Build a Better Hero Trap

by Kalvin Lyle

This is an encounter from the campaign I’m currently running. The PCs were asked by a wizard to retrieve some ingredients from his old tower. It had become infested with dragons and he couldn’t be bothered to exterminate them himself. The tower is only 4 rooms, but there is no place for the PCs to rest as the denizens and traps of the tower kept them on the move for the entire time they are there. When I have more time I’ll write up the rest of the encounters and post it along with the 3D rendered map.

The Abandoned Tower: Area 1 – Storage Room

Encounter Level 4 (875 XP)

Setup

The entry room into the top of the abandoned tower is a deadly trap. Once teleported into the tower a magical trap is sprung causing the charred corpses to re-animate.
     This encounter includes the following creatures.
     10 Galvinized Corpses (G)

When the players pass through the teleportation portal:
“The flash of magical energy dissipates around you and the overwhelming scent of burnt flesh and metal stings your nostrils. As your eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, twisted and charred bodies reveal themselves on the ground before you. Grotesquely warped forms faintly silhouetted by a eerie purple light. The room is too dark to see an exit.” Put three charge tokens on the trap.

Tactics

The trap gains charges whenever a power with an arcane keyword is used near it. The trap uses these charges to reanimate the corpses in the room. Once arisen the corpses use their lightning attack to damage the closest PC to them and move towards their targets. Once a corpse is killed, place a marker where it has fallen, as the trap can use it’s charges to re-animate that corpse.

Galvinized Corpse trapTrapLevel 4 TrapXP 175

Lightning arcs throughout the room, flashing and sparking as it touches metal.

Trap: A crystal embedded in the ceiling syphons magical energy and uses it to reanimate corpses.

Trigger

Whenever a power with the arcane keyword is used:“A flash of lightning arcs through the room” Add a number of charge tokens to the trap equal to the powers level (at least 1). For example, if a wizard casts a light spell to light up the room, add one token, if a warlock uses Eldritch Rain add three.

Attack

Standard Action Burst 10

Galvinize Corpse: “Lightning arcs through the corpses on the ground striking the walls and ceiling. The corpses convulse and snap to an upright position. Static sparks from the metal straps holding them together, spider lightning crawls, charring flesh, releasing thick black smoke as they twitch and shuffle towards you.” Spawn one Galvinized Corpse into the room for each token removed from the trap (up to a maximum of 10).

Countermeasures

Perception DC 20 (after traps turn only): “Every time a spell is cast the crystal light source in the ceiling gets brighter. Whenever a corpse stands up, the light source dims.”

Arcana DC 26 (after traps turn only) or 15 (after a successful Perception test): “The crystal in the center of the room is feeding on arcane magic and animating the corpses. Stop casting spells and the corpses will stop getting back up when they are killed.”

Dungeoneering DC 36 (or 16 after a successful Arcana or Perception test):
“The crystal in the ceiling is awakening the corpses. Damaging the crystal may weaken the stability of the tower, but if no further magic is used in the room, the corpses should remain inanimate.”

Features of the Area

Illumination: Dim light. A feint light emanates from the purple crystal at the center of the rooms ceiling.
Treasure: If the PCs search the bodies of the charred corpses they find welded into the flesh: 150 gold worth of melted coins and one blackened gem worth 100gp.

PREVIOUS PAGE << 1 2 3 >> NEXT PAGE

Published May 2, 2010 at 5:32 pm

Tags: D&D traps, diy adventure design, dnd adventure design, dnd traps, free DnD trap