A Few Shout-outs

I need to publicly thank a few folks:

• Firstly, Carl Nash took the time to go through and do an edit of The Slave Pits of Abhoth. I have yet to take advantage and make changes, but his is an effort I really, truly appreciate. Thanks, Carl!
• Secondly, Andrew Shields over at Fictive Fantasies has been busy converting The Slave Pits of Abhoth to his excellent FRPG Fictive Hack. Whenever you create something and then allow other people to use what you've created, it is always fascinating to see what that interaction produces. I must admit that seeing my stuff through Andrew's eyes has been really gratifying. Thanks, Andrew!
• Finally, WQRobb of Hard Boiled Zombies is the second person to nominate me for a Liebster Award. It goes to corroborate my hypothesis that eventually every blog with less than 200 followers will eventually receive one; however, for someone who blogs about All Things Zombie to think highly enough of my corner of the blogosphere to nominate me is really cool. Thank you WQRobb!

The Slave Pits of Abhoth

I pray that everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving Day. I managed to finish a rough draft of The Slave Pits of Abhoth. This means that I have gone through it, spell checked it and edited it myself. Thus, there are still going to be errors throughout. Since I have never had more ambition about this project than to do what I have — produce something that I can share with a community that has been very kind to me and as a way to say, “Thank you” — I have no real intention or means to get this thing more seriously edited. However, I do understand that with the technology we have available today that this could be made available in other formats. As such, I would like to make this post an open thread for folks to comment, point out typos, technical problems, errata, criticisms, etc. If there is a real interest, I certainly can explore further other options.

In the meantime, (based upon feedback), I have decided to try Google Drive as a means for people to take a look at this. There are two links. The first is a normal layout one might expect from a .pdf. The second is saved as spreads so that folks can get a feel for how I originally envisioned this project to look. The first link is here. The second is here.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think. And again, thank you.

The Slave Pits of Abhoth

Earlier this week, I posted an update on my version of the Slave Pits of the Undercity. The main purpose of that post (besides putting pressure on myself to finish the project), was to ask the question of those who know better than I: what is the best, easiest and safest way to get people the .pdf who want it?

Unfortunately, the post has not garnered a lot of hits and the only comment thus far was some (much appreciated) encouragement. One of the big hurdles that I managed to get over this week (and one of the reasons that there is a light at the end of this tunnel) is the cover art. I wanted to do it myself and to do something that not only gave a loving homage to the original Slave Pits, but also to demonstrate that this not the Slave Pits of the Undercity. I am going to share in hopes that this gets a bit more traffic and possibly an answer to my question:

Enjoy.

Slave Pits: An Update

Back in July, I was experimenting with a layout design for trying to write up my version of the Slave Pits of the Undercity. My own personal goal at the time was to have something ready for the re-release of the AD&D core books by WotC. Unfortunately, life interfered in a major way, and my own internal deadline came and went. Thus, a lot of the motivation for working on the project faded, and I have only half-heartedly worked on it since.

As I noted in the posts about the layout experiment, I don’t really enjoy writing modules — I like making maps and notes, playing and improvising. So, despite the fact that I really like the work I have done, it is work. Recently, however, I have been grinding away at the project, because this is something that someone else requested and I promised myself I would finish.

Thus, the number of posts I have written has fallen because I have made a hard charge to get this thing done. There are still several things to do before I get a finished rough draft, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

One of the things that I was interested in at the outset was how efficient this layout was going to be. It looks like this might come in around 70-73 pages, which includes the background information; encounter areas for the island, the village, the castle and the temple; three dungeon areas with a total of 140+ rooms; a new monster and new magic section; and all of the maps. For a comparison, Patrick Wetmore’s Anomalous Subsurface Environment which includes a campaign setting and a dungeon with 101 rooms comes in at 87 pages.

And here comes the crux of this post. I want to ask a question of the folks out there that have more experience at this than I: For the purpose of letting people get a hold of the .pdf of this project what are the easiest, safest and best ways to grant this access?

Layout Experiment Continued

I have to admit that it has been really hard for be to get back into the habit of blogging. I've been spending time with the kids this summer, watching movies, playing, etc. and my actual time spent gaming has been drastically reduced. As such, I haven't had a whole lot to write about and what little time I've gamed has been spent wrestling with actually writing up my version of the Slave Pits.

Last month, I posted a rough draft of a layout that might be used to write up a module. As usually happens in this corner of the internet, some awesome piggybacking occurred, and my original idea was improved upon.

