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secret_of_resh

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This adventure was run for The Good Party in September, 1984 (during my senior year in college). It was my attempt to incorporate the “Cthulhu mythos” into my world. Later, believing that the “Cthulhu” mythos were taken out of the original Deities & Demigods due to copyright concerns (not entirely true), I renamed “Cthulhu” to “Godslayer” (a name which has remained ever since).

Note: This entire adventure no longer exists in the main timeline due to “The Great Retcon”.

The Secret of Resh

Introduction

The Quiet Wizard, PELHAM, shocked by the destruction of his master, THE DARK MAGE, has tracked down the group responsible and wants to dole out the appropriate punishment. However, he fears their ingenuity and luck and (as is his nature) will not confront them directly.

Simultaneously, very strange events have been transpiring in the kingdom of RESH. Pelham's magic reveals nothing and nobody has returned from there alive.

Putting the two together, along with Pelham's curiosity, we get a plan: Pelham will use his mind-influencing spells to send a dream to SORGUL. The reverent Sorgul will wrongly interpret the dream as an omen and will be led by it into the heart of Resh. There, under surveillance by Pelham, Sorgul and his group will be confronted by CTHULHU! The evil god has just recently gained a foothold in this world but does not have his full powers.

Meanwhile, for the past ten years, AKHNATEP, a Pit Fiend has been trying to get back to the prime material plane to battle Sly, his sworn enemy. As fate would have it, he will appear just as the trio meets Cthulhu. The distraction should be just enough…

Overview of Resh

On November 22, 1098, the kingdom of BACKBONE (Resh's immediate neighbor) collapsed and was overtaken by the storm of evil from LOWLAND. Resh, in the spirit of the kingdom, ignored it and hoped it would go away.

Shortly thereafter, strange cults which had previously been secretive, began emerging from the closets and performing strange rituals. Also at this time a strange breed of aquatic creatures began popping up in small numbers.

On June 26, 1104, at the exact point of the new moon, a well-orchestrated series of magical rituals were carried out which released Cthulhu from his extra-dimensional prison1). The resulting psychic shock wave killed all living creatures within approximately 100 miles. Even the god himself was stunned by the transition and now is very weak.

Since his manifestation, DEEP ONES have taken control of the land surrounding Resh. Any living creature they encounter is destroyed. Some MI-GO are with the Deep Ones and will be sent to summon a SHOGGOTH should any intruders be too much for the Deep Ones to handle.

The capital city itself has been changed drastically. Underneath it, a great watery cavern has been created and the overall level of the land has been lowered by about 5 feet. Living in the buildings and streets are all manner of reptilian and marsh-like creatures which Cthulhu summoned in.

Encounter 1

As the party enters the city:

4 DEEP ONES (hp 25,10,14,9) will attack. If they are defeated, approximately 30 others will swarm in from concealed locations and attack. If over 10 are killed, the others will all flee into the building detailed below:

Encounter 1 from "Secret of Resh"

Encounter 2

In the main room will be a GIANT CONSTRICTOR SNAKE (hp 32), 4 GIANT POISONOUS SNAKES (hp 18,15,25,16), and 16 NORMAL POISONOUS SNAKES (HD 2+1; Poison: 2d4 pts. damage).

The rest of the building is empty and useless.

The trap door, however, goes underwater to a tunnel (detailed on the following page).

Underwater

Underwater Caverns from "Secret of Resh"

Refer to map for details. Here is the text from the map:

3 GIANT EELS (hp 28,29,15) and 1 ELECTRIC EEL (Marine) (HD 8, hp 33) are in here. The electric eel will attack only after a few rounds of combat have elapsed. There is garbage and bones strewn about this place as it is used as a refuse dump by the deep ones.

There is a coating of water everywhere here and living amidst the gunk here are 3 GRAY OOZES (hp 18,14,15), an OCHRE JELLY (hp 23), a CRYSTAL OOZE (hp 20), and in the SE room: A SHOGGOTH (hp 86).

Treasure:

  • Wand of Lightning (65 charges)
  • Scroll: Heal, Dispel Magic, CLW(x2)
  • Potions: X Healing (x3), Invisibility, Flying
  • 8 gems: 100×4, 500×2, 50×2
  • 4,000 gp, 8,000 sp, 10,000 cp

Cthulhu's Chamber

(continued from the previous map)

Cthulhu's Chamber from "Secret of Resh"

Notes from the map:

  • This doorway is the activated portal to the world of Cthulhu.
  • Lung Wang (Sea Dragon) Avg. Old (hp 72)
  • Ceiling Height: 180'


(← The DM's Slaughterhouse) (Back to Adventures Index) (The Nine Hells →)

1)
Actually, it was summoned from Kona
secret_of_resh.txt · Last modified: 2021/04/10 13:12 by jims