Temple of the Damned
[comments:(10), views:(11175), rating:(9.2)]

Author: Boxman
Homepage: http://www.rpghost.com/boxman/page_dungeons3.html
System: AD&D 2nd Edition
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements: For 3-6 characters 2-4 level

Graphic: Cabin
Graphic: Temple

The PCs are travelling a road that leads to a small town in a lightly forested area. It is hot and begins to drizzle slightly, limiting visibility*. Because of the heat, it becomes misty. DMs should use the limited visibility to heighten the players anxiety, throwing in sounds from the bush, or signs of movement just out of range. Near the town, the PCs will spot a group of people (4 people) walking in the same direction of the PCs. They are moving slowly, or might be completely still. They appear human but are actually zombies. When the PCs come within range (or within 60' if the PCs attack without warning), the zombies attack. If the PCs believe they are human, and it is still raining and foggy, there is a good chance they are surprised (+3 chance to surprise). There are 5 zombies on the road, but 3 others are nearby off the road. The fighting will also bring in 4 more zombies, from either sides of the road, the next round. The encounter should leave the group weak and without spells, requiring them to rest in the town. The town is located in a valley, on a slope, with the town square being on level ground. Half the valley is forested.

12 Zombies
AC: 8
MV: 6
HD: 2
HP: 14 x2, 12 x2, 10 x2, 9 x3, 6 x3
Thac0: 19
# AT: 1
DMG: 1d8
SD: Imm to sleep, charm, hold, death, poison, cold
SW: Always attack last

There is only one inn in town, The Morning Star Inn, although there are several taverns, shops, temples, and smiths. Prices are regular, and the people are friendly.

The night becomes very foggy, as the the humidity in the air condenses into fog. As the PCs are finishing their evening meal, they hear screams coming from outside the inn. If the PCs sit there and do nothing, zombies will crash through the Inn's doors. If they go out, they can hear loud moans inbetween deep silences, every now and then shattered by a painfilled scream. Because of the fog, visibility is again reduced, this time to 10 yards. All surprise checks are at +3 chance. However, even if the PCs do see movement, there is a 33% chance it is a regular human, and not a zombie. It is dark out, but light from houses and from street lamps make it lighter. Shapes can be seen moving around, and most are zombies.

3-24 Zombies
AC: 8
MV: 6
HD: 2
Thac0: 19
# AT: 1
DMG: 1d8
SD: Imm to sleep, charm, hold, death, poison, cold
SW: Always attack last

The zombies are spread out over the town and are attacking many people. Thankfully, other townspeople are attacking back, although most are level 0. Turning 1 group makes little difference as they will retreat to attack other humans once out of sight. The PCs are thanked if anyone is around once the fight is over.

The town will hold a meeting that night to discuss what to do. Anyone who saw the PCs fight will suggest them, and a group of constabulary will offer the PCs the job of finding out where the zombies came from, who sent them, and all that. The pay will be 50gps (or 500gps if they are high level), plus free room and board, free services, and perhaps other companions if the DM wishes. This sort of attack has never happened before, although there used to be an evil cult that was destroyed over 50 years ago who had undead servants. That was to the west.

The PCs don't have to be rangers to find the trail of the zombies. They all came from 1 direction. West, into the forest on the other side of the valley. The zombies leave a big, obvious trail as they shamble around.

The cause of the zombies is a curse. A week ago, a troup of ghouls made a cave their lair. Inside, there was an entrance to an old temple. They were called to the temple, and ventured inside.

Long ago, when the evil cult was still around, the humans had placed a gem at the entrance of the temple to seal the place's evil inside, preventing anything from leaving, then sealing the temple under the earth. Those trapped inside died from suffocation. Unfortunately, through time, the gem has lost its protective powers, and erosion has opened an entrance to the temple. The gem was shattered by the ghouls, and they went inside. At the center, there was a statue of the undead god Thasmudyan. When the lead ghoul touched the statue, Thasmudyan brought down the curse, causing all dead humans within 5 miles to rise up as undead zombies. This radius will increase 1 mile / week. The lead ghoul gained the power to control these zombies, and it became a ghast. Thasmudyan can communicate with it through the statue.

The temple of the Undead God is in the forest, and looks like a small hill, or large mound of earth. However, if the PCs followed the zombies' trails, the place should be easy to find. A horrible stench permeates the area around the cave, and the PCs can smell it when they come within 100 yards of the entrance. It smells like stale air, mixed with the smell of bodies dead for a long time. The entrance is within a small cave, which descends 10' down. The main part of the temple itself is still under the earth.

