Castle Everglory, Level 5: The Palace

Level 5 is The Palace of Castle Everglory
== Guardroom (Location 1)==
This 4 yard by 4 yard room is almost coated in fuzzy green mold, spilling out into the stairwell and the corridor on the far side. The air is stuffy with the dank smell of vegetation. Where the surface of the wall can be seen, it is stamped with the emblem of a golden crown. The room is entirely bare of furnishings but it does have a thriving population of ants and spiders, feasting on the mold.
== Theater (Location 2) ==
This 10 yard by 20 yard room seems to be a theater. Rows of engraved pinewood seats, padded with moldy red velvet, are arranged before a raised stage, hung with moldy velvet curtains of red and blue. Spider-webs hang from curtain to stage, wall to wall, making it impossible to mount the stage without either walking through them or making a hole in them. There is a large and throne-like wooden chair on the stage, gaudily painted to look like engraved ivory set with bright jewels. The heavily molded backdrop curtain shows a palatial sunlit courtyard, complete with fountains and flowering trees. On a successful Perception roll or upon a careful examination, it will be seen that the extensive mold on the upper right corner of the painting obscures a small group of human figures standing in the far corner of the courtyard and gesturing in the direction of the stage. Unfortunately, the damage is so extensive that little more remains than vague human outlines. Similarly, a successful Perception roll or careful examination will reveal that the mold on the bottom right of the backdrop hides a small painted plant, growing from a crack in the otherwise perfect paving. The plant resembles a miniature black tree, with a tiny human skull at the end of every branch.
There is a small bare 2 yard by 2 yard room leading off the stage to the left. Piles of costumes are stacked in the corner, including clothing appropriate for nobility, clergy, peasantry and soldiers. A variety of painted wooden weapons hang from pegs on the wall and there are simple shelves containing rotted makeup, cobwebbed wings and funny rubber noses. Standing in one corner is a dusty marble statue of a robed old man, bald at the crown but with long hair at the sides and back and a long beard. The old man’s face is grave and he is pointing directly forwards, but someone has wrapped a pink feather boa around his raised arm. If the PCs follow the pointing of his finger, they will find that it points at the rubber noses (irrelevantly).
== Music Room (Location 3)==
This 6 yard by 6 yard room is so thickly webbed that even the corridor outside is filled, making it impossible to come within 5 yards of the doorway without touching the web. The web is not strong enough to entrap humans but touching it or otherwise causing movement will summon the Rock Spiders who live in the room and are looking for a meal.
Should the PCs actually make it into the room, they fill find that it contains a wooden dais 2 yards in diameter, before which are set 7 engraved cedar chairs, padded with red velvet and draped in spider-webs. The stained and moldy walls depict scenes of nymphs and satyrs dancing through the woods playing lyres, pipes and drums. The room is home to 18 very aggressive Rock Spiders.
=== Monsters ===
==== 18 Rock Spiders ====
Rock spiders are brown, furry arachnids about the size of a medium dog, who capture their prey by hunting in packs. They are very aggressive hunters and even human-sized animals, once detected, will immediately be attacked as food.
==== Treasure ====
Resting on one of the chairs and covered in web is a bone harp, beautifully carved with long twisting dragons. (The harp is actually made from dragonbone, considerably improving its value). ($7000, 3 lbs.)
== Gladiatorium (Location 4)==
This round room is 10 yards in diameter and thickly covered in mold. Engraved cedar chairs, padded with red velvet, line the walls around a wide pit sunk three yards deep. Rope ladders offer access from the seating level down into the pit (but they are rotten and will break if used). Where the mold does not quite cover the wall, it can be seen that the stonework is painted with images of naked skeletons fighting with swords.
The most on the floor is extremely thick here and PCs will be at -3 to any roll to remain on their feet and -5 to climb. Worse yet, the spongy floor is drenched with Witches’ Honey, a gelatinous predator. Noticing the almost transparent “honey” requires a Perception based roll at -3 against Botanist, Naturalist, Zoology or Survival (Underground). The Witches’ Honey will attack as soon as anyone steps on or attacks it.
=== Monster ===
==== Witches’ Honey ====
Witches’ Honey is a foul living jelly found in caves, in bodies of water, and in areas with high rainfall. It is a slowly creeping puddle of sickly yellow translucence and eats any organic matter that it can find, adventurers included.
