TEXT: THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
   
   
  FANTASY ROLEPLAYING ADVENTURE 
  FOR 1ST LEVEL BLUEHOLME™ CHARACTERS 
  
  The Maze of Nuromen
  Level 1: 1 Square = 10 Feet
  
   
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  INTRODUCTORY 1ST LEVEL FANTASY ROLE PLAYING ADVENTURE 
  FOR TABLE-TOP PLAY WITH PAPER, PENCILS, AND MINIATURE FIGURINES 
   
  THIS IS NOT A STAND-ALONE BOOK! 
   
  REQUIRES BLUEHOLME PRENTICE RULES OR BLUEHOLME COMPLEAT RULES 
   
  WRITTEN BY 
  JUSTIN BECKER 
   
  EDITED BY 
  MICHAEL THOMAS 
   
  PUBLIC DOMAIN ART BY HARRY CLARKE 
  CONTRIBUTED BY JOHN-CALVIN SMITH 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  1ST EDITION, 1ST PRINTING, JANUARY 2013 
   
   
   
  BLUEHOLME, DREAMSCAPE DESIGN AND THE DREAMSCAPE DESIGN LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF 
  DREAMSCAPE DESIGN™ 
  DD0101 
  
  ~ 1 ~ 
   
  HISTORY 
  Nuromen the Black was a powerful and evil necromancer 
  who attracted a number of like-minded followers to his 
  tower set upon a rocky knoll in the wilderness. Here they 
  built a small town, known as Law's End because it lay 
  beyond the reach of all kings of the Realm. Nuromen took 
  advantage of an extensive cavern network beneath his 
  tower, expanding and fitting it out with fine stone and 
  woodworks. This underground lair became the abode of 
  his family and his henchmen and, according to legend, the 
  site of terrible debaucheries, rituals and experimentation. 
  Nuromen finally brought destruction upon himself and the 
  people of Law's End by tampering with forces beyond 
  even his power to control. People living in the nearest 
  settlement, an isolated hamlet 50 miles distant, saw a 
  terrible lambent blaze over the region of Law's End. An 
  expedition was mounted, but the folk of the town were 
  discovered dead in their streets and homes, with no clue 
  as to what caused them to fall where they were … 
  No trace of Nuromen or his adherents could be unearthed 
  amongst the smouldering wreckage that was all that 
  remained of his tower. From that day forward people 
  shunned the vicinity of Law's End, and the wilds slowly 
  reclaimed the town. To this day the events of that night 
  are told by mothers and good clerics to warn youngsters 
  of the just recompense that is visited upon folk for evil 
  doings – as well as tales of the perilous Maze of 
  Nuromen, and of the fabulous treasures said still to be 
  buried there … 
  The wood elves that still dwell in the deep forest around 
  Law's End set a watch over the ruins as surety against any 
  ill-conceived venture to rebuild the ill-fated township, but 
  their numbers are declining. As the elves leave the forests 
  for unknown lands beyond the sea, goblins have come 
  down from the mountains to fill the dark woods. More 
  feared and distrusted than the wood elves, the goblins 
  have proved an even more efficacious deterrent to would-
  be settlers of the knoll. 
   
  THROUGH THE FOREST 
  Law's End lies some fifty miles from the former hamlet, 
  now a thriving village, on a limestone outcrop in the 
  forest at the foot of the mountains. Below the ruins of the 
  village a river springs forth from the roots of the 
  mountain, eventually becoming a mighty river. 
  The referee may roll for encounters along the way, or 
  impose them as seems appropriate; wood elves and 
  goblins are the most common intelligent beings to be 
  found. Even if the party meets nothing else along the way, 
  however, one encounter should be played out as below. 
  AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 
  On the way to Laws End, the party will be met by a band 
  of high elves passing through the forest on their journey 
  out of the Known World. Upon learning of their quest (or 
  surmising it if players are tight-lipped) one of their 
  number will recount how his cousin, an elf prince, once 
  approached Nuromen in attempt to turn sway him to the 
  side of good or, failing that, take a measure of the danger 
  he represented. Unfortunately, the true evil of Nuromen 
  the Black was far greater than the prince had suspected, 
  and he was never seen again … 
   
   
   
  The necromancer killed the elf and took his crown; a 
  magical circlet of silver which the elves would like to see 
  retrieved from the Maze. Should the party agree, they will 
  be given a token which will guarantee free passage from 
  any wood elves guarding the ruins. If the party should 
  recover this heirloom and restore it to the kingdom of the 
  high elves, they will thenceforth be known as elf friends. 
  The characters will be further rewarded with other gifts of 
  esteem, of a nature as deemed appropriate by the referee 
  (but probably magical). 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 2 ~ 
   
  THE RUINS OF LAW’S END 
  On the flat summit of the hill stand the broken remains of 
  Nuromen's great tower and, around this, the fallen down 
  buildings of a small town. The statues and carvings still 
  visible amongst the ruins indicate that it was a place of 
  great wickedness and depravity, but the crumbling 
  structures are overgrown with moss and its streets lie 
  broken by weeds and saplings. All is still and silent, 
  except for the occasional crack of old bones underfoot. 
  There is nothing to be salvaged as the goblins of have 
  picked it clean, though few ever found the way into the 
  Maze from the underground river chamber until a few 
  days before the party arrived – and none have yet come 
  out again ... 
   
