Actual game play in Quasqueton Part 1

A few weeks ago my daughters, ages 8 and 9, made some player characters and I took them through B1 In Search of the Unknown, using Advanced D&D rules. The older was a half elf fighter/ magic-user named Iseult and her sister made an elf magic-user named Athena. They named their own characters and choose pictures for them, which I copied and pasted onto their character sheets. The characters were rolled using the 4d6 drop lowest method. Their starting spells were selected randomly using the DMG guidelines. Iseult had a magic missile spell and Athena had a sleep spell (which she never used, more on that later).

They were joined by a human cleric named Garmand, a human fighter named Ahlo and Krago of the Mountains, a dwarf fighter. These were taken from the NPCs at the back of B1, modified very slightly. Ahlo's grandpa had helped Rogahn and Zelligar build the complex, but was sworn to secrecy and actually kept his oath. When he died, Ahlo was his only remaining relative and inherited his grandfather's possessions, including a map to the complex. Ahlo and the other NPCs, realizing what a potential fortune they had, decided to explore the complex, but they decided they needed magic-using help. Enter Iseult and Athena.

After an uneventful journey to the dungeon, they were a little freaked out at the magic mouths and Iseult almost used her magic missle on them. They then journeyed to Room 3, the dining room and found a giant tick, which they were able to kill without incident. They went to Room 4 and then through Room 2 without encountering monsters, but as they emerged from the north door of Room 2, they met 3 berserkers. After a quick skirmish and the magic missile spell, the berserkers were all dead and Garmand suffered a minor wound.

Just by walking by, the elf discovered the secret door to Room 11. When they opened the door they were confronted by a giant white ape sporting a single horn in its forehead. After a brief fight, Krago was injured and Iseult issued the finishing blow on the ape with her sword through its chest. It promptly turned to grey ash and left a mysterious key on her sword. They found an ivory scroll case with a spell scroll as its treasure.

They then traveled south and came to Room 22, the garden room. Ahlo was savagely struck by a bizarre pumpkin tentacle monster, but they were able to kill it after a fight. Garmand then used his cure light wounds on Ahlo, who was down to 1 hit point.

They explored Room 21, and spent a lot of time searching for secret doors. So much so, that a wandering monster roll was indicated and several orcs came through the door. This would have been a perfect time for Athena to use her spell, but she was being very conservative and didn't cast it. They got through the fight with Athena receiving a minor wound.

After this they decided enough was enough. Only Ahlo and Iseult had full hit points and they probably couldn't take another battle without losing a member. They got out of the place without any more fights and made it back to town. Here they split the loot, along the way they had collected a sapphire and a sack of platinum pieces, as well as looting the bodies of the dead berserkers and orcs. Including all experience, even with +10% bonuses for high ability scores, Athena was about half way to second level. Iseult, being double classed, was even farther away. I think they liked it and want to play again.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 50 SENTRY CHAMBER.

50 SENTRY CHAMBER. Three Hobgoblins are on guard here, concerned about raids from the Red Legs. They have taken a defensive position behind a pair of overturned tables providing them with 50% cover, giving them an effective armor class of 1 instead of their usual 5.

 

Hobgoblin (AC 1 or 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 7; #AT 1; D Short bow or black iron lochaber axe; XP 34) 14 arrows. 4 gold crescents, 4 silver spanners, 7 copper pieces

Hobgoblin (AC 1 or 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp ; #AT 1; D Short bow or black iron morning star; XP 30) 21 arrows, 3 gold crescents, 11 silver spanners, 5 copper pieces

Hobgoblin (AC 1 or 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 4; #AT 1; D Short bow or black iron morning star; XP 28) 16 arrows, 5 gold crescents, 6 silver spanners, 9 copper pieces

The hobgoblins are seated on chairs, but will rise to shoot arrows if combat occurs and they are able. A set of stairs descends to Room 17 of The Cellars.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 49 CONFERENCE ROOM.

49 CONFERENCE ROOM. The room is dominated by a long rectangular table with seating for thirty five. There are three large paintings against the east wall and six large windows in the west wall.

The first painting depicts a hunt in a forest and is labeled “Cythera”. The next is a naval battle scene and is labeled “The Battle of Rovia”. The third is labeled “Pikesglove” and shows a fortress being constructed. Pikesglove and Cythera are holdings which used to belong to the Triskelion family and the Battle of Rovia was won by the prominent Admiral Carlesimo Triskelion.

