THE GROUNDS 23H DINING DELIGHT.

23H DINING DELIGHT. Five sugar goblins are setting the table with dubious dishes for a feast fro the candy crone and her cronies.

5 Sugar Goblins (AC 9; MV 6"; HD 1-1; hp 4 each; #AT 1; D Short sword; SD Half damage from weapons; XP 18 each)

The goblins weapons are actually hardened candy canes with pointy tips.

The Crone uses actual metal silverware. In fact it is made of gold and the complete set of place setttings for three is worth 435 gold crescents. The food is mostly meat pies made with tree gnome or halfling flesh. A huge golden goblet (200 gold crescent value) holds a potion of sweet water, the Crone's favorite drink.

THE GROUNDS 23G TERRIBLE TOILET.

23G TERRIBLE TOILET. This water closet holds a huge toilet made of white chocolate and hardened sugar. Within dwells a foul fudge pudding.

Fudge Pudding (AC 6; MV 6”; HD 5; hp 24; #AT 1; D 2-12; SA Dissolve wood and metal, SD Blows, cold and lightning do not harm; XP 369)

Treat it as a half strength black pudding. A chocolate hamper in the room holds dirty towels (made from actual cloth!) and an ebony fly figurine of wondrous power.

THE GROUNDS 23F LICORICE LOUNGE.

23F LICORICE LOUNGE. This room is furnished with small tables, couches, and easy chairs, all made from candy and chocolate. One table holds twenty marbles in a gold bowl (200 gold crescents value), stolen from the residents of Area 2. On the southeast wall there is a huge stylized outline of a mouth and eyes made entirely from giant pieces of red licorice.

This is actually an animated face and it is eager to talk with the adventurers. The face will pretend to be friendly and helpful but it is really spiteful and nasty. It will give false answers about the inhabitants of the Candy House and give misleading descriptions, whatever it thinks will cause the most chaos and consternation. For example, it may characterize the Candy Crone as being very weak and injured, if it thinks that will cause the party to underestimate her. In particular it will be quick to slander the magic peanut face in Room 23I. If it is confronted with proof of its lies, it will say "What can you expect of a giant licorice face that can't move about?" as it is jealous of people's mobility. If the adventurers leave the area, it will inform any sugar goblins that it may see that there are intruders.

THE GROUNDS 23E LUSCIOUS LARDER.

23E LUSCIOUS LARDER. This room holds wall shelving made from fudge and toffee. Three tree gnomes are bound with thick and strong licorice strips.

Harley, Barley, and Farley (AC 8; MV 6”@12”; HD 1; hp 5 each; #AT 1; D By weapon; XP 15 each)

These gnomes will eventually be served as dinner to the Candy Crone if not let go. They are desperate to return to Area 26. They can promise a reward of 50 gold crescents for their safe return. They realize it is not much, but they are not wealthy.

While the shelves are made of toothsome treats, some of the shelf contents are quite gruesome. The shelves hold the following labeled items in clear bottles of various sizes.

• Easily recognizable body parts from humans, tree gnomes, and halflings preserved in clear alcoholic syrup (many)
• Butterfly wings
• Cinnamon spider poison (if drunk, causes euphoria as a cinnamon spider bite)
• Honey Badger spittle
• Jellyfish guts
• Lemon Shark teeth
• Sugar glider eyes

THE GROUNDS 23D CARAMEL KITCHEN.

23D CARAMEL KITCHEN. Six sugar goblins are preparing a halfling for baking.

6 Sugar Goblins (AC 9; MV 6"; HD 1-1; hp 4 each; #AT 1; D By improvised weapon for 1d3; SD Half damage from weapons; XP 18 each)

Each goblin will grab a knife, ladle, or other kitchen implement if needed for combat. These are made of candy also, but strong enough to be used for fighting.

Bobo Bunbucks, Neutral Evil male halfling Thief (AC 7; MV 9”; T3; hp 10; #AT 1; D By Weapon Type; S 8, I 10, W 6, D 17, C 10, Ch 11; XP 125)

Thief skills: PP 50%, OL 48% F/RT 35% MS 42% HS 40% HN 20% CW 72% RL -

Bobo lies on a silver platter (300 gold crescent value) on a table made of hard candy. He has a caramel apple stuck in his mouth, is stripped naked and covered with a sugar glaze, and is unconscious. Captured by a gang of sugar goblins and destined for the Candy Crone's menu, he is one of the hoodlum halflings from Area 15 and will try to return there if rescued.

