A LEVEL 2–3 SEWER ADVENTURE

C urse of the
Maggot God
BY GLYNN SEAL

T
he guild of sewermen need help finding a lost
worker, and will pay 200gp for his return, dead or
alive.
The worker is a new sewerman named Hal. A few days
ago, he and several other sewermen discovered an
ancient chamber (Area 3), revealed by a tunnel collapse
following a month’s worth of rainfall in the region.
Against the advice of his foreman, Hal went inside to
take a look. Shortly after, his terrified screams were
heard and the rest of the sewermen took flight. The sew-
ermen refuse to return, and the guild now seeks the aid
of adventurers.
In truth, Hal was taken by the malign priest Malerian
and his troglodyte henchmen, and fed to their “Maggot
God”—an enormous, bloated maggot residing in deeper
caverns. Malerian and the troglodytes dwell in the
mosaic-lined chambers beyond the collapse, the cellars
of a long-demolished villa. They venerate a god of rot
and decay, and believe the abhorrent maggot creature to
be an incarnation of their blasphemous deity.
18
 3
4 5
6

10
9
11

14 13
1 12

16

18
17
19

15

1 square = 5'  ↑N

Random Happenings (1-IN-6 PER TURN )

SEWERS: VILLA CHAMBERS:

1. A bloated human body 1. 1d2 troglodytes patrol

2. 2d10 normal rats swarm 2. 1 troglodytes sleeping
3. 1d3 giant rats 3. Parts of a mosaic crumble to the floor
4. A sleeping guild thief 4. Sewer water seeping into puddles
5. A fatberg 5. 1 giant leech or 1d3 giant rats
6. 1 ochre jelly 6. 1 carcass crawler (Quisquil from Area 11)

19
Denizens

Denizens

MALERIAN THE UNWASHED THE MAGGOT GOD

A priest of the god of rot and decay, A giant, pulsating bloated maggot,
Malerian is a human with a grubby 10’ in diameter and over 60’ long. It is
face, matted hair, unpleasant odour, in no way a deity or related to a deity,
and wide starry eyes. His armour but it’s clear that something arcane
and clothing are equally dirty and in nature has caused it to grow to
tattered. He is always accompanied such proportions.
by his pet carcass crawler, Quisquil.
Malerian was shunned by his fellow TROGLODYTE MAGGOT
acolytes over his poor hygiene and CULTISTS
unusual interest in the decaying Servants of Malerian and cultists of
dead, even for a member of his mor- the Maggot God. Each symbiotically
bid faith. Banished to the marshes, hosts 1d6 oversized maggots in its
he felt himself drawn to the tunnel mouth, which wriggle out if it falls
leading to the lair of the thing he in battle. The troglodytes help gather
came to call the Maggot God (Area offerings, protect the chambers, and
19). He believed it to be an incarna- safeguard the Maggot God. The chief
tion of his deity, and was overcome of the troglodytes, Mukklah Tuk, is
with sycophancy. Having attracted responsible for guarding and feed-
a like-minded tribe of troglodytes ing the Maggot God. He believes he
to assist him, he now nourishes his is the Maggot God's “favourite” and
god with dead animal carcasses and secretly plots to usurp Malerian.
captured victims.

20
 General Notes

General Notes
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION DRAG MARKS
X Sewers are of hewn stone blocks, A gruesome trail of blood, sewage,
10' high ceilings, iron grates to and scratches is evident from Area 3
catch debris. to Area 15, except for an interruption
X Villa chambers have flagstone in Area 8 (see map). This is the new
floors. Walls are stone, roughly route along which offerings gathered
rendered and painted, or deco- from the sewers are taken to Male-
rated with crumbling mosaics. rian for approval, before being pre-
X Deeper caverns and tunnels sented to the Maggot God.
are earth with precarious timber
supports.

LIGHTING
The only illuminated areas are
around Malerian's chambers (Area
8, 10, 11, and 12). They are lit with
candles placed in wall niches or on
the floor. Malerian replenishes the
candles when necessary. He uses a
lantern when visiting the Maggot
God's cave (Area 19).

21
Area Descriptions

Area
Descriptions

1. Sewer Entrance
Foetid water 5' deep. Path northward is
blocked by a floor-to-ceiling grate. Narrow
ledge with alcove containing lever that
opens grate.
X Secret door to Area 14: A section of wall
that hinges when pushed.

2. Collapsed Section
Loose wall rubble has collapsed into the
sewer, revealing a dark opening 1' above the
water level. This is the entrance where Hal
was lost.

22
 Area Descriptions

3. Pillared Hall
Mosaics of sailing scenes. Six pillars carved
with waves and galleons. Signs of blood and
struggle with drag marks (see general notes)
from the sewers heading east to an archway. A
foul stench emanates from it.
X Loud noises here: Will alert the
troglodytes in Area 4, who will prepare an
ambush.