   
   
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  The Maze of Nuromen is a marvel of engineering. Carved 
  from the natural limestone caverns beneath his tower, the 
  halls and corridors are grand and imposing with 
  fantastically sculpted columns supporting high, vaulted 
  ceilings. Nuromen had the inhabited portions dressed with 
  stone, frescoes and wood which, in spite of the age and 
  neglect that have taken their toll, are still impressive in 
  their hedonistic and decadent splendour. 
  It is dark except in those areas lit by magic as mentioned 
  in the dungeon key. The party will need torches, lanterns, 
  magical light, or infravision to be able to see. 
  The catacombs are filled with dust and cobwebs and 
  spiders and the skeletal remains of its inhabitants, struck 
  down in the act of whatever they were engaged in at the 
  moment of doom. The doors and woodworks of the Maze 
  are still serviceable; most can be forced open if locked or 
  jammed. 
  Nuromen set an array of traps and magicks around his 
  Maze before his untimely demise and some of them 
  reflect the necromancer’s morbid sense of humour. The 
  steel traps are a little rusty but unfortunately still function 
  unless otherwise noted in the dungeon key. 
   
  WANDERING MONSTERS 
  The normal rules for determining and resolving 
  wandering monster encounters apply within the Maze. 
  However, because of the isolated nature of the maze the 
  tables below are used instead of those in the Prentice 
  Rules. Some wandering monsters are limited in number – 
  when they are slain, no more will be forthcoming and the 
  referee should re-roll until a monster that is still available 
  is rolled. The elves are wood elves, exploring the upper 
  level of the maze against the better judgement of their 
  elders. 
  First Level 
  1d12 
  Monster 
  Number 
  Total 
  1 
  Bandits 
  1d4 
  6 
  2 
  Centipedes, Giant  
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  3 
  Elves 
  1d2 
  2 
  4 
  Gelatinous Cube 
  1 
  1 
  5 
  Goblins 
  1d4 
  10 
  6 
  Green Slime 
  1 
  1 
  7 
  Rats, Giant 
  2d4 
  Unlimited 
  8 
  Screecher  
  1 
  1 
  9 
  Skeletons 
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  10 
  Skeletons  
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  11 
  Stirge 
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  12 
  Zombies 
  1d2 
  Unlimited 
   
  Second Level 
  1d12 
  Monster 
  Number 
  Total 
  1 
  Centipedes, Giant 
  1d6 
  Unlimited 
  2 
  Ghoul 
  1 
  1 
  3 
  Goblins 
  1d6 
  10 
  4 
  Grey Ooze 
  1 
  1 
  5 
  Grick 
  1d2 
  2 
  6 
  Shadow 
  1d2 
  2 
  7 
  Skeletons 
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  8 
  Skeletons  
  1d6 
  Unlimited 
  9 
  Spider, Giant 
  1 
  1 
  10 
  Troglodytes 
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  11 
  Yellow Mould 
  1 
  1 
  12 
  Zombies 
  1d4 
  Unlimited 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 3 ~ 
   
  DUNGEON KEY 
  E: Empty Room 
  There are a number of rooms which are empty of anything 
  other than mould and insects. The size and shape varies as 
  shown on the map; otherwise these rooms are 
  unremarkable. 
   
  LEVEL 1 
  1: Broken Shaft 
  Buried beneath the old ruins of the necromancer’s tower 
  lies a deep shaft. Once the sides held chambers for visitors 
  and guards, accessed by a spiral stair that has long since 
  collapsed. Once the party discovers the opening in the 
  rubble, the shaft may be descended using about 100' of 
  rope. Surprisingly, there are signs of recent disturbance of 
  the overgrown entrance, and there is already a set of ropes 
  going down into the darkness … 
  The bottom of the 50’ diameter shaft is filled with the 
  debris of the collapsed tower and staircase, and is cut in 
  half by a fast flowing underground river. The river is cold 
  and deep enough to create deadly rapids. A set of 
  imposing double doors, partly buried and slightly ajar, 
  lead out of the shaft to the east. 
  The ropes belong to a small party of goblins who have 
  recently entered the Maze. An elf or dwarf may notice the 
  goblinoid manufacture of the ropes (1-2 on 1d6). Two 
  goblins have stayed behind as guards. Unless the party 
  can achieve surprise, one will hide in the rubble while the 
  other runs ahead to warn their compatriots. 
  Goblins (2) – hp:4, 5; #AT:1; D:1d6; AC:6; I:11; T:1 
   
  1a: Underground River 
  The original caves were created by this rushing stream, 
  which enters the shaft through a still-solid iron portcullis 
  in the north. The channel is choked with tumbled stone 
  blocks from the collapse of the tower. The remnants of an 
  ornate stone bridge can be seen in the water.  
  Characters crossing the slippery rubble must roll their 
  Dexterity score or less on 1d20 or fall in, dropping any 
  hand-held items. Characters wearing metal armour will 
  sink unless they can divest themselves of their panoply 
  (roll 1-3 on 1d6). If their Strength is 14 or lower, they will 
  be swept out of the chamber and through the troglodyte 
  caves. In chamber 19 another d20 check against Dexterity 
  can be made to get out of the river before being carried out 
  of the mountain. Clever party members can make use of 
  ropes to try and rig up a rescue from the shaft, but they 
  need at least 200’. Once a party member crosses and 
  fastens a rope to the other side of the river, no d20 check is 
  needed for those following. 
  1b: Bottomless Pit 
  Things dropped in cannot be heard to hit bottom, and a 
  cold wind issues upwards out of the depths. If anyone 
  explores the pit on a rope or using a long pole, a colony of 
  stirges will fly out of the abyss and attack. There is 
  nothing else in the pit. 
  Stirges (4) – hp:2,4,5,6; #AT:1; D:1; AC:9; I:10 
   
