Curse of the Maggot God
Open source p.16OSE AA1
The guild of sewermen need help finding a lost worker, and will pay 200gp for his return, dead or alive. The worker is a new sewerman named Hal. A few days ago, he and several other sewermen discovered an ancient chamber (Area 3), revealed by a tunnel collapse following a month’s worth of rainfall in the region. Against the advice of his foreman, Hal went inside to take a look. Shortly after, his terrified screams were heard and the rest of the sewermen took flight. The sewermen refuse to return, and the guild now seeks the aid of adventurers. In truth, Hal was taken by the malign priest Malerian and his troglodyte henchmen, and fed to their “Maggot God”—an enormous, bloated maggot residing in deeper caverns. Malerian and the troglodytes dwell in the mosaic-lined chambers beyond the collapse, the cellars of a long-demolished villa. They venerate a god of rot and decay, and believe the abhorrent maggot creature to be an incarnation of their blasphemous deity.
The Adventure
Overview & introduction p.16
The guild of sewermen need help finding a lost worker, and will pay 200gp for his return, dead or alive. The worker is a new sewerman named Hal. A few days ago, he and several other sewermen discovered an ancient chamber (Area 3), revealed by a tunnel collapse following a month’s worth of rainfall in the region. Against the advice of his foreman, Hal went inside to take a look. Shortly after, his terrified screams were heard and the rest of the sewermen took flight. The sewermen refuse to return, and the guild now seeks the aid of adventurers. In truth, Hal was taken by the malign priest Malerian and his troglodyte henchmen, and fed to their “Maggot God”—an enormous, bloated maggot residing in deeper caverns. Malerian and the troglodytes dwell in the mosaic-lined chambers beyond the collapse, the cellars of a long-demolished villa. They venerate a god of rot and decay, and believe the abhorrent maggot creature to be an incarnation of their blasphemous deity.
Random Happenings p.17
(1-IN PER TURN) SEWERS: VILLA CHAMBERS: 1. A bloated human body 1. Troglodytes patrol 2. Normal Rats swarm 2. 1 Troglodyte sleeping 3. Giant Rats 3. Parts of a mosaic crumble to the floor 4. A sleeping guild thief 4. Sewer water seeping into puddles 5. A fatberg 5. 1 Giant Leech or Giant Rats 6. 1 Ochre Jelly 6. 1 Carcass Crawler (Quisquil from Area 11)
Denizens p.18
MALERIAN THE UNWASHED
A priest of the god of rot and decay, Malerian is a human with a grubby face, matted hair, unpleasant odour, and wide starry eyes. His armour and clothing are equally dirty and tattered. He is always accompanied by his pet carcass crawler, quisquil. malerian was shunned by his fellow acolytes over his poor hygiene and unusual interest in the decaying dead, even for a member of his morbid faith. Banished to the marshes, he felt himself drawn to the tunnel leading to the lair of the thing he came to call the Malerian (Area 19). He believed it to be an incarnation of his deity, and was overcome with sycophancy. Having attracted a likeminded tribe of troglodytes to assist him, he now nourishes his god with dead animal carcasses and captured victims.
THE MAGGOT GOD
A giant, pulsating bloated maggot, 10’ in diameter and over 60’ long. It is in no way a deity or related to a deity, but it’s clear that something arcane in nature has caused it to grow to such proportions.
TROGLODYTE MAGGOT
CULTISTS
Servants of Malerian and cultists of the Maggot God. Each symbiotically hosts oversized maggots in its mouth, which wriggle out if it falls in battle. The troglodytes help gather offerings, protect the chambers, and safeguard the Maggot God. The chief of the troglodytes, Mukklah Tuk, is responsible for guarding and feeding the maggot god. He believes he is the maggot god's “favourite” and secretly plots to usurp Malerian.
General Notes p.19
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION
- Sewers are of hewn stone blocks, 10' high ceilings, iron grates to catch debris.
- Villa chambers have flagstone floors. Walls are stone, roughly rendered and painted, or decorated with crumbling mosaics.
- Deeper caverns and tunnels are earth with precarious timber supports.
LIGHTING
The only illuminated areas are around Malerian's chambers (Area 8, 10, 11, and 12). They are lit with candles placed in wall niches or on the floor. Malerian replenishes the candles when necessary. He uses a lantern when visiting the Maggot God's cave (Area 19).
DRAG MARKS
A gruesome trail of blood, sewage, and scratches is evident from Area 3 to Area 15, except for an interruption in Area 8 (see map). This is the new route along which offerings gathered from the sewers are taken to Malerian for approval, before being presented to the Maggot God.
Keyed entries (19)
1. 1. Sewer Entrance p.20
Foetid water 5' deep. Path northward is blocked by a floor-to-ceiling grate. Narrow ledge with alcove containing lever that opens grate.
- Secret door to Area 14: A section of wall that hinges when pushed.
2. 2. Collapsed Section p.20
Loose wall rubble has collapsed into the sewer, revealing a dark opening 1' above the water level. This is the entrance where Hal was lost.
3. 3. Pillared Hall p.21
Mosaics of sailing scenes. Six pillars carved with waves and galleons. Signs of blood and struggle with drag marks (see general notes) from the sewers heading east to an archway. A foul stench emanates from it.
