Wednesday 27 February 2013

Long Stair Dungeon Zone part 10 Glacial Citadel

Apparently my net will be up at home soon and i can bill everyone I've meant to for last 3 weeks and pay my new expensive Doctor.

Have 95% of all the redbrick content almost ready to publish. Have made more system neutral. Needs layout and a few edits - about 36 pages of tables and maps. Will select a few readers to read proof copies. My monsters now conform to wikipedia folk lore entries more than game books.

This zone is for the cave man fans. The ruined stone ancients are what a Clark Ashton Smith or Howard or even HPL might describe. My tower dwelling stone age wizards inspired by a few things: I like to think of them as Stone age Melnibonians. Dragon 68? i think did a stone age DnD setting that has floated in my mind for 30 years I should hunt down.

Doing a cavern and a sunken city yet with complete the deadly dungeon dozen zones.

Glacial Citadel Zone
A huge tunnel filled glacier with inhabited by remnants of  species and peoples lost since prehistoric times. Giants, trolls, ogres, goblinods, troglodytes and cave men tribes battle for supremacy with mostly stone age tools. Evidence of more advance inhabitants who have come exploring abound such as frozen over shacks, camps and even a complete viking town have been discovered. Twisted strange buildings and towers of basult  from some lost age of stone age sorcery. Upper levals are open wind blasted wastes crawling with hungry preditors.
Glacial Citadel Weather d100
01-4 Extreme cold and wind and snow and other worldly monsters

05-14 Extreme cold and wind
15-25 Extreme cold and wind and snow
26-35 Extreme freezing cold snap
36-30 Light snow particles
31-40 Heavy snow particles
41-49Wet ice slush, sleet, hail and running water
50-94 Regular cold, below zero
95-100 Uncommon warn spell, a bit above zero, some running water
Glacial Citadel Hazard 1d20
1 Huge chasm

2 Huge chasm with fragile bridge
3 Fragile icicles rain down on any making a sound
4 Ball of ice rolls down passage
5 Ice wall seal section off
6 Fragile ice over hidden water or a pit
7 Slick ice almost impossible to grip, surrounded by pits and icicles
8 Soft snow covers icicle filled pit
9 cliff requires climbing
10 Cold snap zone slowly kills
11 Super cold moving water or waterfall blocks way
12 Super cold water with fragile ice bridge blocks way
13 Frozen monster will burst free if heated
14 Regular camp site with remains of fire and cooked bones
15 Ice Mummy or elder undead begs for help to free him from ice crypt
16  Floor collapses to lower level
17 Monster lair with various beasts
18 Unstable ceiling vulnerable to sounds
19 Stone monolith blocks passage
20 Settlement of some kind, possibly still inhabited

Glacial Citadel  Zone Mysteries 1d20
1 Cave art on stone wall of animals and spirit beings

2 Viking rune stone describing expedition here
3 Art depicting vikings and cave men meeting
4 Stone houses with deep hearth pits and burials
5 Sealed stone wizard tower
6 Frozen explorer corpses from far away
7 Friendly snow golem offers help (weak and not too bright or dirty old bastard)
8 Sleeping ancient in ice coffin
9 Shaman relics and mummies, possible with spirit guardian
10 Ice sarcophagus with giant corpse
11 Frozen animal (mammoth) carcass or food cache
12 Stone buildings of ancient cave folk
13 Remains of wooden boat with frozen dead crew
14 Two tribes of monsters skirmishing and abusing each other
15 Huge stone or ice tablets with arcane knowledge
16 Frozen elder god in magical slumber, do not disturb
17  Ice statue of great beauty - scene or person or creature
18 Mostly ground down stone idol of elder civilization
19 Giants goods, huge stone and ice tool and weapons
20 Stone circle or giant carved monolith
Frozen shoggoth with something interesting inside

Tribe generator
size and composition


1 1d6 hunters or gatherers group or immediate kin
2 2d6 family group or war band,
3 3d6 extended family group, one minor hero
4 4d6 tribal group, one minor hero and minor magician
5 6d6 extended tribal group, boss plus one minor hero and minor magician
6 8d6 large tribal group boss plus one major hero and major magician
7 10d6 regional tribe, 2 boss plus two major hero two major magician
8 20d6 mega tribal linguistic group, 3 boss plus 4 major hero 4 major magician
every major hero has 2 minor hero flunkies or guards