  2: Underground Courtyard 
  This huge hall is littered with several skeletons, some still 
  in armour. All here died in the disaster that befell Law's 
  End. A search will reveal a few coins and little else ; it is 
  obvious the area has been recently looted. There are 
  sconces on the pillars, black from where the torches 
  burned themselves out; the lofty arches of the ceiling are 
  lost in darkness. Nothing of real import is to be found in 
  this chamber. Large double doors are set in the north and 
  south walls; the north doors are plated in brass and depict 
  scenes of feasting and debauchery, those to the south are 
  copper-covered and moulded in a charnel horror of dead, 
  dismembered and decaying bodies. 
   
  3: The Old Armoury 
  Here Nuromen's guards stored their shields, armour and 
  weapons. There is an assortment of rusted swords, old 
  pole arms, rotten shields, and decaying suits of armour 
  lying in piles against the walls where the shelves and 
  racks that once held them collapsed. If carefully searched, 
  a suit of magical +1 mail can be found, still gleaming 
  under a layer of detritus. 
   
  4: Barracks 
  This is where the soldiery who patrolled the Maze of 
  Nuromen quartered while on duty. There are mouldering 
  tables and beds, and in some of the beds lie skeletons. 
  Four more are seated at a table, accoutred in rusting mail. 
  Plates and cups still sit on the table as do dice from a 
  game. The dice are of exquisitely carved ivory, stained in 
  delicate shades of white, yellow, blue, red and green; they 
  are worth 20gp for the set. If anyone picks them up, 
  however, the hand of one of the skeletons will reach out 
  lightning quick to clutch their wrist! 
  All four skeletons will come to life – they have been 
  turned into undead by the curse of Nuromen. They will 
  fight to the death. One bears a shield distinguishable from 
  the others in that it is not corroded at all. It is in fact a 
  magical +1 shield (this skeleton has AC3). Scattered on the 
  floor are a few coins where they fell when their owners’ 
  purses rotted away (8cp, 12sp, 2ep). There is nothing else 
  of value in the room. 
  Skeletons (4) – hp:1,2,3,3; #AT:1, D:1d6; AC:4,4,4,3; I:12; T:1 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 4 ~ 
   
  5: The Pantry 
  All the foodstuffs as well as the shelves they were stored 
  on have long since disintegrated, so that even rats find no 
  sustenance here. In the hall there is little else to be found, 
  although, as with most other areas, skeletons lie about. A 
  search of the remains will yield a gold ring and a jewelled 
  necklace worth 23 and 50gp, respectively. 
   
  5a: Storage Area 
  The copper-plated door to this room is well sealed (and 
  jammed). This has kept the worst decay from its contents, 
  together with their careful packing. There are 5 boxes of 20 
  torches each, 3 lanterns, a crate with 20 flasks of oil, a case 
  of 50 candles, and various tools such as awls, hammers, 
  picks, and so forth that were intended for use in the 
  planned expansions to the Maze when its occupants yet 
  lived. 
   
  5b: Wine Vault 
  Here are many barrels, lining the walls from floor to 
  ceiling. Some are empty, many are spoiled, but there are 
  20 casks of wine of the best and most ancient vintage, 
  sealed and in good condition. The beverage has a value of 
  500gp back in the village; double or more if the characters 
  can figure way to transport it back to a town or city. The 
  wine is elfin, a gift from the doomed elfin prince who tried 
  to befriend Nuromen. 
  There is also a ghost here, the phantom of a drunkard who 
  resided with necromancer in Law's End. Anyone seeing 
  the apparition will immediately know it as a spirit, 
  ethereal and white from head to toe, leering in 
  anticipation as it draws a cup of wine. All characters 
  except clerics must save vs. paralysis or run screaming 
  from the hall for 1 turn in terror. 
  The ghost does not attack; it will drink from the cup, but 
  the wine flows through its immaterial gullet and splashes 
  on the floor. The spirit will then proffer the cup to the 
  characters. Should any of them drink, they will turn 
  ghostly white from head to toe and remain in this strange 
  state until a Remove Curse spell is cast by a cleric of 
  sufficient power. Whether the party accepts the ghost's 
  offer or not, after this gesture it will vanish and the cup 
  will fall to the floor to add its remaining contents to the 
  multitude of stains. 
   
