 Zombies behind S door.

1-X21: A clerical workspace. Symbol of bloody jaw all over. Books, and kneeling bench.
S: If you kneel on the bench, a small door opens in the wall, revealing box.
L: Box contains +1 dagger w/ ruby in hilt.
T: If box is removed, trap door opens beneath. 10ft down, rusty spikes.

1-X22:Large, pool-sized bathhouse. East door is locked.
M: 3 Zombies are wandering around under the water.
L: A locked safe fell into the water. Contains amazing silver cup worth 170gp.

1-X23: Music hall. Couches face a large organ. Broken instruments scattered about.
M: A wight sits at the organ, slamming hands on keyboard.
S: Playing song from 1-X24 on organ opens trapdoor in floor.
L: Trapdoor contains 100gp, Scroll of Lightning Bolt, 2 potions of Cure Light Wounds, Key to 1-X26

1-X24: Room is filled with papers & scattered music notes.
L: One piece of paper has a complete score on it, signed by Vastug Stutt, famous composer. Worth 300gp.

1-X25: Storage. Cleaning tools for the organ, other rusted and broken instruments.

1-X26: Stairs lead up to an empty throne. Statue of woman on one side, lich on other.
T: Sitting on throne causes spikes to come out of it. Drain life. Turn player into zombie. No save.

1-Y1: Small anteroom of simple stone.

1-Y2:Mural covers wall. Faded. Figures staring angrily into the room are clear.
T: 10×10 center of the room is a plate. Drops boulders from ceiling. No save.

1-Y3: Junk covers the floor in big piles, most is soft.
M: 3 dire rats are nested in this room, protecting broods.
T: SW Door is locked.

1-Y4: Toilet is here. Very dirty.

1-Y5:Torture chamber. Racks, iron maidens. In the stocks is half eaten body.
M: 2 dire rats are under the racks.
S: Opening one of the iron maidens reveals a lever among the spikes.
L: Pulling the lever opens small alcove with 15gp stashed there.

1-Y6: Tapestry on the wall. Rug on the floor.
S: Behind tapestry is small circular button. Opens S door.

1-Y7: Tapestry on the wall. Rug on the floor.
T: Rug covers 10ft pit filled with spikes

1-Y8: Shelves have glass bottles on them. Jeweler’s work bench in center.
M: Large snake hides in this room. AC: 6 THAC2: 15
L: Shelves have 3 cure light wounds potions. Bench has necklace worth 100gp.

1-Y9:Bed chamber. Statue of halfling on west corner. Fireplace in east corner.
M: Dire bat lives in chimney. Doesn’t like to be disturbed.

1-Y10: The room’s purpose is difficult to determine. Wall has collapsed, opens into cavern.

1-Y11: Large cavern. Extends high. Some openings back into manmade areas.
M: Ever 10 minutes, 50% chance of being attacked by 1d4 dire bats.

1-Y12: Foyer. Couches and a painting of a wealthy family on E wall.
M: A dire spider hides behind the stairs.
L: A diamond is under the stairs, worth 200gp.

1-Y13: Hallway with nice carpet on the floor. 3 Paintings hang on the wall.
L:Each painting is worth 50gp.
T: center painting holds down a pressure plate. THAC2: 14

1-Y14: Bedchamber. Still in decent shape. Armoire, safe.
T: Save has needle trap. Poison is dry, but deals 1 damage.
L: Armoire contains 2 fine gowns worth 100gp/ea. Safe contains land deed to “North Tower.”

1-Y15: Parlor. Fireplace on the west wall. Bookshelf of rotted books on south wall.

1-Y16: Miniature bath house. Shelf filled with scented oils and bath salts.
M: Large water snake in the fetid water. AC: 6 THAC2: 15

1-Y17: Bedchamber, well furnished. 2 dead dire rats. Stripped.
L: Under bed is a case. Contains 100gp and a glass orb.
T: Needle trap on case’s latch. Save v. Poison. 1d2 con for 3 turns.
Glass orb: If you stare into it you see blackness. It is linked to an orb on sublevel 2.

1-Y18: 3 cages hang from the ceiling. 2 have skeletons in them. 1 is open & empty.
T: If there is weight in the cage, it will close and lock.
L: One of the skeletons is hiding a gold pendant worth 80gp.

1-Y19: Stinks. Bed, table, rat carcases on hooks. Several crates.
T: Door locked.
NPC: Prisoner escaped from 1-Y18. Put here for food for orcs below. Been here 6 months.

1-Y20: Narrow stairway leads down side of cliff into large dark cavern below.
T: First stair flips up when weight is put on it, flinging w/e is on it off the cliff.

1-Y21: Parlor. Empty pedestals in corners. Statue in the center with arms out, palms up. Floor covered w/ rug.
T: Right hand has dagger pointing towards fingers carved on it. If pushed down, fire from statue eyes, Save v. Breath 1d6
S: Left hand has dagger pointing towards wrist carved in it. If pushed down, S door opens.

1-Y22: Stone hands are mounted on the wall. They hold a warhammer.
T: If the hammer is taken, statue in previous room comes to life. HP6 DR2 THAC2:16 AC:8
L: +1 warhammer. For a cleric it is +2 v. evil. Hammer is engraved and bejeweled.
M: 1 dire bat flies out of the room when it is disturbed.

1-Y23: A dining room. Large table, chairs, fireplace on south wall.
M: Four dire rats have a nest under the table, and will scurry out if the room is disturbed.
L: Silver plates and goblets worth 300gp (total) adorn the table (6 plates, 6 goblets)

1-Y24: A kitchen. Counters, icebox, racks, knives, cupboards.
L: In icebox, jar containing red spheres. Rare spell component worth 500gp. Only lasts 4 hours out of ice.

1-Y25: A very simple bedchamber. Corner of the room collapsed.
L: Off ledge, a bag of 25gp fell. Rests 8ft below, on lower ledge.

1-Y26 Sitting room. Rotted couches, fireplace on North wall.
M: Giant centipede lives in couch. AC: 7, THAC2: 15, Poison: 1d6 con/ 4 turns

1-Y27: Study. Shelves w/books (ancient common. Law books) Large oaken desk.
S: Locked drawer on desk. Drawer has button to open S door.
L: Drawer contains bag of 40gp, small hand held crossbow, vial of poison (1d6 con/4 turns)
M: 1 dire rat is under the desk.

1-Y28: A storage space. Very dusty. Cleaning tools, old clothing, all moth eaten.