The lower portion of each window is plain glass while the upper portion is arched and made of stained glass with the following symbols from north to south: key, lion, tower, crown, flower, and sickle.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 48 THRONE ROOM.

48 THRONE ROOM.  This room was used by Triskelion family members to receive important guests, pass judgement, make decisions, and hear petitioners.  A permanent illusion gives the impression of a eighty foot high ceiling instead of the real height of about thirty eight feet. The thrones near the west wall are raised by a series of steps to four feet above the rest of the room and they are flanked by a pair of tripartite Triskelion statues. There are fireplaces to the northwest and southwest. There are windows high up in the north and south walls. The north wall is also decorated by crimson drapes with the Triskelion black shield and three white legs design. The doors to the south have the same motif. The pillars are of the same gray stone as the walls and are carved with the heads of beasts, men, and demons.

The great thrones are painted gold and purple. Sitting in the left throne will allow one to see from the perspective of the throne in Room 74 of the Upper Dungeons Level 1. The viewer will see a smaller throne room with sets of stone pillars decorated with the shapes of animals. Sitting in the right throne will allow the viewer to see from the perspective of the throne in Room 48 of Dungeon Level 13, the Red Halls. They will see a room almost identical to this one, but lit by an eerie red light.  There is a 35% chance that they will see 1 to 3 giant gruesome black furred toads, the denizens of that area. 

The windows in the north and south walls allow people in Rooms 35, 37, and 44 of the First Floor to view this room.

The secret door can be opened by lowering the sword arm of the northern Triskelion statue. Vicenne Triskelion and his hobgoblins know about the secret door, although the Red Legs do not.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 47 MEETING ROOM.

47 BACK ROOM. Vicenne Triskelion and his lackies are here.

Vicenne Triskelion, Lawful Evil male human fighter (AC 2; MV 12”; F4; hp 22; #AT 1; D black iron bastard sword +1 to damage due to strength; S 17, I 15, W 10, D 11, C 14, Ch 18; XP 200)

Vicenne wears black man-sized chainmail +1 and uses a normal-sized +1 shield. He carries a pouch with 32 gold crescents, 17 silver spanners, and the key to the lock on the chest in Room 22 of The Sewers. He also wears a platinum earring worth 45 gold crescents.

Orsina, Lawful Evil female female human magic-user (AC 10; MV 12”; MU 2; hp 8; #AT 1; D black iron dagger; S 11, I 13, W 10, D 12, C 17, Ch 7; XP 114)

First Level Magic user Spells:

Charm Person, Magic Missile

Orsina is a hideous crone, bent and evil to the core. She carries five black iron daggers and has a pouch containing five carnelians: four are 10 gold crescents each and one is 50 gold crescents. She wears a silver choker worth 7 gold crescents and carries a small glass prism which can be used for the Read Magic spell.

Hobgoblin Sergeant (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 9; #AT 1; D Black iron footman's flail, black iron dagger; XP 38) 10 gold crescents, 7 silver spanners, 2 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30) 4 gold crescents, 5 silver spanners, 7 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 6; #AT 1; D Black iron broadsword; XP 32) 5 gold crescents, 16 copper pieces

 

If the party is evil or neutral and coming from a position of strength, it is possible to bargain with or ally with Vicenne. Otherwise, it is likely that combat will occur. If Emiliano Triskelion is with the party, there will certainly be a battle. Vicenne is a calculating and utterly ruthless enemy. If Emiliano is present Vicenne will mock and belittle his brother and try to get into melee combat with him, otherwise he will try to go into hand to hand combat with the weakest looking member of the party. The hobgoblins will charge into melee combat. They are fanatically loyal to Vicenne and will fight for him as if in the presence of a tribal standard (+1 on attack rolls and +5% on morale rolls). Orsina will first use her charm person spell against a party member. She will then use her magic missile spell against enemy spellcasters or other targets as the opportunity presents. Finally, she will throw her daggers, making sure to keep one in reserve for melee, should it come down to that.

This room was used as a special meeting place by Triskelion family elders. There is a large glassteel vat of potent bubbling green acid against the east wall which Vicenne has used to melt his brother's magic holy sword into fragments. There are two large plain glass windows to the northwest. A large octagonal table is present, with seating for up to sixteen. To the west is a water closet.