  6: Kitchen 
  Here were prepared the feasts which Nuromen held for 
  his guests in the banqueting hall (Chamber 7). The large 
  hearth in the centre of the west wall is shared with the 
  banqueting hall. Rotted cupboards, rusted kitchen utensils 
  and casks of soured wine line the other walls of the large 
  food preparing area. Ragged sacks spill their ancient grain 
  across the flagstones, mummified carcasses hang from 
  iron hooks, and the skeletal remains of the cooks lie fallen 
  at their tasks. 
  Anyone searching the room is likely to disturb a 
  venomous giant centipede that has crawled into the Maze 
  through some unknown fissure. On a roll of 1-3 on 1d6, a 
  character has agitated the centipede and it attacks (see the  
  BLUEHOLME™ rules for the effects of giant centipede 
  poison). 
  Giant Centipede (1) – hp:2; #AT:1; D:Poison; AC:9; I:13 
   
   
   
  7: Banqueting Hall 
  Upon entering this room, a foul stench will assail the 
  party, as well as the grisly sight of a banquet table 
  surrounded by skeletons dressed in decaying finery. Some 
  lean back in their chairs, others slump forward, and some 
  have fallen to the floor. Four chairs of varying degrees of 
  magnificence are empty. The table is laden with an 
  assortment of gold and silver serving vessels, chalices, and 
  plates, which are of 300gp value if cleaned of the 
  encrusted remnants this final feast. The expired revellers 
  wear jewels worth 200gp. Finally, there is a fine bottle of 
  wine on the table, over 150 years old and worth 50gp in 
  town. 
  Set in the east wall of the hall, behind the high table on its 
  raised dais, is a great fire place whose chimney exits 
  somewhere in the mountains. An old, green copper pot 
  hangs over the crusted ashes. Hiding in the shadows of 
  the 40’ high vaulted ceiling are two harpies who found the 
  chimney spout and have set up their lair here in the hall. 
  The place is befouled with their excrement, which is the 
  source of the stench. The bones of elves and goblins, as 
  well as the odd human, can be seen amongst the leavings 
  of their meals. If the party looks strong, they will try to use 
  their song. They will attack when they have the 
  advantage, shrieking and squawking. 
  Harpies (2)–hp:9,14; #AT:3; D:1d4/1d4/1d6; AC:7; I:10; T:12 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 5 ~ 
   
  8: The Grotto 
  Open to the southern cliff face of the hill, overlooking the 
  river below, Nuromen caused to be fashioned a 
  remarkable garden with a clever fountain fed by one of 
  the many underground streams. The fountain features 
  many lewd and impish figures that spray passers-by with 
  water when they step on a hidden switch, and it still 
  functions perfectly.  
   
  A multitude of strange but beautiful plants once adorned 
  deep planters scooped out of the floor of the chamber but, 
  untended, they have all grown wild; their rampant vines 
  and bulging fruits are deadly poison. The fountain still 
  flows and the water is sweet and good. Hidden amongst 
  the vegetation are 2 giant fire beetles. 
  Giant Fire Beetles (2) – hp:4,7; #AT:1; D:2d4; AC:4; I:9 
   
  9: Nuromen’s Apartments 
  This ornate and well-furnished room was the private 
  quarters of the necromancer and his family. The cold stone 
  walls are clad in rare timbers and draped with long 
  tapestries which depict the life and career of Nuromen, as 
  well as the founding of Law's End. Anyone examining the 
  tapestries will gather that Nuromen was a vain and 
  conceited fellow who saw Law's End as the pinnacle of his 
  life's work. There is also a depiction of gigantic, multi-
  armed baboon-like creature with great fangs and a single 
  eye set in the centre of its face (this is the image of the 
  evil deity worshipped by Nuromen and his followers). 
  Contrasting with this monstrous tapestry is a delicate 
  painting of a lush garden with a little girl and a beautiful 
  woman seated on the rim of an ornate fountain (they are 
  Nuromen’s wife and daughter in the grotto). 
  There is a canopied bed, many couches, a vanity with 
  a mirror, and other assorted luxurious but now sadly 
  deteriorated furnishings. There is a wardrobe filled with 
  worn and moth eaten fineries. There are also many finely 
  detailed toys; in fact, there is a magical toy which 
  Nuromen made for his daughter. It is a finely wrought 
  silver puppet which dances and spins by magic when 
  taken from one's pocket and set upon the floor. It is lying 
  on the bed next to the skeleton of a small girl and her 
  nanny. This is where the two were sleeping when the 
  calamity of Law's End struck.  
  The two skeletons are dressed in fine but rotting garments 
  and are covered with the dust of ages. The girl's bony 
  wrist bears a silver bracelet which has the name “Anthea” 
  engraved upon it. If there was any ray of light in 
  Nuromen's wicked heart it was the affection he bore for 
  his daughter and wife. The girl's name is the password to 
  the magical study (chamber 12). 
  Aside from the magical puppet (worth 300gp), there is 
  nothing of value except possibly some old perfumes that 
  belonged to Zimena, Nuromen's wife (150gp if sold to the 
  right merchant). 
   
   
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 6 ~ 
   
  10: Hall of Prisoners 
  Once the holding area for those who displeased Nuromen, 
  skeletons in irons now occupy these cells, except for the 
  last; here an old man languishes in chains, seemingly well-
  pleased with his lot and evincing no desire to leave. He 
  will babble gratifying things about Nuromen and warn 
  the party to leave the Maze. He is but a phantasm, an 
  ancient spell cast by Nuromen in an idle moment of 
  fancy.  He will begin to repeat himself after a while, which 
  should be a clue to the players. Detect Magic will reveal 
  the old man’s nature, and Dispel Magic will cause the 
  illusion to vanish. 
   
