What Dwells Here?
The subterranean town of Stromkuhldur lies divided in chunks by ancient cave-ins that drove away its original inhabitants. Since then, many factions have fought over this outpost. Currently, the drow of House Auvryndar and the goblinoids of the Legion of Azrok are teetering on the brink of a war that Halaster and the Xanathar Guild both seek to incite.House Auvryndar
A drow priestess of Lolth named T’rissa Auvryndar and her retinue have assumed control of a section of Stromkuhldur (area 20) and converted a temple once dedicated to Dumathoin into a hatchery for giant spiders. Under T’rissa’s command, the drow have begun secret experiments using humanoids as incubators for giant spider eggs.Legion of Azrok
Azrok, the son of a hobgoblin warlord, was born blind. Such a curse would ordinarily have spelled his doom in hobgoblin society, but Azrok’s mother was a sorcerer, and she refused to allow her son’s misfortune to dictate his destiny. She crafted a robe of eyes, which young Azrok used to defend himself and perceive his surroundings. The robe allowed Azrok to become the powerful soldier and leader he was fated to be, and he was quickly promoted up through the ranks until none stood above him. Other goblinoids believed he was blessed by Maglubiyet, the great god of war. Azrok wisely hid the true source of his “godsight” to perpetuate the myth. Age granted Azrok wisdom and the desire to carve out a domain of his own. He led his forces to Stromkuhldur, and they rid the place of grimlocks and troglodytes that dwelled there. He sired an heir, ensuring that his legacy would last beyond his lifetime. His son, Azrokkog, chafed at his father’s sedentary nature and left to wage wars of his own, eventually returning to Undermountain with a new name - Doomcrown - and a new purpose (see level 14). The Legion of Azrok, which has lived in Stromkuhldur for three decades, is in turmoil. Azrok was recently forced to give up a portion of his domain to encroaching drow, and did so with nary a fight. This has sent shock waves through his legion. What caused this strange lack of courage in their great warlord? Has age finally taken its toll? In reality, a band of duergar thieves posing as merchants recently stole Azrok’s robe of eyes and fled using their invisibility. News of the theft reached the drow of House Auvryndar and spurred them to take over the eastern section of Stromkuhldur. Lurkana, Azrok’s wife and strongest captain, tried to cover up her husband’s blindness, but her efforts were undone by a mind flayer acting as Skullport’s ambassador. This mind flayer secretly implanted intellect devourers in the skulls of several goblins in Azrok’s court, and these goblins are spreading the truth of Azrok’s blindness throughout Stromkuhldur to further besmirch his reputation and demoralize his troops. The hobgoblins under Azrok remain loyal to him, but many of the goblins and bugbears have fled to Skullport to join the Xanathar Guild. Compounding Azrok’s and Lurkana’s woes is the likelihood that House Auvryndar is planning another attack to seize more territory. Fears of a Xanathar Guild offensive emerging from Skullport also play in the back of Azrok’s mind. Meanwhile, Lurkana searches for aid in finding the duergar thieves who stole the robe of eyes and returning it to her.Sea Hags of Sargauth
Eager to expunge the drow occupying his dungeon, Halaster has summoned a coven of sea hags from the frigid waters of the River Sargauth. The hags have gathered followers that oppose the drow, including grimlocks and troglodytes.Exploring This Level
1. Catacombs
These catacombs are part of a temple complex formerly dedicated to the dwarven god Dumathoin, patron of mining and exploration and the protector of the dwarven dead. The smooth-carved walls bear engraved imagery of mountains marbled with veins of glittering minerals, and the marble floor is caked in dust. Shelf-like alcoves carved into the walls are stacked three high. Each of these open tombs contains the dust-covered bones of a long-dead dwarf. The dwarves laid to rest here were all worshipers of Dumathoin. Each shelf contains fragments of metal armor so old that they turn to dust at the slightest touch, as well as tiny stone beads with holes bored through them. Anyone who inspects the beads and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (History) check recalls that ancient dwarves braided the beards of their dead using these stone beads.2. Dead Explorer
The partially rotted remains of a male human lie in a corner of this cavern. What’s left of his face is twisted into a silent scream. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals several grisly wounds on the corpse, including one on his neck where the skin has peeled outward, suggesting that something emerged from within. This human died after spider eggs hatched inside his body and the creatures swarmed out of him.3. Grick Ambush
Three gricks hide at the end of this tunnel and attempt to ambush adventurers.4. Webbed Tunnels
Spiderwebs drape across these tunnels, clinging to creatures as they pass until the webs are brushed or burned away. Ghostly faces glimpsed in the webs are actually random patterns among the threads. Web-covered areas count as difficult terrain, but they’re not strong enough to restrain anyone. Anyone can use an action to burn a 5-foot cube of web with a torch or to cast a spell that deals fire damage, which clears all the webs in the spell’s area.4a. Wandering Quaggoths
Three quaggoths serving as guards for the drow are patrolling this 10-foot-high area. When they detect intruders, one tries to run to area 5 to sound the alarm while the remaining two attack. On the second round of combat, the clamor attracts the spiders in area 4b.4b. Spider Lair
Four giant spiders lurk in this 20-foot-high cave. If they hear creatures approaching, they climb up onto the ceiling and try to ambush the creatures.4c. Gobbled Goblins
This cave is filled with webs. Several 3-foot-long bundles wrapped in spider silk are suspended in the webs. Spiders have woven a giant, webbed face of Halaster that looks down from the 20-foot-high ceiling with hollow eyes. The uneven floor is stained a rusty red. The drow feed wandering goblins to the giant spiders. Anyone who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that one of the bundles is wriggling slightly. The bundle contains a goblin named Greech, who has been mutilated by spiders and drained of his blood. The goblin has 3 hit points left and is missing his tongue. He tries desperately to bargain for his life using grunts and frantic sign language.5. House Auvryndar
This area outside the old temple of Dumathoin marks the beginning of the drow settlement. All the chambers have flat, 10-foot-high ceilings.5a. Welcoming Committee
Four quaggoths guard this entryway. If any quaggoths fled from area 4a, they are waiting here, along with a male drow mage named Ilnor Telenna, who has come to investigate. Thick cobwebs stretch between the walls and form a canopy across the ceiling, from which hundreds of tiny spiders dangle on silken threads. Two large bundles of spider silk flank the entry door. The spider silk bundles are sticky but easily torn open to reveal two stout statues of dwarves - one bearing a pickaxe, the other a piton and hammer.5b Troglodyte Fools
Sparkling veins of gold stripe this hall. These minerals were preserved by the ancient dwarves for their natural beauty, but currently four troglodytes - slaves of the drow - are mining the veins with pickaxes (if the troglodytes hear combat in area 5a, they drop their pickaxes and flee to area 6). The ceiling is covered with webs that conceal a giant spider. It attacks adventurers from above. The west door to area 6 is emblazoned with a bronze carving of a mountain with a fist-sized depression in its center. The door is locked. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals that the carving resembles the symbol of Dumathoin but is missing a gem. Placing any gem in the depression unlocks the door. The door can also be opened with a knock spell or similar magic, or by anyone who succeeds on a DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. The gold veins are actually pyrite (fool’s gold), which anyone can determine by succeeding on a DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check. The mineral is lovely, but not of great value. The troglodytes have chipped off twenty 1-pound chunks of pyrite (5 shards each).5c. Prison
The west end of this hall has six cells with barred doors of rusted iron. Six grimlocks terrorize the prisoners in the cells by reaching between the bars with greatclubs (they don’t have keys to unlock the cells). T’rissa Auvryndar (see area 6) carries the keys to the cells. The lock on each cell door can be picked with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. The rusty bars can be torn away from a door with a successful DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check. The cells’ occupants are as follows:- Geldax Breer (NG male half-elf commoner) occupies the easternmost cell. He is a Waterdavian lamplighter abducted several nights ago by the drow (and doomed to become a sacrifice to Lolth unless he escapes).