== 5. Art Gallery ==
This 4 yard by 12 yard hall is bare of furniture, though the walls have been paneled in oak. The walls are hung with paintings in elaborately engraved wooden frames. However, at some point in the past, the paint has run, somehow becoming liquid and leaving nothing of the original image but a smeared blur of color down the canvas and the wall. These blurs of paint are perfectly dry now.
One painting, halfway down the hall, is only one-third destroyed. The right hand third is a melted mess of paint like any other artwork in the room, but the remaining two-thirds show a fine white stallion wearing an ornate saddle and a set of reigns.
==== Treasure ====
Any PC who thinks they are going to be able to get money for this ruined artwork is dreaming. Feel free to have an art dealer praise the originality and genius of the works, only to conclude by laughing in the PC’s faces.
== Library (Location 6) ==
This 4 yard by 4 yard room is so thickly encrusted with mold that nothing can be seen of it but the vague shape of a large chair in the center of the room and the vague shape of standing shelves set against the far wall. Exploring through the mold, the PCs will be able to find an engraved cedar chair with padded velvet seats and a rug so rotten and brown that no pattern can be discerned. The mold on the shelves contains scraps of leather book-covers, but the pages have long since rotted away as has any lettering on the cover.
== Temple (Location 7) ==
On a marble dais in the center of this round, 7 yard diameter room stands a tall, green-leafed tree, somehow thriving with no sunlight and no soil. 5 human skulls hang from the branches of the tree on leather thongs. The white marble walls, patchy with mold, are engraved with scenes of farmers and craftspeople peacefully going about their work.
The temple is an area of Very High Sanctity for clerics of a god of Death or the Wilderness. Furthermore, spells cast here are at +7 if cast by the cleric of a god of Death or the Wilderness but at -7 if cast by a cleric of Good. Spells from the colleges of Body, Healing, Plant, Meta and Necromancy are cast at +6, while spells from the elemental collages are cast at -8. Total bonuses and penalties cannot exceed 10. Killing the tree will eliminate the sanctity of the area but the character who delivers the killing blow must save vs. HT-4 or be infected with plant parasites. Consider the parasites to be a Disease (see GURPS Campaigns, p.442) which we will call “Green Death”.
==== Green Death ====
Vector: Respiratory.<Br>
HT roll: HT-1<Br>
Delay: 6 hours.<Br>
Sym 1d toxic.
Symptoms: Severe chills and vague but horrific nightmares. The whites of the eyes will gain a greenish tinge and the subject may develop feelings of isolation and hopelessness (the degree to which they give in to these feelings or not should be a role-playing matter for the player to decide).
Cycle: 2 x (20-HT)
A Cure Disease spell will cure the Green Death, and so will a Wither Plant spell. A Blight spell will slow the infestation, doubling the duration of cycles.
== Great Hall (Location 8) ==
This 20 yard by 40 yard oak-paneled hall is crawling with spiders, to the point that the walls and ceiling constantly seem to be moving and there is a continual whisper of scuttling legs. A long table runs down the middle of the room, covered by a white sheet of web, as are the chairs around it. One chair, larger than the others, has been hoisted up from its place at the far end of the table and is now suspended 8 feet in the air at 45 degrees. Nestled in the web with the end of its abdomen resting in the chair is a massive black spider the size of a cow. This is Grandmother Chtikrix.
=== Monster ===
==== Grandmother Chtikrix ====
Grandmother Chtikrix is a massive black spider, hairless and with eight gleaming beady eyes. She will do her best to stay off the ground and out of the reach of the PCs. She likes to sit in her chair, but she is perfectly capable of scuttling up her web and and standing upside down on the 12 foot ceiling.
Grandmother Chtikrix isn’t sure if she is going to eat the PCs or not. It may depend on how entertaining they are. She will initiate conversation if given a chance and speaks Elvish and broken Dwarvish. She has no interest in helping the PCs but will agree to spare their lives if they amuse her. She likes dances, songs, stories and jokes. However, some content will make her angry. She hates jokes that rely on an understanding of humanoid social rules, because she doesn’t get them. She also hates romantic tales that end in a man and a woman living happily ever after, because she ate her true love’s head in a fit of passion. Finally, stories in which heroes slay monsters may offend her if she identifies with the monster. She will not warn the PCs about these sore points.
