| CloudCobra |
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Recently read "Vault of the Onyx Citadel" (Ironfang Invasion) and "The Lost Outpost" (Ruins of Azlant) and wanted to figure out how you could actually create a stable way to create a settlement underground. Let's put our collective heads together to create something from the ground up, if you forgive the pun. This could also help those who want to play Cave Druids.
The first thing that an ecology needs is inputs and outputs. Flora & Fauna needs something to grow so that our population can in turn survive. I'm going to throw out some hazards, features and monsters and lets add to the list and come up what needs what to create a believable cycle.
A. Light
If we can get light we have a way to grow surface crops underground. Plus, it helps not being in the dark for races that don't have low-light vision and darkvision.
Alfengrape [Dragon 357 p. 55]
A glowing grape-vine magically created by elves that produces grapes all year around that all count as a meal for a day and can be made into very potent wine. Mature plants sell for 100 gp and can live up to 700 years.
Caphorite (Into the Darklands, p.14)
A crystalline mineral found throughout the Darklands that emits a strange, orange-purple glow equal in power to a candle. Reduces the effectiveness of other light sources, but enhances the growth rate of crops planted nearby. So planting anything that has bio-luminescence nearby would be self-defeating unless you are going to replant fully grown specimens later.
Cytillesh Fungus (Into the Darklands, pp. 12-13)
This fungus provides an eerie bluish glow of bright illumination in a 10-foot radius and shadowy illumination in a 20-foot radius. A creature within the illumination of cytillesh requires a DC 15 Will save (+1 for each previous save) every 24 hours to avoid suffering 1d4 points of Wisdom damage to a minimum Wisdom of 5. If Wisdom is reduced to 5 and three more consecutive saving throws are failed, then the Wisdom damage becomes permanent. Though it can cause psionic abilities after years of exposure (or immediate exposure), it mostly causes stillbirths or major birth defects eventhough any time spent within its bluish-white rays reduces aging to one-half the normal rate while so exposed.
Glowvine [Dragon 357, p. 56]
A morning glory derivative that gives of light as a torch. It grows 1 ft every 2 weeks. A seedling sells for 500 gp.
Nightlight (Out of the Abyss, p.23)
A bioluminescent fungus from the Forgotten Realms setting. Nightlight has tall stalks ranging from five to ten feet when mature. The tube-like stems glow with a bright light out to a distance of fifteen feet and provide dim illumination for another fifteen feet beyond that.
Ormu (Out of the Abyss, p.23)
A Forgotten Realms setting fungus. It favors warm, moist areas such as steam tunnels and steam vents. Ormu gives off a soft green glow that provides dim illumination in a five foot radius. If harvested and dried, it yields a phosphorescent powder that can be used to create a glowing pigment.
Phosphorescent Fungus (DMG 3.5, p.76)
Gives off a soft violet glow the size of a candle. Drow grow it for food and illumination.
Radiant Crystal (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.107)
Some rare rocks are naturally radiant ranging in brightness from starlight to full daylight, although daylight equivalency is quite rare.
Reflective Stone (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.107)
While not naturally luminescent, caverns made partially of reflective stone can be much more easily illuminated by small light sources than normal. Reflective stone quadruples the radius of illumination of any light source brought inside.
B. Heat/Lava/Magma
Ash Willow (Dragon Magazine 347, p.48)
This willow tree has dark red bark and at full height can reach 120 feet tall. Ash willows thrive on heat and often grow in pools of lava, growing several feet a year and quickly dominating an area. Ash willows continually smolder and rain ash all around them, eventually creating a unique ashen landscape. One tree can create 1 pound of ash each day for every 10 feet of its height. Fast-growing roots extend runners that spawn 1d3 new trees each month. The trees spread within lava pools and along rivers of lava, often changing highly volatile areas into calm, slow-burning forests covered with ash. Hey, ash can be used as a fertilizer as well as for making soap.
Fireweed (Dragon #227, p.27)
A Forgotten Realms plant, but I like it because it converts heat into food and foul toxins into breathable air. Fireweed is a black, spongy plant, without leaves but with constant branches; its overall structure resembles a gigantic Spanish moss. Its sap is a purplish-red so that could be used as a dye. For each die of fire damage, or each die of heat damage, that it absorbs it grows a foot, thus being able to create a dark wooden jungle pretty darn quickly. Hey, goats eat anything.
Fire Fungus (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.110)
A Forgotten Realms plant. This fungal growth sheds a much appreciated warmth, raising the temperature within 30 feet of it by 10 degrees. However, any open flame brought within 40 feet of fire fungus causes it to explode, dealing 5d6 points of fire damage to each creature in a 20-foot radius. Such an explosion kills the fire fungus, and it can also be killed by cold damage — 10 points of cold damage is sufficient to kill a 5-foot-square patch.
Fire Lichen (Out of the Abyss, p.22; D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.108)
A Forgotten Realms plant. Pale orange-white in color, fire lichen thrives on warmth, so it grows in regions of geothermal heat or near connections to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Fire lichen can be ground and fermented into a hot, spicy paste, which is often spread on sporebread to give it flavor. Duergar ferment fire lichen into a fiercely hot liquor.
C. Water
Nahre Lotus (Dragon 357, pp. 53-54)
Water lily native to the Elemental Plane of Water that draws water from its home plane at a rate of 50 gallons per day. Plant sells for 10000 gp, while a seedling sells for 500 gp. It requires abundant light and at least a 100 gallon pond to survive. If you don't have an underground river this will be the only way to get water.
D. Blood & Flesh
Ultimately, we can use humanoid blood as well as cattle to provide sustenance for carnivorous plants. I could see this being used as a form of Social Security system for Commoners. Modern blood donations are 1 pint of blood (1 pint = 16 fluid ounces), which equals 48 cp. Take half of that so the Commoner receives 24 cp (2 sp 4 cp) for a pint of blood (Book of Vile Darkness, p.45). Whole blood can safely be donated every 8 weeks. That way we have a supply to feed the blood-drinking plants.
Assassin Vine (Pathfinder Bestiary, p.22)
The assassin vine is a carnivorous plant that collects its
own grisly fertilizer by grabbing and crushing animals and depositing the carcasses near its roots. A mature plant consists of a main vine, about 20 feet long; smaller vines up to 5 feet long branch off from the main vine about every 6 inches. These small vines bear clusters of leaves, and in late summer they produce bunches of small fruits that resemble wild blackberries. The fruit is tough and has a hearty and typically bitter flavor, although some say the berries change in taste depending on what victims composted a given plant's roots. The most murderous assassin vines supposedly produce the sweetest berries.
The underground version of the assassin vine is darker in coloration to the ground dwelling one.
