Zimgrazhan’s Workshop

Area 2-3 – Zimgrazhan’s Workshop

This chamber is the workshop for Lyria’s imp ally, Zimgrazhan. Hidden behind the trap schematics halfway up the wall is a valve connected to metal tubes running down the wall and exiting through the floor. This valve controls the obscuring mist pervading this level of the dungeon; turning it off makes it easier to navigate and locate traps.

Whenever Zimgrazhan is not patrolling the upper level of the dungeon to repair or install traps, he can be found here scheming and designing new devices to enhance the labyrinth’s defenses. As soon as the characters arrive, Zimgrazhan elects to turn invisible to interact with the party.

Zimgrazhan: Init +3; Atk sting +1 melee (1d4 plus poison [DC 11 Fortitude save or death]); Crit DN/d4; AC 16; HD 2d4 (hp 7); MV 20’ or fly 60’; Act 1d20; SP immune to fire, poison stinger, spellcasting (+3 spell check): spells (1st)

ZIMGRAZHAN THE IMP SABOTEUR

The judge may employ Zimgrazhan in several different ways to maximize the dynamics of the dungeon during play. Here are a few suggestions to allow Zimgrazhan to take a more active role in sabotaging the party.

Setting Traps During Rests: While no wandering monsters exist within the dungeon, at the judge’s discretion, Zimgrazhan may be able to serve a similar function. If the party chooses to rest or decides to wait out a threat, Zimgrazhan might seize the opportunity to set up traps in their vicinity using his Toolbox of Trapsmithing.

Resetting Disabled Traps: Another of Zimgrazhan’s tactics is to revisit traps the characters have already disabled or bypassed and reset them. He takes great care not to make it obvious their preventative measures have been tampered with. For example, he leaves the appearance that pitons under pressure plates are still actively preventing a trap from activating.

Bait and Switch: Zimgrazhan is fond of leaving marks or signs along the walls to confuse adventurers, either pointing them in the direction of a trap he has set or toward one innately found within the dungeon. Alternatively, he also possesses a storm gem (see area 2-3 treasure) used as bait in noticeable locations throughout the dungeon to entice characters to travel along the path toward one of his traps. Of course, the gem itself is also trapped.

charm person, choking cloud, detect magic, (2nd) invisibility; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4; AL C.

Zimgrazhan is extremely proud of his traps and takes offense if any comment is made about them being easy to bypass. He fishes for compliments when encountered by asking the adventuring party if there were more of them when they arrived or to describe the worst injury they sustained.

Zimgrazhan is surprisingly chatty but seems reluctant to discuss his master. A character who succeeds a DC 14 Personality check gets him talking about some specific information.

• Lyria was the former leader of a thieves guild called the Gravelight Sorority. She was deposed as its guild leader by her partner, Dara.

• Lyria stole and brought the Reliquary of the Silent Sisters to this dungeon of death to bait her former friend and the other members of the thieves guild into attempting to retrieve it.

• She succeeded in killing off Dara and the Gravelight Sorority but has not left the dungeon. She has become obsessed with the Reliquary of the Silent Sisters and has isolated herself within one of the former vaults with the object. The artifact’s curse has made her ageless but doomed her to an eternal fascination with the object.

Zimgrazhan’s apparent willingness to engage in conversation with the party is a strategic delay tactic as he covertly activates a hidden trap within the room.

Trap Features: Discreetly positioned under the high surface of the central workbench is a concealed button. Zimgrazhan activates the button while invisible. In doing so, an odorless, flammable gas slowly begins to fill the chamber from tiny jets installed within the walls.

Detection: A character succeeding a Luck check notices the blueprints and schematics hanging from the walls begin to quiver, a clue as to the air currents created by the release of the gas into the room.

Effect: After 5 minutes have passed, the gas in the chamber becomes concentrated enough for any spark or flame to cause an explosion. Each character in the room when this occurs must succeed a DC 14 Reflex save, taking 6d6 fire damage on a failed save or half damage on a successful one.

Once Zimgrazhan observes the adventurers showing symptoms of gas exposure, he slyly reaches for flint and steel from one of the workbenches, intending to ignite the volatile atmosphere. Zimgrazhan remains unscathed due to his immunity to fire damage, and he moves to slip away from the room and escape into the dungeon.

Treasure: Upon one of the workbenches rests Zimgrazhan’s Toolbox of Trapsmithing (see sidebar next page). Also, a small brown bag contains a storm gem that Zimgrazhan uses to bait adventurers toward traps.

The storm gem is an azure blue and black opal with a luminous sheen. A gem of this quality would be worth approxi-

ZIMGRAZHAN’S TOOLBOX OF TRAPSMITHING

This dark, iron-bound box is adorned with infernal runes and contains a variety of sinister-looking tools specifically designed for trapmaking. It includes finely crafted pliers, cutters, wire, springs, gears, and various arcane and mechanical components that all seem to shift and change to suit the task at hand. While the toolbox allows itself to be handled by others on occasion, it is more than capable of using its own powers of telekinesis to finely and expertly employ its vast array of tools to accomplish its tasks.

The Toolbox of Trapsmithing is a sentient object that is capable of hearing and seeing as if it had infravision of 60’. A character in possession of the toolbox who is of chaotic alignment can communicate telepathically with the infernal device and direct the toolbox to lend use of its talents. The toolbox forms a complex relationship with its user. It revels in being used to construct sadistic traps designed to maim and kill. However, it quickly becomes impatient and at times attempts to manipulate its user into making mistakes and sabotaging themselves.

The toolbox has a 1-in-3 chance of alerting its owner of a trap when it comes within 30’ of a trigger. The Toolbox of Trapsmithing is also capable of rearming and disarming any simple mechanical trap without the need for a check. The toolbox eagerly assists with the rearming of traps, as its bloodthirsty instincts yearn for the brutal misfortune it might reap. Asking it to disarm a trap is another matter, requiring a DC 15 Personality check to convince it to begrudgingly disarm a known trap, which it does without the need for a check.

The Toolbox of Trapsmithing is also capable of creating its own improvised traps using materials contained with-

mately 1,000 gp to the right buyer. Although valuable, the item is cursed, a fact that is revealed by casting detect magic with a spell check of 18 or higher. The first time each day a PC in possession of the gem steps outdoors, the opal (and the character) is struck by a massive bolt of lightning. The wearer and each creature within 5’ must make a DC 15 Reflex save, taking 3d10 lightning damage on a failed save or half damage on a successful save. This effect does not function again until the next dawn. The curse can be removed with dispel magic or similar means.