Weeks 6 - 9 (Part 1)
Wow, and like that the month of February has gone! As I write this, it is March the 1st and I have gone through most of February without updating on progress for my Dungeon 23 challenge, despite having such a constant start to the year. It's safe to say that doing level 2 has proven more of a challenge than level 1 did. The novelty of doing a room a day has been lessened some what and I have been busier with work, leaving me less time to be creative. I may also have picked a theme that was more restrictive for this level than I initially realised, and this has had the effect of hampering the ability to create a new room every day that allowed for a cohesive whole to emerge. However I have managed to stay on target (with a couple of catch up sessions) and now I have started level 3 with both a new theme and a promise to allow myself to deviate from this theme more often if I need a change.
As this blog is now also playing catch up, what I will do is offer a two part update, both in a short succession to get back on track with updating things.
Week 6 Rooms
This week is mostly focussed in the south of the complex with some areas that branch off already detailed parts, forming the theme of a mortuary complex for the observatory above, with the exception of one room which moves into the more northern areas of this level, which have a slightly different theme.
The Vault (6)
In a slight departure from the mortuary theme of this level, this large chamber with a stone (locked) door is the vault of the complex, storing the valuables and wealth of the observatory. Locked since before the fall/abandonment of the level above, this room remains to be plundered, and the orcs above (and duergar beneath if they were to discover its purpose) would love to get into it.
Inside the vault rows of valuable observations of the heavens line the walls, along with religious texts. One or two minor relics of value to the Sky God also reside here unclaimed, along with the meager treasury of the observatory. A ghost resides here guarding the relics, but longing for release, and if someone would agree to carry out a task for them, then they can finally rest. However, if they are here to loot indiscriminantly the guardian will fight with all of its considerable powers.
The Bridge Chamber (7)
North of the ossuary is an underground stream which can be crossed in this chamber. Originally a cave, the walls of this room have been smoothed and the space converted into a useable chamber. However, over time the damp of the water has permeated this space and now it is uncomfortably moist, and carries the smell of mould. Iron grates cover in inlet and outlet parts of the stream in this room, and a sturdy (but slick) wooden bridge crosses this relatively deep underground waterway. As the only easily detected way of moving to the north of the complex, the more intelligent undead on this level make sure to secure this room, and hold the bridge, with regular patrols moving through this area.
Standing on the bridge makes it clear that there are bones, coins and other goods lying on the bottom of the stream, but retrieving them may mean going into the cold, fast flowing water.
Shrine to the Undergod (8)
The priests and hierophants of the Sky God dedicated their lives to observing the heavens from the observatory on level one, living and dying in the complex, as well as being buried here with honour. However, they did not conduct these burials and the accompanying rituals themselves, this was carried out by a priest of the Undergod. This priest and his acolytes needed space to worship their own god, as well as carry out services of remembrance and this is the chamber where this happened.
This black painted room has religious text inscribed on every surface in a silvery-white script, and non-magical light here is dimmed, being absorbed by the same surfaces that are covered in the script. The north-eastern corner of the chamber is dominated by a dais that has an obvious empty throne on its top level. The southern portion of the chapel holds the pews for the congregation to sit on, and there is an altar opposite the throne. An ancient mummy stands watch over this shrine, an eternal servant to the Undergod, who brooks no desecration of this space.
An exit to the south leads to the quarters of the former high priest who served this shrine.
High Priest's Quarters (9)
This small but richly appointed quarters served the high priest of the mortuary temple; this room is bedecked in black and gold colours. This room is incongruously clean, and free from dust compared to the state of the rest of this level.
There is a bed here, and a private desk, as well as a thick rug, making this a handy and comfortable place to rest. The desk contains some minor treasures and trinkets.
There are exits in this chamber to the Necromantic Labs to the south, as well as the Gallery to the east.
Necromantic Lab (10)
Not content with simply carrying out funeral services and training apprentices, the high priests of the mortuary temple also had access to this well stocked and spacious lab, as well as materials that they could gather from the complex to the north for their forbidden research (which the staff of the observatory were either unaware of, or turned a blind eye to.
This lab was used to research the nature of life, death and undeath, as well as the creation of ever improved undead. This room is filled with the stench of decay, and has work benches and dissection tables in here as well as a well-stocked glassware section, a small library and a scripting table and wash basin. A giant, stitched zombie stands guard in here, attempting to push out anyone who enters without the correct symbols on their clothes or escorted by someone wearing such.
The only exits from this chamber lead to the gallery to the east and the priest's chambers to the north.
Gallery (11)
Pedestals line the outer wall of this macabre room, along with 2 display shelves in the centre of the room. These shelves contain various body parts and necromantic oddities preserved in glass jars, whilst the pedestals hold statues or larger glass vessels with whole bodies in them. Dotted around the room are odd, disturbing paintings showing scenes of death and unlife (someone with the correct knowledge may be able to work out these show scenes of the plane of negative energy or the Underworld).
One jar contains a pixie's corpse preserved like an animal specimen, and this is the centre of a haunt that affects this chamber, making any who are affected by it experience visions of death, misery and loss (treat as being under the effects of a confusion spell).
This chamber can be accessed from the priest's room, the lab (both to the west) or the summoning room to the north.
The Bone Well (12)
It is unclear what the purpose of this chamber once was but it was clearly once important, based on the exquisite but faded decorations on the walls, and the high quality of the flagstone floor. However, the pit in the centre (which is at least 3 metres deep) is filled with hundreds of bones, covering every inch of the floor of the pit to a depth of at least 1 metre. If one stares into the pit, the bones give the impression of moving, but looking again shows that they are still. There is a large symbol of the Undergod picked out in semi-precious stones on one section of the wall that has been scrubbed clean, but this symbol in turn has been defaced, with pitch thrown over the symbol and several of the stones having been damaged at some point.
A smell of incense covers any other smells in this chamber, and the temperature is uncomfortably warm. A brazier stands in an alcove, but is obviously damaged and no longer lit. This was once used to burn incense but clearly hasn't been used in some time.
There are archways leading to the Black Pit (17) and the Guard Room (18) in this room, as well as a passageway back to the Chantry to the west.
That brings an end to this quick update of week 6's rooms. I will get the rooms for week 7 up soon!
