17 May 1986

It is with great pleasure (and a tip of the pith helmet to my D&D mentor: Ted LaPage) that I formally announce my first (and hopefully not last) Anniversary Dungeon.

Now, one year after the Dark Mage met his end, I will run an AD&D adventure in celebration. The date is tentatively set at May 17, 1986. The date was chosen to coincide with a wedding shower for Valerie Cram (thus, this is supposed to be the equivalent to a bachelor party). However, as some females have expressed an interest, the date may be changed. Invited are all who have established characters in my “post-holocaust” world that are of the appropriate level (at least 8th). In other words, this means the Good Party (including Rana and Gabriela), Karelia, and Wizard.

Please tell me if you are willing and/or able to play. The game will most probably be at my apartment (though that is subject to change if it is deemed an unworthy location). As for the adventure itself, just keep in mind that anything big enough to unite all of these high-level characters together again will be very big indeed.

What? You thought the Dark Mage was dead?

17 May 1986

Before the Dark Mage was defeated on January 8th, 1105, he was split into two opposite halves: one good, the other evil. The two halves competed for the same psychic resources and thus waged a constant and invisible battle. When the evil half (who called himself only the Dark Mage) found he was losing, he went to kill the good half (who called himself by his original, human name of Nakam Alkat). Nakam, however, prepared for this contingency and cast a Clone spell on himself. Thus, when the Dark Mage killed him, the clone remained, deep within the ancient Glekdin, shielded from harm or magical scrying.

Nakam Alkat was reborn on April 24, 1105, but made his presence known to only a few people. That summer he found his sanity slipping and his evil half regaining power. Realizing that a total loss of sanity was inevitable, he prepared an elaborate trap to lead to his own demise. Suicide wasn't possible at this point because of his fear that his evil half would reform as an undead if the body were not properly destroyed.

His plan is as follows: He has written a book which contains his philosophies, experiences, and some spells. Upon this book he has placed a strong illusion such that any evil person will see it to be the Demonicon of Iggwilv. After creating the book, he hid it deep in Glekdin, left a trail of subtle clues leading to it, and cast a spell to make himself forget everything about it.

By the autumn, his mind had slipped quite a bit and he drifted to evil. Suddenly, he was the Dark Mage once again (in his mind only). Nakam's plan worked beautifully and the "Dark Mage" found the “demonicon” and began using its power to summon what he thinks to be an army of evil.

In actuality, it is the Dark Mage's own power that is duplicating what the demonicon should be doing. Some of the summons are real (those which the Dark Mage is capable of summoning), while others are only quasi-real (such as the snake), and still others are completely illusory. The power source for all these illusions is the Dark Mage's psionics. Thus, he is completely unable to use his psionic disciplines or attacks (because he does not remember he has them). If attacked, he will be considered defenseless for the first segment, after which, all illusions will disappear and his psionics will return.

Notes on the Illusions:

The illusions are psionic-based and cannot be dispelled via Dispel Magic or Dispel Illusion or any other similar magics.

Manabane will affect the Quasi-real creatures as their true counterpart and will have no effect on the total illusions.

The illusions are based to some degree on the fears and memories of the victims. Thus, there are a plethora of creatures here that were met previously by one or more of the characters.

Notes on Glekdin:

The walls of Glekdin have inherent magical protections in them. No spell will work through the walls with any reliability. Some powerful spells (such as scrying with a Mirror of Mental Prowess) will work on a reduced chance (1%- 5% per level of caster suggested).

Descriptions of the Areas:

(1) Outside – No matter how the party attempts to get in, be it Teleport, Plane Shift, or Wish, they will end up outside because of the magical protections in Glekdin. Once outside, they will meet the first guardians: 2 ROCS (AC4, MV30“, HD18, Dam3d6/3d6, hp76,94). Any time both claws hit, they will lift the victim up and carry them to their nest.

(2) Inside – The door will be found deep down a shaft cut into solid stone (part Sorgul's doing). Beyond it will be a short series of halls with rubble laying all around. Once the party is firmly inside, the second guardians will appear: 4 EARTH ELEMENTALS (AC2, +2 weapon to hit, MV6”, HD16, Dam4d8, hp67,57, 79,81).

(3) As soon as this room is approached, dozens of ZOMBIES (AC8, MV6“, HD2, Damd8, hp10 each) will begin issuing forth. No matter how many the clerics are able to turn/destroy, there will always be more. There are 200 in all! This is, in fact, a quasi-reality. There are only a handful of actual zombies (no more than 20), but the illusion makes it seem as if there are hundreds. To kill them all, the twenty real ones must be destroyed. Every time a zombie is killed, roll a d10. On a 1, a real one was killed. When twenty real ones die, the illusion disappears!

