Garden District- Shindig Street

The richest part of Garden. Wealthy, high class, every street you peek down you'll see several movie and radio stars, giddy socialites and young promising business men. It is ruled by the hides-in-plain-sight group; the Sequin Society. To even get on this street is a challenge, as it requires either a golden membership card (without an escort, the elite can take guests if chaperoned) or a hefty bribe to the guards stationed at the entrances to the area- both of which are very expensive and ensure that only the wealthiest can enter. The street is also one of the nicest and well illuminated places in Garden, with booths offering free samples, street performers, and businesses with open doors and high quality good for sale. The nightlife here is second to none, with entertainment, dining, and the best brothel in the city. Movie stars walk the street and rub elbows with executives. If you want to get to know someone powerful and influential in the city, this is the place.

The street itself is arranged along a central canal, which offers gondola rides to those too tired to walk. Stinking motors of public transport are discouraged, and while hovering cars are allowed, only luxurious and well maintained cars are accepted. Cars with a visible scratch or dent are given a traffic violation ticket every single night from the roving bands of community enforcers until the owner gets the message and replaces it with a nicer one. If your paint color is especially egregious and out of season, you might also be given a ticket for "surface level damage along the entire length of the vehicle". 

The other curious thing about Shindig Street noticed by first time visitors? The lack of advertisements. Most commercial areas of Garden are like an otherworldly Kabukichō or Las Vegas; a buffet of lights and signs in every language imaginable. Here, the streets are clean and decorated- calming yellow lights that are directly contrary to the attention grabbing instruments of business. Shindig Street is no less capitalistic as any other part of Garden; this place just has different rules. You are told to knock three times on the blue door on the ground floor of the unmarked building overhanging the canal- and then you are brought into the most exclusive and high-quality gun shop in the entire city. If your business can't survive on the word of mouth of the rich and powerful, then the rich and powerful believe you shouldn't be here.

Residents
Shindig Street is described perfectly by one word; Cosmopolitan. It is an incredibly diverse, multi-ethnic, surprisingly welcoming part of the city. However, it is not multi-cultural. Everyone here is expected to behave a certain way; and attain and keep a certain level of wealth. They don't care much about what you are, as long as you have the money to play with the trust-fund kids, investors, tycoons, and bank-breaking highest class alien escorts one can imagine.

The above properly describes the visible residents of the district. In fact, the entire street seems to be very low in population, comfortable, with groups of friends, couples, and loners walking the glittering lamp-lit canal. But for every one of those, there are three invisible people here as well. Servants, engineers, bodyguards- snipers watching from nearby rooftops to protect the mob boss's daughter as she takes an innocent stroll with her very rich friends. The milkman and courier coming out of a hatch in the ground- an arm leaving its package before returning back underneath- so out of the way as to not even be seen except for the briefest flash. While Shindig Street is for the rich and powerful, anything that needs to be done by someone of a lower class is done so in the most unobtrusive way possible. The rumors of rich men having a family of servants living in the walls of their mansions are mostly exaggerated- they'll just employ one of them to come live in their walls instead!

While the cosmopolitan upper class of Shindig Street is incredibly diverse, the lower class is actually less so. While the roots of this "tradition" were started by one incredibly wealthy old telephone magnate many years ago, it spread to the entire upper class and became ubiquitous. While bodyguards, butlers, and escorts may come from many places and cultures to become another colorful accessory to the rich and famous; the basic canal workers, painters, repairmen, and all manner of basic laborers of Shindig Street are of one race exclusively; the mouthless Imnar. This alien race cannot speak, and exclusivity communicate through sign language and writing on their home world- they feed off certain wavelenghts of light which cannot be found anywhere in Garden except the underground light-farms beneath the Shindig. Any new immigrant to Garden from their world will find themselves quietly rushed here- to serve the interest of the rich and powerful in silent service. They are not treated poorly either- the night laborers of this district have a higher average salary and more luxuries then most in Garden, but their presence in the city is funneled here- a secret society underneath another secret society.

But as for the true ruling power on Shindig Street- one only look to the Sequin Society.

Notable Characters - Roll 1d4
[1] Lady Ghostie - 3 HP, 1d4+1 Pocket Pistol, 1d4+2 Little Knife
Incredibly pale, paper-white thin starling. She has big black almond shaped eye, like an alien. She's a movie star, and everyone is surprised that she is actually that white, just like in the pictures. People are also surprised that her bubbly ditz personality and high pitched voice are also faked for the camera. She's incredibly vicious and will kill to get what she wants. Probably the most archetypal member of the Sequin Society.

She's also a bit of a talent scout. If your character is also monochrome, or if she just likes the look of you, you'll probably get invited to be an extra in her next Talkie. It is highly advised you attend and accept the small but fair paycheck. If you don't, you shouldn't come back to Shindig Street.

[2] Powerman - 10 HP, 1d6 Fists, 1d6+1 "Justice Calls" Backup Pistol
Superhero. Star of a very popular black and white movie of the same name; really pushed the envelope of special effects in the movie industry. Due to very specific wording on the acting contract, now required to play the character in real life. Forever. Stays on Shindig Street to avoid the occasional monster or aggressive violent gang assault; will play up small favors and helping ladies across the street as the only heroics he can handle. Despite this cowardice; is actually superhuman and had a few procedures done to make them extremely tough and capable of bunching through solid metal.

Having a bit of money trouble; especially considering the fancy diet they require with all their special alien organ implants giving them superhuman strength and toughness. The royalties are good, but the studio is dragging its feet on making a sequel. If you can somehow arrange it with the big movie studios, you'd have a superbeing in your debt!

[3] Tulok'Tul'Vul - 4 HP, 1d6-1 Snappy Pistol, +1 Psychic Resistance
Musician and amateur fortune teller. Makes most of his money on the stock market and selling his (totally real) psychic predictions about the future of the stock market as opposed to his shitty music. Convinced he's a big shot when his fortune is dwarfed by most of the casual walkers on the boardwalk. Will take any insult on the chin with a laugh and an offer to buy you a drink- except his music- in which case you're getting challenged to a duel.

His attended by a high-class Valet with him at all times. The Valet works directly for Kev Zapir, relaying the occasional ramblings of Tulok during his worst episodes to his boss, in the event that sacred prophecy slips out between the dividend returns of the construction companies and pig farmer magnate declarations of quarterly profits.

[4] The Madame - 6 HP, 1d8+2 Heavy Rifle (not carried), +1 Armored Fur Coat
She's purple, short, pudgy, and refined in every way, even when she swears. Something about her persona is just warm and inviting, and it isn't for sure or a trick either. One of the kindest and most open people among the Sequin Society, she's been around long enough to protect herself and those she cares about. Way too short and fat to be a big starlet, she instead manages talent and owns several extremely important businesses in relation to the movie business, like the teamsters and film production companies, giving her incredible influence.

She also used to hunt people down on a private game reserve with a high-powered rifle for money, but that was a long time ago. She's moved on from that, promise.

Notable Gang - Valets
Manpower- 2
Holdings- The Tip Jar (+1), High Class Hovercars (+2), Blackmail (+2)

The high class individuals of Shindig Street will claim up and down that no gangs can gain a foothold in this district. It's too posh, too clean, too exclusive. Despite their own secret society operating more or less in the same fashion. But for the most part, they're right. No street gangs or dredges of desperate criminals harass individuals walking down the opulent streets nor charge protection money to the exclusive few who qualify to run shops here. It's very disarming for those who keep their sidearm close in all other parts of the city.

But there is one exception to this; the Valets. While most of the servants and underclass of this district of the city are made up of the illusive Imnar, the valets are much more out and about. Acting as the chauffeurs, bag-boys, and other well dressed servants of high society; the valets are always ready to serve when anyone snaps their fingers; the universal sign of an aristocrat needing something. Over many years, this group of lowly servants have banded together in a sort of strange work union, pushing out individual servants, butlers, and even adventuring parties trying their best to make-good with the snobby high class residents of this district. Those who try to muscle in to this territory seem to find themselves losing friends and opportunities, the best parking places for their clients taken away just in the nick of time, their bags and belongings mishandled, until they either give a generous tip from an outstretched white-gloved hand or get with the program.

While almost always found alone and with violence being the last resort, the Valets own quite a strangehold on the high class service among the boujee hotels and walkways overlooking the scenic canal in the heart of this district. Their leader is Kev Zapir, a short and unassuming middle aged human with a clean haircut and even cleaner eyebrows. As the most popular valet of several of the cities higher level clients, he was gifted the ability to use their (very) expensive cars at his own use as long as the residents have no need of them on a visit; which they rarely do. Destroying these would be a massive blow to his credibility, and saddle him with debts that even the entire valet union couldn't possibly hope to repay.

Notable Location - The Red Theater
Angular art deco exterior, a well kept facade of a Tulorian fruit orchard stands out front, with a small curved path leading to the inside of the archway into the most important cultural hotspot in the entire city. Movies dominate here; and they are all first shown in this very theater. Exclusive to the extreme, even the paparazzi and beggars outside have to pass a certain license threshold just to stand along the main pathway, kept clear to the shining stars of Garden's culture.