Incorporating these tweaks, I have endeavored to put together an entire spread of how I envision a module might be done using this method. The white column is obvious stuff. The light grey column is detailed stuff. The darker grey column is Referee/DM crunch.

The right hand page is entirely dedicated to the section of the map covered by the descriptions on the left hand page. All exits off the map will have a code and a page number to help direct the end user to find the appropriate page when the players move off the map. I would also include a version of the map with all the pieces and parts stitched together.

I don't know how efficient this will end up being, but it does represent what I have in mind for moving forward on this project.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms?

On Stocking a Dungeon

As I have mentioned in the past, stocking a dungeon is my least favorite part of the whole process of making an adventure. Normally, I will make a few notes and a wandering monster table and I am good to go; however, I am in process of trying to write up my re-imagined version of the Slave Pits of the Undercity. Therefore, I have to do more than my sparse notes in order to make the adventure useful for someone else to use.

Admittedly, I have struggled with this and have been experimenting with a couple of different formats. Part of the rash of Gamer ADD that has afflicted me of late is due to my unhappiness with my write-ups about the Slave Pits.

Fortunately, my most recent foray into Gamer ADD has allowed me to have a fresh look at how to write up a module. In re-skinning The Caverns of Thracia, I have had the opportunity to do some editing of Paul Jaquays' write-ups in order to make them easier for me to use. What follows is my notes on the first section of my re-skinned version of Jaquay's classic:

OVERVIEW: ROOMS 1-5 are covered in bat guano. When running or while in combat a save must be made every round to avoid falling down. The ceilings are vaulted and the walls are covered with several layers of graffiti. Originally, there were scenes dedicated to Set. These were defaced and replaced by images of Atenism. These, in turn, have been partially defaced by beastmen.


1) ENTRY HALL. There are some bats on the ceiling. If disturbed (a Light spell, for example), they will panic and a wandering monster check will be triggered. They are otherwise harmless. 


2) TEMPLE. The ceiling is covered by a swarm of bats. If disturbed (a Light spell, for example), they will panic. Visibility will be reduced to 5’ and a wandering monster check will be triggered. Guano is extra thick. Saves are at -2 to fall. 


3) ALCOVE. Same as Room 2. In addition, there is a broken statue of an Atenist priest. There trails in the guano that lead to both Rooms 4&5. 


4) CHAPEL. The door to this room is jammed shut (-1 on opening). Within the rubble of a winged statue are 8 Giant Centipedes (small, non-lethal): AC9; HD 1d2; HP 2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1; ATT 1 Bite (Poison, save at +4 or be at -4 on all rolls for 2d4 days). The guano here is mostly dried. Saves are at +4 to fall down. Several dead centipedes litter the floor. Treasure: 60gp, 2000sp, and a gold & silver Atenist holy symbol worth 65gp. 


5) CHAPEL. The door to this room is ajar. There is a group of 14 Kobolds AC6; HD 1d4; HP [4],[3],[3],[3],[3],[3],3,3,2,2,2,2,2,1; ATT 1d6. They are recovering from a battle with the centipedes in Room 4. Numbers in brackets indicate poisoned kobolds — they are at -4 on all rolls. There is rubble from several statues that have been broken beyond recognition. If the rubble is removed, they will reveal a discoloration in the wall where the secret door is. Treasure: Each kobold carries 3gp. The leader (4hp) has a gem worth 25gp.

Comments? Suggestions?

Meditating on Rumor Tables

In order to warm myself up to the idea of writing (brief and not-so-brief) descriptions of various rooms in the dungeon areas of my re-imagined Slave Pits of the Undercity, I have been playing around with a rumor table. There is always going to be the challenge of trying to determine what amount of information players should have about a particular location — especially of the kind that will encourage more investigation.

The rumor table I am trying to make has the added challenge of including red herrings about a pair of other villages which the PCs or their patrons might suspect are the base of operations for the slave trade that the adventure is all about eradicating. Given these challenges, I decided to go back and revisit some rumor tables from classic modules for inspiration.

The first module I re-read for this purpose was B1:In Search of the Unknown. I was rather shocked at how disappointing this rumor table actually is (because I have a rather large soft spot for the adventure). In particular, I was not very happy with the false rumors about Quasqueton:

• Zelligar had a wizard's workshop in the stronghold where he worked on magic stronger than any known to man.
• Rogahn owned a fantastic gem as big as a man's fist that was worth over 100,000 gold pieces; he kept it hidden in his personal quarters.
• The place is protected by the gods themselves, and one member of any party of intruders is doomed to certain death.
• The treasures of Zelligar and Rogahn are safely hidden in a pool of water.
• The entire place is filled with guards left behind by Zelligar and Rogahn.
• An enchanted stone within the stronghold will grant a wish to anyone who chips off a piece of it and places it within their mouth.
• All treasures of Zelligar and Rogahn are cursed to bring ill to any who possess them.
• Zelligar and Rogahn have actually returned to their stronghold, and woe be to any unwelcome visitors!