- Lurrash, an unarmed male hobgoblin, occupies the next cell. He is loyal to Warlord Azrok, and the drow are planning to interrogate him for information.
- The next cell is occupied by the maggot-laced corpse of a grell that starved to death while in captivity.
- The three westernmost cells are occupied by armed male drow named Quave, Narlros, and T’mek. They are being tested by T’rissa Auvryndar, who is hungry for a new consort. The drow are all malnourished and have weeping wounds from the lashes of a whip. Each has 8 hit points remaining. While locked in their cells, they attack intruders they can see with their hand crossbows.
5d. Sun Elf
The door to this chamber is barred from the outside. Confined inside is a prisoner named Marta Moonshadow (NE female sun elf high mage). Fascinated by drow culture, Marta hoped to join the ranks of House Auvryndar but was captured and locked up instead. She seeks an opportunity to prove her worth to the drow. Her spellbook and her arcane focus were taken from her (they can be found in area 20b).6. Temple of Dumathoin
This ancient temple of Dumathoin has been converted into a vile hatchery for giant spiders by T’rissa Auvryndar and her followers. T’rissa Auvryndar, a drow priestess of Lolth, stands atop a raised dais at the back of the hall, presiding over a group of four drow (two females named Ardulace and Dhessril, and two males named Izzatlab and Yriltorn) and three giant spiders. If adventurers didn’t encounter the drow mage in area 5a, he is present as well. Scores of spiders creep and crawl throughout the room. Stone pillars hold up the 30-foot-high arched ceiling, which is concealed by a thick canopy of spiderwebs. Strung between the pillars and carvings of towering dwarves protruding from the walls are humanoid corpses cocooned in spider silk. The back wall of the temple is a carving of a towering mountain. Lashed to the mountain with sticky webs is a struggling and gagged male drow with sacks of spider eggs clinging to his body. T’rissa is as malevolent as the demonic god she worships and refuses to speak to non-drow, let alone negotiate with them. T’rissa stabilizes dying adventurers so that they can be implanted with spider eggs. The male drow lashed to the wall is named Krenrak. He was T’rissa’s consort until she grew bored with him. If set free, he fights against T’rissa and the other drow - but a swarm of spiders burst from his chest 2 rounds after his release, killing him. T’rissa carries a ring of iron keys that unlock the cells in area 5d, as well as a separate iron key to area 20d. The corpses hanging in the webs are the desiccated husks of prisoners who served as incubators (and later meals) for the spiders crawling about the room. Among the dead hobgoblins, goblins, and grimlocks are humans, dwarves, halflings, tieflings, and gnomes who were kidnapped from Skullport and Waterdeep. They all bear similar wounds, with the skin peeled outward. Prisoners captured by the drow will awaken to find themselves cocooned in sticky webs and suspended 10 feet off the floor, with spider eggs implanted in their bodies. A cocooned creature is restrained and can use its action to try to escape by making a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Spider eggs implanted in a host hatch in 2d12 hours, killing the host as a swarm of spiders chews its way out. This infestation functions like a disease. A lesser restoration spell or similar magic cast upon the host kills the spider eggs, ending the threat.7. Pain and Pleasure
T’rissa Auvryndar has converted these temple barracks into torture chambers. The screams of the drow in areas 7d and 7e echo throughout this space.7a. Entryway
This room is empty, but cries of pain can be heard coming from beyond the door.7b. Unused Tortue Chamber
The walls of this room are lined with daggers and coiled whips. A small table in the center is covered with a pristine, white silk sheet.7c. Lounge
Four female drow named Balwiira, Olorgyl, Restryn, and Ulraelle stand guard in the corners of the room, enjoying the screams coming from areas 7d and 7e. In the middle of the floor is a 10-foot-diameter circle of entrails surrounded with a ghastly script written in blood. Four leather couches carved from dark wood and padded with spider silk cushions are spread around the edges of the room. A natural tunnel splits the middle of the south wall, and howling winds echo from deep within. The drow guards have orders to kill all non-drow on sight, including driders that fail to heed the terms of their exile. The torturers in areas 7d and 7e investigate sounds of combat here, leaving their prisoners tied up in those rooms. The script around the circle is written in Abyssal. Anyone who understands the language and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check can ascertain the circle’s purpose, which is to send drow to the Abyss as part of a ritual known as the Test of Lolth. Any drow who fails this test returns from the Abyss horrifically transformed into a drider and is instructed to flee by way of the southern tunnel and never return, lest they be killed. Drow who pass the test return to this chamber as they were, with Lolth’s blessing and nothing more.7d. Water Tortue
A nude male drow named Narizmar Do’ett is strapped to a sturdy table positioned beneath a suspended 80-gallon water barrel. A spider silk hood covers his head (his weapons, shirt, and armor lie in a pile in the northeast corner). Unless she is drawn to area 7c by sounds of combat there, a female drow elite warrior named Sylkress Auvryndar stands at the far end of the table, gripping a pair of ropes that cause the barrel to tilt and disgorge water when they are pulled. Sylkress is convinced that Narizmar has pledged his loyalty to another female drow, and she means to learn the identity of this rival for Narizmar’s affections. Narizmar actually spread rumors of the affair himself, so that Sylkress would torture him and thereby see his value. In short, the two are enjoying themselves at each other’s expense. If he must, Narizmar can free himself from the leather straps with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Once free, he tries to arm himself. He obeys Sylkress above all others and would willingly sacrifice his life to save hers. Sylkress defends herself, but if she is reduced to half her hit points or fewer, she calls for mercy and supplies adventurers with the following information in exchange for her freedom:- The drow invasion of the Sargauth Level is just a precursor to a full-scale attack on Skullport.
- Sylkress’s older sister, T’rissa, is breeding giant spiders to bolster the drow forces on this level (see area 6). T’rissa believes her experimental new incubation method will create larger and more formidable spiders.
- Sylkress’s twin sister, Melith, has taken a small force down to the Twisted Caverns (level 4) to establish a presence on that level.
7e. Whipping Room
Unless combat in area 7c draws their attention, a female drow named Pellanonia Auvryndar and a male drow named Galinndan Nhilran are engaged in a consensual act of torture in this room. A large, rotating platform with leather straps takes up most of the room. Galinndan is strapped to the platform while Pellanonia lashes him with a whip. Lying on a chair in the northeast corner are Galinndan's armor and weapons. Pellanonia and Galinndan are lovers. If he must, Galinndan can slip free of his bonds with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Once free, he tries to arm himself and defends Pellanonia to the death. As a daughter of House Auvryndar, Pellanonia uses her status in the house as a shield, claiming that she’s worth more alive than dead. If captured or cornered, she is willing to divulge the following information in exchange for her freedom:- House Auvryndar’s main stronghold in Undermountain is in Muiral’s Gauntlet (level 10) and is under the direct command of her mother, Vlonwelv.
