08.02 - Progress Point: Watchtower Compound Grounds

Scale: 10 ft.
PDF version forthcoming.

During the initial settlement of the Indigo River area, the settlers' compound rose up with surprising rapidity - credited at the time to instances of good fortune, in secret and in part this fortune was brought on by the eldritch intervention of a Chaotic patron. One of the settlers, a meek adviser to the elected leader, had secured the patronage of this entity with intent to pursue greater power stealing the Slaad magic rumored to ride the winds of change deep in the Bullywug Wild. His plan was thwarted, however, when he was betrayed - the Chaos entity claiming the souls it was promised prematurely under what appeared to be a seasonal storm - along with the corporeal shells for many therein, when a celestial alignment strengthened its connection to the material enough to take advantage of some unfortunate wording in their bond.

Since that day, the watchtower compound has been in decay - the surrounding countryside and farmsteads abandoned, sunken into the marsh - with only a strange hint of foreign miasma to hint at what underground powers forestall the collapse of the larger buildings at the compound, themselves.

The Watchtower Compound

Wandering Monsters

During the day, the compound is eerily silent. An odd disquiet permeates the atmosphere - radiating from the earth like heat haze on the horizon. As such, there will be no wandering monsters within the compound during the day. At night, on the other hand, there is a 2-in-6 chance of an encounter every hour, rolled on the following D66 table:

d60	Encounter	d6	Detail
1	Angry Dead	1	Relentless Dead: 1-4 Coffer Corpses (FF 11)
		2	1 Poltergeist (FF 73)
		3	3-12 Skeletons (B 42)
		4	4-16 Manes (MM 17)
		5	2-8 Zombies (B 44)
		6	1-6 Lemure (MM 23)
2-3	Corruption of Nature	1	Needler Golem: 1 Needleman (FF 67)
		2	2-12 Infected Rodent: as Giant Rat (B 41), except that any character bitten thereby must Save vs Poison or the wound festers and will not heal without magic.
		3	Grasping Roots: Roots come up from the ground and grasp at any character within 10 feet of a provided center point. Characters must Save vs Paralysis or be grasped, suffering 1-3 points of damage per round until they can escape.
		4	Shifting Muck: a section of space, 10 feet in rough diameter, which moves at a speed 60' (20').
		5	Corrupted Mist: a drizzle starts to fall that reeks of Chaos, lasting 1d4 minutes. For each minute a character is exposed, they must Save vs Poison or be corrupted: suffering a -2 penalty on all saves until healed.
		6	1-6 Thoul (B 43)
4-5	Shade of the Past	1	A female human appears in a window and dumps a bucket of refuse onto the party as though she is unaware of their presence. Just before it is set to hit, she - and the falling effluvium - vanish.
		2	A series of dog barks can be heard in the distance, perhaps behind a building. Pack animals may be startled. No dog can be found.
		3	In a nearby window, a male human can be seen fastening a vest or shirt. He cannot hear the party if they attempt to interact - and when he finishes, he leaves the room in which he was spotted, disappearing as he crosses the threshold of the door.
		4	Children can be seen playing - swinging on a rope swing; digging in the mud; running past a gate, opening and closing it; etc. - but after a few rounds, or if the party interacts with them, they vanish. The articles with which they were playing remain - still moving from inertia; bone-cold to the touch.
		5	Free-roaming livestock - such as a goat or chickens - crosses the path of the party, wandering behind a post or building. If the party follows, the apparition has vanished.
		6	The wind picks up for a few rounds - blustering tumultuously - during which time all dilapidation of buildings and equipment in the compound appears to vanish: some doors open and close, some windows as well, with no one there to be operating them - and a strangely wrong cooking scent emanates from the kitchen. At the end of the few rounds, the wind dies - and with it, the compound returns to its previous state with no evidence to suggest the interruption.
6	Helpful Dead	1	A shade of the past appears, speaking asking about a randomly determined part of the compound. If they have not been there, it will describe that building to them - enough to make a rudimentary map, excluding secrets.
		2-3	A shade of the past appears from the nearest building. It will give a hint to the party regarding the location of one of the treasure elements in the building from which it is emerging - or a randomly determined building if the place it emerges from contains no treasure. This can be direct (for example, the ghost is agitated: indicating it has lost a ring, but it is sure it left it there...) or indirect (two specters, one indicating to the other that it has secured away its stash in a certain hiding place) - this is at the discretion of the GM.
		4-5	A shade of the past appears, speaking asking about a randomly determined part of the compound. If they have not been there, it will warn them - typically of a rumor it heard or a curiosity it has - regarding one of the traps or terrain hazards therein.
		6	A shade appears - perturbed - from the nearest building. It will communicate to the party about a monster or group of monsters in the building: typically in distress or surprise, as that isn't the way the shade remembers it.

