SHORT BREAK.

I'm going to take a break for a week or so and will start up again in the New Year.  Thanks for reading and we'll start with Level 6 when I get back.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 158 STAIRS.

158 STAIRS. These stairs descend thirty feet to Area 79 on Level 6.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 157 MAGIC MOUTH.

157 MAGIC MOUTH OF DECLARATION. A magic mouth with fleshy sensuous lips, bright white teeth, and a forked tongue is on the west wall. It will loudly declare each adventurer's name and profession (ie. “Bluto the Fighter”) as each adventurer passes by. For dispel magic purposes, treat it as cast by a magic-user of level 24.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 156 MORE THRONES.

156 MORE THRONES. The three thrones here mirror the ones at Area 154, but sitting in the center throne will allow the occupant to view the Room 76 on Level 6 as if he or she were standing there. This offered a unique perspective for the watcher during a gladiatorial contest.

MIDDKE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 155 WALKWAY.

155 WALKWAY. Ancient runes are inlaid in gold on the floor. The first time a person passes this way the runes add 1 point to the ability score of the player's choice (or 10% for exceptional strength).

If the gold is pried out it is worth 950 gold crescents but the magic will be ruined.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 154 THRONE GAMES.

154 THRONE GAMES. There are three thrones facing the arena, the center elevated above the other two. There is a switch on the right arm of the northern throne. Pressing it will cause the center throne to suddenly pitch forward while the section of the wall in front of the throne swings outward. This will throw the occupant of the center chair down to Room 76 on Level 6, falling thirty feet to the sands below. The throne and wall section will then, just as suddenly, return to their original positions.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 153 THE ARENA UPPER LEVEL.

153 THE ARENA UPPER LEVEL. This room is the upper portion of a the arena, with the floor being Room 76 on Level 6.

The upper level is a concourse with a waist high stone wall acting as a barrier so people watching arena matches don't fall thirty feet down to the sands below. The ceiling is domed and twenty feet above this level, or fifty feet above the floor of Level 6. It radiates light and heat equivalent to a subtropical sunny summer day.

Asaemon the brass dragon lives on the floor on Level 6. He lies on his pile of treasure on the sandy arena floor.

Asaemon, Chaotic Good (Neutral) male average old brass dragon (AC 2; MV 12”/24; HD 7; hp 42; #AT 2 claws and 1 bite; D 1-4/1-4/4-16; SA Breath weapon, spell use, fear aura; SD Detect hidden or invisible creatures within 6”, save as 10 HD monster; Size L; XP 1211)

First Level Magic User Spells

Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Shocking Grasp

Second Level Magic User Spells

Invisibility, Ray of Enfeeblement, Web

There is a 50% chance he will be asleep. If he is awake, there is a 50% chance he will have a visitor talking to him, and thus not able to surprise. For other details see Room 76 on Level 6.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 152 TOMB OF THE RUEFUL WARRIOR.

152 TOMB OF A RUEFUL WARRIOR. A heavy stone sarcophagus ornamented with a figure in imposing armor and great helm dominates the center of the room. Gaudy, faded, and torn banners, trophies, and plaques disgrace rather than decorate the walls with their shabbiness.

A spectre haunts the room, hateful of all life and inwardly regretful of his life of bloodshed and forgotten glory. It has the shape of a thick set and muscular man with gladiator-style armor and a sinister helmet that matches the image on the sarcophagus. It will float up from its sarcophagus when the room is entered.

Spectre (AC 2; MV 15”/30”; HD 7+3; hp 37; #AT 1; D 1-8; SA Energy drain; SD Magic weapons to hit, limited spell immunity; XP 1470)

One of the squalid trophies on a shelf on the wall holds 360 gold chain links and three sun-rubies. The chain links are each worth 2 gold crescents. The sun-rubies are tiny yellow gems that glow with an inner light like fire and are each worth 500 gold crescents, even though they are each only the size of a fingernail. One of the rods holding a tattered banners is actually a spear +2, which has the added ability of allowing its owner protection from normal missiles, as the third level magic-user spell, as long as it is held in both hands.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 151 ODES TO BATTLE.

151 ODES TO BATTLE. The walls are carved with poems celebrating gladiatorial fighting. The floor is made of stone slabs, under each of which is interred a skeleton wearing gladiator armor.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 150 THE FORGOTTEN WARRIOR.

150 THE FORGOTTEN WARRIOR. Near the center of the room is a pedestal holding a loquacious skull. Its eyes glow red and its teeth are filed to wickedly serrated points.

The Forgotten Warrior, Neutral Restless Dead (AC 10; MV 0”; F7; hp 42; #AT 0; D Nil; SD Limited spell immunity; XP -)

The Forgotten Warrior has forgotten his name. He vaguely remembers that he was a gladiator long ago. He hopes that someone will take him away and attach his head to the body of a skeleton, at which point he will gain movement and attack capabilities as a human fighter of level 7. He is immune to spells that do not affect undead. He can be turned by good clerics as if he was a paladin being turned b an evil cleric but turning him will do no good while he is just a skull.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 149 ANTECHAMBER.