Bloodsucking Rock Cactus (Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Spherical plants from Athas that can be found anywhere that water is not plentiful. They are brown in color, but deepen to black as they increase their fluid storage. During the spring they possess yellow flowers, but the rest of the time they look roughly like spherical rocks. Rock cacti exude a perfume that is undetectable by demihumans but attracts small rodents and mammals. Like most plants, rock cacti rely on insects to assist them to reproduce. It can be peeled and eaten. Each plant produces 1 pound of edible material. The flesh of a rock cactus tastes vaguely like apples and is of similar consistency. As many as 4 pints of fluid can be obtained from a large plant. The plant uses its defense mechanism to stop any casual attempts to eat it. The plants can be farmed and harvested by holding a bag full of straw in front of them and teasing the plants to attack. The spines are severed before the plants can retract them, making the plants defenseless and easily peeled. Live rock cacti, for planting in gardens, bring 5 cp each in most markets. Each tendril that hits absorbs 1 hp of blood each round it is attached. It has a maximum capacity of 100 hp worth of blood, or as much as 10 pints. The blood-drinking variety supposedly has no value, but if there isn't any other then who cares?
Bloodthorn (D&D 3.5 Fiend Folio, p.23)
This plant is a CR 3 creature that could be imported from the Abyss. The plant subsists entirely on the blood of living creatures. Bright red succulent berries continually grow on the plant, but the berries are bitter and provide no sustenance. But they do smell nice. So, we need a goodberry spell to make this viable.
Bloodvine (Dragon 364; Expeditionary Dispatches: The Forest of Flesh)
It's not the same bloodvine from the Pathfinder setting. This vine can be found in Kresht Rhyll in the Eberron setting and produces human blood instead of sap. I thought it a neat thing to include to make it easier to include certain other plant creatures. Given a Miracle or Wish spell I'm sure it could be replicated...
Jack-o-Lantern (Pathfinder Bestiary 4, p.160)
Jack-o’-lanterns are semi-intelligent plant creatures spawned by fell magic and driven to burn and consume living flesh. Immediately after killing and devouring an intelligent being, a jack-o’-lantern excretes its victim’s remains as a smoldering, paste-like slurry that quickly sinks into the ground. One day later, 1d3 fully mature—and ravenous—jack-o’-lanterns emerge from the tainted soil. What is an intelligent being? The answer is found in the description of the Cannibal Ring
(Ultimate Equipment pg. 344). So an intelligent being is any living creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher. So, you could either feed it an HD 4 animal that put its ability boost into INT, leaf leashies,
or give an animal Blood of Baphomet (Pathfinder #74: Sword of Valor pg. 89) so that it gains the man-eating animal template. We then use a Cracked Pearly White Spindle Ioun Stone (Price: 3,400 gp). That way we can keep the Jack-o'-Lantern alive after lobbing off part of its head for food. To fight a Jack-o'-Lantern we should get some asbestos armor from Pure Steam (it's the cheapest way to get Fire Resistance 5; pg.71-72). Then we get an Energy Heart (Game Master's Guide - Beginner Box, pg. 8; 1,000 gp) for an additional 10 points of fire soak. If your GM doesn't allow an Asbestos Suit then buy Fire Ward Gel (Ultimate Equipment pg. 101; 150 gp) to give you fire resistance 5. You then fight it with a 10 ft. reach weapon. If you think about it, it's just an evil pumpkin...
Vampire Rose Bush (Dungeon #84, p.84)
This bush has many flowering white bulbs and petals, green stems lined with tiny thorns, and many small branches of greenish-brown. Opponents are grabbed and drained of blood. When fully sated with blood, a vampire rose’s petals flush red. I figure that even blood-drinking roses can be used for stuff like rose water, teas, etc.
Wolfberry Bush (Pathfinder Campaign Setting, p. 217)
Carnivorous but blessedly immobile, the wolfberry bush mimics other berry bushes to lure creatures close enough to strike, strangle, and feed. Unlike its cousin, the assassin vine, the wolf berry bush
is incapable of movement, it has thus developed the ability to camouflage itself as any of several varieties of berry bushes indigenous to an area. Its fruit usually tastes the same—overly sweet with a bitter aftertaste—no matter what form it takes. It has the same statistics as an assassin vine, although it cannot move and it never grows larger than Huge.
E. Alchemy & Magic
Divine casters can use the Goodberry or Ironbloom Sprouts spells to convert inedible berries and mushrooms into something edible.
Cursed Decanter of Endless Water
Since this is an opposite effect this item will cost 4,500 gp (2,250 gp to create). Rather than pouring forth an amount of fresh or salt water it instead creates lava. This way we can use plants from the Elemental Plane of Fire, as well as others, which require heat, lava or magma. A lot cheaper than a Pyroclastic Spike, but would require GM permission...after all, you don't want somebody running around with a flamethrower.
Pyroclastic Spike (Down the Blighted Path, p. 62)
Price: 28,000 gp (14,000 gp to create)
We can use this item create a two-foot deep molten river of liquid fire. I guess that could be considered lava or magma at a decent price. This way we can have plants from the Elemental Plane of Fire, as well as other plants.
Decanter of Endless Water (Pathfinder Core Rulebook, p.509)
Price: 9,000 gp (4,500 gp to create)
If we don't have a natural source of water underground we can rely on this wondrous item and make it part of a public fountain.
Gloves of Shaping (Ultimate Equipment, p. 237)
Price: 10,000 gp (5,000 gp to create)
These gloves allow an adventurer to shape stone as if it were soft clay, creating ledges on which to spend a safe night, sculpting exits from would-be prisons, shoring up tunnels against impending collapses, or
immobilizing helpless foes. Just included this as a usable tool for making a livable cavern, like for terrace farming.
Memoriam Root (Healer's Handbook, p. 29)
Cost: 6,000 gp; 3,000 to create
When plunged into the earth over a buried humanoid corpse, the root grows into a young tree in 1 hour. The tree produces 1d4 pieces of magical fruit each day, regardless of the local climate or weather. Each fruit provides nourishment as if it were a normal meal for a Medium creature and restores 1 hit point when eaten. Well, at least we have a use for our dead...
Sunsoil (Heroes of the Darklands, p.29)
Cost: 50 gp
One pound of sunsoil covers a 20-foot by-20-foot area of regular earth and takes 1 minute to distribute evenly. A treated area allows plants to grow without sunlight for 4 months.
Tovar's Instant Well (D&D 3.5 Sandstorm, p.135)
Price: 23,500 gp
This item is a foot-long copper pipe that, when set into the ground and activated with a command word, transforms into a well that produces potable water. Just including this as yet another way to get water without having to dig for it.
F. Rock & Metal
Ironbloom mushrooms (Hollow's Last Hope, p. 4; Dwarves of Golarion, p.5)
Small fungi that only grow in dark places with lots of metal, specifically iron. A favorite of dwarves, but can also be eaten by other races.
