Labyrinth

of Set
A Short Adventure
by Peter Schweighofer

x x

Use this scenario for any pulp setting; this dungeon-

crawl may also serve almost any genre in which evil
cultists kidnap the heroes and imprison them in their
subterranean headquarters.
x 11
The heroes go to sleep in their rooms at Shepherd’s
Hotel in Cairo, but wake up in nothing but their
bedclothes, lying on cold, stone tables in a torch-lit 10
7
subterranean chamber (“1. Embalming Chamber”). Most
corridors in the labyrinth contain carved hieroglyphs and
scenes in ancient Egyptian style; frequent iron torch sconces
(removable for improvised weapons) illuminate most 12
6 9
locations. The Legion of Set uses the catacombs to hatch x
their diabolical plans for political domination.
Chance Encounters: Roll 1d6 each time the heroes traverse 1
a passageway; a “1” indicates a chance encounter resulting in
8
combat, injury, or incarceration (roll 1D6): 1. foot-long carved
scarab hieroglyphs decorating the wall animate and attack; 2-3. 5
a wandering “pet” crocodile sniffs out the heroes; 4. a pit trap
sends some heroes down a chute to “5. Cells”; 5. a hieroglyphic 3
ward on the walls “freezes” heroes passing through it; 6. two guards 4
patrolling discover the heroes, attack, and raise the alarm.
2
Guards: Dressed in sandals, kilt, and headdress of ancient Egyptians, they carry x
archaic-looking shields and curved khepesh swords, attacking heroes on sight and
sounding the alarm (which brings more guards).
Priests: All resting in “8. Meditation Hall,” they awaken and start
preparing for the ritual to sacrifice the heroes after the characters explore
1D6 numbered locations (including “1. Embalming Chamber”). Dressed Labyrinth Key
as ancient priests, they shave their heads, wear kilts, sandals, and leopard 1. Embalming Chamber
skins over their shoulders. They fight with metal-shod staves and daggers; 2. Armory
they also cast spells, which require complete concentration for a turn
3. Storeroom & Refectory
or two, including ones that spew green, sickening gas (moderately
difficult), zap opponents with red lightning (difficult), and temporarily 4. Guard Room
turn heroes against their fellows (very difficult). 5. Cells
1. Embalming Chamber: The heroes wake up on stone embalming 6. Abomination
tables. Nearby shelves hold canopic vessels for internal organs 7. Animal Pens
and neatly folded linen sheets. Ceremonial embalming tools wait 8. Meditation Hall
in neat order upon a work table. A cauldron of pitch simmers 9. Vestry
over a nearby brazier. Another brazier has gone out; apparently 10. Tomb of the High Priests
its greenish smoke helped keep the heroes sedate and they must
11. Temple Chamber
work to shake off the haze addling their minds. An elderly yet
sinister-looking assistant dozes in the nearby antechamber 12. Inner Sanctum
(apparently a storage and preparation room); he wakes and sounds X. Exit Passage
an alarm if the heroes cause too much noise: Useful Items: two before them. Each inanimate mummy possesses some minor
knives from among the embalming tools, iron poker in one brazier. jewelry and a few amulets should anyone ransack them; such
2. Armory: A locked iron grate bars entrance to this chamber, desecrators bring bad luck upon themselves for the rest of the
which holds both modern and ancient weapons for the cult’s sinister adventure (assuming a mummy doesn’t animate and attack them).
political plans (pistols, rifles, ammunition, grenades, scimitars, 11. Temple Chamber: Colonnades along the perimeter provide
daggers, dynamite). shadows around a central meeting area for performing rituals
3. Storeroom & Refectory: A storage room contains basic supplies dedicated to the foul god of chaos. Two statues of Set flank the
necessary should cult members seek prolonged shelter in the corridor leading to “12. Inner Sanctum.” A low-walled well in
labyrinth (various foodstuffs, blankets, barrels of water, and a the center carved with hieroglyphics serves as a pit into which
crate of medicine). An adjacent refectory contains a table, benches, priests throw sacrifices; a deep, flooded chamber below holds
