He works as night guard at the storage buildings. He is moderately well off.

Human, 5’ 8” tall, Strength 17 Dexterity 16 Brown hair.

Both adults work as evening guards at the storage buildings. They always find enough work to stay moderately well off.

Sometimes they work days.

Humans, 5’ 6” tall, Strength 17 Brown hair.

Tarna works part-time and spends the rest of her time raising the kids. The kids are Shella and Jos.

Map updated on Feb 28, 2020.

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updated Fondfield/Sraa Keep area maps.

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all of the Sraa Keep pngs in one zip file. Click here to download. 8.3 megabytes

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Just a short horse ride from Fondfield. Seemingly just a small ruin, with a few levels of increasing difficulty… until the magic words are spoken. A stairway, the only way out, splitting vertically and moving into the walls. A hidden passage way leading further into the ridge beneath the ruins. A feeling of Evil Afoot. The finding of a Red Dragon, chained to the floor ! And a druid exclaiming during a fight with an unknown being in the vaulted ceiling, “Nyah ! Nyah ! Couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn from the inside !” And the resulting carnage of many of the party dieing instantly … Well, lets not lop off the heads of the adventurers until its time !

Sraa Keep. Home of one, like the leaders of Quasqueton, who helped those living nearby surmount the ravages of invasion. When actually the Master of Sraa Keep only wanted to harm those Good living nearby, not allow strangers to do it.

===================================================

The sheet of info given to the players.

The former owner of this keep did many good deeds, and rumors of many evil ones. When he moved into this area, he was hailed as the help that common folk of this border area needed. There had been recent incursions of Nomads from the south, and ogre and orc groups from The Great Open. Khmoj, later called Fondfield, was the home of many fewer folks then, not yet the military area commander’s fort town.

Occasionally folks vanished from the surrounding farms. It was never really proven that Strazl Deathclaw, owner of this keep, was guilty of this. Since the disappearances happened after he arrived here, folks did become suspicious of him. Strazl moved here after the disappearance of the owners of Quasqueton. A later invasion of a Nomad horde was seemingly destroyed by Strazl and his men. Rumor has it that as they swept across this area, they demanded the surrender of Sraa Keep. A ranger had spotted them and went to the Border Guard for help. Help could not arrive quickly as the nearest castle was several days away. Several companies of heavy cavalry were sent to Strazl’s aid. He met them about 5 miles from his keep, saying he did not need their assistance. The men-at-arms left after noting the Nomads had disappeared.

In later years the area became wild and desolate. Few lived on this ridge, except for those at Sraa Keep.

Years later, it was rumored Sraa Keep had been destroyed. The only surviving witness was a shepherd who was some miles away when it happened. He had decided to take his flock to the lower slope of this ridge. His tale was not believed after statements such as ‘The entire sky lit up in and around the evil one’s keep ! The storm swirled ‘round and ‘round ! and then, then this giant hand reached down out of the clouds and snapped the keep off like it was a twig on a tree !” He became quite mad a short time later and then died in agony. Since Fondfield is just a few miles away, and any such phenomenon could easily have been seen and no mage, druid, or cleric felt such a disturbance, it most likely didn’t happen the way the shephard claims it did. The keep is destroyed, and few stones are left of it. It is doubtful anyone carted them off for building materials. This area has long been shunned. From time to time a hunter will disappear in the area of the keep. Strazl, according to tales, looked human and was rumored to be a high level magic-user, but who can tell in those long ago dark days ? Seeming is not always what a being actually might be. There are those who Watch, but in those days such were not available everywhere. From part of a report by Sherrif Bobcha Wood, some 50 years before the adventurers hear of this keep

===================================================

A rumor poem they can find out in Fondfield.

What is obvious, usually isn't.
What is unobvious usually is.
Sometimes the obvious is doubly so.
Sometimes the unobvious is half so.

Talk about obtuse ! (smile) There are several rooms it can be considered the poem is speaking about. I made it up as a non-specific poem to get my mostly new to the game players to think about what they were doing in this dungeon.

===================================================

The area about Sraa Keep

As the group approaches the path, they see an area that looks like a poorly kept path. Thats the first 30 feet. The rest of the path looks like its been there for some time, and marginally maintained, but no footprints. The path is 10’ wide. The only brush or trees nearby is close to the stone head detailed below. There are a few grotesque dead trees here as well.

Touching the left-hand orange path causes 1 hp of damage and intense pain for every 6 feet of travel.

Walking along the orange path closest to the Keep, causes a loud squealing sound to sound like it is coming out of the woods. Sound occurs each one hundred feet of path walked. Any attempt to walk into the woods is almost impossible as its very thick. If they do manage to get into the trees, the orange path doesn’t go very far.