1-Y29: A small shrine with a pedestal. Atop it is an ancient bust of Neve Canari
T: Lifting the bust from the pedestal Freezerburns exposed flesh. Will drop. 60% chance to break.
L: Bust is worth 1000gp.

1-Y30: A sculptor’s workshop. Chisels of different sizes, half-formed humanoid shape.
L: On a shelf is a small box of assorted gems worth 200gp.

1-Y31: A large room with a dirt floor, and a pentagram made of salt.

1-Z1: A large open Plaza area. Troughs of sitting water & dry fountains w/ benches.
M: 6 beetle people are on patrol here. They all hold spears and crossbows.

1-Z2: Nesting chamber for guards. Cloth & pillows. 3 chests with personal items.
L: One chest has a false bottom, hiding 40gp.

1-Z3: Armory. Swords, spears, shields, 2 chests on west wall.
T: Chests have needle traps. 1d2 con over 6 turns.
L: Chests contain mundane leather & chain armor.

1-Z4: Secondary armory. Anvil and forge here, but not in use. 2 Chests.
T: Chests have needle traps. 1d2 con over 6 turns.
L: Chest 1: Silver shield 2/ Spike. Chest 2: 4 silver ingots worth 100gp/ea.

1-Z5: This room is filled with dirt, and stones, and water. An artificial environment for growing moss & algae for food.

1-Z6: Guard post. Barricade in center.
M: 4 Beetle People guard here. All have crossbows.
T: Space in front of barricade (center 10×10) activates flame. Save v. Breath, 2d6.

The ‘Z’ wing of the dungeon isn’t yet finished. If this post proves to be of interest, I may post the rest of the Beetle-People’s caverns when they are finished. Otherwise I think the four completed wings of the dungeon above get the point across sufficiently!

Lively Locals 11: The Ironbone Tower

Far outside the rest of human civilization, near elven territory, is the frontier town of Haetrope. In most respects Haetrope is unremarkable. It has a town council, and a town guard. The citizens of Haetrope enjoy their ales in the tavern, get their pack animals shod at the blacksmith’s shop, and purchase their tools from the general store. The only thing that Haetrope has which most towns do not is the tower. The really old, really tall tower.

The base of the tower is circular, and about 200ft in diameter. The bottommost levels are completely open, the walls having long since crumbled away, leaving only a ring of off-color stone to indicate that the space was once the base of a mighty structure. Iron structures remains in place, ascending high into the sky, and through the clouds. The tower can be seen from miles around, and many travelers in the area rely on it as a guiding marker.

A handful of the towers levels do remain intact, with the lowest being about 200ft above the ground. The few who have successfully ventured up to those areas say that the stones are incredibly unstable. A wrong step can send a piece of the floor crashing to the ground far below, along with the adventurer who foolishly put their weight on that floor. It has been said, though, that any who dare to climb the tower and survive to explore its many levels could return with fabulous and untold treasures. This brings a steady flow of adventurers to Haetrope who wish to attempt the climb. So much so that watching someone make the attempt—and placing bets on when they will fall—has become a local pastime. The few who do make it to the top often return empty handed, if they ever return at all.

A far safer and more reliable expedition is to explore the numerous sublevels of the tower, which extend deep beneath the earth. Perhaps descending even further below the ground than the tower rises above it. These sublevels are not without danger of their own—fearsome monsters and deadly traps still claim the lives of most adventurers who dare venture into the depths. But at least it does not require a treacherous climb to the heights of a long since crumbled tower.

The razed bottom level of the tower allows easy access to the first sublevel via an open staircase, making the tower a popular destination for those whose lust for gold is sufficient to drive them into danger.

Nobody knows when the tower was built, or for what purpose. Not even the greatest historical sages can name a time when the town of Haetrope did not lay in the shadow of the tower. And while it is true that much of history has been lost, it is also certain that both the tower, and the town of Haetrope beneath it, have existed together for millenia.

Beyond when and why, it cannot even be determined how the tower was built, or why it still stands. Numerous kings over the ages have sent their royal architects to learn from the tower, so they too could have a castle which rose above the clouds. But even the most talented architects humankind has produced have been unable to replicate the materials or the construction techniques used by whatever ancient people built the tower. And more than one twisted wreck of a tower can be found throughout the human lands to prove it.

Guest Post: Favored of the Great Pumpkin, by Jeff H.

After my recent post about a deity named The Great Pumpkin, regular commenter Jeff H. was inspired to write up a monster entry for the god’s favored servant. He shared it with me, and it felt like a shame to keep it to myself. So presented below is Jeff H.’s Gaping Grin.

When the final body of the last child taking part in the apotheosis of the Great Pumpkin shuddered out her final breath and the evil deity rose from his birthplace to take his place among the divine, there was a lingering aura of palpable evil about the place. The land was blasted of all life save for that favoured by the Great Pumpkin and remains so to this day, an excessively large field of the ripest and most healthy pumpkins ever seen. Unfortunately for all who might desire one of the gourds, the field is teeming with a variety and number of spiders unheard of, to the point where as the night comes on every pumpkin seems to vanish from sight as the deadly arachnids clamber forth in a teeming carpet to shield their charge. No-one has ever managed to retrieve a pumpkin from this patch and survive for more than a week’s time, whether slain by unfortunate circumstance or more chillingly by the bite of a spider never seen before in that land.

From this field the Great Pumpkin gathers the residual fear and regret that he uses to form his most favoured champion, The Gaping Grin. Crafted from the souls harvested during the previous year into an avatar of the Grin in the Dark’s unholy will, The Gaping Grin knows nothing of solidarity or loyalty, only pain, loss and regret. Unreasonable and unreasoning, The Gaping Grin does suffer from flashes of insight from time to time whereupon it may deviate from its masters plans briefly, though in almost all instances of this facet of the legend those who were spared find themselves hunted for the remainder of their days whether they know it or not.

The Gaping Grin appears as a suit of full plate armour of impossibly fine artistry, seeming to have been woven from the vines and leaves of pumpkin plants though upon close inspection it is simply worked steel. Within the armour is a horrible tangle of limbs and mangled organs that have been mashed into place to fill the void within the armour in much the same way as a healthy body might have, though there is no suggestion of eyes, ears, or anything about heads. Rather than a head, The Gaping Grin wears what appears to be a hollowed out pumpkin carved with a wickedly leering face and monstrous grin. Similarly to its master’s, the face upon its head changes whenever nothing is looking at it.

