I promised my players that I would post my adventure notes for this side adventure after I finished running it. I also thought it might be fun for other DMs to get a feel for what they can do with the adventure ideas Dragon provides each month in its Savage Tidings articles. This one is a bare bones side trek adventure based on the ideas in issue #349, pg. 80 that could be developed into quite a sprawling dungeon crawl if anyone were inclined to finish what I started or just use it as a springboard for their own ideas.
Anyway, enjoy! And remember this is very bare bones and some of the ELs were intended for my group of 7 players so they're a bit higher. A couple other encounters are simply not meant to be taken on. Overall, this dungeon follows a concept, not a tailored series of encounters for a specific level. However, the initial encounters are intended for a large group of 4th level PCs.
If you like it, use it, steal or borrow from it, or just use it for inspiration.
Dungeon of Rust and Fire
A Savage Tide Adventure Path side adventure by Stephen S. Greer
High in a stony alpine valley stands the massive Dungeon of Rust and Fire, a windowless pillar of jagged, rusting metal. No paths lead to or from this monument, but those tracing the Emerald River to its subterranean headwaters occasionally catch a glimpse of the tower outlined against the sky. Several of these tributaries spring forth from caves and tunnels which burrow endlessly into the earth, some large enough to admit a person, and deep thrumming and clanking noises grow louder the deeper one explores.
At night, the top of the silent tower erupts in periodic bursts of flame, and close to dawn spindly, insect-like forms can sometimes be seen moving ponderously around its base, several stories high and glinting metallically. It’s at these times that the streams feeding the Emerald run black or red, with fish floating belly-up or bearing strange mutations.
Though scholars who have studied the tower from afar believe it to be somehow related to the ruined gnomic enclave of Jzadirine in Cauldron, perhaps a project left unfinished in the wake of the Vanishing, such conjecture has yet to be supported, and the few who have braved the mountainsides for a closer look have not returned.
—Savage Tidings: Beyond Sasserine, Dragon 349
The tower atop this mountain peak some 50 miles south of Sasserine is a venting shaft for an enormous iron factory deep beneath the earth. It is powered by water turbines, iron golems, massive furnaces, and enslaved duergar miners. The factory once supplied the gnomish enclave of Jzadurine beneath Cauldon with its marvelous mechanical wonders. However, the same mysterious cause for the Jzadurine gnomes’ disappearance also claimed the gnomes of this factory which at that time was called Rhexchlon. Years later, a gnome artificer learned of this place. His name was Paralane Goldhammer.
Paralane was the first of any living beings to enter Rhexchlon. He found what he had hoped to find and much, much more. Responding to the first gnome to enter the subterranean factory in long years, the construct workers began to once more operate the complex machines, fire up the forge, and help Paralane create anything he desired.
Paralane was obsessed with discovering the mystery of life and perfecting its flaws. At first he made more construct guardians and workers, but he began delving into augmentation on living creatures. His first experiments were on the duergar that he had managed to enslave to mine for iron ore which he needed for his creations. He then began applying his experiments on himself.
After so many years of self-artifice, Paralane barely resembles his former self. He is now a half-golem driven by creating the “perfect being”. He has not yet attained his goal, but he continues to work at with unfailing dedication.
The rest of this adventure is a simple draft of some ideas I had, but only developed a bare beginning for. Since my group asked for an adventure they could get their next level from, I only wrote enough to give them a hint at what might be hidden beneath the lofty iron tower that rises from the top of the mountain and perhaps plant a seed to make them want to revisit it at some future time. Feel free to go whatever way you want with this if you decide to use it. The rest assumes the players have made the journey there and have scaled the mountain peak the iron tower rises from.
1. THE EXHAUST SHAFT (EL 5)
A massive shaft of pitted and rusted iron juts out of the rocky mountainside. It rises nearly 200 feet into the air, tapering towards its jagged tip.
The iron shaft is 1 ft. thick (hp 360, hardness 10) and 180 ft. tall. It is 50 ft. in diameter at its base and tapers to 25 ft. at its top. It may be scaled with a DC 15 Climb check as there are plentiful hand and footholds. A PC touching the iron shaft may feel a slight vibration coming from it.
