This is a simple hack and slash dungeon adventure for a low-level party but with some tactical and political considerations thrown in.
The party has successfully looted and explored the lost village of Dead Mule. They have defeated all the monsters in three separate areas, the winery, the temple and the castle. They do not have enough experience to advance in level though. They have sufficient funds to outfit themselves with almost anything they want of a non-magical nature except for henchmen and hirelings. They also have sufficient funds to travel to most parts of the Small Kingdoms or Esthar, but not to the Twelve Cities or Ankh-Morpork.
The party has found out about the mages’ dungeon complex from maps found in Dead Mule.
The Mage’s dungeon is a relatively small complex according to the map and journal. The map and journal are at least 15 years old though. At the time, the mage was an acquaintance of the party who had created a small retreat and research dungeon near Dead Mule. The journal indicates that the mage is very old and sick.
The mage’s hideout was constructed 3 valleys over from Dead Mule. It is buried in the side of a hill and hidden by woods. The area is currently under the control of Kobolds. The dungeon has been over run for many years by the Kobolds and other monsters. The dungeon is quite large, much larger than what is shown on the maps. The Kobolds have not penetrated the entire dungeon. There are monsters that the mage collected that the Kobolds are unable and unwilling to take on.
The mage is dead of course. Kobolds ambushed her and her party while on routine excursion. Her hirelings fled and took with them a lot of the portable wealth. They left behind most of the magic since only the mage and her apprentice could access the rooms with magic items. The Kobolds couldn’t find the dungeon at first. This permitted extra monsters to move in.
There are 5 levels to the dungeon, but each level is quite extensive. The mage was very willing to use construction spells to enlarge her domain. It was also quite deadly as the Kobolds and other adventurers have found out to their dismay.
The party will have to defeat all the Kobolds before they can really safely take on the dungeon. While the dungeon isn’t inhabited by the Kobolds, they do patrol it regularly. There are a total of 400 Kobolds in the tribe, plus kids and females. They also have some allies they can call on for a long and significant war. The party will have to eliminate the Kobolds without raising the level of the fight such that all the allies are called in.
There are also the regular monsters associated with wilderness dungeons present.
The Kobolds will have a goodly sum of money and some magic items in their lair. Kobold patrols will carry some money but no great amounts and only leaders are allowed magic items.
The dungeon will have a goodly amount of money and some magic items left behind by the mage. The biggest magical find will be the spell book. The mage was 5th level, so there are 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells in the book. There are no magic items or treasure on the first level of the dungeon. The dungeon will also contain the remains of previous parties that died trying to explore the dungeon. There will not be very many, maybe half a dozen, but it should slow down the players.