Finished or not, I promised myself to post this before 11 p.m. tonight. There's so much more I want to do—and there are probably errors!—but hopefully, I'll complete this level soon. I just ran out of time!
This is the first level of an unnamed multi-level dungeon meant for beginning characters. How many levels will there be? Who knows! How many will I make before I lose interest? Maybe just this one? Who knows!
To stock the dungeon, I opened up my copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set by Tom Moldvay with the Expert Set by David Cook close at hand. Both were printed on the year of my birth. For the uninitiated, those two books are commonly known as the "B/X Edition" of D&D.
Using the table found on page B52, I started rolling the dungeon randomly with two plastic dice. I let the dice be my inspiration, but I trusted them fully. They told me this dungeon needed a lot of treasure and a lot of orcs, so I listened!
How's that for old school?
Note: This dungeon uses a silver standard. Basically, 1 sp = 1 XP and list prices are in silver rather than gold.
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| 1 Square = 10 Feet |
Echoes of a rowdy din reflect off the stone-block walls as you descend the dust-covered stairway, pushing through thick cobwebs. Gruff voices and harsh laughter mixes closeby with pig-like snorts and squeals. The rank stench of rotten death and putrid offal assails your nose.
► The east wall is lined with piles of dung, fetid cesspools, and refuse. Orcs.
► At the intersection, it's obvious the sound, as well as flickering firelight, is coming from the south through the open door to Room 1.
► What was once a nine-foot-tall stone statue lies is ruin at the south end of the hall. It has been smashed, then desecrated by excrement all around its plinth. A close inspection will reveal an inscription at its base. Clearing the dung away will allow it to be read: "Sir Gregor, Champion of Hargrave."
► X—Sprung bear trap. The rank, half-eaten corpse of a giant rat rots in its steel jaws.
► Rats, large but of the mundane variety, scurry along the edge of every shadow, their eyes gleaming from the darkness.
1. Orc Garrison
Sgt. Gordrak: AC 5; HD 4; hp 15; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 sword; THAC0 16; Dmg 1d8+2; SA F4; ML 10; AL C; XP 15.
Orcs (6): AC5; HD 1; hp 4; M V 120’ (40’); #AT 1 short sword; THACO 20; Dmg -5 (ld6-1, minimum of 1); SA F1; ML 10 (8); AL C ; XP 10.
Orcs (6): AC5; HD 1; hp 4; M V 120’ (40’); #AT 1 short sword; THACO 20; Dmg -5 (ld6-1, minimum of 1); SA F1; ML 10 (8); AL C ; XP 10.
Seven heavily-armed pig-faced orc soldiers are throwing dice between stacks of scattered coins on a flat-topped stone sarcophagus near the south wall. They will not attack PC's on sight, but will take defensive formation.
► Orcs wear chain mail (AC 5) and red surcoats trimmed in a black saw-tooth pattern. Each surcoat has a symbol of a black, horned skull with green eyes in the center of his chest. Black helmets, gloves and leather boots.
► Leader, Sgt. Gordrak, will talk, even trade for supplies. He has claw marks on his face, a torn nostril and is missing a chunk out of his upper lip—battle scars. He's cruel and calculating, but brutally punishes liars, cheaters, thieves, and backstabbers giving him good reason to regularly beat his underlings.
► Not murderous, yet, but are insulting, vulgar, drunken bullies.
► Orcs wear chain mail (AC 5) and red surcoats trimmed in a black saw-tooth pattern. Each surcoat has a symbol of a black, horned skull with green eyes in the center of his chest. Black helmets, gloves and leather boots.
► Leader, Sgt. Gordrak, will talk, even trade for supplies. He has claw marks on his face, a torn nostril and is missing a chunk out of his upper lip—battle scars. He's cruel and calculating, but brutally punishes liars, cheaters, thieves, and backstabbers giving him good reason to regularly beat his underlings.
► Not murderous, yet, but are insulting, vulgar, drunken bullies.
► Serve a powerful wizard named Zuul. Not from this land; entered the dungeon through a portal. Never stepped foot outside the dungeon; no knowledge of outside world. Plan to leave through same portal when it re-opens.
► Seeking a round amulet made of gold with a face on it hidden on level 1. A rival NPC party seeks it. Gordrak will pay 4,000 sp for it.
