Dungeon shrine of masaki

Tenchi Muyo AD&D Adventures: Dungeon of the Masaki Shrine: page 1

The Masaki Shrine: The player Tenchi gets the sword Tenchi. The group should be about 3rd level.

The idea behind this is to bring in some powerful, funny, beautiful female NPC’s to a D&D campaign using characters from the Tenchi Muyo series. Fans of the series should enjoy this but, the plot is messed up enough that knowledge of the series shouldn’t give the players any serious advantage but will make the campaign so much more enjoyable for them. Therefore go ahead and use the Tenchi Muyo names. In fact players in the campaign will probably want to watch the series sometime. D&D players of course cannot be trusted to maintain a G rating appropriate to a TV cartoon series so certain safeguards are built in to prevent compromising and ruining the NPC’s. Since Ryoko and Ayeka must fall in love with Tenchi, it is desirable that the other characters from the series do not fall in love with Tenchi so as to keep everyone’s attention.

In order to not make this a one man show with Tenchi and the NPC’s it was decided to do this adventure using the Aladin’s Lamp scenario with Elowa playing the part of Jaffar. Elowa (Kiyone) is an NPC thief whom the group has met in a previous adventure. She has researched old legends while looking for her heritage and recognizes Tenchi’s name and possible relationship to the tyrant Yosho and his possible heritage of the sword and kingdom. She will try to get Tenchi and the group to recover the sword.

The group will either detour to the shrine in order to make the attempt to get the sword or they may be chased there for sanctuary (Previously, when the group met Elowa, she was running from a powerful mage who using Invisible Stalkers and soldiers to track her down).

If the soldiers, Invisible Stalkers or other outdoor adventures get too much for the group then allow the shrine to be close enough for a desperate ride on horseback. The shrine is surrounded by a Protection from Evil spell and the shrine keeper(s), with the old battlements and siege equipment, should be able to give the party sanctuary. The people living near the shrine all have sword, bows, and even armor given out by the shrine keeper(s) from captured intruders.

The History of the Castle and the Sword: This true history is not fully known except by Yosho.

The story begins with the dragon Ryoko. Ryoko was a constructed being, a one-of-a-kind female Cobalt Dragon (also called a Blue Metallic Dragon) made by the Jennie Washu for a previous master about 2,000 years ago. Like the silver, gold, brass and copper dragons, this metallic cobalt dragon was very intelligent, it could speak and use magic spells, and fly by magic (using a ‘Fly spell’ at will) with extra speed from wings. She could polymorph (change shape), her breath weapons were lightning and fire and she was Chaotic Evil in alignment. She had all other dragon properties; (sees things invisible, fear aura, etc.)

As she aged Ryoko’s mind and will grew. After her master’s death, Ryoko continued causing destruction throughout the country (and other planes of existence). During her rampages Ryoko attacked and destroyed much of the Elvin Kingdom of Jurai as well as some of their neighboring kingdoms about 1,000 years ago. Prince Yosho of the kingdom of Jurai, who was engaged to the princess Ayeka, set out on a quest to destroy Ryoko.

Yosho was unable to stop the dragon using the weapons at his disposal. To complete his quest Yosho obtained three powerful wishes from the queen of the Jinn (Washu). To do this he exchanged 1,000 years of his life with an ancient wizard for possession of her bottle. The first wish he used to create a magic sword which would protect him from Ryoko’s attacks and allow him to destroy Ryoko. This was a powerful sword indeed and to ensure his line would continue to rule in Juri, and to prevent the sword from being used against him or his royal lineage in the future, part of the wording of the wish was that the sword could only be used by him and his descendents.

Yosho pursued Ryoko from kingdom to kingdom and they became arch foes, and more. Ryoko stopped destroying for pleasure, but more to draw this knight into combat. The sword made her breath weapons useless against Yosho, and was sword was deadly to her in physical combat. Time after time she was forced to fly away licking her wounds. As they met in battle, first hurling insults, then questions, they soon they learned each other’s names, and histories and Yosho found himself thinking more of Ryoko as a person than a monster.

One day Yosho succeeded in finding Ryoko’s lair and, though she wasn’t there, he took from her much treasure and magic. Ryoko then focused on one thing, killing Yosho, one on one, in vengeance for defiling her lair. She polymorphed herself into a beautiful woman, and found him at the court of a king. She needed to get him away from the sword he always wore. She could not touch the sword and while he had it he was immune to her powers. Yosho fell in love with this strange girl, but he was betrothed to a princess back home, he could allow nothing but friendship between them. She used his friendship to get close to him. She caught him alone and tried assassinate him using human weapons. Her first attack wounded Yosho but failed to kill him, they fought, and he realized who she was. He defeated her again using the sword, but at the last second he found he couldn’t kill her. He hesitated and she transformed and flew off.


Yosho was now obsessed with Ryoko, he used his second wish to transform her into a human woman as he had seen her. He would track her down and capture her and they would be together. He would break her will; he would change her into a woman inside and out. Washu tampered with this wish, because Ryoko was her creation, her child, and she was proud of the powerful creature she had made. Washu transformed Ryoko into a human, but she allowed her to retain most of her dragon powers.

Yosho, returned to Ryoko’s lair and found her transformed and weeping in her huge cavern, but while her natural form was human she thought and acted like a dragon. In addition, she still had the ability to fly, to change shape, and use something like her old breath weapons. She would never be tamed or subdued, she wanted only to fight and kill.

Yosho realized she was still a monster despite her form, but he would have her. He used his last wish was to control her, so that he would have the ability to make her obey him. All Yosho’s wishes were incorporated by Washu into the original sword and tied to his lineage. It was easier for Washu that way. By using a magic word then speaking the command, Ryoko must obey the wielder of the sword. If the sword is destroyed all wishes are voided and Ryoko’s natural form will again be a dragon and uncontrollable, magic word or no.

Yosho found himself having exchanged half of his life for three wishes, and much of what life he had left to him had been wasted on a quest he could now never complete. Knowing he had in his heart betrayed his love for his fiancé, and knowing he would always love Ryoko, he now joined Ryoko. They took over a small fortified castle. He had wanted to make her a lady, but he began acting more like a dragon. Together they fought and pillaged until although he was acknowledged king throughout their surrounding lands, but he was as a usurper king, a tyrant. While he could force Ryoko’s body to obey him, he could not force her to love him or desire him. She was a dragon and he a human. Though bit by bit she was becoming more human, he would never live to see it.

After a century, Yosho found himself an old man while Ryoko still appeared as young woman having, it seemed, a dragon’s life span. He became afraid of what he had done. If he died, would an heir of his take the sword and Ryoko to continue what he had started? He would not allow it. He hired magicians to build a secret vault under his keep and set up an order of clerics to guard a shrine which he had built above the vault. He caused a secret room to be built below the shrine. To further secure it from ever being found, his magicians folded it outside our plane of existence, a pocket dimension, and barred the gate with intricate spells. They spelled a gem in the swords hilt with a Magic Jar Spell. Before his body died, Yosho ordered Ryoko into the secret room and ordered her into a deep sleep. He fixed his sword to bar the door, and transferred his mind into the gem and left his body to die. He would enforce his last command forever and he would watch over her for eternity. He left the castle to the clerics as a monastery, never to let an outsider into the shrine and he ensured that even they were always ignorant of the little room beneath.

The adventure begins with Elowa telling the group about a legend she knows through her research of lost elvin kingdoms. She has been weighing the facts that she knows for some time, ever since meeting Tenchi. The player Tenchi in the group looks a lot like a painting of a king she saw in a library and his name is the name of the powerful sword that this king left to his heirs. She’s been wanting to investigate this legend and the king’s old castle, which is now in the hands of some good clerics, and it might be a good place to hide. It could provide sanctuary from the law and protection from summoned or evil creatures pursuing them.

If Tenchi is the rightful heir then the sword would give the group (and Elowa) access to treasures and the ability to fight off some tough creatures. It may make him the king of the castle and the surrounding lands. If Tenchi becomes a king the group (and Elowa) would share some of the power and riches and if that wasn’t enough then Tenchi might need a queen someday.


Elowa knows about the legend of Yosho and the sword Tenchi. Through her research she is sure the following facts are basically true (though maybe exaggerated). She will share these with the party and try to disprove any contradictory legends they hear.

a) Yosho was a high level Warrior-Wizard who built a keep about six centuries ago.

b) Yosho had a powerful sword named Tenchi, which only he or his descendents could touch; it killed anyone else who touched it.

c) Yosho had a dragon which he had subdued with the sword Tenchi.

d) The sword could cut through solid stone; no enemy can stand against it. It gives its wielder magical powers.

e) Yosho had a queen named Ryoko who used magic.

f) The queen fought and ruled side by side with Yosho.

g) Yosho raided all the lands surrounding him, taking much treasure. He was very rich and powerful.

h) Yosho was a both a tyrant and a protector to his people. No one dared to invade his lands, but he was

a strict and stern ruler, demanding much tribute from his people. Most of them left for other lands till only serfs were left tilling Yosho’s land.

i) Beneath his castle was found a holy shrine which caused Yosho and his queen to age and die.

j) Yosho hid his sword within the shrine before he died.

k) Clerics came to guard the shrine to keep it safe and unmolested.

l) The clerics returned all the treasures Yosho had taken to the people of the land and raised the serfs of Yosho’s holdings to land owning freemen.

m) One day a descendent of Yosho will come and take the sword. With it he will establish a new and better kingdom.

More legends (true and false) can be learned from Bards and magical means. Roll a 12 sided dice:

1) The sword Tenchi can cut through solid stone. It lies embedded in a rock deep in the earth below Yosho’s Castle. Waiting for the rightful heir to Yosho’s throne.

2) The sword Tenchi was taken from Yosho’s sepulcher 400 years ago by Eric the Mighty, who claimed to be Yosho’s descendent. He died in battle the next year. His successor was his lieutenant who then also claimed to be a descendent of Yosho and took the sword. He died 5 years later and the sword was passed on to his successor and was lost in battle.

3) Eric’s lieutenant was not Yosho’s descendent. He hid the real sword beneath Eric’s castle and used a replica to justify his claim as Yosho’s descendent and rightful ruler. The sword still lies beneath Eric’s castle.

4) Once a young man named Noboyuki came to Yosho’s court claiming to be his son. Yosho imprisoned him in his dungeon. Yosho’s three captains of his guard held a secret trial in the tribunal chamber. In exchange for his freedom Noboyuki agreed that if he had any children they would be wed to the children of the captains. The captains helped Noboyuki to escape from the tribunal chamber through a secret passage up and out into the palace garden. He then escaped over the castle wall. Another prisoner was executed in his place.

5) The King, whose great-great-great grandfather defeated the pretender Eric and later destroyed the remnant of his followers, has Yosho’s sword mounted in his hall of judgment. Any person guilty of treason who touches it will die.

6) Yosho was once a prince of the far off Elvin kingdom of Jurai. The sword is an artifact of the royal line of Juria with extraordinary powers. Only one of the royal lineage of Jurai can wield the sword.

7) The sword gave Yosho the power to summon and command the demon-queen Ryoko to do his bidding.

8) The sword could also summon and command a great dragon.