Within, gifts and special announcements are given out with extreme focus and intention. You might see a woman receive a yellow bouquet of flowers and swallow nervously, before a servant pops out from behind a boiler to give her a bouquet of blue flowers; showing she has protection from a third party. Later, when dinner's appetizers arrive, a pile of bladefish eggs are presented to her plate, pointing towards the center. She excuses herself to leave and makes way to her vehicle, only for her hovercar to launch itself hundreds of feet into the air and come screaming down flattening some poor apartment building somewhere else in the city. What you just witnesses was a typical execution of the Sequin Society; a merciless war fought with big ceramic smiles and sidelong glances. This is their headquarters.

While mostly populated by rich and famous movie stars, anyone high up in the art world or their financiers can find themselves among their numbers. They show up to every new movie's first showing, having long social codes and guidelines that can only be learned from experience and decades of in-jokes and intentions, completely inscrutable to outsiders. If one of them wants to make an emergency meeting, then they need to release a new film. The theaters all over the cities are flabbergasted that people will waste millions on shoving up trash black & white films like this; but in their world, it makes perfect sense. The house is rife with assassination and secrecy. Any aspiring Sweeps can find themselves here; tasked with guarding, following, or assassinating members of the society even as they duck and dive in the secret side rooms and underground service tunnels deep beneath the city which all seem to crisscross right over this exact location.

Random Encounters on Shindig Street - 1d10

[1] Two extremely annoying young floozies walk in your path ahead of you. They walk just slow enough to slow your progress and would waste a lot of time (two turns) to just sit and wait for them to go far enough ahead, but just fast enough that overtaking them isn't easy without running and causing you to get weird looks and glances. They are constantly giggling and babbling on but ignore all polite social cues to be quiet or tone it down, and will act like YOU are the problem if you speak up about them. Just really, really annoying.

You either politely wait for them to get out of your hair or take 2 points of stress/temp-HP damage from dealing with them. 

[2] An Imnar pops out from a manhole, behind a dusty alleyway door, or from underneath a large car and opens fire at you with an SMG. He seems to be aiming high; his attack roll is made at -6 so you only get hit if you're an especially big target or very unlucky. Then, he'll attempt to run away and disappear if he manages to get out of sight.

If you catch him, he'll surrender immediately and attempt to communicate (not through spoken word) that he was simply told to try and scare you away from Shindig street by somebody rich and powerful. Either roll on the Notable Characters table (d4) to see who it was or tie it in with another dangerous NPC who has already had beef with the party before.

[3] Old irrelevant actor falls on his knees and begs you for help- he's saying that if he doesn't get some clout in this district soon he'll get killed by the Sequin Society! People are staring. It's one thing to upset them, it's another thing entirely to upset them in public. It's probably too late for this guy and it'd be best to avoid associating with him, but if you do manage to get him out of the district safely he'll be very grateful and give you his gold pass to enter Shindig Street freely, as well as giving you the location of the Valets room filled with secrets stolen from actors (Blackmail +2 can be removed in one fail swoop; for irony it's literally in a room full of dirty laundry).

[4] Well dressed street merchant tries to sell you something gaudy. But right before you push him away, somebody notices it's something from their homeworld. Like a fresh can of Coca-Cola or a pinch of black sugar salt from the hills of Xander. You just have to have it. It's expensive, but buying it gives you something that grounds you in the otherwise wild and alien city (recover a point of stress or HP).

[5] Two alien dogs, a long pink skinny one with three eyes and a short and stumpy green one with the generic antennae on its head both break loose from their handler. Naturally, the handler is (rightfully) concerned that he'll be killed if he can't get the dogs back. If you ask their names, you'll get a hint as to where each one went once they split up. If you collect both safe and sound, you'll receive an invitation to the next big movie screening for a Talkie; even the hors d'oeuvres are basically a roll on the treasure table. If you back the green one into a corner it'll spray acid at you at 2d4.

[6] You are approached by a sleazy looking man looking to invest in real estate and a peer-to-peer payment network. If you do not threaten him with violence immediately, he'll have you at the nearest restaurant, wined and dined, after having scammed you out of 20% of your current carried cash and fitting you with the (very large) bill. He's actually a low level psychic with certain mind control abilities, and will steer well clear of the party if you have psychic resistant members or psychic blanks. While he's not physically dangerous, any restaurant you end up at will have a professional hit squad on call to deal with dine-and-dashers.

[7] Confused looking old man dressed in a gi walking about. His body is lean and he practically floats when he moves, and knows kung fu. He tells you he's from the GOOD version of this setting, and is curious how he exactly got lost in this shitty version of it. If you fight him hand to hand he will absolutely kick your ass, but he can't do anything against bullets and will die like anybody else.

If you help him start a martial arts school or get him a leading role in an action movie he'll give you some pointers- permanent +1 to all hand to hand combat damage and you can ignore a point of armor on hand to hand attacks from body-weapon-strengthening techniques.

[8] Young Starlet approaches one member of your party; whoever has the nicest and longest hair, fluffiest fur, or most attractive feathers. She offers to pay you a large sum to have it shaved or plucked for her next outfit. If you refuse, you'll be followed for the next 2d6 weeks by shadowy figures, and if you're ever in a really wakened state a highly trained Collector will appear to take the offending material from you by force.

Collector- (8 HP, +1 Armor, 1d8+1 Pepperbox Gun, 1d4+1 scalpel, those hands at +1 to all attacks, Psychic Blank)
Shadowy man in a trenchcoat and wide-brimmed hat. Patches on elbows and knees. Looks like a private eye, but less noble and more sketchy. Seems immune to having his mind read, and is almost unnaturally dedicated in collecting whatever item he has been tasked with. If you look hard enough in the city archives, you can find a way to call him(?) to yourself, to which he will retrieve any one item for you, for an unusual price you may not be willing to part with.

[9] Roll on General Gang Table.

[10] Roll on General Encounters Table. 

Chain Gang's Main Drain

The Emperor is building a new canal. Maybe it's going to be full of his favorite fish; a pond next to his new palace. Or perhaps it's a massive rice farm, or maybe it's a network for fast travel and commerce within the heart of the empire. For whatever reason, a massive pit is being dug and slowly lined with wet stones. To accomplish this huge undertaking, hundreds of strong farmers, random criminals, and outlaws were shoved into this huge pit to finish the work. The pit is a straight drop, far too tall to climb out, with guards stationed every so often to make sure nobody is trying to escape. They are paid in sweet wine and bread, but at least they were promised a satchel of silver each when they were done. There's no telling if this will ever materialize, but at least it helps with the morale.

You are not one of them. You're down their drain.

Chain Gang's Main Drain
The center of the massive drained canal is a ditch that leads to a hole. The hole is many meters deep, only letting in enough light to barely illuminate the bottom. This is a drainage ditch and well dug to keep the canal from flooding too quickly, but the earth was too soft and it broke into a space beneath. The walls are way too wet to climb, and even getting a ladder down the tight hole would be difficult, if the chain gang even had one. You're stuck down here.

The Chain Gang has no way to get you out, but they still have need of you. Partially, just to have someone to look down on. The guards are lorded over by the Emperor, they chain gang are lorded over by the gaurds, and you're lorded over by them. Fair?

For doing tasks for them, the Chain Gangers can give you food, usually just scraps, and precious wine, which is one of your only ways of getting clean drinking water. They can also spare some of their tools, pickaxes to move stones and shovels to sift dirt, which you can use as weapons; but if too many goes missing or lost the guards will likely punish the Chain Gang very harshly, so they'll want them back for each inspection. They accomplish this by sending down a bucket on a string, along with other supplies, but it's too small and weak to send one of you back up, of course. Being down the drain does have its advantages though; the guards don't know you exist, and as such, you aren't getting beaten or forced to work. But where as the chain gang are going to be brought out of the pit when the job is done, and they swear they'll try to get you out, the architects overseeing the project have no obligation to figure out a solution to your problem, and the dig is on a tight schedule as is...

The Chain Gang's Quests
Every three days, the Chain Gangers will collectively have a task for you to complete. Their attitude is cordial, but they aren't going to share their rations if you don't help them, and they know you can't do much about it if they do stiff you your reward. The reward will be;

1. Exactly enough rations for everyone down the hole, with no extra for lunch breaks, healing (well fed bonuses), or monster bait, for the next three days. If the Chain Gang had a few bad days, assume a few smaller or missing rations this time.
   
2. One tool. This can be a rough shovel (1d3 blunt), a trowel (1d2, but can be used in grapple or sneak attacks like a dagger), a sharpened pickaxe (two handed, 1d6 piercing), or a long pole used for moving stones (1d4 quarterstaff, attack at disadvantage in cramped space, could be made into a spear or broken apart for a few torches). If it's a bad day, you get a random one instead of the tool you wanted.
   