Little more than a tool for the Great Pumpkin’s inscrutable aims The Gaping Grin rides forth from the 402nd layer of the Abyss to places unseen and unknown by many save those who inhabit them. The only thing that is ever recalled with certainty in the myriad of legends surrounding this being is that there is always death in its wake and it always slays at least one person before it is stopped. Legend has it that if the pumpkin that serves as The Gaping Grin’s head is stolen and hidden away beneath the roots of a dryad’s tree, it will not trouble the world for a hundred years.

The Gaping Grin CR 17 XP 102,400

CE Medium undead

Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +23

Aura frightful presence (30 ft, DC22), aura of cowardice (10 ft.), aura of despair (10ft.)

Defense

AC 29, touch 12, flat-footed 27 (+12 armour, +1 Dex, +5 natural armour, +1 dodge)

hp 190 (10d8+40 plus 10d10+40); fast healing 5

Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +21

Defensive Abilities unholy resilience, channel resistance +4; Immune undead traits; SR 28

Offense

Speed 50 ft. (50 ft. in armour)

Melee +4 keen bastard sword +23/+18/+13/+8 (1d10+10/17–20×2 plus 2d8 cold plus disease) or +4 keen bastard sword vital strike +23 (4d10+10/17-20×2 plus 2d8 cold plus disease)

Special Attacks aura of evil, detect good, smite good, touch of corruption, great pumpkin’s blessing, great pumpkin’s will, sin with a grin

Spellcasting (3/2/1/0)

3 – Deadly Juggernaut

2 – Bull’s Strength, Desecrate

1 – Bane (Will DC15), Death Knell (Will DC15), Murderous Command (Will DC15)

Statistics

Str 22, Dex 14, Con —, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18

Base Atk +17; CMB +23; CMD 35

Feats Mounted Combat, Trick Riding, Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Mounted Skirmisher

Skills Handle Animal +14, Intimidate +24, Perception +23, Ride +22 (+17 in armour), Spellcraft +12, Stealth +22 (+17 in armour)

Languages Common, Sylvan, Druidic

Ecology

Environment: any

Organization: solitary

Treasure: double (+3 full plate, +4 bastard sword, other treasure)

Appearing in a thick cloud of unnaturally spawning mist on a clear night around harvest time, The Gaping Grin charges forth from the Great Pumpkin’s layer of the Abyss to sow terror and chaos on the Material Plane in the name of its dark master. Sometimes sent to destroy the enemies of this secretive faith, as often The Gaping Grin is sent to cleave the withered stalks from the healthy to keep the faith strong. Occasionally this chaotic being slips its leash and rampages across vast swaths of wilderness, going from settlement to settlement reaping souls and lives for its master whether mortal or otherwise. Even demons and devils take note when the spectral hooves of The Gaping Grin’s charger strike near to their spheres of influence, for it is said that whenever the hoofbeats stop there has been a death, and who so much as hears The Gaping Grin’s voice is fated to die that very night.

In Combat

The Gaping Grin is first and foremost a skirmisher, preferring to fight on the move rather than settle for any particular spot on the battlefield. Often working alone to demoralize enemies before sweeping through like a killing scythe, it tends to pick a cluster of targets to get the most out of its frightful presence while also singling out potential spellcasters. Anyone wilful enough to resist the palpable fear aura surrounding it registers as the most likely magical threat and thus the primary target. Before combat The Gaping Grin likes to cast Bull’s Strength and Deadly Juggernaut on itself to augment its already prodigious martial prowess, wading into the thick of combat while trusting its armour to deflect mortal blows while it deals with supernatural threats. Formed from the Great Pumpkin’s will, it often

fights to the death as it trusts that when it is next needed it shall be reformed by its terrible master.

Special Abilities

Aura of Evil (Ex) The power of The Gaping Grin’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to its antipaladin level+7. A paladin who uses smite evil on The Gaping Grin deals 2 points of damage per paladin level on his first successful attack.

Detect Good (Sp) At will, The Gaping Grin can use detect good, as the spell. The Gaping Grin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is good, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, The Gaping Grin does not detect good in any other object or individual within range.

Smite Good (Su) Three times per day, The Gaping Grin can call out to its master to crush the forces of good. As a swift action, The Gaping Grin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is good, The Gaping Grin adds +4 on his attack rolls and +7 on all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the target of smite good is an outsider with the good subtype, a good-aligned dragon, or a good creature with levels of cleric or paladin, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to +14. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite good is in effect, The Gaping Grin gains a deflection bonus of +4 to his AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If The Gaping Grin targets a creature that is not good, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite good effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or has somehow evaded The Gaping Grin for an evening.

Unholy Resilience (Su) The Gaping Grin gains a bonus of +4 on all saving throws.

Touch of Corruption (Su) Nine times per day as a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, The Gaping Grin can surround its hand with an unholy flame, causing terrible wounds which deal 5d6 damage to open on those it touches. Alternatively, The Gaping Grin can use this power to heal undead creatures, 5d6 hit points.

Victims of the Touch of Corruption must also make a successful Fortitude save (DC19) or suffer one of the following effects;

Sickened: The target is sickened for 10 rounds.

Staggered: The target is staggered for 5 rounds.

Nauseated: The target is nauseated for 3 rounds.

Aura of Cowardice (Su) The Gaping Grin radiates a palpably daunting aura that causes all enemies within 10 feet to take a –4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. Creatures that are normally immune to fear lose that immunity while within 10 feet of The Gaping Grin.

Plague Bringer (Ex) The Great Pumpkin has made his champion a beacon of corruption and disease. It does not suffer ill effects from diseases it carries, nor does it spread them to places/people blessed by its dark master. Typically The Gaping Grin arrives tainted with an especially active form of the Bubonic Plague, as follows.

Bubonic Plague – Type disease, injury or inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 17 – Onset Immediate; Frequency 1/day – Effect 1d4 Con damage and 1 Cha damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves

Infected vermin and parasites spread this disease, also known as Daemon’s Touch or the Black Death, through their bites. Once contracted, the disease spreads quickly, polluting the victim’s body with toxins. As the disease reaches the lymph nodes, the victim suffers extreme inflammation of glands, and his skin might take on a black pallor. Symptoms include fever, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and swelling of the lymph nodes (called buboes) on the neck, underarms, and inner thigh areas, and eventually bleeding beneath the skin. A victim who takes any Constitution damage from the disease must immediately make a successful Fortitude save or become fatigued until all his Constitution damage is healed. Each time a victim takes 2 points of Constitution damage from Black Death, he also takes 1 point of Charisma damage.