1 Tribal Humans – plain nomad and arctic nomads dwell here with simple tech – often friendly
2 Caveman – 5-8 ft tribal pre homo sapiens who never came out of their caverns
3 Morlock – 5 foot savage but advanced molemen who herd humans as meat and slaves
4 Troglodyte – 7 foot hideous cave dwelling devolved savages
5 Abominable Snowman – 8-12 foot huge snow and cold adapted ape men, some cannibalistic
6 Were Beast – wolf, bear, polar bear, owl, raven, rat, weasel, eagle, horse, many kinds
7 Vikings – invaders who come for killing and treasure
8 Hyperborean – 6 foot winged men and sons of the wind, master archers
9 Kobold – 3 foot blue skinned ice kobolds are more into pits and snares and dead fall traps
10 Goblin – 4 foot curious and greedy Ice goblins crave calories more than gold
11 Hobgoblin – 5 foot tough and hard working goblins but angry and easily insulted, some shape shifters
12 Bugbear – 7 foot giant goblins who love to ambush and stalk and sneak and scare
13 Orc – 6 foot savage humanoids spawned by evil wizards and dark rituals for troops, many cyclops
14 Ogre – 8-12 foot Local ogres here are dim witted bloated with tusks and horns
15 Giant – Local Cave-giants about 9-14 foot, Ice-giants 30 foot high, Cyclops-giants 20-40
16 Dwarf – Some are Viking like most here are savage tribal with best crafts stone age has to offer
17 Elf - Some are more like celt or norse invaders, others native wild savages who hunt
18 Troll – Cave trolls, Ice trolls, Chaos trolls and even civilised arcane trolls have been found here
19 Beast Men – various types but goat, wolf, cat, dog, weasel, rabbit, hyena, elk, fox most common
20 Spirit Folk – kinfolk to spirits of a type of plant or animal or natural feature, magical shapeshifters

Animals on the glacier
Rabbit, Hare, Deer, Goat, SheepPonies, Bactrian camels, Rodent, Beaver, Bear (black, brown, polar and cave), Penguin, Carnivorous bird, Walrus, Sea lion, Narwhal, Killer Whale, Yak, Mammoth, Woolly Rhino, Sabre-tooth cat, Bobcat, Snow Leopard, Tiger, Ice Ape, Fox


Glacial Citadel  Zone Encounters d100
1 Starving mad men developing wendigo traits ask to join