149 ANTECHAMBER. In the center of the room is a meaty corpse wrapped in yellow rags and wearing a gilded crown impaled on a lance-sized wooden stake jutting from the floor. A pentagram in white chalk is drawn around the figure, with black piles of ash at each point.

If the pentagram is breached, the piles transform into lemures.

5 Lemures (AC 7; MV 3”; HD 3; hp 16, 16, 15, 14, 13; #AT 1; D 1-3; SD Regenerate 1 hit point each round, limited spell immunity; XP 113, 113, 110, 107, 104)

If the crown is taken, the figure animates.

Mummy (AC 3; MV 6”; HD 6+3; hp 29; #AT 1; D 1-12; SA Fear, paralyzation, disease; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 1382)

The crown is decorated with small gold smiling mouths and decked with diamonds. It is worth 15000. Anyone wearing the crown is immune to fear, even magical fear, but they also have a hard time recognizing defeat and must make a saving throw vs death magic in order to retreat, even if everyone else in the party has already run away.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 148 TOMB.

148 TOMB. Three ghasts crack bones to remove marrow. The floor holds many other bones and bone splinters. The wall is decorated with weapons used by gladiators. A small silver casket is near the north wall.

3 Ghasts (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 4; hp 22, 20, 19; #AT 2 claws, 1 bite; D 1-4/1-4/1-8; SA Nausea, paralysis; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 178, 172, 168)

All of the weapons are typical of those used by gladiators and they are all in disrepair except for one short sword. This short sword is a +1 weapon and has the ability to cure 4d6 hit points once per day if the user impales himself or herself while chanting the words written on the blade “Tempore Unguatum Nendo”.

The silver casket holds the body of a gnome in full thraex kit. It is worth 400 gold crescents.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 147 BONE ROOM.

147 BONE ROOM. The floor is a carpet of well chewed human bones. Thick wooden shelves hold smaller bone fragments.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 146 SHADOWY ROOM.

146 SHADOWY ROOM. A dim blue-green glow from the south wall pierces the unnatural darkness of this room. It can be seen even from the doorway.

Six shadows lurk here. They will try to prevent adventurers from retrieving the ghost spear, which is mounted on the south wall.

6 Shadows (AC 7; MV 12”; HD 3+3; hp 16 each; #AT 1; D 2-5; SA Strength drain; SD Magic weapon to hit, limited spell immunity; XP 319 each)

NEW MAGIC ITEM: GHOST SPEAR.

This is a slightly pointed shaft of wood. It glows a slight blue-green and does no damage except when directed against ethereal, incorporeal, semicorporeal, gaseous, or out-of-phase monsters, in which case it is a +5 weapon The list of creatures it is effective against includes shadows, ghosts, wraiths, spectres, phase spiders out-of-phase, and vampires in gaseous form.

XP VALUE: 1,500

GP VALUE: 13,000

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 145 ARCH OF BONES.

145 ARCH OF BONES. The east archway leading to the corridor is made of bones, including skulls with rolling eyes and salaciously protruding tongues. They grab and fondle anyone who enters the darkness within. Each character is subjected to a pickpocket attempt at 35% success.

Within, the room has the stench of death. There are four pits, each twenty feet deep and the bottoms concealed by the inky blackness that permeates the area. The first also contains a ghast at the bottom, hoping a lone adventurer will fall in.

Ghast (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 4; hp 23; #AT 2 claws, 1 bite; D 1-4/1-4/1-8; SA Nausea, paralysis; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 282)

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 145 TO 152 TOMB OF THE FALLEN.

145 TO 152 TOMB OF THE FALLEN. This area holds special darkness. Light works but normal light such as torches and lanterns only radiate five feet. Magical light extends up to ten feet. The edge of the darkness extends and contracts apparently randomly, occasionally collapsing almost to the light source before retreating in a hurry. If any person enters the area without a light source they will feel a slowly increasing coldness and have 1d3 hit points sucked out per turn. Creatures that are not alive are immune to this phenomenon. Exorcising the Wretched Fallen will eliminate the darkness and damage effects.

Do not use normal random encounters in this area. Instead there is a 10% chance per turn of encountering the Wretched Green Fallen.

Wretched Fallen (AC 0; MV 12”; HD 10; hp 55; #AT 1d4+6; D 1-8 each; SD Limited spell immunity, magic weapon to hit; XP 3020)

When the Fallen appears it begins as a pinpoint green light just above the floor. It slowly grows into a howling spherical mass of distorted tortured faces and limbs about ten to fourteen feet in diameter. It attacks with spectral weapons common to gladiators such as short swords and tridents. It can make 1d4+6 attacks per round and its variable shape means that it can attack characters up to twenty feet apart.

It takes two rounds to become strong enough to attack, during which time it can be attacked itself but only by spells or weapons of +3 or greater, as it is still extremely insubstantial. On the third round, it has gathered sufficient strength that it can attack normally and any magic weapon can strike it.