- Loud noises here: Will alert the troglodytes in Area 4, who will prepare an ambush.
4. 4. Troglodyte North Guardpost p.21
Mosaics of gardening scenes. Waist-high black-glazed vases filled with long-dead flowers. 2 troglodytes (hp: 6, 7) squat on the floor here, sucking decomposed rats.
5. 5. Heroes Hall p.21
Two alabaster statues of a man and a woman dressed like warriors of old.
- Entering the eastern end of the hall: A faint and glitching magic mouth appears and declares: “Intruders turn back or be cursed by the Caecilius family!”
6. 6. Villa Stairwell p.21
Once led up to the villa; now terminates at a bricked-up opening.
- Breaking through: Requires 3 turns with a tool, and leads outdoors to an overgrown, trash-strewn garden in the temple district of the city.
7. 7. West Wine Cellar p.22
Alcoves filled with rotten wooden trellises containing aged bottles. Glass shards and ancient wine stains on floor. A few small, two-gallon casks (empty) rest against the walls.
- Searching the bottles: One of the bottles of wine is a magically preserved 2,000-year-old red wine (250gp).
8. 8. Pool Room p.22
Mosaics of nobles, bathing and eating in luxuriating poses. Wet floor obscures and interrupts the trail of drag marks (it resumes beyond the southeasterly exit). Three mosaic-lined square pools, 3' deep with low retaining walls, empty and filled with broken masonry.
- Putting liquids in the central pool: Liquids are magically turned into purified water.
- Searching the central pool: A secret panel in its retaining wall contains a leather pouch of 12 opals (40gp each).
9. 9. Troglodyte Sleeping Chamber p.22
The doors to this chamber are closed, but the foul stench emanating from it is vile. The room has rendered walls painted white, now streaked with filth. 6 troglodytes (hp: 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 13—stats on p.21) lay asleep on the floor. The largest cuddles a greasy sack of 500sp, 300gp, and 2 silver bracelets with pearls carved like eyes (275gp each).
10. 10. Malerian’s Library p.23
Rendered walls painted white. Roughly made bookshelves stacked haphazardly with dusty, dirty tomes. A dusty but ornate silk and gold threaded rug lies on the floor (300gp).
- Examining the books: The library focuses on decay, ruin, and vermin. One book details the Caecilius family history (100gp, if sold to a collector).
11. 11. Malerian’s Private Chamber p.23
Rendered walls painted in red ochre. A large crude bed draped with linen and furs (200gp). Malerian sits at a wooden desk strewn with writing and reading clutter and a lit lantern, and also adorned with 6 gold maggot candlesticks (50gp each). His pet carcass crawler, Quisquil is curled drooling in a corner.
- In the desk drawer: 4 flasks of oil and a silver maggot necklace (250gp).
12. 12. Malerian’s Prayer Hall p.23
Lined with 1’ high, hexagonal alcoves containing scores of lit red candles. A 3' tall silver idol of a maggot devouring a human squats in the centre (1,000gp).
13. 13. Collapsed Room p.24
This chamber is partly collapsed, with heaps of fallen masonry immediately visible. A troglodyte corpse lies crushed beneath a slab, its protruding, rat-chewed legs clearly visible. The troglodytes tread carefully here when dragging Malerian’s approved offerings.
14. 14. Secret Sewer Entrance p.24
Hallway dead-ends at a curving wall.
- Secret door to Area 1: A section of wall that hinges when pushed. Malerian and the troglodytes are not aware of its presence.
15. 15. Troglodyte South Guardpost p.24
A foul stench wafts up the approaching corridor from this chamber. 4 troglodytes (hp: 3, 8, 10, 12—stats on p.21) guard here, snacking on dried cockroaches. A collapsed floor in the eastern part of the chamber drops down 50' to Area 17. A rickety wooden ladder is fixed to the wall allowing access to below.
16. 16. Do Not Disturb p.24
Thick webs, a troglodyte husk, and a black widow spider. Bones of previous victims litter the floor.
- Searching the bones: Among the bones are 300cp, 200sp, 30gp, and 3 gold bracelets formed like wreaths of bay leaves (100gp each).
17. 17. Rank Cave p.25
Offerings to the Maggot God—dead animals and corpulent bodies fished from the sewers—are dragged and dropped into this cave. The stench is almost unbearable. The corpses are alive with maggots.
- Searching the remains: Amongst the putrid slop can be found 230gp and 322sp.
18. 18. Mukklah Tuk’s Cave p.25
The chief of the troglodytes, Mukklah Tuk and 2 troglodytes (hp: 6, 11—stats on p.21) are stationed here, mumbling litanies praising the Maggot God.
19. 19. Maggot God’s Cave p.25
A natural earthen cave, stiflingly humid. The half-chewed remains of Hal the sewerman, still wearing his sewerman’s mask, are slumped against a wall. The Maggot God dominates the chamber, lying curled in contented digestion. A 50' rising ledge, out of reach of the Maggot God, leads to a tunnel exit.
- Approaching Hal: The Maggot God will attempt to eat anyone that gets near to Hal unless they are wearing the silver maggot necklace (see Area 11).
- If there is a confrontation here: The troglodytes in Area 18 will rush to the aid of the Maggot God.
- Following the tunnel: The tunnel leads out of the city to the boggy marsh where Malerian and the troglodytes egress the chambers.