Rodemus Keep

This large hallway contains little but dust and refuse. However, there are obvious tracks moving through the hall from this door to the one beyond. There is a 20-foot pit trap in the center of this hallway. If the trap isn't detected, the trap will trigger when there is a combined weight of 200 pounds on it. Characters need to save vs. Death Ray (with Dexterity bonus added) or take 2d6 points of falling damage.

This room appears to have once been a bedroom. It is filled with rotting, moldy bedroom furniture but little else. The dust on the floor has been swept in an obvious attempt to hide footprints.

This room was once a changing room that was converted into a guard post. A faded ragged tapestry divides the room in half. On the north side of the tapestry is a wooden table and three wooden chairs. A few moldy playing cards are on the table. A small chest is against the west wall. A large crab spider is clinging to the side of the tapestry opposite of the party. It will surprise and attack on a roll of 1-4 on a d6. If the chest is disturbed it will provoke an immediate attack by the spider. The chest contains 20 gp. Giant Crab Spider: AC 13, HD 2*, #At 1 bite, Dam 1d8 + poison, Mv 40', Sv F2, ML 7, XP 100

The walls of this room are carved with leering death masks along their length. The ones along the north wall appear even more sinister than the rest. The floor is made of black obsidian, markedly different than the rest of the floor of the keep. A small dais rises up in the northwestern corner of the room. This room was an ancient temple to the god Kal'Thal, although there isn't anything left except for the death mask carvings and the dais. A close examination of one face in the north wall will reveal a crack around it. The face is on a swivel which can be pried back, revealing a small iron safe. If the safe is picked or broken open, it contains 50 gp and a potion of healing (1d6+3 HP).

Girck and his lieutenants have made this room their command post. Since Girck has goblins in room 9 watching the hallway, there is no way to gain surprise; in fact Girck and his crew will get a +2 to initiative since they will know the party is coming. On the third round of combat, the goblins from Room #9 will join the fight via the secret door. This was the office of the keep steward, although all of the furnishings except the large rug in the middle of the floor have been removed. Two terrified prisoners huddle in the corner, their hands and feet bound in chains. The two prisoners are Arlen Rodemus, the last descendant of the Rodemus family, and his wife Sarah. If they are freed and questioned, read or paraphrase the following: When the keep was last overrun by orcs and goblins, the Rodemus family wasn't killed. Like their descendants, they escaped into the catacombs and took refuge among their dead. After a few weeks they found their way out via another entrance. When they investigated the keep there was no sign of the intruders, and the keep once again stood empty. Not wanting to risk being captured again, they stayed in a cave, only coming into the keep during the day to get supplies. A few nights ago their son Galen disappeared, and when they went into the keep to see if he was there, they were captured. They are hoping their son hid in the catacombs when the hobgoblins first showed up. The Rodemus family will beg the party to look for their young son down in the catac

This room seems to be of newer construction than many of the other rooms in the keep. It looks like it was a small chapel dedicated to Malorie. There is a small altar at the west end of the room where a small statue of a beautiful woman holding a sheaf of wheat in both hands sits. By the layer of dust covering everything, this room seems to have been left untouched. This room was most likely remodeled during the occupation of the Llancrest royal family, as Malorie was their god of choice for worship. The statue is of fine craftsmanship but would not fetch much on the open market.

This room used to be the keep's kitchen. There is a small fire pit with a chimney to vent the smoke out against the west wall. On the south wall are shelves that once held spices and food stuffs but are now mostly empty.

If you had to guess, you would say that this room was the informal dining room. Although it's missing furniture there are slivers of wood on the floor, as if somebody had chopped up something in here, most likely the table and chairs. If the party isn't actively looking up while investigating the room, a green slime will drop from the ceiling upon them! Green Jelly: AC 12 (only hit by fire or cold), HD 2**, #At 1 Acid, Dam if not scraped off in first round, will destroy flesh and clothing in 6+1d4 rounds, Mv 1', Sv F2, ML 12, XP 125 HP

This was originally the master bedroom but has been taken over by a group of goblins. Most of the goblins are either sleeping (6) on the crude bedrolls along the wall or playing dice games (4) in the corner, while 2 goblins watch the door. Roll for initiative for the two goblins keeping watch and the four goblins playing dice at a -1. The sleeping goblins will be surprised and will not join in until the second round. This room appears to be the master bedroom. There is a large bed against the east wall, although it's not in very good shape. One of the legs is broken and the bed is tilted sideways. The mattress is torn and shredded with noticeable mildew growing on it. There is also a desk and bureau in the room that are warped and discolored to the point they are unusable. The oddest thing in the room is what looks to be a life-sized statute of the goddess Malorie sitting in the southeast corner. 10 Goblin Guards: AC 14, HD 1-1, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', Sv F1, ML 7, XP 10 ea. HP Goblin Champion: AC 15, HD 2, #At 1, Dam 1d8, Mv 20', Sv F2, ML 8, XP 75 Goblin Mage: AC 13, HD 2, #At 1, Dam 1d4 or by spell, Mv 20', Sv M1, ML 6, XP 75 Spells: magic missile (x 2)

This room is only accessible from a secret door in Room 4. The goblins in this room will charge into room 4 during the fight with Girck and leave the door open; thus, the party won't have to search for it. This hidden room is used to spy on the main corridor of the keep by a set of peep holes in the south wall. 3 Goblins: AC 14, HD 1-1, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', Sv F1, ML 7, XP 10 ea. HP

This appears to be a changing room; there is a curtain that can be drawn across. The room is empty of all furnishings except for the drawn curtain. There is nothing of interest in this room.