4. Troglodyte North Guardpost

Mosaics of gardening scenes. Waist-high
black-glazed vases filled with long-dead
flowers. 2 troglodytes (hp: 6, 7) squat on the
floor here, sucking decomposed rats.

5. Heroes Hall
Two alabaster statues of a man and a
woman dressed like warriors of old.
X Entering the eastern end of the hall: A
faint and glitching magic mouth appears
and declares: “Intruders turn back or be
cursed by the Caecilius family!” TROGLODYTES
AC 5 [14], HD 2* Att 2 × claw
6. Villa Stairwell (1d4), 1 × bite (1d4), THAC0
18 [+1], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12
Once led up to the villa; now terminates at a W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9, AL
Chaotic, XP 25
bricked-up opening.
Hateful: Attempt to kill any crea-
X Breaking through: Requires 3 turns with a tures they encounter.
tool, and leads outdoors to an overgrown, Surprise: On a 1–4, due to the
ability to change colour to match
trash-strewn garden in the temple district their surroundings. Lurk by rock
of the city. walls and await victims.
Nauseating stench: Oils on the
skin have a smell that sickens
humans and demihumans: save
versus poison or suffer –2 to hit,
while in melee with troglodytes.

23
Area Descriptions

7. West Wine Cellar

Alcoves filled with rotten wooden trellises
containing aged bottles. Glass shards and
ancient wine stains on floor. A few small,
two-gallon casks (empty) rest against the
walls.
X Searching the bottles: One of the bot-
tles of wine is a magically preserved
2,000-year-old red wine (250gp).

8. Pool Room
Mosaics of nobles, bathing and eating in lux-
uriating poses. Wet floor obscures and inter-
rupts the trail of drag marks (it resumes
beyond the southeasterly exit). Three mosa-
ic-lined square pools, 3' deep with low
retaining walls, empty and filled with broken
masonry.
X Putting liquids in the central pool: Liq-
uids are magically turned into purified
water.
X Searching the central pool: A secret
panel in its retaining wall contains a
leather pouch of 12 opals (40gp each).

9. Troglodyte Sleeping
Chamber
The doors to this chamber are closed, but the
foul stench emanating from it is vile. The
room has rendered walls painted white, now
streaked with filth. 6 troglodytes (hp: 3, 4,
8, 9, 10, 13—stats on p.23) lay asleep on
the floor. The largest cuddles a greasy sack
of 500sp, 300gp, and 2 silver bracelets with
pearls carved like eyes (275gp each).

24
 Area Descriptions

10. Malerian’s Library

Rendered walls painted white. Roughly made
bookshelves stacked haphazardly with dusty, MALERIAN THE
dirty tomes. A dusty but ornate silk and gold UNWASHED.
threaded rug lies on the floor (300gp). AC 5 [14], HD 5** (19hp), Att 1
X Examining the books: The library focuses × mace +1 (1d6+1), THAC0 17
[+2], MV 120’ (40’), SV D9 W10
on decay, ruin, and vermin. One book P12 B14 S12 (C5), ML 10, AL
details the Caecilius family history (100gp, Chaotic, XP 425
if sold to a collector). Spells: Cure/cause light wounds,
protection from evil, hold person,
silence 15’ radius.
11. Malerian’s Private Chamber Items: Chain mail, mace +1,
wand of foetid curses (12
Rendered walls painted in red ochre. A charges), potion of healing, and
480gp.
large crude bed draped with linen and furs Turn Undead: Malerian turns
(200gp). Malerian sits at a wooden desk undead as a 5th level cleric.

strewn with writing and reading clutter and

a lit lantern, and also adorned with 6 gold WAND OF FOETID CURSES
maggot candlesticks (50gp each). His pet A length of warped bone, oozing
yellow pus from the tip. Inflicts a
carcass crawler, Quisquil is curled drooling curse of weeping boils.
in a corner. Range: Any single creature
X In the desk drawer: 4 flasks of oil and a
within 60’.
Foetid curse: The target must
silver maggot necklace (250gp). save versus wands or instantly
erupt in horrible sores and boils.
This causes considerable agony,
12. Malerian’s Prayer Hall and a –2 penalty to attacks and
all saving throws.
Lined with 1’ high, hexagonal alcoves con- Duration: 1d6 days.
taining scores of lit red candles. A 3' tall
silver idol of a maggot devouring a human CARCASS CRAWLER
squats in the centre (1,000gp). AC 7 [12], HD 3+1* (14hp), Att 8
× tentacle (paralysis), THAC0
16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12
W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9, AL
Neutral, XP 75
Paralysis: A hit by a tentacle
causes paralysis for 2d4 turns
(save versus paralysis). Para-
lysed victims will be devoured, if
the crawler is left in peace. ▶
Cling: Can walk on walls and
ceilings.