9) Yosho’s had no children, so the sword returned to Hades after he died. If someone sits on Yosho’s throne, pours a flagon of human blood on the floor and recites three times, “For the sword Tenchi I sell my soul.” They will receive the sword from Asmodeus and the demon-queen Ryoko will return to serve them.

10) The demon-queen Ryoko was the actual ruler; she enchanted Yosho who was an Elvin prince from a far kingdom to become her consort. She caused him to conquer lands and gather treasure for her.

11) The shrine is in a cave beneath the castle. It is a white marble pool of pure water that seeps in from another plane. Its depths glow with sunlight reflected from an astral plane of heavenly goodness. As its water leaks into the earth it drives out evil from the land.

12) The sword has three gems, each of which grant one wish each to the wielder.



Version 1: The shrine guarded by a clerical sect as set up by Yosho before he died.

In version 1: I originally left the group of clerics that Yosho set up to guard the shrine and which now must be overcome. The clerics will recognize Tenchi as a young version of the Yosho depicted in the statures and paintings that remain in the monastery (which was originally Yosho’s keep). When they learn that his name is Tenchi, they will panic and capture the party, imprisoning them until they decide what to do. It will take 24 hours for them to decide to execute the group. If he is Yosho heir it may mean the doom of the shrine and the party is obviously after the sword no matter what they claim if they have Tenchi with them. The group, if they have remained imprisoned this long, will be given an hour to say their prayers before being executed.

The Clerics believe the following history of the shrine:

About 500 years ago, a holy shrine was found below the castle of the evil King Yosho. The finding of the shrine slowly caused the evil King and Queen to age and die and turned their dragon to stone, ending the rule of evil in this land. The founders of the current sect of clerics were summoned to the castle to take care of the shrine. Before Yosho died he repented of all the evil he had done and gave the castle and shrine to the clerical sect. [This document is preserved in the head cleric’s room.]

To atone for Yosho’s evil and greed after he died the clerics returned all Yosho’s treasures to the people and raised the serfs to landowners and freemen. The clerics now guard the shrine to keep it from being defiled and to defend the people in the surrounding lands from any evil that invades. A prophecy says that as long as the shrine remains the land will be free from evil rule. No outsider is allowed to set foot in the castle proper or see the shrine on penalty of death. Also no gold or jewels are allowed in the fortress grounds and the clerics also refrain from wine and remain celibate. Treasure and items from captured invaders are distributed among the families of the people that work the lands under the clerics protection.

Yosho is entombed next to his queen in the two sarcophagi that stand within the shrine. (All clerics have seen this.) This keeps their evil spirits from returning. Yosho’s sword was originally buried with him. Sadly due to greed and the lust for power, The castle the castle has been attacked many times by thieves looking for Yosho’s fabled sword. Twice the shrine has been defiled and the clerics defeated and almost completely killed off. This has caused a loss in the number and power of the clerics over the centuries.

3oo years ago a warrior named Eric the Mighty and his army killed almost all the clerics, broke into and defiled the shrine and Yosho’s resting place and took the sword from the hands of Yosho’s mummified body. The shrine was repaired and cleansed and a replica sword was placed in Yosho’s hands in his sarcophagus. This replica was stolen about 100 years ago by a group of thieves who also killed about 10 of the clerics standing guard. Yosho and Ryoko’s mummies now lie in open caskets, with their hands empty.

Approaching the Castle:

During the day, people from the surrounding farms will come to look at and talk to the group. Their children will run and tell the clerics at the castle. If attacked the farmers will gather weapons and try to defend their homes or retreat to the castle. Treat them as (10 – 20) 1st level fighters; they have armor, weapons and training from the clerics at the castle. All gates to the castle will be open unless there is danger. 5-10 men will be at the castle working for the clerics or delivering food offerings and selling extra. Barter and exchange for copper pieces (no gold or silver) are allowed within the castle grounds.

At night most farmers are asleep, but dogs will bark growl and awaken them as the group passes. The men will grab weapons and watch the group from their houses.

During the day the castle gates are open and at night the inner gate is shut. At all hours a guard patrols the outer walls and another watches from the top of the northern gate tower. Both have horns to summon help. 4 dogs patrol the grounds.

It is about 800 yards (2400’) around the castle perimeter, walking at 4” movement takes 60 rounds or 6 minutes Round up to 10 minutes (1 turn) per circuit. At night the perimeter of the outer wall is lit by continual light spells placed inside of metal cones, two on each tower and one in the center of each wall.

The entire castle area is surrounded by a protection from evil spell, no conjured or summoned creatures can enter. Teleport and scrying spells are blocked. All evil creatures will be uncomfortable within the grounds and -2 to attack rolls, saving throws vs. attacks


by evil creatures are at +2. In addition the castle are is permeated by the equivalent of a chant spell; all die rolls by the clerics and those friendly to them are at +1 and all die rolls by those in opposition to them are at -1.

Opponents on the wall receive 25% cover (-2 to Armor Class) if just walking along it and 50% cover (-4 to Armor class) if they are using the battlements for cover. Remove 6” from the range of weapons used to fire on persons atop the 30’ high wall from the ground. Persons atop the wall gain 6” to weapon range. Allow the clerics atop the walls to use sling staves. At night they should also have a light spell (12” range) which they will try to cast on an attacker to blind and mark them.

The Keep is old and in disrepair and there is a 5% per chance per 100 pounds multiplied the level of the castle above 2nd level that character movement will cause stones will fall or wood crack per 10” of movement. A 200 pound character on the 4 th level (2 above 2nd ) would have a 2 x 2 x 5% = 20% chance of stones coming loose or wooden supports cracking. While this makes noise and causes debris to fall to the lower levels alerting people to the groups location it is not dangerous unless the roll is less than or equal to 1/5th the required roll (4 or less in this case) then the player must save vs paralyzation or fall to the next level.

The Player Group is captured and imprisoned:

The clerics will capture the party by using Hold Person spells (gather together at least 5 clerics who can cast hold person before trying) all NPC’s will automatically fail their saving throws. The party will be stripped of all weapons and items and clothing down to their underclothes (females will be allowed

more; this group of clerics are celibate and uncomfortable handling women, though no jewelry, shoes, or items not concealed beneath their undergarments will be left to them). A know alignment spell will be used to determine everyone’s alignment. Male group members will be held in one cell, female group members in the next cell and the items will be in an adjoining cell where the party can see them, with reassurances that all their items are safe and will be returned to them when they go. If placed in the dungeon, or if the party put up a good fight, then there will be two guards and the clerics will cast a Glyph spell on the cell floor under the items. (5th

level Glyph spell by the head cleric, 10 points shocking damage, so as not to damage the items, players may save for ½ damage). Any cleric of the shrine will know how to pass over the glyph.

The party will be placed in the prison cell in outer court (or in the dungeon of the castle if they penetrate the castle). The clerics will enforce the rule that no outsider is allowed in the shrine on penalty of death. The party will be held under one guard if outside (or two guards if in the dungeon) while awaiting the council’s decision as to their fate. Tenchi may even be allowed to see the grand hall and the statues and tapestries of Yosho and Ryoko while the clerics compare his face to Yosho’s likeness. Player clerics of lawful good alignment may be offered their freedom if they swear an oath never to violate this shrine again. The party will be well fed, treated kindly, and even healed while imprisoned. The clerics on guard will be friendly and talkative and may even tell them the history of the shrine (Remember, they don’t know the whole story either). The guard does not have the key to the cells only the keys in and out of the prison or dungeon, and a horn to summon help. The council’s decision will take 24 hours and they will decide to kill the party. Tenchi’s resemblance to Yosho means this group can be after only one thing and if he is Yosho’s descendent it may mean the doom of the shrine.

Elowa (Magic User 6th / Thief 6th) will not actively help the group to escape until the group decides to go for the sword. She has spell components concealed in the seams of her undergarments and beneath her frock she has a sling, but if the party won’t agree to try and get the sword, she will not tell them of her resources. If the group manages the escape and tries to get out of the castle without getting the sword she will go off with an Invisibility and a Fly spell to scout out the sword. If not stopped by the group she will find the stairs leading down to the shrine and be captured there. The party will receive a rough map delivered by her psuedodragon Jourmi. The map will show the ground floor, the dungeon level and the stairs down to the shrine with a note explaining she was captured, and is being held in the dungeon to be executed at noon. If the party leaves her she will have escped and will show up again without any items, but the group should then not gain any experience for this dungeon in fact they should be docked 500 experience points.

If Elowa must plan and exicute the escape then the group leader should chose a player to handle the NPC. (Personaly I do not like it when NPC’s have to do everything for the party.) The D.M. can brief the player quickly going over the sheet and informing him that Elowa will not leave without trying for the sword. Elowa will have the following spells: charm person, sleep, invisiblity, fly, protection from normal missiles. Her ring of spell storing has more spells but is with the items. There is a time limit of 10 hours before the spell expires on her deep pockets frock and either everything it contains will either appear in normal space or disappear forever (dagger with darkness, dagger with scilence, +2 longsword, ect.)


Elowa’s Spell Concealed Spell Components: Protection from Evil (powdered iron & silver), Sleep (fine sand & rose petals), Spider Climb (drop of bitumen, [live spider needed]), Darkness 15’r (bit of bat fur & drop of pitch), Invisibility (eyelash & gum Arabic), Levitate (loop of leather), Rope Trick (powdered corn extract & parchment [rope required]), Clairvoyance (powdered pineal gland), Fireball (tiny ball of bat dung and sulphur), Fly (wing feather), Haste (licorice root shaving), Phantasmal Force (bit of fleece), Suggestion (snakes tongue & drop of sweet oil). She also has a sling concealed as a belt about the waist of her slip.

Finding the shrine:

The portcullis to the castle entryway is usually left open unless there is an attack. A 1st level cleric will be passing through the great hall (rooms #01, 02c, 06, and 13 ) about every turn 50% chance running errands. During the day (2) 1st level clerics will be cleaning the Grand Hall. If he surprises the group he will sound an alarm and run.

The iron gates at rooms #10, 11, and 12 bar the entry to the shrine and are always locked. The cleric on guard in room #23 has the key. The head cleric has a copy of all keys to the keep.

The cleric on guard in room 23 has a horn to summon help. He will sound his horn until help begins to arrive. When help begins to arrive, he will try to cast a hold person spell on 3 members of the group, then attempt to blind one of the group

members with a light spell.

3 of the four clerics (one 1stlevel, one 3rd level, one 4th level) on guard at the shrine will arrive in 3 rounds from below. They will leave the key to the lower gate with the guard who remains at the shrine. Each trumpet sound has a 50% chance of attracting the attention of a 1st level cleric running errands through or cleaning the Grand Hall. He will run at 12” movement, through hallway 06 and down stairs 13 to notify the head cleric and any sleeping clerics below. If he encounters the party he will reverse direction and run out of the castle to awaken help in the barracks.

Tower Watch Top of Stairs Shrine Pool Errands Sleep Work

5Th Level Clerics (1) 0

4th Level Clerics (3) 0 0 0

3rd Level Clerics (6) 0 0 0 0 0 0

2nd Level Clerics (6) 0 0 0 0 0 0

1st Level Clerics (9) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The Group Sneaks In:

This is certainly possible and may be successful. It will be very difficult to avoid the guards long enough for more than one person to get in. If detected the group will be challenged and attacked.