The kitchen is furnished with the types of things one would expect, except edible and made of candy, cookies, and pastry. Due to the magic of the house, they are functional. For example, the oven made of nougat and coconut flakes can be heated like a regular oven. There is a fireplace, made of chocolate bricks that has a roaring fire. A sink has two faucets. One is labeled 'H' and gives hot chocolate. The other is labeled 'C' and gives chocolate milk.

If a noisy fight or argument breaks out here, the tree gnomes in Room 23E will begin shouting for help.

THE GROUNDS 23C SUGARY STAIRWAY.

23C SUGARY STAIRWAY. This wrap-around stairway goes up about fourteen feet to Room 23I. The bannisters are peppermint sticks with sugar icing and the stairs are made of marzipan and peanut brittle.

THE GROUNDS 23B DELICIOUS DEN.

23B DELICIOUS DEN. The furniture in this large room is made of candy, as are the walls, etc. The fireplace bricks, for example, are rock candy. Behind one gummy couch is a sleeping cleric.

Snarly Ven Dungibot, Neutral Good male human Cleric of the Scorpion God (AC 10; MV 12“; C5; hp 17; #AT 1; D By weapon type +1 due to strength; S 16, I 10, W 3 (15), D 12, C 13, CH 16; XP 252 (377))

Snarly ate too much of the candy house and his wisdom has dropped precipitously. He has discarded his weapons, treasure, and armor and laid down for a good nap. He is also out of spells and has lost all the other members of his party. The experience point value in parentheses represents his normal value when he has spells memorized.

THE GROUNDS 23A PEPPERMINT PATIO.

23A PEPPERMINT PATIO. This simple porch is made of chocolate wafers with icing on the rails and decorated with disc shaped chocolate covered peppermint paste. A functional door bell is next to the gingerbread door leading to Room 23B. If any person actually rings the door bell it will alert all the sugar goblins and the witch that visitors are here for dinner.

NEW MONSTER: SUGAR GOBLIN

Sugar Goblin

FREQUENCY: Very rare

NO. APPEARING: 6-60

ARMOR CLASS: 9

MOVE: 6”

HIT DICE: 1-1

% IN LAIR: 40%

TREASURE TYPE: Individuals K

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ ATTACK: By weapon

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Half damage from weapons

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

SAVE: Fighter 1

INTELLIGENCE: Low

ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil

MORALE: 50%

SIZE: S (4' tall)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

LEVEL/ X.P. VALUE: I/ 14 + 1/ hp

Leader: II/ 28+ 2/hp

Master goblin: III/ 50 + 3/hp

These strange humanoids have bodies made entirely of hardened sugar. When they take damage bits of their bodies may be cut off, but they do not bleed. Thus, they can survive wounds that would be fatal to other creatures, such as losing parts of the head or torso with no loss of function. For this reason, they only take half damage from all weapons. When reduced to 0 hit points, their bodies crumble into lumps of white sugar.

Sugar goblins do not use armor, which can abrade their bodies. Instead they prefer cloth garments. For every 10 sugar goblins, there will be a 2 hit die leader with between 7 and 14 hit points (1d8+6). A group of greater than thirty will also have a 3 hit die master goblin with between 15 and 20 hit points (1d6+14).

The skin and hair of the sugar goblin is white. At first glance they appear somewhat elfish or child-like but in combat their malicious smiles and taunts reveal their true character.

THE GROUNDS 23 THE CANDY HOUSE.

23 THE CANDY HOUSE. This two story house is made entirely out of candies and desserts. The walls and roof being principally made of gingerbread with sugar icing as cement. Embellishments are many and include peppermint sticks and gumdrops. Windows are plentiful and made of spun sugar, being translucent but not transparent. The back of the house directly touches the cliff face that makes up the edge of The Grounds.

