BALO'S DUNGEON

1) Introduction

This was designed as an extra room to be added into the Hall of Risk, a marvellous scenario from the
Stormbringer 3rd edition rulebook. Given the excellence of that scenario and the many weird events it
contains, Balo's Dungeon may give a sense of normality to the campaign (if a straight-out dungeon bash can
be considered "normal").

It was intended for tougher or more experienced PCs who had completed a few of the Hall of Risk's
challenges. Frankly, however, it could be dropped in anywhere Balo is meddling.

A scanned copy of the original hand-drawn map of the dungeon is shown below:
2) Entering the Dungeon

The door from room 1 of the Hall of Risk (or wherever is most appropriate) opens onto a dark corridor, thick
with dust, spider-webs and rat droppings (though the rats are nowhere to be seen). A musty smell hangs in
the air and the PCs entering the corridor will stir up a cloud of dust. Torches or lanterns will be needed. The
dungeon is made of normal-looking stone (in sharp contrast to the emerald green stone seen in the Hall of
Risk) and has a 10-foot high ceiling.

If the adventurers waste time looking, a powerful masculine voice will boom "Get on with it, mortals!"
followed by an equally powerfil, but feminine, voice saying, "What are you afraid of? The dark?" This last
breaks off into silvery female laughter.

(NOTE: if the dungeon is being used as an add-on to the Hall of Risk, the male voice is that of Baleer, and
the female voice is Merut's. These are high-ranking demonic servants of Balo, who appear in that scenario. In
other circumstances, the GM can determine the allegiance of these demons.)

Further prevarication will result in the PC who opened the door plus 1D8 of his/her companions being
teleported to the crossroads (1) and the door petulantly slamming shut behind them.

The following points are keyed to the map.

3) The Crossroads (1)

There is a choice of three paths here. Going back to the door is futile. The PCs will waste time until they
starve to death or something worse happens. Playful GMs may capture them using some of Balo's minions
and imprison them in room 3.

4) T-junction (2)

Visibility here is poor as a cold, clammy, greenish mist, seems to seep from the corridor's walls, floor and
ceiling. A successful See roll is needed to spot the door to room 3 a short distance down the corridor.

5) Cell (3)

The only door to this room is locked. The lock can be picked (-20% to Pick Locks), smashed down (STR vs.
STR on the resistance table, where the door's STR is 20 and up to two PCs can combine their STR by
charging the door simultaneously), or chopped down with axes (the door has 40 Hit Points).

The room is obviously a prison cell. Sets of manacles and chains made from blackened iron hang from the
walls. It is currently empty apart from two (human or humanoid) skeletons. The manacles have a special
property: once bound by them, a creature becomes incapable of magic until released. Balo has used these
chains to imprison various magicians over the ages.

PCs might possibly end up here. It is likely they will starve to death but Balo might send his demonic
servants to feed them if he has special plans for the characters. Starving may be preferable!
6) Misty Corridor (4)

This long, long corridor continues into the mist, which begins to thicken and swirl in a menacing, almost
sentient way. Visibility is poor, 5 to 10 feet at most. As they progress down the corridor, the PCs hear the
voices of Merut and Baleer taunting them again.

"Cowards! Why not run away now?" - Baleer.

"Didn't they do badly against the Chessmen?" - Merut (even if the PCs have never faced the Chess game in
the Hall of Risk scenario).

The GM should tailor these taunts to the PCs. Question their parentage, skills, looks. Even their secret
character information is fair game to be revealed here. Ominously, one of the voices shouts:

"Look out!"

At this point, 1D8 arrows come whizzing down the corridor at the PCs. Give them a DEXx5% chance to
dodge the arrows (a BRP Agility roll). Randomise hits between those who miss their rolls. The arrows to
D8+1 damage and score critical hits if the DEXx5% (Agility) roll is fumbled.

This can happen up to three times on the way up (and down) the corridor to room 5.

7) Chamber (5)

This chamber contains some human remains. Two skeletons lie locked in a grisly embrace. One has a dagger
between its ribs, the other shows signs of an axe wound to its shoulder. Scraps of clothing and leather armour
hang loosely on the bodies.

These bodies are the remains of two adventurers who walked up the Misty Corridor and, being weakened by
multiple arrows, couldn't leave this chamber. Maddened by hunger and desperation, they killed one another.
Most of their non-perishable gear is here (the GM can choose appropriate items from the standard equipment
lists) as well as some coins: 200 large bronze pieces and 50 small silver pieces (again, the GM can modify
this based on the campaign).

The two murder weapons are also here. The axe is a standard battle axe and the dagger is a magical demon
weapon called Gutter.

GUTTER - DAGGER (DEMON OF COMBAT)

STR [30] CON [30] SIZ [1] INT [0] POW [12] DEX [28] CHA [0]
Bonuses: Attack +7% , Damage +3D6
An ordinary plain steel dagger with the chaos star set into its pommel.

Once in room 5 there is no way out except to go back down the Misty Corridor with all the attendent insults
and arrows.

8) A Door (6)

A wooden door made of stout, purple stained oak blocks the corridor. It bears the words "Museum of
Artifacts" inscribed in High Melnibonean. This door is not locked.
9) Glass Doors (7)

A set of glass double doors. The room beyond is dark but display cabinets and shelves can be dimly seen.
The door is locked with a complex lock (-20% to Pick Locks) but can be broken down (STR = 30 for
resistance table rolls or 40 Hit Points if brute force is used).

10) The Museum of Artifacts

Balo store his collection of trinkets from all corners of the Multiverse here.