- Her oldest sister, T’rissa, has orders from their mother to secure the Sargauth Level as a prelude to a full-scale attack on Skullport.
- Another of her older sisters, Melith, has gained a foothold in the Twisted Caverns (level 4) and is waging a campaign of violence against the kuo-toa on that level.
8. Wailing Tunnels
Drow who fail the Test of Lolth (see area 7c) and transform into driders are banished to these tunnels. Foul magic of the demon goddess Lolth creates howling winds in these passages that mimic the anguished wails of drow who failed her divine test.8a. Webs in the Wind
The winds are loudest here, stirring the thick webs that fill this cave and evoking ghostly shapes.8b. Mad Drider
A drider driven mad by the wailing winds covers its ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. When creatures enter the room, it begins shrieking, “Make it stop!” in Elvish. If creatures cast a silence spell around the drider, it enjoys the respite and allows them to pass through its cave unharmed. Otherwise, it attacks them in a demented rage.8c. Pirate Rhyme
This cave abuts the sluggish River Sargauth and is filled with web curtains that undulate in the howling wind. Behind these curtains, carved into the west wall, is an old pirate rhyme: "If Skullport’s where ye wish to be, with the Sargauth’s flow go ye, if pirate booty is what ye crave, fight the surge to the captain’s grave." Anyone who follows the river southwest eventually reach Skullport. The river’s current is not particularly strong, and creatures can easily make their way upriver to area 9 to find the “pirate booty.”9. Captain's Grave
Skullport was once a haven for pirates, one of whom came here to hide her treasure - only to die from a poisoned cask of ale shortly thereafter.9a. River's Edge
This cave at the river’s edge contains a weathered backpack left by an adventurer who met a grisly end in area 9b. A crowbar and a 50-foot coil of hempen rope are strapped to the outside of the backpack. Inside the pack are five torches too damp to light, a hammer, a tinderbox, a mess kit, a half-empty waterskin, and seven days’ worth of spoiled rations.9b. Demon-Guarded Treasure
Two barlguras crawled out of the Underdark and made a home here. Alerted by approaching light or the echoes of footfalls, they turn invisible and wait to ambush newcomers. Slumped against the west wall is the moldy skeleton of a human pirate clutching a rusty shortsword in one hand and a wooden tankard in the other. A shattered wooden cask lies nearby. Careful examination of the wall above the skeleton reveals a slot carved into the stone. The slot has the same width and depth as the pirate’s rusty blade. If this shortsword or one like it is inserted into the slot, a loose rock in the ceiling falls away, and with it comes a moldy old chest. The chest splinters when it hits the floor, spilling out its contents: 500 shards, a sharkskin pouch containing five moss agates, a dice set, a 6-inch-tall empty obsidian bottle carved in the shape of a wizard’s tower with a removable cork roof (50 dragons), a pearl necklace (250 dragons), and a shriveled sea elf’s head with a potion of water breathing stuffed in its mouth (with the vial’s cork sticking out).10. Caves of the River Coven
All the caves in this area are cold and damp, with water dripping from the ceiling to form shallow pools of water everywhere.10a. Black Pebble Cave
This 8-foot-high cave abuts the River Sargauth. Its floor is covered with wet black pebbles that crunch underfoot. The sound of footsteps on the pebbles is loud enough to alert the grimlocks in area 10b.10b. Grimlocks
Having eluded the drow so far, ten grimlocks huddle in the back of this 10-foot-high cavern. They feed on fish from the River Sargauth and fight only in self-defense.10c. Sea Hag Coven
This 30-foot-high natural cave smells like brine and seaweed. It is home to a coven of three sea hags in league with Halaster Blackcloak. Each hag has a giant crab pet that follows her around and obeys her commands. The sound of splashing geysers echoes throughout. The uneven floor has many shallow pits filled with dirty water. The hags use these pits as baths and hide in them if they see lights approaching or hear unfamiliar footsteps. A vast variety of shells are embedded in the slick, algae-coated walls. When creatures come into view, the hags rise and politely introduce themselves as Coral Black, Gurgle Brine, and Caldra Cuttlefingers. The hags aren’t spoiling for a fight with non-drow, because Halaster has tasked them solely with ridding the Sargauth Level of the dark elves. The hags keep their affiliation with Halaster a secret and pretend to be harmless shell collectors with no enemies to speak of. They use adventurers to do their dirty work, promising not only safe passage through their caves but also information meant to turn them against the drow. Throughout the conversation, they supply the following observations:- “A drow priestess has defiled an ancient dwarven temple on the other side of the river, turning it into a profane breeding pit for spider abominations.”
- “The drow are kidnapping folk from the city above. Those not fed to the spiders are sacrificed to the vile demon goddess worshiped by the drow.”
- “The drow have already infiltrated Skullport and found its defenses lacking. An invasion is imminent. The capture of Skullport will give the drow a firm base from which to strike into the heart of Undermountain. What’s next? Waterdeep?”