3. Two pieces of driftwood and soiled linens that can be used as a torch OR a few leather straps that broke off from from scaffold or from moving heavy stones. (Two or more straps can be used to make basic armor as leather, or wrapped around your arms and legs for +1 temporary AC) If you don't ask for one in particular, they'll just give you a random choice.
4. One wineskin. The Chain Gang all get one every other three days, so they rotate who gives it up for you. First thing to go during bad days.
   

The wine is enough to get one person drunk or can be shared among three people. It's enough to wet your tongue enough to cast spells or can restore one Hit-Point if you chug the whole thing like a health potion. If anything bad happens on the surface (somebody escaped & the guards crack down, it rains, it's a church day and everyone is still forced to work, a mason loses their tools and the chain gangers are searched for contraband, etc.) then the wine always goes.

If you do a task for them, they'll give you all of the above as your reward. If you do an extra task or a really good job, they'll give you an extra pick of anything on the list; except for the wine.

There is also a one in six chance each day the Chain Gang steals something from a higher up like a mason (an actual valuable worker) or an architect who had to step into the pit for a moment. The Chain Gang is spiteful enough to want to pawn these off on you in lieu of one of your normal rewards just to inconvenience those above them, but will never send you down anything actually valuable like coin or a proper weapon. This special reward can only be taken on these days, and is randomly;

1. Length of rope or small bit of iron chain (1d3 improvised weapon). You can also break down the bucket for this if you really need it, but then you'll have no way to trade for items.
2. Mason chisel (1d4 improvised dagger) OR Mason's chalk
   
3. Parchment and paper taken from architects or stolen letters (you can use these to draw a map)
4. Axe Head that fell from a woodcutter and was lost in the mud when they were clearing space for the canal. (No handle, but could be made into a d6 axe)
5. Animal fat and grease from the kitchen tents (can be used as fuel, ointment, or smeared over something to make it bait for a monster). If you're a weirdo you can ask for specific organs or animal bones instead; like if you need them to cast a spell or something.
   
6. Guard's Cuirass (as chainmail). They would 100% keep this themselves but is too hard to hide and anyone caught with it would 100% be killed. Expect the next three days in a row to be 'bad days', since a guard either died or just got demoted.
   

In order to determine what task the Chain Gangers give you, roll on this table. If you roll a 11 or 12, then this is a bonus task that is secretly given by someone among the Chain Gang, whispered down and separate from the rest of the group. Roll again. They can drop something on the reward table extra; but it's rarely worth the added risk.

Chain Gang Task Table - Roll 1d12
[1] Teach us a new song, funny hole people! (Entertain them and humiliate yourself, 1d2 chance they get drunk and forget to give you your reward later)

[2] Stop the weird spiders that come up the hole from drinking our blood when we sleep.

[3] One of us dropped a silver wedding ring down the hole a few days ago, find it and bring it back up! And don't you dare keep it for yourself! It couldn't have gone far... right?

[4] The men are starved for something besides crusty stale bread. We want you to bring us an animal that we can eat from below; nothing unsavory or rotten, no nasty bugs, ye shits.

[5] We want to get high. Go bring us those little mushrooms, with the black caps and yellow spot? They only grow down below. The smaller and brighter the spots, the stronger.

[6] Our camp has a pet, a funny little monkey. He got loose from his rope and climbed down the hole; please bring him back! ALIVE!

[7] Bring us the precious ore; silver or gold! We can hide it from the guard.

[8] One of the architects said the canal floor is unstable. Go down there and put up some supports or whatever and prevent the next sinkhole!

[9] Don't you hear that horrible, stinking sobbing? There's a ghost down there of someone who fell in and died. Go get their remains so we can put them to rest and end the haunting.

[10] We heard there are Orcs down there. Please make sure there aren't any orcs down there. If there are any, can you like, make them go away? Please no Orcs.

[11] I am a worshiper of the ones beneath. Take this (cursed) talisman to the deepest place in that well; I will know when your task is complete. He will speak to me in my dreams.

[12] I was an apprentice alchemist before I was press-ganged. I have no interest in slaving away in this hole; especially how dangerous it is. Send me up a bucket full of the fulminate, those dull gray stones? And I'll reward you. (He will die in the escape attempt, one bad week after. But after this happens, you learn of their explosive properties).

This setup allows you to do a few interesting things. The core idea is that the players are trapped in an unequal relationship with people who are also trapped, and yet somehow a bunch of indentured servants are better off and better equipped then you are. I imagine this would probably work better as a level 0 funnel or a starter "dungeon" adventure. It also allows new characters and hirelings to literally be dropped in on your head; anyone who falls down the pit isn't going to get back up very easily, and the Chain Gang doesn't want to tell anyone in authority about the pit because it could be a method for them to escape their work, so anyone who falls down is stuck with you. I like the idea of an especially annoying guy accidentally falling down the pit while piss drunk and now having to work with the people whose hole he was just pissing down a few minutes ago.

With the canal eventually being finished and later flooded, there is also an implied time pressure. I don't have an exact time scale thought out for this, but it should be at least a few weeks, but probably less then a month. The idea here is the players need to find a way to escape in addition to keeping themselves alive and exploring the dangerous "drain". It's a classic overarching goal to their short term goals of survival and getting along with the workers above. You could probably shorten this down to a single session or two, but I like the idea of amassing a bunch of adventuring gear from scraps and trash; which is an element you lose if this is just the classic "party captured and has to escape with limited resources vibe"

The Drain
[1] The Hole
You're at the bottom of this. It's about as tight as a generic well, but opens up greatly near the bottom, where it broke into some natural underground area. Water trickles here constantly, but the sunlight and noise from the chain gang above keep most of the creatures at bay. Somehow smells worse then the deeper parts of the drain. While here and during the day make no wandering monster checks, at night, roll only a 1d4 on the wandering monsters table if you camp here.

The Hole has a tunnel that leads to two places, the tunnels at [2] and Cragger's Drog at [5], which is the reason exploration is so perilous.

[2] Mud Tunnels
Soft walls, damp, water is ankle high. Confusing mess of corridors that mostly lead to dead ends, except for the path to [3] & [4]. The first time you travel through this area, lose an exploration turn from navigation.

[3] The Descent
Steep rocky slope leading downwards. Slippery when wet; if you're encumbered and have a negative dexterity modifier, you will slip and fall back down, needing either a rope or less weight to make your way back up. Creatures from the deeper levels will not chase you past this point.

[4] The High Point
Circular chamber that's located somewhere in the cliffs and normal flat ground above the canal. The air here feels fresher and less heavy, indicated some air flow (it's coming in through the soil). Dwarves can easily tell this area is above the rest of the Drain in altitude. Only one way in and out, so it's probably the safest place to sleep.

[5] Cragger's Drop
The drain slopes down from the entrance to this point; there is a constant sound of crashing water. Hard but not impossible to safely climb down without tools. Two pickaxes and a strong arm (+1) Strength could get up and down pretty easily. If you have a negative Constitution modifier, the cold water will exhaust you too much to climb the rough edges.

The bottom of the drop is a bit of mostly safe and flat ground surrounding [6], with branching paths leading off to the other areas.

[6] Sharp & Pointy Pit
The place where all the metal weapons and tools flowed last time it rained heavy. Acts like a pit trap if you fall in (probably instant death), but you could lure a monster to fall in here instead. You can also search this place all you want, you won't find the wedding ring here. You can also dig out a sword (1d6) or spear (1d6) out of the crack if you spend an hour, have some rope, and have at least one character risk falling in to reach for it. 

There is also a precarious small sack hanging from the tip of an upturned spear, half ripped, just barely hanging on until it falls into the irretrievable abyss below. Mage Hand could pull it up but that's boring; make someone risk their life for the husk of a bread loaf (inedible) and 1d6 silver coins within.

If you throw the (cursed) talisman down this hole the man who gave you the tasked would be pleased and give you a reward; but over the next three nights you are plagued by nightmares and end up permanently cursed; feeling as though the deep longs for your destruction. (-1 to AC and Saving Throws whenever you're underground. Only people who directly voted for or had a hand in throwing the amulet down here end up cursed, and you could break the curse by retrieving it (lol) and putting it in the Deep Place [20] where it belongs.

[7] Trembler's Nest
Weird little bipedal, subterranean owls. They can only shake and huddle together in a corner for defense. Scrawny but can be consumed for food. Their legs and lower body are absolutely hideously scarred with tiny bite marks from their blood being drained over and over.

Their eggs are a dull green and vibrate worryingly when you hold them. If you throw them they explode like a grenade and deal 1d3 damage in an acidic yolk explosion. 1d6 Tremblers and 1d6 eggs can be found here. They aren't smart enough to leave if you come back, so you can find another egg every week or so if you don't eat them.

[8] Giant's Hand
There is a giant hand poking out of the wall lengthwise along this tunnel. You can squeeze past it easily as long as you aren't carrying something really big or have way too many weapons that might scratch it. No amount of noise will "wake" it up. However touching or attacking it will, causing it to lash out. It's stuck in the wall and can only attack by a big sweep (10 damage but spread evenly among all characters in the tunnel) or by grabbing and crushing someone it can feel (save and be grabbed, everyone has to attack it to let go, one round later it crushes dealing 2d6 unavoidable damage). It has 6 HD.