If the characters think to use the acid in combat, it could prove deadly. For example, it could be tipped over to distract or damage or it could be gathered to be used later if the party finds appropriate containers, such as glass. Rules for using acid are found on page 64 of the DUNGEON MASTER'S GUIDE. Large amounts of acid would cause effects similar to those of ankhegs, giant slugs, or black dragons.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 46 MUSIC ROOM.

46 MUSIC ROOM. A large wooden table has been placed in the center of the room. Two hobgoblins are butchering a dead goat on its surface, using cleavers (treat as handaxes). They each hold a cleaver (treat as hand axes).

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 3; #AT 1; D Cleaver (hand axe); XP 26) 6 gold crescents, 17 silver spanners, 6 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Cleaver (hand axe); XP 30) 2 gold crescents, 8 silver spanners, 14 copper pieces

The walls are striped red-and-yellow and the floor is carpeted in red. There are three stained glass windows in the west wall decorated with musical notes. A large number of broken and neglected musical instruments (lutes, harps, trumpets, etc.) have been piled near the west wall. The hobgoblins black iron morning stars are lying near the southeast corner.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 45 THE BACK DOORS.

45 THE BACK DOORS. Although now dusty and dirty, this room was once beautiful. The floors and walls are pure white marble, though now streaked with dirt and grime and cracked in many places. There are four large glass windows to the west, each of which is obscured by dark blue curtains. Once imposing, they are now shabby. Seven faded blue cushioned chairs are scattered about the room.

The doors to the west lead outside the castle to THE GROUNDS.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 44 GAME ROOM.

44 GAME ROOM. Six hobgoblins are throwing black iron daggers at targets on the south wall and betting on the outcomes. Five daggers are sticking out of the walls. The sixth hobgoblin has a dagger in his hand ready to throw.

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 7; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 34) 3 gold crescents, 7 silver spanners, 6 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 3; #AT 1; D Black iron broadsword; XP 26) 4 gold crescents, 12 silver spanners, 12 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 3 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30) 3 gold crescents, 1 silver spanner, 16 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 4 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30) 2 gold crescents, 9 silver spanners, 11 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 5 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 4; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 28) gold crescents, 7 silver spanners, 8 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 6 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 6; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 32) black iron dagger, 4 gold crescents, 11 silver spanners, 6 copper pieces

This room is decorated in the same style as Room 41, with white and green striped wallpaper and decorative wooden panels. Four large stained glass windows in the west wall depict green vines and trees. Beneath the windows is a bar for dispensing beverages. Six large tables are arranged around the periphery of the room. A circular depression with a sandy floor is in the center of the room.

Searching the bar will reveal a quantity of seventeen bottles of wine and forty bottles of hard alcohol.

Each table is topped by green felt and holds a different kind of wooden gambling apparatus or decoration (roulette wheel, craps table, etc.).

The sand pit has a diameter of fifteen feet and a depth of four feet. It is used for fights between animals and recently, too, for there is blood in the sand.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 43 WASH ROOM.

43 WASH ROOM. This room is attractive and the walls and floor are decorated in a similar fashion to Room 42. A single large glass window is to the southwest. Pump-like faucets in the south wall dispense hot and cold water. The door to the privy to the west has a symbol for 'man', while the one to the south is similarly labeled for women.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 42 ELEGANT ROOM.

42 ELEGANT ROOM. The floor of this room is tiled in striking aquamarine and deep sea blue in a checkerboard pattern, with a gold-painted border around each tile. The walls are coral in color with paintings of sea-scenes. Hanging from the ceiling are four cords, one near each corner, three of which hold spheres which give off light. The are five small but ornate tables.

From three of the cords are suspended crystal spheres with continuous light spells cast upon them (each is 35 gp weight). The cord in the southwest corner has has its crystal ripped free and it is nowhere to be found.

Each table has long legs and stands chest high. The legs are of a metallic green material and each table has a round top which is decorated by tiles and shells. This room was for entertainment and the tables were used to rest cocktails upon.

The door to Room 39 should be treated as concealed from this side, its seams cleverly fitting into the seascape design.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 41 CARD ROOM.

41 CARD ROOM. Four hobgoblins are playing cards here.

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 7; #AT 1; D Black iron broadsword, black iron dagger; XP 34)

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30)

Hobgoblin 3 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 4; #AT 1; D Black iron broadsword; XP 28)

Hobgoblin 4 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 8; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 36)

There are seven green felt-topped card tables and thirty comfortable chairs. The hobgoblins are sitting at one of the tables and on the table are their stakes: 11 gold crescents, 42 silver spanners, and 83 copper pieces.

