The GLoG got me again, and I joined in a new collaborative dungeon spearheaded by Ancalagon_tb over at Of Slugs and Silver called The Foreboding Fromagerie. A cheese-themed dungeon for low level PCs.

At first I had planned to do something with a nacho cheese golem, but after a bit I remembered a scene from Wallace & Gromit, and given that I’m married to a baker, I thought it prudent that the dungeon have a cracker production room. I was assigned room 11, and as I was looking over the dungeon, I also noticed 39, and was hit with inspiration for a puzzle statue.

The Cracker Kitchen

My first problem was figuring out who was making crackers. Neither goblin tribe seemed to be posed to begin such a task, and the squatters were a bit far. Then I noticed that no path between the two goblin camps would lead them near room 11, and an idea was struck. Enter: Star crossed goblin lovers, caring not for the kind of cheese, but for the vector by which to enjoy it.

These two young goblins have begun to learn the arts of crackercraft with the goal of one day joining their people via a cracker that fit hard and soft cheeses in equal measure.

Here is that room:

Room number: 11 Name: The Cracker Kitchen Details: A great oven dominates the western portion of this room, and every remaining scrap of wall is covered in shelves, containing various baking tools and raw ingredients. Barrels flank the door, one containing flour, and the other water. The center of this room is dominated by a low table coated with crackers in varying states of completion. Large stone bowls hold rising dough, rough hewn iron sheets hold cooling crackers, and two adolescent goblins, each dressed in the garb of the opposing tribes, stand over flat stones, talking excitedly as they roll out dough to be cut into crackers.

The two goblins are Hysh and Aruq, who met in the halls while exploring, and fell in love. The young couple are attempting to produce a cracker that can unite their tribes, so they can live together. PCs who offer exotic spices, or valuable advice for cracker-making will be offered bags of experimental crackers in trade. The crackers are decently made, if exotic in flavor and texture.

Puzzle Statue

I was inspired by the round end of this room to create a puzzle statue, something I love to put in my games wherever I can. This statue is designed to give some good gear to the players without just handing it to them. The puzzle itself is pretty simple, finding the spheres should be the more difficult part of the puzzle.

Room Number: 39 Name: Statue of the Shrouded Servant Description: The southern half of this room is dominated by a 35 ft tall, by 20 ft wide statue of a sitting figure, garbed in robes, with a face hidden by a great hood.

The figure’s two arms rotate above the elbow and the hands swivel at the wrist. The swivels are set to resistance just over the weight of the stone limbs, thus, adjusting the arms or hands is a task that can be handled by a single adventurer, and the statue will hold any position it is set to. Depressions on the knees of the statue will hold a 30 inch diameter sphere stable.

In the dungeon there are 2 such spheres, When brought to the statue, 5 positions of power can be achieved.

  • Spheres on knees, hands together - The spheres glow with an internal light, providing a relaxing feeling to those who rest in this light.

  • Spheres on knees, hands on spheres - A concealed compartment in the dias opens towards the center of the room. Inside is a velvet lined tray in which a sword and scepter could lay. The sword is missing, but the brass scepter is still here, although, it’s missing it’s crowning gem.

  • Spheres on Left Knee and right hand - A hidden compartment in the right forearm opens, containing a cracked wand of fireball. Each time the wand is used, it has a 5% cumulative chance of breaking, releasing the spell into the wild.

  • Spheres Left hand and right knee - A hidden compartment in the left forearm opens, containing nothing.

  • Spheres in hands - A hidden compartment in the chest opens. This compartment has a trapped lid. A poisoned needle is embedded in the grip, and has a 1 in 4 chance of pricking someone who opens it. The poison requires a save or the target is sickened for 2d4 turns. Inside the compartment is a set of chain armor.

Treasure: If completed, the scepter is worth 50g, otherwise the rod is only worth 10g. The chain armor is mundane.

Connections to other rooms:

There are 2 30-inch spheres somewhere in the dungeon, both are made of smooth black stone.