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The Bards tell tales of a place that Rewards those that make offerings to the Earth God Tarn.
A place were the Rewards are Great, and Death is Common.
A Place where the Earth itself is Alive.
They Tell a Tale of Tarns Gift.
Full Layout - 5 tiles
Tile Two - Stairwell - Rune Stone
Tile Three- Passage Way / Living Wall
Tile Four - Living Spikes
Tile Five - Boss Room
(shown without Tarns Gift)
"TARNS GIFT"
Guardian Earth Elemental
More Dungeon Pic's
Initial Sketch
Final Product
Materials Used in this Craft
1/ Cardboard
2/ Card Stock
3/ Polystyrene foam
4/ White Glue
5/ Hot Glue
6/ Aluminum Foil
7/ Saw Dust (For the Flock)
8/ Thin Wire (for the Shrooms)
9/ Bean Bag Foam Balls (Again for the Shrooms)
10/ Toilet Paper (TP)
11/ Balsa Wood
12/ Sand
5/ Hot Glue
6/ Aluminum Foil
7/ Saw Dust (For the Flock)
8/ Thin Wire (for the Shrooms)
9/ Bean Bag Foam Balls (Again for the Shrooms)
10/ Toilet Paper (TP)
11/ Balsa Wood
12/ Sand
Other Than the Plastic Zombie heads in the Living wall everything was crafted, including the Flock i made that too.
The Boards
First Dungeon Tiles were all made out of Three Layers of Card so i could get some depth, each Tile is also edged with Card Stock. Not Many Photos were Taken During the Build i sort of got in a Zone. Ay way The Tiles were then Covered with a thin Layer of TP with the Normal 50/50 Glue /water mix, i used only one ply TP this tome to keep the warp down, The Parts that were to be inside the walls were given a covering of sand. Once this was dry all the Roots were made from TP soaked and rolled up. This was all let to dry and Base coated black before Final Painting.
The Mushrooms were made buy cutting Little bean bag foam balls in half then Stick onto wire, they were then painted up.
The Flock - Simple Put, very easy to do, i would make mine finer next time but there is no need to spend heaps of money on Flock.
I followed this tutorial
The Stairs here you can see i have used the TP Roots , The Mushrooms and the Flock.
The Gift
The Housing of "the Gift" was made from Aluminum foil, it was then covered with TP and the Roots added, The Box was Carved from Balsa Wood as were the ones scattered around the room. A base color of blue was painted inside and increasingly made lighter to give a radiating look.
The Guardian Earth Elemental
The Elemental was made from Aluminum Foil, Polystyrene Foam, TP and Lots of Hot Glue. With a few of teh Mushrooms i had left over added and a little of the Flock i made.
THE ADVENTURE
TARNS GIFT
The Brother eats but is never full
(AD&D 2nd Ed Adventure)
1:Entrance
After Walking for what seems and endless track through the Heavy Canopied Forest, ahead you see light dart through the canopy as if it has been stabbed with hundreds of Spears. Looking ahead a large tree can be seen , the light seems to be attracted to it. as you approach closer your surroundings fall silent. You can hear each other speak but your foot steps don't make any sound with each step you take even though the undergrowth crushes with each step.
Note: Followers of Tarn can pass through this Dungeon unaffected by all its protections unless they raise arms against or harm anything within. This allows followers of Tarn to make their offers and receive "The Gift"
A powerful charm person spell radiates from a Mushroom patch next to the base of the Tree targeting all players. This spell is so powerful that targets of the spell suffer a -5 penalty to their saving throws, this Charm will lead the Players closer to the tree. Once the PC's get close to the tree they will see a Shimmering shape of a Door set into the Trunk. If the PC's Act in a Hostile way to the Tree or Any of its surroundings Dryads will Walk out of the Tree as the Dimension Door Spell and attack.
Dryad
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: M (x 100), Q (x 10)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 2
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 (knife)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Charm
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
XP VALUE: 975
Combat: Dryads are shy, nonviolent creatures. They rarely carry weapons, but they sometimes carry knives as tools. Though a dryad can use this as a weapon in a fight, she will not resort to using a knife unless seriously threatened.