Attacking the Wall:

Two clerics (3rd level) patrol the wall. Taking turns; one stands watch at a tower at the entrance to the castle grounds while the other makes a 10 minute circuit along the top of the outer wall.

Both clerics carry a sling staff and a horn. They are armored and armed. At night both clerics have bullseye lanterns lit by continual light spells. If anyone is spotted they will be challenged. Any suspicious activity will cause the cleric to sound the alarm.


If the alarm is sounded other clerics will come. These clerics will mount to the wall top at the nearest stairway and go along the wall top to the alarm point. If more trouble along the wall is spotted they will stop and give alarm.

Round 1 One round after the alarm is sounded the inner gate will be shut. At night this is already shut.

Round 4: Six horses are brought to the inner gate in case riders must be sent out.

Round 4: Clerics at work will arrive at the scene of the alarm, one per round after the 4th round following the alarm. These clerics have no armor, but will get weapons from the towers as they go through. During the day 2d4+2 farmers and at night 1d4+1 workers (treat these as 1st level fighters) will also help. They will have no armor but will have Swords and bows and arrows.

Round 6: Clerics guarding the pool and stairs will arrive in 6 rounds with armor and weapons leaving one

1st level at the pool with the keys.

Round 10: Clerics that were sleeping will arrive after 10 rounds with armor and weapons.

Combat: If the party attacks:

If combat takes place. Persons on the wall using battlements and merlons for cover will receive 50% cover (-4 to Armor Class). Farmers and workmen using bows from tower windows will receive 75% cover (-7 to armor class). Reduce range on weapons by 6” or twice the height of the wall in 10’s of feet. (Throwing axes, clubs, daggers, darts, hammers, and spears is useless.) Add 6” to the range of weapons used by persons on top of the wall firing down.

At a signal, all person in an area will withdraw from missile combat for one round and all clerics in the area will cast bless. [Remember that I’m allowing bless spells to stack (+1, +1, +1, +1). ]

If the party runs the riders will be sent out 4 rounds later.

If the party surrenders the riders will be sent out to surround and capture them.

Players struck down to 0 health points aren’t dead until they reach -10. Clerics will heal the fallen and take them within for questioning.

If the group approaches the castle and pleads for sanctuary or asks to be let in:

If the party is fleeing from conjured creatures such as invisible stalkers the protection from evil about the castle will stop them. If they are fleeing from the kings soldiers then they will be afforded sanctuary (and imprisoned) until their case can be heard. There is a treaty with the king granting them this freedom. If they are being chased by monsters from an adventure gone bad, the clerics will defend their shrine.

If the group just asked to be let in; the clerics will let the group camp in the courtyard. They will ask the group questions about their current quest (where are they from? where I was going? what are they seeking? who are they working for? etc. )As soon as they see Tenchi they will begin to congregate around him. When 5 or more clerics are available who can cast hold person the group will be captured and imprisoned.

Climbing Walls in feet per round

Wall Surface Not SlipperySlightly Slippery

Slippery

Normal2 x chance of

failure10 x Chance of

failureSmooth

6’ 3’ 0’

Smooth with Cracks

12’ 6’ 3’

Rough18’ → 9’

Castle Wall6’

Projections and ledges

24’ 12’ 9’

Spider Climb Spell allows 3” movement


Version 2: Yosho; the Shrine Caretaker.

My friend Chad didn’t like the idea with the clerics so I came up with this version which will allow the adventures to follow the cartoon series more closely. This version allows Grandfather Masaki to be Yosho in disguise as an old but powerful samurai with a sense of humor, and allowing the group to live in his house as a base of operations.

History of the Shrine for Version 2:

Same history as before: but 5 years ago a group of thieves led by an illusionist / assassin and an Ogre Mage attacked the castle and killed the clerics and the surrounding farmers.

The two leaders and one thief violated the shrine and figured out the secret of the pool entrance to Ryoko’s chamber. Yosho, sensing what had happened from the magic jar in the sword’s hilt, possessed the thief. Yoho then used the thief’s body to cast a feeblemind spell on the ogre mage and the thief’s sword to kill the illusionist / assassin. Yosho then possessed the ogre mage’s body and killed the thief. He exited the pool and found the entire order of clerics dead. The shrine and the secret room had been discovered and Ryoko and the sword were now unguarded. His preparations for eternity had fallen apart after only half a millennium.

The new body was strong and powerful and the combat had awakened something in him. His new body was that of a monster, but with great strength and magic and the ability to disguise itself in human form. He found the centuries within the shrine had purified his mind and will, he no longer wanted to be king, no longer wanted fight, no longer desired to plunder, no longer desired Ryoko. Instead he wanted peace and a quiet life. He took over the shrine as caretaker and guardian.

This present body could not touch the sword, not being one of his descendents. Without his will in the sword commanding Ryoko, to sleep she would awaken eventually. So he could not leave the shrine.

When Tenchi shows up at the shrine it brings two possibilities; possess Tenchi, take the sword, awaken Ryoko and re-establish his kingdom, or allow Tenchi to take the sword and Ryoko and complete what he had originally started with his second wish, to turn Ryoko into a true woman. Ryoko’s thoughts have also mellowed during the centuries within the shrine and Yosho is mentally old though in a physically young body. He no longer desires Ryoko and was is mentally tired to possess anyone with willpower for long.

Differences in the Shrine for Version 2:

Yosho can fly and turn to gaseous form to visit the pool. The central castle is locked, all doors wizard locked as well as physically locked. Both of the portcullis’ are down and the boards removed over the pit in the entry way. He has built the Masaki house from the TV series in the castle grounds and lives there. (Call it a Jurai type house.) He keeps the keys to the shrine on his person. Usually the inner courtyard gate is kept shut, unless he must transport heavy objects in or out by wheelbarrow or cart.

He sleeps a lot (12 hours a day) and drinks too much Saki. He spends an hour each day in the secret chamber in the magic jar of the sword, checking on Ryoko and willing her to remain asleep, but his wakefulness seems to make her stir. If the shrine is invaded he will generally use his invisibility other magic to allow him to pick off the intruders when they are vulnerable.

He has set up some additional traps and obstacles;

1) All doors leading from the outside into the castle are wizard locked.

2) All trap doors at the tops of castle towers are wizard locked and 300 lbs of stone blocks placed on them.

3) All iron gates are wizard locked, including the prison, false shrine and dungeon cells.

4) The iron grate to the dungeon from the barracks courtyard is wizard locked but left open. If the players enter here the grate will be slammed closed behind them after a few rounds (if Yosho is following them).

5) The door at the top of the stairs on the north side of the central castle (stairs to room 101) is wizard locked and trapped. Opening this door will cause a barrel to roll down the stairs about 20’ before falling off the stairs, additionally a chain attached to the barrel and embedded into a deep channel carved along the stairway wall (concealed by dry mud) will sweep other player off stairs. Fall damage is 1d6 per 10 feet and the stairs are at 45º so distance from the base of the stairs is the same as vertical distance above ground. Save vs. Paralyzation to avoid either effect.

6) The door at the top of the stairs from the garden courtyard 17 to the castle stairwell 13 is also wizard locked and trapped. 6 100lb. barrels are stacked on an incline and lean heavily on the door. They will roll down the stairs doing 3d6 damage to anyone on the stairs or 2d6 damage to persons at the base or sides of the stairway. Persons on the stairs may save vs. Paralyzation for ½ damage by leaping off the stairs. Those at the base may save paralyzation for no damage by leaping out of the way.


7) Magic mouths will imitate bird calls or owls to warn of intruders approaching entry ways to the keep. A second magic mouth on Yosho’s robe will awaken him if the first fails. He also has a magic mouth on his robe to warn him of sneak attacks or attacks when he is sleeping.

8) The passage to room 24 (the stairs from the barracks to the castle) is bricked up.

9) Passage 42 from the dungeons to the castle is also bricked up so closing the grating to the dungeon will trap group members.

10) Entrance from the stairwell 13 to the main floor and the balcony 73 are bricked up.

11) Due to lack of use some neutral creatures of animal intelligence have crept into the dungeon level and the rooms on the upper levels or drifted in as spores:

1) Huge Spider

2) Giant Ants

3) Giant Centipedes

4) Giant Rats

5) Yellow Mold

6) Ochre Jelly

7) Grey Ooze

8) Giant tick

Yosho will not attempt to kill members of the group who are trying to explore the shrine though he will hinder them. He has a sense of humor and can use his invisibility and gaseous form to follow behind the group or stay one step ahead of them. He will appear and help them if they are about to be killed.

If the group approaches the castle by day then they should meet Yosho carrying the bodies of 4 brigands off to be buried in a wheelbarrow. He will introduce himself as Katsuhito Masaki, the caretaker of the shrine. The bodies are those of 4 brigands who tried to rob the shrine last night. If they will assist him in burying the brigands, he will be happy to show them the shrine grounds, provided they are here to worship and not defile the shrine.

If the group is sneaking in a night, allow the magic mouth owls and birds to awaken Yosho. He can appear suddenly as a player is about to climb over the wall top or in the midst of the group as they plot. He will tell them he is Katsuhito Masaki, the care taker of the shrine and that it is his duty to guard the shrine. The shrine is closed at night and if they have an offering they should come back during the day.

If there has to be a fight then Yosho should be able to defeat the group. If things go bad, he can use fly (making it look like a flip or jump), darkness (like a ninja smoke pellet), invisibility or gaseous form to escape. He will then regenerate lost hit points and come back using haste, mirror image and protection from normal missiles. Once the group is defeated he will lock the group up in the prison cells (not the false shrine) and then use the groups healing potions to revive them. Their bulky items will be placed in one of the top towers of the castle though they will not be strip searched.

If the group pretends friendship with Yosho and wishes to see the shrine he will take them to the false shrine in the castle grounds. He will even open it for them with his keys (Yosho must be present to defeat the wizard lock. See DM’s Guide p. 45 Wizard lock: The caster can always pass through his or her own wizard locked portal freely). The ramp is steep (45º) and slippery, warn the party but inform them that no rolls need to be made for walking down the ramp. [However, engaging in combat or being pushed is another matter.] When inside the false shrine and down the ramp Yosho will use any of his powers; darkness, gaseous form, fly, and invisibility to return to the gate and lock the group in. The door is wizard locked and physically locks when it slams shut, additionally there is metal bar which seals the door shut and was purposely broken, A mending spell will restore this bar, solidly barring the door. This combination should be impervious to a knock spell. A plate out of sight at the side of the tower has a conducting wire leading to the

Wizard Lock (Alteration)Level: 2 Components: V, S Range: Touch Duration: Permanent Area of Effect: 30 square feet/level Casting Time: 2 segments Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: When a wizard lock spell is cast upon a door, chest or portal, it magically locks it. The wizard-locked door or object can be opened only by breaking, a dispel magic, a knock spell (qq.v.), or by a magic-user 4 or more levels higher than the one casting the spell. Note that the last two methods do not remove the wizard lock, they only negate it for a brief duration. Creatures of extra-dimensional nature do not affect a wizard lock as they do a held portal (see hold portal).


gate. If the group tries to bend bars or otherwise force the door, Yosho will use shocking grasp (1d8 + 12 damage) on the plate and thereby anyone touching the gate. He will then return and warn the party, “Oh, I forgot to warn you, don’t try to force the gate, it’s protected by magic.”

