ItDR conversion: Jacob's Well (by Randy Maxwell)

08 Apr, 2023

One of the adventures that were used to playtest Into the Dungeon: Revived.

The Source

Jacob's Well — a one-player horror adventure module from Dungeon Magazine #43,¹ inspired by the Alien² movie.

The Conversion

Only the parts that need to be adjusted are listed here.

General Information
The Monster
NPCs
Locations

General Information ↩

Random Encounters

Roll every time the character leaves the main house and enters other building. The Referee is responsible for the logical placement of the encounters.

2d6	Encounter
2	Monster or No Encounter
3-4	d4 Rats `STR 1, 1hp, d4 Bite`
5-9	Guard, NPC, or No Encounter
10-11	d4 Giant Rats `STR 3, 3hp, d4 Bite`
12	Snow slide (d4 Damage, Stunned for one turn)

Weather

d10:	1-3	4-8	9-10
Weather	Calm	Harsh	Extreme
Duration	2d4 hours	2d4 hours	1d4 hours
Snow, wind	light, moderate	heavy, high	blizzard
Visibility	as in fog	medium	low
Shooting	Normal	Impaired	impossible
Spell failure	None	4-in-8	6-in-8
Cold Damage	None	2hp/hour	3hp/hour

Timeline Overview

Day 1

Morning: Arrival; Storm
Evening: Death of Njal
Night: Barracks on fire Day 2
Morning: Ubbi is gone; Guards leave
Evening: Drenla panics
Night: Highlander's stand Day 3
Morning: Jacob in the cellar
Evening: Drenla's demise
Night: Trappers Day 4
Morning: Adult form

The Monster ↩

Hiding Places

It is up to the Referee to move the hiding place once the previous one is discovered.

main house chimney (baby form only)
(6) stable
(6) smithy
(7) latrine
(12) barracks tower
(13) East stable guard tower
(13) West stable guard tower
(14) Gate tower
(4) barracks (after burning)
(17) behind main house guard rooms (after guards are gone)

Baby form

STR 10, DEX 16, WIL 6, 4hp, Armour 1, 2d4 Claws, d6 Bite, very fast.

Elusive: climbs walls, 4-in-6 chance to hide in shadows perfectly.

Magic Resistance: 1-in-10 chance to resist a spell effect.

Regeneration: 1hp at the start of each turn, 1 Ability Score point each hour.

Young form

STR 13, DEX 14, WIL 7, 6hp, Armour 2, 2d6 Claws, d8 Bite, fast.

Elusive: climbs walls, 2-in-6 chance to hide in shadows perfectly.

Magic Resistance: 2-in-10 chance to resist a spell effect.

Regeneration: 2hp at the start of each turn, 2 Ability Score points each hour.

Adult form

STR 16, DEX 12, WIL 8, 8hp, Armour 3, 2d8 Claws, d10 Bite.

Egg Implant: on dealing Damage to STR Score, has a 1-in-4 chance to implant an egg (3 months gestation).

Stunning Croak (1/day): all within medium area must pass a STR Save or be stunned for the next turn.

Magic Resistance: 3-in-10 chance to resist a spell effect.

Regeneration: 3hp at the start of each turn, 3 Ability Score points each hour.

NPCs ↩

Guard

STR 11, 2hp, Armour 1 (mail shirt), Sword (d6), Crossbow (d6).

Jacob Nazakak (owner)

STR 13, DEX 15, 4hp, cudgel (d6, 2h), crossbow (d6), throwing knives (d4), Warrior 1 (bonus d4 weapon Damage).

- Very ugly, dour, rude, and taciturn. - "One shilling spends like another, no matter whose pocket it's from." - Suspicious of everyone and everything.

Guntra and Hlutwulf (barbarians)

STR 12, 3hp, Armour 1 (hide), spear (d6), battle axe (d8), dagger (d6).

- Arrived late last night, carrying an ill friend. - Silent, suspicious, and ill at ease among so many strangers.

Shahath, Terth, and Xavick (fur trappers)

2hp, knife (d6).

- Arrived early this morning, fleeing the storm. - Intend to sit out the blizzard, then continue on their way. - Their furs, pelts, and hunting gear are locked in one of the storage rooms (5). - Their three pack mules are in the stable (6). - Cordial and polite if treated likewise. - Talk mostly among themselves about fur prices and plans for the future.

Gaylord Hightor (ranger)

STR 15, DEX 14, WIL 14, 3hp, Armour 1 (leather), sword (d6), longbow (d6), throwing knives (d4), Sharpshooter.

