The Misty Isle Level 4
Mega Dungeon 2023: Fourth Level -still a rough draft
1. On The Water
Lily pads half-fill the tiny bay leading out into the swamp where great cypress trees grow out of the water. beyond the bay, there are three clear channels between these trees. One heads east, one heads west, and the third heads slightly west of north. A short 50 foot swim could bring you to wet ground within a thick stand of younger cypress trees growing too close together for the canoe to fit. It would be wet, but it could serve as a pathway through the swamp heading slightly east of north.
Nothing else is here.
2. WET GROUND
The swim in the warm swamp water was easy enough but the slog through soggy grass to get out and stand solid ground felt like a chore. The stand of young cypresses stretch much farther than you had been able to see. Stretching with it, is the wet ground as a soggy pathway.
All PCs must make a D20 roll. The PCs who rolls the lowest, it the target of a Belch Frog. If there is a tie, add a frog to target each one in the tie.
All PCs make a Wisdom Roll: 15. Those who succeed see:
A frog with a body the size of a bucket glides down out of a cypress tree, its dinner plate sized webbed feet splayed. A turn of its wrists and the gliding frog swerves ... right towards [the one(s) who rolled lowest]!
If the targeted one(s) succeeded at the Wisdom Roll, they can make a Dexterity Roll: 15. If they succeed, the Belch Frog does NOT land on them. If one Belch Frog succeeds in landing on a PC and that PC is affected by the belch, in 3 turns 1 Giant Centipede per PC will arrive in hopes of dining on the victim(s).
3. Slogging Along
The wet ground continues on, walled in on both sides by the young trees. The deep croaks and ribbits of frogs echo down from the higher branches which seem to be empty of other animals. Here and there something slithers beneath the vegetation but nothing reveals itself.
Nothing else is here.
4. Narrow WInding Way
The stench of soggy vegetation rotting, growing and all stages in between, clings to the air with a heavy tang. Just up ahead, the very ground seams to writhe while a chorus of hissing. Then, the ground goes still and the hissing stops. Not even the frogs make a sound.
All PCs make a Wisdom Roll: 15. Those who succeed can make a Dexterity Roll: 15 to dodge:
Suddenly, the ground erupts as (one for each PC) great snakes, each 20 feet long and as thick as a human's leg, slither out in a rush towards you!
Anacondas! After 4 rounds the ground errupts again and a 40 foot Anaconda joins the attack.
5. Dry Spot
The damp ground rises a few feet into actual dry solid ground. Birds sing from the trees instead of frogs while the ground no longer rustels from the creepy crawly deizens of the damp.
This is a good place for a rest/camp. Nothing else is here.
6. The Shack
The drier rise slopes back down to the soggy ground and, once again, you are slogging along. After a good while the ground rises up to another dry patch that widens out even larger than the previous one. The patch is covered with short-cropped grasses, a crude but sturdy shack, and a garden plot. Two long snakeskins are being tanned upon the shack wall.
Bhas'zashk, an old Numis very content to live in his patch of the swamp. He is not happy to have visitors but not hostile. He brags of his fine snake skins he sells at High Town. **He knows facts about High Town... rumors about the mysterious keep at the top of the mountain.**
7. Tramping On
This time, the dry ground does not slope back down to the damp and you no longer have to wonder what might be squirming underneath wet and rotting foliage. With sunlight dappling in through the branches above that have birds instead of frogs, this seems a nice- Wait! What was that?
All PCs must make a Wisdom Roll: 15 to notice Brine Wolves surrounding them. (One for each PC). Its an ambush. Those who made their Wisdom rolls can dodge/react to an attack. Those who failed have a -3 penalty to their AC for this surprise turn only.
8. Soggy Beach
The dry ground slopes down and widens as the tight growth of young cypress trees ends. Sprawling to the left and right is more soggy ground that ends at open swamp water. 60 feet across the water you can see another stretch of soggy ground sloping up to dry ground and jungle trees. Towering over everything but still at a distance, is a lone snow capped mountain.
As you return to look at the water you will have to cross to continue on, you see logs floating.