Stoneshrooms (Dragon 347, p. 47)
Cost: 20 gp
Chalky rock-looking fungus native to the Elemental Plane of Earth that is both edible (1 stoneshroom = 1 meal) and produces spores in the form of breathable air. Also, for 24 hours after eating a Stoneshroom, a creature can hold its breath twice as long as normal. Stoneshroom subsists on minerals in the rock and remains edible for 1 day after picking. So, at least we have another way to gain both food as well as air.
G. Miscellaneous
Abyssal Blackgrass (D&D 3.5 Heroes of Horror, pp. 68-69)
Thick black weed native to the lower planes that propagates via tiny seeds. On the surface it appears as 1-foot diamater clumps, but its roots extend in a 50 ft diamater just beneath the surface. Natural healing is prevented when standing above its roots, and magical healing only heals half the normal HP. If the clump is pulled out, the plant survives and regrows the clump in 1d4 days. Though the side effect sucks it will at least provide a regular food source for grazers.
Bluecap (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.108)
The grain of the Underdark, bluecap fungus is inedible to humanoids, but its spores can be ground into a nutritious, if bland, flour. Bread made from bluecap flour is usually known as sporebread.
Green Air Bramble (D&D 3.5 Complete Scoundrel, p. 118)
Cost: 80 gp
Fast-growing creeping vine that sprouts green berries. Can grow in most inhospitable climates and only needs to be in moist soil for 6 hours per week. Exposure to poison quickly kills the plant, wrinkling leaves and berries. Carrying 3 ft vine grants +2 untyped bonus to resist inhaled poisons, airborne diseases and nauseating effects like stinking cloud.
Fauna
Gloomwasp (Down the Blighted Path, p.55)
A CR 6 magical beast that looks like a glowing wasp. It feeds on blood, but pulsates with a dim, violet light. Unfortunately, this light can be used offensively by these creatures to cause radiation poisoning. Where before they can become a full infestation, with an Eberron bloodvine they could become a major infestation. They are useful against fungi, molds, oozes, undead, and other creatures with light sensitivity or light blindness, however.
Rothe (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.109)
These grazing, muskox-like creatures are well adapted for life in the depths. Subsisting on fungi, moss, lichen and almost anything else that grows in the Underdark, rothe are highly valued by most Underdark races and often kept in large corral-caverns.
| CloudCobra |
A. Light
Glowmold (D0 - Hollow's Last Hope, p.5)
The undersides of several large rocks deep in the forest are covered in rare, glowing mold. A character who makes a DC 16 Survival check can harvest enough of the mold without destroying it to serve as a light source. Once removed from the rock, the mold continues to glow with the brightness of a torch for 3 days.
* Well, above ground it might grow beneath rocks, but what about underground?
Luminescent Fungi (Pathfinder Society - Phantom Phenomena, p.27)
Grow on cave walls and create a green luminescence.
Luminous Crystals (Pathfinder Society - Graves of Crystalmaw Pass, p.4)
Crystals that shine like stars on the ceiling. Whether these are natural or created by shaitans is not said.
Phosphorescent Mold (Pathfinder Society - The Beggar's Pearl, p.7)
An eerie, glowing, phosphorescent mold. Doesn't say what color or whether it is cytellish or not.
B. Heat
Iridescent algae (Pathfinder Society - Keep of the Huscarl King, p.10)
A softly glowing algae that covers cavern walls and likes thermal heat.
D. Blood & Flesh
Blood Maize (Ruins of Azlant - The Lost Outpost, p.84)
A full-grown blood maize stalk is typically 7 feet tall and, including its root system, weighs about 70 pounds. Looks like a common cornstalk but absorbs spilled blood through its root system and can do so even while mobile. Blood maize is perennial and is reduced to only its root structures during the winter. Regrows stalks as well as its sweet corn cobs in the Spring, and maintain this form throughout the Fall. Reproduces only once in its life cycle through a special red kernel produced on one cob, usually in the plant’s second year. CR 2 creature.
* Despite its fearsome nature, blood maize produces ears of sweet corn larger than those of traditional corn plants.
E. Alchemy & Magic
Bottle of Endless Sand (D&D 3.5 Sandstorm, pp.132-133)
Produces a “Heap” of sand (1 cubic foot per round), a “Dune” of sand (20-cubic-foot pile at 5 cubic feet per round), or a “Sandblast” (spray of sand dealing 1d6 points of damage per round).
Cost: 21,600 gp
Verdant Spark (Pathfinder Society - The Twisted Circle)
Could be considered a minor artifact. A seedling with rudimentary intelligence created by Ghoran druids. The seedling has learned to influence the surrounding land across several miles, causing plants to flourish and nearby humanoid creatures to undergo metamorphosis that turns them partially into plants. As a result, plants in the area are exceptionally healthy despite harsh climates, they don't require water or sunlight, grow out of season and crops that typically grow poorly together flourish. Also, crops that require enormous amounts of pollination flourish even with a lack of bees in the area. It creates yellow musk mothers & creepers (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, p. 285) to defend itself. Both the seedling, and the vines it produces nearby, glow with a vibrant green light.
G. Miscellaneous
Azure Fungus (Pathfinder Society - The Veteran's Vault, p.10)
Blue fungus that builds up a charge of electricity that it releases in bursts. Hangs down as wispy blue tendrils creating a thin, eerie curtain of plant matter. Can otherwise be discovered by the smell of ozone in the air. The azure fungus is sensitive to touch and discharges its electricity if contacted as well. A creature in an adjacent square takes 3d6 points of electricity damage (Fort DC 14 half damage). After a discharge, the fungus cannot discharge again for ld6 rounds. Scraping it from the wall kills it and takes one round per 5-foot patch. Azure fungus is immune to electricity and fire, but any amount of cold damage causes one 5-foot patch to become inert for l hour.
* Useful as either a trap or potential source for an Iron Gods energy generator.
Corpse Flowers (Pathfinder Society - The Twisted Circle, p.19)
Parasitic plants with giant blossoms that reek like rotting flesh. They feed off the nutrients of other plants.
Litheria Blossom (Pathfinder Society - Tide of Twilight, p.5)
The litheria blossom is a rare but naturally occurring flower with large, pink petals. The pollen of the litheria blossom bridges the gap between life and death, functioning like an elixir, though inhaled rather than imbibed. A creature that inhales the pollen gains the benefit of the death ward and deathwatch spells. Both effects last for 10 minutes. If plucked, the flower remains vibrant and alive until the pollen within the flower is inhaled, at which point the flower wilts and dies. The pollen remains potent only so long as it held within the flower or immediately thereafter. One round after the pollen is removed from the flower, both the pollen and the flower become non-magical.
