Deep under the caves and dungeons of Erdea Manor lie the secret catacombs and deeper recesses of the clan’s estates as well as the lair of the most powerful remaining elder of their line.

(Yeah, I know, I still need to detail areas 70-77 on level 3, soon, soon!)

Wandering Monsters (1 in 8, check each turn, roll 2d3 for type)

• 2 – 2d4 Ghouls
• 3 – 1d6 Wererats
• 4 – 1d6 Shadows
• 5 – 1 Ochre Jelly
• 6 – 1d2 Wraiths

78. The Mists. The bottom of the rough stairs leading down into this natural cave are hidden in the dark mists that fill the room and seep into areas 79 and 80. The mists are an unnatural black in colour and are magical in nature – even if dispersed by wind or magic they will return within a turn. Anyone entering the mists for the first time that day must make a saving throw versus poison or death or suffer a -2 penalty on attacks, saving throws and damage rolls for the rest of the day. They will also have the feeling that proceeding beyond will make these penalties worse (although the penalties will actually remain the same). NPCs and monsters attempting to traverse the mists who fail their save must also make a Morale check or retreat from them.

79. Spiders in the Mist. The mists from area 78 creep along the floor of this room to a height of 2 feet. Hiding within the mists are 3 Mist Widows (a magical variant of the giant black widow spider) which appear to be undead skeletal spiders to first appearances (AC:6, HD:3*, hp:14, 11, 13, Mv:60 (20) / 120 (40) in web, Att:1, Dmg:2d6 + poison, Sv: F2, M:8 ). They have covered the floor of the main area of room 79 with their webs, and anyone entering that area without first probing ahead will be trapped within their webs (treat as the web spell for determining the difficulty of escaping).

80. Mausoleum Door. This chamber prevents entry into the secret crypts of the Erde clan. The dark mists of area 78 roll down the stairs to this area and covers the floor to a depth of roughly 18 inches (slightly deeper closer to the stairs, thinner by the egress to area 82). Unlike the rough natural caves around it, the south end of this chamber is finished in smooth high-quality masonry, as is the floor and ceiling. The doors to the crypt are massive stone doors, each 14 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Three pale white stone pillars stand out in stark contrast to their surroundings, reaching from floor to ceiling. The doors are secured by a Wizard Lock cast by a level 12 magic-user. Attempting to open the massive portals will create a loud magical din that attracts an automatic wandering monster roll.

81. Secret Crypts. The major room is the family tomb and mausoleum for the elders of the Erde clan, with two connected passages of crypts leading off to the east and west. A pair of rock living statues (AC:4, HD:5*, hp:28, 22, Mv:60 (20), Att:2, Dmg:2d6/2d6, Sv:F5, M:11) that look like representations of clan warriors guards the chamber against interlopers. There are a total of 12 crypts off the sides of this chamber which contain:

• a. A plain wooden coffin containing the poorly preserved corpse of Hevroth Erde IV, strapped into his coffin by metal bands. He is a wight (AC:5, HD:3*, hp:12, Mv:0, Att:1, Dmg:Energy Drain, Sv:F3, M:12) but remains non-reactive until someone comes within easy reach.
• b. A dark oak casket holding a pair of wooden logs.
• c. A rusted and locked iron casket with a plaque dedicated to Gersidi Erde, Queen of the Rats. Within the casket are 40 skeletal rats. When attacking they are treated as four groups of ten rats each but each rat has only 1 hit point, making the rats hard to disrupt effectively. When there are only 30 rats left, break them into 3 groups, and into 2 groups for 20 rats, 1 group at 10 rats or less, and they are rendered ineffective in combat when reduced to fewer than 5 rats. (AC:7, hp:1, Mv:60 (20), Att: 1/group, Dmg:1d6 + disease, Sv:NM, M:12) The rats carry a wasting disease – those injured must save versus poison or become devastatingly ill, losing 1d6 Strength and Constitution every day for 1d6 days. If either stat is reduced to zero or below, the victim dies and reanimates as a wight. At the bottom of the casket is the gnawed skeleton of Gersidi, wearing a magical steel medallion that protects the wearer from attacks by rats and giant rats (the rat must make a Morale check in order to attack, and suffers a -4 to hit if can attack at all).
• d. Walnut casket containing a skeleton in rotten finery
• e. A wooden coffin with peeling black paint, nailed shut. Within is a weathered corpse with a stake through the heart, it’s head cut off and it’s mouth stuffed with garlic.
• f. This wooden coffin has nearly rotted away, and the damaged bones of the deceased within can be seen.
• g. This fine casket with silver hinges and handles contains the skeleton of Hevroth Erde II (AC:7, HD:1, hp:8, Att:1, Dmg:1d8, Sv:F1, M:12) still dressed in his rotted noble finery, bearing his longsword, and wearing a massive silver necklace worth 1,300 gp.
• h. This crypt is empty except for dust and rat droppings.
• i. This massive casket contains two bodies, brother princes of Erde, still strangling each other even in death.
• j. The casket doesn’t contain a body, but instead a portrait of Revnan Erde the Mighty, complete with his signature black flaming battle axe.
• k. This rotten wooden coffin contains the body of Hellenus Erde, completely covered in yellow mold (AC:n/a, HD:2, hp:10, Att:1, Dmg:Spores, Sv:F2). Under the mold she is still wearing her prized silver and opal necklace (1,100 gp).
• l. This rusted iron casket has a plaque dedicated to “the un-named brother”. Although the casket seems empty, within is an invisible wight dressed in tattered remnants of Erde family clothes (AC:5, HD:3*, hp:12, Mv:90 (30), Att:1, Dmg:Energy Drain, Sv:F3, M:12). The invisibility is as per the spell and will dissipate when he attacks.