Channel Negative Energy (Su) The Gaping Grin can channel negative energy. Using this ability consumes two uses of his touch of corruption ability and either deals 5d6 damage in a 30′ burst to all living things, or heals all undead within 30′ for 5d6. In either case, a DC 19 Will save is required to halve the effect.

Aura of Despair (Su) Enemies within 10 feet of The Gaping Grin take a –2 penalty on all saving throws. This penalty does not stack with the penalty from aura of cowardice.

Great Pumpkin’s Blessing (Su) The Gaping Grin is blessed in service to its master’s will. It is proficient with all simple and martial slashing weapons which when wielded inflict +2d8 cold damage and gains the keen weapon property. Further, any bladed slashing weapon in The Gaping Grin’s possession is treated as if sheathed within a Sheath of Bladestealth, becoming invisible until wielded in battle. This ability replaces the Fiendish Blessing that The Gaping Grin would otherwise have received.

Sin with a Grin (Su) As a standard action The Gaping Grin can summon a spectral heavy warhorse, which remains until it is slain or dismissed. It can only have one such horse in its service at a time. In addition, whether mounted or not, The Gaping Grin moves with soul-chilling rapidity and has a 50 ft. move speed, even when armoured.

Lively Locals 10: Rurik's Tree

Rosco Rurik was good at killing the undead. The ranger had devoted all of his training, and all of his time to becoming more efficient at slaying the hated creatures. He’d memorized every type ever encountered or created. He’d memorized the known weaknesses and powers of each, and carried with him an extensive array of tools to accomplish his undead slaying task. If anything could send a shiver of mortal fear through a vampire’s spine, it was the name ‘Rosco Rurik.”

Rurik’s hunting made him famous through the land. Tales were told of him round campfires, and over pints of ale. And nearly every story mentioned Rosco’s powerful magic axe. In the presence of the undead, the axe’s blade became shrouded in white mist, and it was uniquely suited to slaying them. After a single cut, the blade would adapt itself to take advantage of the individual creature’s weaknesses, meaning Rosco’s second blow was often the last he needed to make.

There are many tales which could be told of Rosco and his mighty axe, but what concerns us today is their last adventure. As usual, Rosco was in pursuit of some undead ne’er-do-well who had caused a lot of suffering. A lich by the name of Amkon, who lived on an island surrounded by treacherous waters. Rosco had thought himself sufficiently prepared to kill the vile creature, but the Lich had lured him into a trap, and Rosco barely escaped from the lich’s lair alive.

He ran with all haste, the Lich’s ghouls close on his heels. The brave ranger managed to make it to shore, but found that his boat had been destroyed by the lich’s servants, to prevent any possible escape. He was trapped on an island with a foe he could not defeat by himself. Rosco knew he was going to die. Knowing he could not allow his axe to fall into the lich’s hands.

He had managed to gain a good twenty minutes on the creatures chasing him, but that did not leave him much time. With his hands he shoveled sand away as fast as he could, then shoveled it back in place again once he had dropped his axe into a hole deep enough that he thought it would not be discovered. By the time the lich and his minions arrived. Rosco was sitting peacefully in the surf, looking out over the water. The lich grabbed him by the throat and held him off the ground. He demanded to know where the axe was. Rosco smiled

“The ocean tides will carry it far from here. You’ll never find it. “

Those were Rosco Rurik’s last words, before the lich tossed him into a pack of ghouls, which tore the ranger into unrecognizable chunks of what had once been a man.

The lich spent a year sending zombies to walk the ocean floor, searching for the axe. He hoped he could use it in his magical experimentation to produce undead creatures resistant to their traditional weaknesses. He never thought to search the beach itself. Eventually the lich grew bored, and moved on to some other project in its interminably long life. For many years the axe lay beneath the sand, undisturbed. Then an unexpected thing happened. A green sprout appeared in the sand, where the axe had been burried. And the sprout grew over years into a tree, towering above the beach and shading the surf. It is a mystery why precisely this happened, or how the tree survives rooted in sand. But one thing is clear: Rosco’s axe was the tree’s seed, and most agree that his blood was the water.

Rurik’s Tree is unlike any which has ever been seen before or since. The wood is brown, with soft bark and straight, sturdy branches. The leaves of the tree are large—roughly a foot across. They curve outwards from the branch, appearing very much like the blade of an axe. They cut very much like one as well. While the leaves are alive, they function as a battleaxe with a +5d6 enchantment bonus against undead. Unfortunately, within a day of being removed from the tree, the leaves wilt and becomes useless. No one has yet determined how these leaves could be used in a more permanent application.

Partial Undeath

For evil wizards not ready, or unwilling to attempt the transformation into a lich, partial undeath offers an interesting middle ground. Through dark and bloody rituals, a character’s body parts can be infused with negative energy, causing them to fail, and be reanimated as though they were part of an undead creature. While the caster themselves remains alive–able to enjoy life as only the living can–the parts of them which have become undead confer powerful benefits which can give the caster great advantages.

Zombie Lungs

Requirements: Animate Dead, 2 Assistants, 10,000gp worth of materials.

A focus is required to complete this ritual, and it must come in direct contact with the lungs to be successful. Once completed, the target will not need to breathe in order to survive. They can survive indefinitely underwater, and become immune to any inhaled poisons.

Zombie Stomach

Requirements: Animate Dead, 2 Assistants, 7,000gp worth of materials.

As with the Zombie Lungs, a focus must come in contact with the stomach directly. Once the ritual is completed, the target will not need to eat to survive. They also become immune to ingested poisons.

Zombie Eyes

Requirements: Animate Dead, 3 Assistants, 12,000gp worth of materials.

The eyes must be temporarily removed from the head in order to accomplish this task. When the ritual is completed, the normally white color of the eyes turns to gray. The subject gains darkvision 60ft.

Skeleton Hands

Requirements: Animate Dead, 3 Assistants, 12,000gp worth of materials.

During this ritual, all the flesh must be cut from the hands, leaving nothing but the bone beneath. When it is completed, the subject will have a 1d4 claw attack.

Ghoul Tongue

Requirements: Create Undead, 2 Assistants, 30,000gp worth of materials.