From a gaming perspective, none of these are particularly useful. Some are so outrageous that they can be dismissed out of hand, and therefore have no impact on the game. The two I like the least — the 100,000 gp gem and the enchanted wishing stone — are set-ups for player disappointment (tempered slightly by how exaggerated the claims may be).

The only rumor that is useful at all is the one about treasure in the pool of water. Given that there is a room of magical pools, this might encourage otherwise cautious players to fiddle with dangerous magic; however, given the potential lethality of such a course of action, I suspect this would lead to frustration on the part of a player.

This made me realize that one thing that I want out of a rumor table is truth. James of Grognardia fame once quoted a piece of wisdom from K&K Alehouse about how every lock should have a key. I would extend that philosophy to rumors — every rumor should have at least a grain of truth.

I say this, because that truth, however small, has the potential for shaping the campaign and therefore create a living, breathing campaign world.

As an example of how to do this, here are some of the false rumors from L1: The Secret of Bone Hill:

• The Baronette is an illusionist who wants the throne of Restenford.
• The captain of the guard of the garrison in Restenford has a magic horn that can cause walls to collapse.
• The Baron has it all hidden under his castle. There is an unguarded fortune down there somewhere.
• That magic-user who calls himself a sorcerer is only an enchanter.
• The Baron of Restenford is really chaotic evil.
• Falco's tavern is run by two assassins.
• One or more of the clerics at the abbey is really an evil devil worshipper.

Note that there are italicized parts of each sentence — these are the false bits of information. Therefore, every one of these statements has a bit of truth, so that when the players come into contact with the whole truth they will be surprised, but not disappointed. Indeed, I foresee the classic trope of one player looking at another and saying, “I thought you said this was unguarded!?" 

Besides, imagine how much cooler Quasqueton could be if some of those false rumors were partially true (especially that last one)?

Slave Pits: Map of the Temple

Here is the last map for my re-imagining of the Slave Pits:

Notes: Much of the eastern wall, the temple itself and the monastic cells were destroyed when the followers of St. Cuthbert were slaughtered; however, the building with guest rooms was spared much of the destruction. The tower is new construction.

The half-breeds/sea blood who guard the Temple do so specifically to obfuscate the entrance to the Slave Pits. Like the villagers of Hinsmount, they will be unwelcoming of strangers and insist that the Temple is under repair and not safe for visitors.

1. The Temple — this has been largely ignored by the Kuo-Toa/Deep Ones. The location marked 'a' is what remains of the altar. If searched 2d6 Beads of St. Cuthbert can be found.
2. Guest Room — these are now primarily used the the Half-breeds/Sea Bloods in charge of guarding the temple. There will be 1d3-1 present at all times.
3. Apse with Mosaic — these miraculously survived both the pirates/humanoids and the Kuo-Toas/Deep Ones. They depict the arrival of St. Cuthbert, his life and the miracles performed through him. For those who wish to have St. Cuthbert a visitor to your campaign world from our own earth, this would be one way to give the PCs a clue about his origin.
4. Chapel — this has been thoroughly defiled and is now used as an entrance into the Slave Pits.
5. Guest Greeting Room — this used to be where guests were welcomed and shown to their rooms. It is now used as a guard room with 1d6 half-breeds/sea bloods at all times.
6. Monastic Cells — although these cells have been spared destruction, the Kuo-Toa/Deep Ones have largely ignored them, though the ones closer to the kitchen (Rm. 9) will occasionally be used for storage. One is also used as a kennel for three sting hounds who are used when intruders become too nosey.
7. Monastic Cells — these have have been destroyed and are in various states of disrepair. At best, the walls are still standing, but the ceiling has collapsed. At worst they are nothing but rubble.
8. Monastic Cell — a giant spider has made its lair here.
9. Kitchen — this is still used by the guards as a place to prepare meals. These primarily consists of fish brought to the temple from the village.
10. Refectory — this is still used as the primary place for the guards to eat. At one time, the walls were decorated in mosaic icons. These have mostly been destroyed.
11. Guard Tower — this poorly constructed two-story look-out tower is made from rubble. It is used by the guards to scan the immediate area for intruders. There will always be 1d6 half-breeds/sea bloods here.
12. Outhouse
13. Guardhouse/Registry — at one time, this was where guests would register to stay at the monastery and temple. For those interested, these records (while in poor shape) have survived. There is also a current, fake registry book (of different manufacture) where there are a combination of fake and real entries (the real ones being stubborn visitors to the island who may or may not now be slaves). There will always be 1d6 half-breeds/sea bloods here.
14. Courtyard — once a place of peace and contemplation, the tree in the middle of the yard has suffered so much spiritual and physical pain from both the pirates/humanoids and Kuo-Toa/Deep Ones it is now undead.
15. Reliquary — this is where the relics of St. Cuthbert are kept. Unknown to the Kuo-Toa/Deep Ones, there is a secret trap door in the floor beneath the rubble. This leads to a crypt wherein are the relics of the saint. He is holding his Gospel. Should PCs manage to find this place, it will provide a safe haven for them to rest and recover (no wandering monster checks).

