8. Christman's Lair

General Notes

ADD TIMETABLE FOR CHRISTMAN?

This is Christman’s secret lair in the Frassberg region. He has lived here for decades and made the cave system his home. There are three “factions” active in the dungeon:

• Christman Grippertenius. Spends most of his days drinking himself into a stupor. Will either kill or capture any intruders. Prisoners will be tortured and eventually killed. He treats Lise Mueller as a scullery maid and otherwise ignores her. He is afraid of the ghost of Getrude Kaasman. If he thinks a part of the cave system is currently being haunted by the ghost, he will move as far away as possible.

• Lise (Lischen) Mueller. A satanic witch. She let herself be captured by Christman and is his current “wife”. Christman is known for haven taken many “wives” (i.e., abducted women and kept them in his dungeon against their will) over the years. In his old age, he has done so less frequently and mostly does it out of habit and for having someone around to help him clean. Lise is a cunning witch that has out herself into Christman’s hands in order to conceive a child with him. Because Christman has no interest in her (or anyone for that matter) and is mostly drunk, she is scheming to spoil is alcohol supply, cut off future deliveries, and otherwise get him to pay attention to her. She is not beyond considering murdering Christman to get what she needs from his corpse. She has cast Charm on Christman, but his black soul has weakened the effects of the spell. Deep down, Christman fears Lise and tries to find excuses to be away from her.

• The ghost of Gertrude Kaasmann. One of Christman’s prior “wives”. He murdered her and her child 23 years ago. She is a mere echo of a mother’s grief and a general menace to any living creature. If she can be made to remember what happened to her, she can become an, albeit temporary, ally against Christman.

There are otherwise few creatures about in the dungeon. Christman’s lair is a murderhole which he stalks like a predator. Try to play up the atmosphere of discovering serial killer’s home (e.g., think Jame Gumb’s basement in the movie Silence of the Lambs).

Christman has accumulated a huge amount of treasure over the years. Anyone brave enough to enter the caves and survive, might lay claim to unimaginable riches.

Due to Christman’s familiarity with the dungeon, the base chance of Surprise increases from 2-6 to 4-6 for PCs. If Christman retreats from a fight, he has a 2-6 chance of simply vanishing when he runs into another room and PCs lose line of sight. This is not a supernatural ability and if PCs have extraordinary means of keeping track of Christman, this ability is countered.

Level 1

Wandering Monsters

1D100	Encounter
1—45	1D6+3 of (18 total) Christman’s Dogs. All teeth and mangy fur, ribs showing. Beaten but loyal.
46—65	Lise Mueller.
66—80	Alcoholic Ooze.
81—85	The ghost of Getrude Kaasmann.
86—100	Christman (1-4 drunk, 5-6 sober).
:Encounter Table Christman’s Lair

L1: Main entrance to the cave. Smells of acrid smoke. Graffiti on the wall at the entrance: “Cristman’s Castle”. 6ft further down the tunnel, PCs can see more markings on the wall. The markings are pure gibberish, trying to invoke a foreign alphabet. Christman built a spiked pit trap (8ft deep) filled with lye right next to the markings. Save vs breath (DCC: Reflex save DC 10) or take 1d6 damage from the spikes and 1 point of caustic burn damage for every round in the pit. If the PC took 4 or more points of damage from the spike, they injured one of their extremities and it is more difficult to climb out of the pit.

L2: Secret entrance on ground level, completely covered by poison ivy. Touching the ivy Save vs Poison (DCC: Fort save DC 11) or develop a serious rash that lingers for 1d4 days. Cannot wear armor while afflicted by the rash. Cure Disease (DCC: Lay on Hands for 2 HD) removes.

L3: Secret entrance. On a ledge 20ft up from the ground and hard to see. At the cave entrance, a thin tripwire is connected to a bell to the alarm bells in L4. When bells are rung, 1D6+3 of Christman’s dogs appear within 1 turn.