In combat, she is likely to cast Control Animal (Spider Swarm) (see below) and Animate Shadow to keep her foes occupied. Difficult targets, such as well-armored warriors, are likely to be hit with Spider Silk, of which Grandmother Chtikrix can project four strands at once. If damaged, she may cast Steal Vitality to heal herself. She will defend herself from magic with Meta spells (such as Dispel Magic). She quite enjoys biting people if it isn’t too dangerous and may even come down to the floor for the opportunity. She likes to cast Pestilence at fleeing foes and if she needs to escape, she will use Shapeshift to change into a swallow and fly away.
==== Grandmother Chtikrix’ Spider Swarm ====
==== Treasure ====
On her second right foreleg, Grandmother Cthtikrix wears a gold bracelet set with eight small circles of black onyx ($16,000, 1 lb). The bracelet is too wide to be worn by a normal human and has the unpleasant side-effect of attracting mundane spiders.
== Shared Bedroom (Location 9) ==
This 5 yard by 10 yard room contains 4 carved four-post cedar beds, beside each of which is a carved cedar closet and a carved cedar bedside table, set with a mirror of ivory and silver. The walls, discolored by mold as they are, are painted with bright flowers in all colors. The sheets on the beds are of moldy, stained silk.
==== Treasure ====
Between the sheets of bed 1 is a stuffed toy cat with one button eye. The cat’s skin, once white, is gray-green with mold.
The closets are filled with once-fine women’s clothing, now ruined by mold. One of the closets seem to have belonged to someone obsessed with having images of cute cats and kittens on their clothing.
The four ivory and silver mirrors, if they can be successfully removed from the tables, are 0.5 lbs each and can sell for $500.
The four beside tables themselves have locked drawers and are of surprisingly sturdy construction. DR 2, HP 14. -1 to Lockpicking skill. They have the following contents.
Table 1. 12 gold pieces, a silver broach in the shape of a kitten playing with string ($250 0.25 lbs), a silver bracelet engraved with the heads of cats ($400.25 lbs)
Table 2. The drawer is trapped with a poison needle.
39 gold pieces, a lock of white hair tied in a red silk ribbon (worthless)
Table 3. 17 gold pieces, a silver necklace ($45, 0.05 lbs) and a gold ring engraved with Elvish runes. The ring is a Ring of Poise.
Ring of Poise. Gold Ring , engraved with Elvish runes that read “Grace never stumbles”. The ring grants Perfect Balance (p. B74) and is enchanted with Climbing +1 and Dancing +1. ($25,000, 0.25 lbs)
Table 4. 13 gold pieces, three rings, two silver ($115, 0.15 lbs each) and one electrum ($1,705, 0.15 lbs), a pair of electrum ear-rings ($500, 0.15 lbs), and an electrum necklace ($3,000 0.25 lbs).
== Dining Room (Location 10) ==
The PCs are likely to hear the soft drumming sound coming from this room as they approach it.
This 6 yard by 6 yard room contains a finely carved cedar table and four finely carved chairs of cedar and velvet. The two silver candelabras are hung with cobwebs and the white silk tablecloth is patched with mold. The walls are paneled in oak and fitted with ornate brass candle holders
=== Monsters ===
The area beneath the table is filled by a mass of leaves and the room is infested with 9 Black Emperor Ants.
==== 9 Black Emperor Ants ====
Black Emperor Ants are huge black insects the size of large dogs. They are often heard before they are seen as they communicate with one another by drumming their feet on the floor with a fast vibration. Anything that is not a Black Emperor Ant is considered food and will be immediately attacked.
==== Treasure ====
2 ornate silver-plated candelabras ($4,000 for the pair due to the lovely workmanship, 2bs)
== Antechamber (Location 11) ==
This 3 yard by 3 yard room contains three simple wooden chairs and a simple set of wooden shelves lined with unmarked glass bottles of red liquid.
All of the bottles contain a single, very fruity type of wine that no connoisseur will be able to identify.
==== Treasure ====
There are 12 bottles in all, each weighing a lb and fetching up to $1,100 each in the right market.
== Master Bedroom (Location 12) ==
This 10 yard by 10 yard room is entirely free of mold and is luxuriously appointed. It contains a single huge four-posted bed, large enough for six, as well as a pair of ornately carved cedar closets and an ornately carved set of cedar shelves. The walls are paneled in oak and set with brass candle holders.
The room also contains what appear to be three silent human beings, two of which stand perfectly still, while the third bustles around the room dusting surfaces that are already clear of dust.
=== Monsters ===
==== The Three Golems ====
The three golems who defend this room will not attack unless the PCs try to damage or take anything in the room. The golems will not initiate conversation, but will speak with the PCs if spoken to in Common. While they appear to be human, if they are damaged, it will become clear that they are constructed of clay.
