Introduction
A 200’ high cliff along the coastline hides a series of damp caves. The higher up parts are encrusted with old snow. The ground covered in pear-sized rocks and orange lichens. A hawk circles up above.
There is an oppressive feeling here – wet and warm, as if something is inhaling and exhaling. Closer examination of the ground reveals the bones of thousands of small fish.
At high tide, the cold water rises up 3’ from the ground level.
Rules for using the Caves of Chaos
Use the general layout from B2, but with the following changes:
Shipwreck on the shore contains rations (nutritious, but cause ferality), small library has encyclopedia papers on various topics (1d4: 1. “Properties,” 2. “Ordinary Objects,” 3. “Russell’s Paradox”, 4. “Animal Social Cognition”).
Lairs
A Kobold Lair – replace kobolds with feral bandits, giant rats with giant crabs. The giant crabs keep the bandits as pets
B Orc Lair – replace all orcs with Plantfolk (tubers). The leader’s room has stems which allow them to communicate to the rival Plantfolk in C
C Orc Lair – replace all orcs with Plantfolk (rhizomes)
D Goblin Lair – replace goblins with zombie philosophers (students, as Zombie)
E Ogre cave – replace ogre with Giant Slug, who is former exiled geometer lord
F Hobgoblin lair – replace all hobgoblins with zombie philosophers (professors, as Wight)
G Shunned Cavern – replace giant rats with giant crabs, owlbear is superb fencer (see quote below)
I Caves of the Minotaur – replace minotaur with shambling mound (friendly but evil, worshipped by halfling acolytes)
They urged me to attack. “See if you can hit him!” they shouted. As I had now recovered somewhat from my astonishment I fell on him with my rapier. The bear made a slight movement with his paw and parried my thrust. I feinted, to deceive him. The bear did not move. I attacked again, this time with all the skill I could muster. I know I would certainly have thrust my way through to a human breast, but the bear made a slight movement with his paw and parried my thrust. By now I was almost in the same state as the elder brother had been: the bear’s utter seriousness robbed me of my composure. Thrusts and feints followed thick and fast, the sweat poured off me, but in vain. It wasn’t merely that he parried my thrusts like the finest fencer in the world; when I feinted to deceive him he made no move at all. No human fencer could equal his perception in this respect. He stood upright, his paw raised ready for battle, his eye fixed on mine as if he could read my soul there, and when my thrusts were not meant seriously he did not move…
Heinrich von Kleist, “On the Marionette Theatre”
Gnolls – evenly dispersed through various lairs, seem to get along with everyone
Elves – not yet there, but preparing an assault on the plantfolk, the war of trees vs. rhizomes
Random Encounters (1d12)
1-2: Feral bandits (1d20)
3: Hermit couple
4: Halfling acolytes
5: Shambling mound
6: Giant crabs (2d6)
7: Zombie philosopher with 2d4 students
8: Plantfolk (2d8, tubers)
9: Plantfolk (2d8, rhizomes)
10: Giant slug (geometer lord)
11: Elves (2d12), invading the plantfolk
12: Solitary gnoll