This room has white and green striped wallpaper from a point four feet and above. Below this point is a row of square decorative wooden panels, each marked by a bullseye design (one of which, when pushed, opens the secret door to Room 40). Below these the wall is paneled in a deep brown wood. Their are four glass chandeliers. A single large glass window is to the south, though the green drapes normally obscure it.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 40 SECRET WASH ROOM.

40 SECRET WASH ROOM.This room designed to provide escape in the case of an attack on the throne room, as well as to serve as a water closet. Pump-like faucets arise from the south wall to the west of the door to the privy.

The east secret door is obvious from this side, and can be opened by a simple turn of a handle, but the west secret door is disguised from this side. It can be opened twisting one of the faucet so it is upside-down.

The privy to the south has a stylish gold knob (10 gold crescent value) at the end of a pull chain used for flushing the toilet.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 39 DINING ROOM.

39 DINING ROOM. Two hobgoblins dressed in Triskelion livery are dining on a meal of chicken and ale here.

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 3; #AT 1; D Black iron broadsword; XP 26) 5 gold crescents, 21 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 6; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 32) 3 gold crescents, 12 silver spanners, 18 copper pieces

In the center of the room are three fifteen foot long dining tables with seating for about fifty. The southeast wall is made of brick and contains a large fireplace, while the other four walls are murals depicting hunting scenes. Three glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling. A fourteen foot pole with a candle at its end (used for lighting the chandeliers) is leaning against the wall in the northwest corner.

The doors to Rooms 38 and 42 are cunningly built into the murals, so that servants could move unobtrusively to and fro. They should be treated as concealed doors from this side and the hobgoblins are fully aware of them.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL ROOM 38 AUXILIARY KITCHEN.

38 AUXILIARY KITCHEN. This room served as an additional food preparation area for private banquets in Room 39. It is outfitted as a working kitchen and is obviously still seeing use with fresh ashes and scraps of food still present. Working pumps for hot and cold water are in the south wall. There are three long work tables and two circular open topped brick ovens with spits. Against the west wall are a number of wooden cabinets containing dishes, bowls, cutlery and common spices. There is a large black soup cauldron next to the east door.

If any loud noises are made in this room, the two hobgoblins from Room 39 will investigate. The door leading into Room 39 should be treated as a normal door from this side, it is only concealed from the other side.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 37 ENTRANCE TO THE DUNGEONS.

37 ENTRANCE TO THE DUNGEONS. The archway above the entrance to the room is decorated with the following saying on its keystone “Abandon all hesitation you who enter. In this place cowardice must be ended”.

The room is always deathly quiet and any sounds made by the characters will appear muted and unnatural, as if intruding on a sacred silence.

The keystone above the arch to the north stairwell is marked with the number “1”. The stairs lead down forty feet to Area 1 of Level 1 of the Upper Dungeons.

The keystone above the south stairwell is marked “2”. It leads down sixty feet to Room 1 of Level 2 of the Upper Dungeons. A scything blade trap is present about twenty five feet down. It has a 30% chance of activating each time the stairway is traversed. It will attack the first person in the marching order as if it was a 10th level fighter, the blade doing 3-12 points of damage on a successful strike. It resets itself after an hour. The trap is triggered by a pressure plate in one of the stairs and can be bypassed by avoiding stepping on that stair.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 36 DEAD LANGUAGES ROOM.

36 DEAD LANGUAGES ROOM. This spacious room appears inviting. It is well-lit with torches which are kept always burning magically. There is a heavy wooden table holding a large stack of white paper. Most of the walls are lined with round holes or slots, except for the center of the west wall, which holds a huge scroll on a special holder.

When the party enters, the stack of paper will swirl up as if in a min-whirlwind and form an aggressive monster made of paper, looking much like a great hump-backed dog.

Paper Guardian (AC 10; MV 15”; HD 5+3; hp 27; #AT 1 bite; D 3-12; SD Immune to charm, sleep, and hold spells; XP 387)

The paper monster is vulnerable to fire attacks, automatically failing its saving throw and taking an additional 1-4 points of damage on top of normal damage dealt by fire.

The slots in the walls hold scrolls written in ancient languages. Use of a comprehend languages spell will allow one to read the scrolls, but they deal only with mundane matters such as inventories, bills of sale, works of fiction, mythologies, scientific treatises, histories of war, banking records, and list of financial transactions.

