THE GROUNDS 22 THE BURIED HOUSE.

22 THE BURIED HOUSE. There is a 50% chance that 1d4 worker thermites will be coming to or leaving the buried house at any time. They will ignore any person who does not approach within thirty feet.

Thermite Workers (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 2-8; XP 50+3/hp)

The buried house has descended into the ground (by action of earthquake, a magical spell, a burrowing monster, or a malefic diety?) so that just the tip of the gray roof shows, looking like a tiled square based pyramid.

There are two entrances that the thermites use to go in and out of the house. The main entrance is in the north face, it is fairly large, about six feet wide and six feet high. The thermites have constructed an earthwork ramp down to the floor of the attic (Room 22A). The east entrance is smaller (three feet wide by four feet high) and has no ramp, instead there is a drop of eight feet to the floor of Room 22A.

The thermites that inhabit the buried house are actually being parasitized by another species. A group of evil dwarves led by the wily hunchbacked dwarf Rogi is holding the thermite queen hostage and mingling among the thermite population disguised by thermite pheremones. Rogi killed the thermite king and has taken his place. He is using the thermites to mine for gold.

Meanwhile, the thermite princess in Room 22U is doing her best to resist the dwarf. She is undermining Rogi's attempts and plotting a way to free the queen from him. However, since the thermites are so single-minded and limited, she cannot persuade them that the dwarf is not a real thermite king. Her only protection lies in the fact that Rogi and the other dwarves haven't realized that she is actually different from the others.

Exterior rooms will have thick glass windows with black earth pressed tight against them. The wooden construction of the original building is rotting, but the thermites have used mud and nymph silk to strengthen the walls and ceilings.

Substitute the following table for random encounters.

Buried House Encounter Table

d%	Description
01/01/55	1d4 thermite workers
56-70	1d3 thermite workers and 1 thermite warrior
71-80	1d2 thermite warriors
81-85	1d2 thermite slashers
86-90	1d2 thermite bursters
91-00	1d2+1 dwarf fighters

Thermite Burster (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA Suicide burst for 4-24; XP 90+3/hp)

Thermite Slasher (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 4+1; #AT 1 bite; D 2-12; XP 90+5/hp)

Thermite Worker (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 2-8; XP 50+3/hp)

Thermite Warrior (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 3+3; #AT 1 bite; D 1-8; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 3-12; XP 85+4/hp)

For encounters with dwarf fighters, use those from 22R and 22Y. Thus only five dwarves can be encountered total.

THE GROUNDS 21E SUNKEN TREASURE.

21E SUNKEN TREASURE. An overturned glass bottom boat is here. Under it are the skeletal remains of three humans and a rotting wooden chest of 532 Jalluxian gold dragon coins and 7 Jalluxian platinum imperial coins.

The boat can be spotted by a glass bottom boat. It is marked by an 'X' on the map found in Area 21D, the Fireplace Room.

THE GROUNDS 21D MERROW LAIR ROOM OF THE GRAY POOL.

21D MERROW LAIR ROOM OF THE GRAY POOL. The green algal light dims here, for the algae cannot grow in the presence of the corrupted Gray Pool. The Gray Pool itself gives off a dim but unwholesome radiance, like the nixie pools from Area 21C. One merrow, Jayce, is here. He is infatuated with the pool and has a 1 in 6 greater chance of being surprised than usual as he stares at it. At the same time he has lost his normal increased chance to surprise.

Jayce (AC 4; MV 6”//12”; HD 4+4; hp 22; #AT 2 claws and 1 bite or 1 weapon; D 1-6/1-6/2-8 or large spear (2d6); SD Camouflage, immune to charm; XP 240)

The obese Jayce has drunk from the sickly sweet waters of the Gray Pool more greedily than the others and it has affected his mind and now he can control the foul liquid of the Gray Pool to some extent. He can summon 1d4+3 wriggling vermiform beasts made from the liquid of the pool. These will appear as buds shedding themselves from the raised dome-like pool surface. They will take on a semi-solid form and can attack.

Gray Pool Creatures (AC 8; MV 6"; HD 2; hp 9 each; #AT 1 bite; D 1-8; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 38 each)

These creatures are immune to spells which affect the mind, such as sleep, charm, and hold.

If Jayce is reduced to less than 10 hit points, he can jump in the Gray Pool and it will heal him one time only to his full hit points.

The Gray Pool has been corrupted by some malignant magic, perhaps the power of the Gray Worm God or some other evil agent. Its waters are poisonous (save or die) to good creatures, nauseating to neutrals, but sweet and addictive to evils. Evil creatures that drink of it will become immune to charm spells and special abilities.