2 Ice zombie guardians attack outsiders
3 Viking expedition possibly friendly
4 Viking beserkers on mad killing spree
5 Ice Mummy in sarcophagi awaits intruders
6 Ogre hunter feeling hungry
7 Ogre band looking for battle
8 Spirit in shaman relic tries to possess intruder for quest
9 Ice goblin war band with harpoons with lines
10 Albino Hobgoblin tribals with clubs offended by intruders
11 Ice bugbear hunter up for meal or a good scare stalks party
12 Ice bugbear warriors stalking enemies detects party
13 Ice snake - a woolly furred anaconda lurks near doorway
14 Glacial rats size of small dogs in hungry pack
15 Frost hound seeks victims to terrify and drive into hazards
16 Orc tribal warriors with clubs and spears and axes
17 Ice troll patrolling for food or a good fight
18 Furious Ice ape attack
19 Ancient ghouls more bestial with 1d6 beak & claws, some feathered some furred
20 Troglodyte war band looking for victims
21 Dwarf vikings looking for giants to kill or a poetry battle
22 Frost salamander seeking hot targets to kill
23 Giant ice lizard lurking under snowbank
24 Polar bear follows party out of curiosity, might be tempted to ambush straggler
25 Eskimo tribesmen on heroic quest with wives and igloo offer hospitality
26 Morlock explorers looking for humanoid prey with muskets
27 Morlock with steam sled and long range musket
28 Lone wolf follows and howls for pack
29 Wolf pack ambush and try to chase away pack animals
30 Dire wolves spot and burst into a charge attack
31 Lost explorer just thawed out from frozen slumber
32 Were wolf pack offer peace then transform up close
33 Were polar bear viking looking for a new male companions to join
34 Were fox maiden offers party her warm yurt to rest in and food
35 Giant beavers at work on complex hide in water if party threaten them
36 Swan maidens relaxing by thermal heated pool
37 Giant Ice weasels stalk then swarm party
38 Ice scorpion blocks corridor
39 Giant albino carnivorous penguins
40 Shoggoth crying out for its long lost masters
41 Frozen old ones will revive if warmed
42 Winged hyperborean men with javelins and bows looking for adventure
43 Winged hyperborean wizard with wind magic assumes party are monsters
44 Ice giant savage looking for any food or things to make tools from
45 Ice giant youths looking to prove selves but not very determined
46 White Minotaur berserker out hunting for a good ice labyrinth
47 Ice Giant warrior in viking kit with steel arms and armour
48 Cave men tribals suspicious but possibly will trade
49 Cave men try to buy women or slaves if refuse stalk and try to steal
50 Cave man sorcerer, druid or shaman with pets
51 Cave men ladies offer free love
52 Cave men hunter friendly may act as guide
53 Were seals looking for love or dinner
55 Cave man hero with polar bear and magix axe hunting monsters
56 Wendigo possessed hunter tries to join party
57 Gop-keh an intelligent 6 legged woolly rhino with claws and teeth
58  Ice statues guarding door or item attack
59 Ice golem on insane killing spree but very slow
60 Wendigo cult seeking sacrifices and mates for canibalistic ritual
61 Snow golem horde ineffectively attack, weep as they die
62 Very very slow bronze golem stalks party
63 Giant eel attacks from under frozen ice
64 Abominable snowmen chase party for food
65 Frozen zombies under ice spring to life
66 Ice skeletons with spears in formation guard the path
67 Ice elementalist seeks retainers to replace old ones for quest
68 Ice gnomes in deer sled offer food and directions
69 Arctic cat spirit
70 Sabre tooth snow leopard ambushes party
71 Woolly mammoth suspicious of humanoids (possible miniature variety)
72 Woolly rhino smells flesh eaters (possible miniature variety)
73 Auroch giant bull, chosen of a god hates 2-legs
74 Chimera hybrid of arctic species eg walrus-elk-lion
75 Were walrus warrior beserker
76 Elf hunter offers advice
77 Elf tribals offer food and sex
78 Were owl ambushes from above
79 Ice stirge owls swarm on party for blood
80 White raven bird men tribals like to chat and trade
81 Eyekiller demon, an owl-bear-snake with charm or energy beam eye rays
82 Small air elemental throws up white out snowstorm and attacks
83 Small water elemental bursts through ice to attack
84 Small ice elemental explodes through ice wall and attacks
85 Flightless carnivorous man sized birds with snow chamo hunting
86 Small ice elemental in ice maze, hides and creates walls behind party
87 Ice lions hunting but will follow from curiosity
88 Lesser Ice demon with trident looking for slaves
89 Ice Imp with snow goblin followers greedy for loot
90 Hyena men looking for scavenger food or will follow party and join next fight
91 Hyena man with huge hyenadon
92 Walrus guarding open waterhole suspicious party want to eat them
93 Ancient undead ice wizards who serve wendigo
94 Wendigo himself fills the sky and passes, causing a white out blizzard
95 Lion man hunter looking for heroic deeds and friends
96 Ice witch and her pets (perhaps reroll or a demon or chimera)
97 Cyclops men tribals with rocks and clubs, possibly with sheep or goats
98 Griffon Nest - parents increadibly hostile
99 Cyclops ice giant just wants pets and friends who never leave him
100 Spirit of ancient explorer asks heroes to finish a quest or return message to true love
Glacial Citadel Loot and Item Examples 1d20
1 – Bundle of valuable furs
2 – 1d6 cages of tiny furry critters with nice fur
3 – Bundle of traps and a skinners knife and salt
4 - Set of high quality butchers tools
5 - Collection of carved tusks
6 - 1d6 Vials of acid or oil or poison in leather sack
7 – Barrels of beer or whine from giants or vikings or explorers
8 - A delicious food supply of blubber, barley, dried seaweed, dried fish
9 – A weapon made from solid ice, lasts 24 hours if temp above zero
10 – Semiprecious stones or crystals or sea shells
11 - +1 weapon of fine quality flint or wood and hide shield or armour
12 - +1 Shield or piece of armour of stone age tech
13 - Cursed weapon of fine quality viking or caveman tech, some gigantic
14 – Bag of snowstorm – if released fills a hundred yards across with whiteout blizzard
15 - Bag of provisions, every day contains dried blubber, seaweed, barley and fish for one
16 - Magic Ice – keeps a cubic foot of stuff below zero
17 - +1 viking armour or weapon
18 - Bottled ice imp  will serve rescuer for a month
19 - Scroll of protection from cold charm, keep campsite at above zero
20 – Icicle javelin one use magical damage used by ancients as weapon