  11: Gallows 
  Here is where the necromancer’s enemies were hung by 
  his guards, raising them by a noose around their neck 
  until they strangled. The gallows are mouldered; on a roll 
  of 1-3 on 1d6 anyone walking on them will break through 
  and take 1d2 points of damage when they hit the floor 
  below. There is still one skeleton clothed in rotting rags, 
  hanging by its neck from a frayed rope that will break if 
  interfered with. 
   
  12: Nuromen’s Study 
  When anyone approaches the copper-plated door to this 
  hall, a corpse face moulded into its surface will animate 
  and state, “None may pass unless they know the word.” The 
  password is Anthea, the name of Nuromen's daughter. If 
  this is offered, the face will moan, "You may pass." as the 
  door swings open. If the party cannot guess the password, 
  the face will only repeat its question and occasionally ask, 
  "Did Nuromen send you? I shall tell him you tried to enter 
  here." Should anyone try to force the door, it will sparkle 
  with lightning and shock all within 5’, doing 1d6 damage 
  (saving vs. magic for no damage). Dispel Magic will cause 
  the magic to vanish.  It can be battered down by doing 15 
  points of damage with a blunt weapon or axe, but it will 
  loose lightning strikes until the very end. If the door is 
  forced or the magic dispelled, the corpse face will cry out, 
  "Nuromen! Nuromen! Strangers have breached thy Maze!" This 
  cry will boom throughout out the Maze, alerting all 
  within. 
   
  The study houses a wondrous assortment of tables, books, 
  contraptions, maps, globes, jars of small preserved 
  creatures and appendages, bottles, alchemical apparatus, 
  astrological charts, bones, feathers and so on. The library 
  is full of historical, alchemical, and scientific tomes, most 
  in a state of complete decay. Spiders and cobwebs are 
  everywhere. 
   
  Strapped to a table lies a halfling skeleton, its bones 
  bearing faint marks of incision – an unfortunate victim of 
  Nuromen’s experiments. A thorough search of the room 
  will turn up a backpack containing the personal effects of 
  the halfling, and a letter which identifies him and tells of 
  the land from which he hails. Perhaps this will lead to 
  further adventures for the party ... 
  On another table sits a frog inside a glass jar – and the frog 
  is alive. If freed from the glass jar, the frog will howl as it 
  careens randomly through the room, smashing vials and 
  striking one character for 1d4 points of damage as it 
  makes its escape. 
  A bookstand holds a text readable only by magic users or 
  elves. There is an instruction to, “mix the blue elixir with the 
  green in order to transmute stone to gold”. Several stones lie 
  beside the book and there is in fact a beaker on a metal 
  stand filled with murky green liquid and beside it a glass 
  cup  filled with blue liquid which still bubbles after all 
  these years. If anyone should mix these liquids, a 
  tremendous explosion will result that does 1d6 damage to 
  anyone within 10', or 1 point of damage to anyone up to 
  20' away. The table, book and beakers will be destroyed 
  and a large portion of the books and shelves will catch 
  fire. 
  Intelligent players may ferret something of value from the 
  surviving books, but most are in obscure scripts or can be 
  read only by magic users. The contraptions are quite 
  worthless as they are incomprehensible. If anyone is 
  foolish enough to drink any of the elixirs around the place 
  their only reward is a 1d8 roll on the following table and a 
  saving throw vs. poison or magic as appropriate: 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 7 ~ 
   
  1-4: Become violently sick for 1 turn, no movement or 
  actions other than uncontrollable retching (poison).  
  5-7: Turn into a frog, a bird or insect (magic). 
  8: Writhe and scream in pain for several minutes before 
  dying a horrible death (poison). 
  Also, hanging on a hook are two large metal keys that 
  opens the door to Nuromen’s vivisectory (chamber 14) 
  and the door to the Hall of Statues (chamber 16), although 
  the latter, like its lock, is of strange make and not 
  immediately recognisable as a key. 
   
   
  If anyone searches for secret doors and specifically 
  mentions checking the bookcases, they have a 1-5 in 1d6 
  chance of finding the hidden door behind a hinged 
  bookcase against the northern wall. The secret door leads 
  to the hiding place where Nuromen kept his most 
  valuable magical artefacts. Close by, hidden under a table 
  and covered by a threadbare rug, is a trapdoor which 
  opens on a shaft leading 135’ down to a secret door into 
  the Temple (chamber 23). The iron staples set into the wall 
  are still solid. 
   
  13: The Necromancer’s Goods 
  This bare room contains a chair and table. On the latter 
  rest several magical artefacts. There are three spell scrolls: 
  Dispel Magic, Invisibility, and Charm Person. There is also 
  a potion of ESP and a 2 potions of Cure Light Wounds, 
  clearly labelled. There is also a small bottle marked 
  "Anecdote" which is an antidote to the poison gas in the 
  Treasure Vault (chamber 22). 
  On sturdy stands, still sound, are three massive grimoires. 
  Two are Nuromen’s magic books, the third is the Book of 
  Power. It is clasped with a lock, and the wraith of 
  Nuromen has the key (although a thief can pick it). The 
  tome is an enchanted 1st level magic book. If read by a 
  magic-user there is a 1 in 1d4 chance he will be imbued 
  with the knowledge of a random 1st level spell from the 
  book. The magic-user permanently adds this spell to his 
  daily allotment, although he still needs to memorise it as 
  normal. In addition, any magic-user reading the book will 
  immediately gain sufficient XPs to advance half-way to his 
  next level. The book is very valuable to magic-users, who 
  will pay three times book's 5-pound weight in gold to 
  have it – or else try to take it! 
  Nuromen’s wraith comes here to memorise his spells, 
  commanding one of his skeleton guards to turn the pages 
  – it is obvious that the books have been recently disturbed. 
  There is also a magical +1 dagger in a scabbard slung over 
  the back of the chair. 
   
