Update to Treasure and Dungeons for adventurer - PERIL !

After generating, tweaking and fudging the basic UDP, generate the Peril level. Roll 1d6 and add the following modifiers.

Peril

	Challenge	Denizens	Size	Type*	Reputation	Protection	Strategy
0			+1	-2	+1	-2	-3
1				-1	+1		-2
2							-1
3				+1
4
5				+1
6				+1
7							+1
8		+1		+1	+1		+1
9		+1		+1	+1	+1	+2
A	+4	+1	+1	+2	+3*	+1	+2
B	+2
C	+1
D
E
X	-2

Peril is a very subjective rating of the average danger of a typical member of the protection team.  Assuming that it isn’t a fish story, peril rages from -6 (the minimum value) to 18. 

At a very rough quantification, the peril level corresponds to a normal person with the given number of terms in an appropriate career –such as , say, barbarian, soldier or mage.   As a rule of thumb, use the peril as the total number of skills and stat advances added to a normal human (777777). Negative values subtract from stats, but regardless of the peril rating, all denizens have enough level-0 skills to be able to act appropriately.  In general, no more than half the adds should be applied to skill levels.  Note too, that the actual d6 roll  is the maximum possible skill level for one skill –which may or may not actually be achievable.   All other skills must be less than the maximum, no matter how many.

As an example, consider an average dungeon (C-556555). A series of catacombs sheltering the remnants of an unspeakable snake cult, which has broken up into several mutually opposed sects, each defending their own turf against all comers.

Given a roll of 4, it would be peril 5, and would have a typical denizen (let us say evil human cultists minions) with stats of 987777 (three advances) and one key skill at 2, or two at level 1.  All would have “worship huge-ass snake god” at level -0.  Some acolytes would have access to one or two  spell levels (say, dwemomer-1 and mesmerism-1, or perhaps skinshifting -2; both options would also would have dagger-0).

A truly epic campaign ending dungeon site might be AAA99A:  An underground lost kingdom ruled by the terrible sorcery using dragon that destroyed it.  A roll of 6 gives a final peril of 18; good luck !  A dragon the size of 18 men, with appropriate stats lurks deep in the ruins of the elven kingdom it destroyed; it has 9 levels of magic: mesmerism-5 nad several others at one or two.  Its stats would be determined by its size rather than by upping a human, and the creature building tables should be consulted, using appropriate modifiers.  Possibly, (as per challenge level A) it also has the disturbing spirits of grief stricken dead elves, physically harmless, but importantly, loud; with a  few being insane and violent.  Some few enslaved goblins may be on hand to run errands and get groceries (such as adventurers).  As I said, good luck.

Obviously, not all denizens will be human, or directly comparable, so considerable input from the DM will be required for this to work in a sane manner –although pure gonzo is also a possibility. 

The Hoard

Finally, the reason we are here ! The sites’s horde rating is the final measure of its value, both in the main cache of the biggest boss,, and spread around and hidden throughout. Basic procedure is: roll (1d3-1d3) and add the peril.  The below table suggests some modifiers based on  some of the authors favorite S&S tropes; feel free to ignore or modify them.  Indeed, the horde should always be modified if the reward is inappropriate to the danger level and/or the type of campaign.  ALWAYS.

Horde

	Challenge	Denizens	Size	Type*	Reputation	Protection	Strategy
0						-2 -1	-1
1						-1
2
3
4
5
6				+1
7						+1
8						+1
9				-1		+2
A	+2			+1	+2
B
C
D
E	+1
X	-2

*Remember, it’s a fish story…….

1d6 + mods	Metal	Gems : d6 x (rating+1)	Jewelry: d6 + rating	Minor magic: d3	Magic item: H -L	Artifact: 1
0	Copper  2d6 *10	10+	12 +	10+	12 +	12 +
1	Copper  2d6 *100	10+	12 +	10+	12 +	12 +
2	Bronze 2d6 *100	9+	11+	10+	12 +	12 +
3	Silver 2d6 *100	9+	11+	10+	12 +	12 +
4	Bronze 2d6 *1000	8+	10+	9+	11+	12 +
5	Silver 2d6 *1000	8+	10+	9+	11+	12 +
6	Gold 2d6*100	7+	9+	9+	11+	12 +
7	Silver Talents 2d6	7+	9+	9+	11+	12 +
8	Silver 2d6 *10000	6+	8+	8+	10+	12 +
9	Gold 2d6 *1000	6+	8+	8+	10+	12 +
A	Silver Talents 2d6 *10	5+	7+	8+	10+	12 +
B	Gold Talents 2d6	5+	7+	8+	10+	12 +
C	Gold 2d6 *10000	4+	6+	7+	9+	12 +
D	Silver Talents 2d6 *100	4+	6+	7+	9+	12 +
E	Gold Talents 2d6*10	3+	5+	7+	9+	12 +
F	Silver Talents 2d6 *1000	3+	5+	7+	9+	12 +
G	Gold Talents 2d6 *100	3+	4+	6+	8+	12 +
H	Silver Talents 2d6 *10000	3+	4+	6+	8+	12 +
J	Gold Talents 2d6 *1000	3+	3+	6+	8+	12 +

The main horde consists of final number on the Hoard table; this result is in one place, or at least in a concentrated sub area of the site  This is the big one, the one the whole thing may be protecting – or the main dumping ground for undead who dislike silver (say).

