Encounter Key: Inner Ward Third Floor

The Third Floor of the Inner Ward consists of three towers.

The East Tower is a maze of cramped corridors. Ceiling height is about seven and a half feet in most places and the walls are made of mismatched planks and boards of wood. Corridors next to exterior walls will generally have small windows.

The East Tower portion of the Third Floor is actually divided into lower and upper portions (“Third Floor” and “Third and a Half Floor”). In the lower portion, gravity works normally in most places, while in the upper portion (It's denizens sometimes refer to it as “The Half”), gravity is reversed in most areas. This means the ceiling for the Third Floor is also the ceiling for the Third and a Half Floor.

In order to show this on the map, the portion showing the Third and a Half Floor is placed next to the Third Floor. It should be viewed as if “flipped” over horizontally. West and east are to be switched when using the Third and a Half Floor Map. The squares for Room 13 on the Third Floor and Rooms 3 and 25 on the Third and a Half Floor are left empty, to show they cannot be walked upon.

There are three important factions dwelling here.

COBBLING ELVES. In general, they will be friendly to adventurers of good or neutral alignment. They are not particularly interested in teaming up to fight other factions but they may allow adventurers to rest with them for a time. If attacked, they will put up as good a resistance as possible. If harried successfully over a period of time, they will relocate rather than face extinction.

EVIL GNOMES AND GNITS. The strongest faction, their presence is felt most strongly on the Third and a Half Floor. The chaotic evil gnomes seem to have mysterious motives and their actions are bizarre. Their leader, Grog Haven, is cruel and cunning. It is possible for the evil gnomes to be forced to knuckle under a more powerful force, but they are treacherous allies who will always seek to subvert and enslave or kill their masters. The gnits are the willing servants of the evil gnomes. If the evil gnomes are attacked successfully several times, they will take intelligent defensive measures, including placing evil toys where adventurers are likely to find them. They also have assassins who will be skillful in setting traps.

GUTTER GREMLINS. The gutter gremlins do not have any real organization. Those seeking to ally with gutter gremlins are wasting their time, as these creatures generally resent intrusion unless they are paid off with bribes in the form of snacks, gems, jewels, magic items, or other interesting things. Gutter gremlins are usually mild nuisances, but if attacked, they will usually flee then spread the word to harass the party and make their lives miserable by use of their magic and pick pockets ability.

The Northwest Tower was primarily living quarters and domestic space for Triskelion family members. It is more like the lower stories and very unlike the unusual East Tower. The majority of the rooms are of dressed stone, with wooden beams supporting the ceilings. Ceiling height is sixteen feet, unless otherwise noted. Most rooms have cressets mounted on the walls for torches.

PELLEAS TRISKELION. Pelleas carries out his mad experiments in the Northwest Tower, assisted by his koalinth henchmen. If not attacked immediately by the party, he could be available for hire as a sage. If faced with repeated attacks by a party, Pelleas will take reasonable precautions and also attempt to grow some new vat monsters to defend himself.

The Southwest Tower consists of a single room, Room 106, and is described separately.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 78 AVIARY.

78 AVIARY. Hundreds of open bird cages are suspended from the ceiling. Most contain only droppings and feathers, but one contains a figurine of wondrous power, a serpentine owl. There are three plain glass windows to the east.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 77 LANDSCAPE GALLERY.

77 LANDSCAPE GALLERY. There are a total of fifty three landscape paintings in this room, each signed by the artist Patrizio Triskelion. The landscapes generally feature rolling hills, but a few are ocean scenes, and mountain and wild forest scenes are also represented. There are relatively few animals in the paintings, but those that are present all have the heads of birds, except for actual birds, which have the heads of people.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 76 SUPPLY ROOM.

76 SUPPLY ROOM. The door to this room has a small window at face-level with a rusted iron grate. Inside, there are six heavy wooden tables. Along the wall next to the door is a row of metal hooks, each holding an empty sack.

Each table holds four large sealed metal bins and scoops. The bins hold mouldy grain, rotting vegetables, and spoiled meat.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 75 THE MENAGERIE.

75 THE MENAGERIE. Sixteen metal cages are here, each has been opened and they are all empty except for scraps of hide, dung, fur, and bones. Two giant ticks are here.

2 Giant Ticks (AC 3; MV 3”; HD 4; hp 18, 15; #AT 1; D 1-4; SA Blood drain for 1-6 points each round, Disease; XP 182, 170)

There are five large plain glass windows.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 74 FRESCOES.