Massive Darklands fungi (Pathfinder Society - The Beggar's Pearl, p.7)
Brain-like globes of fungal corruption growing several feet tall. Cultivated as food by derro.
Poisonous Fungi (Pathfinder Society - Tower of the Ironwood Watch, p.6)
A DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check reveals that the colorful fungal blooms striped and spotted in bold red, yellow, blue, and purple are poisonous, but only a DC 23 Knowledge (nature) or DC 18 Craft (alchemy) check reveals that the fungi are used specifically for creating drow sleeping poison.
Fauna
Fungus Leshy (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3, p. 177)
Besides the actual fungi you want you might also get green, blue, and ochre-colored fungi that are probably inedible. Immune to electricity and sonic damage. Generally nocturnal.
Humanoids
Seaweed farmer (Pathfinder Society - The Hydra's Fang Incident, p.3)
Seaweed can be farmed. Could therefore also fall under Profession: Farmer.
Mining Beetle (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, p.33)
A mining beetle’s glowing glands provide light in a 10-foot radius. A dead mining beetle’s luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death. These beetles can burrow through stone and subsist on water and fungus.
Mud Elemental (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, p.120)
Can be tasked with keeping the soil moist and aerated.
Seaweed Leshy (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3, p. 180)
Creates small bulbs that provide water breathing. Creates a water jet. Needs saltwater to be created, but can survive outside of water indefinitely.
I'm fairly certain that Pathfinder had a naturally-occurring, radiant stone called aurelite or solenite. Maybe it's buried in a module somewhere... Just need to go through those and see if I can find it again. I'll start some calculations as soon as I have more time.
| avr |
One more possible light source -
Serpentstone (The Thousand Fangs Below, AP 41)
Serpentstone is a strange substance unique to the precursor alchemies of the ancient serpentfolk. Its ancient name is lost to time, but modern explorers have dubbed it “serpentstone” after its ophidian creators.
Exceptionally resilient, all serpentstone is magically treated stone. When properly worked and treated through eldritch means known only to ancient serpentfolk wizards and sorcerers, serpentstone can be programmed to emit sound and light in a variety of ways, shifting at predetermined times from color to color and tone to tone, from brightness equal to that of daylight to a dim, shadowy glimmer like that of a candle. In addition, serpentstone can be set to radiate heat or cold, or produce illusory smoke, roiling forth thin streams of scented, incense-like fumes designed to delight, enlighten, or otherwise inform serpentfolk in the vicinity. All of these effects function as major image (caster level 18th).
| Coidzor |
In terms of spells, Beanstalk creates compost, and Climbing Beanstalk will create a living plant that will produce food so long as you can cover the water, air, and light aspects of keeping it alive.
Expeditious Construction can produce packed earth, allowing you to get a source of soil without having to erode stone into soil the hard way or packing it in from elsewhere. Rampart and Clashing Rocks will instantaneously create dirt as well, but they also come with additional stone that you probably won't need given the location.
Expeditious Construction also has the advantage of only requiring a 1st level Druid or Wizard to create quite a bit of soil that can then be enriched to provide a growing medium.
As for blood, Waves of Blood *may* be a way to create it. It depends a lot on how you parse what the Instantaneous duration and 1 round durations refer to. There's also a spell that turns wine into blood, Transmute Wine to Blood(IIRC) and through a technicality one could just use X gp worth of wine in order to make 1 pint of blood, and you can easily make X gp worth of wine through Enhance Water or certain interpretations of Tears to Wine.
| CloudCobra |
Now you're getting into the spirit. Let's keep things coming.
Here are some more things that I found recently, so I think that's already enough to start some calculations.
Things to keep in mind:
A Medium creature requires a gallon of water and a pound of decent food each day to avoid starvation—in hot climates characters need twice as much water each day. Small creatures require half the amount of food and water that Medium creatures do, while Large creatures require twice as much (Souls for Smuggler's Shiv, p.56).
A. Light
Luminous Apples (Realm of the Fellnight Queen, p.27)
Slender trees that bear apple fruit that glows.
Stunstone (Serpent's Skull - City of Seven Spears, p.57)
A naturally occurring, glowing purple crystal that can be thrown, causing it to shatter in a burst of sound and light (faerie fire effect + sonic damage). But since it's naturally occurring that means it can be grown.
D. Blood & Flesh
Sanguine Oak (Ruins of Azlant - Into the Shattered Continent, p.32)
An unusual pale white tree with vibrant red leaves that bleeds a sap with properties similar to humanoid blood. At least we have a substitute for Eberron bloodvines.
G. Miscellaneous
Gnome Caps (Serpent's Skull - The Thousand Fangs Below)
The most common fungus found in the Darklands and serves as the base of the food chain in many Darklands environments. Delectable and quite edible, it has a pleasing, earthy flavor.
Sweet Carcass Squash (Serpent's Skull - Vaults of Madness)
A slimy vegetable that grows to nearly the size of a Halfling and weighs up to 100 lbs. Having the sickly-sweet stench of a ripe corpse, the inside of the squash consists of thick coils of greasy tubers that look not unlike coils of animal entrails. It doesn't taste that great, but I guess it beats fighting an evil pumpkin...
Viper Nettle (Serpent's Skull - Souls for Smuggler's Shiv)
A rare plant that grows up to 7 feet tall and 60 feet wide, along river banks in tropical regions. Its berries are delicious, but it's sought after for treating alcohol withdrawal and curing various diseases. Its 6-inch long, red thorns are painful and cause a lingering rash.
Fauna
Glowing Worms (Ruins of Azlant - Into the Shattered Continent, p.17)
Harmless invertebrates that feed on phosphorescent cave fungus and consequently glow like blue candles. These worms continue to glow for 1 hour after death, and a handful of worms smashed into a paste creates a faintly luminous paint that gives off light as bright as a lit candle. Well, at least we got a start for the bottom of the food chain...
For our calculations I decided on using the Beginner Box because everything is close to Sandpoint, it has a heat source, two water sources and plenty of space to begin a construction project.
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/azcmA.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Black Fang's Dungeon</a>
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E. Alchemy & Magic
Bag of Everlasting Dung (Legacy of Fire Player's Guide, pg. 26)
Price: 500 gp; 4 lbs.
This leather bag exudes a pungent scent when opened. Each day it provides enough dried dung to fuel a small fire for 8 hours or fertilize a 20-foot-square patch of land. Another way to have fertilizer besides having livestock.
Portable Stalactite (Second Darkness Player's Guide, pg. 28)
Price: 800 gp; 1 lb.
Affixes to the ceiling as long as the ceiling isn't higher than 20 feet. Must leave at least 5 feet of space between multiple stalactites. A portable stalactite can be detected and disarmed as if it were a trap — it’s a DC 20 Perception check to discover, and a DC 15 Disable Device check to safely detach one.