If the DM feels the final ghouls and ghast are too weak an encounter for his players, he should set up another encounter. Since it is still foggy, he can continue using poor visibility to build an encounter.

As the PCs are travelling through the forest, they see something at the edge of their vision. He is travelling too fast to be a zombie, but is too hunched over to be a normal human. If the PCs attack the man he will call for help. If they kill him, then examine his body, they will learn that he was just a common woodsman with a ghastly wound on his abdomen.

Woodsman
AC: 8
MV: 12
HD: 1d8
HP: 5 (6 max) Thac0: 20
# AT: by weapon
DMG: by weapon
XP: 7

If they don't kill him, he finally wanders into their range of vision and they can see he is a regular man. He calls to them asking for help. He will explain that his cabin was attacked by horrible creatures from beyond the grave. His wife and child didn't have time to escape before the creatures surrounded the house. He only barely escaped, but with a minor wound. His wife and child are baricaded inside, but its only a matter of time. He begs them for help. If the PCs will not help him, he offers them services (although not himself as a servant), and finally 20 gold pieces, or anything they want from his house.

If the PCs follow, his shack is only 250 yards away. He asks the PCs to hurry, but he cant keep up because of his wound. The PCs have 5 rounds to save the woodman's family (DMs should seriously watch the time). When they get there, the front doors have already been bashed down, and some windows are broken. The shack is small, with only 1 floor, but has a cellar. The cellar is empty, except for whatever cellars are supposed to have.

Cabin

A) Closet, supply storage room. Any extra household stuff is in here, from extra chairs, blankets, clothes, axes and whatever. No zombies here. A complete search may take 2 minutes. Opening the door and glancing inside to see if there are zombies might take 30 seconds.

B) If the PCs ignore room C, 2 zombies come out of there and attack the PCs as they reach room B. Chance to surprise is at +2 penalty. This is the child's room. If the PCs visit room C first, or are attacked by the zombies at room Bs door, they will hear a scream 1 round later. If they enter they will see a zombie coming through the window. If the PCs took more than a round to get to the room, the child will be killed by the zombie, who will then eat the child. If a PC enters room B before going to room C and doesn't join the fight, he will see a little boy siting ontop of his bed. The next round, a zombie will crash through the window at the foot of his bed. It will attack the closest thing to it. Surprise chance still at +2.

C) Living room. As the PCs enter, 3 zombies come from room D and make their way toward the PCs. See room B for details of what follows.

D) Dining room. Just a table and chairs. Moans can be heard coming from room E.

E) Kitchen. When the PCs enter, 2 zombies will pop-up from behind a counter from where they were feasting on meat and attack the PCs. Surprise at +2 penalty.

F) The master bedroom. The lead ghoul will try his best to avoid contact with the PCs, and also do his best to get into this room. If the PCs catch him outside of it (rounds 1-4) he will call 2 other zombies to help him fight the PCs. On round 5 hw will have successfully have entered the room, and will attack and paralyze the wife. If the PCs enter after round 5, they will find the woodsman's wife on the floor with the ghoul on top of her. Here face is slashed up, and the ghoul is licking the blood off of her. She is still alive on round six when the ghoul commences to have intercourse with her. This is quiet the horrible scene, and will likely repulse anyone...A DM could even force the players to roll horro checks, as per the ravenloft rules.

The ghoul and his 2 zombie henchmen will defend themselves if the PCs attack. the wife, however will be permanently insane, never speaking or moving again.

7 Zombies
AC: 8
MV: 6
HD: 2
Thac0: 19
# AT: 1
DMG: 1d8
SD: Imm to sleep, charm, hold, death, poison, cold
SW: Always attack last
XP: 65

Ghoul
AC: 6
MV: 9
HD: 2
Thac0: 19
# AT: 3
DMG: 1d3 / 1d3 / 1d6
SD: Imm to sleep, charm spells
SA: Paralyze, save or be paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds
XP: 175

While in the temple, undead cannot be turned or commanded, and they make all saves at +4. All humans save at -2, and are at -1 to attack and damage. Whenever a living PC first enters the temple, a save versus paralyzation must be made, or they lose 1 point of constitution. This point returns after breathing fresh air for at least 1 hour, but can be lost again when entered anew.