The large scroll in the special holder is a special magic cipher scroll. If a scroll in an unknown language is placed on the left side and a empty scroll is placed on the right, the cipher scroll will translate message onto the empty scroll in the common language. This valuable item might be worth 5,000 gold crescents or more to the right buyer, if it could somehow be smuggled away from the librarian.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 35 LESSER LIBRARIAN'S DORMITORY.

35 LESSER LIBRARIAN'S DORMITORY. The door to this room is locked. This room was originally used to house the various lesser librarians, assistants, and aides to the master librarian, but they are all gone now and the room has not been disturbed in a long time. The floor is covered with dust and the air is stale. The room is furnished as a dormitory with cots, wardrobes, and footlockers to accommodate eight persons. The librarians used candelabras to light the room, when necessary, and there are several here. The wardrobes hold white robes (used by the lesser librarian's in life) and the footlockers hold personal items of negligible value. A pair of leather shoes is in the southwest corner. In the toe of the right shoe is hidden a 250 gold crescent white pearl wrapped in a soiled handkerchief.

NEW MAGIC ITEM: THE CODEX OF TRUTH

This book will appear as any other normal or magical tome. Reading from it gives insight into the terrible truths behind all of life and the meaning of the universe. Any being of less power than a demigod will experience soul-shocking revelations. Such is the power of this experience that no mortal mind can hold the terrible truth. A person reading a phrase from the book will begin to weep inconsolably, then swiftly lose memories of the books contents, their mind unable to contain the hideous knowledge. They will be left with a deep feeling of sadness and must roll on the following table:

1d6	Result
1	Permanent loss of a point of intelligence
2	Permanent loss of a point of charisma
3	Make a system shock roll or lose a level, as if touched by level-draining undead
4-6	Permanent gain of a point of wisdom

XP VALUE: -

GP VALUE: 35,000

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 34 RESTRICTED SECTION.

34 RESTRICTED SECTION. Note that if an adventurer enters this room via the teleporter in Room 23 of the First Floor, the secret door exit into the main library is not disguised from this side.

If the characters enter from Room 33 they face three tapestries hanging from the east wall. The north tapestry depicts the laughing Triskelion image. The crying Triskelion is in the center and the scowling Triskelion is to the south. Each Triskelion has a book (with a red leather cover and a black and white Triskelion coat-of-arms) in front of him. The same three books are mounted on huge wooden stands midway between the east and west walls, facing the secret door. Note that all three of these books appear identical, judging only by the cover, and that the center book can not be removed from the restricted section by any means short of a wish.

The north stand holds a libram of ineffable damnation.

The center stand holds the codex of truth (see new magic items).

The south stand holds a spellbook with the following:

First Level Illusionist Spells:

Change Self, Phantasmal Force

Third Level Illusionist Spells:

Fear

Fifth Level Illusionist Spells:

Chaos, Maze

Sixth Level Illusionist Spells:

Veil

First Level Magic user Spells:

Hold Portal, Read Magic, Shocking Grasp, Spider Climb

The final page is a scroll of protection from petrification.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 33 LIBRARY.

33 LIBRARY. The first thing that one notices about the library is the excessively high ceiling, about fifty feet. The east, west, and south walls are entirely lined by books, all the way up to the ceiling. The northern portion contains three gigantic stained glass windows, each featuring a Triskelion visage. These are each about ten feet wide and extend from about thirty feet off the floor to the ceiling, curving over to meet the roof on the third floor.  Numerous tables and high backed chairs are here, for the convenience of students and researchers.

Beneath the central stained glass window is the master librarian's ornate and massive desk and carved wooden chair. The chair's back is to the window and the librarian will usually be sitting here, making notes and moving books from one large pile to another. She will tend to ignore adventurers who are behaving themselves.

The Librarian, Restless Dead (AC 0; MV 12”; HD 10; hp 55; #AT 10; D 1-8 each; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 3020)

The librarian appears as a frail elderly woman, somewhat transparent. She is clad in a white robe and if observed to be moving about she will seem to float above the floor. She is immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-based spells and attacks. She can not be turned in the library or nearby rooms (Rooms 34 to 36), although she can be turned as a 'Special' undead if somehow lured out of the library.