L4: Central intersection. Tripwires with alarm bells. Bells attract 1D6+3 of Christman’s dogs appear within 1 turn.

L5: Room with a barricade that faces and blocks access to L4. An additiona piece of barricade can be moved quickly to block the northern exit. Two loaded crossbows lean against the wall. They have poisoned arrow tips. If hurt, save vs Poison (DCC: Fort save DC 12) or spend 1d3 rounds wretching and unable to act.

L6: Kennel room. Smells like dog feces and urine. Barks can be heard when approaching. 6 dog kennels total, only one is closed. Inside, one injured but aggressive dog (sprained leg). One large kennel is up on the elevated rock ledge. Old carpets and furs on the ground. They cover a hidden pressure plate. If someone steps on it, spring-loaded wooden barriers block the two exits and the door to the kennel on the elevated rock ledge opens.Inside this cage is a hungry Bear, trained by Christman to prefer human flesh.

L7: The smell of dog urine and feces. The room is filled with additional dog kennels. Barrels full of dog food. There are at least 1d6+2 dogs resting in this room.

L8: Storage room. Filled with sacks of flour, barrels of fish, cheeses, smoked meats. Cage with iron bars and a heavy lock (DCC Pick locks DC 7). Inside are racks of wine (60 bottles of wine, each worth 20 sp). At the Northwestern side of the room, a wall carpet hides a secret vertical, winding tunnel with a rope that leads to Level 2 (L24).

L9: Fletchery. Chaotic workshop, tools strewn about, pieces of wood, piles of feathers. Whoever is working here has high skill, but is extremely untidy and disorganized. A total of 37 arrows can be recovered from this room. Northern side has a tunnel exit that leads to Level 2 (L14).

L10: From the ceiling hang long wires with thin glass bulbs attached. The lenght of the wires varies from 1 ft off the floor to 5ft off the floor. The bulbs do not touch each other and there is at most 1 ft room between two bulbs. There are burns marks all over the floor and walls. The glass bulbs are filled with a highly-reactive alchemical substance that is activated when moved about too much. If someone carelessly walks through the room and a bulb starts swinging, it triggers a reaction and the bulb explodes in a fiery explosion, sending glass shards everywhere. This triggers all other bulbs to explode. Carefully traversing the room requires a Save vs. Breath (DCC Reflex save DC 12) (or some other approach). Failure triggers the trap and causes 6d6 explosion damage to anyone in the room and 2d4 continued alchemical burn damage for 1d4+2 rounds (the goey substance does not come off easily).

L11: A terrible smell of decay, feces, and urine. A room used for skinning and tanning room. Several skinned animal carcasses hang from the ceiling (some have human bite marks). One skinned human carcass among the animals. A trough for tanning.

Hanging like wind chimes from the ceiling, dried, stretched out and flayed baby corpses.

“Tanzt liebe Kindlein tanzt, Gnipperteinga euer Vater macht euch den Tanz”

L12: A storage room. Nine large wooden and closed barrels. Barrels contain human bodies in a brine solution.

L13: Storage for discarded clothes, arms, armor from killed enemies (3 sets of leather armor, 1 set of chain mail, 3 spears, 2 bows, 1 long sword, 2 short swords). Three cave wasp nest on the ceiling, one more nest build into a set of magical +1 plate armor. Wasps will react to any disturbance in the room.

Level 2

Wandering Monsters

1D100	Encounter
1—25	1D6+3 of (15 total) Christman’s Dogs. All teeth and mangy fur, ribs showing. Beaten but loyal.
26—50	Lise Mueller.
51—70	Alcoholic Ooze.
71—80	Gustavo Pellegrini.
81—100	Christman (1-4 drunk, 5-6 sober).
:Encounter Table Christman’s Lair

L14: Stone platform. South: Stairs descending from Level 1 L9. Northeast: Winding, roughly-hewn stone steps that lead down to L15. No railing, the uneven steps make it easy to tumble off. If running down the steps, Wand Save (DCC: Reflex Save DC 8) or take 1d6 bludegeoning damage from falling on hard stone. North: Stone steps that are cut from the stone wall, leading upward at a slight incline. Wooden doors (unlocked) that lead to L29 and L18. Southwest: Locked wooden door (DCC: Pick locks DC 6 or STR check DC 9) to L30.