From the top of the shaft it is a 20 ft. drop down to a thick metal grill hinged down the middle (2 in. thick, hp 60, hardness 10). A locked trapdoor in the grill (Open DC 30) towards its outer edge allows access to an iron ladder descending 20 ft. to another identical grill 5 ft. below its bottom rungs. The second grill is nearly identical to the first one, but the seem down the middle is a trap. Any weight greater than 30 lbs. placed on the grill causes it to drop out like a huge trappdoor. From there it is a 100 ft. drop to another iron grill.
A locked trapdoor (Open DC 30) in the second grill opens onto a chain ladder that descends to the last grill 100 ft. below (Climb DC 10).
Hinged Grill Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); multiple targets (all targets on 15-ft. diameter grill); Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 20
2. VENTING THE FLAMES (EL 5)
At 10 pm, 12 pm, and 2 am each night, flames shoot from the top of the exhaust shaft as the raging furnace deep beneath the earth builds up intense heat and pressure and must be vented. Anyone in the shaft during this time is subject to the scorching flames that may very well incinerate them.
Exhaust Shaft Flames: CR 5; mechanical; timed trigger; automatic reset; flames (4d6/round, fire, DC 25 Reflex save half damage); multiple targets (all targets in shaft); onset delay 5 rounds; Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 30
3. THE BASE OF THE TOWER
A large iron grill affixed to the inside of the iron tower straddles a gaping pit 10 ft. below it. The stonework is blackened as if by fire. In fact, a faint flickering glow can be seen coming from the depths of the hole. At one side of the grill, an opening reveals metal stairs descending past the scorched pit.
This iron grill is much sturdier than the others the PCs have encountered up to this point (6 in. thick, hp 360, hardness 20, Break DC 70).
4. IRON MAN (EL 7)
The iron staircase descends into a large room of hewn stone and iron. A huge metal door appears to be the only exit.
The metal door (2 in. thick, hp 60, hardness 10, Break DC 30, Open DC 30) is guarded by a
nimblewright created by the gnome artificer deep below this room.
Creature: The nimblewright calls itself Sir Steelheart and imagines itself as the lone guardian holding off vast forces of evil from entering the “castle” beyond the metal door. Something he read in a book down below in the living quarters adjacent to the factory. It hails the PCs as minions of the vast hordes of evil and warns them that they may not pass. If treated diplomatically, it converses with the PCs suspiciously, but maintains its position guarding the door.
If the nimblewright hears the PCs coming it casts altar self to appear as a human warrior with golden eyes in bright plate mail wielding rapiers in both hands. It then casts all of its other spells and keeps them active until the PCs are defeated or withdraw.
Nimblewright Guardian CR 7
CN Medium Construct
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3
Languages Common, Gnomish
AC 24, touch 17, flat-footed 17 Dodge, Mobility
hp 75 (10 HD)
Immune construct; SR 27
Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +6
Weakness cold effects slow the nimblewright for 3 rounds, fire effects stun it for 1 round
Spd 40 ft.
Melee 2 rapiers +12 (2d6+5/15-20)
Base Atk +5; Grp +10
Atk Options Spring Attack, tripping thrust, Improved Disarm, Combat Reflexes
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
At will–alter self, cat's grace, entropic shield, feather fall, haste
Abilities Str 20, Dex 24, Con --, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 19
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Mobility, Spring Attack,
Weapon Finesse
Skills Balance +9, Jump +19, Listen +3, Spot +3, Tumble +22
Tripping Thrust (Ex): A nimblewright's rapier-hand attacks are powerful enough to push over creatures its own size or smaller. An opponent who is the target of a successful critical hit from a nimblewright must make a Reflex save (DC 19) or be knocked prone as if tripped.
Tactics: The nimblewright uses its speed and Spring Attack feat to move around the room quickly attacking any PCs that are being the most obtuse or causing the most trouble. It focuses its attacks on foes attempting to get past the door.
While under the effects of cat’s grace and haste the nimblewright’s stats are changed as follows: AC 27, touch 20, flat-footed 18; 2 rapiers +15 melee; Ref +13.
