The legs were hidden originally on an uninhabited island thousands of miles away from anything else in the center of the sea. This island was an incredably high mountain that rises abruptly from the sea. The mountain was impossible to climb, and the item was at the very summit. There it lay for a thousand years from ragnarox until some 750 years ago.
The lesser god Ralishaz seeking the most remote place on the globe to establish a colony of priests found the item. Attracted by the strong magical and psysic emination from the top of the mountain, he found it's hiding place and took it. Its magical property (acting like boots of speed) did not attract him, but he was intregued.
He kept it for 120 years until he happened to mention it to Bobicob during a feast of the gods of chaos. Bobicob of course knew what it was. Bobicob told Ralishaz to hide it the best way he could, but also said that it would be a good thing if there were a chance that someday it could be recovered. He said it in such a way that Ralishaz decided to use it as a lure to adventurers. Ralishaz watches what the partys do and has a way to talk to them and see them, although he doesn't do this often prefering not to interfear and let them muddle along their way.
When the god Ralishaz was thinking of a place to store the Legs, he knew he wanted to place it underground for the security of such a place provided. But there were many underground places known to him. Then he remembered something that a Earth Elemental had told him about several centuries ago. Once he inspected it he knew this was the right place to store the legs.
The Elemental had told him of an enormous geode; the largest ever. The geode was about 1/2 mile in diameter and lay about 100' below the surface. Upon inspecting this geode, the god found that it had a "rind" of hard stone around it like a rind. Then, there was a thick area made of an unusually clear (though not transparent) quartz with veins of Mythral running through it. And in the center was a stony wonderland. As with most geodes, there is an open space inside the rock. In a geode this big, the open area is about 1/5 mile (400') high and about 1/3 mile wide (about 700') around. This open area had been worked by the Dwarfs who were mining the mythral into dazzeling shapes and fanciful buildings.
Ralishaz created an entire undergound dungeon to house the item. He made it one that was impossible to get out of once you were in (a wish spell "I wish this door would only open from the outside no matter what happens to the door") and where your only hope was to try to survive the nasty creatures he placed there long enought to figure out his puzzles, traps to find the legs. Then, he started rourmors about the place giving little or no details, but telling of a great artifact that was burried there that was beyound price and could only be had by the bravest and most fearless warriors.
Ralishaz is a playful god and will become aware of the parties presence as soon as the door opens. The god has scattered clues to the whereabouts of the legs throughout the dungeon with each level having more potent clues. Some of the clues bear on the location of the legs, and some bear on how to get down to the next level which is always well hidden.
This has served Ralishaz well over the years, providing the occasional entertainment of the type he likes the most; life and death struggles where chance and wits are involved. There has been some group that has entered the dungeion at least every 20 years since he began to tell of its existance (about 600 years ago). In all, 2100 adventurers have met there death in the the place that has become known as The Puzzle of Ralishaz. Many of the spirits of these adventurers lingers on as undead where they met their fate. Adventurers today regard the Puzzle as the Ultimate challenge for an adventurer that is begining to lose his edge and is unwilling to go down slowly. Many a party has tried it as a do-or-die last grasp for fame and maybe (according to the legends about the Legs) a chance for immortality.
The dungeon is located about 150 miles due north from the Castle Maure in the deepest part of the unhibited area of the Cairn Hills outside of the City of Greyhawk.
Event Outline
Clue Coins
The Clue Coins are magical items specially created by Ralishaz to lead
the intruders entering the dungeon deeper down. They have 3 magical properties.
If a coin has been carried to a level below the one where the coin
was found, they will begin to go back to the level where they came from.
They can teleport out of any non-magical enclosure to land on the ground
within the line of sight of the person carrying them. Once on the ground,
it will begin to roll toward the nearest potty shrine. It will roll into
the hands of the statue and will be teleported to a random spot within
50' of a shrine on the level they came from. There, they will be found
by the creatures of that level and hidden again.