Evergreen Seed Pouch (Daughters of Fury, pg. 59)
Price: 16,000 gp; 1/2 lb.
This leather pouch contains seeds of various small plants and grasses. When the pouch is used as a divine focus component for a spell that affects or creates plant matter—such as entangle or spike growth—its magic manifests as the pouch opens and the seeds float out. The seeds plant themselves in the ground and instantly grow to create any vegetation or grass that the spell requires to function inside of the spell’s area of effect. The vegetation created by the pouch grows regardless of the terrain, and lasts the full duration of the spell, allowing the user to cast plant-altering or plant-creating spells in deserts, badlands, and other harsh terrains.
* The only problem I see with this thing is that we will require a Permanency spell to keep the plants that we just caused to instantly appear.
And now to start the calculations...
Upgrading the Cave
Unfortunately, the designers didn't give us very good descriptions of the size of the caverns. Consequently, since I can't read the minds of the designers, I will have to make certain assumptions in my calculations and make educated guesstimates.
Area 10 (Dragon Den):
Given our previous estimates, the Dragon Den has a floorplan of 2,250 square feet and a volume of 90,000 cubic feet. After all, when it comes to the Dragon Den - given that Black Fang is a young adult black dragon - he must have a standing height of roughly 17 to 21 feet alone. By making the dragon's den also 40 feet in height (30 feet + 10 feet because this part of the cave is 10 feet lower than the Haunted Crypt), we can at least say that it's part of a larger hillside.
Stairs:
The stair connection between the Dragon Den and Haunted Crypt is 150 square feet and seems to have a height of 10 feet.
Area 9 (Haunted Crypt):
Since the Haunted Crypt cavern is 20 feet in height just from the cliff alone, we'll add 20 feet (based on the maximum height of the dragon) to the ceiling height to arrive at 40 feet, with a roughly 1,238 square foot area. That gives us a volume of 49,520 cubic feet.
Cliff:
20 feet in height and a volume of 400 cubic feet (counting from the floor to the ceiling).
Area 8 (Goblin Feud):
The cavern floor is roughly 1,725 square feet for this area. Now we are running into a problem, because we are not told the ceiling height. Given that the cave is described as "large" we therefore could at least assume that the ceiling is 40 feet for the 15 feet portion in front of the cliff to stay uniform with the top of the Haunted Crypt. Alas, I can't see a slope based on the map but we could assume a gentle slope on the ceiling. Therefore we get to roughly 30 feet towards Area 7 and going down to 25 feet towards Area 3.
Total Volume: 69,000 cubic feet (if the entire ceiling was a uniform 40 feet)
28,000 cubic feet (40' x 15' section by the cliff @ 40 feet) +
12,687.5 cubic feet (362.5 square foot section @ 35 feet) +
11,625 cubic feet (387.5 square foot section @ 30 feet) +
7,500 cubic feet (250 square foot section @ 30 feet) +
3,125 cubic feet (125 square foot section @ 25 feet) ~ 62,937.5 cubic feet
I'm just throwing this out for sh!ts and giggles...
Area 7 (Deadly Pool):
We could assume that the ceiling height here is 30 feet. After all, if we'd drain the pool we would get a sloping floor.
We are going to split this area up into three parts:
1) Cavern floor: Roughly 412.5 square feet.
Volume: 12,375 cubic feet (floor to ceiling)
2) Pool: - Roughly 975 square feet.
- 325 square feet of that pool is 10 feet deep;
- 650 square feet of that pool is 20 feet deep;
- Volume: 16,250 cubic feet of water; 29,250 cubic feet above the water;
- We don't know from where the water comes. However, given the presence of a Reefclaw, that means that the passage must be between 2 to 4 feet wide (big enough for a Small creature). Also, it must either open into a nearby river or coastline.
3) Island: Roughly 175 square feet;
Volume: 5,250 cubic feet.
Total Volume: Roughly 50,750 cubic feet.
Area 6 (Cavernous Corridor):
Based on Area 7 we assume that ceiling height is 30 feet.
Measurements: Roughly 400 square feet. Roughly 6.25 feet is taken up by the 10-foot tall magical pillar.
Volume: Roughly 11,693 cubic feet (12,000 once we remove the magical pillar).
Area 5 (Spider Nest):
Given Areas 3 & 4 we could assume that the stone in this area was worked. As such we'll set the ceiling height at 25 feet.
Measurements: Roughly 712.5 square feet.
Volume: 18,250 cubic feet.
{15,625 cubic feet (625 square feet @ 25 feet) + 2,625 cubic feet (87.5 square feet @ 30 feet)}
Area 4 (Gemstone Altar):
The chamber itself has an area of roughly 700 square feet. The altar's base takes up 12.5pi square feet. Given that this area is clearly worked we could assume that the ceiling height is 25 feet. Due to the picture of the statue in the book on page 8 we can immediately assume that it's the size of a small creature, but takes up a 5-foot space with its base. That means it is a minimum of 3 feet in height. However, we are told that we have to kneel to approach this magical trap in order for the flames to pass over our heads. That means that the base of each statue has to raise the entire figure to a height between 4.56 feet and 5 feet for that to happen.
Total Volume: 17,500 cubic feet (17,219 cubic feet when you remove the statues and altar).
We can always adjust how those creepy statues look like later with a Stone Shape spell and a Craft:Sculpting check.
Area 3 (Magical Fountain):
This room having been clearly crafted to serve as a make-shift shrine to Desna, we can probably be a little more creative with our thinking. This room is 625 square feet in size. The Goblin Cave area hereafter seems to be natural cavern, but we could assume that the ceiling height here is 25 feet to arrive at a room built as a square. The fountain takes up 25pi or 78.54 square feet of that area.
Total Volume: 15,625 cubic feet {15,232 cubic feet if we deduct the fountain, in which case we'd have to replace the fountain later (because screw Desna, that's why)}
Consequently, we could assume that the northwest passage leading to Area 8 could have a sloped ceiling that rises from 25 feet to 40 feet.
Area 2 (Goblin Cave):
Here we are told that this cave has a low ceiling. Therefore we have to assume that the ceiling is no higher than 6'10" (which is the maximum height of an half-orc), because no squeezing or difficult terrain rules are used. The cave is roughly 975 square feet large, which would give it a volume of 79,950 cubic feet.
| Coidzor |
Oh, you may be interested in the Oasis spell from Pathfinder and the Create Spring spell from D&D 3E's Oriental Adventures sourcebook as potential water sources. Oasis can get you 2400 gallons per day with CL 20. Good thing about it is that if you're more than 1 mile below the surface, you don't have to worry about messing with anyone else's water supplies.