25
Area Descriptions

13. Collapsed Room

This chamber is partly collapsed, with heaps
of fallen masonry immediately visible. A
troglodyte corpse lies crushed beneath a slab,
its protruding, rat-chewed legs clearly visi-
ble. The troglodytes tread carefully here when
dragging Malerian’s approved offerings.

14. Secret Sewer Entrance

Hallway dead-ends at a curving wall.
X Secret door to Area 1: A section of wall
that hinges when pushed. Malerian
and the troglodytes are not aware of its
presence.

15. Troglodyte South

Guardpost
A foul stench wafts up the approaching
corridor from this chamber. 4 troglodytes
(hp: 3, 8, 10, 12—stats on p.23) guard here,
BLACK WIDOW snacking on dried cockroaches. A collapsed
AC 6 [13], HD 3* (13hp), Att 1 × floor in the eastern part of the chamber drops
bite (2d6 + poison), THAC0 17 down 50' to Area 17. A rickety wooden ladder
[+2], MV 60’ (20’) / 120’ (40’) in
webs, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
is fixed to the wall allowing access to below.
(2), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 50
Poison: Causes death in 1 turn
(save versus poison). 16. Do Not Disturb
Webs: Creatures caught in
Thick webs, a troglodyte husk, and a
webs become entangled and
unable to move. Breaking free black widow spider. Bones of previous vic-
depends on Strength: 2d4 turns tims litter the floor.
for strength in the normal human
range; 4 rounds for strength X Searching the bones: Among the bones
above 18; 2 rounds for crea- are 300cp, 200sp, 30gp, and 3 gold brace-
tures with giant strength. The
webs can be destroyed by fire lets formed like wreaths of bay leaves
in two rounds. All creatures in a (100gp each).
flaming web suffer 1d6 points of
damage.

26
 Area Descriptions

17. Rank Cave

Offerings to the Maggot God—dead animals
and corpulent bodies fished from the sew- MUKKLAH TUK
ers—are dragged and dropped into this cave. The chief of the troglodytes,
Mukklah Tuk guards and feeds
The stench is almost unbearable. The corpses the Maggot God. His skin is slick
are alive with maggots. with orange slime and he is
blessed with a cluster of mag-
X Searching the remains: Amongst the
gots writhing in one eye socket.
putrid slop can be found 230gp and 322sp. AC 5 [14], HD 5* (25hp), Att
2 × claw (1d6), 1 × bite (1d6),
THAC0 15 [+4], MV 120’ (40’),
18. Mukklah Tuk’s Cave SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (5),
ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 300
The chief of the troglodytes, Mukklah Tuk
Troglodyte abilities: as normal
and 2 troglodytes (hp: 6, 11—stats on troglodytes.
p.23) are stationed here, mumbling lita- Items: 210gp, antique crystal
decanter stolen from Malerian’s
nies praising the Maggot God. private chamber worth 160gp.

19. Maggot God’s Cave MAGGOT GOD

A giant, pulsating, bloated mag-
A natural earthen cave, stiflingly humid. got, 10’ in diameter and 60’ long.
The half-chewed remains of Hal the sewer- Its corpse-white, rubbery flesh
is shot through with webs of red
man, still wearing his sewerman’s mask, are and green blood vessels.
slumped against a wall. The Maggot God AC 9 [10], HD 8* (41hp), Att 1
dominates the chamber, lying curled in con- x bite (1d8 + swallow whole),
tented digestion. A 50' rising ledge, out of THAC0 12 [+7], MV 15’ (5’), SV
D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4), ML
reach of the Maggot God, leads to a tunnel 12, AL Neutral, XP 1,200
exit. Swallow whole: On an at-
X Approaching Hal: The Maggot God will tack roll of 18-20, it swallows a
human-sized or smaller target.
attempt to eat anyone that gets near to Hal Inside the maggot’s belly: suffer
unless they are wearing the silver maggot 1d8 damage per round (until the
Maggot God dies); may attack
necklace (see Area 11). with sharp weapons at –4 to hit;
X If there is a confrontation here: The body digested in 6 turns after
troglodytes in Area 18 will rush to the aid death.
Death deluge: When the Mag-
of the Maggot God. got God reaches 0 hit points, its
X Following the tunnel: The tunnel leads body ruptures, spewing forth its
thick creamy innards in a torrent.
out of the city to the boggy marsh where All creatures within a 20' radius
Malerian and the troglodytes egress the must save versus breath or
fall over and get washed hard
chambers. against a wall for 1d6 damage.

27