Carrying Clue Coins is a dangerous proposition. If a coin is taken
and carried by a character, it will begin sucking HP from that character
at the rate of 1 HP per hour. This will continue without the carrier begin
aware of it until 0 is reached and the character falls unconcious or something
else happens to cause damage. It uses this life energy to store up an electrical
charge. This charge will be released at a time based on where the coin
is being carried. The closer to the body it is stored, the quicker it will
discharge and the less damage it does.
Carried in Pocket - In 4 hours, the discharge will occur doing 1d4
of damage (plus the 4HP that were sucked)
In a Pouch - Discharge will occur in 8 hours. It will shock for 1d8
HP of damage +8 HP sucked
In a Backpack - Discharge in 12 hours. It shocks for 1d12 HP of damage
+12 HP sucked
In a Metal Container - Discharge in 24 hours. 2d12HP dam. + 24 HP sucked
Of course, if more than 1 coin is carried, the effects above are per
coin carried.
The clues are stamped
on small Mythral pieces (1/4 of normal weight worth about 250 gold). The
creatures that reside are ruled by creatures that come up from the lower
levels to get food and boss the lesser races around. The bosses (given
the order by the god) have told the rest that they should kill anyone that
they see on sight. They have also decreed that the bodies of the dead be
searched and if any clue pieces is found that belong on a different level,
that they be re-hidden on that level. (This will enshure the clues will
be less confusing and accurate for the specific level and NA on other levels.
Riddle Coins
The coins are similar in appearance. They are made of Mythrel and as
big around as a gold piece by 1/4 the thickness. Each has an inscription
on the side holding the first part of the verse which is a number of marks
in a set of three. The first marks number the level, the second the riddle
number and the third the part of the riddle. Around the circumference in
a spiral is the text of the riddle. The secton after the slash is the text
on the tailes side.
These coins are hidden all over the level by creatures sent by Ralishaz
for that purpose. Although the party may guess what the answer of the riddle
is without having all the coins to complete it, the entire riddle must
be repeated as the party seeks to open the portal to the next level down.
The riddle must be one of the first 3 that point to the way down. It won't
work repeating one of the riddles that pointed to a clue.
The clue pieces are grouped by a symbol and a number. Each number is
the order the line of the clue represents. Each group forms a single clue
usually in the form of a riddle. There are 3 kinds of riddles
Even the layout of the dungeon rooms is a
clue. On each level a clue is hidden in the map. For instance on the second
level, each room has a number in the lintel. There is a series of 20' wide
hallways (the only ones on the level) and the hallways spell out the room
number. On the fifth level, there is a maze. if the maze is correctly mapped,
it will spell out "Under Fountain". There are only 3 foundtains on the
level, and the way to the 6th level is found under one of them.
Mythral runs in veins of quartz, so most of the dungeon is of this white to clear stone. The mythrel that still remains in the quartz in small amounts is sufficient to stop all spells from passing through it, but is not sufficient to make it profitable to mine in most of the areas. There is one exception on the 3nd level where the creatures mine this stuff to make their own armor. In general, the stone is clear enough that light is visible through it when the stuff is less than 4' deep. A inch thick and it is similar to a shower curtain (outlines and some details visible).
Dungeon
There are 6 levels. A different race lives on each level. Ecah race
on a level is more intellegent thatn the ones on the level above.
The Randomizer
To prevent the dungeon levels from staying too much the same, the god
has set up what he calls a "randomizer". At first it was just intended
to simulate weather underground, but he kept adding to its variety of effects,
though he has not do so in a long time. This is a strong magical item that
affects the level it is placed on. Every hour of every day, one of the
randomizers effects begins. Roll 2d6 and consult the chart below to determine
the effect of the randomizer. Subtract one if it is already light, add
one if it is dark.
Level 1
This place is the garbage dump for all the refuse for the other levels.
Ralishaz has created a Meta-magical spell that uses the mythral in the
rock as a medium for transporting solids through the dungeon. For the most
part, this spell is cast on a spot in levels 2 - 6. These perminante spells
move solids to a random spot on the first level . The refuse become food
for the slimes and jellies; they need nothing more. Like everything however,
the 1st level monsters crave the flesh of living creatures and have been
taught to attack any intruders. The creatures on this level have no way
to expand their caves beyond what was originally constructed.