Some unexpected problems may be encountered if the group leaves members outside the shrine entrance, uses ropes or other methods to ensure quick egress, keeps a knife to Yosho’s throat or ties him up. The DM should think on his feet. Use darkness and call the group members down “Mike, Alan, help, get down here quick”, cut the escape rope, use a grease spell on the ramp, or turn gaseous and escape the ropes or knife hold first.

If the group can’t escape:

Yosho will show up to feed them at meal times. A magic mouth will sound off if the bars are being forced, the lock is being picked, or the bars are being filed. Yosho will show up to hinder the attempt. After two days he will request one member of the group to be released and help him around the shrine. He will choose Tenchi. Allow Yosho to be able to reach in and lift the players weight and then assume gaseous form with the player (if the player resists, he should be allowed a saving throw) and reforming outside the bars.

Tenchi will be assigned to clear the weeds and try to harvest any wild vegetables left in the old garden, cook for and feed the group. The group’s horses must be attended to and the stables cleaned. Yosho will offer to train Tenchi to be the caretaker of the shrine.

After another two days, if the players (not Yosho) suggest it, another may be allowed out. For female characters; the floors in Yosho’s house need to be swept and scrubbed and the toilets must be cleaned. Meals need to be prepared for the rest of the group and Yosho. For male characters; Yosho’s house needs some repair, the roof needs to be patched, the barns are in disrepair, the pond needs to be cleaned … etc.

After another two days, if the players suggest it, another player may be allowed out.

On the seventh day a large group of 25 brigands (use the ones from the Group Meets Mihoshi adventure) will approach the shrine. Yosho will offer the group their freedom if they help him defend the shrine. They will attack at night shooting a volley of flaming arrows to start fires. 8 members will then climb the walls with grappling hooks while 16 defend their comrades’ ascent with bows. The leader will blow a horn so that all attacks / retreats start at the same time.

If the group does escape:

You shouldn’t let this happen, but a smart and resourceful group which comes up with a good plan shouldn’t be penalized.

If the group escapes and attacks Yosho he could defeat them, remove their items and lock them up again. As an alternative, he might use a suggestion spell on the group leader and convince him that he will take them back to the shrine and show them the trick needed to pull the sword from the stone and open the doors. Then repeat the capture. To do this properly, you might have the group leader roll for his saving throw and if he fails the roll then take him aside and explain what is happening. Then do the conversation.

If the group tries to find their way to the inner shrine Yosho can keep ahead, behind or above them and hinder them without being seen. The goal should be to keep them out of the shrine, or if they get inside, to trap them, training them to think and to fight. The group could be trapped by closing and Wizard Locking the iron grate to the dungeon behind them, or using his Wall of Stone spell to seal the group in. Then go back to the first plan with the group captured, Yosho can still get to the group with food using gaseous form.

The Group Finds the Shrine:

Eventually the group must find the shrine; whether by working during the day and exploring at night, sneaking off from their assigned tasks and exploring, escaping their prison, etc. Yosho, will hinder the group, but not with deadly force and without being seen if possible. He will even help the group if they are in deadly peril and can’t seem to escape. Yosho knows Tenchi must one day find the sword, he just feels that he is not ready yet. When will he be ready? When he is able to find the sword despite Yosho’s interference. Until then he will work and train Tenchi to make him a strong and honorable fighter.

The old man who calls himself Katsuhito Masaki, the caretaker of the shrine, and tells you that he is the last guardian left alive after the clerics were destroyed, tells this story:

Many centuries ago this continent was ravaged by a great dragon. This dragon was unlike any other, bluish silver in color, its scales were like dull metal with bright gems embedded here and there and it breathed fire and lightning. If it chose to it could speak the language of men and it could use powerful magic spells. It was more nimble in flight than any dragon ever seen, it could hover in mid air and with a flap of its wings it could disappear in a clap


of thunder. Some said she was a daughter of Tiamat, others that she was demon in dragon form or a dragon from the realm of demons. In truth she was both the daughter and the creation of a goddess who had been compelled to grant a wish to a mortal man; a great warrior who rode her as his dragon steed across the sky in ages past. How long ago that was, in what other land, or in what other world, or who had been her master, even the dragon no longer remembered.

In that time there was a kingdom of elves called Jurai. This kingdom of Jurai was many leagues to the east of these lands which we now live in. The cities of Jurai were built in huge trees. These trees were always green for the magic of the forests kept winter away. The trees were always green; but the leaves of some trees shown with outlines of gold and silver and ruby in the sunlight. The cities were of polished wood; white, brown, grey, mahogany, marbled with intricate lines of grain and decorated with gems and gold and silver filigree. The people of Jurai were skillful artisans and knowledgeable in the ways of magic and brave fighters. Their king was very powerful and honorable warrior, for the people of Jurai loved honor. The princes of Jurai were great warriors and very skilled in weapons and in the magic arts. The princesses of Jurai were beautiful, graceful, ever young and also skillful in the use of weapons. Their sword play was a dance of grace and precision.

The dragon found this rich kingdom and raided and plundered it until it was almost destroyed. The magic of Jurai was the magic of wood and the bane of wood is fire. The king’s son, a noble prince, swore that he would destroy this dragon and set out on a quest. The prince was given one of the magic boats made for the royal family, a living tree that could sail through the air and magical wooden guardians to fight alongside of him. Despite all this, when the prince found the dragon and they fought, he escaped with only his life.

The prince sought the aid of a powerful wizard. This wizard had gained much power through the use of three wishes granted him by a powerful Jinn. The wizard agreed to give the prince the Jinn’s bottle in exchange for 1,000 years of his life, for the wizard had used up all of his wishes to gain power and had not wished for eternal youth.

The prince first wished for an enchanted sword, a sword more powerful than any in the land, one capable of defeating the dragon. The prince was engaged to a princess, a mere child at the time but heir to the throne, and so thinking of his future kingdom and to ensure that this sword would remain to him and his royal lineage, he added that the sword might only be used by him and his descendents. The Jinn, or Jennie rather, for the Jinn appeared as a young girl with red hair and green eyes, granted the wish, but strictly followed the wording so that the sword would be capable of defeating the dragon but did not ensure victory. It put them on even terms at best.

The sword was a fabulous sword, however, shielding its master from the breath of the dragon and even preventing physical contact. Anyone who touched it, or it touched, other than the prince was struck down by its powerful magic. Powerful as it was, it couldn’t strike dead the dragon with a single blow nor could it launch itself at an aerial opponent nor enable it’s wield to fly as fast as a dragon. Time and time again the prince found and fought the dragon and they came to know each other by sight. As they fought they hurled insults and challenges and later taunts and questions. They learned each other’s names and what drove them, the prince to avenge and protect his future kingdom and the dragon to plunder.

One day the prince found the dragon’s lair, an immense cavern in the side of a desolate mountain. The dragon was gone but the prince took the most precious and powerful items in the hoarded treasure and left a token to show who had plundered this plunderer. Now the prince found he didn’t have to hunt the dragon for the dragon hunted him, but still it was a stalemate.

The prince spent some weeks at the castle of a noble in a land not far from here who knew of Jurai and was willing to honor its prince with his hospitality. While there, a mysterious young woman of stunning beauty came to the court saying that she was the daughter of a baron in a nearby kingdom whose father and mother had been murdered and their lands taken. She asked for sanctuary as a lady in distress who had been robbed of the titles, lands and holdings which she should have inherited. She had some jewelry, quite valuable, which she humbly offered in exchange for being allowed to stay.

The prince could hardly stop thinking of this girl his entire time at the castle and she, for her part, sought his company almost every day, wherever he went. Many thought she was trying to get the prince to recover her lands for her; others that she desired to marry this prince. He tried to prevent himself from being alone with her and told her plainly of his engagement to the child princess, now maybe an elvin teenager (for elves do not age as humans do, but more slowly). Yet the prince having sold half his lifetime for three wishes was no longer a young man. In his heart he loved this woman for some reason beyond her beauty; it was like she was something or someone he had sought for all his life. To elves, humans often seem a bit course and unrefined, but even to humans this noble lady seemed to have the soul of a barbarian queen. Yet, in her it seemed more a zest for life, a quest to see and to do all things that men do, whether they were considered proper or improper, right or wrong. She could drink, dance, laugh, ride, fight and hold her own against any man in the castle and then with a look or a gesture she could stop and instantly remind them that she was a lady, and with courtly speech demand the respect and chivalry due her rank and maidenhood. It seemed a game to her.

One day, he did find himself alone with her. She was talking of whether he would allow her to follow him on his quest, or if he would return here each year to see her or if he might one day take her to Jurai. He had his back to her, steeling himself while love and duty and honor pulled his insides in opposite directions and maybe, just maybe, he was about to give in. Then she struck. She had taken up a sword from somewhere and with a leap she tried to plunge it into his back. She wounded him badly. Maybe it was


her words, “… for defiling my lair and stealing my treasure… ,” maybe it was her eyes glowing with golden light in her anger, or her teeth, sharp and pointy, bared at him, but he recognized her as the dragon he had hunted so long changed into human form.

His sword flew out and they fought, closer to each other than they had ever fought before, hedged in by what would have been a ridiculously small room for a man and a dragon to fight in. He beat her down with the flat of his blade. She in her anger forgot the sword and tried to bite and scratch as a wild beast, but she was held off by the swords protection. He might have killed her, might have run her through but he didn’t. She saw that too and cried in frustration and defeat, then disappeared, a great shadow appearing overhead and winging away.

Wounded and mad with conflicting emotions, he formed a plan. Though he waited until his mind and his wound were better before he put it into effect, still, plans formed in physical and emotional agony only lead one to destruction and misery. He would have this woman, he thought, and he would tame her. He called forth the Jennie of the bottle and wished the dragon to be a human always as he had seen her. Then he set out to find her.

He found her in her lair. She was human as he had seen her and weeping in despair, or so it seemed. She turned on him suddenly and transformed again into a dragon. Surprise and confusion slowed his reactions. She smashed rocks down on him and tried to knock him into sharp stalagmites. He managed to roll into a crevasse. He used his last wish then and there to control her. In his haste he must have said , “… by the power of the sword …” though he could never recall all the words of this wish made in desperate circumstances. It worked though. By holding the sword and speaking the command word given him by the Jennie he forced her to do his bidding.

Forced obedience, however, is less than even the bond that exists even between a man and his tamed dog or his tamed horse. It is not a partnership or even mutual respect, not even voluntary cooperation. And so this prince felt he had lost everything. He had sworn an oath to complete a quest which he could never fulfill. He had wasted three wishes and 1,000 years of his life in exchange for physical control over a woman with the soul and the powers of a dragon who hated him. He had dishonored his betrothal and thus his family’s honor.

Regret and despair and hopelessness are like strong drink, they drive a man to do things he would not do otherwise. The dragon would not become a woman so the prince became a dragon. Not physically, but commanding her to remain in human form they raided and pillaged and hoarded like human dragons, seizing lands and a small castle. He became a king of sorts and she sat by his side as a queen and fought by his side as a warrior. Together they ruled with an iron fist, taxing their subjects into penniless serfs tilling the land as slaves. They plundering the surrounding lands till other kingdoms paid tribute taxes to them to stop the raids. The dragon found she liked power as well as plunder and was insatiable in regard for either.

