Knights & Knaves Alehouse

If I'm getting too gonzo with this, just let me know. It's easy to change the room title to "X20. EMPTY ROOM."

X20. ZOMBIE HYDRO-ANIMATOR - The walls, floor, and ceiling of this room are intricately graven with line upon line of odd, angular, glyphs. In the center of this chamber is a wide, raised, circular dais. A set of steps on the east side leads to the top of the platform. In the center is a man-shaped depression perforated with hundreds of tiny holes. Hinged iron shackles are located at the wrist, ankle, and head positions. In the ceiling, directly above the head position is a round hole. In the southeast corner of the room is a glass carboy filled with a syrupy fluid (the same as that found in the Necrotorium). Attached to the top of the carboy is a long metal pipe that is connected to a metal fitting in the ceiling above. Protruding from the floor in the northeast corned of the room is a single long metal lever with a squeeze-handle.

This elaborate device was the Necromantess' zombie creation machine. The glyphs covering the room are magical. They are a type of animate dead spell that only works in conjuction with this machine. If the water wheels at X46 are still jammed, the machine will be completely non-functional. If the water wheels are freed, the device may work to some degree. When the device is functional a live (or recently alive) subject must be placed in the depression on the top of the dais and the carboy filled with specially prepared zombie fluid. When the lever is squeezed and pulled, the shackles will close and lock. Then a metal apparatus will descend via the hole in the ceiling and extend 3 clear tubes that will insert themselves into the subject's mouth and ears. The zombie juice from the carboy is pumped into the subject via these tubes and by hundreds of fine metal cannulae that emerge from the perforation holes in the depression. When the process is complete, the apparatus restracts, and the shackles unlock.

The machine has not been used in decades. If it is somehow activated with a character or creature strapped in, the subject must make a system shock roll at -30% or die. If the subject survives the process, he will emerge as either a mindless zombie (90% chance) or (10% chance) a wight.

OK. Rule question. In the PHB, the description for "Polymorph Other" mentions system shocks for creatures and refers the reader to the section on Constitution. Unfortunately, that section doesn't actually say anything about System Shocks for creatures. Anybody know how this is properly adjudicated?

I think the intent in the spell description is that a monster's system shock percentage is DM choice/fiat, but to refer to the constitution section for general information about system shock.

While the DMG provides sample STR scores for monsters on page 15, it doesn't provide sample CON scores.

Using those STR scores for a guide, along with HD/HD bonuses (and racial bonuses and minimums/maximums for PC races), I'd hazard a guess for average CON scores as follows:

9 - elves
10 - half-elves; gnolls
11 - humans; hobgoblins
12 - gnomes; kobolds;
13 - half-orcs, ogres
14 - goblins, orcs, bugbears
15 - halflings
16 - dwarves

I'm not really sure that I'm that happy with the list, but it's something to work from. I did give some preference for smaller creatures to be higher in CON, and knocked gnolls down quite a bit from their STR average, since I seem them in particular as more diseased-ridden creatures (and let's face it Yeenoghu doesn't exactly look healthy, either, does he? ).

grodog wrote:While the DMG provides sample STR scores for monsters on page 15, it doesn't provide sample CON scores.

Using those STR scores for a guide, along with HD/HD bonuses (and racial bonuses and minimums/maximums for PC races), I'd hazard a guess for average CON scores as follows:

Thanks, Grodog. Since the rules on this point are so vague (both in OSRIC & AD&D), maybe I'll rework the mechanic outlined in the room description to avoid system shock all together.

Now, another rules related question. Is there an OSRIC equivalent of the Alu-Demon from MM2? I can't find one in either the OSRIC book or MoM. I want to use a spell-casting Alu-Demon for the Necromantess. She'll be trapped in a sort of "stasis" chamber, trying to regenerate herself, so PC's wont actually need to fight her unless they are really dumb and help her regenerate/escape. (Which she will, of course, try to get them to do.)

So, anyway, the Alu-Demon?

austinjimm wrote:If I'm getting too gonzo with this, just let me know. It's easy to change the room title to "X20. EMPTY ROOM."

No, not too gonzo

Since you're using a system shock roll at -30%, which ends up close to 50% for most subjects, maybe a different mechanic simplifies things. Brainstorming:
- 3-in-6 roll
- Just call it polymorph (as the spell), which hides the complexity, or lets refs using other games ignore the complexity. (This brings dispel-ability into the picture, which may not fit what you had in mind.)
- Saving throw
- Damage-based thing, like 1d6 x 1d6 (two d6 rolls multiplied together). If this kills the subject, it doesn't work.


Aside: Taking stock of all the runes/symbols/glyphs in the various rooms... Possibly need to have some common descriptor/element for the symbology of all the things that link to the water wheel (including the water wheel itself), to differentiate them from the symbology unrelated to the water wheel. I'll figure something out.

austinjimm wrote:Now, another rules related question. Is there an OSRIC equivalent of the Alu-Demon from MM2?

Go with an Alu-Demon for now. If we go with OSRIC as a publishing vehicle, we can write up a new OSRIC monster.

On that subject, we should nail down the publishing vehicle soon.

Jimm, Allan, Rebecca, what would you prefer? For AD&D or for OSRIC?

We can consider what other potential contributors prefer, once they contribute.

On the one hand, this was inspired by OSRIC's 10th Anniversary. On the other hand, the inspiration doesn't need to be overt in the final module, although a mention certainly doesn't hurt. Note that whereas making this an OSRIC+OGL module precludes the mention of AD&D, the reverse isn't true. A module for use with AD&D can mention that the effort was inspired by OSRIC's 10th anniversary.