Level 2
The owlbears make war against themselves in a constant round of tribal
combat that they regard as their reason for living. There are territories
that they guard jelously and they always seek to gain power over the other
tribes. They will willingly use the party to this end if they can control
their bloodlust long enough to realize the potential. They have done nothing
to the original structure.
Level 3
The Durigar have made extensive new tunnels rooms and other areas as
their population is increasing and they are mining what is left of the
mythra.l. They are devious and will look for a sure fire plan to capture
the party and or kill them with as little risk to themselves as possible.
They have even created false clues to lure partys to places of ambush (the
counterfit coins are of lower quality than the real ones, but are made
of the mythral). Although there are different clans among the duregar,
they do not wage physical war. Instead they compeate for resources; the
best veins of mythral, access to the food and water, live in the largest
rooms etc. It is a form of economic warfare.
Level 4
Minators are very tribal. Although they make war between the tribes,
it is mostly ceremonial and takes place under controled circumstances and
with strict rules of conduct. The tribes will instantly unite against intruders
however. They have made some additions to their area, but are not discipled
diggers. They regard digging as the lowest of occupations, so the progress
is slow and the worksmanship shoddy.
Level 5
This level is occupied by stone giants. It is the inside open area
of the geode. Dwarven cliff dwellings (now occupied by the human slaves)
line the sides. The giants have made their own crude houses out of the
debris of intentionally demolished cliff dwellings. There is only one tribe
and they rule everything on this level. The lesser creatures here (a genetcally
superior form of human) they use as slaves and keep in them in horrendous
conditions. If the characters are seen entering this level, the giants
will force the humans to attack first to determine the parties capabilities
and then once they understand what the party can do, will attack by surprise.
Level 6
The mindflayers (Illitihds) are singular and fairly insualr. Each is
an individual and will act independantly at first to eliminate the party
for the glory and influence they will receive. But if this is not enough,
they will band together to kill all intruders if they must. They are not
interested in expanding their area, and rue the agreement they made with
Ralishaz that put them here forever. One might be talked into helping the
party if they promice to take him away, but they will never agree to it
as a group.
There will be a ton of god like magic that is totally chaotic in nature. Drastic changes await those who touch things they shouldn't but they will soon see that withiut messing with things, they will never find the clues they need to escape.
LEVEL 1 RIDDLES
The solution to this is level is "Your Shadow". When the party is passing
an area that has a perminant ligh source, they may notice their shadow
falls on a wall where is appears clearly. The other walls in the room are
rough and do not make a shadow. This wall hides an opening to the stairway
down to the 2nd level.
LEVEL 2 RIDDLES
The solution to this level is "Horses". This refers to a sculpture
that dominates one of the rooms. Its subject is a group of wild horses
in a protective stance around a Unicorn. The opening to the 3rd level is
under the Unicorn statue.
2-5 A golden coin on one side and silver on the other
LEVEL 3 RIDDLES
The solution to this puzzle referes to a "Candle of everburning" that
rests on an alter to Ralashaz. This candle must be put out (they will have
to use magic). When it goes out, the bottom of the alter falls away revealing
the stairway down. The candle is noticably smoky as it is constantly guttering
(to fit riddle 3.4).
LEVEL 4 RIDDLES
There is a room with a thick rope that desceds from the ceiling. This
door down can only be opened by pulling on the rope using only teeth. It
will take at least 3 people or 18/50% strength to pull hard enough to open
the door.
LEVEL 5 RIDDLES
These riddles point to the well in the Temple to Ralishaz that is used
by the giants for their ceremonies. The giants don't know anything about
the fact that the well leads to the next level. It is guarded by
terrible tiny swimming monsters that live in the cracks of the stone lining
the well and hidden behind a secret door 50 feet underwater.
LEVEL 6 Puzzles
The sixth level riddle is a fire. In the pool room of the Eldar Illithid
which is the largest room on the level there is an island that lies in
the center of the pool. From the center of this island, a perpetual gas
fire burns. In the middle of the flame is a ring. Pulling on this ring
will open the back of the fireplace and reveal the stairs down to the final
level.