10d. Water Geysers
Small geysers bubble throughout this 20-foot-high cave, spouting jets of briny water that soak the roof.10e. Stone Cauldron
In the middle of this 20-foot-high cave, the floor bulges and forms a 5-foot-diameter stone cauldron. Ship rigging and tattered sails hang from the ceiling like web strands and torn curtains. The stone cauldron, created by Halaster, is filled to the brim with murky water and has five rusty iron keys at the bottom (these keys unlock the shackles in area 10g). The cauldron has AC 17, 60 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If reduced to 0 hit points, the cauldron cracks and is destroyed. The sea hags use the cauldron as a focus for their scrying spell. The first time a creature other than a sea hag disturbs the water or damages the cauldron, an elder rune materializes above it. The elder rune targets a random creature within 60 feet of it. Any creature that drinks a pint or more of water from the cauldron must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour per pint consumed.10f. Gnawed Bones
The walls of this cave are stacked neatly with goblin, hobgoblin, troglodyte, and giant spider bones that have been picked clean by the sea hags.10g. Larder
The sea hags shackle their food here. Old chains bolted to the walls end in five sets of rusty shackles, the keys to which are hidden inside the cauldron in area 10e. A lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. Two prisoners are chained here: an unarmed goblin named Lerk and a 13-year-old boy named Delvin Stormshore (CG male Illuskan human commoner). The hags caught Delvin after he and a friend “borrowed” a rowboat and used it to explore the sea caves near Skullport. When the sea hags attacked, Delvin’s friend leaped out of the boat and managed to swim away, but Delvin wasn’t so lucky. He’s so cold and scared that he stammers when he tries to talk. For its own amusement, the wicked goblin has been tormenting Delvin by threatening to eat him before the hags return. Since the boy can’t see in the dark, he mistakes the bullying goblin for his jailer, not another prisoner. If rescued, Delvin insists that rescuers call him “Del” and gladly offers to carry their gear for them. Like most goblins, Lerk is a cowardly bully. He’s very hungry and begs rescuers for food and freedom.10h. Hag's Hoard
This cave has a jagged, 30-foot-high ceiling. A 20-foot-high mountain of rotted-out rowboats fills the back 40 feet of this damp cave. Jutting like needles from the mound are shattered, barnacle-covered poles that were once masts. At the top of the mountain of junk is a crow’s nest that contains the sea hags’ treasure. Hanging from iron spikes pounded into the walls are dozens of captain’s wheels plundered from sunken ships and festooned with skulls. Leaning against the south wall is a ship’s figurehead carved in the form of a wailing banshee. The rowboat wreckage is difficult terrain, and sections of it are prone to collapse. Any creature that ends its turn on the wreckage must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. The waterlogged figurehead stands 8 feet tall and weighs 1,200 pounds. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of abjuration magic around it. Casting dispel magic on the figurehead renders it nonmagical. Unless its magic is dispelled, the banshee figurehead lets out a tremendous wail if any creature other than a sea hag approaches within 10 feet of the crow’s nest. The banshee’s wail echoes throughout the cavern and can be heard as far away as area 10c. If the hags are alive, they gather reinforcements from area 10b and rush to defend their precious treasure. The crow’s nest contains 2,000 nibs inside a lidless wooden chest, 250 shards inside a tin urn, a set of weaver’s tools, an ebony walking cane with an octopus-shaped handle made of pewter (25 dragons), and a spyglass.11. Recluse
A drider lives here. The sea hags in area 10 use it to guard the “front door” of their lair.11a. Petrified Prince
This yawning cave resembles the maw of some great fish. Natural columns of rock support the 30-foot-high ceiling. In the middle of the cave stands a half-crumbled statue of a princely human clad in plate armor, his sword drawn and at the ready. A medusa lived in these caverns many years ago until adventurers got the better of her. The crumbled statue is all that remains of one of her victims.11b. Cocoon Forest
A drider lurks in the smaller cave to the north and emerges to confront intruders who enter by way of area 11a. The main cave has a 40-foot-high ceiling filled with the remains of petrified victims of a medusa that once lived here. The drider has wrapped these statue remains in thick webs, creating an eerie forest of gray cocoons. Strung between these cocoons are web strands that create difficult terrain. The drider clings to the walls, staying out of reach of melee weapons while casting spells or shooting its longbow. As it attacks, it says over and over in Elvish, “The queen is mad - mad at me. She is mad as mad can be.”12. Boo-ty Hunters
The shape of this riverside cavern resembles a clamshell. The ghosts of three human pirates named Algarr Grimtide, Liddie “Slurtongue” Peddlekant, and Fishbone Jim move in and out of the rocks, searching for buried treasure. They attack creatures they perceive as competitors and ignore any others. The ghosts can’t rest until they find hidden treasure. Adventurers can get the ghosts’ attention by offering to lead them to a hidden hoard (such as the one in area 9b) or to a location near the river where the adventurers might have buried treasure themselves. The ghosts can follow the party or possess creatures but can’t stray more than 100 feet from the River Sargauth. Once they find what they’re looking for, they cackle and dance about madly, then vanish forever.13. Riverside Caves
These rooms contain boats adventurers can use to travel up and down the River Sargauth.13a. Drow Boats
The drow use the two rowboats here to travel the River Sargauth. Resting nearby are six 10-foot poles that the drow use to guide the rowboats up and down the river.13b. Ferryman's Rest
This 20-foot-high cave borders the River Sargauth. An ornate stone door embedded in the northwest wall is flanked by carvings of helmed dwarves, their faces chipped away by vandals. An inscription carved into the door’s molding has also been damaged, rendering it indecipherable. A black rowboat, its hull carved with leering eyes, is moored at the river’s edge and ferried by a black-robed tiefling skeleton clutching a 10-foot pole, which it uses to guide the boat. The rowboat and the skeletal ferryman are both creations of Halaster. The tiefling skeleton understands Common and Infernal, but can’t speak. It plies the River Sargauth in whichever direction its riders want to go. When creatures reach their destination, the tiefling extends a bony hand, expecting a payment of one coin per passenger. If it doesn’t receive the proper payment, both it and the boat fade away. Anyone who destroys the skeleton or uses an effect that turns undead against it can commandeer the rowboat - but without its proper pilot, the ship is attacked whenever it enters a section of the river marked with a wavy arrow. Roll a d6 and consult the following table to determine the nature of the attackers.| d6 | Creatures |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Four minotaur skeletons rise from the river bottom. |
| 3-4 | Seven shadows crawl into the boat. |
| 5-6 | Four will-o'-wisps materialize above the boat. |
14. Stonecarvers' Hall
The Melairkyn dwarves hauled blocks of unworked stone here to be carved into doors, statues, and other forms.14a. South Entrance
A 4-foot-square block of stone has fallen from the ceiling of this hall and cracked in two on the floor. The block was released when someone stepped on a hidden pressure plate on the floor (the trap failed to hit its intended target and no longer poses a danger to anyone). This thick stone door is flanked by carvings of dwarves, their faces and beards chipped away. A dwarf can open the door, but no other creatures can do so except by using a knock spell or similar magic. The door has AC 15, 75 hit points, and immunity to all damage except force damage and damage dealt by adamantine weapons.14b. North Entrance
In the middle of the hallway, crushed beneath a 4-foot-square block of stone that has fallen from the ceiling, is a goblin. Only its gangly legs are visible (the goblin stepped on a pressure plate that caused the block to fall, and the trap no longer poses any danger). This thick stone door has the same appearance and properties as the one in area 14a.14c. Hall of Stone
A xorn sleeps soundly in the middle of the room. While asleep, the creature remains standing, its mouth and eyes closed, its arms hanging limply with knuckles scraping the floor. Twenty cubes of solid granite measuring 8 feet on a side are arranged about the chamber. One cube near the west wall is fake. Four unfinished statues situated around the room have piles of chipped stone around their bases. Until it escaped captivity and hid here, the xorn was one of Halaster’s prized pets, raised on a steady diet of magic gemstones. It comes and goes by phasing through the walls, and it enjoys the quiet solitude that this chamber provides. A successful DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth) check allows a creature to cross the room quietly without waking the xorn, but the check is made with disadvantage if the creature is carrying coins or gemstones, since the xorn can detect such treasures by scent even while it is asleep. The discovery of intruders in its lair provokes its anger, causing it to attack. Although similar in appearance to the granite blocks, this 8-foot cube is hollow with 3-inch-thick plaster sides. A dwarf within 10 feet of the cube can tell at a glance what it’s made of, as can anyone who taps the cube with a hammer or a similar tool. Any creature weighing more than 50 pounds that stands on the cube falls into it as the plaster gives way underfoot. The cube contains a chipped alabaster throne of elven design, sturdy in construction yet elegant in form. It is intricately carved to resemble bundled branches and twigs, with a tiny songbird perched on one end of its back. There used to be five carved songbirds perched atop the throne, but four have been broken off and lost. The throne was carved by the elves of Illefarn, an ancient kingdom of the North. It disappeared from its capital (located where Waterdeep stands today) shortly before the kingdom’s destruction 2,500 years ago. The Melairkyn dwarves found it in damaged condition and planned to return it to the elves as a gift after repairing it. Dwarven adventurers later found it and hid it in hopes of returning when they had a means of getting it out of the dungeon, but they didn’t make it back. Finding the throne and informing Volo of its whereabouts completes a quest. As one of the oldest surviving relics of Illefarn, the throne is priceless. A creature sitting in the throne can’t tell a lie, and the throne is surprisingly light for its size, weighing only 500 pounds. The four unfinished statues, from north to south, are:- A mostly finished statue of a female dwarf priest who appears to be inhaling incense.