74 FRESCOES. The door to this room is breached. A three foot diameter circular hole with smooth edges is present about one foot from floor level. Within the room is the cause of the destruction, an eight foot long worm with green skin, looking much like a miniature purple worm, but lacking the stinger on the tail.

Green Worm (AC 4; MV 9”; HD 6; hp 31; #AT 1 bite; D 2-8 damage; SA Acidic saliva for an additional 1-6 damage; Size L; XP 411)

This room is decorated with painted frescoes on the plaster walls and ceiling. The west wall is decorated with a large tree, with animals, men, demi-humans, and humanoids living in its branches.

The inside of the door and the east wall is decorated with a mountain range with dragons and other bizarre creatures flying about and giants fighting below.

The north wall is painted as an ocean with whales, mermen, and sea monsters frolicking about.

The south wall is painted as a pastoral paradise with herd animals, shepherds, and villages, along with satyrs and nymphs hidden in hard-to-spot areas. A road winds through the scene and upon the road is a thin man in a gray cloak holding a scroll. The man's face cannot be seen, but the scroll can be read by a person using eyes of minute seeing, or other means that the Dungeon Master allows.  It holds the wish spell.

The ceiling is magical. At night, it glows with small glowing stars, while during the daylight hours a sun will be present. If adventurers leave the room and come back, the sun will have moved, although it will not move while anyone is present.

NEW MAGIC ITEM: HAMMER +1, CURSED

This weapon is similar to a sword +1, cursed. It will act in all ways as a +1 weapon, but when the possessor is confronted by an enemy, the hammer will appear in the character's hand and force him or her to fight until killed or all of the enemies are killed. After this, the owner can loose the hammer, but it will always reappear in the character's hand during a fight. A clerical exorcism will allow the character to be free of it for good.

XP VALUE: 300

GP VALUE: -

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 73 PUNISHMENT ROOM.

73 PUNISHMENT ROOM. During the day time there will be between 11 and 20 (d10+10) zombies congregating here. Each zombie is perforated by many rusty iron spikes. At night they disperse and wander the halls.

Zombies (AC 8; MV 6"; HD 2; #AT 1; D 1-8; SA Always lose initiative; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 20 + 2/hp)

This room is marked by a special dark dweomer. Within this room only, the zombies should be treated as wights for purposes of turning, controlling, or destroying.

A large table is in the center of the room. There are several barrels. Three large windows are in the east wall, but they have been clumsily bricked up.

The table is stained with clotted blood and pieces of flesh and bone. An iron mallet rests on it, along with a dozen or so rusty iron spikes. Treat the mallet as a hammer +1, cursed.

The barrels are in a wide range of sizes. They contain more rusty iron spikes.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 72 CORNER ROOM.

72 CORNER ROOM. A red Triskelion banner hangs from the east wall. There is one red tinted glass window to the south and another to the east. Stairs descend to Room 58 of the First Floor and ascend to Room 29 of the Third Floor. In the southwest corner is a barrel holding rotting apples and small fruit flies are buzzing about.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 71 GUARD ROOM.

71 GUARD ROOM. Two pale men wearing black Triskelion livery over banded armor are here. These are actually wax golems. They will attack anyone who is not wearing Triskelion livery.

2 Wax Golems (AC 4; MV 9”; HD 4; hp 15 each; #AT 1; D Guisarme-voulge; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 145 each)

A red Triskelion banner hangs from the west wall and there are three red tinted glass windows to the south.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 70 TAPESTRIES.

70 TAPESTRIES. There are six tapestries arranged around the walls, each worth between 101 and 200 gold crescents (d100+100) and each weighing about 300 gp weight. The tapestries have the following scenes: a green dragon fighting a knight in red, a pastoral paradise, an ocean scene showing a dragon turtle, a host of men wearing Triskelion armor, an elderly woman spinning on a wheel while children play about her feet, and a fountain with a lion face design.

There are three plain glass windows and six unlit candelabras with red and white striped candles are here.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 69 UPPER RITUAL ROOM.

69 UPPER RITUAL ROOM. The imp described in Room 56 of the First Floor, Agyrfals, is here.

Near the northwest corner is a desiccated male human corpse wearing a red robe and a red mask with a diabolic visage. He carries a gold unholy symbol of uncertain denomination, but worth 45 gold crescents. He has a pouch with two amethysts (base value 100 gold crescents) and he wears a gold chain valued at 28 gold crescents.