If Jayce gets reduced to less than 10 hit points, he will jump into the pool and it will heal him up to his full hit points one time, while also turning him a sickly gray color.

The Gray Pool can be purified by a blue pearl or a purify water or exorcism spell. If that happens, the waters will turn bright blue and lose their magical properties. At the same time any Gray Pool Creatures will dissolve into nothing. At the bottom of the pool are 5 pearls (1000 gold crescent base value each), a silver pitcher in the shape of a fish (300 gold crescents), and a pair of gauntlets of swimming and climbing.

THE GROUNDS 21D MERROW LAIR WASTE PIT.

21D MERROW LAIR WASTE PIT. This foul area is the place where the merrow deposit the bones of their meals and also where they go to the bath room. Over time they have also thrown some weapons that belonged to adventurers here. Among the rusting and broken weapons there are 3 arrows +1 and a short sword of sharpness which belonged to Blugger before the merrows confiscated it.

THE GROUNDS 21D MERROW LAIR LARDER.

21D MERROW LAIR LARDER. A muscular female merrow is here, poking at captives with her spear to see if they are tender enough to eat.

Hose (AC 4; MV 6”//12”; HD 4+4; hp 26; #AT 2 claws and 1 bite or 1 weapon; D 1-6/1-6/2-8 or large spear (2d6); SA Surprise on a 1-4; SD Camouflage, immune to charm; XP 260)

Three captives are bound with rusting chains, causing infected wounds on wrists and ankles.

Wispwave the Nixie (AC 7; MV 6"//12"; HD 1-4 hit points; hp 4; #AT 1; D By weapon; SA Charm; MR 25%; XP 36)

Wispwave has charmed the other two captives and placed water breathing on them. They will obey her even if it means their deaths. She will aid the party if they are trying to eliminate the merrows.

Blugger, Lawful Evil male human Fighter (AC 6; MV 12”; F5; hp 3 (normally 25), #AT 1; D By weapon +1 to damage due to strength; S 17, I 14, W 10, D 13, C 15, Ch 9; XP 168 (normally 300))

Blugger wears studded leather armor and has lost his left eye in a fight. He is boorish and interprets most comments as a slight against himself. He is fond of spitting.

Garnola, Neutral female dwarf thief (AC 6; MV 6”; T4; hp 4 (normally 16); #AT 1; D By weapon; S 15, I 16, W 11, D 16, C 14, Ch 16; XP 150 (normally 210))

Thief skills: PP 45%, OL 52% F/RT 50% MS 33% HS 25% HN 15% CW 78% RL 15%

She wears leather armor and is a vegetarian. She has a blue pearl (1000 gold crescent value) hidden in the small of her back which can be used to break the malign power of the Gray Pool.

Hose has hidden some treasure from the other merrows under some loose rocks near the north part of the cave. She checks on it periodically to gloat over it when she thinks the prisoners are sleeping, but she is not subtle and they have seen her do it. There is a total of 3 pearls (300 gold crescent base value each), a comb made from mother of pearl and decorated with a mermaid worth 550 gold crescents, and a jade statue of a fish-headed man worth 250 gold crescents.

THE GROUNDS 21D MERROW LAIR ENTRANCE CAVE.

21D MERROW LAIR ENTRANCE CAVE. The passage descends about fifteen feet while traversing an equal distance north. The water turns bone-chillingly cold as it nears the bottom and a sickly green light emanates from the membrane separating the lake water from the entrance cave.

A thin merrow, Rotclaw, sits in the cave tormenting some crustaceans he has captured.

Rotclaw (AC 4; MV 6”//12”; HD 4+4; hp 19; #AT 2 claws and 1 bite or 1 weapon; D 1-6/1-6/2-8 or large spear (2d6); SA Surprise on a 1-4; SD Camouflage, immune to charm; XP 225)

Rotclaw has a large spear which he will throw before melee. Rotclaw is dumb and there is a 50% chance that he will try to engage intruders alone. If he does remember to call for help, he will yell loudly for Hose (in the Larder) to come help him. All of the merrows have drunk from the corrupted waters of the Gray Pool and are immune to charm magic.

Hose will arrive in 1 melee round after the fight starts if Rotclaw yells for her or 2-5 rounds if not, as she will hear the ruckus.

This cave and the others in the complex contain green phosphorescent algae that is sufficient for humans to see. The liquid on this side of the membrane and in all the caves is breathable to air and water breathers, because this used to be a nixie lair.

