Domicile Beyond the Caves

For a PDF version of this adventure, click HERE.

Regarding doors:

•		A door marked with the letter S is Secret.
•		A door marked with the likeness of a keyhole is Locked.
•		A door marked with the letter J is Jammed (stuck) and must be forced open.

Grid scale is 10 feet. Suitable for 1st or 2nd Level. 

A - Ground Level

A1 – Cave Entrance

Hidden away just beyond the light in a natural cavern, two oak doors hang firmly against a hewn section of cavern wall. One side of the door has a huge bee hive attached to it – holding it closed. Inside the hive can be found 1 Killer Bee Queen and 12 normal Killer Bees (B37).

A2 – Antechamber

Central to the following chamber is a circular pool of water beneath a vaulted ceiling – ten feet at the walls, 14 feet in the center of the vault – the pool, long stagnant, being suspiciously clear. About the walls are sculpted arches, ringing the room. Any item dipped in the water will emit a mysterious glow – half as effective as a torch for the purposes of illumination, but lasting twice as long.

In addition, on the four corners of the southern section of the space are four columns. The columns reach the top of the wall, but are flat on the tops – meaning they jut out a bit from the wall as it rises. A character checking the north-east column-top will find a hidden sack containing 200 silver and 10 gold pieces.

A3 – Guard Chamber

The walls of this room are ringed by sculpted decorative arches akin to those in A2 – Antechamber. Standing at attention in a circle are five Skeletons (B42) – as if themselves the vertices on a pentagram.

A4 – Smoking Amphora

Filling the room are a number of tall amphora – three to four feet, positioned along the floor at random. From these pour a strange smelling smoke – partial opacity, but made worse by torchlight – which seems to hover in a layer, two feet from the floor on the bottom up to seven feet (or, three feet from the ceiling) at the top. The smoke is harmless.

To the west is a stairwell leading down to C1 – Grand Foyer – trapped. The fourth step down is on a spring-plate: chancing to trigger a scythe-like blade coming on the triggering stepper: THAC0 17, 1d10 damage. The trap resets itself after 1d3 turns.

A5 – Ceiling Mirror

Mounted at this point in the corridor is a large mirror – easily three feet by six – embedded in the ceiling. It reflects the ground below it, but is slightly dim: as though the backing has lost its luster. In reality, the mirror is a magical surface which can be climbed through as though diving into viscous liquid, exiting in C2 – Treasure Chamber.

A6 – Forgotten Store

To the north and south, heavy stone shelving – wide, as though to hold great volume or heavy cargo – sit empty of anything but dust. Two Giant Shrew (B42) rummage about the far side of the room; a skeleton wearing tattered but once colorful clothing sits on the far side of the north shelf as if dead in hiding from the door. On its person can be found 200 silver pieces.

A7 – Going Up

A spiral stair leads upward to B1 – Lookouts in the north-west portion of the space. On the east wall can be seen stone pegs, now empty, but once used to hold up weapons, armor, curtains or other hangings, hats – who knows? The room is otherwise empty.

A8 – Unknown Lair

Straw litters the floor – stale – but a strange, mildly unpleasant odor emanates from it, as though used for bedding for a wild thing. But whatever the thing is (or was), the room is empty.

A9 – Snake Den

Along the north portion of the room are lacquered wicker crates – atop which can be found dried flowers, slowly graying. Three barrels are stowed in the south-east corner. Among the foliage are repining four Spitting Cobra (B42): fat and happy from a recent meal.

B - Upper Rooms

B1 – Lookouts

Two Kobolds (B37) are keeping watch here. If they detect a party coming up the stairs from A7 – Going Up, they will alert the other Kobolds in B3 – Kobold Warren.

B2 – Dressing Room

Aging armoires can be found in the room, a rack for shoes and hats, as well as a mannequin of surprising longevity. While any of the clothing or adornments in the room have fallen into disrepair – the mannequin is semi-sentient: and while it cannot walk or otherwise depart the room, it will give fashion advice and feedback in a high, but slow and grinding voice emanating from nowhere: its face a blank, featureless oval.

B3 – Kobold Warren

Nesting material and other domestic folderol litter the room, a group of Kobolds (B37) having taken refuge here. One Chieftain is accompanied by 4 Bodyguards, alongside 6 standard Kobolds. They are on the run from somewhere else – their destination not yet determined – having been ousted by Hobgoblins from their normal home.

Among them, they have 600 silver, 40 gold, and two gemstones that the Chieftain uses as ear ornamentation – worth 15 gold pieces each.

C - Lower Chambers

C1 – Grand Foyer

About the north and south walls is a belt of mosaic tiles, depicting a city of many buildings. On the floor, a thick carpet – moth eaten, but still functional and appealing – stretches towards the door on the east wall from the foot of a stairwell leading to A4 – Smoking Amphora.

Before the door float two glowing, floating scimitars – behind them, two glowing floating spears. The scimitars fight as HD2 constructs creatures, AC 6; the spears: HD1, AC 8 – they will not engage unless the party attempts to press past them to the door, signaling their intention by the spears crossing, blocking the door, if the party approaches within 15 feet.

C2 – Treasure Chamber

A horde has been placed in this room – in the north, a locked chest contains 700 silver, 200 gold, 3 fine-cut diamonds worth 100 gold pieces each, and five emeralds, 50 gold pieces each. In the south, several rugs and carpets (worth 20 to 80 gold pieces each, but weighting 120 coin weight) are bound and stacked beside a bowl brimming with incense (25 gold piece value). 

On the east wall, a large mirror – six feet by three – hangs: the reflection strangely dim: not tarnished, but not entirely right. The mirror is magical in nature and can be stepped through, as if diving into pudding: it will deposit the passer-through out the matching mirror in the ceiling of A5 – Ceiling Mirror.

Public domain images retrieved from OldBookIllustrations.com and the National Gallery of Art and adapted for thematic use. Attribution in alt text.