(4) Buried beneath rubble here is a trap door going down to area five.

(5) The trap door from area four leads through a narrow tunnel (only one person at a time) to this chamber. The party will find themselves dropping about ten feet onto a convex dome in a pool of magma (5% chance per point of Dexterity less than 12 to slip off after the drop – unless precautions are taken). Once a few people are down, the VARGOUILLES (AC8, MV12”, HD1+1, Damd4, hp9each) will attack. There are 20 in all. Their bite, though, is not permanent (any hit points lost will return at the rate of one per day) due to their quasi-real status. Combat on the dome incurs the same chance of falling off as listed above (to be checked every round in combat).

(6) Once in here, a pair of Walls of Fire will appear, one at each of the entrances. These will begin closing at a rate such that the party has only one round to do something. If the walls are dispelled, they will re-appear in one round in the same location. Searching this area will be extremely dificult. In here, under a boulder is a tunnel leading down to area 10.

(7) In here is a STOROPER (AC0, MV1“, HD6, Damd10+special, hp31) which looks like a boulder until it attacks. It will gain surprise on a 1-5. It is not an illusion.

(8) In this area are 12 TROLLS (AC4, MV12”, HD6+6, Damd4+4(x2),2d6, hp22,27,19,30,29,27,30,31,32,33,37,36). These are quasi-real. They are actually Nupperibo devils.

(9) Down in this cavern can be seen a long ridge of rock in the dimness. Suddenly, this ridge will move and reveal its true nature. It is the legendary DRAGON SNAKE of Glekdin Zhon (see stats below). It will breath fire on the entire party during its surprise (automatic) and then attack normally. It is a quasi-illusion of a Red Dragon (Huge, Adult).

If knocked back by the head or body, the character must save vs. their Dexterity or lose one attack routine. Only the person who is being bitten can strike at the head. Characters attacking the neck (2 possible) may be tossed aside before they can hit (the save as noted above is for the round after). Distance thrown is d6 x 5 feet. If the body is killed, it can no longer move anything but its head. If the tail is killed, only the tail is useless. If the neck is killed, it is alive, but helpless. If the head is killed, it is dead. The dragon snake has the following abilities:

• Fear (paralysis) on all who gaze unless they save.
• Duration on above is 2d6 or until attacked.
• Charm by gaze.
• Telepathy (as psi discipline)
• +3 or better weapon to hit it

The tunnel beyond the dragon snake extends for another hundred feet or so and then stops. There are no other exits from this cavern (posing the obvious question: how did the snake get in there?)

(10) The tunnel from area six open next to a huge mantle in an equally huge room. There are 8 FIRE GIANTS here (AC3, MV12“, HD11+5, Damd12+10 (+4 to hit), hp47,56,54,61,45,39,47,60). They are actually Rutterkins.

(11) 8 more FIRE GIANTS (hp 48,45,60,59,40,57,61,61) are in here playing cards. The deck they use, though, will turn out to be a Deck of Many Things upon inspection. It and its effects, though, are completely illusory.

(12) The end of this hallway is a smooth, black wall that will disappear when touched. Once the entire party is inside, it will reappear, but all four walls will be black. When any of these four walls are touched, the party will find itself in the center of the arena (area 14).

(13) This room is completely empty (no illusion!).

(14) The Arena – This huge area is where the Dark Mage's will send his last guardians against the party. First will come "Brother William" on his Nightmare along with 6 TYPE I DEMONS (AC0, MV12”/18“, HD8, Damd4(x2),d8(x2),d6, hp41,42,36,39,45,33). William is a DEATH KNIGHT (see separate sheet). These are all quasi-real minor demons.

Observing all of this is the Dark Mage. He is protected by a Wall of Force, but will still be able to talk to the party (but not cast spells).

The second wave will be 6 TYPE VI DEMONS and the two artifact-wielding extra- planars known as Kalagúrth (the “Enchanter of Death”) and Gkîlarzzá (the Demon King of Pain). Their stats are on separate sheets.

The third and final wave will be 12 DEMONWRAITHS (FORM I) (AC0, +1 weapon to hit, MV15”, HD10, Dam2d6+strength/level drain/slow, hp27,42,40,43,54,51,49,42,34,47,34,46). If these are found to be losing, the Dark Mage himself will step out and begin casting spells. However, it will be noted that every spell the Dark Mage casts weakens his wraiths by one hit point per level of the spell. The same goes for all of the illusions in the dungeon (especially including the deck of many thing effects, if any).

The Dark Mage can be seen (if studied) to be flipping the pages in a large tome. If the party gets up to him, the “demonicon” will be seen and the Dark Mage will quite probably brag about it. If it is taken away from him, the illusions will fade quickly (one hp the first round, two the second, three the third, etc.)

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