This life sapped the strength of the prince in the few centuries remaining to him. He lived with constant regret gnawing his soul. In the end when he saw that he must die he tried to atone somewhat for the things that he had done and to prevent the decisions he had made from continuing on and on. The dragon-woman seemed still young; having a dragons lifespan as well as dragon powers within her human body. Before he died he arranged for her to be sealed away forever and hid the sword where it would never be found. He then gave their lands to a clerical sect with orders that upon his death they were to give back the stolen treasures to the people who had suffered the most from their greed and to forever guard the castle and his lands lest evil rise again.

The end of this story is yet unwritten. Although the prince’s body lies in a sarcophagus deep below this castle, and beside his body lies the body of the queen, and below them both, in a cavern, lies a stone dragon, they are not really dead. At least the forces and destinies that they set in motion are not dead. The dragon-girl will one day escape her tomb and the sword will be found by an heir of the prince. The kingdom of Jurai lies in wait, wasting without a ruler and without power, for a prince of the royal blood to return. For you see the young princess after many many years went off to find her prince taking her young sister with her and was never seen or heard of again. After the death of the King and Queen of Jurai there was no royal heir to defend Jurai or command its magic. These two blood lines, the prince and the princesses, must meet and unite again to wield the ancient magic of the rulers of Jurai and restore the kingdom and the dynasty. And the Jennie’s bottle, though also lost and forgotten within the treasury of the king, will surface again in another’s hands to twist fate and destiny into who knows what.


The castle

grounds:

The Gates:

The gates are closed by hand and of course can be barred shut from the inside.


The Castle: Ground level:

01 Entry Way: 40’ x 20’

If the clerics are running the shine: roll for wandering monsters; a 1 in 6 chance (a first level cleric running errands or cleaning)

The entry way has a portcullis which can block the entry and exit and a pit in the floor which is usually covered by large wooden planks. If under attack the portcullises will be dropped and the planks removed. In the ceiling directly over the pit is a metal grate (mostly plate with 2” holes) which allows arrows to fired down from above with 90% cover or for boiling oil to be poured down upon attackers. Arrows from the great hall may also be fired into the entry way using pillars and tables to afford 75% cover. The bottom of the pit has some green slime in it.

If Yosho is running the castle then the planks over the pit are removed and the portcullises have been dropped sealing the entry way.

02a The Grand Hall:

If the clerics are running the shine: roll for wandering monsters; a 1 in 6 chance of meeting a first level cleric running errands or cleaning. At 4:00 AM, Noon, and 8:00 PM the next watch of 5 clerics form up here in 02c and walk in a procession to the gates leading to the shrine.

The grand hall has marbled tiled floors and two rows of marble pillars at the end of which is raised dais with two large ornate thrones.

02b The Statues of Yosho and Ryoko:

Two massive walls skirting the grand hall are faced in marble and carved with reliefs. The reliefs are scenes of Yosho and Ryoko as King and Queen or battling or with a great dragon.


02c and 02d The Outer Hall:

If the clerics are running the shine: wandering monsters 1 in 6 (a first level cleric running errands or cleaning)

The face of the massive walls between the outer in inner portions of the Grand Hall are also faced in marble and carved with scenes of Yosho and Ryoko.

03a Thrones:

Two Large Thrones sit on a raised dais, fully 10’ above the floor of the Grand Hall. They are overlaid in black ivory and gold. Behind the thrones is a thick crimson curtain.

03b Passage to Thrones:

Behind the curtain, behind the thrones is a stairway leading up to the level of the walkway around the grand hall.

04a & 04b Waiting Rooms:

These rooms are furnished with chairs and small tables somewhat like a waiting area in a doctor’s office. Additionally there is a desk and writing utensils available.

Normally those seeking audience with the king and queen wait here, during celebrations guests can relax here while the crowds thronged in the grand hall. The clerics did not use or modify these rooms.

05 Minor Audience Chamber:

This room was used by the major domo to interview and prepare persons before an audience with the king and queen. There is a large chair and several chests of drawers, two stand-up trunks 6’ tall, a podium with ink, quills and parchment, a large (full length) silver mirror, a pitcher and basin sit on a stand, there are buckets, brooms and mops stored against the walls.

The chest of drawers contains brushes, combs, perfumes, oils, creams, powders, scissors and razors; much as a barber shop would contain. The lower cabinets contain boot black and polish and brushes and rags. Other drawers contain clothes brushes, needles and threads, pins and scissors much as a Taylor might use. The stand up trunks are black with varnished on the outside, and bare cedar wood on the inside and contained clothes.

The clerics now also use this room to store mops and cleaning supplies. Guests (those of a holy order, such as other clerics or paladins) are allowed to freshen up there and the clerics still use it as a barber shop.

06 & 07 Hallways from the Grand Hall:

If the clerics are running the shine: wandering monsters 1 in 6 (a first level cleric running errands or cleaning)

These are grand arched hallways fully 20’ wide with pillared arches. The walls and floor are polished stone blocks. Along the walls every 10’ are hung curtains.

06 & 07 a, b, c, d, e:

Behind the curtains are 10 x 10 niches. These niches contain shelves on the back and far side walls above two chests which sit on the floor, a small table on wheels sits in a corner. In addition there are buckets, brooms, mops, dusters, and rags. There are three bells fastened to the back wall with three rotted wires leading through holes in the wall. Some shelves still contain old plates, bowls and flagons. Examining items on the shelves is 50% likely to cause them to collapse.

07a: A 1’ diameter hole in the floor of servant’s niche 07a (covered by an iron plate in the floor) allows burning oil or other nasty things to be dropped on persons attempting entry into the castle from the dungeon level room 52.

Niche C opens in back into a 20 x 20 room (08 & 09).

08 & 09 Offices of the Major Domo and Head Mistress: ***

This room contains a desk, two large cabinets (china cabinets), and two large chests. All drawers, cabinets, and chests are locked. The desks contain keys to all the doors of sleeping chambers and storage rooms on level 2.

Room 08: Has a secret compartment built into the wall. This compartment is locked and no key exists at this time.

Room 09: Has a secret compartment built into the desk. This compartment is locked and no key exists at this time

Room 08’s secret wall compartment contains a) a silver tube somewhat like a thick 1” x 6” pen with a cap; b) something like a set of tongs with flexible tubes attached to it and a silver cone tied to it (stethoscope), c) a very nice set of thieves picks and tools, d) a set of 10 keys, e) a jar about the size of a soda can containing black powder, f) a fist sized leather pouch, g) a small dagger of black matted steel, h) a miniature crossbow or hand crossbow or crossbow pistol (see Unearthed Arcana pages 26-28)


a) If the cap on the silver pen like instrument is removed it will reveal a blood red gem mounted on the end of the tube. The device will radiate magic. (there is a continual light spell within the tube)

If the gem is examined in the dark by any player with infravision (dwarves, gnomes, elves, Halflings, orcs,) it will seem to radiate a bright beam of light. This flashlight will enable players with infravision to function in the dark (even to read, check for traps, secret doors, etc.) and to see to 90’ (in a 90 foot cone; 1” wide at the flashlight and 10’ wide at the base) in the dark. Of course normal light sources nearby ruin this vision.

b) The stethoscope will add 25% to hear noise rolls through objects like doors.

c) Very nice but standard set of thieves pick and tools no bonuses.

d) These are master key sets to all rooms in the castle except The Shrine and the Royal Apartments and Royal Offices.

e) Black powder is solidified continual darkness. It will coat anything in absolute non-reflecting solid black. It is meant to cover a person’s body and equipment so that they are black to normal, infra and ultra vision allowing persons to completely hide in the dark. It will raise the chance to hide in shadows by 25% even vs. opponents with infravision or ultravision. It contains five applications. Each application lasts 1-4 hours or until washed off. A continual light spell will neutralize it if the powder is within the area of affect when cast.

f) The pouch contains a glass sphere about 4” in diameter wrapped in several layers of soft velvet.

The glass orb contains Dust of Sneezing and Choking if it is dropped or broken the dust will be released:

Dust of Sneezing and Choking: This fine dust appears to be either of the above types of magical powders (Dust of Appearance or Dust of Disappearance). If spread, however, it will cause those within a 20’ radius to fall into fits of sneezing and coughing, those failing to save versus poison die immediately, those who do save are disabled by the choking for 5-20 rounds.

g) Dagger of Venom

Dagger of Venom appears to be a standard + 1 type of dagger, but its hilt holds a hidden store of poison. Any hit on a score of 20 injects fatal poison into the opponent unless a saving throw versus poison is successful. The dagger of venom holds 6 doses of poison, and more can be poured within when less than that amount is within the hilt. (Use of this weapon by good - particularly lawful good - characters must be carefully monitored.)

If not examined closely then it will become obvious when the dagger functions on a roll of 20. A good player wielding this weapon will receive negative experience for this first combat if used to kill a sentient creature. Continued voluntary use of this dagger on sentient creatures is considered an evil act.

h) Hand Crossbow with Poison Quarrels (See Unearthed Arcana pages 26-28).

Hand Crossbow in a holster: Range: S=2 / M=4 / L=6, Damage: S-M 1-3 / L 1-2, Fire Rate: 1

Six Quarrels resembling darts held in a clip on the bottom of the crossbow. The tips of the quarrels are coated with a black tar like substance. (The poison has dried and neutralized over the centuries, +5 to save 1-6 damage if victim fails to save.)

The same restrictions apply, as with the dagger of venom, for use of the poisoned quarrels.

This weapon requires separate proficiency from other crossbows.

Room 09 desk secret compartment contains three small (6” tall x 3” diameter) corked crystal bottles wrapped in velvet and cord on a silver platter, each bottle is about ½ full of a clear liquid. Next to the bottles is a glass thimble. Each bottle contains 20 – 40 doses.

1) Black Velvet, Lable: SOMNUS One dose produces moderate intoxication and will cause sleepiness. When the person does go to sleep, it will produce a very deep and long (9-14 [d6+8] hours) sleep. Persons cannot be awakened by noise or non-violent physical contact. Awakening requires 2 rounds.

2) Blue Velvet, Lable: OBLIVIO One dose produces moderate intoxication and forgetfulness of all events that transpire while under the effects (3-6 hours) and (3-6 hours) prior to the consumption. It will erase all memorized spells from the mind of a spell caster.

3) Red Velvet, Lable: BLANDITIUM One dose produces moderate intoxication in which the subject will be open to suggestions (as per the spell suggestion but at -4 to save) from anyone conversing with the drinker.

Saving Throws vs. Poison: If successful inform the player that this drink is very strong and ask if they are planning on getting drunk? - if they drink it anyway after making their initial saving throw they are entitled to a save for each of


its effects when needed. That is; if the player makes his first saving throw, is informed that the drink is very strong and drinks it anyway, then further saving throws may be given for awakening at a noise or fighting off sleep, remembering events or specific spells, or resisting each suggestion with no negative modifiers.

All of these elixirs seem to be nearly pure alcohol and can be mixed with alcoholic drinks to simply to make the drink seem stronger. One thimble full is the correct dose for one person. Extra doses increase the effect proportionally but will make the drugging more obvious. 6 doses or more causes the person to become comatose and to sleep for 7 to 10 hours and then requires a save vs. poison; failure leaves the person alive but permanently sleepy, or with complete amnesia, or with permanent susceptibility to suggestions until an exorcism (vs. demon rum) is performed on them. Each elixir requires at least 1 turn to take effect. Victims do not recognize they have been drugged, it must be discovered by outside observers. These elixirs do not respond to detect magic or detect poison spells nor are they neutralized by protections from various magical effects. Neutralize Poisons and Protections vs. Poisons will work if such protections would neutralize the effect of alcohol in your world.