Slave Pits: Sea Cave Map and a Question

Work on my re-imagined version of the Slave Pits of the Undercity progresses slowly. Let me first share my most recent map using the 3x5 index card method:

It is here that I have to make a confession. When constructing a dungeon for my own use, I rarely  spend much time stocking the dungeon — it is my least favorite part of the whole process.

In part, this is because I tend to be a more improvisational Referee through the use of Wandering Monster Tables. I like to be surprised. The other is that I just don't like writing room descriptions. When I occasionally do run a module, I find that these descriptions actually get in the way of game play. In fact, I have often gotten  critical pieces of information wrong that have affected entire sessions (not that there is anything wrong with that, but it can be frustrating from my side of the screen).

I do have some exciting ideas bubbling up as I continue to mediate upon this adventure; however, I am not excited about putting them down on paper. I don't want to just do this like every other adventure is done and therefore follow a path that frustrates me while I am at the table.

Personally, I prefer a quick reference sheet for my dungeons at the table. Monster stats, treasure, short trap descriptions and a short description of the use of the room (but not of the room itself). However, I am beginning to see that there are some over-arching themes and issues that go well beyond this particular method.

For my own purposes, the quick reference would be enough — I know what the over-arching themes are and can easily improv their impact on any given room or encounter; however, the end user would not.

Therefore, I have a few questions: if I were to produce a .pdf, what would be your preferred method of room descriptions? What would be the most useful way for me to describe these over-arching issues? Do you have an extant example of a module that is easy to use at the table?

Slave Pits: Another 3x5 Map

I must say that this whole experiment with 3x5 index cards to create dungeon maps has been very liberating for me. Especially in context of re-imagining the Slave Pits of the Undercity, being able to pay homage to the original material and yet transform it into something new has been far easier and far more satisfying that I ever expected.

I was able to take those elements that I really like about the original map of the sewers underneath the temple in A1 and place them on individual 3x5 index cards. Then, I added those elements that I wanted to include on other 3x5 cards and began to fiddle, arrange and rearrange.

For comparison, here is the original map of the sewers:

And here is the dungeon I came up with using 3x5 cards:

BTW: If you want to see yet another application of this 3x5 index card idea that rocks, check out what Telecanter is doing here.

On Dungeon Building with 3x5 Index Cards

Over the weekend I was fiddling with my 3x5 index card map idea when my children started to take a keen interest in what dad was doing. When I explained the concept, all three got super excited and insisted on helping. To my pleasant surprise, the three of them are well on their way to becoming creative dungeon masters. I am not ashamed to say that I swiped some of their ideas and cleaned them up.

At this point, I have to make an admission. I have been struggling with making a map for the dungeon underneath Hucwind Castle for my re-imagined Slave Pits of the Undercity. Random generation, geomorphs and just doodling were not giving me the results I wanted. Not that I didn’t get good maps, they just weren’t evoking the kind of atmosphere that I wanted.

When my kids came to me with some of their sketches and ideas, I realized that some of them would make great additions to the very dungeon I was struggling with. It then dawned on me how powerful 3x5 index cards can be at making dungeon maps.

Imagine wanting a dungeon level with the following features:

• A Throne Room
• Catacombs
• Alchemist Lab
• Giant Hornet Lair

Draw each feature on separate 3x5 card. Grab some of your favorite geomorphs, draw a couple other generic 3x5 cards plus a few “dead end” 3x5 cards (that have only one exit) and then start fiddling. Rather than having to re-draw a map every time you don’t like it, all you have to do is rearrange some 3x5 cards. The result is almost like a mini-game of dungeon building. The end result is far more organic (and therefore makes more sense) than simply drawing a map. It is also, at least for me, really satisfying.