Question: Why would you want a Portable Stalactite? What purpose does it serve? To direct where condensation should fall?
What spells do you envision using the Evergreen Seed Pouch with for this exercise?
What benefit would Corpse Flowers give if they're purely parasitic? Do they produce some form of cash crop or food?
Is that Cursed Decanter of Endless Water a custom item you thought up, or was it published somewhere?
The Wolfberry Bush and Sweet Carcass Squash seem that while they're interesting for listing purposes, they're going to get passed over due to having other options available and not having any real appeal to them.
Fungus Leshy and Gnome Caps seem a worthwhile combination, since they're apparently good-tasting and nutritious which is rather rare for mushrooms. I'd want to double check to make sure that brain fungus that the Derro eat isn't part of why they're all crazy, though.
Gloomwasp seem like they'd be useless for ecological purposes, but could be useful if carefully maintained, similar to stirges maybe, for defense purposes or for scouring caverns clear of any potential nastiness with their radiation prior to colonization.
I think between Sunsoil, the Bag of Endless Dung, and Expeditious Construction/Soften Earth and Stone/Transmute Rock to Mud/Ash Willows, the only other thing needed is a water source and you can get as much cavern as you can carve out or control productive enough to support any agriculture you could want, and be producing cash crops and the like to cover the cost of Sunsoil, especially if you're able to make it instead of buy it.
| CloudCobra |
Oh, you may be interested in the Oasis spell from Pathfinder and the Create Spring spell from D&D 3E's Oriental Adventures sourcebook as potential water sources.
Nice find on both of those! One is high-level the other is low-level. I'm sure a way could be found to get ahold of a Shaman spell. What counts is that we have another means to get water.
Question: Why would you want a Portable Stalactite? What purpose does it serve? To direct where condensation should fall?
Well, at some point you're going to have to expand by building more caverns. My first thought was actually a supporting beam to prevent cave-ins. You could probably use it the way you are thinking, but the ceiling can't be higher than 20 feet for this item to work.
What spells do you envision using the Evergreen Seed Pouch with for this exercise?
Probably Entangle, because it's low-level enough. The way this magic item works is in conjunction with another spell. Read the description carefully for it effectively creates a loophole to bypass long growing times. It effectively provides any seed you want, but it is spell-activated. Unfortunately, those spells are on a time limit so we would need an immediate use of Permanency to keep our new plants to stick around until they reproduce naturally.
What benefit would Corpse Flowers give if they're purely parasitic? Do they produce some form of cash crop or food?
I was actually hoping that there might be some sort of Venus Flytrap-like monster that creates edible berries or pods, but I haven't found one. Since these flowers stink like rotting meat they attract flies as pollinators. So my thinking was to provide sustenance for nearby carnivorous plants.
Is that Cursed Decanter of Endless Water a custom item you thought up, or was it published somewhere?
I thought it up using the cursed item rules. It could technical work, but the Pyroclastic Spike would probably be preferred. You see, I was thinking of a way to get a pool of lava or magma so that we can use Ash Willows. These trees from the Elemental Plane of Fire reproduce quickly and grow very fast. Not only would they produce ash, but also timber.
The Wolfberry Bush and Sweet Carcass Squash seem that while they're interesting for listing purposes, they're going to get passed over due to having other options available and not having any real appeal to them.
I agree. However, Druids can be Neutral Evil and such a person could get rather weird in his thinking. I was thinking utilitarian for one, while also figuring out a way for Commoners to level up while doing their "mundane" tasks. The idea of a troop of armed Commoners with reach weapons, while having Profession: Farmer to harvest berries is both funny and sadistic if you think about it. :P
I'd want to double check to make sure that brain fungus that the Derro eat isn't part of why they're all crazy, though.
It would seem that the culprit is their constant exposure to Cytillesh Fungus. Unfortunately I have not found any further references to these particular massive Darklands fungi, so your guess is as good as mine.
Gloomwasp seem like they'd be useless for ecological purposes, but could be useful if carefully maintained, similar to stirges maybe, for defense purposes or for scouring caverns clear of any potential nastiness with their radiation prior to colonization.
It's probably easier to just actually build a character around Vermin Heart and use regular honey bees. I just included this critter because of the potential for something blowing up in your face. You create an entire cavern based on plants requiring blood, you might end up with other stuff creeping in if you're not watching carefully. :P
I think between Sunsoil, the Bag of Endless Dung, and Expeditious Construction/Soften Earth and Stone/Transmute Rock to Mud/Ash Willows, the only other thing needed is a water source and you can get as much cavern as you can carve out or control productive enough to support any agriculture you could want, and be producing cash crops and the like to cover the cost of Sunsoil, especially if you're able to make it instead of buy it.
That's the idea of this thread. We are poring over published material to see what's out there to actually make this work. Xiomorns come with the ability to make Vault Seeds, but regular characters don't have that luxury.
One more possible light source -
Serpentstone (The Thousand Fangs Below, AP 41)
We'd have to use a Miracle or Wish spell, but this stuff would be great to go full-out to create a subterranean ecology to provide light cycles, bird song and even heat. Given that it has been proven that bird song opens up plants' stomata and that certain frequencies increase growth rate, we might invoke a circumstantial plant growth effect on everything growing in that cavern using Serpentstone.
| CloudCobra |
E. Alchemy & Magic
Alchemical Cement (Ultimate Equipment, p. 103)
Price 5 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
You mix this fine gray powder with water and a cubic foot of sand or gravel to form a durable stone-like material. Until it cures, it has the consistency of thick mud, and you must hold it in place (typically with a frame of earth or wood) if you want it to harden in a specific shape. It takes 1d10+10 minutes for the cement to partially cure, gaining hardness 2 and 5 hit points per inch of thickness. After 1d6 hours the cement is fully cured and as hard as true stone.
Alchemist's Mineral Acid (D&D 3.5 Underdark, p.67)
Cost: 20 gp; 1 lb.
Alchemist's mineral acid is a sticky, adhesive substance that dissolves rock and other minerals. Can be used as a splash weapon with a ranged touch attack (range increment of 10 feet). Earth-subtype creatures take 1d6 points of damage on a direct hit (1 point within 5 feet of point of impact). On the round following a direct hit, the target takes an additional 1d6 points of damage.
If poured directly on inert rock or stone, mineral acid ignores hardness and deals 3d6 points of damage (1d6 points per round for 3 rounds).
Alchemist's mineral acid can be created with a DC 22 Craft (alchemy) check.
Candle of Invocation (Ultimate Equipment, p. 286)
Price 8,400 gp (Cost 4,200 gp); Weight 1/2 lb.
...burning a candle also allows the owner to cast a gate spell, the respondent being of the same alignment as the candle, but the taper is immediately consumed in the process.