Guard Shack

P1 - Guard Shack This 10x10 shack has windows with storm shudders on all sides; they are open - the ones on the south face having been torn off. The door is ajar. Inside the shack is a trapdoor leading to C15 partially covered by hay - decayed from time and wet. There are hooks on the walls designed to hold some form of absent tools. 2-8 Zombie Bullywugs repine in the space. Stats as Bullywug (FF 16), but mindless with undead traits, re: Zombie (B 44).

The Well-house

P2 - Well House The doors to this space are half-doors: that is, the opening is the height of a standard door frame, but the door, itself, is only as tall as the waist. Inside is a well. The well has an odd shimmer to it - as though it were full of water, when it is evident that the well is dry. At night, any character can detect it - during the day, only Elves or otherwise magically-attuned creatures can detect it. If a character climbs down the well, through the shimmer, during the night, their appearance is altered to resemble the garb, equipment, etc. of original colonists. There is no change to its function - only its form - and the illusion wears off at sunrise - peeling away as the rays of the sun run down it.

Kitchen

P3 - Kitchen A disused hearth collects moss on the east wall. Some cutlery, pans remain - rusted through in the salt air. The north door is locked; the south door is stuck, but has a break in it such that a character can see inside if they peek. Otherwise empty.

The Lumber-house

L1 - The Mill

On the south side, a whipsaw - aged, but still sharp - is suspended above a saw pit. On the north side, a pile of timber is slowly being reclaimed and rotted by nature.

The saw pit is unstable. A character moving close enough to inspect it has a chance to trigger a collapse - saving or falling into the pit. The fall is 1d6 damage; if a natural 1 is rolled, they catch themselves on the saw - dealing another 1d4 damage and causing Lockjaw.

Concealed in the timber pile is a lockbox containing 300 gold pieces.

L2 - Filing Room

On the east wall, a peg-board is half-full of rusted tooling. In the west side of the room, a workspace for a saw filer: including a curious bicycle-like contraption - pedals for spinning a whetstone, which is attached firmly on the north side to a wooden arm; loosely attached to a wooden arm on the south side - and in which is sitting a skeleton. If a character attempts to use the spinning whetstone, it will work, but throws up a yellow-orange dust: exposing anyone in the western part of the room - Save vs. Poison or start hacking blood: 1d3 damage every turn for 1d4 turns.

Doors to L3 and L4 are both stuck, swolen from humidity.

L3 - Sawmaster's Quarters

A work bench, bunk, and chest of drawers adorn this room. The bunk has fallen through - only the frame stands - and the chest of drawers has collapsed in on itself. At the work bench - someone is sanding a wooden article.

• If the party is investigating during the day, they will hear an exasperated groan if they enter the room: at the end of the groan, the sanding stops.
• If the party is investigating at night, they will see a semi-spectral human - a skeleton which is partly covered in "flesh" made from marsh silt and skin. It will express anger at being interrupted and attack, stats as Wood Golem (X 32), excepting it is not vulnerable to fire and it is over 5 feet in height: the size of a standard human.

