Encounter

Old Gatehouse Entrance

Encounter 1

Old Gatehouse Entrance

The old gatehouse door hangs open by a handspan. Wet marks cross the threshold from inside to out, and a green lantern-glow pulses behind the murder holes. Something scratches once against the stone, then goes still.

Purpose

This is the first dungeon encounter. It proves that the new activity is real, establishes the dungeon's tone, and gives the party a controlled threat before they move deeper.

Tactics

  • The defenders wait until a PC crosses the threshold or shines light through the door.
  • They try to split the party between the gatehouse exterior and the first interior chamber.
  • If reduced to half strength, the survivors retreat toward the sluice hall and leave a wet trail.

Clues Afterward

  • The gatehouse was opened from inside by an old maintenance latch.
  • The green residue smells like lamp oil mixed with river silt.
  • Scraped stone points toward the lower lantern mechanism, not toward a normal lair.

Skill Challenge: After the Threshold Fight

Check: Perception, Survival, Arcana, Religion, or Crafting after the encounter ends.
Success: PC 1 notices the green residue burns colder near broken stone and warmer near old brass, pointing toward machinery below.
Critical: PC 1 also finds a clean drag mark where the missing brass key was pulled deeper into the cistern, giving the party a precise direction.
Failure: Give the basic clue anyway: the wet trail leads toward the sluice hall. The failed check costs detail, not forward motion.