- A half-finished statue of a cheery dwarf girl riding on the shoulders of her beaming father, whose lower body has not yet been carved.
- A half-finished stone door carved with the image of a heavily armored dwarf clashing axes with a minotaur.
- A mostly uncarved block of stone from which the features of an ornate stone brazier are emerging.
15. Way to Willowwood
The drow cornered and killed several troglodytes in these caves after the reptilian creatures refused to be enslaved.15a. Battle Scene
The floor here is stained with blood and strewn with a dozen spent crossbow bolts from hand crossbows. Anyone who inspects the bolts and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check finds evidence of drow poison on the bolts, but the poison has lost its potency.15b. Rotting Trogs
A putrid stench fills this 10-foot-high cave, courtesy of three rotting troglodyte corpses riddled with crossbow bolts. Closer examination reveals nasty puncture wounds (from poisoned drow shortswords). Embedded in the southeast wall is a stone arch, its keystone and base stones each bearing an engraving of an old man clutching a staff. The stone arch is one of Halaster’s magic gates. Its rules are as follows:- The gate opens for 1 minute when the arch is tapped three times with a staff of any kind.
- Adventurers must be 8th level or higher to pass through this gate. The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune.
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area 6i on level 5, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
16. Crossfire Caves
Four drow sentries watch for river incursions from Skullport. The drow fire crossbows at enemies as they pass between the two caves.16a. North Ledge
Two male drow hide on this ledge, 6 feet above the water. They are brothers named Varaun and Veszdar. If one is killed, the other flees and alerts the drow in area 20.16b. South Ledge
Hidden atop this 8-foot-high ledge are two male drow named Molkoth and Quilolvir and a female drow elite warrior named Meridin Helvirae. Meridin commands this guard post. She carries a 30-foot-long coil of silk rope tied to a grappling hook, which the drow use to swing across the river. A side cave contains the remnants of an old campfire and the skeletal remains of a halfling adventurer who was robbed and killed by his companions. There’s no treasure left to be found here.17. Dangerous Paths
These caverns stand between the drow and goblinoid settlements on this level.17a. Contested Cavern
Eleven hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain are stationed in this 20-foot-high cave. Bloodstains on the floor hint at violent skirmishes that took place here in the past. A tunnel to the west slopes steeply down to level 4, area 1. House Auvryndar and the Legion of Azrok have been fighting for control of this cave for months. The faction that controls this cave controls access to level 4 of Undermountain. The goblinoids under Warlord Azrok hold it currently, and the hobgoblins’ orders are to defend it against drow incursions. The captain, Kliyuse the Skull Cleaver, has further instructions to direct adventurers northward to the goblinoid settlement (area 21), denying them access to level 4 until they have met with Azrok and Lurkana. If adventurers go where they are directed, Kliyuse assigns two hobgoblins to see that they reach the settlement safely and promptly. The tunnel to Skullport eventually splits off into four passageways: Beggar’s Rest Pass, Shadow Pass, Steamfall Pass, and Taglath’s Gap.17b. Bugbear Sentries
Hunkered down near the eastern wall of this 15-foot-high cave, gnawing on old bones, are six bugbears with orders to attack any non-goblinoids traveling through here without an escort.17c. Keepers of the Purple Room
This 15-foot-high side cave is mostly empty except for two goblins huddled at the north end. The goblins, Dribblespit and Zob, found a treasure buried in the ruins of Stromkuhldur and brought it here to inspect it more closely. The goblins are oblivious to the danger nearby (see area 17d) and won’t give up their newfound treasure easily. Each goblin has half of a 6-inch-tall purple worm statuette carved out of a lustrous purple stone. If the two halves are reattached using a mending cantrip, the statuette can be sold for 125 dragons. It weighs 5 pounds.17d. Nerozar the Defeated
Floating in the middle of this 30-foot-high cavern is a beholder zombie named Nerozar and three gas spores that closely resemble it. Anyone who can see the gas spores can discern their true nature with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check. Nerozar challenged Xanathar for the lordship of Skullport and lost. Skullport’s mind flayer ambassador (see area 21g) brought Nerozar’s animated corpse with it to Stromkuhldur, but Azrok wouldn’t allow the beholder zombie to remain in the settlement, so the mind flayer left it here, where it sprouted the gas spores.17e. Otyugh Lair
This 10-foot-high side cavern is piled high with refuse and rotting corpses, under which hides an otyugh. The otyugh is a friend to the goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears of Azrok’s Hold (area 21), who supply it with plenty of carrion. It won’t ordinarily attack goblinoids or anyone escorted by them. It will, however, attack any creature that dares to root through its garbage pile. The corpses in the garbage pile are the remains of drow, quaggoths, bugbears, goblins, and hobgoblins that were killed in skirmishes between the Legion of Azrok and House Auvryndar. The bodies have been stripped of all armor, weapons, and valuables, and some are missing chunks of flesh - a feast for the otyugh.18. Abandoned Cavern
This 30-foot-high cavern contains part of the ancient settlement of Stromkuhldur. Crumbling, single-story buildings stand empty, their roofs caved in and their insides picked clean. Sections of the cavern ceiling show signs of collapse, with rocks scattered across the floor.19. Chimera's Lair
T’rissa Auvryndar’s pet chimera lounges atop a pile of coins in the southern half of this 15-foot-high cavern. The chimera can be placated with food and shiny trinkets; otherwise, it attacks adventurers who come too close to its hoard. The chimera’s hoard contains 300 dragons, 2,000 shards, and 10,000 nibs.20. Drow Town
An ancient earthquake collapsed sections of Stromkuhldur, dividing the town into smaller caverns. After driving the Legion of Azrok out of this eastern cavern, the drow of House Auvryndar assumed control of it. The 30-foot-high cavern is a deathly quiet maze of crumbling stone buildings, many of which have partially collapsed. The buildings’ walls are 10 feet high, and their roofs have mostly caved in. Webs are strung between the buildings, but they’re not thick enough to inhibit movement. Nine giant spiders roam the alleys between the buildings in search of prey. The giant spiders creep about in groups of three. Additional forces stationed here include a male drow elite warrior named Ranaghax Auvryndar, twelve male drow, three grimlocks, and three quaggoths. If an alarm is raised, these forces gather with the giant spiders to seek out and destroy intruders.20a. Kitchen
The smell of meat stew wafts from this building. Inside, a manacled bugbear and three goblins shackled together by the ankles are preparing meals under the watchful eye of three male drow guards named Raelphar, Rizryn, and Xebyl. Stone counters are spread throughout the room. A large cauldron is hung above a fire in the southwest corner. Raelphar carries a key to the bugbear’s manacles, and Rizryn has a ring of keys that unlock the goblins’ shackles. Without these keys, a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check opens each lock. If released from captivity, the goblinoids arm themselves with improvised weapons and flee to area 17a by way of the south tunnel. The bugbear’s name is Blarg. The goblins’ names are Globby, Bootlick, and Earstabber. The simmering cauldron contains a hearty stew of ripplebark fungus and troglodyte meat.20b. T'rissa's Quarters