Dryads have the ability to throw a powerful charm person spell three times a day (but only once per round). This spell is so powerful that targets of the spell suffer a -3 penalty to their saving throws. A Dryad always uses this spell if seriously threatened, attempting to gain control of the attacker who could help her most against his comrades. Dryads will only attempt to charm elves as a last resort because of their natural resistance to this type of spell.
The dryad's use of her ability to charm is not limited to combat situations, however. Whenever a dryad encounters a male with a Charisma of 16 or more, she usually tries to charm him. Charismatic victims of a dryad's attentions are taken to the tree sprite's home, where the men serve as amorous slaves to their beautiful captors. There is a 50% chance that a person charmed and taken away by a dryad will never return. If he does escape from the dryad's charms, it will be after 1d4 years of captivity.
This tree sprite also has two other powers that are very useful in defense. Unless surprised, a dryad has the ability to literally step through a tree and then dimension door to the oak tree she is part of. She can also speak with plants (as the 4th-level priest spell). This enables the dryad to gather information about parties travelling near her tree, and even to use vegetation to hinder potential attackers.
2: Stairwell
The Stairwell whines it's way down around the tree roots, Moss covers the Tunnel walls and rocks jut out here and there. A dampness fills every breath, forcing you to all breath heavier as the temperature gets colder the deeper you go. Towards the Bottom you pass several small patches of Mushrooms growing on the tree roots.
The Mushrooms shoot small unseen spores into the air causing Hallucinations. A save vs. poison roll is required with a -3 to the save, if the PC fails its saving throw vs. poison, it suffers hallucinations. They will start to see the Roots Move and feel dizzy.
At the Bottom of the Stairs the tunnel opens into a medium sized Cavern, Directly opposite the stairs a Tunnel leads out of the room, to the left of this Tunnel is a large Stone, it is over grown with moss, vegetation and roots.
The PC's effected by the Hallucinations will see Roots flail like arms from the stone and other Vegetation around the Cavern start to move. As the players get closer they will see the Stone has Old Runes Carved on it in an Ancient Language known by many but not all druids.
The Stone Tablet Translates to - The Brother Eats but is never fall - and is a reference to one of the Four Brothers of the Elements, Earth.
3: The Living Wall
The Passage widens Slightly, to the left a small alcove is over grown with roots and Moss, several heads are imbedded into the Cavern wall. Again the Roots Seem to move.
Unfortunately these roots are moving this alcove actually houses a Living wall to Protect what lays ahead.
Living Wall
INTELLIGENCE: Variable (3-18)
TREASURE: Variable
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 8 (Base)
MOVEMENT: Nil
HIT DICE: 8 (Base)
THAC0: Variable
NO. OF ATTACKS: Variable
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Variable
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: L to G+(Rectangular area)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 2,000 to 100,000+
Living walls appear to be normal walls of stone or brick, although they radiate both evil and magic if detected. Infravision will not detect any peculiar patterns. However, a character who casts a true seeing spell or who peers through a gem of seeing will see past the illusion: the wall actually consists of greying and sinewy flesh -- of faces, hands, broken bones, feet, and toes jutting from the surface. Characters within 5 yards of the wall can hear low moans of horror, pain, and sorrow issuing from it. Even if a silence spell is cast, the moans still rise.
A living wall contains the melded bodies of humanoids and monsters who died within 100 yards of the wall since its creation. Those who die fighting a living wall are absorbed into it and actually strengthen it. Characters and monsters captured by the wall retain all the abilities they had in life; as part of the wall, they become chaotic evil and fight any creature that approaches it to the best of their abilities.
If a wizard becomes melded with a living wall, his spellcasting abilities are retained and can immediately be used for attacks. The wizard retains any spells that were memorized at the time he was absorbed into the wall; these are renewed each day. If a warrior loses his life in combat with a living wall, his fighting abilities and his weapons come under control of the beast: the weapons are hidden within the wall until the wall attacks, then are pushed through the mass of graying flesh to the surface. A hand attaches itself to the weapon, and eyes jutting from the wall guide the attack of the weapon. If the wall absorbs characters with ranged weapons, the weapons become useless once arrows, quarrels, or other necessary projectiles are expended.
