Encounter; Ashes to Ashes, Part I

This encounter, divided into three sections. Part I focuses on using skill challenges to deal with undead haunting a crematorium in the city. See Part II and Part III for the other sections.

Encounter Level 13 (4,000 XP)

Because several incorporeal undead unexpectedly haunt the city’s crematorium, the PCs are asked to investigate and resolve the situation quickly with as little damage to property as possible.

Setup

• 1 Mad Wraith
• 1 Wailing Ghost
• 1 Trap Haunt
• 1 Dwarf Level 10 Fighter
  • DC 14: A large building in the city serves as both home and work place for many dwarves and is colloquially known as the “dwarf embassy.” It is not an actual embassy from a dwarf kingdom, but dwarves own it, live there and work in the place and earning it the nickname.
  • DC 16: The cellar of the facility serves as a smelter for iron and is home to high temperatures ovens, which takes advantage of the heat generated by the blast furnace. The dwarves use the ovens to bake bricks, tile, ceramics and for cremation.
  • DC 18: Lately, the place has been troubled by ghosts and the owners of the building are hiring mercenaries to resolve the issue.

  When the PCs enter the smelting facility, read the following:

  Smoke drifts through the oppressively hot air of poorly lit chambers. The walls are hot to the touch and the scent of burnt things is pervasive. Everything here appears to be made of metal or stone and there are neither curves nor anything soft in sight. A figure moves through the smoke without disturbing the cloud.

  Features of the Area

  While design of the dwarf embassy remains in the hands of the GM, the layout of the smelter level is provided below.

  The Smelter Level: In the cellar beneath the dwarven embassy is an iron smelting facility. Environmental conditions of the area include fire, pervasive ash and smoke (Endurance skill check DC 24, unless otherwise noted). Low lighting conditions dominate in the smelter.

  1. Smelting Room: A pair of stone troughs, containing molten metal and ending in molds used to shape ingots, dominate the chamber. The southern stairs provide entry to the chamber from the dwarf embassy above while the northern stairs allow access to the blast furnace below.

  2. Furnace Hallway: A line of hollow brick columns, which feed air into the furnace, dominate this hall. Along the east wall are doors into the ovens and next to each door is a mechanism to control the heat in the oven (successful Dungeoneering or Thievery DC 12 to adjust the settings).

  3. Furnace Oven: Iron doors (DC 25 to break down), each with a simple latch on the outside which automatically catches when the door is closed, covers entrances to the ovens. The walls of the oven are brick (DC 35 to break).

  4. Smoke Stack: This area has no floor, allowing smoke to exit the blast furnace.

  5. General Store Room: Useful items, supplies and cast ingots are stored in this chamber.

  6. Remains Store Room: Remains to be cremated are stored in this chamber (it currently contains two, each in a coffin) as are three urns, filled with ashes, waiting to be claimed.

  7. Ceramics Store Room: Ceramics, tile and bricks to be baked (or which have been baked) are stored in this chamber.

  8. Coke Store Room: Coke, fuel for the blast ovens, is stored in this chamber. The coke itself is fed through a floor grating in the northeast corner into the furnace below.

  9. Ore and Lime Shaft: Powdered limestone and crushed iron ore are dropped down this shaft into the furnace.

  Fire Dangers

  Smelting Room: Contact with the molten metal inflicts 2d6 points of damage per round of exposure, except in the case of total immersion, such as if a character falls into the pool of molten metal, which deals 20d6 points of damage per round. Damage from contact with molten metal also inflicts 5 points of ongoing Fire damage. An immunity or resistance to fire serves as immunity to the fire damage of molten metal. However, a creature immune to fire might still suffocate if completely immersed in the material.

  Anyone in contact with the molten metal, who does not enjoy an immunity or resistance to fire, risks catching on fire as their clothing and hair may combust. Characters at risk of catching fire are allowed a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid this fate. If a character’s clothes or hair catches fire, they suffer 5 points of ongoing Fire damage.

  A character on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse themselves. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with cloaks or the like permits the character another save with a +4 bonus. Those unlucky enough to have their clothes or equipment catch fire must make DC 15 Reflex saves for each item. Flammable items that fail take the same amount of damage as the character.

  The air in squares adjacent to the troughs – to the sides and above – is stiflingly hot (Endurance skill check DC 26).

  Ovens: Each oven has a simple metal lever with three settings which controls the temperature inside; Zero, One and Two.

  Even when switched off, setting Zero, the ovens interiors remain stiflingly hot (Endurance skill check DC 26). At setting One, anyone and anything susceptible to fire damage suffers 2d6 fire damage every round they’re in the oven and risk catching on fire, DC 20 Reflex save to avoid this fate. If they catch on fire, they suffer 5 points of ongoing Fire damage in addition to the other damage inflicted by being in the oven. At setting Two, anyone and anything susceptible to fire damage suffers 3d8 fire damage every round they are in the oven and risk catching on fire, DC 25 Reflex save to avoid this fate. If they catch on fire, they suffer 5 points of ongoing Fire damage in addition to the other damage inflicted by being in the oven.

  Battles with the Undead

  Within a few minutes of entry into the furnace level of the dwarf embassy, the undead attack the adventurers. This includes; 1 Mad Wraith, 1 Wailing Ghost and 1 Trap Haunt. Fossor will attack if he believes his secrets have been compromised but otherwise remains uninvolved.

  

  ---

  
  Edited by Cassey Toi