The house is edible, but it is also magical. It regenerates roughly as quickly as it is eaten. Anyone who consumes any part of the house must save vs spells or lose 1 point of wisdom per meal. These are recovered at the rate of 1 per day. Ordinary animals, including insects and vermin of all kinds, will refuse to eat the stuff. The walls, floors, and ceilings can be broken if sufficient violence is applied (DM's decision) and entry made into the house or between rooms that way, though the broken parts regenerate as described above within a round.

The candy house holds an evil witch known as the Candy Crone and her servants, the sugar goblins. The witch favors the flesh of human children, which is in short supply in The Grounds, so she makes do mostly with captured gangster halflings and tree gnomes.

THE GROUNDS 22Z BASEMENT.

22Z BASEMENT. This room is a high traffic area for thermites. Double normal chances of a random encounter here.

The twenty foot tunnel leads to UPPER DUNGEONS LEVEL ONE Room 68.

Map Available For Area 23 of The Grounds

Whew, staying ahead of the maps.  You can find the map to the Candy House here, or look to the right.  Encounter keys start on Saturday.

THE GROUNDS 22Y MINING CHAMBER.

22Y MINING CHAMBER. Four thermite workers are busy searching for gold, while two dwarf fighters loiter.

4 Thermite Workers (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; hp 15, 12, 7, 6; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 2-8; XP 95, 86, 71, 68)

2 Neutral Evil Dwarf fighters (AC 3; MV 6"; F2; hp 14, 8; #AT 1; D Battle axe; XP 77, 59)

Each dwarf has thermite warrior essence, white plate mail, a great helm, 0-7 (1d8-1) gold mabans, 0-11 (1d12-1) electrum lugdushes, 1-20 silver kurams, and 2-24 copper ganes.

THE GROUNDS 22X PIT.

22X PIT. This chamber holds a nine foot wide circular pit with a depth of about twenty feet. Rogi has told the thermites to dig for gold but they also keep finding gems. Since the dwarf didn't ask for them, they have simply thrown them into this hole.

At the bottom are 8 uncut amethysts (base value 100 gold crescents) and 4 uncut topazes (base value 500 gold crescents).

THE GROUNDS 22W EGG CHAMBER.

22W EGG CHAMBER. This chamber holds 13 eggs, 7 nymphs and 2 workers attending to their needs.

2 Thermite Workers (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; hp 12, 7; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 2-8; XP 86, 71)

7 Thermite Nymphs (AC 9; MV 9”; HD 1; hp 5 each; #AT 1 bite; D 1-3; XP 15 each)

THE GROUNDS 22V MINING CHAMBER.

22V MINING CHAMBER. This chamber holds three worker thermites industriously burying gold nuggets. They have spent the last few days searching for the gold on the instructions of Rogi, and have uncovered 1236 gold crescents worth. In an effort to thwart the dwarf, the princess from Room 22U has ordered them to hide it.

3 Thermite Workers (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; hp 9, 9, 7; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 2-8; XP 77, 77, 71)

THE GROUNDS 22U DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.

22U DAMSEL IN DISTRESS. The thermite princess resides in this room, along with two slasher thermite bodyguards.

Thermite Princess (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 5+5; hp 33; #AT 1 bite; D 1-8; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 3-12; XP 423)

2 Thermite Slashers (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 4+1; hp 20, 18; #AT 1 bite; D 2-12; XP 190, 180)

The princess looks much like a thermite warrior to the average person, but Pelmuff would be able to instantly realize who she is. She is not at all interested in fighting, but wants to eliminate Rogi and free her mother from captivity and will try to negotiate with anyone who doesn't attack her immediately.

THE GROUNDS 22T WARRIOR GUARD POST.

22T WARRIOR GUARD POST. Two warriors are on duty here. They have been told to watch and take no other action by Rogi. Taking their orders literally, they will just observe any persons who enter this room and will not fight unless they are attacked first.

2 Thermite Warriors (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 3+3; hp 19, 16; #AT 1 bite; D 1-8; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 3-12; XP 161, 149)

THE GROUNDS 22S BURSTER ROOM.

22S BURSTER ROOM. Three thermite bursters are here.

