The first week of Dungeon23 is completed! Hopefully, you’ve had a productive week. If you want to closely follow along my progress check out my daily posts over on Twitter! The first week of the year is also a big time for me since it’s my birthday! My daughter also has the same birthday as me (we’re birthday buddies).
This first week has also been a very difficult time for 3rd party publishers like Sharktopus Games. Harun and I have been monitoring the situation daily and have been in constant communication about it. Our plan is to wait and see. We’ll let you know if anything changes.
Here are a few highlights from this week:
1/1. The Gates of the Woodland Realm
- Worked mithril portcullis smashed open.
- Shattered spearheads and dry leaves litter the ground.
- Crushed skeletons buried beneath crisp brown leaves.
The beautifully wrought gates once resembled the branches of trees. A battering ram crushed them during the ancient war.
Searching the leaves: players searching the leaves have a 50% chance of finding a shattered, rusted spearhead (and it’s still sharp!). The character takes 1 damage and must make a Save versus Poison. On failure, they contract tetanus. In 1d4 days, they must make another Save versus Poison. On a failure, they take 1d4 Strength damage. The sufferer cannot open their jaw and suffers a -4 penalty to spellcasting.
The rusted spearhead can be used as a dagger. There are a total of 1d10 spearheads lost in these piles of leaves.
| 1d4 | Type of Spearhead |
| 1 | Elven Spearhead- Shaped like a beech tree leaf. It is incredibly light and can be thrown 2x as far as a regular dagger. |
| 2 | Dwarf Spearhead- Shaped exclusively from straight geometric patterns. It is worth 20 gp to a dwarf merchant. |
| 3 | Beastmen Spearhead- The Save versus Poison to resist contracting tetanus is made with a -4 penalty. |
| 4 | Abnormally Large Insect Stinger- This is a barbed stinger a hand long. It does not cause tetanus, but it deals 1d6 damage if wielded. When attacking with this dagger, 8a result of a critical failure shatters the weapon, destroying it. |
1/5 The Circlet of the Elf King’s Envoy
- A magnificent stone statue is on display. It represents the elf king Aiduin. In his outstretched hands is a wreath of golden leaves.
Circlet of the Elf King’s Envoy. Wearing this crown grants knowledge in Elf-lore and the ability to speak and read Elvish. Automatons, traps, and guardians treat the wearer as an elf.
If someone who is not an elf or recognized as an Elf-Friend (a sacred title bestowed upon non elves by the king) removes the circlet from the statue’s hands, it will animate and attack immediately.
Circlet Guardian. AC 4 [15], HD 5 (22 hp), Att 1x slam (2d4), THAC0 15 [+4], MV 30’, SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (2), ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 175
The guardian will return to his spot and become an inert statue if he retrieves the circlet.
| When the world was young, they anointed Aiduin to be the King of the Elves. He was the first Elf to step from the sea to the land, and it was fitting that he would become their regent. He was the wisest chieftain and mightiest magician. The building of Shol Lomenar was his crowning achievement. With the aid of Dwarf architects and Elf artisans, he wrought paradise on earth. Poets named it “The Glimmering City.” -From The Rise and Fall of Paradise by Yellenyth Octallion |
1/7 Enslaved Lantern
- A dim flickering lantern lights the room.
Upon close inspection of this crystal lantern, there seems to be something inside flitting about. This light illuminates the same space as a torch but emits no heat and never burns out.
There is a Will o’ Wisp sealed inside. It is one of the many fey creatures enslaved by the Elves of Shol Lomenar. If free, there is a 70% chance it will leave peacefully. There is a 30% chance that it will attack all nearby people in a rage. It focuses on any Elves or Half-Elves in the party first.
If the lantern is thrown, the Will o’ Wisp escapes and attacks.
Will o’ Wisp: AC 0 [19], HD 3 (14 hp), Att 1x flames (1d10), THAC0 14 [+5], MV fly 60’, SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (2), ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 35
With the Wisp inside, the lantern is worth 50 gp, and without the wisp and undamaged, it’s worth 10 gp. The wisp leads the party to a floor tile in the corner if freed and friendly. The tile is loose and holds four mithril bars stamped by dwarves and worth 50 gp each.
Work Cited
The featured image of the circlet comes from this cool Etsy store. The seller’s name is AnEasy.