Down the Sewage Shaft
Level-Neutral One-Page Dungeon
perilous threat from the city’s underworld worries the authorities
A and terrorizes the hapless city-folk that live near the sewer access-
es. For a month now, the increasing reports of the strange abomina-
tions that rise from the depths of the city’s sewage system are dire.
Witness reports talk of tentacled monsters that emerge from the manholes
and abduct unfortunate individuals. Corpses have been found half-eaten.
Nightmare scenes of gore and blood await in dark alleys. The only clue to the
creatures’ nature lies in another grim crime scene where a veteran adventurer
tried to fight off the obscure creature. The man was abducted and is presumed
dead, but he managed to sever a large tentacle with his blade. Local scholars
concur that the amphibian abomination must return to its watery medium ev-
ery so often. If someone managed to climb down to the sewage shaft and close
down all the pipes, the creature might be forced to leave for good.
Area Descriptions
1. The sewage shaft is 130 feet deep to the bottom. Adventurers must make
their way carefully to avoid the lethal fall. Three flying squid-like creatures
fly from below and attempt to pull trespassers into the deep shaft.
2. The two flow-valves in the central catwalks control the flow of the four outlet
pipes at this level. One of them is rusted and requires the use of fine tools.
Two squid-like monsters rise from below to attack the adventurers.
3. The studio contains an accurate floor-plan of the sewage shaft, its secret
areas, and the location of all flow-valves. It reveals the outlet at the bottom
which leads to the ocean (area 12). It opens when all flow-valves are closed.
4. Pushing a brick button reveals this secret room. The stone chest contains a
magic scroll that can activate the teleportation circle in area 13.
5. A large swarm of rodents emerges from cracks in the walls and ceiling. The
ravenous rodents are under the influence of the sewage kraken in area 11.
It causes the rats to become overly aggressive and territorial.
6. On the desk, the city employees log records their working hours for the past
8 months. A man named Joseph Gurtain has clocked in more hours than
anyone else. He could know something about the current state of affairs.
7. Pushing a brick button reveals this secret room. The chests contain two
sets of steel tools and Joseph Gurtain’s journal. It reveals his involvement
in arcane conjuration experiments. Gurtain’s address is found on the cover.
8. A hulking shadow can be seen on the sewage pond below (area 11). Four
flying squid-like critters attempt to grab the adventurers and push them to
the lowest level (area 11). The flow-valve closes the four outlet pipes in here.
9. A strong person can bend the iron bars into this apparent dead-end. Pushing
the 3 floor-buttons simultaneously reveals the hidden passage to area 10.
10. The ladder in this hidden hallway descends into area 12. This is the only
means of reaching the lowest level without alerting the sewage kraken.
11. The mighty sewage kraken emerges from the depths and attacks. The terri-
torial abomination recognizes no one other than Joseph Gurtain. The mon-
ster fights to the death. However, closing all valves in higher levels and op-
erating the one in area 12 drains the pond and lets the creature into the sea.
12. Coming this way does not alert the sewage kraken in area 11. Closing the
flow-valve starts draining the pond in 1 minute but angers the monster.
13. The vault contains two chests and a teleportation circle. Joseph Gurtain
uses it to access the sewage shaft undetected. The chests contain 950 gp.