Stone Wizard Tower table 1d20
1 gateways to another worlds in arcane laboratory

2 ancient lich from the dawn age with lab and treasure
3 treasure with magical trap
4 treasure with magical curse
5 vat or apparatus with awakened monster spawn
6 collection of mummified long gone species
7 art gallery of ancient life in the stone city of wizards
8 zombie or ghoul guardians in finest stone age finery
9 ancient wizard ghost offers to enchant party items in return for a quest
10 mummy wizard with zombie concubines angry at intruders
11 huge collection of shrunken heads and sophisticated stone tech tools
12 undead mammoth guards bottom level, protects necromancers stone tablets
13 huge library of stone tablets of arcane lore and family trees of gods and spirits
14 hideous artifact of elder gods guarded by ancient familiar grown huge
15 still preserved bodies in huge apparatus, could be revived
16 stone and crystal sealed crypts with sleeping ancients
17 mummified corpses and resurrection apparatus with pits for failed attempts
18 gibbering white furred apes and evidence or breeding program gone wrong
19 magical summoning symbols for demons or elemental
20 magical relic to commune with long forgotten being

Barrow Mound Table 
1d20

1 remains of ancestral shrines
2 Skeletons with stone weapons

3 Zombi guards defending rich burial
4 Evil shadows arise from crypt to defend good relic
5 Barrow wight warrior and former hero wit magic blade
6 Wraith arises from pit to guard semi precocious stones

7 Minor spirits try to drive off intruders with fear aura
8 Spirit possesses intruder to for fill quest
9 Ghouls devouring graves furious at being disturbed
10 Elves have adopted the mound as entrance to kingdom
11 Goblinoids have adopted the mound as entrance to kingdom

12 Undead megafauna guardian of great treasure
13 Druids dwell here as guardians
14 Undead giant arises to punish intruders
15 Troll has a nest here hides under treasure and bone heap
16 Ogre lairs here with treasure from victims and barrow
17 Dragon or wyrm nest on treasure heap
18 Crawling with mischievous kobolds or gremlins
19 Occupied by monster or animal as lair
20  Dug up and defiled now Hag lair with potion filled cauldron

Monolith Table 
1d20
1 dream monolith dream of past rituals and contact a forgotten god

2 resurrection stone reincarnates body left on top plinth on henge anew
3 spirit stone contains entities looking to possess a body
4 faerie stone contains a hidden kingdom of elves, trolls, dwarves or other beings
5 market place where many beings meet to barter in peace
6 arcane monolith has spells inscribed
7 ritual instruction for blasphemous and horrible ritual to gain power
8 evil summoning spot for outer plane beings
9 summoning place for elemental beings
10 summoning place for elves, giants, other beings or even animals
11 calls beings from the stars
12 are living sleeping rock beings of wisdom and compassion 
13 are living sleeping rock beings that drink blood and crave worship
14 spirit rocks will talk if offered libations of drink and food offerings
15 a great celebration of peace and plenty mixed peoples celebrating
16  a great solemn feast to underworld and ancestral powers, outsiders unwelcome
17 a great blood letting ritual with many races participating
18 fresh remains of some great ritual here, some scavengers have come to pick remains
19 swarming with ancient stone age spirits and zombies enacting past lives
20 gateway to other world with opening ritual engraved

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