The librarian is lawful neutral and cares only for the library, so she will never be immediately hostile. Roll on the following encounter table to find the mood of the librarian when an attempt is made to converse with her (such as if the adventurers are looking for information), adjust the result for the charisma Reaction Adjustment from page 13 of the PLAYER'S HANDBOOK:

When she is grumpy, she will ignore the adventurers or tell them to be quiet. When her reaction is neutral, she will behave coldly professional, making conversation and perhaps gesturing to where the adventurers can find the book they seek. If friendly, she will offer to guide the characters to the book, or answer their questions and she will seem less harsh. If the librarian is affectionate, she will be generally doting and helpful, even though this is somewhat creepy. She will never willingly allow a book to leave the library and she will not point out any secret doors.

If angered, for example if attacked or she witnesses the theft of a book, the librarian will change into a more frightening aspect. She will begin shrieking, her features will become coarse and hideous, and ten ectoplasmic tentacles will emerge from her abdomen, each causing 1-8 points of damage with a successful attack. If the characters return the book, she will forgive for the first offense, but if attacked she will reply in kind.

The books are divided into sections (for example, botany, astrology, novels, etc.) Long ladders on wheeled tracks are used to access them, and the tracks can be moved about. The doors in the west wall are tucked into recesses and somewhat difficult to see, while the secret door to the east is hidden behind a movable bookshelf (it can be found by removing a book titled “Dark Secrets of Lost Suzeraal”). A second secret door on the west wall can only be reached by climbing a ladder. It is thirty six feet up and leads to Room 47 on the Second Floor. It can be found by pulling the nose of a small wooden decorative gargoyle-like face next to the opening.

Despite everything, if the characters do manage to take books out of the library, they may prove to be valuable. These books are heavy, and any book that is taken will weigh between 11 and 30 gp weight (1d20+10) and will be worth the following:

Of course, the characters will still have to find a sage, wizard, noble, etc. who is willing to buy the book in question. Most large cities will have book stores which will have interest in such an item, although many may not be able to afford to purchase an expensive book.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 32 GUARD ROOM.

32 GUARD ROOM. Three hobgoblins wearing Triskelion livery are here.

Hobgoblin 1 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 6; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 32) 6 gold crescents, 7 silver spanners, 4 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 2 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30) 4 gold crescents, 8 silver spanners, 16 copper pieces

Hobgoblin 3 (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; D Black iron morning star; XP 30) 2 gold crescents, 12 silver spanners, 4 copper pieces

The hobgoblins are working for Vicenne. A circular table and three wooden chairs are at the center of the room and a wooden rack on the south wall holds ten spears. The walls and floor are stone. The stairs go down to Room 15 of The Cellars.

INNER WARD GROUND LEVEL 31 GNOME SIZED ROOM.

31 GNOME SIZED ROOM. The green wooden door to the corridor leading to this room is only four feet high and is locked. The corridor leading to this room has a set of stairs which ascend fifteen feet, but the ceiling does not change, meaning the northern portion of the corridor and the room have a ceiling height of only five feet.

There is a small table against the east wall and wooden chest is against the north wall. A small but tidy bed is in the northwest corner. Beside it is a another simple wooden table. A small bookcase is near the south wall. The room is paneled in oak and features seven painted portraits of male and female gnomes.

The east table holds a black leather bag with a Triskelion crest. It holds 4 gold crescents.

The wooden chest near the north wall is locked. It holds a glass vial labeled “gem oil” and dwarfish coinage: 2 gold mabans, 6 electrum lugdushes, 17 silver khurams and 44 copper ganes. The vial holds a special clear viscid oil, which, if applied to any gem (except pearls) causes it to temporarily glow with a peculiar but beautiful luster. Following the application, roll 1d4 on the following table to determine how the gem increases in value:

There are four applications remaining.

The table next to the bed holds the following carved wooden items: a bowl, a spoon, a knife, a fork, a plate, and a cup. Each is decorated with fanciful figures of woodland wildlife. Also on the table is a hooded lantern and six vials of lamp oil.

The bookcase holds four books detailing the jewelry trade. It will take one month of game time to learn the lessons that the books can teach, along with access to appropriate equipment. At the end of this time the person must roll on Intelligence Table II of the Players Handbook, page 10, as if they were a magic user attempting to use a spell. Those who succeed will gain the abilities of a jeweler-gemcutter at random % rolls for each skill (see DMG page 30). Racial modifiers will apply, so a dwarf will get a 20% bonus to both rolls while a gnome will get a 30% bonus to the gemcutting roll only. Anyone who already have these skills will gain a bonus on 1d6% in each skill area, if they succeed in their roll. The books, as a set, have a possible retail value of up to 5000 gold crescents, depending on where the characters try to sell them (more money in a large wealthy city).