The wooden article is undefineable - that is, it is either not complete enough or is being carved into a foreign enough element that the party will not recognize what it is. Rummaging through the bunk material that has fallen through will reveal a sack containing six silver figurines worth 10 gold pieces each.

L4 -  Storage

Several crates, a shovel, ruined axe heads, a leather apron, and a spare blade are stowed in this closet. In the front pouch of the leather apron is a purse containing 200 silver pieces and a mechanical pocket watch - still running. If removed from the compound, it will wind down as normal - requiring winding once every other day or so to keep proper time. If it is not removed, it will continue to run indefinitely. The watch is worth 200 gold pieces.

The Smithy

S1 - Smithy

Blacksmithing equipment is strewn about this space - water barrel, forge, tongs, hammers, etc. - with crates, some broken; others intact, on the western side. The forge is lit and a Tuatara (B 37) is basking by it. The lizard's eyes are glazed over - no pupils - and it will ignore the party if they leave it alone. It sits atop a weapons crate, however, which is emitting a glow.

Inside the crate is a magic sword: +3 versus undead or Chaotic extra-planar entities, but -1 against any living or natural foe. It glows, as the Light spell, if any undead are within 60 feet.

If the Tuatara is slain, the forge goes out - unceremoniously extinguished - and the lizard turns to ash. If the forge is extinguished prior to the Tuatara being slain, its pupils return and it must make a morale check.

S2 - Smith's Lodging

Two ruined cots and a rack for hanging adorn this room. The doors, on ingress, are not locked - but if the party enters, the doors both close behind them, locking themselves. There are windows on the north face, but the shutters are overgrown with vines, preventing them from opening.

The Barn

Level 1

1B1 - Entrance

All doors in this room are locked. In the center of the room is a hanging lighting fixture, damaged, casting a refracted glow across the room with no light source behind it. Any character entering the room must Save vs Spells or look up, entranced. This entrancement will last 1d4 hours - the character simply staring at the ceiling - unless interrupted. Damage suffered immediately breaks the trance; being physically removed from the presence of the glow reduces the remaining duration of the trance to 1d4 minutes.

The stairwell leads to 2B1.

1B2 - Record Room

A simple desk flanked by two crumbling open cabinets lined with ruined ledgers. The desk has a locked lockbox underneath it, bolted to the floor. Inside the lockbox is 200 gold pieces and well as 10 charms made of white gold - worth 5 gold pieces each.

1B3 - Storage

The door to this room is two-fold; opening on the top, bottom, or both at a time. Inside are decayed elements - including some agricultural equipment, but also sailing tack. Lying about the folderol are 3 Zombies (B 44) - one of which is under a toppled lateen sail. One zombie is wearing a signet ring, worth 500 gold pieces, and a pearl necklace (600 gold pieces).

Searching the room reveals a burlap sack with 200 silver pieces, a golden figurine worth 250 gold pieces, 5 flawless sapphires worth 50 gold pieces each, and a lockbox with poison needle trap that contains a decorative cigarette holder inlaid with precious stones and intricately carved (worth 1,200 gold pieces), and a similarly styled tobacco case, capacity roughly six cubic inches (worth 1,400 gold pieces).

1B4 - Main Barn

Molded hay is strewn about this open space. There is a double-door gate before an eight foot high entry, but it is only four feet in height and the north door is ajar. The stairwell leads to 2B8 - there is no banister.

During the day, the room is empty, except a dry-rotting saddle. At night, it is occupied by a single Nightmare (MM 74).

1B5 - Garage

A single-door gate, four feet high before an eight foot high entry, is stuck. A wagon - the wheels detached, one axle broken, sits in the north alcove of the room. In the east alcove, a broken work table and some rusted iron fastenings and spikes common to vehicle construction.

Stairwell leads to 2B9. There is a banister, but the upper part appears to have been broken off.