Final reward

All lower coin values are also found, but spread out through the rest of the dungeon and its denizens. Thus, a hoard type 5 also contains loot equal to hordes 4, 3, 2,1 and 0-. Whereas the main treasure trove will tend to be concentrated, the remainder will tend to be spread out throughout the site, some guarded by lesser foes, some simply hidden or lost.

Similarly, roll once more on the gems, jewels and magic items at Hoard -1, and distribute any that result as with coins.   Now that’s a place worth getting you neck snapped for, right ?  Hmmmmm.  Your characters neck.  Sound better ?

Gems typically have negligible weight and value d6xd6 xd6  coins:1bronze coins, 2-4 silver coins , 5 gold coins, 6 Special, reroll: 1-5 gold, 6  determine the value as if jewelry (below);  this result represents the ruby the size of a mans fist, the mountain of  light diamond, or the pearl the size of  a plovers egg.

Jewelry have a value per piece of d3  talents: 1-3 Bronze talents, 4-5 Silver Talents 6 Gold Talents.  Remember, 1 Talent = 6000 coins of that type.

Minor magic: this covers a variety of helpful but not decisively powerful items.  As a rule, they should never approximate or contain spells of greater than second circle or equivalent mystery spells; nor should they have more than 1d3 specific powers, with 1 such power being the most common. Only the weakest should have constant effect or unlimited use.  A rough guideline is that number of spells + circle of highest spell must be no greater than 3.  And yes, that is very limited.  Spells with expendable charges or single use can have more spells and power, such scrolls of d3 spells of 1-2^nd circle; potions; small weapons; item bound spells of 1^st circle.

Preview of Races for Adventurer: Elves from before Legolas, and why we dare not go a'hunting.....

Fey

The fey are typified as long-lived, highly intelligent, magically proficient humanoids, often more slender and sometimes taller or shorter than mundane men. While it may be simply Fey propaganda, they are usually more intelligent, graceful and beautiful than mundane man, often having much higher technology (or magic) than is available to mankind. They can be an alternate evolutionary track that evolved in a high magic environment, dwellers in or from an alternate plane, decadent survivors of an earlier race, or embodiments of nature or sprits of the air (or some such). 

They tend to be aggressively secretive, dwelling in magically hidden refuges from the grubby, human infested world.  Their homelands are very dangerous to the uninvited, combining cunning illusions, traps, and good old arrows to the liver from ambush.  Those few that do venture out into the world are often aloof, and always have their own agendas and goals, which will dominate their behaviors.  Humans and other such are either treated as annoying pests, barely sentient savages or, at best, cute, but none to bright pets.

Being extremely long lived, they are certainly possessed of far more skills and spells than a typical human could ever learn. Despite these advantages, they suffer from some weaknesses: they cannot break a promise, harm their guests or enter a house uninvited, nor can they abide priests or holy artifacts; taking a -3 on all rolls while within sight of a holy artifact, and 1 pt of damage each round they are touching either.

They cannot be magically healed by priests, and can never be resurrected.  Finally, they are traditionally unable to tolerate iron and take 1d6 from any contact with iron, and double damage from any iron weapon.  Alloys of iron (such as steel) may or may not reduce or retard this effect at the game master’s discretion.

Fey player characters must be assumed to be very

young members of their race, perhaps outcasts, or youths on a walkabout before settling down.  Any fey character is rolled with a +2 DEX, -2 STR and a minimum INT of 8.  Available careers include Fighter Mage or Other. Fey may always choose to make one skill roll per term on the Mage tables.  Fey that fail enlistment automatically spend a term in Nobility.  All All have an indeterminate age, do not

suffer from aging, but may not spend more than 5 terms in their career.  For a variety of literature related reasons, all elves gain Notable(spellcasting) and Notable (weapon: sword or bow)

For a less elf-welfy nicey-nice earth-spirity view of the Fey, add the following ability to either the Lords of the Fey,  or to all Fey (for maximum effect).  Fey are natural, but limited shapeshifters.  They can take the shape manners and voice of any creature they know of or imagine, gaining all of its basic physical abilities within certain specific limits.  They may be as small as a (human) thumb, or as large as three times normal human size.  Their mass and strength remain the same regardless, and as a result most forms tend to human size or smaller.  The Fey gains any ability or skill that is based on physical structure, subject to the physics or lack therof in the campaign world.  Thus, wings let you fly regardless of mass (in most fantastic realms), and stingers produce poison, but invisibility is not possible.

Additionally, while any type of form may be chosen, they may never take the form a specific creature.  Thus, the form of a huge tiger might be chosen, but not the specific one eyed tiger-king of the local jungle; likewise an inhumanly beautiful human or humanoid may be taken, but not the specific form of the king, or an adventurer.  Essentially, their inherent self-centered ego and lack of empathy  makes it impossible for them to  take the form of any recognizable individual other than themsleves.   

Finally, while they are able to switch forms as humans do clothing, they definitely have a favored form, which is highly individualistic, and in many ways, intended to distinguish them from other Fey.   Note that fey forms are treated as a unique possession of a particular Fey –much as with Coats or Arms, or less majestically, clown faces.  The prohibition on imitating another individual applies to the favored form of another Fey.

If the shapeshifting option is used, players should not have access to it; this may or may not rule out player character Fey, or it may limit it to very specific areas or situations if the GM so desires . An example would be only to allow Fey shapeshifting only in their home forest (or other very local home area), or perhaps requiring players to renounce it so as to be able to wander the world and not be bound to  their home.