The Dwarven Tablet
The party investigates a stone tablet found in the Underdark. it points t o an old cavern south of the Black Elf township in the Underdark. There it points to an old outpost at the edge of an old stronghold.
Plot points/Scenes
The party is called upon by the council. They have been supplied by the Black Elf township after they wanted rid of an item in question.
They are shown a Dwarven tablet that had fungal growth on it discovered a few hundred feet south of the township and says that this marks the boundary of the Naefrsson clan (Skilled - son), and under the leadership of Konungr Horr (King Clear).
The townsfolk will remember there being an old heavily built fort there but it had been abandoned for centuries there. Only the bones and hardened parts of the dead, are there, and was the only the northern part of a small but powerful kingdom of Dwarves that used to live there.
Under Konungr Horr it fell with the legend being that they had invited something into their midst to protect their wealth. It backfired and didn't realise this until the end came.
If they accept to investigate, they find their way down the easy way and discover the way blocked by mushrooms, and have a 50% 1d100 chance of running into a cloud of poison gas, rock fall or a chasm giving way. These are no bigger than 10 foot by 10 foot in size and there can be multiple of these.
- Poison gas. The character has to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 1d10 Poison damage for every minute in the region with the Poisoned condition until removed.
- Rock fall. The character sets off rocks falling on themselves or others, needing a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 1d10 Bludgeoning damage and knocked Prone.
- Chasm opening. The character falls through a weakened area of stone, falling 20 feet. To avoid they have to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or Acrobatics instead, to avoid falling & taking 7 2d6 Bludgeoning damage and falling Prone. They can clamber up if surviving it.
After this, they find the entrance to the cavern and see an ancient Dwarven fortified hold in the centre of a cavern. Everything is dusty and parts have fallen into disrepair. This is partly due to damage on the eastern side and consists of a large keep in the centre with stables to the west and two attached rooms.
- The eastern room is a large fortified barracks and has the remains of many Dwarven bodies and the hardened parts of gear. Some are heavily armoured and all seem to have been well equipped. Strange arrows, slashes from weapons are present, and includes claw marks, and bite marks. Some of these appear small & human sized.
- The western room is an armoury & storage area and seems to be completely stripped of gear.
- The Hold itself has a large hearth-fire in the centre, and a large Dwarven chair to the south of it with a private chamber behind. Stone seats and tables are also present. It looks as if there had been heavy fighting here especially just inside the door to the northern part of the hearth-fire. Dwarven bodies remain but no others.
Examining the scene, the party can tell that this is more of a military outpost and the actual Stronghold is deeper still to the south.
They can camp out here or continue.
The Stronghold
After examining the hold, they find a helm worn by the leader of it. If one of the players picks it up and wears it, the following will happen (there is Dwarven writing on the inside saying that it will reveal the past to the wearer):
- The player has to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If failed they take 7 2d6 Psychic damage and is knocked Unconscious. All they see is horrifying images of Dwarves being massacred.
- If passed, the player will see an army moving from the south and attacking in the south and east. It seems to be made up of Red Kobolds, and humanoid Dragonlike creatures different but similar to Dragonborn. There are variables between them.
- They also see a huge winged shadow over the stronghold beyond and it under siege and it on fire. The city fall and something huge burying itself head first into the depth of the stronghold.
The party can travel on down and after 3 hours travel, they will encounter a huge Dwarven door partially ruined as if damaged by siege weapons and magic.
Beyond, they see the Stronghold.
From here they see that it is still damaged but has been partially rebuilt under different "management".
Reptilian / Draconic structures & heads are everywhere, and winged serpents are carved here and there.
A river runs in front of the stronghold and is covered by a bridge with structures such as waterwheels here & there. It looks like there's dyers, leatherworkers and such-like are present and some slaves are present.
The Stronghold gates are guarded by a mix of Draconians & Kobolds who are hostile.
If the players examine the river they can see large water viaducts are below the stronghold and can make their way in if stealthy enough. These take them as far as the outer districts.