L15: Central treasure room. Barrels of acid hanging on the ceiling, held by a complex rope and pulley system. If Christman is here, he can use the many ropes and pulleys to trigger a acid barrel splash attack: Save vs Breath (DCC: Reflex Save DC 12) or take 3d6 acid damage, half if saved successfully. Treasure: This is Christman’s main hoard. Uncaringly thrown on the ground, 623 gp (there is an oily, translucent film on the coins—contact poison; Save vs Death / DCC Fortitude save DC 15; failure means death, success 2d6 damage, loss of 2 points of Constitution/Stamina and incapacitated for 1d2 turns), 23,440 sp, 8,103 cp, jewelry worth 1,900 sp, gems worth 3,600 sp, magic items. Treasure sits on weighted plates that trigger a bell and an acid splash (the bell attracts the dogs and Christman).

L16: Grave niches. Two empty, roughly dug grave niches, filled with trash (clothing, spoiled food, 27 sp under some rags). Two niches are filled with wooden coffins. Carved on the northern coffin: Maria, Southern coffin: Rabea. Christman buried two of is former “wives” here. If opened, the northern coffin contains a skeleton and a beautiful gold necklace worth 1,000sp. The other, a decomposing corpse (maybe 2 months old) full of worms and 1d4 Rotgrubs that attack anybody who searches the body. The insides of the coffin show scratch marks and a fingernail stuck in the wood. On the bloated corpse, a simple wooden cross with a carved depiction of Jesus (if returned to the camp of Alois Hutmeister, the PC receive a reward of 3 healing potions. Rabea was a well-liked camp cook that vanished four months ago).

L17: Gustavo’s prison. Heavy wooden door, reinforced with steel. Faint sounds of humming from the other side. Unlocked but closed. Christman is carrying one key. Another key can be found in L26. Inside, a dirty and malnourished Gustavo Pellegrini. He is a traveling minstrel that was captured by Christman while wandering too close to the lair. He spends most of his time in the cell, but sometimes, he roams around. After a prolonged period of torture, Gustavo believes Christman is the devil and he is unable to leave on his own account. Will betray the PCs to gain favor with Christman (e.g., lure them into a trap or bring them to Christman).

L18: Flaying room. Stone slab in the middle of the room, coated in dark, red blood. Four wooden frames with human skin spun across. To the north, a small room with tools (knifes, knife sharpener, saws, etc.). Lise has been painting satanic runes on the skins. MAGICAL TRAP.

L19: Ice box. Locked door, cold to the touch. Inside, a large shard of ice, protruding through the stone floor (related to the Ice Giant’s presence at the Frassberg peak). The floor is slippery. Breath save/Reflex save DC 8 to not fall when attacking in combat (unless precautions are taken). Magical, exuding harsh cold. Souther niche is storage for human bodies and animal meat. Northern niche side of the room is covered in partially opaque ice. Under the ice, barely visible, two dead bodies holding a sword. The sword is magical, the two bodies are Wights that attack if cut out of the ice.

L20: Lise’s painting studio. A single, wooden frame with a human skin. Paints and brushes, a chair.

L21: Cool cave. Storage for food, liquor, ale, and wine. Smoked ham, sausages, sacks of flour and oats, honey, sugar, butter, 23 bottles of fine wine (worth 40 sp each), 10 barrels of ale (worth 50 sp each), 40 bottles of Schnaps (worth 15 sp each). Stone stairs lead up to L39.