  14: The Chamber of Misery 
  This room is held fast by an iron door with a view slit. 
  The door cannot be forced, it can only be opened by a 
  thief or the key from Nuromen’s Study (chamber 12). 
  Inside a skeleton dressed in black rags and hood lies on 
  the floor, clutching a rotting whip, 10 more are chained to 
  the walls, and one is hanging in an iron cage from the 
  ceiling. In a pouch under the skeleton on the floor is a 
  jewel worth 70gp. The skeleton in the cage is still clothed 
  and concealed in the remains is a map of the nearby 
  village, when it was still a tiny hamlet. According to the 
  map, there is a chest of treasure buried below the stones 
  of the altar in the village chapel. 
  There is also a table with what appear to be gore-
  encrusted torture implements (but are actually Nuromen’s 
  vivisection tools). Propped up in one corner is what 
  appears to be an iron maiden. The iron maiden is rusty but 
  a character with Strength 14 or higher can force it open. 
  Inside is the decayed corpse of a zombie, which will 
  attack immediately. 
  Zombie (1) – hp:10; #AT:1; D:1d8; AC:8; I:6 
   
   
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 8 ~ 
   
  LEVEL 2 
  15: The Empty Hall 
  If the party listens at the door before entering they will 
  hear goblins cursing and speaking (in Goblinoid) of the 
  horrors of the Maze and the lack of treasures. The goblins 
  are unable to pass beyond the door to the Hall of Statues 
  (chamber 16) since none have found the key from the 
  necromancer’s chambers and the door is too strong for 
  them to burst.  
  The hall is occupied by five goblins but is otherwise empty 
  except for some ruined furniture and broken statues. The 
  referee should roll on the reaction table to determine how 
  they react to the party, bearing in mind their perception of 
  the party’s relative strength. They have some coins, a bone 
  talisman, and their weapons. The bone talisman has a 
  spell cast upon it that makes its wearer irresistible to any 
  goblin of the opposite sex. 
  Goblins (5) – hp:2,3,3,4,6; #AT:1; D:1d6; AC:6; I:11; T:1 
   
  16: Hall of Statues 
  The iron door to the hall can only be opened with the 
  strange key from Nuromen's Study. The lock cannot be 
  picked by any thief below 10th level. Here is a vast hall 
  filled with the statues of Nuromen and his ancestors, as 
  can be deduced by the inscriptions on the bases of the 
  larger-than-life, 
  well sculpted statues. Characters 
  examining the statues will find that there are two identical 
  statues of Nuromen. Behind each is a secret door which 
  will open if the head of the statue is turned to the left; one 
  leading to the Cave of the Magic Bones (chamber 23) and 
  the other to the Underground Lake (chamber 24). If turned 
  to the right, a poisonous gas is released. The character 
  turning the head must save vs. poison at +2 or take 1d4 
  points of damage – the poison has lost some of its potency 
  over the decades. 
  If anyone states they are searching the base of the statues, 
  there is a 1-4 in 1d6 chance (automatic for thieves) of 
  discovering a hollow base in one of them, containing a 
  brittle leather coffer of 200gp. 
   
  17: The Underground Lake 
  A small but deep lake fills much of this partially enlarged 
  cavern. On a small island in its centre some tantalising 
  glints can be seen in the light of the party's torches – one 
  of Nuromen's treasure chests, its brass fittings still 
  gleaming. 
  However, it is guarded (and polished) by a ghoul who was 
  once a master thief. He appears as a sad but bestial 
  looking figure who greets the party in a seemingly 
  unthreatening way. Thieves may have heard of how the 
  reputedly greatest thief who ever lived mysteriously 
  vanished in these parts many years ago. Nuromen 
  transformed the thief in his experiments, whereupon it 
  amused the necromancer to bind him to the chest as its 
  custodian. 
  However, the thief retains some will and he will allow the 
  party to pass and obtain the treasure if they can answer a 
  riddle: “My life is measured in hours. I live by being 
  devoured. Thin I am quick. Fat I am slow. The Zephyr are 
  my foes. Who or what am I?” The answer is a candle. 
  After 1 full turn or if the party makes three incorrect 
  guesses, the ghoul will attack. 
  If the party answers the riddle correctly, he will bow and 
  gesture towards the treasure, telling them that his charm 
  will be released when the treasure is taken. He will speak 
  of nothing else in the Maze. If the party empties the chest 
  (even if they didn’t answer the riddle), the ghoul will leap 
  into the pool and disappear. 
  The chest is locked and trapped with a poisoned needle, 
  still efficacious after all this time. Inside are kept 300gp, a 
  magical +2 short sword engraved with the thief’s former 
  name, a ruby worth 100gp, and a potion of gaseous form. 
  Ghoul (1) – hp:8; #AT:3+paralyse, D:1d3 each; AC:6; I:11 
   