Treasure: A few other explorers have come this far over the years only to be slain by the nimblewright guardian. The bodies have been disposed of. However, their gear is piled in a corner of this room. It consists of +1 studded leather armor, a masterwork heavy steel shield (formerly owned by Joe the paladin of Zilchus), 3 masterwork daggers, a +1 coldsteel longsword with owls in flight along its blade and an owl with diamond eyes for a pommel, +1 bastard sword (formerly owned by Joe the paladin of Zilchus), a sack of mixed coins worth 2,566 gp, and a small mithral breastplate.
5. THE ELEVATOR (EL VARIABLE)
Beyond the metal door, a platform extends out into a hewn stone shaft descending into darkness. A series of pulleys and hooks are bolted into the ceiling 20 ft. above you. Taught iron chains affixed to the complex mechanism in the ceiling disappear into the darkness.
A casual Search (DC 10) of the platform reveals a metal lever affixed to the wall just inside the doorway. At the moment it is pointed down. By pushing it up, a grinding sound begins and the chains and mechanism in the ceiling begin moving. After ten rounds, a 15-ft.-by-15-ft. metal lift appears from the darkness below the PCs. It rises until it is even with the platform.
A DC 15 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check allows the PCs to identify the lift as such and that the lever in the wall causes it to either go up or down. It can hold 8 medium sized creatures or one and a half tons. Putting more weight than that on the lift has a cumulative 5% chance of causing it to collapse for each 15 ft. it moves up or down the shaft.
The shaft is 200 ft. deep.
If the lift collapses under too much weight, all creatures on it can make DC 20 Reflex saves to grab onto something and avoid falling.
A metal lever at the bottom of the shaft next to another metal door identical to the one at area 4 operates the elevator from there.
6. CHAMBER OF THE BRASS BEETLE (EL 7)
The door opens into a large chamber of hewn stone lined with rusty iron slabs. A pair of corridors exits the chamber in opposite directions. The center of the room is occupied by a huge beetle made of polished brass. The top of the construct is nearly 15 ft. high.
Creature: This massive beetle shaped construct was designed to perform repairs on the metalwork of the dungeon, but also doubles as a guardian against trespassers into this room. It crawls up the exhaust shaft when necessary and uses its ray of fire to repair damages to its exterior, smoothing any deep pockmarks created from part of the metal flaking away from the elements and the intense heat from the nightly fires.
Brass Beetle CR 7
N Huge Construct
Monster Manual 14
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0
Languages Understands Gnomish
AC 13, touch 7, flat-footed 13
hp 84 (8 HD); Hardness 10
Immune construct traits
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -3
Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee slam +9 (2d6+7)
Ranged ray of fire +3 ranged touch (4d6, fire)
Base Atk +6; Grp +19
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Atk Options trample 2d6+7
Abilities Str 20, Dex 8, Con –, Int –, Wis 1, Cha 1
SQ construct traits, hardness 10, improved speed
Skills Climb +13
Ray of Fire (Ex): The brass beetle can create a ray of fire from its mouth as a standard action. The ray can be up to 30 ft. long. Any creature hit with the ray on a successful ranged touch attack takes 4d6 fire damage.
Trample (Ex): The brass beetle can trample creatures two or more sizes smaller than itself, dealing 2d6+7 damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the brass beetle can attempt DC 19 Reflex saves to halve this damage.
7. PIT OF ELEMENTAL FIRE
The short hall ends at a large spiral staircase. The stairs wind downward with a thick round window every so often looking into a fire filled pit. The flames seem alive, blowing fiercely against the windows as you near them.
The massive pit is filled with magical fire sucked from the Elemental Plane of Fire. It provides the heat necessary for the forge from which the gnome half-golem creates many of his mechanical contraptions. The PCs are safe on the staircase. The windows are made of magical treated glassteel.
8. GEAR CHAMBER (EL 15)
Hundreds of gears of all sizes grind against each other in a screeching, rumbling cacophony. Here and there, massive iron humanoids oil the gears or use strange tools to tighten or loosen them. The air feels extremely hot, almost unbearably so.