As an example, here is one of my favorite incarnations of the dungeon that resulted from using this technique (and including some of my kid’s ideas):

I still have some fiddling to do, but this is vastly superior to anything I had come up with before.

Slave Pits: Map of Hucwind Castle

Work on my re-imagined version of the Slave Pits continues. Here is a map of Hucwind Castle:

Notes: The castle is meant to look like an abandoned ruin; however, there are clues for the astute adventurer that there is something horrific going on within.

1. The path that leads to the castle has been deliberately hidden and obscured; however, it is so well-worn that anyone who is actively looking for it can find it.
2. All of the surviving structures of the castle are only one story tall — everything higher has collapsed. The only stable construction at the second story are the two areas around the towers. This is, in part, due to some reconstruction of these platforms and of the upper section of the wall. Dwarves and gnomes can spot the new construction on a roll of 1-2 on a d6. This new construction on the outer wall hides a series shallow pit traps which hide steel spikes coated in poison from the sting hounds. The spikes will do d3 damage, but the poison is weak. It isn’t effective on a 1-2 on a d6 and even if it is, the saving throw is made at +2.
3. Rubble halves movement rate and takes twice as long to search. Wandering monster checks are also doubled, with a 1-2 on a d6, where a ‘2’ indicates giant centipedes.
4. This is an old well. It is one of two entrances into the dungeon below.
5. The gate (which is really a large oak door) has been distressed on the outside to look old and weathered; however, it is new and the interior is reinforced with steel. It is barred from the inside and cannot be opened from the outside without breaking it down.
6. These were once monastic cells and are now rooms used by kuo-toa hybrids/sea bloods that either are well along in becoming full blooded kuo-toa/deep ones or had something go wrong with their creation. Therefore, none can easily pass for human. They guard the castle from intruders and will use nets, man catchers and lochaber axes in combat. They will try to capture intruders in order to interrogate and possibly enslave.
7. This was once the room of the abbot, it is now used as a storage room.
8. This was once a storage room. The ceiling has collapsed.
9. This was once a guest room. The ceiling has collapsed.
10. This was once a monastic cell. The ceiling has collapsed.
11. This was once a library. The ceiling has collapsed. Should a party wish to spend the time, they can find 1d3 books in decent, if damaged shape as well as a clerical scroll.
12. This was the dining hall and is still used as such. There is a podium from which scripture was read during meals.
13. This was a kitchen and is still being used as such.
14. This tower is home to a large mutant half-breed and his pet sting hound.
15. This was once a chapel. Most of the roof has collapsed. Should a party wish to spend the time, they can find 1d6+1 Beads of St. Cuthbert.
16. This was once a guard house. The roof has collapsed. It is now a nest for giant centipedes.
17. This guard tower functions as a kennel for sting hounds. There will always be 1d6 present.
18. This guard tower is occupied all the time by 1d6 hybrids/sea bloods. The trap door in the floor leads to the dungeon below.
19. This used to be a gatehouse, of sorts. It is now the home of an ochre jelly that the hybrids/sea bloods feed with various failed experiments.
20. This open area is always watched by 1d6+1 hybrids/sea bloods along with at least one sting hound. They are very good at using the natural shadows to hide. They will thus surprise a party on 1-3 on a d6.

St. Cuthbert & Dr. Holmes

Today is a convergence of two significant events, at least for those of us of an age who dabble in this singular hobby of ours. I am in good company with those who were introduced to the world of RPGs by Dr. Holmes’ edition of D&D. Today, of course, marks the anniversary of his death. How apropos that today is also the feast day of St. Cuthbert, that oft misunderstood saint who has been with us as part of our hobby since he was first mentioned in passing in Supplement 3: Eldritch Wizardry.

Since I have been dabbling with re-imaging the Slave Pits of the Undercity on an island once occupied by the followers of St. Cuthbert, I have been doing some research on various relics that might show up somewhere within the confines of the Temple once dedicated to the saint. There are two that inspire (sorry, neither of them are a mace). One is unique and the other is a type of item that could potentially be found or made in greater quantity. In honor of today’s feast and today’s loss I’d thought I would share.

For hundreds of years, the body of St. Cuthbert remained incorrupt. There are multiple accounts about how his joints were still subtle and how the items found on his body were as fresh as the day that they were made. One of these accounts noted that when his tomb was opened in 1104, therein was found a pocket-sized Latin translation of the Gospel According to St. John, which is now in possession of the British Library.