Long ago certain guests might have had their drinks spiked on the king’s orders so that their property could be searched that night, or to allow them to be captured or questioned and not remember the incident, or to neutralize a spell caster, or to coerce them into divulging information or even to fight a duel with another guest.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS Dungeon Master’s Guide page 82-83

Drinking the Elixar: ½ dose 1-2 doses 3-5 doses or one swig

Slightly Intoxicated Moderately Intoxicated Greatly Intoxicated *

Bravery +1 +2 +4

Morale +5% +10% +15%

Intelligence -1 -3 -6

Wisdom -1 -4 -7

Dexterity 0 -2 -5

Charisma 0 -1 -4

Attack Dice 0 -1 -5

Hit Points 0 +1 per level +3 per level

* beyond great intoxication persons become comatose and will sleep for 7 to 10 hours.

10 & 11 passages to the shrine:

These are grand arched hallways fully 20’ wide with pillared arches. The walls and floor are polished stone blocks. In the middle of the hallway is a fence of iron poles 20’ high ending in a sharp blade. In the center of the fence is a locked gate about 3½ ’ wide. Forty feet beyond the gate is another similar fence and gate. A third gate blocks a stone passageway at right angles to the hallway between the two fences. The gates are locked and are of intricate design -25% to pick.

If the clerics are running the shrine:

The cleric at room 25 will sound his horn if he sees strangers at the gate. This cleric has the keys to the three upper gates.

If the alarm has been sounded elsewhere then the 4 clerics at the shrine pool have left to man the defenses.

Otherwise 3 of the four clerics (one 1stlevel, one 3rd level, one 4th level) on guard at the shrine will arrive in 3 rounds from below. They will leave the key to the lower gate with the guard who remains at the shrine. They will attack with spells then withdraw for one round and cast bless on themselves (+1, +1, +1, +1 to hit) and engage in melee combat.

Each trumpet sound also has a 50% chance of attracting the attention of a 1st level cleric running errands through or cleaning the Grand Hall. He will run at 12” movement, through hallway 06 and down stairs 13 to notify the head cleric and any sleeping clerics below. If he encounters the party he will reverse direction and run out of the castle to awaken help in the barracks.

If Yosho is running the shrine:

Then the gates are locked and wizard locked and the keys are in his possession:


13 Spiral Stairway Up and Down:


Wandering monsters 1 in 6 (a first level cleric running errands or cleaning coming up).

If Yosho is running the shrine:

The passage to the stairs is bricked up on this level. The brick wall is 10’ deep and is extends up to the top of the passage. A small one brick passage is left open at the top for Yosho to use in gaseous form. In this wall the passage has become the home of a snake. The snake is non-poisonous but will attack and bite if provoked by shining a light into or probing the hole. 3’ long, Hit Points: 3, Damage per Attack: 1 Hit Point, Attack: Hits AC 0 on a roll of 20.

14 Spiral Stairway Down to Dungeon:

This Passage to the stairwell is blocked by a locked iron gate.

16 Gardener’s Shack:

This room is built into the stonework of the castle. It contains a cot, a dresser with a pitcher and basin and a wooden closet with old rotting clothes. The room also contains many shovels, hoes, rakes, picks, trimmers, flower pots and a wheelbarrow.

The floor of the closet is removable to reveal a secret passage down with a ladder built into the wall. The passage leads to the Tribunal Chamber in the dungeons (room 51).

17 and 18 Garden Courtyards:

These courtyards were once beautiful with rosy stone flagging, marble benches and trestled roses growing up the walls.

17 Courtyard contains stairs leading up to the castle.

The door is locked. If Yosho is running the castle then the door is also wizard locked and trapped. . 7 barrels are stacked on an incline and lean heavily on the door. They will roll down the stairs doing 3d6 points of damage to anyone on the stairs or at the base of the stairway. Persons on the stairs may save vs. Paralyzation for ½ damage by leaping off the stairs. Those at the base may save paralyzation for no damage by leaping out of the way.

19 The Castle Garden:

Hedges of pomegranates and fruit trees line the inner walls. Rosy colored flag stones and white sand form walkways. The walkways meander through long garden plots of various crops. In the center of the garden is a fountain with a huge stone bowl on a pillar. A stream of water shoots straight up from the bowl, falls back and cascades into a tiled stone pond. The fountain is fed by a permanent create water spell. Pipes from the fountain feed the various garden plots and the overflow feeds the pond outside the garden walls which overflows through a pipe outside the castle walls.

If Yosho is running the castle the garden is choked with weeds and he will ask the players to clear the weeds, dig up the soil and plant crops (including carrots). The pond is also choked with weeds and needs to be cleaned.

20 The Barracks Guard House:

21 The Barracks:

There are nine iron beds with stuffed mattresses and with a chest at the food of each bed and a rack for armor and weapons on the wall opposite each bed. The 1st level clerics room here and their armor and weapons are stored here.

22 The Barracks Courtyard:

A large heavy 6’ x 6’ iron grate stands upright above a hole in the bare stone courtyard. The grate is hinged to the stone floor along the side next to the castle wall. A block and tackle arrangement dangles above the grate. There is no ladder visible and the hole drops down about 8 feet into a dark room.

24 The stairway from the barracks to the castle:

If Yosho is running the castle then the passage to these stairs is bricked up.

25 Entrance to the pit:

A locked iron gate bars this entrance. The lock is intricate and -25% to pick.


A fourth level cleric always stands guard here, even if the other clerics are summoned to fight elsewhere by the alarm.

His spells are: Bless, Command, Cure , Light, Light, Hold Person, Hold Person, Hold Person, Spiritual Hammer.


His primary function is to sound the alarm.

When help comes he will use hold person spells to hold the party and light spells to blind the party.

Before engaging in melee the clerics will withdraw one round and cast bless on themselves which is assumed to be cumulative.

If no help is available he will retreat down the stairs and try defending with spells from there. Command, “jump” or “fall” will be used on the person on the stair nearest the edge of the pit. The character will be told he has been hit with a commanded spell to “jump” or to “fall” and his reaction watched. If he believes his character must fall into the pit, so be it, if he argues that he jumps or falls down the stairs, OK.

26 The pit:

The pit is a vertical shaft fully 40’ across and square. The sides appear to be of flow stone like a natural cavern. In the sides of shaft a 10’ wide staircase has been carved spiraling down the shaft. The staircase is ornately carved with pillars every 10’ along the outer edge which rise and split and come together in arches. Every 40’ the stairway levels into a landing, turns left, and then the stairway continues downward another 40’.

26 a) b) c) d) e) The stairway landings:

Every landing is glyphed for 24 points of damage. Saving throws may be made for ½ damage. The glyphs are: a) fire, b) shock, c) cold, d) fire, e) shock.

26) The Pitt: - The Depths of the Pit:

Persons falling into the pit.

The bottom of the pit is covered by darkness and silence spells. These spells are permanent and cannot be dispelled nor can the darkness be countered by a continual light spell.

Just prior to the darkness there is a field of permanent dispel magic that has been set up. This will drain all non permanent spells on persons and items that pass through

it such as fly, levitate, spider climb, etc.. Such draining is subject to a saving throw with percentile dice. There is a base 50% chance of it working +5% per level difference of the caster of the dispel magic (12th ) vs. the level of the spell caster.

The bottom and of the pit is covered by spike stones as per the spell. And a pool of green slime lies in the depression.

A giant spider has set up two webs; the top web just within the darkness, and the lower web within the darkness and the silence. Any person falling into the pit will land on the top web within the darkness. Landing on the web requires 5 saving throws to determine how the person is stuck in the web.

Each roll of 10 or less indicates that a body part is stuck to the web. (see table)

Persons with 18 or 17 strength can break the web in 1 or 2 rounds. If a weapon hand is free the web it can be cut by 6 points damage.

After five (5) rounds of struggling the spider will arrive. Vibrations of the web allow the spider to locate and attack with no negative modifiers for darkness .

He will attack until he makes a sting on each opponent then retreat until the poison takes effect (1 turn) if the struggling doesn’t stop he will attack again.

If reduced to less than ¼ hit points the spider will retreat into a crevasse in the wall of the pit. It may attack again if the player continues to the bottom of the pit and runs from the dragon.

Roll (5) 20 sided dice for each player falling into the pit;10 or below indicates that body part is stuck to the web.

Player

Right Leg

Left Leg

Right Arm

Left Arm

Chest / Back1-5 / 6-10


The Poison will halve the victim’s movements (as per slow spell) after 2 rounds, then halve them again after 5 rounds. At 10 rounds the victim is completely paralyzed.

When all victims are paralyzed the spider will tie up the victims with webbing requiring 1 turn per victim and then begin draining blood at 1-4 health points per round. Up until the point the player is drained to -10 hit points the player is alive and can be saved. A neutralize poison spell will remove the paralysis or it will wear off in 4-8 days of convalescent care (8 – Constitution / 4).

Giant Spider: These monsters are web builders. They will construct their sticky traps horizontally or vertically so as to entrap any creature which touches the web. Some will lurk above a path in order to drop upon prey. The web is as tough and clinging as a web spell. Any creature with 18 or greater strength con break free in 1 melee round, a 17 strength requires 2 melee rounds. Webs are quite inflammable. [Webs can be cut through by 4 points damage] The bite of a giant spider is poisonous. A victim must save versus poison or be killed [Change to Paralyzed]. A giant spider will flee from an encounter with a superior foe [say, when reduced to ¼ hit points], typically hiding in some secret spot for safety.

ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 4 + 4 MOVE: 3" on web or wall / 12” on wall SIZE: Large 6’ diameter, NO. OF ATTACKS ( 1 ) DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 SPECIAL ATTACKS Web / Poison SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: StandardINTELLIGENCE: Low [Change to Animal] ALIGNMENT Chaotic Evil [Change to Neutral] PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil % IN LAIR: 70% TREASURE TYPE: C [Change to A due to magical traps, all treasure will be found in front of stone dragon, the rest was eaten by green slime]Armor Class 4Hit Points (40) 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 Hits AC 0 @ 15Paralyzation or Poison ( 13 ) Petrifaction or Polymorph ( 14 ) Rod, Staff or Wand ( 15 ) Breath Weapon ( 16 ) Spell ( 16 )

26 The bottom of the pit:

Really, it was better for the player to stay in the top or even bottom web. The giant spider was actually added to save the character from what was, at one time, certain death. As they fall the final 40’ (4d6 damage, save for half, and 3 spike attacks as long swords, 1d8 damage, hits AC0 on a roll of 20) you might roll a dice and say, “let’s see if you land in the green slime” the player may get the idea to stay put.

Due to deflection by the web, persons breaking or cutting out of both webs automatically will not fall into the green slime.

As soon as the player lands and damage is rolled then determine which direction the player is facing. Remember the darkness and silence spells in this area. If the player wants to move then roll for a hit from spike stones every 10’ of movement (1d4 Damage, Hits AC0 on a 20). Even the walls are spiked for 50’ up, though this makes climbing easy (1/2 chance of falling), climbing every 10’ allows one spike attack.