Two male drow guards named Krivven and Yazdriirn stand outside the door. They deny entry to all but T’rissa and immediately attack intruders. Mounted to the walls are the stuffed heads of several bugbears, hobgoblins, and goblins. A locked chest of dark wood, carved in the likeness of a spider with eyes of red crystal, rests in the western alcove (the key to the chest is hidden in the mouth of a mounted goblin head nearby). A bed with a canopy of spiderwebs fills the eastern alcove. Other furnishings include a dresser and a vanity that has an empty frame where the mirror should be. The chest’s lock can be picked by making a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check, or opened with a knock spell or similar magic. The eight red crystal eyes on the chest can be pried loose and are worth 5 dragons each. Inside the chest are three shelves stacked vertically. The top shelf holds an onyx spider figurine (25 dragons), eight blocks of incense, and a dagger. The middle shelf contains a folded spider silk robe, dyed black, with tiny golden spiders sewn into it (90 dragons). Hidden in the folds of the robe is a potion of healing. On the bottom shelf rests a birchwood wand (an arcane focus) and a leather-bound spellbook that belong to Marta Moonshadow (see area 5d). The book contains the following spells: chromatic orb, cone of cold, counterspell, detect magic, dispel magic, enlarge/reduce, fireball, fly, greater invisibility, ice storm, identify, mage armor, magic missile, magic weapon, misty step, polymorph, sending, shield, and suggestion.20c. Quaggoth Den
Two quaggoths and a quaggoth thonot feast from a trough in the middle of this room. The trough contains bloody troglodyte entrails and other less identifiable fixings. Non-drow intruders are attacked on sight.20d. Demon Mirror
The door to this building is locked, and T’rissa Auvryndar (see area 6) carries the only key. The lock is old and can be picked by making a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. The building is full of cobwebs, and a 3-foot-tall oval mirror hangs on the western wall. Eerily realistic spiders are carved into its stone frame, almost appearing to twitch and crawl. When a creature approaches within 5 feet of its reflection in the mirror, the reflection disappears and is replaced with the shadowy face of a giant spider obscured by smoke. The creature in the mirror is a projection of a yochlol demon in the service of T’rissa’s mother, Vlonwelv. If the figure standing before the mirror is T’rissa or someone who looks exactly like her, the spider offers a warm greeting in Elvish with its clicking mandibles and demands to know why efforts have been started to conquer the Twisted Caverns (level 4) when Stromkuhldur and Skullport have yet to be taken. If a creature that is clearly not T’rissa stands before it, or if the yochlol realizes it has been fooled, the demon assumes its true waxy form, stares back with its one glaring red eye, and screams in Abyssal, “I know who you are!” The mirror then falls and shatters on the floor.20e. Treasure Downstream
A vein of turquoise runs through the east wall diagonally, looking like a stream. The granite in the vein has been carved to look like a school of trout. A large, empty basin is carved into the floor at the northern end of the room. The vein of turquoise runs from the top right corner of the east wall to the bottom left, heading down toward the empty basin. The trout carvings appear to be swimming upstream, away from the basin. Close examination of these carvings reveals that the fish can be rotated. The first time all the fish are turned so that they appear to be swimming downstream, a hidden valve in the basin opens and fills the container with 50 gallons of fresh water. Swimming in the water is a tiny emerald fish. The emerald fish swims around the basin until it is scooped out with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, at which point the fish transforms into an emerald elemental gem. The water remains in the basin after the fish is removed and does not drain away. Nothing happens if the trout carvings are rotated again.20f. Unoccupied Quarters
Eleven padded bedrolls are spread throughout this room atop stone slabs. Each bed is paired with a small chest that doubles as a side table. The chests are unlocked and contain black common clothes.20g. Drow Barracks
Twelve bedrolls are spread out on the floor of this room. Six off-duty male drow and a male drow elite warrior relax here, but they quickly snatch up their weapons at the first sign of trouble. The drow are named Alybbrin, Chasmas, Jarkorl, K’yordred, Szorth, and Xebrek. The drow elite warrior, Ranaghax Auvryndar, is regaling the other drow with a reenactment of a one-on-one battle he had with a hobgoblin captain of the Legion of Azrok, which ended with the captain catching Ranaghax’s poisoned blade in the neck. His telling of the tale is loud enough to be heard by anyone listening at the door. Ranaghax, T’rissa’s older brother, is subordinate to her and all other female drow in his house. He knows his place and eagerly awaits the opportunity to claim the rest of Stromkuhldur when T’rissa finally gives the order to do so. Ranaghax wears an obsidian scarab brooch inscribed with the insignia of House Auvryndar (25 dragons), and he carries 35 dragons in a pouch.20h. Old Dining Hall
Anchored to the rafters by short chains are four unlit iron lanterns. A solid stone table fills the west side of the room. The table, sized for dwarves, has shorter legs than most. Stone benches run the length of the table on either side, and a single stone chair stands at each end.20i. Water Closet
A male drow named Balok sits on a latrine bucket in this chamber and is embarrassed to be caught in such a compromising position. If adventurers attack him, he tosses the bucket at one of them as a distraction and flees to area 20g (treat the bucket as an improvised weapon that deals no damage but douses the target in stinky filth on a hit).20j. Troglodyte Mob
A horrible stench fills this chamber, the floor of which is covered with loose rocks. Twelve captured troglodytes are confined to these quarters, but the guard stationed outside their door has slipped away to area 20i. If anyone other than a drow opens the door, the troglodytes seize the chance to escape. On their turn, they try to stampede their way to freedom and are loud enough to trigger an alarm. Troglodytes that escape head south and disappear into the dark waters of the River Sargauth.20k. Gathering of Grimlocks
This room reeks of death and decay. Three grimlocks are picking hair out of their teeth in the middle of the room. The room is strewn with rocks, heaps of splintered armor, and broken weapons. The armor and weapons were taken from dead goblinoids. None of this gear is salvageable. Anyone who follows the scent of decay discovers a pile of severed goblin and hobgoblin heads tucked behind a wall of rocks near the south end of the room.21. Azrok’s Hold