Performing this ritual requires that the tongue be split, and stretched out of the mouth until it freely hangs past the lips. Once the ritual is completed, the subject’s tongue will produce the Ghoul Fever disease. The subject themselves will be immune to it, but if they bite a victim, and that victim fails their fortitude save, then they will rise as a zombie under the biter’s command. This ability does not allow a caster to exceed the normal amount of undead they would be able to control.

Mummy Eyes

Requirements: Create Undead, 4 Assistants, 40,000gp worth of materials.

Like Zombie Eyes, this ritual requires the eyes be fully removed from the head, and then re-inserted once the procedure is complete. Along with turning the white color of the eyes grey, Mummy Eyes causes the iris to turn red and become slightly luminescent. Not so much that it would be obvious in a well lit room, but enough to be visible in darkness, or candlelight. In addition to conferring the subject with darkvision up to 60ft, Mummy Eyes also grant the Despair ability described on page 210 of the Bestiary. The only difference is that the caster must make eye contact with their victim for the ability to come into effect.

Vampire Teeth

Requirements: Create Greater Undead, 4 Assistants, 70,000gp worth of materials, Vampire’s Teeth

Vampires cannot be created by common necromancers, so in order for this ritual to be successful, the teeth must be acquired from an already existing vampire, in addition to the ritual’s other components. These teeth are not grafted into the subject’s mouth, but ground up int an enamel which is applied to the subject’s teeth, and swallowed. Once the ritual is complete, the subject will be able to regain hit points by consuming the blood of the living. While biting a target, they may deal 1d6 damage per round, and heal that same amount.

Note that a the victim does not become a vampire, or any kind of undead, if they are killed by this ability.

Ghost Skin

Requirements: Create Greater Undead, 10 Assistants, 170,000gp worth of materials, a ghost.

This is among the most difficult grafts, even though ghosts are a relatively common form of undead. Because of the level of difficulty involved, an actual ghost must be somehow captured and used in the completion of this ritual, in addition to the ritual’s other components.

Performing this ritual is a grisly ordeal. The subject’s skin must be flayed from their body, and burned in a magical fire along with the ghost. The ash from the fire must then be collected and carefully applied to the skinless body of the subject. When the ritual is complete, this will create an illusory skin which will appear and feel completely normal, though any effects which dispel or disrupt illusions will allow people to see through the subject’s skin. Many casters view this as an acceptable sacrifice, however, since the end result of this ritual is the ability to become incorporeal at will.

Bow Before The Great Pumpkin

My post on mechanics for the gods is still among the best I think I’ve ever written. It is detailed, without becoming complicated. I very much enjoy detailing my deities using the rules presented there, and below is a god appropriate to the season.

The Great Pumpkin

The Grin in the Dark

Lesser Deity (Divine Rank 2)
Holy Symbol An Orange circle with a smile made of of fire at the bottom.
Home Plane 402nd layer of the Abyss
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Major Portfolio Trickery
Minor Portfolio The Season of Fall, Those who Hide
Domains Trickery, Plant
Worshipers Rogues, Rangers, Druids, Squash Farmers
Clerical Alignments CE, NE, CN
Favored Weapons Concealable Blades, and poison.

The Great Pumpkin is a little-known deity whose sphere of influence is limited to agrarian areas which rely heavily upon fall crops. He is rarely seen, because he rarely wishes to be seen. When he does appear, it is as a pumpkin standing upon a dozen vines which serve as both arms and legs. A wicked, grinning faces is carved into the pumpkin, and iluminated from behind by a yellow light. The face appears to be static, but frequently changes when no one is looking.

Dogma The Great Pumpkin admonishes his followers to do whatever they must to ensure that they thrive and their enemies do not. He also teaches that if your enemies know that you are their enemy, thriving will be much more difficult for you. Furthermore, if you focus on thriving only within your family, then your family may falter within your community. If you focus on thriving within your community, enemies from without may surprise you. Be aware of who wishes you ill, and never risk long term survival on a short term goal. Unless you can succeed at both.

Clergy and Temples The Great Pumpkin, being a god of subtlety, prefers that no lasting structure be publicly dedicated to him. Worshipers gather in pumpkin fields in the dead of night to pray and offer sacrifices to their god. Once a year, during the harvest season, a temporary church is built late at night, from dried and bound stalks of corn. Here the most important sacrifices of the year–often children–are offered to the dark god. In exchange for this sacrifice The Great Pumpkin blesses his worshipers with good fortune. Once the structure has served its purpose, it is burned to the ground until next year.

History

Not so long ago as you might think, a small farming community existed far beyond human civilization. The people there rarely traveled away from their small, interconnected villages. They did not need to. Their soil was rich, and they produced ample food to support themselves. Shortly after the founders settled there, the community made an alliance with a coven of elven druids. It is rare that settling humans and druids get along with one another. But these humans were uncommonly happy to adapt themselves to the druid’s viewpoint and in exchange the druids helped them to cultivate the land responsibly. Teaching them to live as part of nature, rather than simply living among nature.

For several human generations this arrangement continued happily, with the druids taking on the role of community leaders. The humans, for their part, were happy to tend their crops, and live simple lives. But then new humans came. They came as humans always come to the edges of civilization: as conquerors. The human drive to expand meant that the lands shared by druids and settlers must be tamed. The inhabitants tried to fight back against the encroaching battalion, but they had no skill for war.

The druids bade their followers gather in a large pumpkin field, where together they would summon a powerful nature’s ally to defend their land. A thousand or more gathered to participate in the summoning, unaware that the evil leader of the druids intended to sacrifice them all so that he might summon a guardian of great power. The ritual began, and the masses prayed whilst the high druid wove his spells. The process continued for an hour, growing louder and more impassioned, until just as it reached its climax–

An arrow flew from the darkness and struck the high druid in the head.

The invading battalion, in full force, charged the field. They seemed prepared the slaughter the innocent villagers and remaining druids. But they had let their arrow fly too late. The ritual was completed. Their shouts of victory turned to confusion and horror as vines leaped up from the field to drag them to the ground, strangling soldiers and horses alike. The entire invading force was left gasping for breath as the life was wrung out of them. But this was not salvation for the settlers, for the vines grasped incandescently. Everyone who stood in the field that night: soldiers, farmers, druids, and generals; all died gasping for air at the culmination of the summoning ritual.

And when the last body ceased twitching, the Great Pumpkin rose up out of his pumpkin patch.