1B6 - Wreckage

This room is filled with broken furniture, some farm implements, and cobwebs. In the south-west corner - if the party looks - is a small clay statue with a silver pendant (valued 20 gold pieces) placed in front of it.

Level 2

2B1 - Common Room

Remains of what appears to be a sitting room. A small stove sits in the eastern alcove; the center of the space contains dusty and derelict spartan furniture. A Smoke Mephit (FF 64) occupies the space: appearing to live in the stove. Bound to the warlock who was betrayed, it was a go-between for said warlock and his patron. Caught off-guard by the sudden betrayal leading to the downfall of the colony, it was unable to accomplish an errand - placing an article by the wall of souls - as the mystic nature of the underground wards it from entry. It is weary of this entrapment in the material plane.

2B2 - North West Bunk

Two sets of bunk beds and a rust stain where a stove might once have been adorn this room. Against the east wall is a mirror and vanity. If a female character walks past the mirror and sees their reflection, they will see themselves wearing a set of emerald earrings - they can reach into the mirror and remove them, the earrings are worth 170 gold pieces, net. If the earrings are removed from the mirror, the mirror shatters.

2B3 - Broom Closet

A single skeleton (B 42) stands amid dry, unused cleaning supplies.

2B4 - South West Bunk

Two sets of bunk beds and a crushed stove adorn this space. Inside, at night, 6 Skeletons (B 42) "cook" something in an empty pan over the cold stove; during the day, the room is empty.

2B5 - South East Bunk

Three sets of bunk beds and a rusted stove adorn this space. There is a desk against the south wall, crumpled in on itself. In the north-east corner, there is an end table, on which is a broach - its central stone resembling a frog's eye.

The floor by the end table is not stable. A character coming within reaching distance of the frog's eye broach has a chance of collapsing the floor - falling into 1B1 and taking 1-6 damage. If the falling character is in Chainmail or heavier armor, or is laden with treasure, they will likewise break through the floor of 1B1 - taking a further 1-6 damage as they are pierced by floorboards.

If the frog's eye broach is removed from the watchtower compound, the central eye vanishes: but the broach is still worth in the vicinity of 100 gold pieces.

2B6 - North East Bunk

A single large bed frame with dusty linens occupies this space. A standing rack has several suits of clothing on it - all stylish in years past. Otherwise empty.

2B7 - Coat Room

Several coats of sizes varying from child to adult - worn and eaten by moths - are hung in this space. A single Shadow (B 41) hides in this space. Rummaging through the pockets of the coats renders 400 silver pieces.

2B8 - North Loft

The floors of this space creak loudly, the weight of long-decayed hay and straw against a pernicious damp having weakened the floorboards. In the space, a lone Violet Fungi (MM 42) grows amid 6 Shrieker (MM 87) fungus. Against the west wall is a locked chest containing 1,000 silver pieces, 500 gold pieces, two long outdated almanacs, and a book hand-written in a script and language none can read or understand.

2B9 - South Loft

On the east side, spare parts and farming equipment rust slowly. On the west side, barrels - dry, but with odd residue inside - accompany damaged crates containing inexplicably un-rotted grain. The grain, if removed from the compound, will turn to dust. Occupying the room are 6 Infected Rats, as Giant Rat (B 41), except that any character bitten thereby must Save vs Poison or the wound festers and will not heal without magic.

The Charter House

Level 1

1C1 - Foyer

From the outside, the front door is boarded up and storm shudders on windows are closed.

What once must have been a grand foyer - or, grand, at least, for a border colony - has been reduced to squalor: the rug being torn and moth-eaten, furniture wrecked, and the walls stained. Inside are 9 Manes (MM 17): the source of the destruction.

The stairwell leads to 2C1.

1C2 - Sitting Room

A small fireplace is embedded, unused, in the north wall. There are two chairs thrown on the floor and a sizeable dark patch on the ground where a carpet once was, the sun having bleached the wood around it.