The largest unburied section of Stromkuhldur is held by the Legion of Azrok and is called Azrok’s Hold. As rumors of Azrok’s blindness spread quietly through the settlement, fears mount of an impending attack from the drow in Stromkuhldur or from Skullport. A shroud of gloom and anxiety hangs over the normally raucous settlement. The 30-foot-high cavern is a maze of single-story stone buildings, many of which have partially collapsed. Most of the buildings have 10-foot-high walls and no roofs. The narrow “streets” between the buildings are strewn with trash and filth. Harmless rats scurry around every corner. Hanging from several structures are tattered yellow banners bearing Azrok’s sigil, a bloody handprint inside a hollow red triangle. Four bands of hobgoblins patrol Azrok’s Hold. Each patrol consists of three hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain, who interrogates visitors and demands to see their identification papers. Visitors entering Azrok’s Hold are greeted by two bugbears. Drow are attacked on sight. Others may enter and move through Azrok’s Hold, provided they have the proper identification papers. Visitors without papers are escorted by the bugbears to area 21c for processing. Once adventurers have papers, the bugbears take them to see Azrok in area 21n. This meeting is not optional, since tribute must be paid to the hobgoblin warlord in return for his hospitality. Afterward, adventurers can move freely about Azrok’s Hold, coming and going as they please (visitors need to register again only if they lose their papers). If adventurers wander the streets on their own, roll on the table below every 10 minutes they spent wandering around.| d10 | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Halaster’s scrying eye, which observes adventurers silently for a minute before disappearing |
| 2 | A goblin eating a dead rat |
| 3 | A goblin hauling a bucket of garbage to area 17e |
| 4 | 1d4 goblins with shovels, either digging through rubble or heading to a dig site |
| 5 | 1d4 bugbears who sneer at visitors and make rude comments as they pass by |
| 6 | A bugbear with an intellect devourer in its skull that tries to lure adventurers to area 21f |
| 7 | Preeta Kreepa (see area 21m) |
| 8-10 | Three hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain keeping the peace and checking visitors’ identification papers |
21a. “Krek”
At the end of a street of mostly collapsed buildings is a canted door with a bugbear puppet hanging next to it. Gouged into the door frame is the word “Krek” (a Goblin word meaning “this for that” or “trade”). The walls of the shop on the other side of the door have caved in, and the space that remains is filled with piles of junk and well-worn adventuring gear. The shop’s proprietor is an oni disguised as an old hobgoblin named Kinrob. There is a 25% chance that Kinrob has one of the items below, which he will trade for one or more items of equal or greater value:- Arrows (1 dragon)
- Backpack (2 dragons)
- Bedroll (1 dragon)
- Candle (1 nib)
- Chain (5 dragons)
- Chest or Crate (5 dragons)
- Club (1 shard)
- Crowbar (2 dragons)
- Dagger (2 dragons)
- Flask or Tankard (2 nibs)
- Glass Bottle (2 dragons)
- Greatclub (2 shards)
- Hammer (1 dragon)
- Handaxe (5 dragons)
- Hempen Rope (1 dragon)
- Hide Armor (10 dragons)
- Hunting Trap (5 dragons)
- Iron Pot (2 dragons)
- Jug or Pitcher (2 nibs)
- Ladder (1 shard)
- Lantern (5 shards)
- Light Hammer (2 dragons)
- Longbow (50 dragons)
- Parchment (1 shard)
- Pickaxe (2 dragons)
- Piton (5 nibs)
- Pole (5 nibs)
- Pouch (5 shards)
- Quarterstaff (2 shards)
- Sack (1 nib)
- Shortbow (25 dragons)
- Shovel (2 dragons)
- Tinderbox (5 shards)
- Torch (1 nib)
- Traveler's Clothes (2 dragons)
- Waterskin (2 shards)
- Whip (2 dragons)
21b. Sad Huggybug
Huggybug, a goblin child, cries alone in a rubble-strewn passageway. Between sobs, she explains that an older goblin stole her princess doll and traded it for a shovel from the “Gob Gobbler.” If adventurers ask where the toy was taken, she leads them to area 21a but fearfully refuses to go inside. If adventurers return the doll to Huggybug, she gives them a turquoise dolphin figurine (25 dragons) in gratitude.21c. Registration Center
Six goblins with ink pens sit behind a row of makeshift desks, ready to scribble the names of visitors into dog-eared ledgers and issue identification papers. Glowing oil lanterns hang above each desk from chains anchored to the ceiling. A hobgoblin wearing cracked half-moon spectacles sits behind a stone lectern and greets all those who enter, directing each new arrival to one of the available goblin clerks. Visitors are required to carry identification papers at all times in Azrok’s Hold. The goblins behind the desks interview visitors, draw crude pictures of them, and fill out papers with their names, races, gender, ages, heights, eye color, and home cities. The same information is also entered in a large ledger. Inquiries about other visitors are met with silent stares, because the goblins have instructions not to reveal any of the information. Once adventurers are registered and have identification papers, the hobgoblin behind the lectern rings a bell, and two bugbears appear to escort the visitors to area 21n, where they are expected to pay deference to Warlord Azrok.21d. Armory
Two hobgoblins guard racks of arrows, greatswords, javelins, longsword, longbows, morningstars, scimitars, and shortbows.21e. Hobgoblin Barracks
The old furnishings were cleared out of this chamber to make room for thirty-two wooden cots. Five hobgoblins rest here between patrols.21f. Brain-Dog Kennel
The mind flayer ambassador (see area 21g) has been luring goblinoids into this building and implanting intellect devourers in their skulls. The floor is strewn with wrecked furniture and broken crates. Feeding on rats in the middle of the room are two goblins and a goblin boss, all with intellect devourers implanted in their skulls. Two more intellect devourers hide among the wreckage. They target intruders with their Devour Intellect action option.21g. Xanathar’s Ambassador
A mind flayer named Ulquess resides here, serving as the ambassador from Skullport. Ulquess has been implanting intellect devourers in the skulls of goblinoids, turning them into spies loyal to Xanathar. If its plot is discovered, the mind flayer has no choice but to telepathically summon its thralls from area 21f to kill anyone who knows its secret (it hides the bodies in area 22). The room’s centerpiece consists of two elegant chairs made of petrified wood arranged atop a circular rug. On a slender table between the chairs is a makeshift, three-tiered Dragonchess set assembled from pieces of other sets. The mind flayer conducts business here while seated casually in one of the chairs. If adventurers are meeting with the ambassador at Lurkana’s urging, the mind flayer politely discourages them from visiting Skullport, claiming that it’s not safe for adventurers. It also tells them an Undermountain secret, hoping they’ll be lured away by the mystery. A thorough search of the room yields an unlocked iron strongbox containing 100 dragons that the ambassador uses for bribes.21h. Goblin Den
The door to this structure is ajar, with snores emanating from within. Sleeping in a pile to the north are twelve goblins. Their weapons and shields lie in a heap to the south. The goblins are reluctant combatants, easily intimidated by shows of strength. If they’re being massacred, the survivors flee to area 23a.21i. Visitors’ Quarters
Visitors who are on friendly terms with Azrok and Lurkana can rest here. The door has no lock. The chamber contains enough bedroom furniture to accommodate eight guests.21j. Ale Storehouse
Azrok buys cheap ale from Gyudd’s Distillery in Skullport and stores it here. The door is shut from within and has a small, iron-barred window. Forcing open the door requires a successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check. Standing inside the room is a hobgoblin guard with a horn. It uses an action to blow the horn and sound an alarm if someone tries to break into the storehouse. The chamber contains thirty 5-gallon casks. Eight of them hold Dwarven Stout, and the rest are empty.21k. Captains’ Barracks
The furnishings were cleared out of this room to make space for nine wooden cots. Two hobgoblin captains rest here between patrols.21l. Visitors’ Quarters
This chamber is identical to area 21i.21m. Preeta Kreepa
