The Trapped Antechamber
RoomDCC ATG · p.12
Open source p.12Area 1-12 – The Trapped Antechamber
An elongated hallway stretches thirty feet in length and ten feet in width. The walls are devoid of the familiar design patterns seen elsewhere on this dungeon level. At the far end, a pair of formidable bronze double doors stand closed.
This hall is trapped. A giant crossbow is hidden beneath a 10’ section of the corridor pointed toward the ceiling. Upon being
stepped on, it fires upward, crushing victims between its floortopped quarrel and the ceiling 20’ above. After it discharges, the opening in the floor exposes a chamber where the crossbow mechanism is held. Shortly after being activated, a volley of normal-sized crossbow bolts fire from hidden compartments in the walls of the shaft at targets within the corridor.
Features: This trap has two main features: the Giant Crossbow and the 12 Hidden Crossbows.
Detection: The trap is triggered by a standard pressure plate, which a thief actively searching the floor can find with a DC 13 find trap check.
Trigger: Any weight of more than 50 lbs. on the pressure plate sets off the primary crossbow. The launching of the first bolt triggers the remaining 12 crossbows, which fire an instant later.
Effect (Main Crossbow Instantaneous; Secondary Crossbows Init ): The primary bolt launches with such force that it lifts a section of floor with it. This is unlikely to strike the adventurer who triggered the trap—they can make a Luck check on a and are only struck on a failed check. If the triggering adventurer is not targeted, the second in line is. In either case, the targeted individual must make a DC 14 Reflex save or be crushed against the ceiling for points of damage.
The remaining 12 crossbows fire on their initiative round, targeting any individual within 12’ of the breach in the floor and doing damage if they hit. Everyone in range should make a Luck check; failure means they are targeted by two bolts instead of only one. These secondary bolts are at to hit and also strike for damage.
Deactivation: If the pressure plate is detected before the trap is triggered, a thief can deactivate it with a DC 13 disable trap check.
Reset: Resetting the trap is a time-consuming process, requiring all 13 bows to be reloaded—one with a specialized enormous bolt—and then repairing the floor. The process could take weeks depending on the available workforce.
Vault Doors: Opening the vault doors triggers a magical effect as per scare, result 14. The PC who opened the doors can attempt a DC 14 Willpower save to resist this effect. Failure indicates they experience a moment of fright and immediately flee the area at their maximum speed. This effect lasts 1 round following the failed save. A victim who fails the check retreats from the vault doors and automatically steps upon the pressure plate, triggering the trap if it had been safely bypassed earlier.