► There's an iron lockbox in the otherwise empty sarcophagus. It contains a sack holding 4,000 sp. It's chained to an iron bolt driven into its stone floor. Gordrak has the key.
► If PC's remain, orcs challenge them to dice. They won't cheat. Cheaters get their hands cut off—no exceptions. If the PC's win three games in a row, the losing orc will draw blade and accuse the PC of cheating! The Sgt. might intervene on PC's behalf—if he favors the PC.
► One wants to trade his dagger for one of the PC's weapons of equal value. Will get offended if declined.
► One wants to trade punches with the biggest PC (no to-hit roll; just roll subdual damage). Won't take no for an answer, though the Sgt. will eventually get annoyed and order his underling to stand down if the PC remains steadfast.
► Will shout an alarm if attacked, summoning orcs from Room 2 next round.
► If PC's remain, orcs challenge them to dice. They won't cheat. Cheaters get their hands cut off—no exceptions. If the PC's win three games in a row, the losing orc will draw blade and accuse the PC of cheating! The Sgt. might intervene on PC's behalf—if he favors the PC.
► One wants to trade his dagger for one of the PC's weapons of equal value. Will get offended if declined.
► One wants to trade punches with the biggest PC (no to-hit roll; just roll subdual damage). Won't take no for an answer, though the Sgt. will eventually get annoyed and order his underling to stand down if the PC remains steadfast.
► Will shout an alarm if attacked, summoning orcs from Room 2 next round.
2. Orc Camp, Ruins
Three pig-faced orcs lounge around a small campfire at the south end of this room near the doorway. Another four sleep against the wall. Piles of stone rubble from collapsed walls and shattered columns fills the room.
► Corporal Orgug (hp 8; 1d8+1 damage), one of the orcs on duty, is a sniveling, conniving, suck-up who's jealous but afraid of Sgt. Gordrak.
► A tent made of tusks, hides and furs stands in the corner opposite the door. Unoccupied. Sgt. Gordrak (Room 1) sleeps here. A large wooden chest appears empty, but in a hidden compartment is a small jewelry box containing 7 pieces of jewelry (1,100 sp; 800 sp; 1,300 sp; 600 sp; 1,200 sp; 1,500 sp; 400 sp). If Gordrak is here, the lockbox from Room 1 in the chest.
► Will shout an alarm if attacked, summoning orcs from Room 1 next round.
► Sleeping orcs take 1 round to rise and another to ready weapons.
► Traps: Orcs have laid bear traps right inside both the north and west doors. Those who pass through have a 2-in-6 chance of stepping inside the steel jaws and triggering it. Those explicitly looking out for the steel jaws get a +1 bonus to the roll. Trap will do 1d2 damage if sprung, trapping the leg until it's removed; takes two hands and 1 round.
3. Hidden Coins
This room is filled with stone rubble and debris.
► Buried beneath a loose pile of rocks is a backpack containing a sack holding 600 bp and 400 sp.
4. Shattered Statuary (Empty)
Little is left of this room. A smashed sarcophagus, missing its lid, sits beneath a ruined statue.
► Inspecting the statue and empty sarcophagus will reveal matching inscriptions: "Sir Magnus."
5. Web of Terror
Thick webs carpet the floor and stretch from column to column in this eerily-silent chamber. A dozen mummified humanoid corpses hang from the ceiling upside-down, suspended from threads all around.
► A giant black widow makes her lair in the ceiling.
► One of the cocooned corpses has a belt pouch containing 95 cp and 11 sp.
5. Web of Terror
Thick webs carpet the floor and stretch from column to column in this eerily-silent chamber. A dozen mummified humanoid corpses hang from the ceiling upside-down, suspended from threads all around.
► A giant black widow makes her lair in the ceiling.
► One of the cocooned corpses has a belt pouch containing 95 cp and 11 sp.
6. Dust and Scattered bones (Empty)
Dust-covered skulls and bones, both animal and humanoid, are scattered between the massive columns which ascend into darkness some 60' above. Even the most desperate and starving rat would be hard-pressed to find any marrow left in the fossils that litter the floor.
► Thorough searches will find nothing but a broken battleaxe; rotten, tattered cloth; a chewed-up boot; and a dented helmet.
7. Ruble and Ruin
Toppled columns and stone debris fills the room from where the ceiling, 60' above, collapsed.
► Traps: Orcs have placed bear traps right inside both the south doors. See Room 2 for details.