In a campaign that includes St. Cuthbert, this relic could miraculously produce pages within that function as cleric scrolls. When used to pray for spells, St. Cuthbert’s Gospel Book produces a number of spell-pages equal to the number of spell levels the praying cleric can cast. These spells are determined randomly and will remain until cast appropriately. Only one page per spell level will appear within the book.

The monks of Lindisfarne would make prayer ropes, necklaces and rosaries from crinoid fossils — the stalk of ancient sea lilies. These would either wash ashore or be exposed in the rocks around the island. The monks believed that St. Cuthbert would forge them out of the rocks at night so that the monks could find them the next day. They came to be known as St. Cuthbert’s Beads.

Sir Walter Scott makes mention of this in his poem Marmion:

But fain Saint Hilda's nuns would learn
If, on a rock by Lindisfarne,

Saint Cuthbert sits, and toils to frame

The sea-born beads that bear his name:

Such tales had Whitby's fishers told

And said they might his shape behold,

And here his anvil sound:

A deadened clang - a huge dim form

Seen but and heard when gathering storm

And night were closing round.

But this, a tale of idle fame,

The nuns of Lindisfarne disclaim. (canto 2, verse 16) 

For my purposes, I definitely plan to have a version of these beads in my own campaign. I will also scatter several across the island of Hucwind. They radiate of magic, and the larger ones will have either crosses or a short prayer carved into them. With apologies to Sir Walter Scott, it might go like this:

On a rock by Hucwind, St. Cuthbert sits, and toils to frame the sea-born beads that bear his name.

If one or more is in the possession of one who recites this prayer, they will be the recipient of a Sanctuary spell. This may be done three times per day and the spell lasts one round for every bead strung together on a prayer rope or necklace.

Slave Pits: Map of Hinsmount

What follows is the map of Hinsmount — the village of kua-toa halfbreeds/sea bloods on Hicwind Island (the area in which I plan to place my re-imaged version of A1: The Salve Pits of the Undercity):

Some notes:

• Most of the houses are actually the hulls of ships flipped over onto the foundations of what remained of Hinsmount after the pirates/humanoid raiders destroyed it.
• Unlabeled houses are the homes of fishermen. The small homes will house 1d2 halfbreeds/sea bloods. The larger homes will house 1d4+1 halfbreeds/sea bloods. These will be unoccupied most nights (when the fishermen go fishing or are involved in rituals at the castle).
• The beach area (the dark band next to the water) has scores of sticks shoved into the sand. When they aren't using them to fish, the boats of the village are tied down to these sticks.
• Farmers: These halfbreeds/sea bloods maintain some sad looking fields north of the village. They work their fields during the day; therefore these buildings will be occupied at night.
• Storehouse: This is a catch-all storage place for the village. Farm implements, broken fishing equipment, wood and other fuels for the smokehouse can all be found here.
• Shed: This is a storage area used by the fishermen for various items they use while fishing like nets and hooks.
• Net makers: These homes house the halfbreeds/sea bloods that make and repair the nets (both those used by the slavers and those used by the fishermen). They tend to work during the day, but are otherwise almost always found in these buildings.
• Kennels: These buildings are used to house the "sting-hounds." These creatures are one of the successful experiments by the kuo-toa/deep ones. They are a combination of bloodhound and sting ray. They use their stingers to temporarily paralyze intruders or escaped slaves. At any one time there will be 1d8+1 sting-hounds here.
• Dog Handler: This is the house of the halfbreed/sea blood who trains and cares for the sting-hounds. He is a 3rd level fighter who prefers to use a whip or a net. He is normally patrolling the island at night.
• Chief Fishermen: This is the day-to-day leader of the halfbreeds/sea bloods. He is a 5th level assassin.
• Village Elder: This is who the village goes to for advice on issues the Chief Fisherman cannot resolve on his own. The elder is advanced in her devolution towards becoming a full-blooded kuo-toa/deep one. She is a 5th level magic user.
• Alchemist: This halfbreed/sea blood primarily gathers and processes herbs and ingredients used by the kuo-toa in their vile experiments. He does, however, keep a decent supply of healing salves, which are the equivalent of a potion of healing. There will always be 1d3 salves available. He wanders the island during the day looking for ingredients. He is a 3rd level magic user.
• Guardhouse: There will always be 1d6 2nd level fighters here guarding the beach. They are led by a 3rd level fighter. They are armed with crossbows and harpoons.
• Three stone buildings survived the pirates/humanoid raiders. One is used as a meeting hall for the village. One is used as a smokehouse where the fishermen process, preserve and smoke their catches. The last is used as a smithy, where various metal tools are made and repaired. There will be 1d3+1 halfbreeds/sea bloods at these three building at all times.
• There once was a path from the village to the castle; however, the slavers do not want to call attention to the castle, as that is where some of their more vile experiments occur. They have, therefore, gone to the trouble of covering that path up. If a villager needs to get to the castle,  they will likely get there using the underground tunnels carved by the kuo-toa. They are entered by either using a boat to go through the cave opening on the north side of the island, or via the old temple.