1C3 - Keeper's Quarters

A simple bed, small fireplace, and two chests of drawers occupy this room. The door to it is locked and barred. On the far side of the door is a tripwire, which if activated, fires a crossbow - THAC0 18, 1-6 damage - from above the door frame in the south-west corner.

1C4 - North Quarters

This room is totally barren except for a sigil carved into the floor and a bucket of liquid mercury. If the mercury is pored into the sigil under either a new or full moon, it can be used to cast - as a ritual - the Commune spell. If poured during the day, it will sit in the grooves for 1d4 rounds, then uniformly and universally seep into the floorboards.

1C5 - Outer Quarters

This room is largely barren - with several limbs of broken furniture pieces littering the north wall. There appears to have been damage to the floor: as though something had broken through it into the room - but through the hole can only be seen the building's shallow crawlspace and dirt.

If visiting at night, a spectral garden grows from the hole: which the party can pluck without penalty. There will be 2d4 plants resembling squash in addition to sawgrass and spectral dogweed: if the ingested, a squash will have one of six different possible effects:

Roll Effect 1 Regain 1d6 hit points. 2 Increase the modifier of a randomly determined ability by +1. 3 Gain a +2 bonus to one randomly determined saving throw.

Roll Effect 4 Gain infravision, 30 feet. 5 Movement rate increases by +30' (+10'). 6 All attacks now count as magical for the purposes of damage reduction or special enemies.

The spectral produce disappears when the sun rises. Any non-hit-point related effects likewise fade with the dawn.

1C6 - Inner Quarters

This room contains a ruined bed, a fireplace in one wall, and a single Lemure (MM 23) repining and groaning therein.

Level 2

2C1 - Hallway

This cramped hallway is dimly lit - a window on the east wall being covered by an overgrown shutter. The top step of the stairwell from 1C1 unstable - if stepped on, there is a chance it will give way and cause the top five feet of the stairs to collapse. Characters on those stairs may fall, suffering 1-6 points of damage.

2C2 - North East Guestroom

In this room is a bed - very worn - a fireplace, and a wooden stool. Tied down to the bed and immobilized is a Coffer Corpse (FF 19). The Coffer Corpse has a leather strap around its neck which runs through a Ring of Weakness (B 49).

There is a satchel on the stool containing 2,000 copper pieces.

2C3 - North West Guestroom

A bed, the frame broken, a chest of drawers, the drawers missing, and a small fireplace, its base blanketed in ash, adorn this room. It is otherwise empty.

2C4 - Center Guestroom

A bed in this room has been propped against the door - sticking it. The storm shutters are closed. There is a small fireplace on the west wall, blocked by a chair stuffed into it. On the floor, there is evidence of scratching.

Near the window, one board is false. Lifting the board up reveals a hidden stash underneath, containing 900 silver pieces and six jade spheres, worth 10 gold pieces each.

2C5 - South West Guestroom

A bed, fireplace, and end table occupy this room. A Tuatara (B 37) is scrambling in the room - having gotten in through the window, but accidentally knocked the shutter shut and not knowing how to leave the room again.

2C6 - South East Guestroom

A small fireplace on the south wall, a worn, molded bed, and an end table occupy this room. There is a loose stone on the lower-left side of the fireplace: behind which is a hidden stash containing a jewelry box. Inside the jewelry box can be found five pieces:

A ring with a purple sapphire, flanked by small diamonds (1,300 gold pieces) A segmented gold bracelet with moonstones embedded in the center of each segment (1,100 gold pieces) A gold necklace with five gems: a spinel flanked by two rose quartz on each side (900 gold pieces)

A rosary made of pearl; the holy symbol, itself, white gold; and the line, thin silver chain. (900 gold pieces) A torque made of platinum, its ends a floral symbol of the kingdom to the north in gold (1,300 gold pieces)