The Dragon:

At sight of the dragon a saving throw must be made against a fear spell. Players are told that there is a very large grey-blue dragon looking at them with golden cat-like eyes.

The stone dragon is a very lifelike carved replica of Ryoko in dragon form, while only the front is carved she appears to be laying in a cave with her body filling the rest of the cavern . The eyes of the statue are golden opals resembling cat’s eyes. They are enchanted with a permanent fear spell. The arch above the cave is caved with letters;

DO NOT AWAKEN THE DRAGON! THIS DRAGON RAVAGED ALL THE LANDS FROM THE RISING TO THE SETTING SUN AND ALL MEN FEARED HER. SHE CANNOT BE TAMED OR SUBDUED. LET THE LAND REST FROM EVIL.

Fear (Illusion/Phantasm) Level: 4 M/U Range: 0 Duration: Special Saving Throw: Neg.

Area of Effect: 6” long cone, 3” diameter at the far end and ½ ’ at base Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 4 segments

Explanation/Description: When a fear spell is cast, the magic-user sends forth an invisible ray which causes creatures within its area of effect to turn away from the spell caster and flee in panic. Affected creatures are likely to drop whatever they are holding when struck by the spell; the base chance of this is 60% at 1st level (or at 1 hit die), and each level (or hit die) above this reduces the probability by 5%, 1.e. at 10th level there is only a 15% chance, and at 13th level 0% chance. Creatures affected by fear flee at their fastest rate for the number of melee rounds equal to the level of experience of the spell caster (12). The panic takes effect on the melee round following the spell casting, but dropping of items in hand will take place immediately. Of course, creatures which make their saving throws versus the spell are not affected. The material component of this spell is either the heart of a hen or a white feather.

Of course fleeing away from the dragon means running full speed heedlessly back into the silent darkness and the spike stones and the green slime probably until the player is a shish kabob dripping with green slime. As a kindness the giant spider has once more included a web to catch them. They all run back this way you know.

The floor of the cavern in front of the dragon will have the treasure for the spiders (Changed to Treasure Type A) Yosho also dumped about 10,000 gp. worth of silver, gold, platinum and a few gems down here to attract treasure locating and finding spells. Some of this may have been lost or more was added when other adventures fell into the pit so make the die rolls. With the castle devoid of gold, silver and precious jewels, this is the only treasure. It functions as a trap and misdirection to those seeking Ryoko.

Direction the Player is facing after landing in the darkness and silence.

North Wall

Gre

en S

lime

Web

1 2 3

8 4

7 6 5

Dra

gon

South Wall


If the clerics are running the keep then these room are clean and the storage rooms converted into well kept apartments and private shrines. No wandering monsters. Though clerics do sleep and pray here.

If Yosho is running the keep then this area is unkempt and a few neutral monsters of animal intelligence have crept in or drifted in as spores. If the party enters by the iron grate from 22 then Yosho will shut the grate behind them and lock it.

Wandering Monsters in dungeon level. 1 in 6 chance of encounter roll for each room (except 48) and each turn.


1 Pint (16oz.) of flaming oil splashed on a creature will burn for 1-3 segments, causing 1hit point of damage per segment. A direct hit with 1 pint of flaming oil causes 2-12 hit points of damage the first round, and 1-6 additional hit points of damage the second round, but then burns out.

Roll Result Number Situation

1 Huge Spider 1This dwarf-sized (3’) spider hides itself then leaps 30’ or rushes in at 18” movement to surprise on a roll of 1-5 on a d6. Attack: 1d6 + paralyzing poison @ +1 to save.

AC 6

HD 2+2

HP 15

2 Giant Ants 1-20

These 2’ long ants will slowly approach at 4” movement waiving their antennae. If contact is made they will bite. If attacked all ants swarm the attacker at 18” move. Bite 1-6 damage. During combat a phoneme is released which will attract warrior ants; 1 in 6 chance per round (HD 3, HP 20, Bite 2-8, Sting 1-4 + poison for 2-8 damage.)

AC 3

HD 2

HP 10

3 Giant Centipedes 11’ long will drop from ceiling or rush out of furnishings at 18” move to bite. Save vs. poison @ +4 or take 1-6 damage.

AC 9

HD ¼

Hp 2

4 Giant Rats 1-6Rats will run away unless surprised or if their exit is blocked. Then they will charge @ 12” movement. Bite for 1-3 damage + 5% chance of disease.

AC 7

HD ½

HP 4

5 Yellow Mold 1 colony

These tiny delicate golden mushrooms will cover one room furnishing. Any exposed flesh touching this mold will take 1-8 damage. Violent contact is 50% likely to cause it to release a 10’ x 10’ x 10’ cloud of spores.

AC 9

HD --

6

Ochre Jelly(2)

(modified)(2) Only one of these creatures exists in the keep and only on the

storage/apartment side of the dungeon level otherwise ignore this

role.

1

This giant amoeba creature looks like a 10’ diameter sunny side up poached egg. It has a translucent white fluid surrounding a central 3’ diameter reddish-brown yolk. It oozes at 3” movement along the floor. Its touch causes 3-12 damage due to enzymes. It can reach 6-8 feet up with the yolk staying on the floor and can dissolve wood at ½” per round. Only attacks on the yolk (nucleus) do damage all others do no damage. (note: the yolk is 5-8 feet from the outer edge so to attack the yolk with melee weapons under 6’ requires you to stand in the cytoplasm.) Lightning divides this creature in two.

AC 8

HD 6

HP 40

7

Grey Ooze(1)

(modified)(1) Only one of these

creatures exists in the keep and only in the dungeons otherwise

ignore this role.

1

This creature looks like a 10’ x 10’ patch of dark brown syrup slowly oozing at 1” movement along the floor. It can climb walls or even ooze along the ceiling. It will ooze toward any living creatures and away from fire, cold, and electricity. Weapon strikes do not affect it. If it makes contact it with a creature it will grab hold (roll to hit and then for 2-8 damage if successful). Held opponents are engulfed the next round, unless they make their open doors roll to break away. It may engulf multiple opponents if all are within 5’. Thereafter it consumes engulfed opponents at 2-16 points of damage per round. Fire does ½ damage, electricity does ¼ damage but cold does full damage and causes it to be slowed (as per slow spell). Damage from cold is only temporary. If killed by cold it is merely frozen until thawed. Consuming 10# of flesh increases its hit points by one.

AC 8

HD 3+3

HP 30

8 Giant Tick 1

This 6” long nasty looking bug drops on its prey from the ceiling with a 1-4 chance in 6 of surprise. It will then try to attach itself to its victim. A successful hit does 1point of damage and the tick attaches and begins to drain 1 points of blood per round until it drains blood equal to its own hit points. Each bite from a giant tick has a 5% chance of transferring a fatal disease which shows up in 2-8 days.

AC 3

HD 1

HP 4


31 & 32 Stairwells:

These stairwells provide access to the dungeon level.

33-39: Storerooms converted to clerical apartments:

Each apartment contains a bed with a chest at its foot, a table and a chair with a candle or a lamp and a wooden rack for clothes and armor. In the south-east corner is a prayer rug spread out before small wooden altar with a bowl on it and a holy symbol hanging on the wall.

Room 39: Beneath the chest at the foot of the bed, is an iron box 12” x 6” x 6”deep containing 4 carefully wrapped potions of extra healing. The potions have faded old labels which will require a turn to decipher, but the labels merely state that these were given as a gift by the clerics of another sect to their brothers who guard the cavern pool to help heal the injuries done by the blasphemers who desecrated their shine in the year 1602.

40 & 41 private shrines:

The walls are covered with a polished yellow-white plaster seeming to be frozen in syrupy drips and flows making it look like a cavern wall. The floor is tiled with polished with marble. Against the north (far) wall is a carved white marble altar draped with a tapestry fringed with golden tassels. A white alabaster basin embossed with gold leaf lies on top of the altar. The floor under and around the altar is deep black, so that it seems that the altar floats over a pit. A holy golden holy symbol hangs on the wall over the altar and basin. If the room is dark and if it is daylight or bright moonlight outside a shaft of dim sunlight or moonlight may be seen shining on the altar. (The light is from a rod of glass-steel from the ceiling of the room to the outside wall of the keep at ground level.)

The tapestry if examined will show four holy men with holy symbols and halo’s standing at four corners of a rectangular pool which seems to be in a cave. Beneath the pool’s bottom are a king and a queen lying in open caskets and encircled by a dragon who is also sleeping or dead.

Room 41: The altar has a secret panel on the side toward the back wall. Within the altar are 6 ivory scroll cases marked with ornate calligraphy and gold leaf naming the type of scroll within; (2) Scrolls of Cure Disease (2) Scrolls of Neutralize Poison and (1) Scroll of Cure Critical Wounds and (1) Scroll of Raise Dead. Yosho or the Head Cleric will know where these scrolls are (although Yosho can’t use them himself) if needed.

42: Council chamber:

This circular room has four great wooden tables with 6 chairs along one side of each set facing each other leaving an open square area at the center. The Tables do not touch and allow passage to the center of the square. At the very center is a small table.

43 Passage outside the Warden’s Office:

Bars and a cell door partition off the wardens office (44) on the north side and on the south side guard racks containing cross bows, clubs and pole arm weapons, chains and manacles, slave collars attached to poles, branding irons, and various flails and whips. A hand cart about 3’ wide, 6’ long and 3’ high also sits in this area.

44 The Wardens office:

A desk with a chair in front and behind, A rectangular crate sitting on one end about 4’ high. A bed with a chest at its foot sits in an area half partitioned off from the rest of the room.

The back side of the desk contains two drawers stacked full of yellowed papers (details of various past prisoners, orders given by the king concerning these prisoners, certificates of death, orders for release, copies of signed confessions), a shelf compartmented into 8 numbered cubby holes each containing a scroll tube (with parchments containing details and instructions for current prisoners). One of Noboyuki’s signed contracts with the captains, specifically with Warden Minami promising one of his sons or daughters or his descendant’s sons or daughters be given in marriage to the wardens daughter or son or descendent upon future demand.

The crate opens on one side and contains a bottle of liquor (spoiled) and four glasses. The bed and chest contain rotted cloth.

45 Passage in front of dungeon cells:

46 Dungeon Cells a – g: [The Clerics will place the group in 46d (men) & 46e (women)]

Locked iron gates for doors, walls contain iron rings for attaching chains.

47 Prisoner Preparation Area: [The Clerics will place the group’s items here as a show of good faith]

This area contains an anvil and a stone fire pit with bellows. Chains and manacles were attached to prisoners here.

A steep ramp with another iron gate at the top leads up to the dungeon entry under the barracks. This ramp is 60° and is hard to climb.


48 Dungeon Entry from Barracks:

This room is blank except for a large (5’ x 5’) iron grate is in the ceiling 8’ above. Castle walls and sky are visible through the grate. The grate is hinged on the side closest the castle (north) and a block and tackle arrangement is used to raise and lower the grate which weighs 500lbs. The grate additionally can be locked

New prisoners not deemed worthy of appearing before Yosho were thrown in here through the grate above. Then down the ramp to room 47 to be chained and branded, then placed in a cell.

49 Torture Chamber:

Neither Yosho or the clerics currently use this room.