The walls are undecorated stone with fake stained glass windows in the north wall. These depict the following monsters: a succubus, an efreet, a bone devil, a nightmare, and a rakshasa. They are each back-lit by a continual light spell over a pane of pale green colored glass, causing them to glow eerily. The floor is a single stone block upon which a magical circle of protection has been carved. Eight tall black candles supported by freestanding holders are arranged around the circle. This room is open to, and the stairs lead down to, Room 56 of the First Floor.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 68 ILL FAVORED ROOM.

68 ILL FAVORED ROOM. Fifteen zombies are here, milling about. Each of the zombies has had its head replaced with the rotting head of an animal, sewn by rough strips of soiled leather. Each zombie has had numerous rusty iron spikes driven into and through their body parts.

15 Zombies (AC 8; MV 6"; HD 2; #AT 1; D 1-8; SA Always lose initiative; SD Limited spell immunity)

Number	Head	Gender	Hit Points	Experience Points
1	Pig	male	15	50
2	Wolf	female	14	48
3	Ape	male	14	48
4	Goat	female	13	46
5	Goat	female	12	44
6	Wolf	male	12	44
7	Donkey	female	12	44
8	Deer	male	10	40
9	Goat	male	10	40
10	Lioness	female	9	38
11	Wolf	male	9	38
12	Goat	female	9	38
13	Wolf	male	8	36
14	Goat	male	7	34
15	Bear	female	5	30

The walls of the room are plastered over, dirt-encrusted, and painted rusty orange. Painted on the north wall is a fourteen foot tall muscular man with a tan loincloth and a featureless face. The floors are wood and stained the same drab orange color. There are six large rusty braziers burning wood and coal. The entire room is dirty and stained by soot.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 67 TEA ROOM.

67 TEA ROOM. In the center of the room is a low-set round table. The walls are wood-paneled and there are three stained glass windows featuring abstract patterns of orange and red. The floors are wood, with a green and orange carpet.

The table is set with a red tablecloth and place settings for four. When the characters enter the room, piping hot tea will be present in a silver pot (20 gold crescent value). One cup is here for each member of the party. The tea is delicious and not harmful. Sugar cubes and cool cream are here for those who would like it. The teapot will pour an infinite amount of tea, as long as it is in this room. If removed, it is a normal teapot of the stated value. If returned to the room, it will function as before.

If the characters leave the room, close the door, and return again, fresh tea and cups will be here and any mess will be gone, as long as the teapot has been left here. The characters may visit as often as they like. No wandering monsters will be encountered in this room unless the teapot is no longer present.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 66 ORSO'S BEDROOM.

66 ORSO'S BEDROOM. The door to this room is locked. This room was once the bedroom of Orso Triskelion, however it is now occupied by his daughter Sanibel.

Sanibel Triskelion, Neutral female half-elf Druid (AC 6; MV 12”; D3; hp 17; #AT 1; D Scimitar; SA Spell use; S 14, I 14, W 16, D 11, C 11, CH 16; XP 153)

First Level Spells: 

Faerie Fire, Shillelagh 

Second Level Spells: 

Obscurement

Sanibel carries a scimitar, an oak club for the Shillelagh spell, and a silver sickle for harvesting mistletoe (worth as much as a silver dagger). She uses elf-sized leather armor +1 and a wooden shield with a green leaf on an orange field. She carries a bag of Greater Mistletoe in quantities sufficient to cast up to fourteen spells. She has an equal amount of holly leaves. She also has a bag containing 18 silver tamos and the key to this room. 

Sanibel will be quite willing to join the party, as she wishes to escape the castle. She was not raised here, and she is only passingly familiar with the castle layout. She does not know where her father is, but would dearly like to find him. 

There is a wardrobe, a large bed, and two small tables. There is a skylight and four candelabras with fragrant green candles. The wardrobe holds brown robes, sandals, and rope belts. One of the tables is a small foldable table of plenty (like a foldable card table). The second table holds two crystal glasses and a decanter of endless water, which Sanibel knows how to operate. Note that Sanibel considers these items to be her property. 

Decanter Command Words

Command word	Effect
Fallon	Salt water stream
Gelim	Fresh water stream
Jerim	Salt water fountain
Korun	Fresh water fountain
Lottim	Salt water geyser
Matrim	Fresh water geyser
Haltim	Water ceases

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 65 CHAMBER OF THE TREE.