There is one log for every 2 PCs. These are Crocodiles! Strength DC: 11 to swim. All attacks in the water are made with Unlucky Attack rolls, except for piercing weapons. Range weapons do 1/2 damage in the water.9. EAST CHANNEL
You push off from shore and take up your paddle. The water is still so its only the strength of your arms moving you along. Its slow work as your paddle gets tangled in the lily pads but then you are in open water. Strange frogs croak from somewhere above the water. Off in the distance you hear the howls of wolves. Many mounds of grass sprout up along the way, forming the channel you are following. Gaps between the mounds, most too narrow for your canoe, seem to lead off into a misty distance. Buzzing of insects join the frogs with the occassion call of a sharp-beaked crane.
Nothing else is here.
10. Mounds
The channel wides a bit and there are many small grassy mounds that could serve as soft stepping stones. Amongst them are two larger ones. One of these larger mounds seems to have broken loose and is drifting towards your canoe.
This is a brine vine and its hungry! If a player falls into the water, the little mounds start drifting closer to then. They can only entangle a hand or foot.
11. Hutshrek
You paddle on and find yourself in water free of stepping stone grass mounds. Instead, large mounds with patches of stone seen beneath moss and short grasses stand so close together that only a foot or two of water separates each from its neighbors. A crude but sturdy shack stands on each mound. Here and there you can see reptilian folk 6 feet tall.
This is Hutshrek, a numis village... they are not friendly but not outright hostile. They will encourage the party to move along and THEN turn violent if they must.
12. Big Mound
Off to your left is a landing with plenty of bushes to moor the canoe to. There is so much dry ground here you cannot yet tell if its another mound or a mainland. There is also plenty of room to set up a camp.
This is a safe campsite. If the PCs decide to explore further:
Once you get past the stands of birdberry trees surorunding the brush around the landing, you see an uprise of stone holding the entrance to a cave.
13. The Cave
The cave holds nothing but a way down into darkness.
14. Darkness
You go down 15 feet, entering a square chamber 10 feet high and 30 feet to a side. Planted in neat three neat rows before the back wall are stone saplings. Centered before those rows is a grotesque statue placed on a stone dais.
This is a gargoyle guardian! LOOT!
15. Down Channel
The day feels long as you paddle along, but the distant mists have cleared enough for you to see a lone snowy peaked mountain standing behind and above the trees. The channel twists around one small bend and then another but seems to be bringing you closer to the mountain. Suddenly, something thumps the bottom of your canoe, nearly tipping it!
Young Spinosaurus! The water swirls as something seems to circle beneath the water. Then, behind you, a sail fin 10 feet long and 2 feet high rises from the water and slices towards you.16. WEST CHANNEL
You push off from shore and take up your paddle. Unlike the river, the water is still. It's only the strength of your arms moving you along. Your paddle tangles in the lily pads until you reach the channel. Many mounds of grass and rock sprout up along the way, some their small trees holding birds singing their varied songs. Gaps between the mounds, most too narrow for your canoe, seem to lead off into a misty distance. Buzzing of insects joins the singing birds and croaking frogs.
17. Long Mound
As you paddle along, the mounds to your left get closer and closer together until they form one long mound that seems to follow the channel through its twists and turns. Small trees and bushes clutter it but, here and there, you can see nice roomy patchs of short grass just right for setting up a camp. In the water, you can see a log drifting along here and there. Odd, there is not enough current for drifting and there is no wind.
There is one Giant crocodile with 1 Crocodile for every 2 PCs!
18. Mound Camp
A spacious area on the long is ringed by trees, providing cover and a bit of shade. Even better, the landing has sturdy brush to tie up the boat and rocky slope less suitable for a crocodile to climb up.
This is a safe camp site.
19. Curious Cairn
A 6 foot tall cairn of stones stands all alone on the long mound. Shrounded in mosses it rests on flat ground.
If they go ashore to look:
The ground around the cairn is flat except for a rectangular hole with stone steps leading down into darkness.
There is nothing else here.
20. Resting Place
The stairs end in a large chamber but before you can look about, the ceiling lets out many squeaks and shrieks as pale white bats launch themselves at you.
These are Vampire bats! 2 per PC. On the second round, read the following:
Before a sarcophagus against the far wall, stands (one for each PC) skeletons armed with obsidian axes. They lift off the lid of the sarcophagus then turn to face you, raising their axes.
Medium Skeletons 1 per PC. On the third round of combat, read the following: Something wrapped in aged linens sits up from within the sarcophagus then turns to stare at you with glowing orange eyes as it climbs out of the sarcophagus.
Mummy Mancer attacks on the 4th round. *** LOOT***
21. Shack Mound
You near a mound with a simple shack were an old woman is tending a small herb garden. On a fire rests a pot bubbling with strange scents that could be some sort of unappetizing food.