   
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 9 ~ 
   
  18: Cave of the Magic Bones 
  Upon entry, the party will see on the far end of the cave a 
  small clay pot overflowing with precious gems and a 
  scabbarded sword. There are 400gp gold worth of 
  assorted jewels, a beautiful golden necklace (100gp), and 
  a delicately wrought circlet of white gold (500gp). Here is 
  the elven crown, stolen from the elf prince whom 
  Nuromen tricked, tortured and killed. Any character who 
  wears the elf crown will immediately add 2 points to their 
  Charisma score. This effect is permanent and remains 
  even if the crown is taken off. In addition, the character 
  will form a spiritual bond with elves from that moment 
  on, which will be reciprocated in kind. Dwarves, 
  however, will henceforth be disdainful and cold toward 
  the character. The crown will impart this gift but once, 
  until the character dies at which point it will pass the gifts 
  to the next wearer. 
  At the back of the cave a recent rock fall has re-opened a 
  narrow passage to the deeper caverns, blocked by 
  Nuromen in years past. 
  Lying in the middle of the chamber is a single skeletal 
  arm clutching a rusty sword. If anyone approaches it or 
  the treasure pot, the arm flies into the air and attacks! The 
  magic bones must be defeated before the treasure can be 
  had. 
  Skeletal Arm (1) – hp:3; #AT:1, D:1d6; AC:4; I:16 
   
  19: Caves of the Troglodytes 
  Any character swept away by the underground river in the 
  broken shaft (chamber 1), will emerge into this large 
  cavern, taking 1d6 damage on the way. A roll equal or 
  less than his Dexterity score on 1d20 will allow him to 
  scramble onto the sandy shore next to the body of a 
  drowned goblin with 5gp and a dagger still in his belt. An 
  older skeleton lies on the other shore, its bones gnawed 
  and scattered. On a roll of 1-3 on 1d6 a search will turn up 
  the skeleton's finger with a Ring of Plant Command. 
  These caves are the abode of a tribe of troglodytes who 
  will soon arrive to investigate the arrival of their next 
  meal. The reptilians have lived in the deeper caves for 
  centuries. Nuromen knew of them, but instead of 
  destroying them he set magical wards to keep them out of 
  his Maze – which were destroyed in the cave-in in 
  chamber 18. 
  Troglodytes (3) – hp:6,8,9; #AT:3, D:1d4 each; AC:5; I:10 
   
  20: The Antechamber 
  There is a 10’ deep pit trap in the centre of this room, 
  hidden under an illusory floor here. A detect magic  spell 
  or probing the floor with a pole will reveal the trap, but 
  anyone stepping on it unawares will fall in and take 1d6 
  points of damage. 
  21: The Priest’s Rooms 
  Here lived the evil cleric who once attended to the Temple 
  (chamber 23). His skeleton lies on the floor, still wearing 
  the tattered vestments of his religion. There is an image of 
  the evil god in a small personal shrine set into the wall. 
  The skeleton's hand clutches an empty vial of poison that 
  the cleric drank when doom came to Law's End. A 
  necklace with another idol lies around its neck, evoking a 
  sense great evil if touched. Any character who actually put 
  it on will be cursed and must save vs. spells or 
  permanently drop to a score of 3 in Charisma. 
  There is also a book written in the common tongue, filled 
  with descriptions and illustrations of terrible rites. If any 
  good cleric of 3rd level or higher sees the book, he will 
  recognise it as being cursed and urge its destruction. A 
  good cleric who burns the book will permanently gain 1 
  point of Wisdom. Evil clerics will pay handsomely for it. 
  However, anyone taking the book out of the Maze will 
  suffer a –1 attack penalty against all evil creatures until the 
  book is disposed of. 
  Under the rotting bed, there is a locked iron box 
  containing 100gp and a jewelled ring worth 300gp. There 
  is also a magical +1 mace, but it has been dedicated to the 
  cleric’s evil god. If wielded by a good character any 
  damage inflicted will be turned upon the user as well as 
  his opponent. 
   
  22: The Chamber of Instruments 
  In here were kept the robes for the Temple's devotees as 
  well as the musical instruments and incense that 
  accompanied the evil rituals. There are some old stringed 
  instruments which will break to pieces if picked up. 
  However, the incense is still good; a pungent substance 
  which produces a narcotic effect when inhaled, resulting 
  in –1 to all rolls for 1d6 hours. In large quantities and in 
  the right surroundings the user will experience wild 
  hallucinations. It can fetch 300gp on the market. There is 
  otherwise nothing of value. 
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
  ~ 10 ~ 
   
  23: The Temple 
  The door to this room is painted with the image of its evil 
  multi-limbed god. Within, the place is permeated with an 
  aura of evil. Here it was that Nuromen paid homage to his 
  deity, a malevolent northern god unknown in the Realm. 
  There is a giant stone carving on a high central platform. 
  Four braziers lit by Continual Flame burn perpetually, 
  between the steps leading up to the platform. The god is 
  depicted as a giant baboon with huge teeth, one large 
  central eye, and eight arms clutching wicked scimitars. 
  Clerics will recognise the carvings and runes for their 
  evil, if not the god himself, it is obvious that the stained, 
  man-sized wooden basin at the feet of the idol was most 
  likely used for unspeakable rites. 
  If any character touches the altar or any of the items on 
  the dais, they must save vs. spells. If they fail, they are 
  smitten with leprosy. Only a powerful cleric will be able 
  to remove this curse, requiring both a Remove Curse and 
  a Cure Disease; but he may lay a quest upon the character 
  in return. 
  If the basin is pushed aside there is a shaft which leads 
  20’ down, opening to a corridor leading to the Burial 
  Crypts 
  (chamber 
  24). 
  The 
  wooden 
  ladder 
  has 
  disintegrated. 
   