Also after killing the hand or if you dig the wall nearby you'll find it isn't actually attached to a giant and just kinda grew here attached to a wall with flesh colored webbing.

You can also totally chop up the hand if you have an axe and feed it to the Chain-Gangers but after one day they'll get sick and blame you for it (three bad days after).

[9] Moss Chamber
Large open space with shaggy moss that crunches like grass underneath. At exactly midnight, the Tremblers from [7] come here to forage for tiny worms and scrabbling cave-crabs. You could try harvesting the moss for something to burn or trade but it's too wet down here and would never dry properly. Underneath a shelf of discolored moss is a vein of fulminate, which you can extract. The moss acts as an excellent cushion to avoid flaming sparks from igniting the vein and also an excellent sound absorber for when you accidentally make it explode and kill everyone in the party.

An Elf or Druid could tell that the discolored moss must be growing on an unusual mineral. Otherwise you'd just have to investigate until you learn that's where it is.

[10] Blood Pool
Mysterious cave side chamber with a floor that funnels inwards to a pool of still blood. Along the outside edges are the desiccated corpses of several lanky owls, some worms, and a pixie. Vampires or weirdos could drink it and tell there is some human in it, but it's probably a mix of multiple. Actually where the blood drinking spiders lay their eggs. If you cause any ripples in the blood pool they hatch early in anticipation of their next meal.

Stat as a 2 HD Swarm (takes only 1 damage maximum from attacks, takes normal damage from AoE or fire). Deals 1d8 damage per round and always automatically hit without needing an attack roll (they crawl under your armor). The adult spiders are significantly less aggressive then this honestly, at least they wait until you're asleep.

[11] Roid Rat Feeding Ground
Weird rust-colored smears against a smooth rock floor. Little black turds indicate this is a place rats cross often from burrows and cracks in the walls. You could try to hunt these, but it's not worth it. There is a 1 in 3 chance any given hour 1d2 rats come out from their hiding places here.

Look like little albino kangaroo rats. They seem strangely docile, even when approached or after being caught in a trap. The moment they are cornered or handled however, they freak out, turn red, and triple in size. Like a goblin but with Strength modifier of +3. Attack by stomping your toes into paste; if you try to grab one it's thrashing can break your fingers. 1+1 HD creature with decent mobility since they jump around (eye level height). They always fight to death, and the meat is especially gamey and shitty like they burnt out everything they had just to spite you in their rage.

[12] Mysterious Tunnels
Winding upward tunnels carved into the stone, too smooth for tools. Could be a giant worm, but feels too intentional. Just big enough for a man to crawl through on hands and knees, half movement speed. Sharp rocks scraps your hands and knees unless if you have good quality clothes or leather straps to protect yourselves with (deals 1 nonlethal damage for a full journey up).

Follow the tunnels is painstakingly slow and takes at least two hours to crawl up them, but when you do you'll find a secret passage to [2]. It's significantly slower then taking the other path down, but large creatures certainly could not follow you up.

[13] Clutch Roots
Roots from some mysterious plant far above poke through the roof here. If touched directly (any character with a big hat or anyone really tall), the roots suddenly extend downward and try to wrap around and squeeze whatever touched them, needing an axe to be cut free. Using any improvised tool will dull it or have other roots grab it as well just to make things worse. As long as only one person gets trapped at a time, it's manageable.

Roots chopped down still retain the ability to squeeze but less aggressively. If fed with water they could be kept alive longer and made more docile; clever parties could wrap a fighter in these for some decent armor (as chainmail, but inflexible so treat your Dex as -1 while wearing). They only live for a week with constant watering, but if brought into the sunlight they sprout new small shoots and become living armor you can keep for as long as you want, immune to rust monsters, and grows back any damage it sustains. If the character wearing the armor dies from Dragonbreath or a Fire Spell however then the armor dies for good.

If you hold up a torch or lantern to look above at the roots and get a better look, you'll see the ceiling sparkle. There is a vein of gold from the rock the roots hang down from. Fire would work but the smoke would fill up this and surrounding chambers and be lethal.

[14] Mimic
Small side chamber which has a totally normal, clean treasure chest sitting in the corner. It's not dirty or rotten from the moisture at all. It is obviously a mimic. There are bones next to it for fucks sake. Stats as mimic. If you kill the mimic, you'll find a very traumatized monkey inside clutching a silver key belonging to the foreman above. (It opens the Chain-Gang's chains).

Also if you avoid the mimic entirely or come back here after dealing with it you'll notice a single mushroom leading you to the mushroom patch [15] in case you missed it. The mushroom is random and if plucked gives one dose, roll 1d6 on the Mushroom table below.

[15] Mushroom Patch
Cute little mushroom patch in the corner of this cavern, fed by a trickling of stalactites above. There seems to be a small glow around the shrooms even though none of them seem to be enchanting; it's actually the water that seems very lightly magical. There is enough mushrooms of each kind for a group (party sized) of people to be able to use them.

These are the Mushrooms you can find in the patch and their effects (Roll 1d6 for random)

1. White with Yellow Spots- Constipation for one day, then painful excretion.
2. All White- Edible and quite good (enough for 6-8 rations but don't grow back if they're all plucked)
3. White with Red Spots- Poison. Can be smeared on a weapon to deal +1 damage for a day, if eaten deals 1d6 damage instead.
4. Black with Red Spots- No noticeable effects. Vampires think you taste funny.
5. All Black- Giga Poison, but thankfully taste horrendous (you can't stomach eating one, but would be lethal if you did)
6. Black with Yellow Spots- Gets you high. As long as one party member remains sober, they can keep everyone in line. If everyone in the party tries one, you all black out in bliss and then wake up in a random place in the Drain (roll 1d20). There's one really small and brightly colored one hiding among the stalks, which only the party member most likely to want to stay sober will see.
   

Also, a Pixie lives here, making a living off some ambient dumb fae magic. There's a little house you can only see if you have Mage Sight (or are a Gnome). If you knock on the door and are polite the pixie will come out and ask you if you've seen its mother/daughter/significant other/whatever relationships pixies have. If you confirm the dead Pixie in the blood pool spider nest [10] then the Pixie here will be sad but will offer to enchant a weapon (+1) or a party member (+1 max HP). That's about the limit of her powers unfortunately.

[16] Tar Pits
Most of this chamber is dominated by large sloped pits with bubbling tar from deep beneath the earth. Anyone who is thrown into one will almost certainly get sucked in and drown. The air here smells terrible. You could use the tar as a glue or throw in trash to get rid of it but that about is the limit of its usefulness.

Halfway slid down a tar pit; you'll find a small, humble silver wedding ring here. If you touch the tar trying to grab the ring directly it will take a turn for someone to pull you out and a lot of cussing and noise (random encounter roll). If you fail any roll associated with getting the ring, it slides into the tar and is lost forever.

[17] Carved Dinosaur Skull
Huge open-mouth dinosaur skull acts as a cool entrance to the remaining areas [18], [19], and [20]. If you strike the cracked tooth with a blunt weapon the skull will snap shut blocked off access to the deepest areas (or trapping you inside). Digging around the skull would be almost as hard as trying to chip your way through it.

If a Necromancer or sufficiently skilled Magic-User inspects the carvings they can learn a random 1st or 2nd level Necromancy spell. If you use a different magic system, +1 to Dinosaur spells or whatever.

[18] Sad Little Corner
There's a sad little dead body in the corner of a stone chamber, desiccated to bones and tatters. Just looking at it makes you feel sad. If you get close, you must make a morale check or start openly weeping, which gives you -2 to your attack rolls if you get into a fight right after this. Somebody has to succeed a morale check to inspect or move the body. The body contains a small silver blade carved with a moon crest; increase your damage with offensive spells by +1.

If you pick up the body and give it a proper burial somewhere nice (The Moss Chamber or the Mushroom Patch), you'll put the spirit to rest. All Wandering Encounter rolls of 1 are treated as safe instead. If you dispose of the body somewhere shitty like the tar pits or loot it without a burial you'll enrage the spirit instead.

[19] Rubble Ditch
Shallow incline that leads to a wall completely caved in and filled with rubble. Nearby on flat stone ground are the signs of weapons being sharpened, some casually tossed aside bones, and some smashed gambling dice after a losing game. All sure signs of Orcs. They seem to be gone now; back to the subterranean kingdoms from whence they came when there was nothing to plunder and no reason to guard this hole when a cave-in would suffice.

[20] The Black Altar
At the deepest point in the Drain is a black altar coated with slime and moss, hanging from the sides, black tar seeping in from the ceiling in slow droplets, black water bubbles around its base. All light sources are dimmer and darker in this room; torches become candles and candles become matchsticks. If you took the amulet from the cultist Chain-Ganger, you can put it here to properly complete their request and please their Gods. If you are suffering from a Curse, you get an extra saving throw to break it.

