MAZE OF ADVENTURE

 

Hook: The four rune stones, when placed into the bases of the minotaur caryatids located int he tomb chamber, trigger a release somewhere nearby... A grinding, moaning scrape of stone-on-stone fills the room. Turning, you see the entirety of Rŵnos's sarcophagus, as well as the stepped dais it rests upon, moving slowly backward. After it retreats about ten feet, a hole in the granite flagstones is revealed. A stone stair spirals down into the darkness. Stale air drifts upward as you peer into the opening... No sound emanates from it. It is eerily silent...

Details: The ecology, here, is unique. There are forces opposed to and allied with one another within, struggling for a place and dominance in the maze. A clan of imps led by their aggressive leader, a larger imp of impressive stature and strategy (but, still an imp, and still a coward), rules a portion of the upper maze. The imps are ultimately controlled by the Rat King and his pestilent, cruel, rat people living in the caves beneath the imp tunnels. A group of mountain-dwelling elves dwell in a fortified area of the maze. They are at odds with the imps and rat people. Their mining operations are often thwarted or hindered by them. A group of lizard men live in the western cave in service to the hydra lairing there... In the crypts the Shadow King sleeps. His wraiths, former servants and generals captured by Rŵnos to keep them out of the world, linger in their sarcophagi, waiting for the living to wander into their marbled halls. The Shadow King, himself, is dangerous and powerful. A spell put in place by both Rŵnos and the followers of the Lady of Light keep the immortal being in place... Not even his wraiths can leave to wander the tunnels of the maze openly. They must wait for the living to visit their crypts. Finally, a lone warrior, someone who wandered into the maze and died, wished to remain as a balancing element, to help the elves keep the forces of darkness at bay, and to help those who wander in. The ziggurat is a strange place. Those who die here serve the agenda of the tomb. Usually as undead, as guardians and challenge for those who come after. 'What is the world for a few less thieves? Better off, I say,' Rŵnos was heard saying, once.

TERRITORIES

Rat King's Territory - The Rat King, Śílma Silverteeth (for his bottom incisors which have been replaced with silver teeth hammered into his lower jaw), is a fierce rival to most things in the maze. He is ambitious and cruel, as are his people. Cunning to the extreme, he has eyes everywhere, even among the elves. The rat people live in the caverns beneath the imp territory. He seeks total control of the complex, and beyond. The imps are his slaves and servants. The rats, when they bite or scratch someone, may transfer a magical disease that transforms the victim into a humanoid rat. Śilma and his people were defeated by Rŵnos. They were rooted out of a metropolis after they started to spread from the sewers, and placed here to serve as protection against thieves and to keep them out of trouble.

Imp Clan - A small imp clan commanded by the brutish Captain Ógtark, lives in the upper halls above the Rat King's lair. He hates the rats, but, he is aggrandising, and seeks power, so allied himself, begrudgingly, with the Rat King. The imps guard their territory jealously, but, they are not particularly courageous, though Ógtark keeps them in line and bolder than they would be, otherwise. They are quick to anger and eager to please, though just as eager to betray, if given the opportunity. Something Ógtark never forgets. He rules with fear and brute force. Being much bigger than the rest, his size helps. Defeating and capturing the imps was one of Rŵnos's last great deeds in the world.

Lizard Man Territory - The lizard men are a tribal people ruled by the indulgent, aggrandising, and brutish, Kha Ur, a hydra of great size and girth.The lizard men worship him as a deity, and fear him, greatly. He devours them, when there is no other food. The lizard people are mostly concerned with their own, and patrol their lair and the surrounding tunnels only to maintain their hold on what they claim as theirs. Kha Ur and his 'children' were captured after Kha Ur's presence outside of a southern realm brought him into conflict with the local populace. The lizard people were stealing children and livestock to feed their aggrandising ruler. Kha Ur feels entitled to whatever it is he wants, though that mostly applies to things and food, not politics or power. He and his followers are easily swayed by shiny metals and jewels.