5 Killer Curses

Curses don’t show up in tabletop games as often as you might think they would. Traditionally, curses are placed on tombs to prevent grave robbers from stealing the wealth which is buried there, right? But adventurers rob tombs all the time; the worst they ever need to deal with is an animated corpse. And while placing a curse on everything would be a massive time sink which would ultimately not be any fun, a curse here or there could add variety to game play. Sitting down with a notepad just now, I came up with five curses in about 15 minutes which I think would be interesting to use in a game.

Forgive me if this post lacks any of my usual style. As I write this, I am immensely tired.

Mummy’s Curse: Probably the most iconic of curses, the curse of the mummy is simple. When you break into a tomb under the protection of this curse and take something, the mummy rises from the dead. It then hunts you down, kills you, and retrieves what you stole. In D&D, however, mummies are really just another type of undead creature, rather than being part of a curse. They are described as a guardian creature, and are able to spread the curse/disease of Mummy Rot, but there’s nothing which matches the traditional Abbot and Costello style curse.

I propose that, while mummies can exist anywhere, they are most commonly created when a tomb must be protected against robbery. When that is the case, the doors to the tomb are sealed with magics which bestow the curse of the mummy upon trespassers. While the curse is active, the mummy who protects hte tomb which was trespassed upon will always be aware of the location of all of those who bear the curse, and will hunt them, or be destroyed in trying.

Destroyer’s Curse: When a sacred object such as a statue or talisman is broken, sometimes it will confer a curse to the character responsible for breaking it. Until the curse is removed, the character will find that they cannot handle anything safely. Everything they touch with their hands breaks. If they pick up a sword, the blade and pommel will fall apart, leaving the object useless. If they try to don clothing or armor, cloth will tear and straps will snap.

The power of this curse has limits. It cannot be used to destroy a wall or mountain. A rock will not crumble into pebbles simply because it is touched by the character. A good rule of thumb is that tools, weapons, and other items which would commonly be found in a character’s equipment will break if touched. While anything larger than the character themselves will probably be immune.

Captain’s Curse: A spiteful warlock may place a curse upon a position of authority, such as the mayor’s office of a certain town, the captaincy of a ship, or even just the king’s chef. When a job is covered by a captain’s curse, anyone who takes the job will mysteriously end up dead the moment they start trying to do the job competently. For example if the king’s chef made a delicious stew, then somehow they would end up falling into the pot and drowning.

When a position is afflicted by a Captain’s Curse, anyone who fills that role must do their best to perform their job incompetently, lest they become victims of the curse. A captain’s curse cannot be dispelled simply by using Dispell Magic. Normally a more involved decursing ritual is required.

Curse of Secrecy: Sometimes, knowledge itself may be cursed. This would be extremely unusual, as casting a spell on a concept is a difficult task. But for a dark god who wishes to keep their true name a secret, for example, it would be an easy feat.

Anyone who learns a piece of cursed knowledge will find that it is the only secret they can keep. They will be unable to speak a word to anyone about the cursed knowledge, but every other secret they know will constantly fall out of their m omouthes during casual conversation. If remove curse is cast, then the secret which originally caused the curse is forgotten as well.

Broken Mirror: A classic curse bestowing act. A broken mirror is, traditionally, seven years of bad luck. This is nothing but hokum. Breaking a mirror has no effects on a character’s luck. Breaking a magical mirror, however, has significant consequences. A doppleganger of the character will form out of the shards of broken glass within seven weeks of the mirror being destroyed. If the shards are seperated, then the largest group of them will fopminto the doppleganger with no loss of strength. Once it is created, the creature will have but one mission: to find punish the person whose face they wear.

Magical Marvels 8: The Greatsword of Horrid Dreams

Once long ago, an evil wizard summoned a demon into the world, intending to use the demon’s grisly might in a nefarious scheme for power. The wizard’s plans were foiled, however, by a daring paladin who had hunted the wizard for weeks. She assaulted his sanctum, and he bade his demon to attack her while he fled. The battle between the paladin and the demon was fierce, but ultimately the paladin was victorious. She swung her greatsword down into the demon’s head, lodging it so tightly between the beasts eyes that she could not pull it free. Not wishing to allow the wizard to escape, the paladin drew a short sword, and ran after him. Whatever happened to her and the wizard is unknown, but there is no doubt of this much: she never came back for the sword.

Normally when a demon is slain on the material plane, their soul fades away, and is reformed anew within the Abyss. But the greatsword lodged within the demon’s brain was powerfully enchanted. Among many abilites which it granted its wielder were spells to seal evil, and to prevent travel between planes. And though the blade now had no wielder, these magics none the less prevented the demon from returning to its home plane. Trapped within a dead body, all the fiend could do was dream.

For centuries dreams of slaughter and chaos unparalleled dominated the demon’s half-conscious mind. Over the ages, the flesh of the demon rotted away, leaving naught but bones, the blade, and the pulsing brain in which the greatsword was buried. The dreams of the demon began to corrupt the blade, sapping at the purity of the paladin’s weapon until none remained. When the greatsword was finally recovered by an adventurer, over 700 years after it was placed there, it had become a fully evil thing. And as the demon’s soul fled back into the abyss, it took some small comfort knowing its centuries of imprisonment had produced an item which would sow chaos among mortals.

The Greatsword of Horrid Dreams is unique among weapons, because in order to access its full potential, it must have two wielders. When in the hands of most people, the blade appears to be a bright shade of blood red, and grants the wielder abilities very useful to physical combat. When in the hands of a caster able to cast 5th level spells or higher, the blade’s color takes on a purple hue, and the wielder gains access to a completely different set of powers.

The Greatsword of Horrid Dreams (Warrior’s Blade)
Artifact Greatsword

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Blade)(Attack) +4
(Blade)(Damage) 2d6 + 4 (Slashing)(18-20/x2) plus Curse of Horrid Dreams

SPELLS GRANTED

At Will – Dimensional Anchor, cast by holding the blade so that the hilt faces towards the target. When the command word “You will not flee.” is spoken, red and black tendrils of light emerge from the crossguard of the blade, enveloping the target and creating a barrier around them which prevents planar travel according to the rules of the spell as written on page 270 of the PFCRB.

1/1d4 minutes – Bestow Curse, cast by tilling the target “You will X,” where X is a word or phrase which represents the curse. To use the examples given in the PFCRB, if you wish to decrease the targets wisdom by 6, you might say “You will die a fool,” whereas if you wished to give your target a 50% chance to take no action on their turn, you might say “You will falter before my power!” This ability otherwise follows the rules and limitations laid out on page 247 of the PFCRB.