There is no apparent exit from the vantage point of the stairs the PCs are coming from.
Attempting to snoop around looking for one is an invitation to die. The room is indeed very hot. Every minute the PCs spend here they must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or take 1d6 points of non-lethal damage. The save DC increase by 1 every minute.
Creatures: There are a total of 4 iron golems in this room. Their main purpose is to keep the gears turning and working properly. However, if they notice the PCs here, they attempt to slay them.
Iron Golem (4): hp 129 each; Monster Manual 136
Development: A massive metal door exits the room on the far side. It is locked and is identical to the one at area 4 except the Open Lock DC is 40. The gears in the room operate the forge machines and open the valve to the exhaust shaft.
9. THE MINES (EL 5)
The corridor slopes downward to a massive metal door with a thick lock. Faded bas-relief designs on the door hint at humanoids with picks.
Beyond the metal door (same as area 4), is a mine complex that could take days to fully explore. It is populated by enslaved duergar miners. As the PCs investigate the mines, they initially encounter groups of 5-6 duergar armed with heavy picks. The number of duergar encountered increases the further the PCs explore the mines.
The duergar dig for iron ore, gold, and silver which the PCs will see raw samples of in the mining carts the creatures have filled. The carts are taken up a lift like the one at area 5 to a refinery for use in the forge.
Duergar Miners (?): hp 9; Monster Manual 91
Development: Perhaps iron golems patrol the mines or other automatons like nimblewrights; possibly even half-golem duergar that are beyond caring for their own kind; all of these crafted by Paralane himself, of course.
The mines and its slave masters are up to you to develop further.
|
After so many years of self-artifice, Paralane barely resembles his former self. He is now a half-golem driven by creating the “perfect being”. He has not yet attained his goal, but he continues to work at with unfailing dedication.
I like this (and if/when I can run the Savage Tide, I'll see about getting the PCs into it) and I wanted to contribute that a perfect prestige class for Paralane is Renegade Mastermaker (Magic of Eberron, p 81).
That's a really cool pic, Ninjack. Exactly what I had in mind. I'll have to check that book out. Thanks.
I now understand why your players never went beyond Sir Steelheart :)). It's a perfect illustration of a non linear campaign.
Keep it coming ! :)
Bran
Just wanted to drop in and say how much I enjoy seeing people do stuff with the Dungeon of Rust and Fire... I always thought that was the most interesting location on the Sasserine regional map.
Good job on all of the adventure hooks in that article, James. That thing was overflowing with 'em! Oh, and I forgive you for "rend"ing my latest attempt at a CW article :\
I promised my players that I would post my adventure notes for this side adventure after I finished running it. I also thought it might be fun for other DMs to get a feel for what they can do with the adventure ideas Dragon provides each month in its Savage Tidings articles. This one is a bare bones side trek adventure based on the ideas in issue #349, pg. 80 that could be developed into quite a sprawling dungeon crawl if anyone were inclined to finish what I started or just use it as a springboard for their own ideas.
Anyway, enjoy! And remember this is very bare bones and some of the ELs were intended for my group of 7 players so they're a bit higher. A couple other encounters are simply not meant to be taken on. Overall, this dungeon follows a concept, not a tailored series of encounters for a specific level. However, the initial encounters are intended for a large group of 4th level PCs.
If you like it, use it, steal or borrow from it, or just use it for inspiration.
Many thanks for posting this Steve! My party is retiring one PC before starting SWW, and needs a replacement. I plan to use this as a side adventure to fill that gap.
The one little change I'm going to make is that Paralane has actually succeeded in making his 'perfect being' - and has created a small group of Warforged (accidently though - he's trying madly to figure out how he did it). The intent will be for the PCs to stumble upon them, realize that they are anything but normal constructs, and try to free them.
The problem is that the Warforged do not want to leave their "Father" for the unknown. One of them (the new PC) is curious enough to try though - and promises to return with news of what lies beyond. If he does, the others could be convinced to seek their freedom as well, thus provoking a confrontation with Paralane. The PCs would be higher level by then, and better able to take on the mad gnome and his other creations...