==== Lena (Praise Golem) ====
Lena appears to be a beautiful, petite human female with long blonde hair, threaded through with flowers. She wears a light blue silk dress with lace at the collar and cuffs, cut in a style that has not been fashionable for centuries.
She exists to express her love and admiration for someone she knows only as “him”, having forgotten his name. She knows that “he” is the master and builder of the complex and that he sleeps in the bedroom every night and works in the throne room every day. She will want to tell the PCs how great “he” is and how much she loves “him”. If questioned, her description of “him” will be extremely vague. She knows he is handsome and brilliant and wise and so forth, but cannot recall any particulars, not even what the color of “his” eyes are. She is psychologically incapable of realizing how strange this is, however much the PCs point it out. It will be impossible to engage her on any other subject but “him” – anything not directly related to “him” is simply not of any interest to her. She knows nothing of the world beyond the room in which she lives, nor does she care.
Lena is non-aggressive by nature and will only fight if personally attacked. She cares nothing about what happens to the other golems.
====Bethel (Housework Golem)==== 
Bethel appears to be a stocky, plain-looking woman with mousy-brown hair, tied back in a ponytail. She wears a simple black dress in a cheap cut and sensible leather sandals. She is in constant motion, walking around the room inspecting it. 
The Housework Golem exists to keep this room tidy. While Bethel does not crave conversation, and will ignore the PCs if they ignore her, she will answer questions honestly if treated respectfully. She knows the layout of this level, which she calls “the palace”. She knows that it is her purpose to serve “him” but she finds it so strange that she can remember nothing about “him” that she has concluded that “he” never really existed. For some reason, Lena and Sir Vemish tolerate her opinions about “him” as if they didn’t hear them at all.
Bethel will only fight if attacked or if the PCs try to remove or damage things in the room. She will not fight to defend the other golems, however - they are outside of her duties and it makes no difference to her whether they live or die.
==== Sir Vemish the Courteous (Boast Golem) ====
Sir Vemish the Courteous appears to be a handsome young man, dressed in fine knightly garb, including a hoodless suit of chainmail. He is clean-shaven, with immaculate black hair reaching to his shoulders.
The Boast Golem exists to boast about “his” achievements and to smugly insult people regarding how inferior they are to “him” in every regard. There isn’t a skill or virtue that “he” has not mastered to perfection in the Boast Golem’s view, whereas the PCs will be held up in rude and contemptuous comparison. The PCs may insult the golem in return as much as they like, but if they insult “him”, the golem will attack. The Golem knows nothing of the world outside the room and like the other golems, can’t remember a single specific particular about “him”.
The Boast Golem will fight in self-defense and will attack anyone who attacks another golem or tries to remove or damage anything in the room. While he cares nothing for the other golems personally, he regards attacks on them as an insult to “him”. Sir Vemish is fond of Feints and Deceptive Attacks and is smart enough to make called shots if he isn’t penetrating armor. If disarmed, his sole priority will be getting his sword back. He is psychologically unable to attack without it.
==== Treasure ====
The closets are filled with fine clothing fit for a lord. Overall, there are 300 lbs of clothing here, about 300 years out of date but in good condition and worth about $7,000 altogether. The shelves are empty.
Sir Vemish happens to be wielding a magic sword, Viper’s Tongue.
Viper’s Tongue: This is a very fine, balanced broadsword with a hilt forged in the shape of a viper coiled around a branch. The blade is engraved with extensive geometric relief which sometimes takes the form of stylized serpents. It is enchanted with Accuracy +2 and Quick-Draw, and does +3 damage against Amphibians. $32,000, wt 3.
== Stairway Down (Location 13) ==
At the end of a short corridor is a heavy locked door (-1 to Lockpicking, Construction: Heavy (see DF 2, p.18)). Beyond the door is a narrow stone staircase, 2 yard wide with simple rough walls. The stairs spiral down for 10 yards before coming to a second heavy locked door (-3 to Lockpicking, Contruction: Very HeavyDF 2, p.18 behind which is the main corridor of Level 6.
==Other Dungeon Levels==
*Castle Everglory, Level 1: Lair of the Cutnose Orcs
*Castle Everglory, Level 2: Vault of the Scribes
*Castle Everglory, Level 3: Vault of the Servants
*Castle Everglory, Level 4: The Garden
*Castle Everglory, Level 7: The Tomb
==References==