Southland Adventure: Stone Grave-Recreation Alley

STONE GRAVE

A Fantasy Core and D&D 5^th Edition Southland Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2015

Published here as Open Game Content. 

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Southland Index

Stone Grave Index

Work Level Index

Recreation Alley

This area serviced the miners’ various personal needs.  It included a Bathhouse, Mess Halls, Kitchen, Brewery, and (ahem) entertainment.  It all operated continuously, 24 hours a day.  During the war, some of the basic functions remained the same.  For now, one or two of the areas are currently occupied (your choice about one of the areas).  The Grimlocks patrol this area very reluctantly for a reason. 

Brewery

5) When this area was an active mine, an unsurprisingly large amount of beer was consumed by the miners on their off-hours.  An onsite brewery was the most efficient way to service them.  When later converted to a survival bunker, the large vats became emergency water storage (and people had to look elsewhere to get buzzed).

The current residents are fairly obvious, although the lights are out (covered over).  Large strands of webbing stretch all across the chamber and floor.  Mummified corpses of Grimlocks and Humanoids hang from the ceiling.  Unfortunately, it’s even worse than you think.  This isn’t just a Giant Spider lair, it’s an Undead Giant Spider lair.  Who can say what magical alchemical demonic process conspired to bring these creatures to life, but they’re here and have to be dealt with if stirred up. 

When the Humanoids were cleaning out this level of undead, they left this chamber alone.  Perhaps lacking flaming oil (in sufficient quantities, it would create a devastating inferno), they had no means of destroying the lair.  Unfortunately with the presence of warm bodies in the level, the spiders have been aggressively hunting separated individuals and pairs, not to mention immediately defending their own lair against any intruders.  Worse, they’ve been capturing victims and turning them into Zombies.  The spiders have a purpose.  They’re attempting to accumulate a new army to retake the level.

The multitude of spider webs in the room creates a difficult terrain situation (whatever that means).  So, any running or full movement will trip the individual unless they make a DC 12 Ref check (5e DC 10 Dex check).  Any knock down will also put an individual into the webs.  From there, it’s a DC 12 (5e DC 10) Str Check or Escape Artist check to get loose.  The webs are flammable and the spiders will retreat from fire, but will actually put out small fires by smothering them with webs. 

[The Giant Spider stats are pretty different between FC and 5e.  Both will have the same tactics.  They seek to poison their opponents, drag them off when they are helpless, and string them up in their lair.  Within 24 hrs, the victim will become a Zombie if they aren’t broken loose and given healing treatment.] 

Giant Undead Spider (FC) (x 10)

HD 2, Hp 8, AC 14 (natural)

Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0

Melee: Bite +4 to hit 1d6 + Necrotic Poison DC 12 Fort Sv or sickened 1 turn (all bonuses and skills go to 0), a victim failing the first saving throw, bit again, and failing a second saving throw is reduced to 0 hp and rendered unconscious.

Stealth +4 (DC 16 to Detect)

Giant Undead Spider (5e) (x 6)

HD 4d10 + 4, Hp 26, AC 14 (Natural)

Str +2, Dex +3, Con +1, Int −4, Wis +0, Cha −3

Stealth +7

Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 60 ft.

Passive Perception 10

Spider Climb: The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Web Sense: While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.

Web Walker: The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Melee: Bite +5 to hit 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) necrotic poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Ranged: Web (Recharge 5–6): +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).

[The Zombies hanging from the ceiling are interesting.  The party will probably have their hands full with the spiders, but you could make it worse if needed.  Spiders would cut them loose and drop them on the characters.  Alternately, let the Players see them and find out they’re Zombies, and then leave the story thread dangling.  If the Characters return to this level, the spiders may have overrun the Grimlocks and the Humanoids and converted them.  The party then runs into a hoard of Zombies and spiders.]

Zombie (FC) (x?)                    

HD 2, Hp 8, AC 11 (Always strike last)

Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0                                         

Melee: Slam +2 to hit, 1d8                                      

Swarm: If 2 or more make successful attacks one 1 victim in 1 rd, they Grapple the opponent.  DC 12 + 1 per additional attacker (up to DC 15 for 4 attacking the same victim) Str check or Escape Artist to break or automatically take 1d4 Bite/attacker/rd

Zombie (5e) (x?)

HD 3d8 + 9, Hp 22, AC 8 (Natural)

Str +1, Dex −2, Con +3, Int −4, Wis −2, Cha −3

Saving Throws: Wis +0

Passive Perception 8

Melee: Slam +3 to hit, 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning

Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.