Conversion Crawl Classes 23: Hawkmoon (3): The Chatillon Caverns (2)

I neglected to talk about zombification in my last post about The Chatillon Caverns, and, as that is the heart of this adventure, that was extremely remiss.

This adventure describes the process in extremely loose terms. Zombification is a mixture of voodoo and technology, with the zombified victims being chemically processed before being fitted with electronic receivers to be given orders. I picture them as similar to the Robomen from the Doctor Who serial, The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Having previously provided statistics for Robomen, I have something I can use for the basis of statistics. I tend to think, from the description, that the zombified soldiers are less obviously technological/clunky than the Robomen, but that they also do not communicate back to their controllers or go insane. Thus:

Zombified Soldier: Init -2; Atk by weapon +0 melee (by weapon); AC 8; HD 2d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP immune to mind-affecting; SV Fort +3, Ref –2, Will +0; AL L.

The standard zombification process allows no save to resist. Aerosol zombification, should it be achieved by the sorcerer-scientists of Granbretan, creates a misty cloud. Anyone in contact with the cloud must succeed in a DC 15 Fort save each round or take 1d3 Personality damage. Zombification occurs at 0 Personality, although the victims must still be fitted with electronic receivers to be commanded.

Without magic, zombification cannot be reversed. Even neutralizing the zombification toxins does nothing unless it also reverses the damage therefrom. A Lay on Hands check able to heal 4 HD or a DC 12 Divine Intervention check can allow a single individual to recover from the condition with time and rest enough to reach 3 Personality (or higher).

Those who recover only remember their time as living zombies in nightmares and flashes of horrifying insight, as determined by the judge.

Statblocks

If you do plan on converting/using this adventure, here are some creatures from the cavern Encounters section already done for you. If you do not plan on using this particular adventure, they are generic enough that you might include them in scenarios of your own devising!

These statistics are for the animal encounters on page 29-30 of the Hawkmoon rulebook, and it should be clear that I leaned heavily on the mundane bat swarm, cave cricket, and giant rat from the DCC core rulebook when converting their statistics.

Mutant Bat Swarm: Init +4; Atk swarming bite +1 melee (1d3); AC 14; HD 2d8; MV fly 40’; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks; SV Fort +0, Ref +10, Will -2; AL N; Crit M/1d8.

The mutant bats are large with purple-green rhizomatic growths instead of fur. They do not normally attack, but may fly around causing confusion and panic if woken by the PCs. PCs holding a torch must succeed in a Luck check to avoid dropping it. The bats themselves feed outside the caves, and may be in transit or sleeping when encountered. They only attack if trapped or magically controlled.

Mutant Fish: Init +3; Atk bite +4 melee (1d4); AC 13; HD 1d6; MV swim 30’; Act 1d16; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will -4; AL N; Crit n/a.

These rather piranha-like cave fish are large, blind, and aggressive. While they can survive with only sporadic feeding, they are voracious, and attack any other creature entering the underground pool they live in. 2d6 are encountered. Each fish is 2-3 feet long.

Mutant Insects: Init -1; Atk bite -2 melee (1d3); AC 14; HD 3d8; MV 20’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -3; AL N; Crit M/1d8.

These carnivorous insects are enormous cave crickets which have lost the power to jump or fly. Instead, they crawl along cavern walls, ceiling, and floors in a never-ending search for whatever they might find. In the Chatillon Caves, they largely subsist on mutant bats. They have long thin antennae allowing them to sense prey. 1d6 mutant insects is a standard encounter.

Mutant Rats: Init +4; Atk bite +2 melee (1d4+1 plus disease); AC 13; HD 1d6+2; MV 30’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP disease (1d3 Stamina damage each hour after bite until a DC 12 Fort save succeed; mutation); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will -1; AL N; M/1d6.

These mutated giant rats are covered with boils, pustules, and strange growths. Anyone bitten by a mutant rat, or who strikes the mutant rat with a melee weapon and then fails a DC 10 Reflex save to avoid being splashed by the pus-like fluid in its cancerous growths, contracts its disease. Every hour after the initial contact, the victim must succeed in a DC 12 Fort save or take 1d3 Stamina damage as tumorous growths erupt from their own flesh. These tumors subside as the damage is healed, but so long as they remain the diseased character can likewise infect others who come into contact with their pus.

Finally, if the judge has access to the Mutant Crawl Classics rulebook and wants to add some additional mayhem to their game, anyone who fails three or more saves against this disease gains a random mutation. Roll 1d7: (1-4) Physical Mutation, or (5-7) Mental Mutation. While this means some PCs may intentionally fail saves in order to gain unique abilities, as the lowered Stamina affects future saves, this is a potentially lethal decision.

Normally, 2d6 are encountered.

Mutant Salamanders: Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3); AC 13; HD 1d6; MV 20’ or swim 20’; Act 1d20; SP immune to sight-based attacks; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will -4; AL N; Crit M/1d6.

Mutant salamanders are 3-4 feet long, with pale translucent skin. Although they have black eyebuds, sight is not their primary sense, and they are immune to attacks requiring sight (such as color spray). Always hungry, they will leave the water to pursue prey. 1d8 are encountered.

Mutant Spiders: Init +5; Atk bite +2 melee (1 plus venom); AC 17; HD 1d3; MV 30’ or climb 30’; Act 1d20; SP venom (-1d to d20 rolls for 1d3 hours plus Fort DC 14 or 1 point of damage per turn for 2d8 turns); SV Fort +0, Ref +5, Will -4; AL N; Crit M/1d6.

Long-legged spiders similar to pale daddy longlegs or harvestmen, these spiders are 1-2 feet tall on their stilt-like legs. They are shy, and flee from confrontation unless cornered. Their venom causes stiffness and dizziness (expressed as a -1d shift on the dice chain to all d20 rolls for 1d3 hours), and requires a DC 14 Fort save to avoid taking 1 point of damage every turn for 2d8 turns.

A thief can milk a living mutant spider of 1d6 doses of venom, or 1d3-1 doses from a dead spider, with a successful Handle Poison check.

Next: Stormbringer: The Madcap Laughs