The black path goes east to a line of brush. Behind the brush is a large stone head of a caveman. Its 8’ wide, 7’ deep, and 5’ high. If a Neutral Good or Chaotic Good character touches it, they get a Limited Wish. Any other touching it will receive 1 hp of damage. In either case it disintegrates immediately. So, one hp of damage or one Limited Wish.

Rest of the area is bare earth with a greenish-brown color with large red splotches from 5-30’ across. Here and there the ground is shaped into a Nomad’s face in great agony. There are about 200 of these ‘faces’ visible from the path. The numbers increase the closer the group gets to the Keep.

The area within 150’ of the Keep is covered by a spotty mist from ground level to 6 inches thick. The maximum distance the ground can been seen through the mist is 100 feet. Patches about 10’ across shift randomly across the earth.

The Keep remnants are 5’ high. No rubble or other stones.

The moat is dry, but the group hears water sounds when they get within 75 feet of the moat.

The sounds will detect as illusion/audible glamer.

Any attempt to touch the ‘water’ will result in pain and 1 hp of damage. Any attempt to toss anything into the moat, and the character’s hand will not open, etc.

Most of this is ‘stage affects’ to get their attention that something odd is going on, but the main Bad Guy will know they are here if they do any powerful magic.

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Inside the tunnels and passageways of Sraa Keep

wall sconces every 5 feet, 5 feet above the floor, few have torches in them.

The wood doors are 7’ high, 6’ wide, and 3 inches thick

Stone, mostly secret, doors are 7 ‘ high, 4 feet wide, and 5 inches thick.

There is a marginally poisonous fog on all levels. After one game-hour of exposure: SR vs. poison every 10 minutes or temporarily lose one point of Strength. Lasts until the main Bad Guy is killed while they are inside Sraa Keep or they spend one game-hour away from Sraa Keep.

           Torch         lantern       bullseye lantern
levels 1 and 2   30'             20'             33'
levels 3 and 4   20'             10'             23'
levels 5 and 6   10'              5'             11'
rest of levels are normal.

Infravision 45’ on all levels.

Continual Light and Light spells cause so much glare they are useless.

Once the main bad guy is killed; the fog, the orange paths, faces in the dirt, red splotched earth, pain, low light levels, infravision restrictions, all go away as the dead are now resting easy and the Bad Guy, who is stage-managing these affects, is gone…

Certainly, somebody in the group could decide to try and dissipate the fog, but then the Bad Guy would then get upset and cause the ceiling to collapse…

Special note: the ‘where the stairs connect’ chart could be wrong. It should be correct now, March, 2003.

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floor to  floor     distance    floor
                                thickness

surface     1        25’         10- 15’

1           2        25’         10- 13’

2           3        30’         15- 18’

3           4        35’         20- 23’

4           5        38’         20- 26’

5           6        45’         25’

6           7        55’         25- 25’

7           8        78’         28- 53’

8           9       150’         80-120’


	
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level  passage     maximum room
         height      heights
    1     10’        15’
    2     12’        15’
    3     12’        15’
    4     12’        15’
    5     15’        18’
    6     20’        20’
    7     20’        30’
    8     25’        50’
    9     30’        70’

	
======================================

Stairs information:

The stairs are rather odd, in that they are not very clear from this chart on how they connect to everything. You can only get from 7A to 7B by going back to level 6. This is the first dungeon I created from scratch, and it kinda shows it… I did get compliments, as hard as that may be to believe. I didn’t start labelling corridors until I drew up Dwarf Home. I might renumber the rooms to make it easier to follow the maps. I know I’m having a hard time doing that.

stair    stair   stair   stair           from level            to level
number   height  length  angle
=======================================================================================
  1        25'     39.73'  51 degrees      surface                1  room 2
  2        25'     39.73'  51                 1  room 10          2  room 20
  3        30'     53.65'  56                 2  room 30          3  hallway to rooms 38, 39
=======================================================================================
  4        30'     53.65'  56                 2  room 17          3  hallway to room 40
  5        30'     53.65'  56                 3  room 35   up to  2  room 22
  6        35'     70'     60                 3  room 33          4  room 86 (dead end)
=======================================================================================
  7        35'     70'     60                 3  room 33          4  room 79 (dead end)
  8        35'     70'     60                 3  room 33          4  hallway to rooms 48,49,50,55
  9        35'     70'     60                 3  room 33          4  room 53
=======================================================================================
 10        35'     70'     60                 3  room 42          4   rooms 47/127
 11        38'     80.9'   62                 4  room 53          5   hallway to rooms 67, 70
 12        45'     80.5'   56                 5  room 61          6-1 hallway to room 104, 123
=======================================================================================
 13        55'    110'     61                 6-2 near room 129   7b-2 hallway/172
 14        55'     63.51'  30                 6-3 room 149        7b-2 giant slug path
 15        55'     69.8'   38                 6-3 hallway/139     7a-1 hallway/142,148
=======================================================================================
 16        78'    171.81'  63                 7a-1 near room 215  8 room 156
=======================================================================================
cistern on level 6 room 101 leads to level 9 passageway/cavern exit 40' drop to floor
                      metal rungs start 5' from top of cistern.
=======================================================================================
cistern on level 8 room 161 leads to level 9 Strazl's Real Treasure Room and emergency hide out.
                      metal rungs start 5' from top of cistern. 30' drop to floor
=======================================================================================