and a simple coal stove for cooking. angry hippopotami (and an access passage used by keepers to care
for the beasts). Depending on how many locations the heroes have
4. Guard Room: Like “8. Meditation Hall,” this room has rest already explored (see “Priests” above), several priests may have
niches carved into the walls, with a table, benches, and brazier already gathered here, impatiently waiting for the guards to bring
offering some basic comfort. Pegs and racks hold spare shields, captive heroes to the sacrificial ceremony.
khepesh swords, and clothing in the ancient style. Typically 1-6
guards reside here resting or playing dice at the table. 12. Inner Sanctum: The heavy and highly decorated stone doors
to this chamber remain sealed yet open easily by removing the
5. Cells: The cultists keep several captives in cells sealed with ornamental cross bars. A golden shrine sits atop a solid stone
iron grates. Dim conditions don’t always allow outsiders to see plinth decorated in hieroglyphics. Inside the shrine rests a foot-
everything within, though each clearly has a bench/bed and waste tall golden statue of Set wielding a spear; but entering the chamber
bucket. Prisoners include an addled old Frenchman, an annoying without finding and disarming the hidden catch outside opens a
Egyptian kid who won’t shut up but claims he knows the way out, secret panel that releases a 10-foot-long cobra!
and a scantily clad priestess in flowing robes and ancient jewelry
(who might possibly betray the heroes if given the chance). Victims X. Exit Passage: Each of these corridors gradually turns from a
of the labyrinth’s numerous corridor pit traps might find themselves carved hallway into winding, rough-hewn passage rising to a hidden
deposited in one of the cells after a dizzying slide down the pit exit on the surface. Most emerge into secret entrances near the
chute (see “Chance Encounters” above). Pyramids of Giza: behind souvenir stalls, under shacks near camel
ride paddocks, and even inside a rest house offering refreshments
6. Abomination: In a locked cell with slightly more furnishings for tourists. Roll for an automatic “Chance Encounter” the heroes
than the others sits a hulking, crocodile-headed man. He seems must overcome before escaping.
eager for freedom and willing to aid heroes who liberate him,
though he cannot speak human. Should he escape to the surface he
turns to stone in sunlight.
If you enjoyed Labyrinth of Set
7. Animal Pens: Iron bars keep various animals sacred to Set or check out the Pulp Egypt sourcebook
useful to his priests in their cells, including crocodiles, a monstrous for more 1930s pulp resources. Griffon
cobra, and the hungry hippopotami in their vast, flooded cavern Publishing Studio sourcebooks use
extending beneath the sacrificial pit. Nearby chambers house two the system-neutral Any-System Key
keepers (treat as guards) and a store of food. Useful Items: whip, to define adversary abilities so
meat cleaver, length of chain. gamer can customize the material
8. Meditation Hall: Niches in this chamber’s walls hold recumbent to their favorite rules.
priests recovering from earlier rituals summoning the heroes into Discover more free Pulp Egypt
the labyrinth. The niches look like burial alcoves in catacombs, adventures, the pulp South Pacific
though they’re used for rest and meditation. A guard at each setting Heroes of Rura-Tonga,
entrance protects the sleeping priests. and more gaming material from
the imagination of Peter Schweighofer at
9. Vestry: Priests in this chamber prepare for rituals in the nearby
temple using the vestments hung here, an ornate bowl and pitcher
for purifying ablutions, a niche housing sacred scrolls and liturgies,
and a cabinet with various amulets. Useful Items: robes, daggers,
griffonpubstudio.com
staves, incense censers.
10. Tomb of the High Priests: Egyptian-style coffins stand upright Labyrinth of Set © 2013 Peter Schweighofer
in niches around this room, each with a small stone offering table Griffon Publishing Studio