Finally back to Erdea Manor – this time detailing everything outside of the areas controlled by the Minotaurs, the Throghrin and the ancient crypts.

53. Dark Ruins. The centre of these secret chambers has been long ignored. Damaged furnishings of dark-stained stone litter the chamber and the door to area 54, also made of stone, swings loosely in its frame. The smell of putrefaction is cloying an nearly overwhelming here. Anyone lingering in this chamber or making noise will attract the attention of the creature in area 54.

54. Consumption Made Flesh. This secret chamber is home to a mass of putrescent flesh that seems to be made of many human bodies all combined into a mass of eyes, mouths and pseudopods. The central mass is surrounded by massive tentacle-like extensions made of human arms and torsos that reach out to grab any living thing that wanders within reach. This undead beast (AC: 7, HD: 9+1, hp:48, Mv: 60 (20), Att: 8 tentacles, 1 bite, Dmg: 1d6 x 8 / 2d6, Sv: F5, M: 12) has animal intelligence and cunning, but little of that even. It lashes out with its tentacles to draw prey in to its many mouths to be consumed. Once a tentacle hits in combat, it will constrict and automatically do it’s damage each round until severed. The victim is at -1 on all attack rolls for every tentacle that is constricting him. Tentacles can be attacked with spells or edged weapons and will be severed once receiving 8 or more damage – although only half the damage done to the tentacle is actually dealt to the undead beast itself. The ruins around the undead beast contains several suits of destroyed armour, as well as a shield +2, a spear +1 that deals double damage to water elementals and their kin, and a ruined and pitted crown who’s jewels can be salvaged for 500 gp.

55. Secret Entry. The door between this room and area 56 is jammed tight by moisture and rot, although a hole has been chewed through part of it that will easily fit a halfling, or a human sized adventurer without armour. The undead beast in area 54 and the giant weasels from level 2 entered this area through said hole. The door was obviously once a secret door. The trigger to open it (a loose stone on the west wall) is still trapped with a poison needle, although it won’t open the door anymore.

56. Sunken Entry. Jammed into a small compartment in the west wall of this cave is an old rusted crowbar that was used to try to trigger the secret door once upon a time. Directly above the door, nearly 30 feet overhead, is a green slime (AC: n/a, HD: 2, hp: 10, Mv: 3 (1), Att: 1, Dmg: Special, Sv: F1, M: 12).

57. The Climb. This natural cave has a 30’ tall ceiling. Access to area 56 requires climbing 25 feet of vertical wall before accessing the natural stairs back down. Noting that there is an opening up at ceiling level requires careful attention and specifically looking up for it. Access to area 59 is either via the stairs in area 58, or a 15’ dead drop.

58. Displaced Residents. Four gnolls (AC: 5, HD: 2, hp: 6, 8, 9, 14, Mv: 90 (30), Att: 1, Dmg: 1d8+1, Sv: F2, M: 8 ) are guarding the stairs to area 59 – they have recently been displaced from their lair by a hungry cave bear.

59. Spoils of War. A massive scarred cave bear (AC: 5, HD: 7, hp: 41, Mv: 120 (40), Att: 3, Dmg: 1d8/1d8/2d6 + special, Sv: F3, M: 9) has just taken over this cave from the prior gnoll residents and is loudly tearing a gnoll apart as his well-deserved dinner. A natural cave to the northeast leads up to the surface nearly a half-mile from the manor itself.

60. Dripping Lake. This part of the underground lake is filled with water from a subsurface spring as well as a constant dripping of water from above. The water here is crystal clear and slightly magical. Once per day a drink from this water heals one hit point. It probably also has long-term effects fro those who spend too much time in contact with it, as shown by the mutations of the Erde clan living in areas 65 through 69. The waters flow through a flooded passage from here to area 61.

61. The Beach. This massive cave is eerily quiet and abandoned. A wooden bridge of fairly recent construction spans the river near a set of stairs leading further into the catacombs beneath these depths. The posts holding the bridge in place are of ancient stone and have obviously been here for ages.

62. Guardians at the Stairs. Four owl bear skeletons (AC: 7, HD: 5, hp: 20, 24, 25, 36, Mv: 120 (40), Att: 3, Dmg: 1d8/1d8/1d8, Sv: F3, M: 12) stand guard in this cave.

63. Deep Lake. This part of the lake goes down to a depth of 80 feet in the centre, and is quite dark. Anyone trying to look into the depths will see an illusion of a massive giant catfish swimming along the bottom and watching for intruders.

64. Preacher’s Ledge. Fifteen feet above the lake, this small alcove was once a place for religious contemplation. Stony debris has been arranged for some amount of comfort sitting and watching over the lake. Among the stones is an ivory and silver scroll tube (worth 80 gp) containing a clerical scroll of commune.