L22: Empty cross walk. One of the side niches contains a skeleton with a leather belt and a fine leather seath. Inside, a +1 dagger.

L23: Several Persian rugs cover the stone floor (5 rugs total, each worth 250 gp but heavy and bulky). Eight stuffed heads of Christman’s enemies decorate the walls. The heads are all defaced (e.g., eyes sown shut, animal parts sown on, genitalia stuffed into the mouth). One of the rugs covers a spiked pit trap: Save vs Breath (DCC: Reflex Save DC 12) or 3d6 damage.

L24: Empty hallway. In the Northern end, rope affixed with iron pitons that leads through a winding tunnel up to L8.

L25: Walls, floor, and ceiling are covered with rough charcoal sketches of people, faces, and murder scenes. Christman has drawn all his murders here and comes to the room to relive the experience, while pleasuring himself. The room is filled with the spiritual anguish of Christman’s victims. Anybody not Christman lingering in the room must Save vs Spell (DCC: Wisdom Save DC 14). Failure leads to the short-term possession my a victim’s memory. Roll 1d6: 1-2 experience the murder at Christman’s hand and take 2d6 mental damage and permanently lose 1d3 points of Wisdom (DCC: Personality), 3-4 be overcome with anger and run screaming through the lair in search of Christman for 1d6+1 rounds, 5-6 be empowered by a victim’s pain, permanently gain +1 to hit and damage against Christman and other bandits. Western exit: Steep and unevenm stone steps lead down several flights. The walls are carved into jagged edges as is the floor on the intermediate landings. The steps are made for people to trip. Save vs Breath (DCC: Reflex Save DC 10), unless precautions are taken, or fall down the steps, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage. If one of the die rolls a 6, a bone is broken: 1 left arm, 2 right arm, 3 left leg, 4 right leg, 5-6 concussion (-2 to attack or successful Int check to cast a spell until a night’s rest is taken).

L26: Ooze room.

L27: Prison cell. Empty. Scratched into the stone wall, a message:

L28: Prison cell. Currently holds Johann Straub, little brother of Johann Straub, leader of the Greencloak Pikes. Badly beaten, but alive. Johann will do anything to get out. He also wants revenge on Christman but has a healthy respect for the bandit’s combat abilities.

L29: Simple cave filled with some tables and tools. Multiple iron chains, manacles, and torture implements. On the wall, hangs a simple iron key (Prison cell key). The key is laced in contact poison. Save vs Poison (DCC: Fortitude Save DC 14). On a failure, take 2d6 damage and be slowed for 1 hour (halved movement speed). Secret door that connects to L32.

L30: Additional dog kennel.

L31: Something weirs? A magical treasure with odd effects?

L32: Secret view of the treasure room. Control over the acid barrels.

L33: Weapon’s storage, poison laboratory. Special dog whistle.

L34: Christman’s room. Table with map of the Bergkessel region (map reveals important info). Hidden somewhere, The Rites of the Pale Wedding: Dark tome of necromantic rituals. Contains several Necromancer spells and instructions for a ritual The Pale Wedding.

L35: Latrine pit. Deep black hole. Smells of shit and hopelessness. 15ft down, in the refuse, 5 diamonds (each worth 5,000 gp) and the bones of 26 human, newborn-sized skeletons can be found.

L36: Carpeted hallway.

L37: Lise’s bedroom. Icon to Satan.

L38: Lise’s study. Books, spells, paintings that are magical traps. One is a portal to the had woods (need magical pass phrase, hidden in the bedroom).

L39: Crossbow room, view of the treasure room through four arrow slits. Tables with 10 well-maintained, oiled, and loaded crossbows. The arrows in the crossbows are poisoned. On a hit, Save vs Poison (DCC: Fort Save DC 12) or be slowed for 1d4 rounds (PCs can either move or attack/act, not both). An additional 40 crossbow arrows and a pot with contact poison (10 applications).