Steep stairs ? Yes, but there are two ‘wells’ that connect some of the levels. Might be ‘safer’ than the stairs.

Map 7b_2 is under map 6_1: this dungeon many of the levels are not under each other. Levels 1-4 are below the one above it. 7A and 7B are not connected except by traveling first to level 6.

Why yes, I did suddenly find a chart for magic fountains just before I started designing this scenario…

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Room 1) 20’ × 30’ × 15’ at center 7’ high walls at sides: Guard Room

The 2 ghouls placed 100 cp on the floor and covered them mostly with dust to act as a lure for adventurers. Weapon racks on walls and in room: 6.5’ high x 6’-8’ long x 2’ deep all are empty except one has a mace +2 ( user/owner glows green in the dark) empty weapon racks. part of a chair. written on one of the weapon racks: “Do not wander”

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Room 2) 30’ × 30’ entrance to first level

dusty, dirty, mud, leaves, no foot prints. Torch stub to left of entrance.

stairs number 1 connects this area to the surface. North secret door: two palm prints 4’ apart 4.5’ up from floor elf touch opens or Knock South secret door: palm print 3’ from floor gnome touch to operate or Knock if non-gnome touch, toucher gets 1d4+1 Magic Missile

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Room 3) 30’ × 30’ empty

Type 1 demon

Opening the door to this room will bring the demon out of stasis. Will attack anyone opening the door as it was tormented by Strazl

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Room 4) 10’ × 10’

my old map shows a monster, but I have no info as to what it might have been.

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Room 5) 10’ × 10’ empty

West secret door: only opens from room 6

East secret door: opens when door in west wall is closed

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Room 6) 30’ × 40’ store room

57 barrels: 4’ high x 2’ diameter

barrel 1: 75 percent full of what looks like gold pieces that when taken three miles from Sraa Keep revert to copper pieces (thousands of coins)
barrels 2-7: rye flour
barrels 8-18: dried apples
barrels 19-27: empty
barrels 28-38: salt
barrels 39-43: sunflower seeds
barrels 44-54: empty
barrel 55: 600 gp jewelry
barrel 56: 1,300 gp jewelry
barrel 57: 1,400 gp jewelry
owner/wearer of any of these jewelries, their eyes will turn red and glow in dark.Wont give nor interfere with Infravision. Cure Disease or Dispel Magic to get rid of these items.
East secret door: push on bottom

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Room 7) 20’ × 30’ × 12’ embalming room

the stone block has very dried blood on it. Floor is dusty

North secret door: cannot be opened from this direction Elf runes on west wall: “Place of Rest before the Last” Rubbish pile Northwest corner:
under it is a Ring of Protection +4 AC/+2 SR; item is cursed.
Small children, dogs, and cats run from the wearer.
small slot on south side of the stone slab:
any hand placed inside will trigger needle traps
1d6 for number of needles.
1-2: 2 needles
3-4: 1 needle
5-6: 3 needles
each needle does 1d4 hp. If 3 needles are activated: victim must Saving roll vs. poison +2 if miss SR sleep for 2 weeks. Remove Curse to awaken before then.

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Room 8) 50’ × 50’ × 15’ Burial room

21 coffins: 17 are 3’ × 6’; one is 4’ × 6’; one is 4’ 8’, two are 6’ × 8’

crypt marked ‘A’ contains 5 ghouls inside the crypt is a Scroll of Protection from Type 1, 2, and 3 demons and 50 pp

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Room 9) 20’ × 60’ × 12’

Door in east wall is a trap: one Magic Missle (1d4+ 1) for each attempt to open, 2d4 +2 hp for third attempt. Its a false door.

Entrance door to room is a one-way door and if not blocked open it will close by itself. Door will take HP 30 at AC 10 to be opened. If it is hit more than 8 times:
a Gelatinous cube pops into room 93:
Only item in it is a dagger that detects as magic, but isn’t.
If a dwarf holds the dagger a Magic Mouth says:
“(belch !) Gee, you smell terrible runt !”
1-5 in 20 chance it will break each melee round if used in combat.