Combat: A living wall never initiates combat, except against its creator, whom it despises. When such a wall is attacked, every creature that is part of the wall returns one attack, per strike against the wall. If a wall is made up of 12 creatures and one creature lands a blow on the wall, the attacker is subject to a dozen return blows from the wall.
All creatures in the wall fight according to their normal attack modes. These attacks can be magical, physical, or mental in origin. The type of attack and its damage often depend upon who or what is melded into the wall.
If a 10th-level fighter and a 6th-level fighter are absorbed into the wall, the wall attacks as one 6th-level fighter and one l0th-level fighter. For every mage or priest absorbed, the wall gains spell attacks. The only spells that can be used, however, are those that the mage or priest had memorized (and had material components for) at the time of absorption. Each of these spells may be cast once per day. The material components of the spells are not consumed. If one absorbed mage has three fireball spells memorized and a second mage has one fireball in memory, the living wall can attack with four fireballs per day. If the wall assimilates a paladin or a lawful good priest, all his special powers are reversed (e.g., detect good rather than detect evil, harm by laying of hands rather than heal, etc.).
Magical items absorbed with characters grant the wall their spell effects, though items that grant AC improvements are less effective because of the wall's size. The wall gains 1 point improvement in Armor Class for every 3 points of magical improvement to AC. Thus, a ring of protection +3 lowers the wall's AC by 1.
When a character is absorbed, his hit points, at full health, are added to the wall's base hit point total of 64.
Nonmagical armor, packs, and purses are lost by absorbed characters. The piles of loot at the base of the wall often attracts bystanders, bringing them close enough to be seized by one of the wall's hands.
Though a living wall will not initiate an attack, characters who come within 2 feet of the wall may be weakly grabbed by its many beseeching hands, tugging at them and imploring them for deliverance. (Any character, regardless of Strength, may break the hold.). Sometimes PCs who hear voices imploring, ``help me! pull me free, help me!'' grope about until they grab a hand. In this case, the character must roll a save vs. spell or become absorbed. If another character is holding onto the first character, he must also roll a saving throw vs. spell or become absorbed into the wall. If the save vs. spell succeeds, the character is able to break free. A character who views the absorption of any creature into the wall must make a horror check.
Once absorbed, characters are lost forever. A wish spell, worded carefully, can remove one or more trapped characters.
Passwall spells do not allow individuals to go through a living wall. Characters must either cut through or blast through using magic. This, however, allows the wall to return attacks. When cutting or blasting though the living wall, the stench that rises from the exposed underflesh is nauseating and horrifying. A saving throw vs. poison is required to avoid passing out from the smell. A successful saving throw indicates the character is only nauseated.
Living walls are immune to all planar and temporal spells. Speak with dead, ESP and similar spells reveal a cacophony of tortured minds and voices. The caster learns nothing and must make a horror check.
4: Hall of Protection
The Passage opens into a Medium Sized Cavern, to the Left the Outline of an Archway door can be seen, it is wet with mud and seems to ever flow down like a waterfall but does not pool at the base. in the far right corner a small pool of water Beckons with freshness.
Once the PC's enter the Room Sharp Spike Clusters Burst Forth from the Ground, They are not treated as Traps so they cannot be detected, they are Actually alive and Protecting the "Gift"
The Pool is Red Herring, and the Mud wall can simply be walked through although the PC's will be under the Effect of a Slow Spell once they get through the Other side.
Spikes
The Spikes seem endless as players attack them, they regrow very quickly, again this Cavern is Alive, Damage can be done and spikes can be hacked off, it is almost pointless though, But Players i am sure will be ingenious in dealing with these spikes.
Multiple targets Thac0 14 / 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4 damage each. The Spikes Will Attack Every Round they Stay more then 5 feet in the Room.
5: Boss Room
Moving Beyond the Mud door your attention is drawn firstly to the Alcove formed inside a massive tree Root in the Middle of the Room, it radiates a bright blue Glow from within, a Chest (The Gift) sits within it surrounded by Blue Glowing Mushrooms. The Room as a Large Circular Cavern, Many Roots of trees enter the Cavern from all around and much of the Floor is covered with Chests, weapons, Armor and Books, all sorts has been left as Offerings to Tarn.