Thermite Burster (AC 4; MV 15”; HD 2+2; hp 15, 11, 7; #AT 1 bite; D 1-6; SA Suicide burst for 4-24; XP 135, 123, 111))

THE GROUNDS 22R KITCHEN.

22R KITCHEN. This room holds cabinets, a sink, a stove, and other fixtures that one would expect from a kitchen. Four dwarves and a human are here, seated at a table, unless they have been warned by Qulius in Room 22Q, in which case they will be ready for action. At the south portion of the room is the queen thermite, bound with rope and with cord tied around her mouth so that she cannot bite.

Rogi, Neutral Evil male dwarf Fighter (AC 3; MV 6"; F6; hp 36; #AT 1; D Battle axe +1 to damage due to strength; SD luckstone; S 17, I 14, W 9, D 13, C 14, Ch 9; XP 513)

Rogi killed the thermite king and forced Pelmuff to make him essence so that thermites would acknowledge him as their king. He wears a great helm and white plate armor. Rogi is a hunchback and his armor is specially made for him and will be useless for anyone else. His battle axe has a luckstone embedded in its head that gives its protection as long as he holds the weapon. He has 35 gold mabans, 12 electrum lugdushes, 41 silver khurams, and 58 copper ganes.

3 Neutral Evil Dwarf fighters (AC 3; MV 6"; F2; hp 17, 14, 13; #AT 1; D Battle axe; XP 86, 77, 74)

Each dwarf has thermite warrior essence, white plate mail, a great helm, 0-7 (1d8-1) gold mabans, 0-11 (1d12-1) electrum lugdushes, 1-20 silver kurams, and 2-24 copper ganes.

Pelmuff, Lawful Neutral male human sage (AC 10; MV 12”; HD 8 (4 sided dice); hp 20; #AT 1; D By weapon type; SA Spell use; S 8, I 17, W 10, D 9, C 8, CH 13; XP 840)

First Level Druid Spells:

Invisibility to Animals

Second Level Druid Spells:

Cure Light Wounds

Third Level Druid Spells:

Summon Insects

Major Field: Fauna

Special Categories: Arachnids, Insects

Minor Fields: Supernatural & Unusual

Pelmuff was captured by Rogi and is being kept here against his will. He is afraid to try to escape, and is unarmed and without wealth. He is keeping a secret of the fact that he knows druid spells and will not use them to assist Rogi in any situation. He has a small amount of mistletoe available in a pocket of his robe, enough to cast his spells. If Pelmuff is returned to his library in Sarcoy he will reward his rescuers with 6000 gold crescents. He is being forced to make essences under threat of violence and will not agree to make more unless it is clear that he will be killed unless he does.

Thermite Queen (AC 3; MV 15”; HD 7+7; hp 40; #AT 1 bite; D 1-8; SA +4 to hit with blistering spittle for 3-12; XP 950)

Rogi is keeping her alive for now as he plans on using her to make a thermite army. The way she is currently bound, she cannot move effectively, bite, or spray her blistering attack. The thermite queen has an intelligence score of 14 and can speak quite well. She is likely to be well disposed towards (will not attack) any adventurers who rid the colony of Rogi and do not kill her while she is helpless. If she is killed while she is bound, she is worth no experience points.

There is a wooden bucket of meat and vegetables that the dwarves use to feed the queen through a hollow wooden tube as a straw. There are seven large crates holding iron rations, enough for a year for the dwarves and Pelmuff. The sink still dispenses hot and cold water. Such is the marvel of Triskelion engineering.

There are eight large metal buckets, five of which hold gold nuggets (9327 gold crescents worth in all). The rest are empty.

On the counter-top Pelmuff has a set up a small laboratory. Along with alchemical glassware there are the following items:

• 4 essences of thermite warrior
• 2 essences of thermite king
• 3 essences of thermite nymph
• 2 potions of giant insect control (as animal control potion, green, smells and tastes of bile)

The essences mimic thermite pheremones. The princess and queen are immune to these because they are intelligent, but other thermites will accept those who wear these phermones as authentic, unless the user attacks them. Each essence is enough to cover one character and will work for three weeks before requiring re-application. Pelmuff requires dead thermites to make essence. He regards its creation as morally repugnant and will not willingly share the secret of its manufacture.