There is five districts altogether:
- Central. Stronghold Keep, original seat of Konungr Horr of the Naefrsson clan. Heavily defended it is garrisoned by the elites of the Draconian leadership and ruled by Skagg, a Draconian Mastermind and known as The Mouth of Jórmungandr's Dóttir. He controls the whole stronghold in the name of his mistress who lies buried below. Extensive rooms surround the Hearth Fire and contain private chambers, armouries, food storage & preparation, and magic laboratories.
- North. The North is the general production area of the stronghold including just outside the city. It produces goods for use throughout the city and if need by beyond. Livestock has replaced most of the gardens and variable animals can be found here. Most of the slaves consisting of humans who explored too deep, Dwarves & their kin, Deep Gnomes and Black Elves, are found here tending to everything and live in fear of the guards including the Kobolds and their traps.
- East & West. Military wings. These are where the standing Draconian & Kobold army is found . The closer to the Hearth Fire the higher rank and the Kobolds generally live just inside the walls in the worse conditions.
- South. Metal & Wood works. Metals of all types are worked here with wood used and stolen from raids from further afield. Gems and coins are worked too where possible. Weapons & armour are built here and has a number of specialist workshops for rare items that the Dóttir or the Mouth might want or need. It sits over a lava stream deep below allowing for the thermal energy to be applied, and the Draconians use this as a form of execution by throwing victims into the lava below or putting them in a room that is closed and toxic fumes build up.
The players can only get to the underground chambers by one of two ways. There is a massive hole behind the southern part of the Keep.. This has had stairs carved into the wall of it. There is also scaly marks on the walls and claw marks too. It is also heavily defended and patrolled primarily by Draconians of different kinds, as well as big groups of Kobolds.
The second is through a back chamber in the Keep. It is at the base of a corridor behind the large king's throne in the keep's centre. Again this is heavily guarded & patrolled, with a trap built in - it automatically sets off an Alarm spell calling all Draconians & Kobolds within 120 feet. It also has a Ward of Lightning on it.
It leads to a large set of stairs leading down to the Dóttir's lair where the Dóttir sleeps at present at the end of a chamber at the other side of the lava river, and it's treasure hoard beyond with both Alarm spells & Ward of Fireballs placed here and there set off by anyone who isn't Draconian or Kobold. The Dóttir is an Ancient Red Dragon, and if interacted with, will reveal that she is both a daughter of Jórmungandr and the Avatar of Leviathan, and when awake she ends up magically communicating with both, and is more in line with the Dragon Empire's of old.
The hole comes down onto the passageway before the bridge.
The treasure hoard originally belonged to the Dwarves and haven't been moved out of the area.
The spells can also be found throughout the whole stronghold placed there by the Kobolds and the Draconian Mages.
If the players get in contact with the slaves they may cause an uprising. The slaves will quickly be put down with many being killed. The party though can use the chaos to infiltrate further.
If the players get far enough they may get near the keep or the hole allowing them to get down if luck has it.
The treasure hoard has 25 million gold coins, with 5 millions worth of gems, primarily rubies, and 3 millions worth of rare Dwarven jewellery & art items. Also, there is a Ring of Fire Protection (wearer immune to Fire damage), a +1 weapon of fire damage (can be any type and causes 1d10 Fire damage on every successful hit). Also present is a full set of Dwarven Full Plate with portions that can have magical Dwarven Runes placed on it, though this would need modified for any creature taller or smaller than an average Dwarf.
Rarer still is a Dwarven Crown belonging the Naefrsson clan, and whoever owns it can claim the hoard and Stronghold for themselves. The only thing is, they would need the Dóttir, Draconians and Kobolds wiped out.
Additional
If the players don't check out round the area of the Stronghold and Holds (3 others - east, west, and south, and all populated by Draconians & Kobolds), they are all withing 3 hours travel in the relevant directions, and are used as nurseries for both species, as well as roving bands of both stopping any other creatures taking over.
The players may find random enemy parties wandering around made up of a mix of Draconians & Kobolds who will attack on sight. There is an average of 10+ creatures per eparty.
The enemy hasn't gone north due to an underlying problem for them, the First Men cavern puts off the Dragonkin scaring them with ancient racial memories.
If someone takes the crown, they may be turned down due to them being non-Dwarven, and likely to be challenged by those established clans that are still active, and believe it should be Dwarf only.
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