Swamp Witch. She will talk but soon as someone steps onto her mound she attacks with her magic and familiar. ***She knows about the mountain***
22. Meandering Channel
The day feels long as you paddle along, but in the the distance you see a lone snowy peaked mountain standing behind and above the trees. The channel twists around one small bend and then another but seems to be bringing you closer to the mountain. Suddenly, something thumps the bottom of your canoe, nearly tipping it! The water swirls as something seems to circle beneath the water. Then, behind you, a sail fin 10 feet long and 2 feet high rises from the water and slices towards you.
Young Spinosaurus!23. NORTH CHANNEL
You push off from shore and take up your paddle. Unlike the river, the water is still. It's only the strength of your arms moving you along. Your paddle tangles in the lily pads until you reach the channel. Many mounds of grass and rock sprout up along the way, some their small trees holding birds singing their varied songs. Gaps between the mounds, most too narrow for your canoe, seem to lead off into a misty distance. Buzzing of insects joins the singing birds and croaking frogs.
24. Fishing Hole
The current slows until the waters are as smooth as glass. Small plops and splashes send out ring of tiny waves as fish leap to catch bugs or frogs. One fish leaps out of the water next to your canoe.
The PCs can catch plenty of fish here.
25. Swamp Rest
A rocky mound rises up out of the water then mostly flattens into dry ground, and not stone, covered with mosses. Tall berry trees grow up through cracks in the slopes of this mound save for a short landing and path up to the mosses. There, an old campfire sits, its ashes mostly blown away and cold. Tucked beneath one of the berry trees is a neat pile of broken branches. Here and there from the trees you hear the deep croaking of frogs.
All PCs must make a D20 roll. The PCs who rolls the lowest, it the target of a Belch Frog. If there is a tie, add a frog to target each one in the tie.
All PCs make a Wisdom Roll: 15. Those who succeed see:
A frog with a body the size of a bucket hopss down from a berry tree, its dinner plate sized webbed feet splayed. A turn of its wrists and the gliding frog swerves ... right towards [the one(s) who rolled lowest]!
If the targeted one(s) succeeded at the Wisdom Roll, they can make a Dexterity Roll: 15. If they succeed, the Belch Frog does NOT land on them. If one Belch Frog succeeds in landing on a PC and that PC is affected by the belch, in 3 turns 1 Giant Centipede per PC will arrive in hopes of dining on the victim(s).
26. Old Camp
As you make your way along the channel, the larger mounds seem to be more spread out. Smaller grassy ones clog much of the way between them that could serve as soggy stepping stones. On one mound, stands a single young cypress tree dangling the remnants of a tent. There seems to be no one around as sunlight glints off something near that tree. The grassy clumps block any chance of reach that mound with your canoe.
The PCs can travel on the grassy clumps to the mound with the ruined tent. BRINE VINES!!!
27. Tattered Tent
As you step on the mound, howls sound from closeby. You can now see what looks like a breastplate glinting in the sun. Whimpers sound form the dangling remains of the tent.
Hidden by the dangling tent remains, is a wolf den holding two wolf pups. In two rounds, one brine wolf per PC will arrive to fight to the death for their pups. ***LOOT*** BRINE WOLVES
28. Narrow Mound
As you paddle along, the mounds to your rightt get closer and closer together until they form one long mound that seems to follow the channel through its twists and turns. Small trees and bushes clutter it but, here and there, you can see nice roomy patchs of short grass just right for setting up a camp. In the water, you can see a log drifting along here and there. Odd, there is not enough current for drifting and there is no wind.
There is one Giant crocodile with 1 Crocodile for every 2 PCs!
29. Long Stretch
The day feels long as you paddle along, but in the the distance you see a lone snowy peaked mountain standing behind and above the trees. The channel twists around one small bend and then another but seems to be bringing you closer to the mountain. Suddenly, something thumps the bottom of your canoe, nearly tipping it! The water swirls as something seems to circle beneath the water. Then, behind you, a sail fin 10 feet long and 2 feet high rises from the water and slices towards you.
Young Spinosaurus30. The Landing
The waterways end at a beach with a trail leading into tree covered hills set at the foot of a tall mountain. The mists have faded here and you can see smoke rising from somewhere in the hills.
If the decide to camp, they get visited by crocodiles or brine wolves. If the PCs follow the trail, they move on to Dungeon Level 5!
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