Edit: Forgot to mention Rebecca on the question of AD&D vs. OSRIC.

I assumed we were using OSRIC, but I'm fine with whatever you want.

Guy Fullerton wrote:- Damage-based thing, like 1d6 x 1d6 (two d6 rolls multiplied together). If this kills the subject, it doesn't work.

Couldn't get this thought out of my head. Maybe it pumps negative energy into the body, via the fluid. Roll d6 x d6 to determine the amount of negative energy. If the subject's hit points exceed the negative energy, they are unaffected. If the negative energy exceeds their hp by 10+, the process kills them. Otherwise, they become undead.

Guy Fullerton wrote:

Guy Fullerton wrote:- Damage-based thing, like 1d6 x 1d6 (two d6 rolls multiplied together). If this kills the subject, it doesn't work.

Couldn't get this thought out of my head. Maybe it pumps negative energy into the body, via the fluid. Roll d6 x d6 to determine the amount of negative energy. If the subject's hit points exceed the negative energy, they are unaffected. If the negative energy exceeds their hp by 10+, the process kills them. Otherwise, they become undead.

If a character is dumb enough to strap himself in and turn it on he should be dead one way or the other, IMO.

EDIT: I mean, there's no chance of survival. They either come out dead or undead.

Makes sense. Not trying to push you a particular direction.

Guy Fullerton wrote:Makes sense. Not trying to push you a particular direction.

I'm thinking this shouldn't even be a player roll.
DM rolls d100.
25 or less, character is simply dead.
26-90 Character comes out a zombie.
91-00 Character comes out a wight.

EDIT: So, last paragraph of X20 room description should be changed to

The machine has not been used in decades. If it is somehow activated with a character or creature strapped in, the DM should roll d100:

01-25 Subject is simply dead.
26-90 Subject emerges as a mindless zombie.
91-00 Subject emerges as a wight.

Yeah, that's smooth.

Okay that it can potentially be attempted more than once per subject, assuming they keep getting the dead result? Once while living, then some number of times while they are still recently dead? Seems fine to me, especially since it looks like you'll be limiting the amount of fluid available.

On the Necromantess stasis, maybe involve spectral candles? I don't feel strongly about this; just throwing out the idea.

Guy Fullerton wrote:Okay that it can potentially be attempted more than once per subject, assuming they keep getting the dead result?

For sure!

Guy Fullerton wrote:On the Necromantess stasis, maybe involve spectral candles? I don't feel strongly about this; just throwing out the idea.

I'm not real happy with my current write-up for this encounter, so I might try something with your candle suggestion. When you say "spectral" are you using that term as it applies to the illusionist spectral force spell, or more generally?

austinjimm wrote:I'm not real happy with my current write-up for this encounter, so I might try something with your candle suggestion. When you say "spectral" are you using that term as it applies to the illusionist spectral force spell, or more generally?

It's a new specific thing for this module. The spectral candles have turned some things intangible. You can see, but not touch, those things; some obviously valuable, that the adventurers will probably want to get or manipulate. But the only way to get/manipulate the objects is to use a different sort of object (a prime rod) to make them tangible again.


Here's my current write-up:


(sidebar) SPECTRAL CANDLES vs. PRIME RODS

Some areas feature lit spectral candles, which turn themselves and other specific nearby objects intangible, with a ghostly/faded appearance. Each candle has an indicated percent left, which determines how ghostly/faded it and the other objects appear: 100% means completely transparent, 75% means mostly transparent, etc. Spectral candles naturally burn 1% every decade. When a spectral candle burns out completely, the other affected objects become tangible.

Arm-length metallic prime rods have multiple prongs ending in geometric shapes, one resembling a flame. A prime rod empathically supports its owner’s thoughts of using it to affect a spectral candle. “Touching” a lit spectral candle with a prime rod cancels some/all of the candle’s remaining plane-bending effect, burning it rapidly (subtract 25% from the candle’s remaining percent); so used, the prime rod crumbles to powder. Prime rods can similarly “touch” shadows, wraiths, etc., removing the undead creature’s immunity to normal weapons.


... and here's one example use:


X05. RUINED GREAT ROOM

East door smashed and splintered. Soiled tapestries on south wall depict nearby mountains. Scattered wooden furniture debris.

Spectral candle (45% left) affects all of: Fine woven carpet (120 gp) in the southwest corner, with the candle, a feline-shaped key (to the west door), and a clay cat statuette all resting on it.

Anyone entering draws the ire of the mountain lion in area X07.


... I placed a number of prime rods into various keyed locations, and there is (so far) one other spectral candle operating in the dungeon (X40). You can dig those up in the combined draft manuscript:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VCL ... sp=sharing


The Necromantress' stasis could be achieved (in part or in full) by a spectral candle. Or maybe she lit the spectral candle to keep herself protected (intangible) while revitalizing or whatever, knowing that it would burn out in a couple hundred years, and she would be ready to take action by that point. Or maybe something different entirely. Or maybe it doesn't even make sense to have a spectral candle in play in her stasis room. >shrug<

Guy Fullerton wrote:On that subject, we should nail down the publishing vehicle soon.

Jimm, Allan, Rebecca, what would you prefer? For AD&D or for OSRIC?

austinjimm wrote:I assumed we were using OSRIC, but I'm fine with whatever you want.

Like Jimm, I assumed this would be written for OSRIC. It seems silly to me to write a module celebrating OSRIC's 10th anniversary and not to use OSRIC's rules for it