The Ancient's Lab

Introduction

This is an adventure originally designed for a party of three level three adventurers with minimal magic items. Any party of roughly equivalent strength should be able to navigate this without issue.

This adventure has a bit of a "body horror" theme to it. Slight tweaks to the monsters will allow for stronger and/or weaker parties. Due to the monsters being mostly aberrations and/or constructs, they can fit into almost any group's level range with modifications. Be sure to stress the creepiness and uneasiness of the lab. It is recommended that a DM give this a full reading before beginning the adventure.

Background and Hook

There once was a small but extremely technologically advanced Hill Dwarf civilization which had mysteriously ceased to be thousands of years ago. Most of their cities and towns simply disappeared from existence. Some of their artifacts can still occassionally be found and researchers are known to pay scavengers a high price for the artifacts.

A group of scavengers has discovered a secret lab hidden in the hills. After reporting the find to their employer they were sent with a couple guards to acquire anything within: the entire party never returned. Their benefactor, a Tiefling researcher named Omnian, has posted a quest for any adventurers willing to explore the lab and procure the artifacts within. Find the lost party is secondary and of no real concern to the researcher.

Any quest-like hooks for the artifacts within work well for this adventure. Further, hooks related to the adventurers' happening upon the lab, or from nearby townsfolk perhaps finding it would work well to bring the party here.

The Lab

For this section please see the map (Appendix A and here) below to use the corresponding numbers. Any monsters and magic items will be bolded and either listed below or have their source/location listed beside them. Any attempts at a "long rest" in this lab will result in The Thing (See Area 7) being alerted to their presence and attacking them or sending the creatures from Area 5.

1: Lab Entrance

The entrance to the lab is inset into the side of a large hill. The entrance had been completely overgrown with grasses and vines, but you can see where previous scavengers had cut these away to revel the large steel doors which open within. There are two smaller doors to the side of the main door. The large steel doors, though slightly ajar now, appear to be capable of a hermetic seal.

If adventurers approach the doors , the two smaller side doors open to reveal a Construct Guard (Appendix C) in each. They speak haltingly and slowly in Dwarvish. They appear as dwarves only robotic. They do not let anyone pass unless they have business within the lab. Any adventurer can lie that they have business with researchers with a DC15 Charisma (Deception) check and the guards will allow them past. Further, any other previously obtained artifacts may give clues on researcher names which could get the adventurers past the guards. They will fight anyone who attempts to bypass them without consent.

2: The Main Hall

This is a long hallway with an intersection in the middle. The hallway is smooth stone on the sides and ceiling with a ceramic tile floor which is broken in many places. The ceiling has long tubular white glass structure, some of them broken, hanging from metallic chords. The interior is black aside from the light form the door.

The floor has blood leading from a switch on the wall (which deactivates/activates the guards) into the left hall entrance leading to Area 5. There is also a thick goo on the ground.

The doors leading from this hallway are all steel doors which slide into the walls (Star Trek style) but have long since ceased operation and have to be forced open. It is noted that the one into Area 5 is slightly open already.

The two doors on the bottom of the right hall lead to bathrooms of a modern design, and therefore far advanced of any typical medieval/fantasy setting.

3: Office

This is the office of the lead researcher for the test lab. All papers/books within this office are written in an ancient Dwarven script that is difficult to impossible to understand even for modern Dwarves. There are two large bookshelves containing numerous books, most decayed to the point of being useless, but a few can still be read. There are papers on a large desk that are mostly decayed too, but a few are readable.

A successful DC13 Intelligence (History) check would allow someone who knows modern Dwarvish to ascertain the general idea of the research being done. The lab was for experimenting with interdimensional travel and also biological experimentation to modify creatures.

A successful DC10 Wisdom (Perception) or DC10 Intelligence (Investigation) will find: a Pen (Appendix B), which actually uses magic and technology to create endless ink, under some decaying papers; a bound schematic or blueprint for a strange handheld device that looks like a "Portal Gun" (though the PCs would have no idea what a gun or portal gun is); and, in the bottom drawer of the desk in the back of it, a Drunkenness of Stein (Appendix B).

