Week 5 - On to Level 2
This week we moved into February and so down on to level 2. This meant a change in theme in the megadungeon, but this wasn't an issue as I had already got a clear idea in mind from early in January as to what level 2 would be based around: the undead. I know this is hardly an original theme, but they are some of my favourite monsters to use, so I wanted to get them in early. Between this 2nd level and the vampire stalking the top level, this has been achieved rather nicely I think.
As I moved down a level this week, this also meant drawing a whole new map to start on this week, although due to the deisgn of the level above there were some choices that were already locked in. This was something I was happy with though, as limitations breed creativity and it also means there was a skeleton to start hanging this level on. This does however mean that there isn't much to look at visually this week.
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| The beginnings of the Undercroft |
This Week's Rooms
The Entrance Cave (30)
This cave in the hillside is the way in to the Owlbear Caves, and is a way for explorers to find their way into both these caves and the Observatory too. The entrance is a large opening in the hillside, with moss hanging down that obscures part of the entrance. The floor is covered in wind blown detritus such as dried leaves and soil. A large amount of small animal bones can be seen poking out of the litter across the floor, and there is a strong smell coming from deeper in the caves which is a mix of rot, dung and mould. This area serves as the perfect nesting area for both vermin swarms and also their larger cousins.
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| The complete Owlbear Caves |
The Gem-Studded Column (31)
This cave is dominated by a central column that serves as a roof support, and is a natural formation. It is studded with semi-precious stones that could easily be mined from this column. However, the floor is covered with the bones of several being who tried to mine these gems. It is unclear if the column is trapped, or if they were killed by another denizen of the Owlbear Caves. These corpses are potentially the sources of the shadow that lurks inside the column, and attacks any humanoid that enters the cave. Oddly, the shadow ignores the owlbears, and never leaves this room to wander the complex.
Chantry (2-1)
The first room one would reach heading down the staircase in room 13 on level 1. Formerly this room was used as a place to mark the moving on of a member of staff of the Observatory or their families. Here priests sang thanks to the Sky God and to wish their departed colleague the best in their afterlife. This chamber was beautifully painted, and an archway in this room marked a symbolic passing point into the afterlife.
This room is now a far cry from its former glory, however. Signs of battle are obvious here, and areas where fighting hasn't taken place are thick with dust. Numerous undead assemble here and have then assault up the staircase to try and over run the orcs in the level above. It is unclear what or who is driving the undead to attack the orcs. In turn the orcs have tried to explore and find the source of the undead but with little success. What is worse, those orcs that died in these expeditions later return as zombies to attack the living orcs.
There are 4 exits to this room, one in each of the compass directions. The door to the north stands open, whilst the others are generally closed.
Embalming Chamber (2-2)
When followers of the Sky God died in his service, they would end up here, being prepared for their final resting. This chamber has a stone bier that the body of the deceased would lie upon, and this would allow morticians to work on them.
Now this room acts as a strange lure to any corpses that have been reanimated as zombies (if they have not been given other orders). They often cluster around the bier, standing silently, motionless next to it.
The rest of this chamber is mostly undisturbed, with the cupboards along the walls containing embalming supplies that have mostly mouldered away. The walls are all covered in black tiles, and the floor to this chamber is a smooth well-set flagstone one, in contrast to much of this level This room has a double door exit to the west and another to the north. Both of these doors are thick, iron shod wooden doors.
Cold Store (2-3)
West of the embalming room is this large cold store. This semi-circular room has 6 stone slabs in it, which stand at a height of 3 ft. The room is supernaturally cold, standing at a constant -20 degrees Celsius. This is caused by a tiny but permanent portal connection to the frozen wastes to the north. This constantly blows frigid air into this room, and could conceivably be used to pass something small through to the wastes.
Upon opening the chamber, it is clear this room hasn't been opened in decades, and the bodies that were left here have since reanimated, attacking anything that comes through the doors.
Divination Chamber (2-4)
A large, square, open chamber dimly lit by black candles (one in each corner). These candles shed a cold grey light, making this a very gloomy room. This gloom is only pierced by the ruby red light that comes from the ritual circle that is picked out in the black flagstone floor. It is hard to make out the three doorways in this room (in the west, south and east walls).
This room was used to contact the dead, often used to speak with dead or to seek out particular souls to communicate with. This link to the dead and necromancy has meant that two shadows were attracted to this chamber, where they remain now, attacking any living creature that comes in here.
Ossuary (2-5)
North of the Embalming Chamber lies this ossuary, which consists of a long chamber set with alcoves along the eastern and western walls. All of these alcoves have been filled with bones, and the walls, doors and archways have been set with bones too. The whole of this area is under a desecrate effect, and this in turn has animated the bones in the walls in some kind of skeletal creature, with limbs reaching out from the walls to claw at the living.
Grave goods were placed in the base of the alcoves, and these now lie scattered across the floor, offering a tempting target to would be thieves that come across this room. Trouble is, this puts them directly in reach of the sharp bony claws of the wall.
That's it for this week, a bit of a shorter one. It's been a busy week and for the first time in this challenge, I have had to try and make time for drawing and detailing the dungeon rooms. However, what did stand out to me was the desire to do just that. It would be on my mind that I needed to do my room for the day, so I guess that means it must be forming a habit!
