This is the central point for the dungeon of DeepWay. It was built in the time of great technology and still exists by that technology. Its primary attributes are its great depth (2120’), the almost impervious tile of which it is built, its many openings, the ladders that connect some of these openings, and the disintegration shield that causes air to circulate and provides the power for the great engines that still operate within. In turn, each of these will be described in detail as they would appear proceeding down the shaft.

The entrance of the shaft from the surface (ignoring those entrances from the surface that lead directly to a level withing the dungeon which might then lead to the shaft) is under the hill named Keyiaske in olden time and now known familliarly as Cheesy Hill for the great number of shafts and tunnels which hole it. Most of the tunnels go nowhere and have to purpose other than to mislead and trap those who might enter the shaft. The folowing tunnels end at the top portion of the shaft: 3, 7, 8, 13, 21 and 23.

The top portion of the shaft is domed and unlike the rest of the shaft is not covered with tile. Instead, the domed ceiling is of the natural rock of which the hill is made. The dome is 20’ high. The tunnels from the surface intersect with it at diferent heights, so consult the Deepway shaft cross section map to determine how high the top of the dome is for a specific shaft. Hanging down from the ceiling of the dome are plants.

These plants were specially developed by the original inhabitants of the dome to act as the hairs of the nostrils function; that they would filter out some of the airborn dust, pollin, and other imperfections provinding cleaner air to the underground area. At that time, the plants had millions of fine tendrals which had a sticky substance on their surface. When the surface of a single tendral was cloged with deitrus, it would fall off. Over the thousands of years, the plants became corrupted and no longer put off the sticky tendrals in any number, though some of them may still be seen at the very top of the dome.

Today, the plants look like the roots of a plant that dangle in midair over the shaft. They are dark brown and have a covering like bark which is rough to the touch. Under this covering, they are dark tan. They are about 40’ long and taper like roots from a thickness of 4’ at the top to the width of string at their end. Although the sticky tendrils have disappeared, the plants themselves are still living and hold much moisture in them. This makes them resistant to fire; although they will wither in high heat, they will not burn. They have the remains of the tendrils which makes them look somewhat hairy. They are somewhat flexable at the last 20’ or so, which enables the creatures that live in them to swing from one to the next like jungle vines.

The roots are the home of a colony of Regressed apes. These apes are encouraged to live there by those who live underground to act as guards to the entrance of the shaft. They consider the roots and the dome to be their domain, and will attempt to kill any from the surface who do not make them proper gifts. These gifts are commonly game from the surface or som other fine thing to eat. They are very savage and care nothing for money or pritty things or magic. For a rabbit they will let a single person pass. A buck is sufficient payment for a party of 10 people. Altogether there are 35 R. Apes in residence here, of which 20 are fighting males.

If an intruder makes himself known, they will first attempt to frighten them off with a show of teeth and many growls as would apes in the wild protecting their homes. If this is unsuccessful, they will retreat up the roots. There they will wait until they see someone attempt to enter the shaft. Then they will begin to drop great stones brought from the surface for this purpose. They seek to knock those entering the shaft off their ropes or off the roots and down to the disintegration sheild at the bottom. They will only attack themselves if it appears that the rock will be unsucessful or when they have no more stones. Even when fighting, they will not so much attempt to injure their enemies as to knock them off their rope or root. Many of them carry clubs in one hand while they hang onto the roots with the other. They use the swinging of the roots to attack en passant whenever possible.

They are mindful of the tribes numbers and will retreat when half or more of their number have been killed. However, they have little memory and will attack again given a day or two to grasp their reduced numbers. For more information about the Regressed Apes as a race, see the information on Monsters of Deepway.

The tile which lines the shaft is white, glossy and hard. It was made of the most impervious material know at the time when it was constructed. The means of its construction was technological and is unknown today. It was some species of ceramic which was of a special chemical composition. These ingredients where compressed under great heat in the way that one might make a diamond, and it is certain that carbon is one of the tiles primary elements. Thus, they are as hard as diamond and impervious to heat, cold, electricity, and can not be scratched except by a diamond. It may be mared by acid or alkali substances, but these will not be sufficient to disolve the tiles.

With the rise of the magical arts, this protection was found to be insufficient to prevent unauthorized entrance and damage to the shaft. So a a time 700 years in the past, a group of mages were instructed by the Ruler to cast spells on it making it proof against any spell of 6^th level and lower. The following mage spells will be reflected off the tile’s surface having no effect:

Melt, Shatter, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Lightning bolt, M.M.Meteors, Dig, Dimension Door, Ice Storm, Polymorph, Cone of Cold, Passwall, Shadow Door, Telekinesis, Teleport, Transmute Rock to Mud, Disintegrate, Stone to Flesh The Priest spells that will also reflect off the surface of the tile having no effect:

Magical Stone, Sanctuary, Withdraw, Call Lightning, Meld Into Stone, Plant Growth, Pyrotechnics, Spike Growth, Stone Shape, Control Temp. Imbue with spell ability, Plane Shift, Spike Stones, Transmute Rock to Mud, Stone Tell.

Of other specialty spells that may arise, the D.M. will judge if the spell is above 6^th level and not similar to the spells listed above. Psionic spells have no effect whatsoever against the tiles. A Dispell Magic might remove this protection, but the spells were cast by wizards of 15^th level. The spells were also such that an additional +2 applies to all saves against this type of spell.

OPENINGS AND LADDERS

To get an exact location for the openings and ladders inside the shaft, look at the Deepway Shaft Cross Section map. This lists their depth down the shaft and their position in either the North or South section of the shaft as well. This list is designed to provide the appearance of these openings. As each of the openings acts as an entrance to a level of the underground, the opening will be labeled by the level it opens onto.

T1 - LEVEL 1 - NORTHERN - 50’ - The opening is an archway about 10’ high and 20’ across. The top of the arch is about 50’ from the top of the dome. There is a semi-circular ledge that protrudes out into the shaft about 10’. The ledge is covered with the same tile as the shaft as is the lip of the archway.

T2 - LEVEL 2 - SOUTHERN - 110’ - This opening is a standard dungeon door, having the same dimensions of such. It is locked with a lock of great cunning. The lock is trapped with a gas which causes madness to any within 10’ of the door. This madness may take any form so consult the DMG version 1 for details of the effects. The trap is well hidden so rolls to detect it are made at a -30%. It may be picked, but the open locks roll is also made at -30%. There is no ledge whatsoever here; the door lies flush against the surface of the shaft. In all other ways the door is normal.

A series of tiled indentations 4" deep and 2’ wide provides a connection between the Level 2 door and the door on level 3 directly below it. It is 20’ long.

T3 - LEVEL 3 - SOUTHERN - 130’ - This opening is a standard dungeon door exactly as described for Level 2.

T4, T5 - LEVEL 3 - NORTHERN - 130’ These openings are arched holes 10’ high and 6’ wide. The lip of the arch is covered with tiles.

Wooden ladders connect T4 to T7 and T5 to T6 on Level 4. These ladders are secured to the floor of level 3 with 2 iron bands that stretch past the tiled area. They are attached to the ceiling of the openings on Level 4 in the same way. Note that the ladder connecting T4 to T7 is no perpendicular to the tunnel, but is shifted to the east by 20’ making this rather more difficult to traverse (-1 to dex roll when using).

T6, T7 - LEVEL 4 - NORTHERN - 170’ - Arched holes 10’ high and 6’ wide as on level 3.