RAMSCIRE is a fortress near very Petteese Creek1). There are perpetually clouds and gloom above it. It has fortified outer walls, no one is sure who runs or controls it, and no heroes have ever conquered it. We shall deem this to be a “super dungeon” for the purposes of this campaign where adventurers can try their luck and test their skill trying to attack it.
There is a 10 foot wide moat going all the way around Ramscire. There is also a 20 foot tall stone wall going all the way around Ramscire. At equal intervals there are 3 different draw bridges for crossing the moat, all of them defaulting to being up and uncross-able. Each drawbridge when closed is 16 feet tall, hence 16 feet long when dropped. Each of these drawbridges has a metal lever located next to it on the fortress side of the moat.
Let it be known that Petteese Creek is a strange 4th entrance to Ramscire, in that the creek's channel has its own strange entryway. It flows into the moat, most of the stream crossing the moat, and enters a hole in the wall that is visibly a 6 foot square filled with magical darkness.
Drawbridge 1 is unique from the others in that the water in front of it is full of crocodiles. Vesper approached this and wild shaped into a rat, then used his owl familiar to transport him over the moat so he could switch back to normal form and pull the level, assuming it would open the drawbridge. Unfortunately, the lever released an electrical charge dealing 5d6 lightning damage. Sirona instead used her Celestial abilities to fly over the moat, place a non conductive rope on the lever and use it to yank down. This successfully released the drawbridge without electrocuting anyone.2)
Drawbridge 1 then had 20 skeletons storm across it, or try to at least, as some magic from the party created hazardous terrain on the drawbridge. However the skeletons kept trying to reform/heal themselves. With limited ability to perpetually hold magic in place on the drawbridge, the party quickly cancelled the spell and knocked the still incapacitated skeletons into the moat with the crocodiles. This bought them some time as chaos ensured between those groups instead.
Across the drawbridge the opening to the fortress was filled with magical darkness, thwarting any pesky comments of “I have Dark Vision!” The Party stood there for a moment, failing to look into the unknown beyond that darkness, and also realizing that the drawbridge was making motions to rise again on its own and would if they took their weight off of it. Thus implying that if they went into the darkness and entered Ramscire, the door so to speak would close behind them. This is where they chickened out and ran away.3)
Drawbridge 2 is unique from the others in that 20 skeletons await on the non-fortress side of the moat.
Drawbridge 3 is unique from the others in that a sticky, sap like substance4), coats the ground for 200 feet before the moat.