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Room 10) 50’ × 60’ × 12’
      3 bugbears, one long sword each


      There are few ways to leave this room:

         1) go to next level


         2) wear Ring of Free Action within 5 feet of door,


         3) use Knock on door


         4) 2 cure light wounds on door



      The stairs, number 2, go down to second level room 20







Room 11) 100’ × 20’ × 12’ ( 24,000 cubic feet) Meeting Room
      2 rows of benches north to south, bench: 2’ × 6’, 16 benches


      under front left bench is 2 jars of Keoghtum’s Ointment, 5 applications each.



      under front right bench is a large spider

      large chair south end of room.


        trapped: if moved all within room get 1d4+1 Magic Missle damage



Room 12) 20’ × 30’ × 12’ empty room
      absolutely clean




Room 13) 20’ × 90’ × 12’ store room
      west end: pile of stone blocks: 2’ × 2’ × 4’
         pile is 20’ × 8’ high x 10’ deep


          Inside the pile of blocks are: one pair Boots of Elvenkind

      east end: Fountain: Any who touch basin or water are compelled to drink.
        Its clean water, not magical.



Room 14) 20’ × 40’ × 12’ Chapel
      8 benches 2’ × 6’ all face away from east end of room


      basins NE and SE corners, 4’ × 4’ × 5’ high, no water

      Archer figure on South wall:

        6' tall human. The bow and quiver project from wall:
          Magic-User  touch: Magic Mouth 'thank you for freeing me"
          Illusionist touch: Magic Mouth 'thank you for freeing me"
          Cleric      touch: Magic Mouth 'thank you for freeing me"
          Druid       touch: Magic Mouth 'thank you for freeing me"
          Fighter     touch: fighter takes 1d6 hp.
          multi-class fighter: -100 experience points


         figure disappears, bow and quiver of 6 arrows drop to floor. South secret door opens.

          Inside Sraa Keep the bow and the arrows are +6 to hit and damage each. Outside Sraa Keep the bow and arrows are +1 to hit and damage each.



Room 15) 40’ × 30’ × 12’ ( 14,400 cubic feet) Fountain room
      Fountain in Southeast (SE) corner, 16’ radius basin 8’ radius


          basin glows red, water glows blue

      If a character can reach the basin without touching water in main area, drinks will benefit the characters, otherwise detriment. 1 in 20 chance of falling in. If fall 1d4 hp damage to character.

      ( I used magic fountain tables from a magazine article.)

      a pearl can be found in the basin: Periapt of Proof against Poison +4, will become a permanent part of the character.

      The third PC to look at it, becomes GEASed to swallow it. ( No SR)



Room 16) 10’ × 30’ × 12’ ( 3,600)
      3 barrels: 20” diameter x 4.5’ tall


      1) 5,000 gp


      2) empty


      3) gray ooze



      Secret door: pressure plate 10’ up, 3’ above door



Room 90) 10’ × 10’
      North door see room 14:


      South secret door will open when all of party are in this room, of course a large group wont all fit. Knock will also open the secret door.



Room 91) 10’ × 80’ × 12’ (9,600)
      Gargoyle


      West Secret door: only open from room 8 crypt A or 2 Knocks Crypt A is the large ‘A’ on the map.



      North secret door: only open if all of party are in alcove for room 99, then will open itself. Knock can be used as well.



      East door: (trap) if tried Magic Missle d4+2 to opener.



Room 92) 10’ × 20’ empty



Room 93) 10’ × 10’ empty
      east door: enter from room 9 only, or Knock




Room 94) 40’ × 10’ empty
      dried blood on floor, any elf will recognize it as elf blood


      cannot enter room 5 from this direction unless use Knock ( its a one-way door)

      East Secret door: if touched by PC under 5’ 10” tall, it will open.


        any others take 1-3 hp.


        after door opens the door becomes part of the wall.

      North door: push



Room 97) 30’ × 10’ × 12’
      North secret door: pushes open from room 97, or use Knock


      South secret door:

        1. opens automatically if the earlier Periapt of Proof vs. Poison is found

        2. 2 PC under 6’ 6” touch two blue plates on west wall.

     on west wall are some ceramic squares: ( 5 high x 4 wide)

         4 blue, 4 green, 4 orange, 4 yellow: somewhat randomly on wall



Room 98) 10’ × 10’
      Gargoyle


      East secret door: opens by gnome or elf touch



Room 99) 10’ × 10’ × 10’ alcove
      see room 91 for opening secret door




Room 100) 10’ × 30’ ( smell of apricots outside room)
      Ogre HD 4 +1


        has a 9” pouch with a key that opens door on south wall.


        Turn key to left to open.