The trapdoor ladder leads down to an open foyer of what appears to be of an older design than the keep above. The ground here is made of smooth granite as are the walls. Against the south wall is what appears to be some sort of stone altar and the smell of old incense and death lingers in the air. The hall leading off to the west is smaller than usual and can only be passed through single-file.

This small room appears to be an old storage room of some sort. It is pretty much empty except for remnants of things stored here in the past. The door to this room is unlocked but it is stuck. The characters will have to make a standard stuck door check to open it.

This room looks to be another burial chamber. There are three old coffins against the west wall on a slightly raised dais. Other than the coffins, there is nothing else to see in the room. When the characters approach the middle coffin, read the following to them: As you approach the coffins, a loud splintering is heard and the lid of the middle coffin flies off in shards of wood. A human rises from the opened coffin, his pale face looking at you the way a predator looks at prey. The creature is a vampire spawn, a smaller, weaker version of a normal vampire, although it will still be a difficult challenge for the party. This monster is found in the Basic Fantasy Field Guide; please refer to that book for details. Vampire Spawn: AC 15 (m), HD 4*, #At 1 punch or 1 bite, Dam 1d6 + 3 punch, 1d3 +level drain bite, Mv 30', Sv F4, ML 9, XP 280 The other two coffins in the room are empty, although it's obvious they contained a dead body at one point.

This large burial chamber contains six coffins, three against the north wall and three against the south wall to the west of the door. As you look inside you sense something moving, as if caught out of the corner of your eye. What the characters sense moving is a wraith, one of the more angry spirits of the Rodemus clan. He will move to engage the first person entering the room. If the wraith is defeated and the coffins are checked, the following items will be found inside them: 50 gp, a piece of lapis lazuli worth 8 gp, a white pearl worth 110 gp, a carved bone statuette worth 90 gp, and 2 scrolls (hold undead, protection from undead). Hold undead: This spell scroll, usable by Magic- users, works much like the hold person spell except that it only works against undead creatures. Protection from undead: Creates a 10-foot radius protective circle around the reader, preventing undead creatures from entering (see p. 173 in the Basic Fantasy RPG Core Rules). Wraith: AC 15 (m), HD 4**, #At 1 touch, Dam 1d6 + energy drain (1 level), Mv Fly 80', Sv F4, ML 12, XP 320

If the characters open the door but do not enter the room they will see a ghoul sitting on the burial slab against the east wall. If they enter the room there is a 20-foot spiked pit trap right at the entrance and the characters will have to save vs. Death Ray (adding any DEX bonus) or fall into the pit trap, dealing 2d6 falling and 1d4 points of spike damage. This burial chamber seems to hold the remains of somebody of a very high status. The remains are interred in ceremonial armor on a large marble slab. The ages have rendered the armor useless, although there are other items of value on the slab. It looks like the chamber has been recently defiled, with a pool of dried blood in the northwest corner and the words ‘PROTECT THE BOY’ scrawled on the wall in blood. The armor is ancient and worthless, but the other items interred with the body are not. One is a shortsword +1 and the other is a beautiful comb made in the shape of a dragonfly, worth 500 gp. Ghoul: AC 14, HD 2*, #At 2 claws, 1 bite, Dam 1d4 claw, 1d4 bite, all plus paralysis, Mv 30', Sv F2, ML 9, XP 100 HP

This room looks like it has been recently disturbed. The six stone coffins along the north and south wall have been opened and there are pieces of bone and tattered clothing along the floor. Above the coffins on both walls hang some mildewed tapestries, their fabric faded from age. There is a 20-foot pit trap at the entrance to the west door. The characters will have to save vs. Death Ray (add any DEX bonus) or take 2d6 points of falling damage. If the characters come in from the east door, give them a +1 to spot the trap since it's really not well-hidden.

This chamber houses four simple burial slabs against the east wall. The skeletal remains of the buried lie quietly upon the stone slabs. There is a small hidden alcove along the north wall. If the secret door is located, there is 100 gp in a pouch inside.

This room looks to be another storeroom. There is nothing of interest in here except for an old table in the middle of the room and some storage racks against the north wall. There is nothing of interest in this room. However the wooden door is stuck and will have to be forced open to enter.