3/Day – Hallucinatory Terrain, cast by twirling the blade in your hands (requiring a dexterity score of at least 10 to accomplish) and saying “Battle amidst a demon’s dream.” The only terrain which this use of the spell can create is a hellscape, battlefield, or other place a demon might dream of. It otherwise functions as the spell on page 293 of the PFCRB, as cast by a 12th level caster.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Psychic strike – 5/day, the wielder of The Greatsword of Horrid Dreams may channel the power of their own horrid dreams into their attacks. By dwelling on a horrifying dream which has plagued them in the past, they can add their wisdom score to both their attack and damage rolls for that round. Use of this ability must be announced prior to the attack roll being made. Psychic strike does not function on any foe which cannot feel fear, such as a foe which is mindless, or a construct.
Curse of Horrid Dreams – Anytime a target takes damage from the Greatsword of Horrid Dreams, they must succeed on a will save (DC: 14 + the wielder’s wisdom bonus). This curse has no effect on its own. However, in order for most of the Caster’s Blade abilities to function, the target must already be afflicted with the curse of horrid dreams.

APPEARANCE

The most obviously unusual feature of The Greatsword of Horrid dreams is its length. The blade is a full two feet longer than most greatswords. Furthermore, it appears to have been made from stained glass, and is even partially transparent near edges. A quick test will reveal, however, that the blade is as strong as adamantium, and as sharp as a razor. While in the Warrior’s Blade state, the entire sword–blade, hilt, crossguard and all–are different shades of blood red which shift and move across the surface of the weapon. It is important to note that despite its obviously magical appearance, the blade emits no light whatsoever.

The Greatsword of Horrid Dreams (Caster’s Blade)
Artifact Greatsword

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Blade)(Attack)+1
(Blade)(Damage) 2d6 + 1 (Slashing)(19-20/x2)

SPELLS GRANTED

At Will – Dream, Cast by whispering the name of the person which you wish to send to, this spell functions as written on page 274 of the PFCRB

1/Day – Nightmare, Cast by opening a small wound on the blade’s edge and whispering the name of the person which you wish to cast the spell upon. The spell functions as written on page 316 of the PFCRB

1/week – Gate, cast by crying out in a booming voice “Ready the path to glory!” This version of the spell can only open portals to the Abyss, which remain open for as long as the caster concentrates on them. Otherwise it functions as the spell found on page 288 of the PFCRB.

3/day – Phantasmal Killer, cast by telling the target “Your very nightmares themselves serve me!” The spell functions as written on page 319 of the PFCRB.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

See Cursed – At any time while holding the Greatsword of Horrid Dreams, a caster able to cast 5th level spells or higher can close their eyes, and see the face of each person afflicted by The Curse of Horrid Dreams in turn. The face is shown in real time, but the image includes no audio or background. So it is possible to tell if the victim is alive or dead, awake or asleep, etc. But little more information than that can be determined.
Insomnia – By concentrating on anyone afflicted by The Curse of Horrid Dreams for 1 hour, the caster can prevent the victim from sleeping for the next 24. Insomnia can be used to cause severe fatigue in victims, but never death. If the victim would die from lack of sleep, then the magic of the insomnia effect is broken.
Dream Invasion – By concentrating on a sleeping victim afflicted by The Curse of Horrid Dreams, the caster can observe that victim’s dreams. The ability of the caster to interpret those dreams depends greatly on how well the caster knows the victim. If they are complete strangers, there is a 30% chance that the caster will be able to determine any relevant information about that person. For acquaintances that chance rises to 50%, for people who are known well such as friends or rivals the chance increases to 60%. For close friends or family members, the chances increase to 70%.
Horrid Dreams – By concentrating on a sleeping target, the caster may enter their dreams and torture them from within their own mind. Functionally this ability works like the Phantasmal Killer spell, save that the caster themself is the object of horror, and the spell can be cast from any distance so long as the target is afflicted by The Curse of Horrid Dreams, and is asleep. The victim is entitled to a will save against the caster (at a -2 penalty) to disbelieve the illusion. If they fail, they must succeed on a fortitude save or die from fear. Even if this fortitude save is successful, the victim takes 3d6 damage, as well as losing 1 point of wisdom permanently.

APPEARANCE

The appearance of the Caster’s Blade is identical to that of the Warrior’s Blade, save that the color changes from shades of red, to shades of purple. The purple coloring of the blade is depicted in the artwork above.

Merciless Monsters 8: The Gourd Golem

When an adventurer thinks of a golem, they think of a challenging foe. Golems never tire, and never feel the pain of their injuries. Most are constructed from materials like stone or iron, and even putting a scratch on their bodies requires a blow of titanic strength. Golems are relentless, and powerful.

At least, most of them are.

Gourd Golems are most commonly constructed by bush wizards. Casters who desire the services of a construct, but lack the skill or the gold to make a proper one. Long ago one such wizard discovered that they could use relatively common crops during the harvest season to construct a simple, cheap golem. One which, while admittedly not very effective in combat, could still serve as a decent porter. Or even a guard against minor threats such as wild animals or common burglars.

While Gourd golems are constructed from a variety of squashes, they are most notable for the large orange pumpkin which is used to form the creature’s head. These pumpkins must be hollowed out, and a specially enchanted candle placed within them. The magic which animates the golem is stored in the candles flame, and nothing less than complete submersion in water is sufficient to put it out. Since it’s more difficult to put out this flame than to simply smash the golems to pieces, most gourd golems have terrifying faces carved into their pumpkin heads, to make them appear more menacing.

Physically, Groud Golems do not appear to be as sturdy as they are. Their bodies are made of various crops which are bound together by the magically animated vines of the pumpkin. If one were to make a crude comparison to human anatomy, the gourds form the skeletal structure of the creature, giving it shape. The vines hold that structure together, and give it mobility and strength, as muscles and tendons do for humans.

Gourd Golem

Shambling awkwardly on limbs made of long stems wrapped around squash, the creature approaches. Its malicious intent is clear from the evil grin carved into its pumpkin head.