When the PC's approach within 10 feet of the Gift a Giant Earth Elemental will awaken from the Wall and attack with out hesitation unless they are a Follower of Tarn or made an Offering. The Elemental will also awaken if any of the treasure is tampered with.
Elemental, Earth
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: 6
HIT DICE: 8, 12, or 16
THAC0: 8 Hit Dice: 13 ,12 Hit Dice: 9 ,16 Hit Dice: 5
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-32
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 weapon or better to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L to H (8' to 16' tall)
XP VALUE: 8 Hit Dice: 2,000, 12 Hit Dice: 6,000, 16 Hit Dice: 10,000
Earth elementals can be conjured in any area of earth or stone. This type of common elemental appears on the Prime Material plane as a very large humanoid made of whatever types of dirt, stones, precious metals, and gems it was conjured from. It has a cold, expressionless face, and its two eyes sparkle like brilliant, multifaceted gems. Though it has a mouth-like opening in its face, an earth elemental will rarely speak. Their voices can be heard in the silence of deep tunnels, the rumblings of earthquakes, and the grinding of stone on stone.
Though earth elementals travel very slowly, they are relentless in the fulfillment of their appointed tasks. An earth elemental can travel through solid ground or stone with no penalty to movement or dexterity. However, these elementals cannot travel through water: they must either go around the body of water in their path or go under it, traveling in the ground. Earth elementals prefer the latter as it keeps them moving, more or less, in a straight line toward their goal.
Combat: Earth elementals will always try to fight on the ground and will only rarely be tricked into giving up that advantage. Because of their close alliance to the rock and earth, these elementals do 4-32 points of damage (4d8) whenever they strike a creature that rests on the ground.
Against constructions with foundations in earth or stone, earth elementals do great damage, making them extremely useful for armies sieging a fortification. For example, a reinforced door, which might require a few rounds to shatter using conventional methods, can be smashed with ease by an earth elemental. They can even level a small cottage in a few rounds.
An earth elemental's effectiveness against creatures in the air or water is limited; the damage done by the elemental's fists on airborne or waterborne targets is lessened by 2 points per die (to a minimum of 1 point of damage per die).
"THE GIFT"
The Gift will change depending on the Level of the Offering made, Most common is a Magic item Appropriate to the Player Character and will be certainly of use to them. More Importantly the Gift can be from Tarn Himself, this is what the Followers of Tarn seek and offer many RP Hooks for the Campaign, Run with it , even if the PC's defeat the Elemental if they make an Offering they will be rewarded. No Offering equals no reward, the box will simply be unable to be opened by them.
After Walking for what seems and endless track through the Heavy Canopied Forest, ahead you see light dart through the canopy as if it has been stabbed with hundreds of Spears. Looking ahead a large tree can be seen , the light seems to be attracted to it. as you approach closer your surroundings fall silent. You can hear each other speak but your foot steps don't make any sound with each step you take even though the undergrowth crushes with each step.
The Stairwell whines it's way down around the tree roots, Moss covers the Tunnel walls and rocks jut out here and there. A dampness fills every breath, forcing you to all breath heavier as the temperature gets colder the deeper you go. Towards the Bottom you pass several small patches of Mushrooms growing on the tree roots.
At the Bottom of the Stairs the tunnel opens into a medium sized Cavern, Directly opposite the stairs a Tunnel leads out of the room, to the left of this Tunnel is a large Stone, it is over grown with moss, vegetation and roots.
The Passage widens Slightly, to the left a small alcove is over grown with roots and Moss, several heads are imbedded into the Cavern wall. Again the Roots Seem to move.
The Passage opens into a Medium Sized Cavern, to the Left the Outline of an Archway door can be seen, it is wet with mud and seems to ever flow down like a waterfall but does not pool at the base. in the far right corner a small pool of water Beckons with freshness.
Moving Beyond the Mud door your attention is drawn firstly to the Alcove formed inside a massive tree Root in the Middle of the Room, it radiates a bright blue Glow from within, a Chest (The Gift) sits within it surrounded by Blue Glowing Mushrooms. The Room as a Large Circular Cavern, Many Roots of trees enter the Cavern from all around and much of the Floor is covered with Chests, weapons, Armor and Books, all sorts has been left as Offerings to Tarn.
