The Observatory
Ben Gibson
An adventure site for levels 2-4. Written for OSE.
Special thanks to play testers:
Catherine, Dan, Ginny, Tyler, and Will
This adventure is released Pay
What You Want under a creative
commons attribution license, with
author Ben Gibson, 2024.
Feel free to modify, reuse, excerpt,
or stream any element of this
adventure as long as the original
author is credited
in the work.
 The Observatory
Environment: Atop a hill near the coast. Surroundings and Ground Level
A Main Gate: Broken, repaired badly, and broken again.
A History of the Observatory B Observatory Main Building: Weathered, made of
A weathered tower squatting on the hill above the fog, grey stone alien to the local area.
the Observatory is a place shunned by most of the local C Cattle Stockade: The 12 stolen cattle here are
goblins, considered bad luck despite the riches in hidden restless, prone to stampede.
with its decaying dome. Url-Egyl the Dreamer, a starlight- D Treebreak: Trees fallen over the fence, slowly rotting.
loving ogre exiled by his more brutal kin, has inspired a E Midden: Foul mixture of rubble, trash, and waste piled
few goblins from the nearby Gleameye Tribe to break high overtopping the fence, can be walked over but that
taboo and serve him in his quest to make the ruin work leads to a midden rot exposure.
again; they’re near breaking now as his eyes have gone F Solarium Entry: Stone shutters are stuck open to let
midnight black with stars spangling within their depths the sun in to the room below (13), a distinctive guano
and his dreams are more rants. Increasingly frantic and smell wafts up.
odd thieving by his minions has angered all the locals as G Basement Entry: Warped and rotting door is stuck, so
the mostly-leaderless goblins rustle cattle and filch the goblins have ignored it.
vegetables. H Cistern: Splashing echoes faintly below. Covered by a
massive 300lbs stone, leads down to 15.
Possible Rumors/Hooks 1. Lower Greatroom: Drafty, with south door stuck open
and door to the stockade (C) stuck closed. Secret
“Those damn goblins took our prized bull trapdoor (beneath rubble) has not been found by goblins.
1 Clarence, he’s a mean one but we loved him!”
2. Hall of Astronomers: Multiple smashed marble busts
“The Observatory? Hear there’s a vast diamond fill the room with rubble, in the center corner of the room
2 in that place, but it’s impossible to extract.” a marble statue (8ft high, weighs 2 tons, worth 2,750gp)
“That two-headed ogre who hides up there? I has been defaced by graffiti but is ultimately intact.
3 think his kinfolk would pay for those heads.” 3. Servant Quarters: Wood from ancient shattered cots
“Riches are in the ruins up there, but there’s are built into a tiny fort, a goblin who’s seen the stars
4 visions inside that’ll destroy your mind!” (eyes black and starry) has painted a nightsky trap on the
underside of the +1 brass shield he uses as a roof. He
Patrol/Order of battle: A distractable pack of 2d3 hides in the secret closet to the west but whispers to
goblins wander around the grounds of the observatory, himself if intruders enter.
will attack or threaten a single intruder but scuttle inside 4. Ruined Commons: Stinking clutter covers this room,
(to 1, then 2, then 5) to raise alarm if more are seen. where nests of the bulk of the goblins (9-2d3 (patrol)
Under threat, all 14 muster and attack, but if they break goblins present) are made of smashed tables and
morale, they retreat down to Url-Egyl (usually in 12), benches. The goblins within this room tend to be
who will rally them to attack only if the dome (5 or 9) is raucous, constantly chattering various inanities to each
violated. Loud noises provoke goblins in any neighboring other, so they have difficulty noticing nearby noises.
room on a 4 or lower. Doors are locked and unlocked at 5. Lower Dome: Massive copper telescope dominates
random by the haphazard goblins, unless called out in room, focal point a huge glowing diamond (worth
the key any door encountered has a 2-in-6 chance of 10,000gp) encased in unbreakable crystal (although if
being locked. Every above-ground room (save 5/9) has the floor below collapses (10) the top and bottom caps
windows made of thick ancient glass, very difficult and will be open). Twelve glyphed alcoves around the room,
noisy to break. if filled, opens the crystal for the diamond. The alcoves
represent the zodiac and need objects with resonance to
Goblins personalities: The goblins are fearful, jumpy, the given star sign to activate: (Ares wool, Taurus cow,
and increasingly desperate (morale at a -2 from normal). Gemini twins, Cancer crab, Leo (sea) lion, Virgo hair,
Individuals will surrender if they feel they’re under threat, Libra measuring scales, Scorpio poison, Sagittarius
but are prone to run away at the first opportunity. Under arrow, Capricorn hide, Aquarius water, Pisces fish), if all
Url-Egyl’s instructions they’re shifted to being awake fill then the room quivers and groans but the telescope
during the daytime and sleeping (restlessly) at night, can be turned easily. Crossed-out substances are not
which they hate. present in the alcoves initially.