This is THE most broken item we can EVER get ahold of for our construction projects. This will be the way to bring in Outsiders that can grant wishes for us to get the stuff that can't be replicated otherwise.
Lavastone (D&D 3.5 Dungeonscape, p.36)
Cost: 24 gp (standard); 114 gp (greater); 1 lb.
Craft check: DC 20 (Alchemy)
Greater lava stones are the size of a potato and form a step 6-foot wide. When dropped in lava the rock cools down the lava and instantly hardens to serve as a stepping stone. Lasts 3d8 minutes before turning back into molten rock. Deals 1d6 fire damage one round before the rock melts.
Lyre of Building (Ultimate Equipment, p. 308)
Cost: 13,000 gp
The lyre is also useful with respect to building. Once a week, its strings can be strummed so as to produce chords that magically construct buildings, mines, tunnels, ditches, etc. The effect produced in 30 minutes of playing is equal to the work of 100 humans laboring for 3 days. Each hour after the first, a character playing the lyre must make a DC 18 Perform (string instruments) check. If she fails, she must stop and cannot play the lyre again for this purpose until a week has passed.
The only thing quicker is a one-time use of Marvelous Pigments. But this item will keep on giving...as long as you can hold a tune.
Marvelous Pigments (Ultimate Equipment, p. 310)
These pigments enable their possessor to create actual, permanent objects simply by depicting their form in two dimensions. One pot is sufficient to create a 1,000-cubic-foot object by depicting it two-dimensionally over a 100-square-foot surface.
Only normal, inanimate objects can be created. Creatures can’t be created. The pigments must be applied to a surface. It takes 10 minutes and a DC 15 Craft (painting) check to depict an object with the pigments. Marvelous pigments cannot create magic items. Objects of value depicted by the pigments—precious metals, gems, jewelry, ivory, and so on—appear to be valuable but are really made of tin, lead, glass, brass, bone, and other such inexpensive materials. The user can create normal weapons, armor, and any other mundane item (including foodstuffs) whose value does not exceed 2,000 gp. The effect is instantaneous.
From Dungeonscape, p.38: Reshape the dungeon environment to your advantage by painting doors, pits, stairs, ladders, ropes, bridges, traps, windows, barriers, pulleys or whatever you can imagine. Alchemical items are fair game, too, so doodle yourself a tanglefoot bag when you need it. And when you absolutely must incinerate a monster, paint a giant pit of lava - but make sure to use it soon, because without a natural source of geothermic heat it will cool down in about an hour.
Stoneburn Acid (D&D 3.5 Drow of the Underdark, pp.93-94)
Cost: 10 gp; 1 lb.
Weaker form of alchemist's mineral acid. Harms only stone and other minerals. Ignores hardness and deals 2d6 damage when pressure is applied to a surface. Dissolution happens almost instantly, after which the acid becomes inert. As a result it's only good for digging small divots into a stone surface or small openings in very thin walls. Works best in conjunction with stoneburners.
Unfortunately, the alchemical items mentioned seem to literally dissolve stone and rock. So, when we actually hew out a cavern from solid rock we have to use Profession (miner) so that we can convert the resulting gravel through alchemical cement into another building material.
Mining {from Races of the Dragon, p.98}
To indicate the daily progress of mining or digging operations, a Profession (miner) check can be used. Such progress is measured in the removal of 5-foot cubes per miner, as based on the lead miner. A Large-sized creature can work on a single 5-foot cube at a time. Two Medium-sized miners are able to work on a single 5-foot cube, but the other miner has to perform an Aid Another check. Up to 4 small or smaller creatures can work together on the same 5-foot cube, where the other three use the Aid Another action to assist the lead miner.
Note: Unskilled miners can remove a 5-foot cube of stone in 8 hours.
| CloudCobra |
Downtime & Cave Resources
I CLAIM THIS CAVE AS MY SHARE OF THE TREASURE!
Immediate Cave Resources:
Magic Fountain (Minor Artifact or Epic Level Item)
Purify Food and Drink, Resistance, Inflict Light Wounds, Shield of Faith, Greater Magic Weapon, Miracle
360,000 gp (9 x 20 x 2000 gp; use-activated spell effect) - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
[Heal (the D&D 3.5 version) replicated as a Miracle]
360,000 gp (9 x 20 x 2000 gp; use-activated spell effect) - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
[spell effect for the rest of the adventure - replicated as a Miracle]
360,000 gp (9 x 20 x 2000 gp; use-activated spell effect) - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
[temporary Bestow Curse effect that lasts only for one combat session - replicated as a Miracle]
8,000 gp Save bonus (other) - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
8,000 gp Weapon bonus - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
10,000 gp Armor bonus (other)- 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening)
20,000 gp (1/2 x 20 x 2000; continuous) - 10% (minor drawback; works only every 2d6 hours; only on water) [Purify Food and Drink]
2,000 gp (1 x 1 x 2000; continuous) - 10% (minor drawback; works only once & 10% chance of it happening) [Inflict Light Wounds]
150 gp (5 x 3 x 10g; continuous) [Continual Flame] + Glowing signature trait [D&D 3.5 Dungeon Master's Guide II, p.230]
2,510gp (1 x 1 x 10gp; 2,500 gp) [Permanent Prestidigitation effect]
Approximate Value: 972,000 gp + 18,000 + 9,000 + 7,200 + 7,200 + 2,510 + 1,800 + 150 = 1,017,860 gp
Burning Hands Trap (CR 3 trap; 1,100 gp)
Each statue unleashes a permanent magic mouth spell (CR 1 + 1 spell level), a 3rd caster level burning hands spell (+1 CR), and is an automatic reset trap (+1 CR) with a proximity trigger (+1 CR), and a DC 11 Reflex save (-1 CR). So the value of this trap is 300 gp (2 x burning hands, automatic reset) + 600 gp (2 x Magic Mouth spell, automatic reset) + 200 gp (2 x material components for Magic Mouth). It would take 3 days to create such a trap.
Though it has its value as a deterrent, its recurring usage will be to serve as a heat/damage source for our fireweed plants to keep growing.
Magic Pillar (20,250 gp)
20,000 gp (1 x 10 x 2000 gp; use-activated)[Air Bubble; breathe underwater for 10 minutes]
+ 2,500 gp (25 x 100 gp) [+5 competence skill bonus on Swim]
- 2,250 gp (minor drawback; works only on one creature at a time)
* Lets say that this pillar is granite. Granite weighs roughly 180 lbs per square foot. The pillar takes up about 257.71 square feet, so it weighs around 46,388 lbs. After bashing my head against a wall for a day, I've come to only two solutions to move this thing in order to sell it. 1) Fit it into a portable hole (which costs 20,000 gp in itself) and 2) get a Candle of Invocation and have that blasted thing wished to the place where the buyer wants to have it. Otherwise you'd have to have STR 39 and a Muleback Cord and a Heavyload Belt to pull this off.