NEW MONSTER: MAN GUM

MAN GUM

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 2-8

ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 12”

HIT DICE: 2+1

% IN LAIR: Nil

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ ATTACK: 1-6

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

SAVE: Fighter 3

INTELLIGENCE: Low

MORALE: 56%

ALIGNMENT: Neutral (Evil)

SIZE: S

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

LEVEL/ X.P. VALUE: III/ 35 + 3/hp

These fish had overly broad faces with huge man-like mouths and teeth relative to their body size. They can speak common and have a nasty disposition.

THE GROUNDS 21D MERROW LAIR.

21D MERROW LAIR. Dead weeds and fish skeletons choke the entrance to the merrow cave, which is about seven feet wide and four feet below the lake surface. Three evil-minded fish guard the entrance. These fish have relatively small bodies but huge faces and man-like mouths.

3 Man Gums (AC 4; MV 12”; HD 2+1; hp 13, 11, 8; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SD Immune to charm; XP 74, 68, 59)

The man gums have drunk from the Gray Pool and are immune to charm, including nixie commands.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND FIREPLACE ROOM.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND FIREPLACE ROOM. Any person who climbs down the twenty five feet of well shaft from the surface will find it is also the chimney of the fireplace in this room. A unanimated skeleton of an unknown human (it was an agoraphobic member of the Triskelion family) sits in an armchair facing the fireplace. He wears a fine red robe and holds a map in one hand and a book in the other. A small table is near the south wall holding three stoppered flasks.

The robe is partially made of phoenix feathers. Any person who wears it will take half damage from fire. It is sized to fit a human and won't fit over armor.

The map is of the lake, reproduced here:

The book is a spell book holding the magic-user spells hallucinatory terrain, read magic, repulsion and rope trick.

The first flask holds very fine and old brandy worth 100 gold crescents. The second holds an labeled potion of ghoul control (red, smells like tar, tastes like pickle-water). The third is labeled 'ghoul control' but is spoiled and is now a potion of poison.

NEW MONSTER: SNAKE, BARK

SNAKE, BARK

FREQUENCY: Uncommon

NO. APPEARING: 1-20

ARMOR CLASS: 6

MOVE: 9”

HIT DICE: 1-3 hit points

% IN LAIR: Nil

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ ATTACK: 1

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

SAVE: Fighter 0

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: S (2½' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

LEVEL/ X.P. VALUE: I/ 5+1/hp

These small snakes have extremely rough and durable brown skin, resembling tree bark. They are ornery and likely to attack even man-sized or larger creatures if disturbed.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND SNAKE ROOM.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND SNAKE ROOM. Hole number 4 will drop the faller about fifteen feet onto a soft bed of moss and snakes, doing 1d3 damage.

13 Bark Snakes (AC 6; MV 9”; HD 1-3 hit points; hp 2 each; #AT 1 bite; D 1; XP 7 each)

In the northeast corner of the room are 3 small golden urns, each worth 50 gold crescents. Two hold bone dust and one holds a gold ring in the shape of a snake eating its own tail. It is worth 350 gold crescents and whoever wears it gets +4 on saving throws vs snake venom.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND HALL OF PILLARS.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND HALL OF PILLARS. Hole 3 drops people about twelve feet into this room, doing 1d6 damage.

Three ghouls, mad with hunger for living flesh, prowl this pillared room.

3 Ghouls (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; hp 13, 9, 7; #AT 2 claws, 1 bite; D 1-3/1-3/1-6; SA Paralysis; SD Limited spell immunity; XP 91, 83, 79)

The biggest ghoul wears a gold bracelet worth 210 gold crescents.

A silver holy symbol is nailed above the doorway leading to the Bubble Machine Room and surrounded by potent runes painted with a paste of honey and holy water. The ghouls cannot pass below it. If the holy symbol is taken down, it will prove twice as effective for turning/destroying ghouls and ghasts (double the number affected).

The secret door to the Snake Room is activated by pushing on a stone in the wall.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND EXIT.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND EXIT. Inquisitive fish will peek at adventurers through a thick membrane which separates this passage from the lake water outside. It can be easily penetrated by any person wearing a bubble, but will impede the progress of all others. It can be destroyed by doing a combined 50 points of damage in a single combat round, but that will allow the lake water to flood the complex. The bottom of the floor is about ten feet below the lake surface, and the passage to the water is about six feet high, so there is another four feet of lake between the top of the membrane and the surface.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND BUBBLE MACHINE ROOM.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND BUBBLE MACHINE ROOM. A vending machine is against the east wall. A coin slot will accept gold crescent coins only. After a gold crescent is deposited a bubble will emerge out of a hole near the top and land on the head of the person who paid the money.