Gourd Golem; CR 2; [Construct] [Farmland] [Temperate Climate] [Always Active]

XP: 600
N Medium Construct
Init -2; Senses Darkvision 60ft, low light vision, Perception +5

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 8, flat-footed 16 [10 + Dex(-2) + Natural(8)]
HP 43 (3d10)
Fort +1 Ref -1 Will +1;
Immune Construct Traits
Weakness Vulnerability to Bludgeoning (+50% damage)

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee +4 Slam (1d6)(Bludgeoning)(May choose to tangle on successful slam attack)

STATISTICS

Str 12 Dex 7 Con — Int — Wis 10 Cha 1
BAB +3; CMB 4; CMD 12
Languages None
SQ Tangle, Burrow

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Burrow If the earth is loose enough, a Gourd Golem can bury itself within 2 minutes, submerging itself up to its pumpkin head. Those who control the Gourd Golem often command a number of them to do this in farming fields, hiding amongst the crops until intruders approach. Gourd Golems can leap out of the dirt and attack in a single round.

Tangle Gourd Golems are most effective at trapping, rather than killing their enemies. Upon a successful slam attack, the golem can wrap its vines around a victim, performing a grapple check at a +10 bonus. If successful, the Gourd Golem will continue to entwine itself around its victim on subsequent turns, strapping the gourds which make up its own body to their limbs, making it difficult for them to move. Eventually the golem even fits its own pumpkin head over the head of its victim, restricting their vision severely. A tangled character is not controlled by the golem, and they are rarely harmed. Rather, the purpose of the tangle ability is to hold an intruder until someone comes to retrieve them.

ECOLOGY

Environment Most commonly in farmland, where the necessary resources are plentiful.
Organization Solitary or band (6-12)
Activity Cycle Constructs do not sleep.
Diet Constructs do not eat; Natural Enemies Squirrels, Dogs, most herbivores and omnivores.
Treasure Typical

CONSTRUCTION

A Gourd Golem’s body is constructed from roughly 100gp worth of pumpkins and other gourds. In addition, high quality candles worth 10gp each must be used.
Requirements Craft Construct, Entangle, Summon Nature’s Ally II, creator must be caster level 5th;
Skill Craft (Sculpture) or Craft(Topiary) DC: 17 Cost 110gp

Colorful Characters 22: Erol Gwindlin, and The Red Seamster

Not far from the human lands is a small elven village near the forest’s edge. It is a simple community of a few thousand elves. They are known for their fine bowers, and their mithril jewelry. They are also much more amicable and welcoming than elves are commonly known to be, and this has helped them to foster strong alliances with the nearby human folk. This elven village is a peaceful and happy place, where each year, one of those elves is killed. Murdered. It is a gruesome mystery which has renewed itself each fall for over a hundred years.

The bodies are left in a horrifying state. They are battered and smashed, always with skulls which have been caved-in by some monstrously heavy blow. It is a small mercy that the dead appear to have been killed quickly by this skull crushing blow. The mangling of their bodies happens after, and only those who see it must suffer. Limbs, digits, and facial features are removed at random. Skin is torn, and often completely stripped from the bodies. The remains are disassembled.

Then, sloppily, they are sewn back together again. Every body part haphazardly returned to its proper place, and fixed there with a needly and thread. The community has come to call the killer ‘The Red Seamster,’ for lack of a better name.

Investigators and adventurers have tried to discover the identity of this killer for a century. Countless monsters have been slain or driven away from the elven lands on suspicion of being responsible. Yet every year a new body is found, and the hunt for the killer begins again. Many have simply given up hope that the killer will ever be found. Others have become convinced that the killer cannot be found. That the dead are taken by a supernatural force which can never be stopped. It doesn’t matter. When summer ends and the air begins to chill, fear is universal within the village. Fear, and prayer.

None fears The Red Seamster more than a local tailor named Erol Gwindlin. He believes he’s had numerous close encounters with the killer. Each year he barely escapes becoming the Red Seamster’s victim, but he knows his luck cannot last. He knows what no one else will believe, even though he’s told them: The Red Seamster lives in Erol’s garden. In a hole in the ground. Each year he digs himself out, and buries himself again. Erol avoids his garden in the fall, for fear that The Red Seamster will emerge while he’s there.

What neither Erol Gwindlin, nor The Red Seamster knows is that the two of them share the same mind. Each year the changing of the leaves awakens the Red Seamster. He is unaware that time has passed since he was last awake. He skulks to Erol’s garden and digs up the heavy flail he keeps there. He shakes the dirt from it, and goes on the prowl. Looking for someone, anyone, to cut open. Looking for someone whose blood can warm his cold hands. Someone he can practice his needlework with.

The Red Seamster is a strange animal who lives in a strange world. He is only ever aware in the darkness of night, with the crimson leaves and the chill air. He doesn’t know anyone, but every day the world around him has changed. When he awakens he is driven by the desire to see what is inside those around them. To pull them apart and put them back together again.

The Red Seamster (CR 9)

XP: 6,400
Male Elven Barbarian 5 / Rogue 5 (Character 10)
CE humanoid
Init +5; Senses Perception +11(+2 for traps), Low Light Vision (When Raging: Darkvision 60ft., Scent)

Defenses

AC 19, Flat Footed 16, Touch 15 [10 + Dex(5) + Armor(3) + Dodge(1)] (Cannot be caught flat footed) (+2 vs. Traps) (Cannot be Flanked)
hp 87 (5d12 + 5d8 + 30)
Fort +7 Ref +10 (+2 v. Traps) Will -3
(Reflex Save: If successfully saved for 1/2 damage, take no damage)

Offense

Speed 45ft
Melee +2 Heavy Flail + 13/8 (1d10 + 5 , 19-20/x2)
Sneak Attack +3d6
Vital Strike As an attack action, roll one additional weapon damage die at the highest BAB.

Stats

Str 16 (+3) Dex 21 (+5) Con 15 (+2) Int 11 (+0) Wis 3 (-4) Cha 10 (+0)
Base Atk +8/3; CMB +11; CMD 26
Feats Dodge, Extra Rage, Fleet, Vital Strike, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics (+17), Craft (Tailoring)(+13), Knowledge (Anatomy)(+10), Perception (+11)(+2 for traps), Sleight of Hand (+17), Stealth (+17)(Can stealth at full speed with no penalty)
Languages Elven, Common
SQ
–Rage: 20 rounds/day; +4 STR, +4 CON, +2 Will Saves, -2 AC, +20 HP
–Rage Powers: Night Vision, Scent
–Rogue Talents: Fast Stealth, Stand up (As a free action)
Gear Studded Leather Armor, +2 Heavy Flail, skinning knife, hacksaw, small hatchet, pliers, scalpel, 8 thick needles, four spools of coarse thread