Sewer Grate
RoomDCC 74 · p.8
Open source p.8Area 1-6 – Sewer Grate
A rough hole is cut into the ceiling of the sewer pipe. The shaft climbs 15 feet before terminating at a rusty iron grate. The flicker of torchlight hints at a chamber beyond the grate.
PCs climbing to the grate from below (climb DC 10, or by aid with rope and grapple) discover that the grate is locked on the far side; further, the grate is sticky with gore. Dried blood and bits of flesh and intestine hang from the iron bars. Picking the lock (DC 13) requires the thief to reach up through the grate
and into the room above. Alternatively, the grates can be torn free of their mooring with a Herculean DC 20 Strength check.
The temple uses the sewers to dispose of corpses, and the denizens of the sewers have come to expect these meals. The thirteen plague rats lurking in the chamber above regard hands craning through the grate as an invitation to sup.
At the first sign of disturbance of the grate, the ravenous rats pour down onto the unfortunate PC below. They cling to the PC, clawing and biting any exposed flesh. Every round make a single attack roll against any PC within the chamber. For every point equal or above the PC’s AC, the rats inflict damage. PCs in the chimney must succeed on DC 13 Will saves or plummet back into the sewers below.
Every PC suffering damage from a plague rat must make a DC 13 Fortitude save at the end of the adventure or contract a disease at the judge’s pleasure.
Plague Rat Swarm: Init ; Atk escalating bite (special); AC 10; HD ; hp 26; MV 25’; Act special; SP bite all targets within Area 1-6, escalating bite ( dmg for every point attack roll exceeds or equals target’s AC), disease (DC 13 Fort save, see above); SV Fort , Ref , Will ; AL N.