You can also drink from the black water below the Altar to pledge yourself to the Ones Beneath. From then on, you will feel a calling to the dark places of the world, and feel uncomfortable in the sunlight. If you choose to follow these new Gods and their whisperings you could unlock new powers stemming from the dark and cthonic, but your alignment shifts towards Chaos. Pledging yourself to these Gods allows you to drink this water as a healing tonic like a health potion. For Clerics of existing Gods or lawful character; this water burns their skin like Unholy Water. The bubbling water loses all special properties when taken above ground.

If you disrespect or desecrate this altar in some way, you will anger the Ones Beneath. Add +1 to all wandering encounter rolls while you remain in the Drain.

Wandering Encounters (Roll 1d6)
[1] Crying Ghost Girl (1 HD, +4 AC, Ethereal, Undead)
Doesn't attack and has no morale. You see the girl as a translucent blue-colored specter holding her face in her hands floating along, quietly sobbing. It's a ghost so she can't be hurt by normal weapons. Anyone who hears the ghost directly feels sad, and receives a negative -1 to their next Saving Throw or until they are cheered up. Any Turn Undead action causes her to disappear.

If you anger the spirit of the girl, the ghost will instead appear with a red color and the spirit attacks with tears streaming down its face. It gains +1 HD and deals 1d8+1 damage with her incorporeal hands, which cause lacerations to appear on your flesh as if from nothing. She will also give off a banshee scream once per time she is encountered where all your party members are stunned for one round and have to make another Wandering Monster encounter roll to see what the noise brought.

[2] Blood Drinking Spiders (1 HD, +2 AC, Bloodsucking attack 1d4+1)
Morale: 8
Number Appearing: 2d4+1

The adult version of the Blood Drinking Spiders, about as big as a housecat. They aren't especially aggressive, especially after feeding. After making a successful attack, the individual spider makes a morale check to run away and go spit the blood up in their blood pool spawning nest at [10]. The spiders heal 1 hit point each time they successfully drink blood from someone. They aren't very smart and will bite straight into metal shin guards or boots if you have them, causing their mouthparts to break and making them totally harmless.

[3] Roid Rat (1+1 HD, +2 AC, Stomp Attack 1d6 damage)
Morale: 7 or Fight Until Death
Number Appearing: 1d2

Strangely calm and docile albino cave dwelling rat. Doesn't have any interest in fighting and will run away if you make loud noise, but corner one or grab one and prepare for it to roid out and attack. Described in more detail at [11].

[4] Long Man (3 HD, +2 AC, Stomp Attack 1d6+1, Bite Attack 1d10+1 casts Web when at half HP)
Morale: 14
Number Appearing: Just one

Looks like a pale creepily elongated human man with no genitals. You get the feeling its something nameless and promethean. It doesn't bleed, and instead has some strange skin-colored goo inside of its body that leaks out in sticky strands. When it takes enough damage this spurts out over everyone close enough covering them in it and slowing their movement. Prefers to attack with legs that are as long as you are tall even though it has to unnaturally crouch down in these tunnels given its too tall for them.

It can also unhinge its jaw and open its mouth very wide to bite with big flat teeth; but it only does this against someone totally immobilized by its Webbing or something trying to grapple it up close. The first one of these you encounter will be missing a hand.

[5] Giant Mud Wasp (2 HD, +6 AC, Stinger Attack 1d6+1, Mild Poison causes nausea, calls reinforcements)
Morale: 16
Number Appearing: 1d2 and then way more

They can't see you and get disadvantage to attack you if you're covered in a good amount of mud or tar, but seriously, don't fight these. Won't chase you down since they're too busy scrapping in the mud to build a nest or whatever it is they do.

[6] Chain-Ghoul (2+1 HD, +4 AC, Chain whip attack 1d4+1, Chain wrapped claws at 1d6, Undead)
Morale: N/A
Number Appearing: 1d4

Body of a Chain-Ganger executed or fallen into the well and left to rot. Their corpse is puppeted by animated chains they are still bound by; they move around like Doctor Octopus from Spiderman. They attack with broken bits of chain and smack you with their claws that are wrapped in chains for more impact and are fierce. If multiple Chain-Ghouls are encountered at once, they are encountered chained together, and get slower for each one felled as the others have to drag its corpse around.

While I don't use Ghoul to mean D&Dism Ghoul Ghouls if you insist on giving them the D&D Ghoul paralysis thing then make it wrap people hit by it in chains if they fail the save instead since it's cooler.

If you spend a combat round unlocking their manacle using the Foreman's silver key [14] the ghouls instantly go limp and cease their undeath as their spirits are free. This roll requires you to either keep the ghouls still for one round, or have someone use a Slight-Of-Hand or Rogue skill to actually get the key in there.

[7] Dark Dwellers (5 HD, +4 AC, +2 To-Hit, 2d6 tentacle attack which entangle on any roll of 6, corrosive blood returns 1d2 damage blunt weapon attacks, pass thru matter, light sensitivity)
Morale: 17
Number Appearing: 2d4

Hulking and misshapen black figures from the unnamed places beneath the earth. Seem to be made of black tar and shadow. Attack with tentacles that spawn from random places on their body making their attacks difficult to deflect or dodge. When hit with blunt weapons or fists the struck body part bubbles up and then pops, releasing bubbling black water that burns (identical to [20]) your skin from its heat and corrosive shadow. Whenever their tentacles deal a maximum damage roll on either die, they entangle them in some tentacles. If one die rolls 6, they are partially entangled and can't move but can still fight back, if both roll a 6, they are totally entangled and can't do anything unless cut free.

The Dark Dwellers are agents of the Ones Beneath and have no interest in feeding or killing the party members for sport. Instead, they will attempt to kill whoever desecrated the sacred altar, or those aligned with the forces of the Sky or Light (Clerics of Sky Gods are hated almost as much as those who desecrate the altar). They're clever and won't fight endlessly; instead trying to wrap the offender up in their tentacles and then sink into the floor with them in tow never to be heard from again.

While extremely strong, the Dark Dwellers are weak to light. Torches and lanterns cause them to flinch back and attack at -2 to whoever holds them. Anything that produces light (glowing sword, firefly lantern, torch, etc.) deals damage either equal to a 1d6 sword OR deals +1 bonus damage, whichever is stronger. Intended to be a party wipe unless you have some amazing light sources (like a Light spell, or Flare, or a flask of sunlight or something) to even the odds.

Possible Outcomes
Because there is no direct end goal the main driving force for the party will be to find a way to escape the drain while playing nice with their unreliable and unhelpful superiors in the form of the chain-gangers, who are in turn enslaved by someone above them.

Possible methods to escape the Drain as written here are;

• Do enough favors to be lifted out of the hole by the Chain-Gang (only works for small characters; maybe the pixie can shrink you?) You'd still have to escape the ditch and guards afterwards
  
• Intentionally cause a cave-in which could open a way out onto the surface. Obviously, this has its own risks. I like to imagine monster hunters and the guards will come out to any open sink holes to make sure nothing crawled out to stalk the King's woods; would include outlaws like you or maybe they assume you're escaped Chain-Gangers.
  
• Survive in the drain long enough for the work to be completed and the water let into the canal. If this happens you'll be swept away into the great below and die unless you set up camp in the high point [4]. It will take at least a few days for the water to settle, and then you can swim up out of the hole if you can hold your breath long enough and remember the way. There won't be any guards waiting for you because nobody is expecting a bunch of outlaws to surface in a giant farming irrigation canal.
• Break open the rock wall at [19] and enter the Underdark. Not technically escaping to the surface but you're bound to find another way back up eventually. This would either take explosives (the fulminate) or several days of hard labor. You'd still need to supply this work with food from the Chain-Gangers and new tools. Assume 1d2 tools break per day while digging through the stone, everyone working on it needs double rations, and it takes ~250 man hours to complete (three strong men working twelve hours a day a week could clear it, add an extra hour of work completed per strength modifier or if you have extra tools)
  
• Align yourself with the Ones Beneath. While this would help you survive or do do other tasks or missions, I imagine having enough favor with them or one night before the whole cave floods you get a premonition that you can safely enter the tar pits at [16] to be sucked away to some other subterranean realm or the Underdark. If you haven't pledged your soul to the Ones Beneath and are just tagging along to the party then make a save or die. I think the idea of one party member being the chosen mud messiah only for half of party to die when they try their stupid plan to trust the dark gods who hate the sun.
  

Note: Only after writing this did I realize that I wrote a similar set up for the Massacre at Slave Creek which featured similar factions. I actually think this works out better because this adventure almost perfectly fits into the next if the Chain-Gang manages to escape or rise up against their captors, or if the players exacerbating the tensions so badly the guards begin a massacre to kick off those events.