  24: The Ancestral Burial Crypts 
  This dark, haunted hall is vast and cold. Carved reliefs on 
  the walls are painted with scenes of Nuromen's family 
  history going back centuries, interspersed with images of 
  the eight-armed baboon god. There are stone sarcophagi 
  in the alcoves, fourteen in all. All appear to have 
  artistically carved effigies of their dead occupants on the 
  lids. Nuromen paid handsomely to have his family's 
  remains brought to Law's End for interment. At the east 
  end of the crypt is a large sepulchre ornately carved. 
  When Nuromen himself died in the disaster that befell his 
  demesne, his cleric laid him and his wife Zimena to rest in 
  the sepulchre before taking his own life. 
  Nuromen was devoutly religious and it is for this reason 
  that he did not pass into the world beyond but has 
  remained as a wraith! If not alerted before now, he will be 
  awakened by the party's exploration of the crypt and he 
  will arise, as will Zimena and two of his ancestors from 
  the stone sarcophagi. What look like effigies are in fact 
  their dusty, desiccated corpses themselves! 
  Nuromen may engage the party in verbal exchange before 
  attacking. He speaks in a hollow, echoing voice as cold as 
  the grave and where his eyes once were burn two cruel 
  red embers. Around the neck of his corpse on the bier lies 
  the amulet that is the key to the treasure vault (chamber 
  25). Zimena and the two ancestors are mindless zombies, 
  while Nuromen will fight as a wraith but retains the 
  ability to cast some spells (only as a 4th level magic-user). 
  Wraith (1) – hp:11; #AT:1; D:1d6+drain; AC:3; I:10 
  Spells: Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Floating Disc, Magic 
  Missile, Detect Invisible, Phantasmal Image. 
  Zombies (3) – hp:4,7,7; #AT:1; D:1d8; AC:8; I:6 
   
  25: The Vault of Nuromen 
  This chamber is where the necromancer hid his wealth. 
  The door to the chamber is of bronze-plated iron and can 
  only be unlocked with the special amulet key worn by 
  Nuromen’s wraith (chamber 24). If the amulet is fitted 
  into a depression in the door, the latter will swing inward 
  of its own accord. Otherwise, no amount of force, lock 
  picking or magic will work. As the door opens, three 
  small capsules in the upper lintel will crack and eject a 
  stream of poisonous gas. Anyone within 5’ must save vs. 
  poison or die. If they save, they still take 1d4 damage. 
  If the characters survive this gift of Nuromen, they will 
  see a room magically lit by Continual Flame torches on 
  the walls. The chamber is cut in half by a 10’ wide and 
  10’ deep trench, its bottom bristling with row after row of 
  iron spikes whose tips are gleaming with a coating of 
  slime. Beyond the pit are gathered chests and coffers 
  overflowing with coins and jewels. Unfortunately, this is 
  all yet another parting gesture by Nuromen – the spiked 
  pit and the treasure are both illusions. 
  The real treasure lies at the bottom of the trench. Anyone 
  who falls or climbs into the pit will pass through the 
  illusion and find Nuromen's treasure (and the floor of the 
  pit) 20’ below.  
  The “treasure” on the far side of the pit is also an illusion 
  – it is a crossbow rigged to fire 3 bolts if anyone comes 
  within 5’ of the illusion. The referee must determine who 
  is in the arc of fire; targets must save vs. ray or take 1d4 
  damage.  
  Nuromen's hoard is great indeed: 4,500gp, 10 diamonds 
  worth 300gp each, a magical +1 hand axe which can be 
  thrown and returns to its master's hand, a rope of 
  climbing, 3 potions of Cure Light Wounds, 2 potions of 
  Invisibility, a potion of Diminution and a ring of water 
  walking. 
   
  
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 
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   All monster stat blocks and encounter tables are classified as Open Game Content; 
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
  OP EN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a Copyright 2000; Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  SYSTEM REFERENCE DOCUMENT Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, 
  David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
  BLUEHOLME™ P rentice Rules Copyright 2012, Dreamscape Design. 
  
  The Maze of Nuromen
  Level 2: 1 Square = 10 Feet
  
  THE MAZE OF NUROMEN 
   
  The Maze of Nuromen is a modular quest designed to let the referee 
  introduce a group of 1st level characters to the thrills of Underworld 
  exploration as they attempt to unravel they secrets of the evil 
  necromancer’s lair. 
   
  To play this adventure you also require the BLUEHOLME™ Prentice 
  Rules, a table top fantasy roleplaying game that emulates the game play of 
  the original basic rule book, popularly known as the Holmes Edition or 
  simply the Blue Book.  
   
  Other Dreamscape Design books to keep an eye out for are the greatly 
  expanded BLUEHOLME™ Compleat Rules for 1st to 14th level characters 
  with expanded monsters, spells, magic items,  the multi-system campaign 
  setting Adventures in Blueholme, presenting a fully-fledged fantasy world 
  for time-strapped referees. 
   
  Enjoy! 
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DREAMSCAPE DESIGN™  
  DD0101 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Blueholme/Blueholme Adventures/Blueholme The Maze of Nuromen.pdf