Three rows of three coffins line the floor of this room. The simplicity of the construction belies that these were most likely favored servants and friends of the Rodemus family over the years. Four of the coffins are empty. If the coffins are checked, the middle coffin in the middle row will reveal 30 gp and a wand of magic missiles (7th level, 16 charges).

A wave of rage and hatred washes over you as you enter this room. A large creature unlike anything you've ever seen stares at you menacingly before shouting 'Protect the Boy!!!'. The shout is followed by the breaking of wood as three zombies emerge from the coffins against the west wall. They lurch forward, with the larger creature close behind. The creature in this room is the Keeper of the Catacombs, a bone horror created to protect the catacombs and defend the Rodemus family. It is the 'unofficial' leader of the undead in the catacombs and can command other undead to do its bidding. The zombies it summons will fight until they are destroyed or turned. The bone horror is found in the Basic Fantasy Field Guide; please refer to that book for details. Bone Horror, Common: AC 14 (m), HD 4*, #At 2 claws or 1 sting, Dam 1d6+3 claw, 1d4+poison sting, Mv 20' Fly 30', Sv C4, ML 12, XP 280 3 Zombies: AC 12, HD 2, #At 1 weapon, Dam 1d8 or by weapon, Mv 20', Sv F2, ML 12, XP 75 ea. HP

This small alcove seems to be the secret entrance into the catacombs. In the middle of the room is a ladder going up through a small chimney, and you can feel a faint fresh breeze blowing in from it. You also see a small scared boy hiding behind the ladder. This is the other hidden entrance into the catacombs. If one of the party climbs the ladder it goes up about 30 feet before coming out a well-hidden exit behind the keep. The boy here is Galen, the son of Arlen and Sarah, and he will be fearful of the party unless he is shown the dragonfly necklace. If the party places the necklace around his neck, all further undead attacks will be negated while the party is with Galen.

The five long-dead warriors laid to rest on the slabs slumber peacefully in death, their skeletal hands wrapped around the hilt of rusted swords. These warriors are not affected by the Rodemus curse because they were buried here before the pact was made with the God of the Dead. They will not rise.

This small hidden altar hasn't seen any recent use, but you can still see the symbols drawn on the floor in what looks to be dried blood. One symbol in particular sends shivers down your spine: the symbol for Zal'Thal, the god of the Dead. If the party approaches the altar, two skeletons will rise up from behind it and attack the party. 2 Skeletons: AC 15 (half damage from edged, 1 point only from piercing), HD 1, #At 1 scimitar, Dam 1d8, Mv 40', Sv F1, ML 12, XP 25 ea. HP

As the door swings open you hear the unmistakable sound of goblins. However a large barricade made from tables, chairs, and other various objects blocks further progress into the room. One of the goblins shouts ‘Kill the Dead Walkers, Kill the Dead Walkers!’ as they let loose a volley of arrows in your direction. You’ve found what’s left of Girck’s search party. These goblins sent by Girck have recovered the map but were forced into this room by the undead. So they have thrown together a pretty good barricade at the door. It will take a successful Climb Walls to scale the barricade. If the barricade is attacked it has 15 HP and Hardness 5. While the barricade is being attacked the goblins will continue to fire arrows over it. Because of partial cover each side takes a -4 to hit with missile weapons while the barricade is up. If the barricade comes down two larger goblins will come up to attack the party while the smaller six goblins continue to fire arrows. If the party engages the goblins and kills one of the goblin champions, the other will throw a satchel to one of the smaller goblins and yell to it in goblin. The smaller one will pick up the satchel and run towards the door. If anyone in the party speaks goblin they will hear him say 'Get this to Girck!'. Even if they don't there is a 2 in 6 chance (adding INT bonus) that they will understand the word 'Girck'. The satchel contains Fonkin's lost map. 6 Goblins: AC 14, HD 1-1, #At 1 shortbow or shortsword, Dam 1d6 shortswor

A sense of peace fills you as you enter this room. The five ornate coffins against the west wall seem to be untouched by the ravages of time and it doesn’t seem like anyone has been in this room in ages. Unlike the other rooms, there are two large pillars supporting the roof here. This room seems to be unaffected by what else is going on in the catacombs. The coffins are shut and have not been disturbed. However they cannot be easily opened either. Treat them as locked stone doors.

When you enter the room you see two large zombies feasting on what can only be the remains of a dead goblin. The two zombies are too busy eating to notice your entrance. The zombies are eating so the party gets one surprise round before they attack. Though very large, these zombies are otherwise normal. 2 Dread Zombies: AC 12 (½ damage from blunt weapons, 1 point only from piercing), HD 3, #At 1 weapon, Dam 1d8 or by weapon, Mv 20', Sv F2, ML 12, XP 145 ea. HP

This small room appears to be an old storage room of some sort. It is pretty much empty except for remnants of things stored here in the past. The door to this room is unlocked but it is stuck. The characters will have to make a standard stuck door check to open it.