4: Viewing Room

This room has numerous monitors in it that have long since been deactivated and are unknown to the modern people. These are connected to cameras in the Area 7. There is heavily disfigured dwarven skeleton in the chair by the monitors. It appears to have multiple sets of arms and its skull has holes for up to eight eyes. It's very clear that he killed himself by shooting himself in the head with a small hand crossbow in his right hand. A DC10 Wisdom (Perception) check will note that the crossbow bolt on the ground, and the one in his head, are composed of an unknown but extremely sturdy material. These two bolts are +1 Crossbow Bolts (DMG P. 150) except they retain their +1 property for five hits rather than one.

5: Storage Room

This room has a trail of blood and goo leading to it. Inside there are numerous storage crates for the various experimental supplies as well as another door to Area 6.

On the back wall are the four scavengers which are stuck to the wall by a thick, solidified, goo. They appear to still be breathing. Two of them are have mottled black/gray skin that appears extremely unnatural. The other two appear normal.

If any adventurer goes within 10 feet of scavengers one of them will whisper "kill me". Afterwards all three will begin to convulse wildly and scream.

The two mottled scavengers break free from their restraint and now show that they have large tentacles where their arms once were. They also have a huge gaping mouth in their stomach which screams and babbles at the advneturers They are highly aggressive Mutated People (Appendix C). It is noted that the Mutated People were the guards sent with the scavengers. Any check of their bodies reveals a magic item on each rolled from Magic Item Table A (DMG P. 144).

The other two people begin screaming and crying before they die. As they die their chests burst open and spider legs come forth from the chest hole which then pull out a large worm-like creature. This creature has the stats of Slaad Tadpole (MM P. 276), is highly aggressive, and will try to implant more of itself in the adventurers.

A investigation of the crates finds they are full of various unknown mechanical parts and potions/serums. Any character who drinks random potions/serums must roll on the serum table below. A successful DC13 Wisdom (Perception) finds various potions that were used to modify the test subjects and are actually able to be identified. This includes Potion of Growth (DMG P. 187), Potion of Invisibility (DMG P. 188), and Potion of Diminution (DMG P. 187).
Serum Table

Roll a D6 and suffer the effect of the chart.

  • 1: Nothing Happens. It just tastes awful.
  • 2: An eyeball painfully appears on the back of the character's hand. It cannot be seen from and is uncontrollable.
  • 3: The character begins losing their hair. They lose all of their hair over 24 hours. It will grow back a different color but otherwise normally from then on.
  • 4: The character begins to notice strange things always at the corner of their vision. They can never see them fully but they get the sense there are horrific abominations. This lasts 1D6 hours.
  • 5: The character hears a voice whispering for them to hurt themselves and others. It does not compel them to do so, but they suffer one level of exhaustion until the end of their next long rest when the voices dissipate.
  • 6: The character falls unconscious for five minutes and suffers 1D6 poison damage.

6: Preparation Room and Clean Room

This room has further devices, potions and serums on the tables (Serum table above). Among the various mechanical devices and serums they find nothing worth taking or using.

Further, there is a large device with a pressure switch on it leading towards a large door. If the switch is activated a high pressure chemical is sprayed into the middle of it. Anyone who gets the chemical in their eyes suffers 1D6 acid damage. Otherwise the chemical sterilizes anything it touches.

The door is an extremely large steel door. It appears as though it is normally barred shut, but the bar is bent and broken on the ground near the door. The door is difficult to open and will take at least two characters or one character succeeding on a DC13 Strength check to open it. The door itself is bent in the middle slightly and it would appear it was forced open at some point from the other side of it.

7: Test Room

This is an extremely large room containing various successful and failed devices that have since been broken by the room's inhabitants except for one. On the left side of the room is "portal gun" device atop a stand aiming at a large cement tablet. Next to it are the bones of a dead dwarf in a lab coat; he appears to have mutated significantly before dying.

A successful DC10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the few remaining working artifacts. There is an Immovable Rod (DMG P. 175) in a glass case. There is a Bag of Holding (DMG P. 153) in a strange cylinder contraption with (now turned off) screens on it.

The Portal Gun is the key artifact any researcher would want. The device is now inoperable as it's advanced power source has long since died. However, there is a lot of knowledge pertaining to interdimensional travel contained within it and it should fetch a high price from interested parties.

The Thing

In the room, near the back wall, is an abomination of unspeakable horror that the dwarves had let free thousands of years ago: The Thing (Appendix C). The lab had been sealed, trapping it here, until the scavengers had opened it again. The creature has large spider-like legs, a huge gaping mouth with gigantic teeth and a single gigantic eye hole, though no eyes are present within it. On its grayish-red skin the outlines of other creature's faces which have been absorbed into it can be made out. Occasionally one of them will cry out in anguish.