Cantrips Ain't Easy + Demon Summoning for Dummies

I've already talked about this concept before, both in the Magic Cards post, which was more based on a way to put magical one-time use spells into a fantasy world, and then in the Freeform Curse generator, which was a bit more folkloric and a way to make a fantasy world feel a bit more "mythological" in its moral landscape. A lot of people include within their fantasy settings the concept of magic being more common- including to the point of most (if not everyone) learning a few basic magic spells (cantrips) in order to help with daily life. The reasoning behind this being that if low level magicians can cast weak magic with relatively little investment; then it makes sense most people would want to learn at least some magic given the extreme utility of some of the weaker spells- even spells like Prestidigitation or Light would have a profound impact on any society, especially one stuck in a anachronistic medieval morass of development.

However, both of these posts above illustrate something I think is interesting; a typical inversion of the fantasy trope of magic being weak for beginners, and strong for experts. Of course, it makes logical sense that magic should operate this way; a master wizard can throw fireballs, while an apprentice can only conjure a candle flame. This is obvious even, a common trope. But it doesn't necessarily have to be the case; and even if it exists for some forms of magic, it doesn't have to be that way for all of them.

Remember; magic doesn't necessarily follow real world skills, nor do all skills directly follow this correlation of low skill = small & simple and big skill = big & complicated. While it makes sense that an amateur carpenter can build a birdhouse but not a human-sized house; I wouldn't trust an amateur surgeon to make a small and delicate incision as opposed to say, amputating a limb. I think the closest analogy to magic when it comes to mundane skills would be demolitions and pyrotechnics. Any idiot can blow the shit out of something, since they just pile on the TNT- but only a master can say launch a human out of a cannon. After all, too little and they won't fly, too much and they'll explode. Controlling arcane power could very well be the same.

This also goes hand in hand with the concept of amateur magic, magic backlash, or unintentional side effects of magic creating various monsters, curses, or negative magic effects in a setting. When old farmer willow asks you to bring his dead crops back and you say the words, you're also going to bring back the skeletons of ancient warriors buried deep beneath the farm as well. They can hear the words under the soil just as well as the dead plants can. The same applies to lighting a candle instead of blowing up half the inn- the portal you open to the elemental plane of fire isn't so easy to shrink to the exact right size- as such, a "cantrip" or minor trick of magic is actually much more difficult to learn and master then a big and powerful spell. Most magic users spend decades of their life perfecting this fine art of control. Amateur wizards blow themselves up all the time, because they don't have this level of control. Cantrips are the sign of a powerful magician; not an amateur.

But moving away from just "magic" in the arcane sense, the stuff that wizard's use, let's focus more on the folkloric style of magic. The above really gave me an idea for magic being a serious problem; not because it's hard, but because it's way too easy for someone to fuck everything up. Like for example- anyone can summon a demon. Naturally, demons like it this way. If it was too difficult or required some high-end rituals and powers to do so; it would be too rare an occurrence. Oh no, demons make it very easy to call them, and for this reason, people often oblige.

"Ritual" magic in most TTRPGs tends to be a high end thing, often reserved for the Wizard or magic using class, due to being good set dressing to powerful and unique magic effects. However, the entire concept of a "ritual" is to be a set of steps and procedures that can be followed time and time again. This is the exact type of magic that is most likely to be spread far and wide, in shadowy alehouse corners and campfire conversations.
"If you sacrifice a living thing- like a chicken or a goat- and invoke the powers of darkness, you can make a demon come to you. They will serve your command or grant you a wish."
"Aren't demons dangerous?"
"Yeah- that's why you draw a circle of chalk at your feet. That means they can't hurt you- at least until you leave the circle..."

Demon Summoning for Dummies
In order to summon a demon, you need only know the steps. Different cultures and races may have their own steps or their very own demons they deal with- but for humans, this is the most common one.

Note: These steps are listed in this way so they can easily be disrupted. If a dark presence has formed- casting a Light spell can banish it and disrupt the ritual, so can coming in loudly and screaming into battle, or obviously saving the sacrifice before it or they are killed, etc.

1. It must be at night, or in a very dark place. Candles are used during rituals so as to not produce too much light.
   
2. A living thing is sacrificed and its blood is run over the ground or on an altar.
3. While the animal or person is bleeding out- the one who killed them must speak aloud and speak the name of a spirit to call them. For the sake of demons, simply saying "I call upon the darkness" is enough to call a random demon.
   
4. Everyone must be then be quiet and wait for a dark presence to form and speak.
   

Once these steps have been completed, a dark presence will appear. This presence will typically be a mass of shadows in the corner, or appear in a mirror or reflective pool of water. The presence is the spiritual form of the demon, which has not yet manifest fully into the living world. However, it can communicate and speak- its voice often carried by the rustle of wind in the trees or a groaning beneath the earth. Typically, the demon will ask what is willed of it- and several things can happen.

If the demon is significantly stronger then the individuals summoning it and it is being bid to do something very difficult, impossible, or against its nature- it will manifest and attack. Use HD or level of the caster x2 vs the demon's HD. If the demon's is still twice as high, it's just going to kill them for the arrogance for disturbing it. If the summoner is standing in a chalk or salt circle, the demon cannot attack them, but will still destroy or attack anyone else nearby out of spite.

If the demon is significantly stronger then the individuals summoning it, and is being bid to do something evil, malicious, or well within its purview of interest- then it will oblige the request. Demons are tricky, and prefer to leave the world a much worse place then they found it. Whatever request was given to them will be twisted and exaggerated to cause as much chaos and misery as possible. Often, demons will make the situation worse in an attempt to get the individuals to call them back again to continue the cycle.

If the demon is roughly equivalent then the individuals trying to summon it- it will listen to the request fairly and fulfill it or decline if it is too difficult. The demon is unlikely to want to get on the summoners bad side, but will absolutely still take advantage of any weakness or opportunity it can sense. This is still the most "fair" demonic interaction.

If the demon is significantly weaker then the individuals summoning it, and is being bid to do something very difficult, impossible, or against its nature- the demon will lie and make excuses, demanding more sacrifices or proclaiming itself to be the lord of hell itself, insulting the summoners and threatening them with their destruction, etc. The demon will lash out via curses or possessing nearby objects to fly, control nearby animals to attack, and so on.

If the demon is significantly weaker then the individuals summoning it, and is being bid to do something evil, malicious, or well within its purview of interest- the demon will be forced to manifest and become the servant & familiar of the person who summoned it. It is still not likely enough to be powerful enough to fulfill the request on its own and will assist the summoner as the "devil on their shoulder".

While the "strength" of the summoners could be literally based on the HD or level of the characters, there's also a greater component of spiritual strength. For example, an anointed priest could call upon a more powerful demon then a layman and have more guaranteed protection given their status. Human nobles with no special skills or powers are also likely considering "greater" then an average outlaw to the demonic forces due to their position in society- but this could just as easily be flipped on its head for calling upon spiritual forces like jaguar demons from the depths of the jungle hells- an entity like that would consider a fellow hunter or outdoorsman a far more equal to itself then a city slicker regardless of their wealth or social connections. Following these mechanics; a Cleric or Paladin should count as a level or two higher when compared to the HD of the demon. In addition, if your game has skills, then every rank or two of Arcana or Demonology should also count as a bonus +1 to your HD when summoning a devil. Your character may be a withered old man but if he has memorized the names and guises of a hundred dark ones you can bet he can command some sick ass demons.

Once a demon has "manifested", it has the appearance and powers of its statblock. Typically demons can do things like travel long distances quickly, transform, turn invisible, cast spells and curses, etc. It will use its abilities to fulfill requests as well as attack any foolish summoners who anger it.

It should also be noted that these mechanics, while known to you, are not necessarily known to the people of the setting. Only the ritual steps, and even those may be incomplete or rife with misinformation. As such, demonolgists and sorcerers can summon demons much more reliably and safely by calling upon demons who fit what they need for a given curse or summoning and that they can control. It's also pretty much designed to cause as much chaos as possible for weaker beings who use this ritual; which is the point. The more desperate and lowly something is, the more demonic forces can take advantage of it for their own ends. This also leads directly to fun story moments; bandits accidentally summoning an demonic prince of hell and getting gutted, or a powerful necromancer now having an annoying imp following them because they wanted to "gain more knowledge" and the idiotic thing just keeps stealing books for him and piling them on his bedsheets every night.

You might also ask, "why the hell would anyone summon a demon in the first place?!" and that's a good question. There are actually a lot of reasons why. I dislike settings or cosmologies that have "deals with the devil" being a literal component of the world or setting- not only is it incredibly cliche at this point, but it doesn't make logical sense. Selling you soul to the devil is not always literal thing, it's a metaphor meaning doing evil or violating your own moral compass to accomplish something or take advantage of someone. Demons don't need you to hand over your soul to get one over on you, just summoning one and sacrificing a living thing and also fulfilling whatever crass or selfish desire or petty plan for revenge is enough to damn you anyway.

There are also a lot of situations where one would be desperate enough to summon a demon. Here's twenty examples.

Desperate Demonology Table - Roll 1d20
[1] Group of bandits are held up in a fort. They're under siege by the local lord's forces and are running out of food. They take the last scrawny chicken from the courtyard's coop and perform a ritual to try and negotiate a way out of here.