Slave Pits: Map of Hucwind Island

I've slowly been making progress on my re-imaging of A1: The Slave Pits of the Undercity. Below you will find a finished map for the general area of the Slave Pits — a place known as Hucwind Island (for the astute reader, yes, that is a rearrangement of the name Dunwich — from one of my favorite HPL stories):

Some notes:

As I predicted in my initial thoughts, this map is based on the island of Lindisfarne, the place where the real St. Cuthbert is from. It is approximately 2.25 miles wide and 1.5 miles deep.

There are three stages of habitation/development:

• The castle is the oldest structure. It was built as a deterrent to pirates, a task at which it failed and was therefore abandoned.
• The followers of St. Cuthbert came to the island, rebuilt the castle as a monastery, founded the village of Hinsmount (also a rearranged reference to HPL) and the Temple. When pirates/humanoid raiders figured out that the great treasure on the island were bones (relics of the saint), they destroyed many of the buildings and killed every one on the island in order to make the whole endeavor worth their while.
• The kuo-toa/deep one slavers found a series of natural tunnels in the bowels of the island, which they expanded. Once they had enough half-breeds/sea bloods, they built on top of the foundations of Hinsmount and re-claimed the castle.

Here is a key for the numbered areas:

1. There is a cliff wall along much of the northern and eastern coast of the island. On average it is about 50-60ft. high and is about 100 ft. at its highest point.
2. There is a sea cave here only visible during low tide. It is otherwise completely under water. This is the normal entrance used by the slavers into the Slave Pit complex that are in the bowels of the island.
3. This sickly looking copse of trees is the home to a group of ghouls. Whether they are the remnants of the raiders who killed all the followers of St. Cuthbert or the result of some of the vile experiments done by the slavers, no one is really sure; however, the slavers do keep them in decent supply of food — both to keep them happy and to dispose of bodies.
4. At high tide, this area is underwater. During these times, there is a 50% chance that some of the ghouls from area 3. will be here hunting fish.

Re-Imagining The Slave Pits of the Undercity

[Forgive me, I am suffering from an unusual amount of Gamer ADD recently...I'll get back to my previous ADD ramblings shortly]

Recently, both Dyson of A Character for Every Game and Christopher of Grognardling have sang the praises of Joesky’s Carcosa Adventure. While I was checking it out, I noticed that Joesky also had a brilliant idea about what he wants from 5e.

Rather than wait in vain for WotC to do what so many of us want — re-release a bunch of old adventure modules — the folks of the OSR ought to release their own re-imagined versions of old favorites. Buried in the comment section, someone suggested that I do my own version of the Slave Pits. I find this a fascinating prospect (and a bit humbling at being mentioned along side some of the heavies Joesky suggests in his original post).

I have always really wanted to like A1: Slave Pits of the Undercity:

• The concept is really awesome: there is a secret slave trade that needs to be stopped —find it and root it out!
• I am not necessarily a big fan, but I often find Jeff Dee’s art inspiring. His cover art for A1 has always fascinated me. Why is Dread Delgath so casual about being attacked by giant ant people (aspis drones)? How cool is it that Blodgett is climbing walls in order to try and get a backstab? What is going on with the aspis in the foreground? I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out cool ways to answer these questions and still do every time I look at my copy of the module.
• There has been a lot of chatter about female characters recently, and I would hold up Elwita the Female Dwarf Fighter (featured as one of the tournament characters at the back of A1 and throughout the art of the module) as one of the cooler (if not coolest) published female characters in the history of D&D. I know most guys will point to Morgan Ironwolf, but due to how they are depicted I must disagree. Ironically, Dee is responsible for illustrations of both. I find Dee's version of Elwita to be immensely respectful — she’s wearing real armor, she’s muscular and she’s still somehow feminine despite having a beard (she is a dwarf, after all). In contrast, I have always found Dee’s depiction of Morgan to be ridiculous — how is all that supermodel detail showing through her chain mail?

