Dungeon Encounter & Magic Spear

DUNGEON ENCOUNTERS: You open the door to find a 30' radius circular room filled with a flickering, subdued amber light. The ceiling is 20' high, the walls are lined from floor to ceiling with shelves holding jars filled with amber liquid. A candle is behind each, producing the captivating shimmering light. The effect is quite lovely. In the center of the room is the bronze statue of a heavy-set woman, head tilted upward and mouth open wide as if calling out. She is armored, armed with spear and shield, and wearing a curious steel helmet sporting a pair of what appear to be bovine horns. The spear, an actual weapon and not a part of the statue, glows if detect magic is cast on it. The spear is ornately carved on the shaft with runes and the steel head is etched with designs highlighting an inlaid gold rune on either side of the head. The weapon is of superior workmanship.

FOR THE REFEREE: The ambient lighting effect is caused by a candle behind each jar. The jars are filled with flammable oil. Touching any part of the statue or its pedestal will cause the statue to sing a high-pitched musical note via a magic mouth spell. This will also cause all doors (when I used this the room had 4 exits) to slam shut, a moment later locks will magically slide into place. If the characters turn and run from the room as soon as the singing begins they will have time to blast through the closing doors before they lock. Otherwise, they will be subject to the trap: all jars in the room will shatter, spilling the oil contained within. Of course the candles promptly ignite the oil and the room turns into a deadly inferno to any creature unable to withstand damage from normal fires.

THE WEAPON The spear can be any suitable magic weapon. I used a home-grown weapon: the Spear of Storms. It was a +1 weapon that could cast a lightning bolt (as the spell) accompanied by a clap of thunder inflicting -1 to all enemy morale rolls thrice per day.