Dyson's Delve 2 - "Surface Level" (Patreon)

I’m still keeping on with the #Dungeon23 projects – here’s level 2 in its entirety with the full map and short-form stocking. This is the level above the first level that was posted last month.

2-1 Corner Tower – Level 2
This level of the tower is partially collapsed and open to the elements. It is empty unless the toadfolk in area 1-3 have climbed up here to hide.

2-2 Corner Tower – Level 3
This ruined level is used by a pair of blood eagles as their nest. Among their detritus is an amulet on a gold chain.

2-3 Long Tower – Level 2
Bandits on the run have moved into this tower temporarily but are afraid of the denizens within the delve and thus don’t go in any further than necessary, only using this space to hole up. This level serves as a temporary barracks and 2d6-1 bandits are here along with their leader (a level 2 fighter) and a small hoard of stolen goods.

2-4 Long Tower – Rooftop
The bandits keep a watch of 2d3-1 bandits here, keeping an eye on the toadfolk and darklings and trying not to antagonize either group. They will descend the ladder if there’s a commotion in the tower, leaving one behind as lookout.

2-5 Round Tower – Level 2
d4+1 darklings take watch here. They are unhappy with the bandits encroaching on their turf and will attack anyone that looks like a bandit. They also occasionally take potshots from the eastern arrow slit into the broken section of wall in area 3.

2-6 Round Tower – Rooftop
The darklings have abandoned this area because it is exposed to the sun and the bandits in 4.

2-7 Darkling Murder
4 darklings are set up here to guard the stoutly barred door to the courtyard (9) and to watch (and attack) anyone coming in through the gates (8). One has an amulet that allows it to cast darkness once per day and uses this to collect bodies if they succeed at targetting interlopers. There is a dead bandit stuffed into the corner of this tight space, recently slain, with several small precious stones hidden in his boots.

2-8 Ruined Gatehouse
While the outer gates still stand, the gatehouse itself does not. Clambering through the rubble will likely make enough noise to attract the attention of the darklings in 7, and possibly even the bandits in 3-4 and the inner courtyard (11-13).

2-9 Outer Courtyard
Ostensibly bandit-controlled, contested by the darklings at night. 2d6-7 bandits will be here at any time, and will attempt to make a diversion for presumed bandits coming through 8. The far end north of the tower contains a bunch of goods stolen from a merchant caravan.

2-10 Central Dome
This dome sits above the central shaft of the dungeon and was once a library (although the scrolls are long destroyed, and even one of the shelves has been burned at some point. One bandit keeps watch at the stairs down to 18, and will head to 19 to alert others if non-bandits enter this area.

2-11 Inner Courtyard
This is the primary domain of the bandits as it is safe from the harrassment of the darklings. They typically enter via 1-4 and climb up the long tower to get here (to avoid crossing in front of 2-7). 10 bandits stay in this area, mostly huddled against the walls to protect against the weather. They have a small hoard of loot with them.

2-12 Corner Tower
Two of the bandit lieutenants (level 1 fighters) have set up here under orders from the captain in 2-3. They ignore the arrow slits and are just happy to have a nice roof over their heads.

2-13 Overwatch
The least-liked bandits (three of them) are assigned here to watch for people coming across the hilltop. It is a shit posting and they know it.

2-14 Upper Yard
The hilltop is home to the great tower. The bandits want in, but the doors are sealed. Currently three bandits are here looking for a way in. The secret door to the tunnels has not been found yet and is under a thin layer of dirt.

2-15 Great Tower Entrance
The great brass doors of the tower are locked and barred, and only immense strength or a knock spell will get past them. Stairs lead up, and a statue of the magi who had this tower constructed is on a dais at the base of the stairs (with hand held out, and a name plate at the base of the statue). If a gem worth 250gp or more is placed in the statue’s hand, it will cast “contact other plane” for the person placing the gem there (and destroy the gem) with all the shortcomings and possible negative effects of that spell.

2-16 Great Tower Level 2
A wall of fire springs up from the northwest to southeast parts of this room should anyone come up the stairs without saying the name of the magi from the statue below.

2-17 Great Tower Top
This level has a roof but is mostly open to the air with parapets looking down on the areas below. A small table against the central pillar is covered in a rich purple cloth with a single small stone in the middle – a lodestone that appears to be a luckstone on first examination. The animated exoskeleton of a crab-man stands on guard here, cutting the ropes of any who would climb up using a grappling hook.

2-18 The Descent
This chamber connects down to area 1-10 below and the dome above. The east side has collapsed and any powerful spells might well collapse the whole room. A single bandit is on guard here and will yell to alert the bandits in 2-10 and 2-19.

2-19 Last Barracks
8 bandits are bunked here. They don’t like being in this area because several of their number have gone missing and they are terrified of the rest of the tunnels on this level. But it is still better than sleeping in the courtyard above.

2-20 The Pool
Water drips down from the ceiling into a 30 foot wide pool. The first person to drink from the pool after moonrise on any day will gain the benefits of a bless spell for 1d4 hours.

2-21 Benches
Two long stone benches decorate this space. Both are bloodstained. A few humanoid ribs are on the ground behind the east bench.

2-22 Debris Strewn Room
Ruined furniture, bits of clothing, and a few broken weapons and a shield are scattered about. There is a clear path between the south and east doors (made by the ghouls).

2-23 Ghoulish Remains
Fresh human bones are on the small tables in this room – still red and raw. Remains of bandits, darklings, and morlocks alike consumed by the ghouls. d4-2 ghouls will be here.

2-24 An Offering
The stone table at the south end of this littered hall has a gold-plated human skull on it, an offering brought up here by the morlocks for the ghouls. It looks like a trap, so the bandits who have seen it are avoiding it.

2-25 Dead Watch
A solitary ghoul watches for intruders from the secret stairwell to the north. It will attempt to hide from anyone entering from 24. It wears remnants of old finery and a silver tiara.

2-26 North “Table”
A pair of morlock skeletons lie here, fully consumed but not removed to chamber 23 yet. d4-1 ghouls will be here. The scent of the ghast in 28 can be smelled from the eastern door.

2-27 South “Table”
A solitary bandit is on this “table”, paralyzed by the ghouls and not yet consumed. d4-2 ghouls will be here with him. The scent of the ghast can be smelled through the east door.

2-28 Ghastly Court
The ghast ruler of these ghouls sits atop the massive dais gnawing on a leg. d3 ghouls are in attendance. The ghast wears ruined finery and wields a jewelled platinum rod that is also a +1 mace.

The 1200 dpi version of the map was drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and is 10,800 pixels (36 squares) wide. To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for 10′ squares) – so resizing it to either 2,520 pixels wide or 5,040 pixels wide, respectively.

https://dysonlogos.blog/2023/03/06/dungeon23-dysons-delve-ii-level-2-complete/