Lairs

This post presents three locations for use in Savage Worlds games in general, and in particular those that use the settings of The Sixth Gun and Shadow Roads.

-Nate

Lairs PDF

Vodyanoi Lair

This underwater lair can only be accessed by swimming into its lower level through a narrow entrance (1). Beyond that is a series of twisting passages (2) that can confuse those who dare enter. Only one of the tunnels has a hole in the ceiling that leads into the upper chamber (3), where the vodyanoi live. Holes in the coral allow them to watch their surroundings, but don't admit any creature larger than size -2 (Small).

Refer to the supplement “Fey Creatures” to find more information about the vodyanoi. 

Old Mine

An open shaft leads down into this location (1); it still has a winch built above it for lowering in supplies and personnel. It leads into a broad, open chamber (2), from which numerous smaller side passages (3) lead further into the earth. In general, the height of any given passage is equal to its width at that point. 

This old mine could be home to Will-o'-the-Wisp (see page 31 of The Winding Way for stats), or even a ghost (pages 75-6 of The Sixth Gun RPG). 

Thunderbird's Aerie

This nest sits atop a towering pillar of stone located in the middle of the western desert. Climb checks, or the ability to fly, are needed to reach its pinnacle. The spire rises one hundred feet into the air, and is topped by a mix of branches, bones, and other materials—with any number of valuable items strewn in their midst.

Refer to pages 79-80 of The Sixth Gun RPG to find stats for these monsters. Given the truly daunting nature of these creatures, it seems more likely that the PCs might come here while the thunderbird is not present. They would most likely come seeking the remains of this creature's previous victims, such as those of an expedition that was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

The Ship in the Ice

This old-fashioned wooden sailing ship clearly ran into some kind of trouble, and in a cold environment; it has now become stuck in a floating mass of ice. Two masts still rise up from it, but the sails have long since fallen into tatters. The ship has a raised sterncastle (1) and forecastle (2), both of which can be reached by stairways from the main deck (3). In the stern, a narrow passageway (4) leads to two aft cabins (5 and 6). One was used by the captain, while the other was reserved for important passengers. Toward the bow is a cabin for other officers (7). A hatch opens into the vessel's cargo hold (8), and stairs lead down to the crew quarters (9) and mess (10). 

The ship in the ice could easily be inhabited by ghouls, a ghost, or even a plague spawn demon, trapped because it killed off the other passengers and crew. 

Reaching the ship, however, requires climbing over the surrounding mass of ice, which rises as high as thirty feet. 

Plot Hooks for the Lairs

Detailed below are just a few of the ways in which these locations might be used in adventures and campaigns.

• The thunderbird has claimed many victims during its hunting, and there's a good chance that its aerie contains valuable items among their bones and rotting or rusted equipment.
• Something lives in the old mine and enjoys luring victims into it so that it may feed. If it is a ghost, then there's a story behind why that unhappy spirit has not been able to move beyond this earth and into the next realm.
• In addition to the items that they've scavenged for themselves, the vodyanoi know the location of every sunken vessel through their territory. They might be willing to trade that knowledge for some kind of service involving land dwellers who are harming the water.
• The ship in the ice likely contains some old and potentially important cargo, along with the remains of the passengers and crew.
• It's possible that all four of these areas are somehow connected, and that a group must visit all four, deal with their inhabitants, and recover some kind of materials in order discover that secret.