These bubbles will envelope the character's head. They hold a heavier-than-water super-oxygen mixture that will allow a person to survive underwater for 1d6+12 hours. After this they will pop.

The bubble machine can be hacked apart. There will be 14 gold crescents inside plus whatever the characters deposited. This will make the machine inoperable.

Hole number 2 will deposit falling characters on the floor here. The fall is about 25 feet. Luckily there is thick carpeting and there is only 1d6 damage.

NEW MAGIC ITEM: HAND AXE OF HELPING.

This weapon does not appear to be magical and cannot be used to hit creatures who require a magic weapon to hit, but all friendly creatures within twenty feet of the user will find that their weapons act as if they were +1 magical weapons. If their weapons are already magical, then they are increased by +1. This effect only works when the item is being used as a weapon, if it is merely held onto or in a backpack or something then the magic is dormant.

XP VALUE: 600

GP VALUE: 3,500

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND KITCHEN.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND KITCHEN. Hole number 1 drops the faller about twenty feet, into a pot of hot soup being prepared by a gnome. Damage is 1d4+1 from the fall and heat.

Nobbler Nickelnees, Neutral Good male gnome Fighter (AC 7; MV 6”; F3; hp 17, #AT 1; D Hand axe of Helping; S 12, I 7, W 5, D 13, C 16, Ch 10; XP 128)

Nobbler is not particularly imaginative and has almost given up hope of escaping this complex. He will welcome visitors and will expect them to help him escape.

The room is a kitchen and holds all items that would expected of such. When Nobbler fell in here there was a fair supply of food and firewood, but now almost nothing is left. Nobbler has 3 gold mabans, 14 silver khurams, and 24 copper ganes in a pouch in one cabinet. He has visited the Bubble Machine Room , but has no gold crescents to operate it. He will no go further due to the ghouls and he can't leave via the exit without a bubble.

THE GROUNDS 21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND.

21C MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. The thick green shag of grass on this island reaches above the ankles on a man. It is infested with normal ticks. The island is shaped like a hill, reaching fifteen feet above the water level at its highest point. A covered well is clearly visible near the summit.

Small white flowers in the grass exude a hallucinatory perfume. Each character must save versus poison. Those who fail will think they see footsteps moving in the grass, as if an invisible person was walking along. These will tend to guide people towards the holes numbered 1 to 4 on the map. These holes are each about three feet wide but the thick grass conceals them to a great degree. A person in the vicinity of one of these holes will fall through on a 1-2 in 6. If they are being led by phantom footprints the risk goes up to 1-5 in 6. The distance of each fall is covered in the appropriate section in each room below.

Any person who has unprotected skin that is exposed to the grass has a chance of contracting a disease due to the ticks, see page 13 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. If the tick is found and removed within 12 hours, the roll can be ignored.

The covered well is about five feet square. There is a bucket and winch. A person may climb down the well in order to reach the underground complex beneath the island. Under the island there is a complex of rooms, its floor about ten feet below water level.

THE GROUNDS 21B POOL OF EASE.

POOL OF EASE. The waters of this pool are sour like lemon juice. They will heal 1d4 points of damage is consumed. Any creature can only benefit from this pool once for each 24 hour period.

THE GROUNDS 21B NIXIE QUEEN AND POOL OF SLEEP.

NIXIE QUEEN AND POOL OF SLEEP. An ornate throne and purple pool are here. The throne holds the nixie queen and she will be surrounded by admiring nixies.

Solange, Queen of Nixies (AC 4; MV 6"//12"; HD 3; hp 17; #AT 1; D Dagger; SA Charm; MR 25%; XP 156)

Solange's charm power is twice as effective as usual (you need to save twice to avoid it). Her sceptre is made from pearls and platinum and worth 2500 gold crescents. She can give the adventurers a blue pearl (1000 gold crescent value) that will return the Gray Pool from Area 21D into a nixie pool once again.

2d4+2 Nixies (AC 7; MV 6"//12"; HD 1-4 hit points; #AT 1; D Dagger or javelin; SA Charm; MR 25%; XP 32 + 1/hp)

The syrupy waters of the shallow sleep pool will cause deep sleep for 3d8 hours if consumed. A saving throw vs poison will negate.

THE GROUNDS 21B POOL OF TRAVEL.

POOL OF TRAVEL. Any person who touches this pool will be drawn into it and emerge in the pool in The Magic Cloud Castle Room 6.