[2] An older prostitute in a city has lost much of her beauty over the last few years- and will soon not be able to attract enough clients to make her living. Instead of become destitute, she nabs an orphan off the street and is getting ready to sacrifice him in exchange for returning her youth.

[3] Someone in your family is going blind. The local healers cannot help, and the evil-racist church refuses due to their status as a mixed breed person. You decide to spite the church since they won't help you anyway- and slit the throat of a goat to see if darker forces can heal the ailment.

[4] Group of musicians performing at a local fair were stopped by a young and arrogant nobleman's son. He ordered all their instruments broken and laughed at them. Because of their status as lowly travellers, and the young son being out of reach for the law- the musicians circled their wagons and are now performing a ritual to get revenge on the arrogant noble.

[5] Pirates stuck at sea within a dead zone- no wind or currents. Totally unable to move for multiple days, they will surely die unless they do something. They pick the youngest cabin boy and move to have him drowned in the ocean at midnight to call upon the devils of the deep to let their ship sail again.

[6] Proactive village elders, disillusioned by their years or peace and prosperity under the local nature spirits who have protected them, are concerned about recent pillaging and bandit attacks. In order to protect their village; they perform a sacrifice of a pig to their local shrine- not realizing they've called something else this time; pretending to be the deity they've relied on for so long.

[7] Lazy, ignorant farmer's back is acting up again. He's not gonna take it this year. Takes his old horse out back with a knife and wants to sacrifice a demon of sloth to harvest and mill his grain for him.

[8] Kids at an orphanage have an extremely cruel and strict mistress who they can't stand anymore. They find an alleycat and decide to sacrifice it to call upon a demon to rid themselves of their mistress once and for all. Bonus points if the party stumbles onto the ritual and the kids falsely assume they are the demon sent to take care of the problem before the real demon shows up. Yes this is literally just copying the Skyrim quest, I still think it's pretty good.

[9] Blacksmith's son ran away from home, went missing, presumed dead and eaten by something in the mountain. The blacksmith is a patient and faithful man; but can't stand the loss anymore and decides to sacrifice an animal and call a demon to find or bring their son back. The blacksmith is aiming for a very powerful demon to accomplish this goal, and (correctly) believes he can control it by twisting its nose with his tongs. But he also (incorrectly) assumes the demon can actually bring his son back, and not just a revived soulless husk.

[10] Clever merchant has his grip on every local townshed and tradesman, gaining half his money through bonds and loans he's given without lifting a finger himself. Excessively greedy- the merchant buys a slave girl to sacrifice to summon a demon. Not for a favor, but to get some insider tips from his own kind.

[11] The local priest is preparing a sacrifice of an all white lamb to summon a powerful demon. The reason? To beat the shit out of him and get back the souls of some of his flock, who recently died in a plague, before they could be well enough to give their final confessions and cleanse themselves of sin.

[12] Insane wildwoman kills people in the woods and whispers dark names she learned as a child when she fell into a cave for three whole days and went insane and nearly died. The catch is every demon she summons is instead set loose- she doesn't ask any favors of them, merely creates them and moves on- reveling in spreading out the great darkness she once knew. 

[13] Dumbass wizard apprentice at wizard collage wants to summon a demon to punish fellow classmates for insulting and bullying him. The demons are very resentful as he doesn't allow them to kill his classmates- merely pranks and humiliates them before dispelling the demons before they can have any real fun. With his knowledge he can summon up to three demons before he conjures up something WAY too big for him to handle.

[14] The Storm King can create tornadoes and zephyrs at his will; such is his brightright of the divine desert royal bloodline. But in recent years, this gift has been fading in each successor to the throne until him, barely able to conjure a dust devil. Fearing his future son will not have this power at all and will become dethroned as a result; the king orders a dozen palace servants sacrificed in a bloody ritual to call upon all the hells for a worthy mate. The succubus he summons up will be the mother of the antichrist.

[15] Scholar, obsessed with completing his works on ancient history, wants to call up spirits of the dead to get first hand accounts of his lore. Sadly, demons catch wind of his bloodletting divination tricks and whisper to him in his sleep to sacrifice a life, his old messenger owl, so they have a gateway into our world.

[16] Cruel and paranoid warlord who managed to conquer four cities now obsessed with his three lieutenants, each in charge of another city, who may betray him at any moment and try to unite to rise up against him. He kills a captive soldier and summons a demon to spy on them and rely information; but with each day his paranoia only grows as the demons feed him lie after lie.

[17] Beggars in the city grate are usually content with their lot; but one night when the snow and rain got too much for them, they decided to take shelter in a storm drain. Their, they found dark writings on the wall and, putting their heads together to make out what they mean, they could only piece together the steps of a ritual to "grant happiness", but not actually what that means. They've tied the tails of seven rats together, and will crush them all with a great mallet tonight- summoning something far worse.

[18] Constantly ill and bedridden young lady, obsessed with romance novels and living in her own fantasy world. Needing a friend more then ever, she kills one of her songbirds and drizzles a ritual circle on her bedside table- hoping to get a "friendly" imp familiar as a companion.

[19] Temple priestess of the heathen "foreigner" religion is an expert at summoning up devils and creatures from other worlds from her many daily sacrifices and captives from slaver parties. However, one week from now is the equinox where she will have her heart removed to please the God of the sun and return the light back to the world. Until then, she is trying hard to secretly gain power over the many devils and demons the temple summons to fight her way out.

[20] Horrible, wealthy old man desires a young and beautiful bride- but she continually refuses his advances. One night, he pays local thugs to capture her and bring her back to his mansion- but not for what you think. He's going to kill her, summon a demon with her sacrifice, and demand the demon drag her soul straight to hell for slighting him.

[ToM] Sky Theater

Large room dominated by three vertical windows. The floor is slanted very slightly upwards towards the outside wall, causing all casually standing or sitting to be looking upwards towards the sky- the horizon just barely not visible depending on how close to the window you are.

This was the Sky Theater, intended for their guests. The Mozz had their own way of doing their dances, a key element to the male element of their society, but for guests? It was made theatrical. Actors and dancers would fly in through the windows, disappearing into the sky to change into costume, and reappear again. The Sky itself was the backdrop of the performances; and plays would adjourn before continuing when the sky matched the action; the next time it rains, the scene of betrayal. The next sunrise- a hopeful journey begins. Thin lips, only about a foot across, jut out from the windows just out of sight for actors to rest and await their cue.

Stone blocks, which act as seats for the elderly watching the plays as well as stone tables for the people who have come to explore this place, sit about midway between the larger openings and the windows. On one block is a masquerade mask, made to fit a bird's beaked face, and a long red and black cloak faded with time, but still whole. If anyone claps, whistles, or speaks the line "But thankfully, they aren't here yet."- the mask and cloak will rise to take on its role as the threatening antagonist of this act.

Masked Stranger (2+2 HD, +2 To-Hit, +3 AC, Shadow Dagger at 1d4+1, Spells)
Morale- 9

Appears as a cloak and mask floating in the air. There is a tiny hint of a shadowy cloud beneath, animating it as a body. If killed, the mask will fall to the floor dramatically, cracked down the middle, with the cloak suddenly catching the wind and blowing out the window to places unknown.

The Land around the Great Temple of Mozz

Locations
[1] Base of the Temple
[2] Enchanted Plots
[3] Exposed Trenches
[4] Quiet Estuary
[5] Jungle
[6] Migration Stone
[7] Lovely Slots
[8] The Lump
[9] Overlook Mesa
[10] Drytalon Canyon
[11] Perching Stone
[12] Desert
[13] Gnoll Camp
[14] Vulture Block
[15] The Peaks
[16] Tricksome Spire
[17] Shadowy Recess
[18] Avalanche Pass
[19] Camp Remnants
[20] Savannah
[21] Eggeater's Shrine

Wandering Encounters - Roll 1d6
[1] Giant Spiked Lizards (1 HD, +2 AC, +1 To-Hit, 1d4 Bite, 1d2 Eyebleed)
Morale- 6
Numbers- 1d6+1

Desert creatures- hungry for their next meal. Covered in thorns but not too dangerous. When threatened (if they take damage and survive) they shoot blood from their eyes- the blood stings like nettles. However after they shoot the eye-blood they become blind and can't see for the rest of the fight.

[2] Bird-Eating Snake (1 HD, +1 AC, +3 To-Hit, 1d4 Bite, Necrotic Venom)
Morale- 6
Numbers- Just one

Drab desert snake, blends in well. Sans rattle. If it bites you, save or take 1d6 damage per turn for the next hour. Its bite causes the flesh around it to rot away. This is a purely defensive tool; as the snake only eats birds. It hates the color green.

[3] Drytongue Camel (3 HD, +1 AC, 1d4 Hoof, Dryspit, Undead)
Morale- N/A
Numbers- 1d6

Shambling undead creatures from the deep desert. Desiccated corpses of camels; these creaky abominations move with surprising speed. Unless you are mounted, you cannot outrun them. They are Undead, and can be Turned.