Well, most of this stuff was kind of a let-down. If we manage to remove the fountain to the Sandpoint Cathedral the amount of @ss-kissing you're going to get from Father Abstalar Zantus, and any cleric that will replace him in the future, should be worth the effort. So, for the cost of a Candle of Invocation (8,400 gp) it would be better to get Fame, Honor and Reputation in order to show how our status has changed in Sandpoint.
Fame Events (Ultimate Campaign, p.180)
Win a combat encounter with a CR of your APL + 3 or more +1
Acquire a noteworthy treasure from a worthy foe +1
Receive a medal or similar honor from a public figure +1
Return a significant magic item or relic to its owner +1
Since we begin play with a Fame equal to our character level + Charisma modifier we would now have at least five Prestige Points to spend on a Planar Pact (Ultimate Equipment, p.182). So we'll call a lantern archon (which will stay for 24 hours) to make up the money that we lost and gain a large amount extra. Twenty-four hours have 86,400 seconds and given that a round is 6 seconds in length that means a lantern archon can imbue 14,400 sticks to make everburning torches. As a result, we will end up with 1,584,000 gp in magical goods. Even if you sell them off yourself over a lifetime (a value of 792,000 gp) your character can live a comfortable life. In the meantime we also have a way to illuminate our entire cave.
If you follow the Prophecies of Kalistrade you will also have managed to gain 3 extra honor points.
Honor Events (Ultimate Campaign, p.161)
Defeat a monster of the opposite alignment (CR 2 or more higher than you) +2
Party overcomes a challenging encounter (CR 3 or more higher than APL) +1
Protect a shrine from marauders +2
Develop a recognizable and feared persona +2
Gain the favor of an honorable NPC (Father Zantus) +2
Gain the favor of an honorable NPC (Mayor Deverin) +2
Minstrels willingly sing about your exploits +1
Make allies in the bureaucracy +1
Develop a new tribal tradition +1
Conserve your resources so that you never exhaust them (Prophecies of Kal.) +1
Go without basic comforts despite easily affording them (Prophecies of Kal.) +2
A NPC’s base number of honor points is equal to its CR × 5. Thus, a Level 1 Commoner would have 2 Honor Points (1/2 x 5 = 2.5 [rounded down]). A PC class starts with a number of honor points equal to its Charisma score + character level. We could now spend those for one of the aristocrats to give us a gift of coinage or an item of 2,000 gp per 1d6 honor points spent. But we could also use them for a favor. Cost: 1d6 to 5d6 honor points, depending on the difficulty of the favor and the NPC’s attitude toward you. If the GM is using the Contacts rules, the typical cost is 1d6 honor points per risk level of the task.
Reputation Events (Lands of the Linnorm Kings, p.46)
Party overcomes a challenging encounter (CR 3 or more higher than APL) +1
Make a significant discovery while exploring an unknown region +1
Steal treasure from a noteworthy foe +1
Successfully complete a standard adventure +1
A NPC’s base number of reputation points is generally equal to his CR × 5. Consequently, a Level 1 Commoner would have 2 Reputation Points (1/2 x 5 = 2.5 [rounded down]). A PC class starts with a number of reputation points equal to its Charisma score + character level. We could now spend those for one of the aristocrats to give us a gift of coinage or an item of 2,000 gp per 1d6 honor points spent. Or we could use it for a favor from a NPC ally. Cost: From 1d6 to 5d6 reputation points, depending on the GM’s whim and the difficulty of the favor.
Water
We could sell the water to the farmers of the farmsteads & smaller villages.
However, Pathfinder does not have a cost reference for something like that. Based on the Dark Sun setting a cup of water was worth 1 bit (10 bits were equal to a ceramic piece). Since a waterskin holds 1/2 gallon of water (which is 8 cups) we can't make money off of that. But let's think big! After doing some digging, and finding the equipment guide for Athas, it seems that a tun of water (250 gal) goes for 10 ceramic pieces. According to its conversion section 1 ceramic piece is equivalent to 1 gold piece. So, 4,000 cups of water go for 10 gp. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find the cost of a barrel that large.
You find out pretty quickly that there's a large distinction in container costs. The Pathfinder Core Rulebook only gives us a 75 gal barrel, which goes for 2 gp (and I haven't found any other non-magical containers that are bigger). Going through the AD&D Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue we could buy seven 30 gal barrels (2 gp each) and a 40 gal barrel (4 gp). If we use the Kingdom of Kalamar Goods & Gears book we could buy two 100 gal barrels (3 gp each) and a 50 gal barrel (5 sp) - but, Pathfinder takes precedence...
So, we are forced to actually have to buy 750 gallons worth of barrels, so that's a 20 gp investment in barrels and 100 gp for an Heavy wagon (which holds up to 4,000 lbs of cargo, because a full barrel weighs 650 lbs each and we'll transport 5 per shipment for now). Then we'll also include a Pump Water Canister (75 gp; 5 lbs empty, 37 lbs full; Adventurer's Armory. p.7), which holds 4 gallons of water and sprays 1 gallon of water per round up to 10 feet away. Then we add four mules for 32 gp to pull the Heavy Wagon and spend 1.25 gp for a mobile business (see Pathfinder Unchained). But wait, we need feed for the 4 mules, and 30 days of feed is 150 cp per mule. So that's 600 cp or 6 gp each month and we'll need 2 months worth of feed as you'll soon see. At this point we are looking at an investment of 240.25 gp.
Since we have to do 2 runs to get rid of a tun of water (and have a 16 mile overland movement limit per day) we can only do a shipment within 4 miles (because we have to travel back and forth twice). We'll have to do this 50 times to make our money back (and a 9.75 gp profit), so that will take us 2 months (1 rest day each week). For every shipment thereafter we make a 4 gp profit. So, in the 3rd month we are capable of making a 104 gp profit from then on.
If we actually have enough money for a Bag of Holding II we can pretty much bypass that hassle. It has a volume of 70 cubic feet, which means that it can hold 523.63 US gallons. So that's 2 tuns and 2 casks of water (a D&D 3.5 cask cost 1 gp and was able to hold 12 gal of liquid). So that's 20 gp per shipment. Of course that will cost 5,000 gp (2,500 gp if we make the Wondrous Item ourselves). Thus we have the potential to make the following monthly income: 520 gp (within 12 miles distance); 1,040 gp (within 6 miles distance; 2 shipments a day); 2,080 gp (within 3 miles distance; 4 shipments a day); 4,160 gp (within 1.5 miles distance; 8 shipments a day). These calculations are based on a daily overland movement of 30 feet (24 miles).
Of course, there would have to be a demand for water...