It is immune to spells that do not affect undead. It cannot be turned in Rooms 145 to 152 and because it cannot cross the Arch Of Bones at Area 145, it will never become susceptible[tible to clerical turning. It represents the souls of all the gladiators and slaves slaughtered in the arena and buried within this area.

If defeated, the Wretched Fallen is not destroyed, but will remain dormant for 1d4 turns, a period in which it will not be encountered. After this time it will revert to its normal 10% chance per turn. It can only be permanently removed by exorcism.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 144 STAIRS.

144 STAIRS. These descend thirty feet to Area 60 of Level 5.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 143 THRONE OF LEVELS.

143 THRONE OF LEVELS. Near the west wall is a massive stone seat carved with the likeness of old bearded men with stern expressions.

Any person who sits on the throne suffers a shock as electricity courses through them causing 1d4 damage, but it will also immediately raise their level by one. Experience points will rise to the minimum needed to advance one level, and the person will receive all the benefits of the new level without requiring training. Those without level will simply gain a hit die.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 142 ROOM OF ILLUSION.

142 ROOM OF ILLUSION. The room appears as an irregular cavern, about the same dimensions as the actual ones. It cold, wet, and has a sandy floor with three gold crescents scattered about. This is mostly a powerful illusion that hides the door in the west wall. The real room has paintings of gladiator fights on the walls and a tiled floor.

The gold pieces on the floor are real, though.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 141 RESTFUL ROOM.

141 RESTFUL ROOM. There is a small fountain built into the east wall. The water is slightly sweet and extremely refreshing.

Any time spent in this room counts as double regarding sleep, healing, or memorizing spells. Even healing magic is at double effect here. The chances of encountering wandering monsters are one tenth normal.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 140 SPEAKEASY.

140 SPEAKEASY. A handsome well dressed man in a turban with a rakish moustache and goatee tends bar while a beautiful woman with giant insect-like wings sips wine from an exotic looking glass. They are actually a noble djinn and a sylph.

Ajbar the Noble Djinn (AC 2; MV 9”/24”; HD 10; hp 47; #AT 1; D 3-24; SA Whirlwind, magic use, SD Resist air-based damage; XP 2608)

In addition to the statistics given above and all the powers of a normal djinn Ajbar can create as much food and alcoholic beverages as he desires. He usually makes it look like he is dispensing drinks from his pointer finger, as a matter of style.

He was tricked by Auguste Triskelion into giving up a magic blue diamond that contains a part of Ajbar's essence 22 years ago. Now he is trapped here serving drinks for the next 78 years out of a 100 year agreement. If he can get back this gem, he will be freed and will grant a wish to every surviving character who brings it to him. The gem is located on Level 8 in Room 19, but Ajbar doesn't know where it is.

Ariel the Sylph (AC 9 (5 while invisible); MV 12”/36”; HD 3; hp 19; #AT 0; D Nil; SA Spell use; magic; SD Invisibility; MR 50%; XP 382)

First Level Magic User Spells

Charm Person, Dancing Lights, Protection From Evil, Shocking Grasp

Second Level Magic User Spells

Continual Light, Knock, Mirror Image

Third Level Magic User Spells

Dispel Magic, Gust of Wind

Fourth Level Magic User Spells

Ice Storm

Ariel is his friend and visits for as long as she can bear staying this deep underground. She does not need to use spell components or spend time re-memorizing her spells each day like a human magic-user. Her helm of teleportation looks like a princesses tiara and she carries a potion of human control (blue, tastes like blueberries, no odor) in a crystal flask on her belt. If she and Ajbar are seriously threatened she will go invisible and summon an air elemental. She will teleport away if she is in serious danger of dying.

The room is furnished as an impeccably clean, fashionable, and comfortable bar. Even if the party does not intend to help free Ajbar, he is duty-bound to give them all the free drinks and food that they wish.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 139 SCRYING CHAMBER.

139 SCRYING CHAMBER. The room appears to contain an six foot long brass dragon lying on bed of gold and sand. This is actually a image produced by the white crystal ceiling, which is a scrying glass that is projecting the brass dragon in Room 76 on Level 6. The image is one fifth normal size.

The floor of this room is real sand, and the closet to the south holds rakes.

MIDDLE DUNGEONS LEVEL FIVE 138 TIPSY TIGER.

138 TIPSY TIGER. A mature male tiger crouches here. He has developed a taste for the champagne in Room 135 and is now in a near perpetual state of drunkenness.

Tiger (AC 6; MV 12”; HD 5+5; hp 39; #AT 2 claws and 1 bite; D 2-5/2-5/1-10; SA Rear claws for 2-8/2-8; SD Surprised only on a 1; XP 459)

Unless attacked first, the tiger is 90% unlikely to attack if thrown some food. Even if not thrown food it is 70% unlikely to attack, since it is feeling quite lazy and content.