This creature is attempting to make all other creatures part of it either through assimilation, as is evident from its appearance, or through adding them to its "hive" of telepathically connected creatures (the Mutated People).

The moment the adventurers open the door The Thing is alerted to their presence and speaks to them telepathically. It will implore them to come join it and let them know how wonderful it is to be part of it. Obviously, it will not take "no" for an answer will attempt to forcefully assimilate the adventurers into it. The picture below is an accurate rendition of the creature.

Conclusion

The researcher, Omnian, will be pleased with the adventurers' clearing of the lab and will dispatch an assistant to check it now that the lab has been cleared (assuming the adventurers have fully explored it). He will pay the adventurers the promised price and also will pay them considerable amounts extra for each of the procured artifacts and any significant amounts of papers/books brought back.

He will happily bargain with the players up to a point. If they demand too high of a price he will relent and not want the item. However, this is simply because he will hire assassin's/thieves to steal it from the players layer for less than they are asking.

Credits

This adventure was written in The Homebrewery. It's a great tool for any DMs wanting to make their homebrew look cool.

For balancing purposes I highly recommend Kobold Fight Club, which really helped me get a feel for what players could take.

The map was made in RPG Map Editor

Construct Guard inspired by Clockwork Watchman from Kobold Press's "Tome of Beasts". I recommend this to anyone wanting to expand their monster repertoire.

By: Kuhal

Appendix A: Map

Appendix B: Items

Endless Pen

Rare

This is a fine pen which, through unknown mechanisms, never runs out of ink.

Drunkenness of Stein

Wondrous Item. Rare

This is a mithril stein which can hold a pint of liquid and has the face of a laughing Dwarf on the front. Up to one gallon per day of any liquid that is placed within this stein is turned into beer. This beer may be any that the user can imagine, from the finest ales to the strongest stouts. However, any non-liquids within the liquid remain.

Appendix C: Monsters

Construct Guard

Medium Construct, Neutral

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 40 (10d8+10)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 12 (+1) 1 (-5)
  • Saving Throws Con +3
  • Senses Darkvision 120 ft.
  • Languages Dwarvish
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Magical Resistance This creature has advantage on saving throws against sppells and other magical effects.

Self Destruct As an action, if the guard believes its doom is inevitable and it has not been deactivated/destroyed, it will cause its power source to explode. This immediately destroys the guard. Everyone within 15 ft. of it must make a successful DC12 Dexterity saving throw or take 1D4 fire damage plus 1D4 bludgeoning damage,

Actions

Battle Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+2) slashing damage.


Mutated Person

Medium Aberration, Unaligned

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 13 (3d6+3)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 4 (-3) 3 (-4)
  • Senses Darkvision 60 ft. (penetrates magical darkness)
  • Languages None, Telepathy 120ft.
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Spider Climb The creature can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceiling, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The creature can make two tentacle attacks.

Tenetacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) Piercing damage. A creature of size large or smaller becomes grappled with a DC15 escape.

Bite (Grappled Targets Only) Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.

The Thing

Large Aberration, Chaotic Evil

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 39 (6d8+12)
  • Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  • Senses Darkvision 120 ft. (penetrates magical darkness)
  • Languages None, Telepathy 120ft.
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Telepathic Command (Recharge 5-6) As a bonus action The Thing attempts to telepathically force a weaker-willed creature that it can see within 120 ft. of it to submit to it. The creature must succeed on a DC10 Wisdom Saving throw or be forced, on their next turn, to approach the The Thing and take no actions which would harm it.

Spider Climb The creature can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceiling, without needing to make an ability check.

Absorb. Any incapacitated creature may be absorbed into The Thing. Over the period of one hour the creature is held close to the The Thing's body and slowly becomes a part of it. The Thing learns all that it knows. The creature retains its own consciousness and exists in perpetual agony and torture.

Actions

Multiattack. The creature can make two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tentacles.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.

Tentacles Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. The target must make a successful DC 12 Dexterity or Strength saving throw or become grappled by the creature.

Breed (Grappled Target Only) Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage. The target must make a successful DC 10 constitution saving throw or become infected with a parasite which will burst from their chest killing them in one weeks time. The parasite can only be removed via Greater Restoration or Protection from Good and Evil.

Appendix C