Temple

1) A Large tunnel leads toward the temple. The tunnel has earthen walls and roof, with roots hanging down from the ceiling. At the end of the tunnel is 2 large stone doors, set into a wall of stone. There are runes on the doors and anyone able to read Rhunic (or other language chosen by the DM)can see that they say the temple is not a place for the living. The doors are shut. Any living creature touching the doors will take 1d4 damage from cold, and must save or be paralyzed for 1d8 rounds. Anyone who makes their save, has a protection from evil spell on them, who can resist cold, or is not touching the doors with their skin is unnaffected and can open the doors.

2) This is the main chamber, used to conduct services and sacrifices. All who enter can see the altar at the end of the room. Two long rows of white pillars head toward the altar. The altar was stone grey in color, but is stained black with the blood of many sacrifices. Two old and rusty braziers are located beside the altar. There are stairs heading down at the end of the room. Two other rooms are located at either side of the main chamber.

3)These rooms once held all the dead (or living) sacrifices given to the Charnel God. These rooms also held the remains of priests, some entombed in large sarcophagi, others just laid out across the floor, awaiting their turn as a meal for their god. Now, mostly bones and rotted flesh remain. However, because the rooms were locked up without any fresh air for years, the place has a carrion stench, and is dangerous to all who enter. Anyone who enters this room without wrapping their faces with cloth or without allowing this room to ventilate for at least 3 days, must roll a constitution check or contract a debilitating disease. Mixed with the bodies are some interesting trinkets.

1. A total of 200 gold pieces can be collected
   
2. 5 gems, 2 worth 100, 1 worth 200, and 2 worth 500.
   
3. A gilded holy symbol worth 60 gold, and a finely wrought wand of crystal and silver on top of a tomb, worth 300 gold
4. A magical ring of silver, with a light blue stone
   
5. A dark grey colored magical short sword
   

4) This floor has many rooms. Most were used for the living occupants of the temple, however some are still used by the undead occupants of the temple. Some rooms were for servants, priests, head masters, latrines, or supply storage. There is a 10% chance for each room that there is 2 zombies or skeletons inside. Most rooms have 10-60 silver pieces (75% chance), and others have 2-8 gold pieces.

5A) Charnel Room: This room was a sort of mess hall were the evil clergy members would come to feast upon the dead. There is only a large stone table here.

5B) Necrophile Chamber: This room was once used for the horrible practices of the clergy. The walls are covered with horrifying carvings of humans, zombies, and half live creatures. Pictures of ghouls copulating with humans with half eaten faces is a popular theme.

5C) Torture Chamber: This chamber has long been out of use, but the devices of the trade are still scattered around room.

5D) Creation Room: A ritual room used to turn humans or bodies into undead. Also a birthing place for ghoul-human hybrids...

6) When the PCs reach this level, they can smell the horrible stench of the ghast. It will appear out of room C, and challenge the PCs, telling them to either to surrender or become servants of Thasmudyan. Regardless of their reply, the ghast intends to turn them into ghouls. If the battle is joined, 2 ghouls will appear out of room B and try to attack from behind. The ghast will remain in the doorway of room C, so only 2 PCs can attack him at once.

6A) Crypt: An ancient burial chamber for the elder clergy members. Opening these sarcophagi is almost impossible, and anyone who does open one must save versus disease, save versus a curse, and the dead will rise up as a cofer corpse. Any treasure is randomly determined.

6B) Special Chapel: A small chapel used only by the high priests. Has nothing in it but a small altar and 2 braziers.

6C) Statue Room: The final room that contains the statue of Thasmudyan. Destroying the statue will end the curse. Even though it is magical, the statue is made of obsidian and will shatter on a failed save versus crushing blow.

2 Ghouls
AC: 6
MV: 9
HD: 2
Thac0: 19
# AT: 3
DMG: 1d3 / 1d3 / 1d6
SD: Imm to sleep, charm spells
SA: Paralyze, save or be paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds
XP: 175

1 Ghast
AC: 4
MV: 15
HD: 4
HP: 26
Thac0: 17
# AT: 3
DMG: 1d4 / 1d4 / 1d8
SD: Imm to sleep, charm spells
SA: Paralyze, save or be paralyzed for 1d6+4 rounds, Command undead, Stench 10', save or attack at -2
XP: 975

Magic Items

Ring of Holy Warmth

Similar to rings of warmth, this ring has the same powers except it only works against unnatural cold. Cold from the negative plane, the plane of shadow or unholy cold (and attacks from shadows or liches and similar chill attacks) are protected against.

Grey Blade

A short sword made from a dark grey metal, this blade is a +1 weapon, +3 versus regenerating creatures. Any creature hit by this weapon cannot be affected by any healing or regenerating affects for 1 round after being hit.

* (players handbook page 117. Light rain or light fog)