While their sandy hoof-falls are not especially dangerous on their own, the camels spit is its most dangerous weapon. Each time one spits on someone, make a save. On a failed save, that person is suddenly extremely thirsty and must drink any liquid nearby (like a potion) or pass out from dehydration. If there is no adequate supply of water nearby, they will die in one hour. Camels can only spit once every three rounds.

If you brought horses along with you that died in the desert, this camel encounter will be joined by them. They have the same stats, but they can't spit.

[4] Giant Termites (2+2 HD, +2 AC, 1d6 Bite, Xylophagy, Blind)
Morale- 11
Numbers- 1d6 + 1 per round

Huge bugs that crawl around. There's never just one. If you "finish" this encounter, you didn't kill them all, they just got busy doing something else. The Termites are blind and won't be able to follow you if you just walk away quietly; as long as you aren't carrying anything too smelly.

Termites eat wood. On a hit, the termite has a 1 in 2 chance of consuming a wooden haft or handle of whatever weapon you're holding, or taking two rounds to fully munch down a wooden shield. If you don't have a wooden weapon, ignore this. Throwing down a sheaf of arrows is a good way to get them to leave you alone.

[5] Spanshadow (1 HD, +6 AC, Ethereal, Spells)
Morale- 10
Number- 1d3

This creature appears as the shadow of a great bird flying overhead, but if you look up- you'll see nothing in the sky. It is only a shadow on the ground, and a thing of powerful dark magic.

The shadow passes by quickly, as though it is in flight. You can only harm the shadow with a magic weapon, and only by striking its shadow as it flies by with great speed. In addition, the shadow casts spells- curses or hexes, but it can only strike those whose shadow passes over it. For this reason; ignore any spell effects that target an area of effect or hit more then one person. The shadows will keep casting spells and harass anyone until you defeat them or rest under something shady for 1d4 turns.

[6] Gnoll Patrol (2 HD, 1d6+1 Cruel Weapons, Pack Tactics, Superstition)
Morale- 8
Number- 2d6 Patrol OR 2d8+1 Shaman

Uh oh. Gnolls are strong and brutal, and get a bonus to damage. Gnolls aren't especially smart, but like to use basic flanking tactics- one attacks the front, while another circles to the rear to go in for the stealthy kill. Gnolls of this group are superstitious; the first time you cast a spell on them, they'll all be stunned for one round. Once the initial shock of this has worn off- they'll be back to normal.

There is also a 1 in 4 chance the Gnolls will be escorting their shaman to some place of magical importance or an especially interesting piece of carrion. Witchfinger is a 2+2 HD Gnoll Shaman that casts all sorts of nasty spells; but his favorite is his Whirlwind.

[ToM] Gnoll Camp

The Gnolls have set up a camp high above a desert ridge. This gives them a view over all of this part of the valley; everything from the desert to the savannah and as far to the perching stone. They are gnolls and make their living on both robbing as well as eating travelers. These gnolls are a lot more lean and well prepared then gnolls most people in the civilized places are used to- most of the people that end up in this valley are tougher then the normal stock- given they probably crossed through a desert to get here.

There are about eighty gnolls that live at this camp. Twenty are noncombatants (children, elder males). Of the rest, about half will be out hunting or patrolling at any given time, but they are notably less active in the day and more will be at camp (they are mostly nocturnal). The camp is visible from a good distance from both the fires, the smell of cooking flesh, and the tents made of skinned humanoids. You can roll a reaction check if you approach with your weapons sheathed, but it will probably end badly. Their only useful things to trade are information, gnome leather, or a four man guard that will follow you into the temple and help you fight monsters (the four gnolls they'll give you are the dumbest and smallest runts). Witchfinger will absolutely give you the gnolls as permanent henchment if you bring him the head of the leader of the Orcs, who disappeared into the temple just a few weeks ago.

The Gnolls are ruled by a shaman, who is a superstitious magic user skilled in necromancy and basic elemental magicks. His name is Witchfinger (most Gnolls name themselves after the most interesting thing they've eaten) He knows healing spells; but only uses them sparingly even on his most loyal warriors- those who succumb to their wounds are too weak to survive in his tribe and are of better use dead.

Witchfinger (3+3 HD) has also stolen some magical power from a nearby site- the Overlook Mesa. This place has connection to the harsh desert wind- and is the source of power for his Whirlwind spell. If you desecrate this site, Witchfinger will lose this spell permanently, and will likely seek out the one who did it to extract terrible vengeance upon them.

Whirlwind
This spell create a whipping wind about twice as big as a man. It goes as the caster directs it- they must channel and chant to move the wind about as it goes. Anyone struck by the wind will find their skin ripped by sand and harsh hot gusts, dealing 1d4 damage, and they must save or be knocked to the ground. Anyone laying flat on the ground is immune to this spell's damaging effect, but they cannot get back up if they failed their save until the wind passes over them or someone comes to help them. The whirlwind can be parked directly on someone if Witchfinger really doesn't like them. The wind moves as fast as a man can run and can go as far as the caster can see- but will break apart if moved through rocky terrain or vegetation- as it will break up the mini-storm.

[ToM] Drytalon Canyon

Dusty desert canyons- offering the first shelter towards The Great Temple from the inhospitable flats. The canyon is very old indeed, with deep raised sides near impossible to climb. Beyond the red colored stone; the walls have a curious feature. There are white scratches and marks all over the canyon's interior walls, as high as a man can jump and some farther up- all scratched with deep grooves which have only barely faded with time. This was once the canyon where Mozz' warriors sharpened their talons and practiced their art of war.

There is a small and perilous hiking path up to the Overlook Mesa. It takes two hours to reach it from the floor of the dry canyon.

The Canyon is also home to a rare type of creature; a large dusty beetle. Its back is the exact color of the canyon walls, and most have grown a peculiar marking on the back in the shape of an off-white scratchmark, just as the ones on the walls of the canyon, meaning you can walk into a swarm of them as they sit on the walls without knowing until they strike.

If you explore the Canyons, there is a 1 in 8 chance you enter a side area with walls covered in them; you will enter combat surprised. They eat flesh.

Drytalon Beetles (1+1 HD, +3 AC, 1d4 Mandible, Horrid Buzzing)
Numbers- 2d10
Morale- N/A

The Beetles are hard bodied and possess limited flight. They swarm on the nearest living thing and attempt to rip them apart, having no regard for their own life or safety. However, if you manage to get out of the canyon, they won't follow you and will return to clinging to a wall for camouflage.

In addition, the Beetles produce an awful buzzing noise whenever they are in combat from their wings. While this sound is being made there is an X in 20 chance of any spell cast failing from the incantation being drowned out by the horrid buzzing; where as X is the number of Beetles remaining.

[ToM] Tricksome Spire

Large and steep spike of stone jutting from the sandy Earth. Just away from The Peaks, which was once the housing district of the People of Mozz, this large spire may have once held a massive mansion for a great and powerful ruler, or perhaps a community center for many small winged souls.

Now, the spire stands bare. But the top of the spire hints at great treasure- a great bird's nest. The interesting about the spire is what happens to those when it is traveled around. The spire's tip appears unreachable from the ground, but if one were to circle around to find a way up, they would find a great change overcoming the spire.

If you walk around the Spire clockwise, the peak seems to get higher up, and a perilous, short path appears along the sides, but the nest bigger and more interesting place to visit.

If you walk around the Spire anticlockwise, the peak seems to get lower, and a safer, longer path appears along the sides, but the nest looks smaller and less impressive.

These effects seem real, but are local. Nobody in the far distance ever sees the spire getting bigger or shorter, it just looks the same. But if you stand at the base of the spire and someone else walks around it in circles, you can notice the changes too. It is not merely illusion.

Rotating around the spire takes a good bit of time on foot- going around on horseback or through some other faster way of traveling doesn't speed up the changes- it takes 1 Turn of circling the Spire either way. The X on the chart below is the number of rotations.

X	Clockwise	Anticlockwise
1	Steep path. Takes two turns to get to the top if anyone has -1 Con modifier or worse. Top has an eagle's nest- eggs are worth one ration.	Placid Path. Take two turns to reach the top. Top has an eagle's nest- eggs are worth one ration.
2	Very Steep path. Give everyone 1 nonlethal damage from the exertion. Finch nest has 1d8 silver coins nicked from the landscape.	Gentle ramp. Takes three turns to reach the top. There's an owl's nest with a few rat bones.
3	Perilous Path. Make an easy save- if you fail, another person must save to catch you else you fall to your death. Nest is for a pack of buzzards (1 HD, 1d4 beaks, low morale). The Buzzards have collected a bunch of golden bones worth 2d20 gp.	Barely inclined. Takes four turns to reach the top. Nest is abandoned.
4	Suicidal Path. Nobody can access without climbing gear or Dexterity +1. Thieves get a bonus. If you fail a save on the way, you just fall to your death. At the top is the nest of a Roc and a Roc's egg. If you break the Egg and drink its juice- 1d6 Max HP permanently.	Spiral stairs. The ground has morphed into stairs. At the top, a fake nest made of grass. There is a sign; “Display purposes only.”