Thanks again for the inspiration!!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"
Oddly enough, I took "Kambranex's Machinations" and juxtaposed it with Jzadirune and the Spell Weavers in Shackled City. (The shadow walkin keycards from Kambranex's Machinations was modified into a variant of the Starry Mirrpr in Vaprak's Voice). The shield guardian was replaced with a warforged as well...I'm definitely going to have to hook your tidbits here into that storyarc. As always, excellent work! :)
Thanks, Gwydion! Thanks, Dalesman! Inspiration is contagious and I'm happy to pass along the ideas I got from reading James's stuff. The warforged PC being introduced through this side adventure is a great idea. Also, I totally had thoughts of Kambrinex's Mechinations in my head when I was writing my notes. I kept having to consciously steer myself away from duplicating that adventure (which was great, BTW!).
Well - my party got out of the Dungeon of Rust and Fire a few days ago, which is good. But I think I went a bit over the top on playing Paralane as a 'mad artificer'. My players are now firmly convinced that he is about 12 bagels short of a baker's dozen, if you catch my meaning.
Needless to say, my party is now a bit leery of gnomes - I just don't see things going well for poor Urol when he meets them.... :)
It was a fun session though, and everyone had fun (even if they were shuddering a bit after the fact). Thanks again to James and Steve for the inspiration!!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"
Dungeon of Rust and Fire
A Savage Tide Adventure Path side adventure by Stephen S. GreerHigh in a stony alpine valley stands the massive Dungeon of Rust and Fire, a windowless pillar of jagged, rusting metal. No paths lead to or from this monument, but those tracing the Emerald River to its subterranean headwaters occasionally catch a glimpse of the tower outlined against the sky. Several of these tributaries spring forth from caves and tunnels which burrow endlessly into the earth, some large enough to admit a person, and deep thrumming and clanking noises grow louder the deeper one explores.
At night, the top of the silent tower erupts in periodic bursts of flame, and close to dawn spindly, insect-like forms can sometimes be seen moving ponderously around its base, several stories high and glinting metallically. It’s at these times that the streams feeding the Emerald run black or red, with fish floating belly-up or bearing strange mutations.
Though scholars who have studied the tower from afar believe it to be somehow related to the ruined gnomic enclave of Jzadirine in Cauldron, perhaps a project left unfinished in the wake of the Vanishing, such conjecture has yet to be supported, and the few who have braved the mountainsides for a closer look have not returned.
—Savage Tidings: Beyond Sasserine, Dragon 349The tower atop this mountain peak some 50 miles south of Sasserine is a venting shaft for an enormous iron factory deep beneath the earth. It is powered by water turbines, iron golems, massive furnaces, and enslaved duergar miners. The factory once supplied the gnomish enclave of Jzadurine beneath Cauldon with its marvelous mechanical wonders. However, the same mysterious cause for the Jzadurine gnomes’ disappearance also claimed the gnomes of this factory which at that time was called Rhexchlon. Years later, a gnome artificer learned of this place. His name was Paralane Goldhammer.
Paralane was the first of any living beings to enter Rhexchlon. He found what he had...
SG,
did you ever draw a map of the tower? I'd love to see it as well as any other ideas you may have.
No, I actually ran the adventure pretty free-form. I had a layout in my head which I drew on our ginormous game table (we use minis a LOT) when I ran this side trek, but no maps commited to paper. Pretty much the map details can be however you want them to be where no specific dimensions are listed in what I wrote (even then, you can change it if you want).
If enough people are interested I may come back to this and finish what I started, then submit it to the folks here at Dungeon. But, we'll see.
No, I actually ran the adventure pretty free-form. I had a layout in my head which I drew on our ginormous game table (we use minis a LOT) when I ran this side trek, but no maps commited to paper. Pretty much the map details can be however you want them to be where no specific dimension are listed in what I wrote (even then, you can change it if you want).
Great job on the ideas for the dungeon SG.
Thanks. I was happy to share.
hmmmm... I wonder if James Sutter would consider a collaborative effort if I come back to finish it...