Adventure Shorts #7: Green Count to Zero

The bandits had forced them down the dark chute, and now they were lying here on the damp ground. “Give us a light” he groaned to the magic user. A bright flame lit up the room, and they saw how the gurgling, greenish ooze surrounded them from all sides.

What may occur next:

• The heroes are stuck in an underground complex filled with slow moving, corrosive, flesh eating green ooze.
• There is a way out, but it requires skill and ingenuity to avoid the ooze, as (some of) it appears to be resistant to fire.
• When the heroes find a negotiable tunnel which may lead out, some of the ooze can move fast and lash out after all.

Green Ooze

This dark green, oozing substance is carniverous, and magickal. It was first used as a weapon in the second war of destruction, and it proved so dangerous that the northern attackers saw their own troops devoured by it. Subsequently it was never used again, but an amount of the ooze managed to escape. It now dwells in deep subterranean places, half dormant waiting for prey.

OSR: AC NA, HD 2, Dam 1d4 every round once hit and until removed; once -2 hits are reached the victim transforms into green ooze too, Move 10', Save: F1, #app 1d6-2

DD2: stealth 4, green ooze can only be harmed by fire, and sometimes only by magickal fire or lightning, the bigger the ooze, the higher its CON. Average CON is 3. Usually it is too slow to attack more than once, from an ambush (at skill 3) – else it will try to lock in its victims. Green ooze that latches on to its victim burns like acid with a weapon class 1 potency. If a victim dies of the ooze, it will turn to ooze itself within hours.

Wildfire Grenade

During the wars of destruction many sorts of burning grenades and projectiles were used against the oozing weapons. One of the most reliable ones was the Hellenic or Wildfire Grenade. A small jar, filled with tar and oil, and a residue mix of poisonous ore. It is lighted with a torch, or other flame and then thrown and shattered as close to the enemy as possible. It will burn for many minutes in a very hot fire with magickal properties. Wildfire grenades are rare and expensive, but they can still be found or bought in illegal markets.

Update: You can find all shorts of this series and more in Unpleasant Encounters at RPGNow.