- Young ranger without a permanent home, wanders from forest to forest. - Calm, competent, and patient hunter. - Friendly, but remains silent for long periods of time.

Drenla Ers

DEX 15, WIL 9, 4hp, dagger (d6), quarterstaff (d6), Mystic 2.
Spell Tome (^ - signature spell, * - prepared spell):

arcane mark, detect magic, light

feather fall, grease, magic missile, obscuring mist*, shield^, shocking grasp

flaming sphere^, pyrotechnics, web*

Intelligent but incompetent and trigger-happy mystic.
Has no talent for the quarterstaff, but believes it makes him look wise.
When fighting with a quarterstaff often hits everything except an opponent, nevertheless sees himself as quite the mystic-warrior.

Highlanders

For the ItDR conversion, to better match the setting, I've changed orc tribesmen to highlanders.

Chief Tonazk (highlander chief)

STR 16, DEX 9, WIL 12, 3hp, Armour 2 (mail + shield), broad sword (d6/d8), dagger (d6).

- Cunning highlander who tends to think more than he talks. - Haughty, arrogant, and self-centred, but not stupid. - Anyone seeking an audience, must deal with his bodyguards first:

"Who dares seek the presence of the mighty chief Tonazk Troll-killer, ruler of the Kagazh clan, leader of the council of the Nine Tribes, and Terror of the Trolls."

Kazickerk and Ax (chief's bodyguards)

STR 16, 3hp, Armour 2 (mail and shield), broad sword (d6/d8), spear (d6/d8), dagger (d6).

- Do as they are told and are not allowed to get into personal fights without permission. - Will cooperate, if commanded to do so by their chief. Otherwise, they remain aloof and do not mingle with the other travellers. - Must protect the chief at the cost of their lives. - One is always outside the chief's door while Tonazk sleeps. - If the chef is killed, will leave by the fastest possible means to escape the tribe.

One-armed Ubbi (cook)

STR 8, 1hp, knife (d6).

- Was once a ship's cook and lost his left arm in a shipboard fire. - Boring old man who regales anyone who will listen with long-winded tales of his seafaring exploits. - Not a coward, but realizes his limitations in a fight. - Does not willingly join in or seek any form of combat.

Begley (servant)

2hp, Healer 1.

- Cheerful, stout-hearted little chap. - Pilgrim survived the attack by the bandits and stumbled on Jacob's Well. - Works as a servant and part-time guard (paid 1s/month). - Desires to return to his people, but can't afford the escort.

Locations ↩

5. Storage and Armory

rent is 5p/week, or 1s/week with a lock
one space is filled with coal for use in the smithy [6], unworked metal bars and pieces of iron (for horseshoes or repairing armour), small keg of lamp oil, hammers, tongs, and other metal-working tools
one cubicle is locked and has a cowbell nailed to the door for the alert. It contains fort's armory (mostly from the dead guests):
- Armour:
  - 5 leather armour sets (Armour 1)
  - 3 shields (Armour +1)
- Ranged:
  - 3 throwing axes (d4)
  - 3 hunting bows (d4)
  - 1 longbow (d6)
  - a box of arrows (~50)
  - 4 crossbows (d6)
  - a box of crossbow bolts (~100)
- Martial Melee:
  - 1 battle axe (d6/d8)
  - 6 clubs (d6)
  - 12 daggers (d6)
  - 3 maces (d6/d8)
  - 1 scimitar (d6, 1h)
  - 7 spears (d6/d8)
  - 2 swords (d6/d8)
  - 1 two-handed sword (d8, 2h)

6. Stable and Smithy

use of the stable and smithy costs 5p/day
coal and iron: 1p/use
rent of hammer and tongs: 1p/day

8. Main Hall

Behind the bar are hidden:

two cocked and loaded crossbows (d6)
cocked and loaded heavy crossbow (d8) with a large board (acts as a cover: Armour +1)
three large tankards with 10 crossbow bolts each
large kudgel (d6)

27. Jacob's Treasury

large locked strongbox (the lock is trapped with a poison needle: pass a STR Save or become weak and incapacitated, STR drops to 3 for 2d4 days):
- 220s in assorted coins
- assorted jewelry (no more than 10g total)
- 10 gems (1g each)
- two Tomes taken from the dead Mystics (each containing 4–5 1st and 2nd Circle Spells)
small iron-bound wooden chest (locked but not trapped):
- important papers, such as various contracts with shippers, adventuring companies, fur traders, etc.

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