Logos Locations #2: The Abandoned Shrine of Hurothain

Thanks to Dyson Logos' generosity, he has made a large number of his high quality maps available for use. I have decided (with his approval) to incorporate these into locations within Mystara. I hope this will be an ongoing series within this blog.

Background to The Abandoned Shrine of Hurothain

This place is situated on an underground river about a mile from Torrag Halstoron in south-west Rockhome.  Three centuries ago this was the home of a powerful dwarven cleric and mystic called Hurothain who regularly communed with his patron, Kagyar, the god of the dwarves. He also maintained it as a waystation for dwarves travelling by boat up and down the subterranean river (there were mines of silver and gold further along and miners and prospectors would regularly stop here).  When Hurothain died, his followers all received dreams where they were instructed by Kagyar to build a shrine here on top of Hurothain's tomb. This would increase the likelihood of Hurothain becoming a saint. They also created eleven large hexagonal pillars reaching up into the ceiling of the cavern, with each side depicting scenes from both Hurothain's life and work and also scenes from the stories of Kagyar. Until fifty years ago this was a popular place for dwarf clerics to visit. But then Torrag Halstoron fell to chaos-worshipping dwarves and this shrine was sacked and defiled at the same time, and the slain inhabitants cursed to remain as undead.

This mini-adventure is aimed at characters of levels 4-7. The player characters' involvement in this could be one of several options: 

• Reclaiming the shrine: Dwarf leaders and clerics ask that the PCs destroy any hostile monsters and undead in the location so that dwarf clerics can safely move back in.
• Retrieving the bones of Saint Hurothain: If reclaiming the whole site seems difficult then retrieving the mortal remains of Hurothain is the next best thing - they are located in area 6a. 
• Just Passing Through: The PCs are simply travelling along the subterranean river when they come across the site with its grand pillars. 

Map and key to the Abandoned Shrine of Hurothain

Cartography by Dyson Logos, source

1) The Subterranean River. This river is relatively calm, flowing steadily from east to west (from right to left on the map). It is about 20ft wide and 10ft deep in the middle of the stream, and can be navigated by small boats, dingies and canoes. Along the bank are the eleven hexagonal pillars described above. 

1a) This is the lair of a giant octopus that will not attack boats but will go after anyone wading or swimming in the river. AC 7, HD 8 (hp 45), Mv 90ft/Swim 120ft, THAC0 12, Att 8 tentacles/1 bite for 1d3 x 8/1d6, Save F4, Ml 7, Align N, XP 650
Once a tentacle hits in combat it will entangle an opponent and reduce their to hit rolls by 1 (to maximum of -8). A character may try to sever a tentacle and will succeed when any single hit with an edged weapon does 6 or more damage.  Once a day the octopus can release a squirt of black ink which is a non-magical form of darkness 10' radius for 2d4 rounds which it will use to escape if it is seriously hurt or fails a morale check. 

1b) This is the lair of 2 giant eels (borrowed from AD&D) AC 6, HD 5 (hp 23), Mv Swim 90ft, THAC0 15, Att 1 bite for 3d6, Save F3, Ml 10, Align N, XP 175

2) The south bank is composed of gravel and shingle, and is the lair of a cluster of 6 giant toads: AC 7, HD 2+2 (9 hp each), Mv 90ft, Swim 90ft, THAC0 17, Att 1 bite for 1d4+1, Save F1, Ml 6, Align N, XP 25 each. Camouflage:giant toads will surprise opponents on 1-3 on d6. Sticky tongue: A giant toad can shoot its tongue out to 15ft and drag dwarf-sized or smaller creatures into its mouth. Swallow whole: on a hit roll of 20 a giant toad may swallow a dwarf-sized or smaller opponent whole, the opponent taking 1d6 damage per round until dead or freed.

3) The Fungal Meadow: This area is covered in a variety of fungi (marked as green dots on the map). As well as many non-dangerous fungi, there are also 2 shriekers and 4 tiger beetles that are attracted to any shrieking.
Shrieker: AC 7, HD 3 (hp 8, 16), Mv 9ft, THAC0 N/A, Att none, Save F1, Ml 12, Align N, XP 35 each. Shrieking will start if there is light within 60ft or movement within 30ft, and has  a chance to attract wandering monsters, or in this case attract the tiger beetles
Tiger Beetle: AC 3, HD 3+1 (hp 7, 11, 12, 17), Mv 150ft, THAC0 16, Att 1 bite for 2d6, Save F2, Ml 9, XP 50 each

4) The Fungal Garden: Similar to area 3 but without any monsters, and the fungi are a little shorter. 

5) The Shrine: This room is dominated by a statue on a plinth of two figures, a dwarf in armour kneeling (Hurothain) and a larger dwarf blessing him (Kagyar). However, this area has been defiled and there is an aura of Chaos. Lurking behind the statue is a dwarf-shaped wraith (AC 3, HD 4** (hp 20), Mv 120ft fly 240ft, Att 1 touch for 1d6+ energy drain, Save F4, Ml 12, Align C, XP 175). Wraiths are immune to normal weapons and silver weapons only do half damage. Each hit from a wraith will drain 1 level from a character. 

6) Clerics' Quarters: This room is the lair of a dwarven wight (previously a priest at the shrine). Although compelled to attack mortals, at the same time he begs for them to destroy his monstrous form and set his soul free. Wight: AC 5, HD 3* (hp 16), Mv 90ft, Att 1 touch for 1 energy level drain, Save F3, Ml 12, Align C, XP 65. Wights are immune to normal weapons but can be hit by silver or magic weapons.