In the Museum, assume that anyone making an Evaluate Treasure roll (BRP Appraise) can gather D4x500
Large Bronze worth of treasure in 30 minutes of searching. Double the amount if the Evaluate Treasure roll
is a critical success. Those without this skill can lift 2D100 Large Bronze worth of treasure but must make a
Luck roll (POWx5%) to avoid a treasure-hunting mishap.

If the Evaluate Treasure is a fumble, or the Luck roll fails, the character has found a trapped, cursed or
similarly dangerous item. The GM is encouraged to improvise freely with these items.

The Museum of Artifacts can be split into three main sections.

11) The Main Hall (8a)

The Main Hall is lined with glass cases, shelves, cabinets and chests. The GM can tailor the displays
accordingly, but some ideas include:

• The Emperor Napoleon's silver dinner service, used on the eve of Waterloo
• A Melnibonean Bone Bow and 24 arrows
• Reaper, a Demon Sword, two-handed claymore style Demon of Combat, POW 20, SIZ 3, STR 30,
DEX 20, CON 30, CHA 10. Bonuses: Attack +5%, Damage +3D6. Reaper will attack anyone who
fails to bind it (40% chance to hit per round). It can be defeated by destroying all its CON.
• Preserved specimens of various mammalian. piscene, crustacean and arthropod creatures, both native
and foreign to the Young Kingdoms. Perhaps include alien species such as "Greys".
• Displays of rocks and minerals from all places and times
• Weapons and armour from all places and times, including firearms (muskets, revolvers, SMGs,
rifles), WH40K Power Armour, an Olab disk flinger.
• Chests full of gold, silver and bronze coins, gems, jewellery, objet d'art.

12) The Gallery (8b)

The Gallery is home to many works of art, paintings, sculpture and tapestry. Notable items include

• Two versions of the Mona Lisa, with a vacant space for another copy
• The Bayeaux Tapestry
• An ornamental mural depicting the Battle of Sorik - even though this may not have happened yet!
• A scale model of a Melnibonean Battle Barge (interestingly, the surrounding seas are in motion and
crewmen can be seen moving around the decks and rigging.)
• A scale model of the HMS Ark Royal (interestingly, the surrounding seas are in motion and crewmen
can be seen moving around the decks. Small winged things are in flight and seem to take off and land
 from what looks like a road built onto the deck of the ship).
• A statue of a human male with the stylised head of a jackal. This is the Egyptian God Anubis. Balo
has had the statue defiled with paint and chisels.
• A hideous gold statuette, approximately 12inches tall, of a four-armed, obscenely masculine deity.
This is Al'Kiir, an evil deity from a Robert Jordan Conan novel. Female characters must make a SAN
roll or be repulsed by the evil embodied in this statue (it is directed mostly against women).

13) The Library (8c)

The Library is reached by a short flight of stairs leading down. The shelves here hold a massive collection of
books, scrolls, clay tablets, woodcuts and other manuscripts written in many languages (including modern-
day English, German, WFRP Old Worlder, Middle-earth Noldorin High Elvish, Young Kingdoms languages
and whatever else the GM deems interesting). Many topics are covered, such as:

• Poison and Plant Lore. Such books will add 1D10% to the reader's skill or confer 1D10+10% to
characters without these skills. INTx5% (a BRP Idea roll) is needed to assimilate the information.
• Skills texts for all classes of skill, sufficient to add +1D6% to an existing skill.
• Sorcery Skills. Grimoires containing the necessary spells for summoning Demons and Elementals,
even the Elemental Rulers and Beast Lords can be found here. Texts describing the summoning of the
Lords of Chaos and Law CANNOT be found here.
• New skills such as Physics, Mathematics and other non-Young Kingdoms disciplines.
• Literature is also represented, with novels and plays from all dimensions and times.

To find anything of use here make INT rolls as follows:

• INTx5% (Idea roll) for common subject matter

• INTx3% (or less) for more obscure subjects and skills

Assume that most texts are in Young Kingdoms languages except on the D6 roll of 6, in which the GM can
choose a more obscure tongue. It may be necessary to infer the contents from illustrations. Translating the
contents could become an adventure in itself.

14) Dead End Corridor (9)

There is a secret door here which can be found with a successful See roll. A Search roll is then needed to find
the opening latch on the opposite wall. (BRP would use the Spot skill for these rolls).

15) Another Empty Room (10)

This room is thick with dust. It is clearly a long time since anyone has left Balo's Dungeon.

16) The Guard Room (11)

If anyone is carrying any treasure from the Museum, the secret doors will open revealing (up to) seven
identical Demons of Protection. Their stats are:

BALO'S GUARDIANS - DEMONS OF PROTECTION

STR [20] CON [15] SIZ [15] INT [7] POW [17] DEX [12] CHA [0]
Hit Points 18
No Armour
Attacks: Bludgeoning Fists (x2) 50% Damage 2D6

The Demons must warn the PCs: "those that have stolen the treasures of the Great Lord Balo will be
destroyed". These Demons do not parry and will attack only those characters carrying treasure. A Demon
will break off combat if a PC drops the stolen treasure.

17) Another Corridor (12)

This corridor is reasonably clear (no mist of arrows). It is possible that the PCs will be fleeing along this
passage.

18) The Exit (13)

This smallish room has an octagon engraved on its floor. Bound to the octagon is a Demon of Teleportation
called k'M'thiss, who has a DEX of 30. k'M'thiss will teleport survivors back to the Hall of Risk's Room 1 (or
wherever the GM decides, based on the starting conditions). The Demon has a 90% (DEXx3%) chance of
successfully teleporting the characters to the correct place. If this fails, the character is lost in Limbo or sent
'elsewhere'.