Bestiary and hazards are both covered on the next page.

 Belowground Level
Upper Level
10. Scope Anchors: Room filled with gears and levels,
6. Upper Greatroom: Glinting along the east upper
reassembled haphazardly, to turn the telescope above.
platform, three delicate brass astrolabes (each worth
Telescope can be moved in any direction but has a 35%
550gp) hang at the windows, covered with guano from
chance of rickety repairs falling. Deliberately torquing the
the bat swarm that roosts in the broken roof overhead
gears will have repairs fall three times and the whole
(touching with bare skin has a 2-in-6 chance of exposing
floor above (5) collapse.
to midden rot). Rickety repairs made along the platform
11. Secret Stelarium: Dead goblin on the floor, looking
closes the hole in the ceiling, but medium-sized creatures
up, eyes burned out. Stars on the ceiling, if looked at
passing under have 4-in-6 chance of collapsing them.
triggers nightsky trap. Twelve sides of the room show the
7. Astronomer’s Study: This acrid-smelling wreck of a
zodiacal sequence, hinting at (5).
room is used by 2 goblins who wield poisoned blades.
12. Url-Egyl’s “Study”: Slate walls of this room covered
Ancient tomes everywhere are shredded for bedding, but
in chalk scribbles, the “equations” of Url-Egyl the two-
a couple gold-embossed books (worth 200gp each)
headed ogre, who argues with himself constantly. Url is
remain under the piles. In the closet among the ruins of
practical, curious, and grouchy while Egyl has night-black
tattered silk robes, 9 tiny scorpions are caged, milked
starry eyes and speaks riddles.
for their poison (1 scorpion roams free on the floor
13. Sunroom: Stuck open, the sun-observation shutters
hidden amid scraps, angry).
(F) have let rain in to weather this room, which is used by
8. Wrecked Guestroom: The room has been stripped
a bat swarm. Guano-covered tables hold golden
clean, but within the secret closet are three silk robes
astrolabes, measuring scales, and fine tools (worth
(worth 275gp each) and black masks (protective against
750gp), retrieving them with unprotected hands exposes
nightsky scenes, but lower apparent light levels).
to midden rot.
9. Upper Dome: Pair of goblins here set to guard the
14. Scholars’ Cells: Each cramped room has 3 stone
crystalline lens (worth 330gp if detached) to the
beds, each lockbox before a bed has a 6% chance of
telescope, scorch marks show where they’ve
holding 1d100gp and an element of the zodiac (5) written
experimented with it (can be focused on a target to deal
in Old Men.
1d6 fire damage the first round, 2d6 the second, etc, up
15. Cistern of Stars: A starry-eyed sea lion
to 10d6 on the tenth). Lever here raises/lowers the cargo
continuously swims in circles here passive. If water is still
elevator from 10 to 5 to 6.
a nightsky trap triggers when looked in. A platinum-
coated mirror (worth 850gp) filled with fish on the far
side, stocked by the goblins.

Bestiary and Hazards

Goblin: HD1-1 (3hp). Move 60' (20'), AC6 [13],
THAC0 19 [0]. Saves 14/15/16/17/18, Spear (1d6)
Url-Egyl, Two-Headed Ogre: 4+1HD (26hp), Move
90'(30'), AC 5 [14], THAAC0 15 [+4] Saves 10/11/12/
13/14, Spear (1d10) Special: Two-headed (saves vs
spells twice).
Shag Cattle: 3HD (13hp) medium herd animal, Move
240' (80'), AC 7 [12], THAC0 17 [+2] Saves 12/13/14/
15/16, Gore (1d6)
Scorpion: 1hp, Move 60' (20'), AC6 [13], THAC0 19
Symbols procession [0], Sting (poison, save or DEX at 3 for next day).
Bat Swarm: 1hp (d100 appearing) swarm, Fly 120'
in 11, slots in 5. (40'), AC6 [13], THAC0 20 [-1] Saves 14/15/16/17/18
Sea Lion: 6HD (27hp), Move 30' (10'), 120' (40')
swim, AC 3 [16], THAC0 14 [5], Saves (3), Bite (2d8)
Nightsky Trap: Save vs spells or paralyzed,
continuing to stare at additional -1 to saves per
round, 5 rounds, eye go black with stars within,
obsessed with the sky and futures.
Rickety Repairs: 2d6 damage in a 10ft radius.
Midden Rot: Save vs poison, or sickened; Effect 1d3
Dex 1d3 Con damage daily until save success.
Observatory
Maps

Ground Level

Upper Level
Basement Level

1 square=5ft