Urheim: Lower Gatehouse

Today is my birthday, but I'm going to give my readers a gift by presenting the first entry describing the ruined monastery of St. Gaxyg-at-Urheim. My plan is to reveal a new area of the ruins each week, building it up slowly over time. Other posts relating to Urheim, such as new monsters and character classes, may appear more often.

Since this is the start of the series, I'm still getting a handle on the best way to present each section. Constructive criticism of the format I've adopted is appreciated, as are comments about pertinent details I might have left out of the entries below. My goal is to present an interesting, fun, and usable adventure locale for use with Old School Essentials and similar games over the course of the weeks and months to come.

Map by FrDave

Lower Gatehouse

LG.1 Barbican

Doors: Metal reinforced oak.

• Neither door is locked or barred.
• However, opening either requires a cumulative STR bonus of 2+.
• Any attempt to open either door alerts the guards within, who ready themselves for an attack.

Light: Lit by by 6 torches.

• Smoke from the torches visibly escapes from vents in walls.

7 Mercenaries

• Company of the Quarrel mercenaries, now turned to brigandage.
• Under orders to keep watch for intruders approaching the monastery ruins from the south.
• If they break morale, they will flee to LG.2 to alert their comrades.
• If captured and interrogated, they know little beyond their orders, the inhabitants of LG.2, and the name (Captain Foulque) and location (the Upper Temple) of the company's leader.
• Each bandit carries 13sp.

AC 6 [13], HD 1 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7hp), Att 1 × sword (1d8), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 10.

LG.2 Guardroom

Approach: If approached from the south, the 3 mercenaries (see below) attack with crossbows through arrow slits.

Door: Metal reinforced oak.

• Door is not locked or barred.
• Opening the door requires a cumulative STR bonus of 2+.
• Any attempt to open the door alerts the guards within, who ready themselves for an attack.

Light: Lit by 8 torches

• Smoke from the torches visibly escape from wall vents and arrow slits.

Smell: Unpleasant odor suffuses the room and can be detected even outside the room.

3 Mercenaries

• Company of the Quarrel mercenaries exactly like those in LG.1 (see above), except for increased morale.
• Part of an elite detail to assist Sergeant Gralam (see below).
• Each bandit carries 24sp and 1 gem (worth 10gp) – hazard pay.

AC 6 [13], HD 1 (6, 6, 8hp), Att 1 × sword (1d8) or 1 × crossbow (1d6), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 10, AL Neutral, XP 10.

Sergeant Gralam

• Duty commander of detail to keep and handle the wyvern (see below).
• If he and his men are outnumbered, Gralam will release the wyvern to attack them. Otherwise, they will leave it chained in the center of the room.
• If captured and interrogated, will not willingly reveal anything about the Company of the Quarrel or their present activities.
• Carries 2 gems (worth 10 gp each) and jewel-inlaid dagger worth 500 gp, as well as key to unlock the wyvern's chain.

AC 5 [14], HD 3 (18hp), Att 1 × sword (1d8) or 1 × dagger (1d4), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F3), ML 11, AL Neutral, XP 35.

1 Wyvern

• Young specimen caught and trained by Captain Foulque while on campaign in the Murklands.
• Poison is weaker than adult (saving throws at +2).
• On short (10') chain in center of room.
• Poorly treated and will turn on Gralam and the mercenaries if its or their morale breaks.

AC 5 [14], HD 4 (20hp), Att 1 × bite (1d8), 1 × sting (1d4 + poison), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 90' (30') / 240' (80') flying, SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14, ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 125.

Ruined Buildings

R.1 Tithe Barn

Debris: Shallow heap of splintered wood.

R.2 Stables

Debris: Jumble of stonework and decaying beams of heavy wood.

• A successful search for secret doors reveals a battered leather bag, inside of which a magical bridle that, when placed on a horse, grants +1 morale.

R.3 Barracks

Rubble: Sprawling pile of stones mixed with shattered wood.

• Spending 1 turn searching through the rubble turns up a silver holy symbol of St Gaxyg (worth 50 gp).