65 CHAMBER OF THE TREE. Any person who has studied the druidic arts will immediately recognize that this is a sacred place. The room is dominated by a miniature oak tree with mistletoe growing upon its branches. It has been planted in a raised dirt enclosure flanked by wooden beams. Any druid harvesting the mistletoe will find that it works as Greater Mistletoe, regardless of the time of day, season, or method of retrieving it. Four skylights provide natural light.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 64 ORSO'S HERB GARDEN.

64 ORSO'S HERB GARDEN. The door to this room is unusually stout, but not particularly difficult to open. This is a garden terrace under an open sky. To the south is a four foot high metal bannister and planted before it is a barrier of holly bushes in large red pots. In the east wall is a cold water pump. The floor is tiled in gray slate and the walls are the same type of gray dressed stone as the exterior of the castle. In addition to several buckets, extra clay pots, and gardening tools, the area contains several wooden tables holding labeled potted plants. All of the plants listed in Appendix J of the Dungeon Master's Guide can be found here. They are all quite alive and doing well, and indeed, any plants placed or planted in this area will grow at an accelerated and remarkable pace until they reach full bloom, at which point they will maintain their state of good health, regardless of maintenance.

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 63 ROOM OF THE PILLARS.

63 ROOM OF THE PILLARS. Within the room are four pillars, each of which has a bizarre wax golem wrapped around it.

4 Wax Golems (AC 4; MV 12”; HD 5; hp 20 each; #AT 1; D 2-7; SA Constriction; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 270 each)

The wax golems have the bodies of great snakes and pasty white human-like heads with fang-filled mouths and forked tongues. Their eyes are either set very deep or are simply hollow black areas. They wear no armor, but have reptile-like scales made from brass implanted in their skin. They do not bite but attack by constricting much like a giant snake, each attack doing 2-7 points of damage. Once they hit a man sized or smaller opponent, they will continue to do 2-7 points of damage thereafter, no longer requiring a “to hit” roll.

Lying on the floor is the rotting corpse of a male human. It wears a green cloak and has a red felt pouch holding a turquoise worth 200 gold crescents, 14 Sealean gold harps, 18 Sealean silver lutes, and 21 Sealean copper zithers. Near the corpse is a dagger and short sword.

Castle Triskelion Outer Ward Second Floor published at & Magazine

I am happy to announce that the Second Level of the Outer Ward has been published over at & Magazine. The usual thanks go to Bryan Fazekas for editing/layout, Handley Jackson for editing, and Robin Irwin for allowing us to use his art for the cover. There are also a few new illustrations done by myself. I have probably been neglecting Ron Redmond, who does the Public Relations work for & Magazine. Just want to let you know Ron that you are appreciated!

The next level of the blog, Third Floor of the Inner Ward, will start on March 2. I have done extensive reworking on the map, and will update it when the rooms start being blogged. Let's just say there will be 106 rooms instead of the 45 that show right now.

Even though a wandering monsters list will come out on March 2, I will hold off on putting out stats for the new monsters until they show up in the rooms, to avoid crowding at the beginning of March.

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

INNER WARD SECOND FLOOR 62 GOLEM MASTER'S ROOM.

62 GOLEM MASTER'S ROOM. The door to this room is locked. This was once the bedroom of Torenzion Triskelion and it is guarded by two wax golems who lack noses but have bright red eyes. They have tiny mouths but their elongated black tongues hang down in a grotesque fashion. The first carries a scimitar and the second a footman's flail. Their weapons and chain mail armor are painted deep crimson.

2 Wax Golems (AC 5; MV 12”; HD 6; hp 25 each; #AT 1; D 1-8 or by weapon; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 375 each)

There is a large bed near the south wall, a nightstand, a wardrobe, and a bookcase. The walls are dressed stone and there is a single skylight. Two candelabras are present and the floor is carpeted in red and black.

The wardrobe contains red and black robes. The bookcase contains reference books on human anatomy and a magic user's spellbook with the following spells:

First Level Spells:

Detect Magic, Mending, Protection From Evil, Read Magic, Unseen Servant

Second Level Spells:

Continual Light, Knock, Magic Mouth, Shatter

Third Level Spells:

Explosive Runes, Slow

Fourth Level Spells:

Enchanted Weapon, Wizard Eye