Iron rings are fastened to walls every few feet around this circular room. There is a fire Pit in the center of the room . There is a rack for stretching prisoners and a chair with straps and clamps and screw type vices. In the far wall (north) there is an opening at waist level about 3’ x 3’ which slopes sharply down at about 75° and seems to go about 20’ down ending in blackness. (This chute leads to the pit beneath the castle entryway. Green slime at the bottom of this pit disposes of bodies nicely.)

50 Entry way to the Tribunal Chamber:

While passage 52 to the dungeons from the stairway is dark and the wall rough cut stone, this corridor is still plastered and lit.

51 Tribunal Chamber:

At the near side (east) is a heavy wooden podium with iron rings set into both sides behind which a prisoner could stand.

At the far end is a slightly raised (3’) stone dais with stairs leading up to it and supporting a large solid wooden desk behind which are three massive wooden chairs. Around the walls of the room at the 8’ level is carved a massive relief at least 3’ in deep into the walls and 6’ in height reaching the ceiling. The relief is so deep it forms shelf or ledge. The relief depicts three judges sitting on the bench with chained prisoners at each side, a beautiful woman with a very cold expression holding a scepter on one side, a king with a crown on his head and an outstretched sword, a dragon spewing flames and people burning is shown in a long relief along on the woman’s side, and a long procession of men bearing baskets and chests kneel facing the king on his side. On the side above the podium is depicted a girl with a scepter in one hand and a fiery sword in the other.

Behind the girl above the podium is a secret passage carved into the wall with iron rungs in the stone. This passage leads up to the closet floor of the gardeners hut (room 16). This passage can only be found by climbing up into the ledge formed by the relief.

(Prisoners would receive their sentence here, read by the three captains of the guard or underwent questioning here. Testimony was recorded and witnessed by the three captains. Once in a great while a very few notable prisoner were secretly released against Yosho’s orders and a substitute was slain. The prisoner was assisted up through the gardeners hut at night and over the castle walls, the gardener being detained at cards or put to sleep. Noboyuki, Yosho’s illegitimate son and Tenchi’s great grandfather father, was such an exception. He promised his future sons and daughters to the captains such that each of his sons or daughters would be wed to one of their sons or daughters, if any, and thereby produce legitimate heirs to Yosho’s kingdom and power. (It may be that Tenchi is legally bound to such an engagement if the contract is found and such a descendent of one of the captains presses suite. The contracts can be found within the chambers of the three captains [rooms 97, 99 and 44] signed by Noboyuki and the three captains.)

52 The Passage to the Dungeon:

This passage is blocked at either end by stout wooden doors with iron bands and sturdy locks. In addition each door can be barred from the side leading to the castle in case of attack. A 1’ diameter hole in the ceiling from the servant’s niche 07a (covered by an iron plate in the floor) allows burning oil or other nasty things to be dropped on persons attempting entry from the dungeon level.

If Yosho is running the keep then he has bricked up this passage to prevent entrance to the keep from the dungeons. The brick wall is 10’ thick and seals the sides and top of the passage except for a 6” gap at the top that Yosho can use in gaseous form.


60 The Iron Gate at the Entrance to the Shrine Pool:

This is the last stand for the clerics. If fighting they will defend this with suicidal frenzy throwing attackers into the pit.

61 The Shrine Pool:

This is a natural cavern with rough irregular walls and floors smooth with flow stone. The floor around a great square marble pool is smooth and polished white marble. Pool is fed by cascade of water seeming to spring from mid air and the water in the pool glows from unseen lights. A ways behind the pool near the far end of the cavern is a open tomb or mausoleum with two open sarcophagi and two mummies. Four clerics guard the pool day and night unless called to battle elsewhere to defend the keep, in which case they will leave on cleric to guard the pool.

The sarcophagi have epitaphs carved into them declaring that this is King Yosho and Queen Ryoko. The mummies look to have been badly damaged and burned and then repaired in time past. Their hands are positioned to look like they might have held something at one time. The northern mummy is that of King Yosho, but the south mummy is of a girl made up to look like Ryoko. Her name was changed to Ryoko and a ceremony was conducted to crown her Queen Ryoko and she was addressed and honored as Queen Ryoko for a week. It was thought that this should confuse magical information and location spells.

Anyone seeking to find out where the water goes should be given 1,000 experience points. If no one does then Elowa should bring it up. The pool seems to be square and seamless with no drain or even crack showing and about 20’ deep. If powder or coloring is thrown carefully into the pool and watched it will flow out through an invisible channel about 3’ wide by 2’ tall in the east side of the pool about 1’ under water. It is impossible to go up through the waterfall due to a sand trap filter on the other side of the other dimensional door.


The water passage in the side of the pool is similar to the entrance to the extra dimensional space caused by a rope trick spell. Though the passage is 10’ long. It leads to room 63. Feeling inside the passage from the pool will reveal that it was once blocked by bars of glass steel which have since been cut and broken off.

Room 63: The Sword Tenchi:

This room into which the water flows is about 3’ submerged. The air is breathable do to entrained air in the water. In the center of the room is a granite stone with a sword stuck blade first into it. The hilt shines with gems and gold wire, but the blade appears rusted and pitted beyond repair. A skeleton lies against the stone and grips the sword hilt. On the far wall (east) is a massive set of double doors. A 12” diameter pipe sticking out of the floor with its mouth just below the level of water channels water away at either side of the doors (to Ryoko’s pool).

Anyone touching the sword but Tenchi, or one of Yosho’s descendents will take 8-48 points of magical damage with a savings throw for ½ damage). This should explain the skeleton grasping the hilt.

Taking the sword out of the stone will cause the stone to split into two neat halves as if hinged and will cause the double doors to open. In addition a stone blade will rise to block off the passage to the pool, severing any rope or object in the passage. Persons are allowed a saving throw vs. paralyzation to avoid being severed in two. At the same time the light in the pool will go dark, causing any clerics present to panic and run out of the shrine. All the clerics will gather and come down at once 2 turns later.

Persons in room 63 must save vs. breath weapon or be swept by the water through the doors and down ramp 64 as the room empties. This lasts about 10 seconds while the room drains.

Pushing the stone halves back together will close the doors and lower the stone blade. But the halves will want to fall apart again unless secured. With the doors closed and the passage unblocked the water level in the room will rise at ½ foot per round up to 3’ again. If the doors open again with the water at 1’ or 2’ then the save vs. breath weapon is at +3 or +6 respectively.

The sword acts as a +3 long sword, but contact with the sword does 8-48 points magical damage (roll saving throw for half damage) if it touches anyone but Yosho’s descendents. (Yes, someone else could tie it to the end of a stick or wield it telekinetically but don’t touch it.)

The first time the sword is used in combat or to strike something the rusted blade will break off at the hilt. Thereafter close proximity to an enemy or concentration and force of will can cause a magical blue force to appear instead of the blade.

It will fully protect the one holding it (and anyone within a 5 foot radius sphere) from Ryoko’s breath weapons and from all electrical and fire based attacks.

The pommel stone is a magic jar containing (or once containing) Yosho’s spirit. From the sword Yosho may possess someone (usually the wielder but possibly another) using his abilities through them as a 12 level fighter/ 12th level mage. (No experience is given for someone else using your body to fight.) Yosho, when he died, was old and senile. He sleeps a lot and cannot posses you for long and it takes a lot to wake him up. If Yosho is running the keep then he has already possessed an ogre mage whom he feebleminded so that he need not concentrate or fight to maintain control of that body. The intellect of the ogre mage was destroyed.

The sword grants command over Ryoko if you know the magic word (and no player character should never be allowed to learn it). With it you can command Ryoko’s actions but not her mentality. You cannot command her to forget, love, believe, etc.

There are three gems in sword’s hilt in addition to the pommel stone. Each gem was enchanted as Yosho used his three wishes. 1)The gem that gives the sword its magical weapon properties, 2) the gem that makes Ryoko’s true form human and not dragon, 3) the gem that controls Ryoko. Each of these can be destroyed separately without destroying the other properties of the sword as they were added separately. If broken, Washu, may be able fix it, but not re-create it. If the party ever does learn Ryoko’s command word, Washu will attempt to scramble it so that she is the only one who knows the word. If the magic jar gem is destroyed, so long Yosho!

Room 65 Ryoko’s Pool:

This room seems to be a natural cavern except the floor is perfectly level and paved with stone blocks. The cavern is damp and water runs off through channels between the square stones that make up the floor. The stones are of seemingly random but perfect rectangular blocks and the channels between them form a random pattern through which water flows. At the center of the cavern is a huge glowing circular pool of water with something humanoid floating in it.


Ryoko lies in the pool with her death mask and robes on. Her limbs are all but skeletal and her ribs can clearly be seen, the flesh having sunken into her chest cavity. If approached within 10’ of the pool she will open her eyes and the dragons fear aura will take effect: Ryoko was an adult dragon so saving throws vs. spell are at +5 to resist the fear aura.

Dragons also develop the power to panic enemies as they mature. At adult age and older they radiate a powerful aura which causes a fear reaction, when a dragon flies overhead or charges, as follows: 1. All creatures under 1 hit die, as well as non-carnivorous creatures of any sort which are not trained for warfare or basically not fearless or aggressive will flee in panic. Such rout will be made at fastest speed possible, and it will continue for 4-24 turns.2. Creatures with fewer than 3 hit dice must save versus magic or be paralyzed with fear (50%) or panic as above (50%). 3. Creatures with 3 or more hit dice will fight at a penalty of -1 on their hit dice unless they also save versus magic.4. Creatures with 6 or more hit dice automatically disregard the aura affect. 5. The aura of adult, old, and very old dragons is not as powerful as that of ancient dragons, so saving throws applicable to their auras are at +5, +3, and + 1 respectively. Thus, a 2nd level fighter, normally having to score 16 or better to save against magic (the dragon's aura in this case), would gain a bonus of 5 on his saving throw versus an adult dragon's aura; so any score of 11 or more would save him from panic.

Ryoko will float toward the player at a 2” dragging her feet, the eyes behind her mask glowing golden. She may whisper something, but it will be to low and unintelligible. She will grab at a player to hold and examine his face again mumbling something unintelligible. If the sword is used against her it will hurt her and knock her back and she will dissolve into gaseous form to regenerate.

If a player can’t get out of this area by retreating up the ramp and binding the stone halves back together; then allow standing on the sand trap in the back of the pool room where the water drains out of this room to break the sand trap and dump the player and a 10’x 5’x 5’ cubic foot quantity of smelly sand down the cascade of water and into the shrine pool in room 61. This will pollute the pool.

That’s it: Happy adventuring with this powerful sword until Ryoko once again shows up as a beautiful young woman to reclaim her treasure that you stole. The D.M should use Ryoko’s appearance to rescue the party if they get in over their head sometime during their next few adventures. Her fear aura and breath weapons should be able to route an enemy facing off with the group.

Other places of interest:

91 Kitchen:

If the clerics are running the shrine then the kitchen is constantly busy and meals are served in the soldiers dining hall room 93.

93 Dining Hall

If the clerics are running the shrine then meals are served here at 5:00AM, 11:00AM, 1:00PM and 7:00PM.

The cistern outside the dining hall is filled by a create water spell each day. Buckets are available next to the cistern.







Documents

Dungeon shrine of masaki