Elf Territory - The elves of the maze are a clan of smiths and warriors who agreed to watch over the old wizard's tomb, after he saved their people from a plague. They relocated and continue their quiet work while simultaneously keeping an eye on the denizens of the maze and would-be thieves. They test visitors' character and mettle and may help them with food and/or weapons or simple armour. They are especially enamoured of those who practice courtesy and reservation in place of bombastic and aggrandising behaviour. Their leader, Thane Márlŵk, is an old veteran and former companion of the wizard. They are constantly at odds with the rat people and imps who desire the same wealth they do.

Warrior - Bryon, the warrior, lives in the north of the maze, alone and comfortable in his dwelling. He is a skilled swordsman Who ended up dying in the maze. Bryon decided to stay as a guide to help those of good heart, and warn thieves. Bryon arrived with friends, but, they perished and became skeletons. He alone persisted, until he was ambushed by imps, here, in this maze.

Minotaur Shrines - Here, the four individual minotaur must be bested, somehow. Once defeated, they do not return at midnight. They stay 'dead'. Once all other minotaur are neutralised, the fifth and final minotaur comes awake and begins to hunt the characters. He will not return, either, if defeated. Not until those present either die, or win. The minotaur wake when the first character steps into the maze from the spiral stair. Minotaur appear only when they wake. So approaching a bier won't have any of them on it. The minotaur all wake up one at a time, in the order the players faced the mazes. 

Wraiths - The Shadow King, Emrŵs, rules in his prison of a crypt. Bound by Rŵnos and a priestess of light. He is cold and heartless and speaks with a voice that knows no time... He thrives on fear and darkness. The wraiths, here, are the remnants of his warriors who followed him in life. They drain the spirit from those they encounter to feed their energy. Shadow absorbs all light it touches. Even inner light. Emrŵs was a warrior of great renown during his time. A good man, early in his life, a good king, he devoured himself after the death of his beloved, and turned to evil and the gods of darkness to destroy those who took his true treasure from him. His evil and ambition were such that he did not stop after he accomplished his goal. He had lost his heart and sought only to bury the good in him by conquering. Even after his death, he continued his efforts. He took all his people with him. His city fell to ruin, his people died, and those who remained in his service or under his rule became wraiths. He summoned them from their rest to serve his agenda, those who would listen. His beloved, the fair Seren, lies in the sarcophagus across the chamber, so Emrŵs can watch over her, from his throne.

There are other wonders and threats in this dungeon, such as cursed items, magical spells, mysterious portals, strange monsters, etc. This is the fifth map. The map of 'spirit' is a kind of meta experience. It is 'the spirit of adventure'... Rŵnos wanted those who faced his trials to have to experience all he faced in his lifetime. Maybe learn some of his lessons. That everything isn't always what it seems, that diplomacy matters, that restraint matters, and, in the end, you get what you earn, and things that don't have your name on them don't belong to you. That all things have a cost. One might wonder, at this point, what 'the point' of this maze tomb is... 'Where is the treasure? Is it worth it, what we get?' I think adventure is its own reward, mainly... But, there could be something here the players NEED. This maze could be set up for ANYTHING. Any reason. Just as a romp through a megadungeon to satisfy 'kick in the door and grab the loot' players, and murder hobos... You could set it up as: 'We need this... Where is it? Rŵnos's tomb? How do we get there? How do we get through it?' Anything could work.You could even say the treasures are held BY the forces inside. Or given as reward by Rŵnos, himself, or a person he chose for the task... Maybe the players can all choose one thing from a treasury? They may only have to fight through one maze, and each was designed to protect a particularly powerful magic item Rŵnos wanted to keep out of the reach of thieves? He could have bequeathed his many lesser treasures to his friends and confidants, or a friend, and chose to protect 'the big ones'. Like what 2e would refer to as 'artefacts'. Not simply magic items for regular use. Or, maybe just more powerful regular magical items? I'll leave that to the GMs and their needs... I know what I'M going to do... 😜 Use your imaginations.