Unfortunately, I have never been able to like this module, because its warts outweigh its virtues:

• Where and what is this undercity that you speak of?
• If the region has been overrun by evil humanoids, why the need to hide the whole operation in an abandoned temple?
• What are the aspis doing here in the first place?

I suppose I could overlook these things if A1 didn’t suffer overall from the fact that it is a tournament module. TSR did a very good job back in the day of making tournament module sound cool, special and superior to the crappy DYI stuff you did in your basement, but they necessarily abandoned several principles that govern normal dungeon creation:

1. The adventure is very linear. Characters start at Room 1 and proceed from there. Yes, it is possible to go in through other entrances and yes, it is possible to role-play the discovery of the temple within the city where it can be found; however, both are seriously hampered by the fact that it makes little sense to hide the slave trade in a city that probably doesn't think twice about owning and selling slaves.
2. The normal empty-room-to-encounter-area ratio is thrown out of whack. Tournament games are not about exploration, they are about overcoming puzzles and monsters. Therefore virtually every room has a monster, a trap or some kind of hurdle that the players must defeat.
3. There is an emphasis on having new monsters that players are unfamiliar with, even if their presence doesn’t necessarily make sense or fit the scenario (see my question about the aspis above).
4. The scenario is more important than its utility outside of the tournament setting. Placing A1 into an existing campaign takes more effort than simply placing it on a map.

In thinking about how I would do my own version of the Slave Pits, all of these things would need to be addressed while still paying homage to the original. Here are few preliminary thoughts:

• First, the homage: The Temple itself will be the ruins of a church dedicated to St. Cuthbert. That will tie it into Greyhawk and also coincide nicely with my own proclivities. In addition, I might add one or more agents of the Scarlett Brotherhood (or an analog) to an encounter area or two.
• Secondly, I am not adverse to using unfamiliar/new monsters, but I want them to make sense. As cool as they are, no aspis thank you; however, given that this particular project ostensibly is for folks who will potentially be owning their first copy of AD&D and in need of a good adventure to run, it would be fun to give them a traditional D&D monster that isn’t found in the MM. Since I’ve been fiddling with the FF, there are a couple of potential candidates that dabble in slavery. The one that appeals to me the most, because they can be understood to be an homage to HPL, are the kuo-toa.
• Unfortunately, kuo-toa are described as creatures who live deep beneath the earth and who hate the sun. What if this particular group of kuo-toa had figured out a way to interbreed with humans so as to make living on the surface a possibility? Thus, there is a reason for the slave trade (finding suitable humans to help breed; sell the rest to interested parties such as the Brotherhood), there is a reason to keep these activities secret, and it allows for yet another new monster: the halfbreed kuo-toa who is able (at least for a time) to pass as fully human. [This concept can also be carried out using the Deep Ones and Sea Bloods from the RCC].
• This, in turn, suggests that this secret hideout be near a body of water. I am thinking of using a map of Lindesfarne (an island off the coast of Northumerland where the real St. Cuthbert hails from) as the basis for the map of the region around the temple ruins. In addition to the temple, there will be a sleepy fishing village (of half-breeds), a castle (where some of the more vile activites of the kuo-toa occur) as well as the slave pits beneath the temple. Being on an island will also help keep this vile community from being passively discovered.
• This set-up will allow for player freedom in how to engage the adventure (including the Referee, who merely need drop the island anywhere there is a body of water). PCs can choose to explore the village, sneak onto the island in the dead of night, enter the Temple from a variety of entrances (including a secret door as yet undiscovered by the kuo-toa), explore the castle or even a secret sea cave that the kuo-toa use to smuggle slaves in and out of the pits.
• This scenario can properly begin with a rumor table, rather than plopping the PCs right in front of the secret entrance (as does A1 in tournament mode). Rumors can include red herrings to other villages in the area, thus resulting in an actual mystery that the party needs to solve prior to finding the horrors of the slave pits.
• I also have in mind to correct the linear nature of the A-series, which takes PCs conveniently from 1 to 4 in order. Rather, I would give clues to the other locations used by the slaving ring all at once, allowing players the ability to prioritize for themselves which they wanted to tackle first.
• Finally, the number of rooms available to explore will be increased by at least one-third (all of them empty) so as to bring the whole thing back in line with the traditional encounter-to-room ratio.

I am really intrigued by the prospects of such a project. I know not whether my schedule or my level of enthusiasm will result in any kind of finished project, but one can always hope.