6a) This is both the living quarters of the previous clerics, and also the resting place of the mortal remains of Hurothain: There is a table with a 2ft x 2ft casket holding the bones and skull of the revered dwarf. Underneath this table is another casket, holding the shrine wealth of 1600gp, 50pp, 5 gems (deep red garnets) worth 100gp each and a silver and azurite holy symbol of Kagyar on a silver chain, worth 650gp (it still functions as a cleric's holy symbol), as well as 2 scrolls of clerical spells. One has Cure Disease, Speak with Animals and Hold Person, the other has Cure Light Wounds x2 and Transfusion.  

7) This dark pool is over 30ft deep. However, it contain neither monsters nor treasure. 

7a) This is a stream about 7ft wide and about 3ft deep, with lots of boulders and rocks making it unnavigable by boat. However, it can be waded (assuming human size - dwarves, halflings and gnomes may struggle to keep their heads above water). The banks of this stream within the main cavern are home to a small swarm of 10 cave locusts (AC 4, HD 2, hp 7 each, Mv 60ft fly 180ft, THAC0 18, Att 1 bite for 1d2 or 1 bump for 1d4 or 1 spit (special), Save F2, Ml 5, Align N, XP 20, immune to poisons, spit causes target to be rendered helpless for 1 turn, see description in rules for full details).  

8) Traders Quarters: This room in the lair of a Tarantella spider (AC 5, HD 4* (hp 22), Mv 120ft, Att 1 bite for 1d8 + poison, Save F2, Ml 8, Align N, XP 125. Dancing poison: anyone bitten by a tarantella must save vs poison or start dancing. Anyone seeing the initial target dancing must also save vs spells or start dancing in the same way. Dancing characters suffer -4 to hit and +4 penalty to AC. The poison lasts for 2d6 turns but dancers will drop from exhaustion after 5 turns and they will be helpless on the ground). In the small side room to the south there is the traders' wealth: 5100sp, 440gp, 6 rolls of fine silk worth 50gp each, 4 packets of rare cooking spices (50gp each) and 17 bundles of incense (worth 30gp each)

9) The tavern: This place has become dilapidated and apparently abandoned. However, it is still haunted by the former dwarf landlord, now a wight: Wight: AC 5, HD 3* (hp 12), Mv 90ft, Att 1 touch for 1 energy level drain, Save F3, Ml 12, Align C, XP 65 Wights are immune to normal weapons but can be hit by silver or magic weapons.

10) Murder hole passage: Anyone passing through here will be shot at by the crossbow zombies in areas 11 & 12

11) Guard quarters: Here are 4 dwarf zombies - two are equipped with crossbows and will fire a bolt each at characters in area 10, the other 2 are equipped with dwarf-sized banded armour. 2 Crossbow zombies: AC 8, HD 2 (hp 9 each), Mv 120ft, Att 1 weapon or 1 crossbow (range 120ft) for 1d8 or 1d6, Save F1, Ml 12, Align C, XP 20, equipment: sword, crossbow, 5 bolts.
2 Armoured zombies: AC 3, HD 2 (hp 9 each), Mv 60ft, Att 1 weapon for 1d8, Save F1, Ml 12, Align C, XP 20, equipment: banded armour, sword

12) Sergeants quarters: Here are 3 dwarf zombies all armed with crossbows who will shoot at anyone in area 10. They will reload by the time anyone enters this area . Lying on the bed is the dwarf sergeant, apparently a dessicated corpse. It has turned into a Coffer Corpse (borrowed from AD&D). 
3 Crossbow zombies: AC 8, HD 2 (hp 9 each), Mv 120ft, Att 1 weapon or 1 crossbow (range 120ft) for 1d8 or 1d6, Save F1, Ml 12, Align C, XP 20, equipment: sword, crossbow, 5 bolts.
Coffer corpse: AC 8, HD 2** (hp 10),  Mv 60ft, THAC0 18, Att 1 claw for 1d8, Save F2, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 30, Normal weapons only appear to do damage, and if struck by a normal weapon for more than 6hp damage, the coffer corpse will collapse, apparently defeated. However, it will rise up the next round and all involved in melee against it must save vs spells or flee in fear for 1d4 rounds. This coffer corpse attacks with its bare hands, and if it hits it has locked its grasp onto its target's throat doing 1d6 damage per round (automatically hitting) thereafter until defeated. 

13) Dinng room: Empty apart from table and chairs

14) Captains Quarters: The dwarf captain has now become a wraith (AC 3, HD 4** (hp 20), Mv 120ft fly 240ft, Att 1 touch for 1d6+ energy drain, Save F4, Ml 12, Align C, XP 175). Wraiths are immune to normal weapons and silver weapons only do half damage. Each hit from a wraith will drain 1 level from a character. The captain is still vaguely aware of what has happened and apologizes even as he attacks, saying that he is compelled to by the curse. Destroying the wraith will set the captain's soul free. 
The captain still has his treasure here: 9700sp, 2000gp, 200pp & a large opal gem worth 1000gp. 

15) Barracks: This room contains 6 Armoured zombies: AC 3, HD 2 (hp 9 each), Mv 60ft, Att 1 weapon for 1d8, Save F1, Ml 12, Align C, XP 20, equipment: banded armour, sword