91 Rooms. 3 Layers.
The time is flying by, and I’ve managed to keep up the momentum. I’ve had a few last-minute, near-misses, but so far the rooms have all be done on the right day.
This week, I only had one decision to make. I knew what I wanted for the last few rooms, but I still needed a boss for this level. I wanted something hiding behind the deadly growths in the laboratory, that had to be beaten in order to progress.
The Forgotten Scientist
I’ve spoken in previous posts about the different projects and the ‘clans’ that still still haunt this ruined institution. Up until now, every humanoid NPC the group might meet is somewhere between ‘willing to help’ and ‘we won’t kill you if you follow our rules’. As we get further, deeper into the dungeon, I want to bring out less agreeable fellows.
When the (currently unspecified, TBD) calamity ruined this place, the laboratories on this level very quickly became uninhabitable. Unfinished experiments and unsealed substances were chaotically mashed together to form life that overran each room. Anyone who was slow to escape was absorbed or infected.
All except one.
A solitary scientist, trapped in the rooms furthest from the exit, behind the unnatural growing masses, crafted a flamethrower from parts and pieces nearby and scorched the room around him. He held back the mass of roots, but could not free himself – the halls and corridors beyond were already lost.
Years later, after decades of maddening loneliness, the Forgotten Scientist lives. He should have passed a long time ago, but as he found ways to push further into the infested lab, he gathered half-finished projects, composites that could be converted for medicine and equipment that he could use to make ‘modifications’.
He took great risks with his personal being to keep himself alive, which led to more extreme lengths to survive, and with each new concoction or modification his projects became more… ‘adventurous‘…
Now, the malformed figure enjoys his privacy. He burns the roots away once a day. Enjoys the ‘food’ he has managed to grow here. He has a lot of conversations with his other selves, and tortures creatures he manages to trap, just for fun.
He has the only keycard on this floor that will grant access to the fourth layer. He won’t be willing to give it up. He will instruct the party to leave, and when they refuse, because your heroes/players need that key card, The Forgotten Scientist will put his flamethrower to use. Despite the withered appearance, this ‘man’ is incredibly strong, enduring, and has a few hidden tricks hidden amongst his raggedy leathers.
Weak 13 – 91 Rooms Complete
Layer 3 is complete! And it looks like this:
By the end of week 13, the new layer has just one room in it:
85. Equipment room
-lockers containing lab gear and personal equipment
– roots have forced one set of lockers over into there side
– a large swarm of modified beetles nests in the overturned lockers
– The roots are increasingly defensive in this room; the ability to absorb moisture is more effective as the roots thicken
86. Observation Room 4
– Two skeletal bods are splayed out on the floor. There are scratches and smears on the two-way mirror, as if they tried to claw their way in (the doors were not locked)
– Two way mirror is completely obscured on the other side by roots and a dark red, spongy growth.
– scuttling sounds can be heard from room 28
87. Laboratory 4 – Ecology
– A large ‘tree’ has grown against the E wall.
– The ‘blossoms’ from the tree change colour rapidly and charm prey into the roots.
– It has burrowed into the wall and leeches off the water and power supplies
– The roots are especially aggressive here
– 2 large swarms live here – Hornet-like creatures on the S wall and a large termite-like hive occupies the NE corner.
88. Observation Station 5
-Two-way mirror is a jagged spider web of cracks. One section has been completely blown out.
– signs that someone or something lives in this space, movement between this room and 30
– south door is blocked by a large pile of furniture and other detritus
89. Laboratory 5 – Testing
– reinforced platform in the centre, blast shields to protect scientists during testing
– scorched floor and ceiling, burnt roots; something regularly drives the growth back using fire…
A table and stool are set up near the E wall, with plates and dining utensils, a strangely civilised scene
90. Laboratory 6 – dispersal
– remade as a bedraggled living area
– soil has been poured out in the E end and yellowing crops are growing from it
– Forgotten Scientist dwells here. An original scientist, trapped inside when calamity struck the institution. Kept himself alive by exploiting the hazardous resources and supplies left behind. Barely humanoid, insane, lashes out at intruders
– key card to layer 4 found here
91. Elevator Layer 4
– relatively luxurious design to the room; tiled walls and ceiling, calming greens and turquoise, decorative lighting
– lift connects to layers 2 and 4 but goes no lower
– signs of struggle/battle, broken tiles suggesting impact, old blood smears, scorch marks
In Summary
On to Layer 4. Until day 90, I hadn’t actually looked at what I had planned for this floor since I wrote the little summary in January. Each floor just has a name for the project that is conducted there, and the catastrophic prophecy they tried to avoid.
April is the month of the ‘Ash Prophecy’. Level 4 was built to prevent the eruption of a super-volcano. A fun idea when I came up with it, but now I have to actually figure out what that sort of project looks like.
Thank You For Reading
Want to read about my Dungeon23 experience from the start, and see the other bits of lore surrounding it? Look here!
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Gamer Peak 