Dug out of a mostly collapsed section of Stromkuhldur is a stone hovel in a cave lit by continual flame spells cast in several old cauldrons lying among the rubble. The door to the hovel is ajar, and harmless rats scurry in and out in a constant stream. Inside the hovel, feeding bits of juicy moss to the rats, is a mage named Preeta Kreepa (CN female Shou human high mage). She served as an assistant to Arcturia, one of Halaster’s apprentices, until Arcturia transformed her into a monstrous horror. Preeta looks like an old woman with two beholder eyestalks sprouting from her eye sockets. Her mouth, twice as large as it should be, is filled with sharp, pointed teeth. She wears the flayed, slippery, translucent skin of a kuo-toa as a cloak. For years, the Legion of Azrok left Preeta alone. Now the growing hostilities with the drow have prompted Azrok to call on her for help. Preeta understands the threat posed by the drow and is using animate dead spells to raise drow corpses, creating forces that Azrok can call upon to bolster his defenses. She keeps these undead warriors locked in area 21q. If adventurers promise not to harm her, Preeta shares two Undermountain secrets with them. Preeta carries a spellbook bound in lizard hide that contains all the spells she has prepared, plus animate dead, animate objects, and fabricate.21n. Azrok’s Hall
Two hobgoblins stand guard outside this building, one in front of each door. They allow registered visitors to enter after checking their identification papers. This structure once housed a dwarven smithy, and the decor suggests as much. In the northeast part of the room, Azrok the hobgoblin warlord sits on a throne of bleached skulls, with one foot resting on an iron anvil and one hand on the pommel of his longsword. He wears a helm that covers most of his face and darkens his eyes. Whispering in his ear is his wife Lurkana, a formidable hobgoblin captain. Attending the warlord are two bugbears, four hobgoblins, and six goblins. One of the bugbears has an intellect devourer hidden in its skull and acts as a spy for Xanathar while feigning loyalty to Azrok. Gnawing on humanoid bones in the southwest part of the room are two wolves loyal to Azrok and Lurkana. Adventurers brought before Azrok are expected to offer tribute. He is more interested in oaths of fealty than gifts, but he accepts whatever he’s offered. Unless adventurers make fools of themselves, Azrok grants them his protection for the duration of their stay in his settlement. Anyone who interacts with him and succeeds on a DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes that the hobgoblin warlord is blind but is hiding that fact, never looking directly at anyone. When adventurers are done speaking with Azrok, Lurkana takes them aside and offers them a quest. If they refuse, Lurkana scowls and kicks them out. If combat breaks out, the hobgoblins stationed outside immediately raise a general alarm, causing all forces loyal to Azrok to converge on the area. If adventurers are looking for a safe place to rest and are on good terms with Azrok, Lurkana orders one of the goblins to escort them to area 21i or 21l. After showing adventurers to their quarters, the goblin tells them where they can buy adventuring gear (area 21a) and rations (area 21t).21o. Goblin Orphanage
The sound of screaming goblin children issues from small cracks in the walls of this building. Inside, two goblin bosses are minding twenty goblin children. The bigger children are being taught how to bully the smaller ones, shoving them around and hurling insults. The goblin bosses remain here even if an alarm sounds elsewhere. Various broken toys lie scattered about. A thorough search yields an intact trinket.21p. Arch Gate to Level 6
Embedded in the west wall of this otherwise empty chamber is an arch gate to level 6. The keystone of this arch is carved to look like a gold dragon wyrmling, its mouth agape. The rules of this gate are as follows:- The gate opens for 1 minute when a gemstone worth at least 100 dragons is placed in the dragon’s mouth, which causes the dragon head to animate and chomp down on the gem (destroying it).
- Adventurers must be 9th level or higher to pass through this gate. The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune.
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area 36c on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
21q. Morgue
Nine drow zombies stand perfectly still in the middle of this room, which is cluttered with cobwebs, rubble, and wreckage. The zombies obey Preeta Kreepa (see area 21m) and attack anyone else who gets too close.21r. Azrok and Lurkana’s Quarters
Standing in front of the door to this chamber is a tired goblin named Salt Nose, so named because he has white freckles on his broad snout. He’s suffering from three levels of exhaustion and is trying to keep a 10-foot pole steady with trembling hands. From the top of the pole hangs Azrok’s banner: a bloody handprint inside a hollow red triangle on a sheet of yellow-dyed flesh. Lurkana uses the banner as a form of punishment; she makes disobedient or incompetent underlings stand outside these quarters for hours or even days on end with no food, no water, and only the banner to keep them company. Salt Nose spilled a plate of food on Azrok’s lap and fears that he will spend what little remains of his life here. Adventurers who take pity on him earn his trust, and he readily tells them where to find things in Azrok’s Hold. If information is what adventurers seek, Salt Nose suggests they speak with Preeta Kreepa, a strange creature that has lived in Stromkuhldur since before the goblinoids came (see area 21m). The building is empty except for a large bed covered with furs. Azrok and Lurkana come here to rest.21s. Azrok’s War Chest
Two hobgoblins stand guard outside this chamber, one in front of each door. What was once a shrine to the dwarven pantheon is now Azrok’s treasury. Dozens of stone idols of dwarven gods have been toppled from their bases and smashed on the floor. A low altar near the west wall is covered in dried blood. Piled around it are drow shortswords, hand crossbows, shields, and skulls. Atop the altar rests a 7-inch-tall statuette of Maglubiyet, the goblin god of war, carved from blood-red stone. It is not valuable. Flanking the altar are two iron treasure chests without locks. Stealing Azrok’s treasure deprives the warlord of the funds he needs to ensure his troops’ loyalty. News of the robbery causes most of the bugbears and goblins, as well as half of the hobgoblins, to flee Azrok’s Hold and seek employment as mercenaries in Skullport. One iron chest contains 180 dragons, 450 shards, and 600 nibs. The other holds a dwarven ear horn made of brass (1 dragon), a gold-plated candlestick shaped like a pillar of fire (25 dragons), three obsidian scarabs inscribed with the insignia of House Auvryndar (25 dragons each), and a potion of animal friendship.21t. Rations
A painted wooden sign mounted above this building’s recessed door depicts a goblin chomping down on a rat sandwich. Inside, three goblins busily assemble packs of rations consisting of baked mushrooms, rat jerky, cakes of dry moss, and other underground edibles. The rations are stored on shelves, and visitors can purchase a small parcel containing 1 day of rations for 5 shards. The goblins keep their proceeds in a small wooden strongbox. The coins are added to Azrok’s war chest (see area 21s) at the end of every day. The strongbox currently contains 35 shards.22. Barrelstalk Garden
Clouds of harmless and dimly luminescent spores hang in the air. The cave contains a giant garden of barrelstalk fungi. Three goblins are tending the garden and killing the spiders, rats, and other vermin that infest it. These goblins shy away from any confrontations with the adventurers. A barrelstalk is a cask-shaped fungus that can be tapped and drained of the water inside it. A single barrelstalk contains 1d4 + 4 gallons of fresh water. Its husk provides 1d6 + 4 pounds of food.23. Way to Skullport
Weakened by the drow, the Legion of Azrok now fears incursions from Skullport. Azrok has placed sentries here to watch for trouble.23a. Ripplebark Cavern
Five hobgoblins stand watch in the middle of this 20-foot-high cave. A shelf-like fungus resembling a mass of rotting flesh clings to the north wall. The fungus is called ripplebark. This shelf-like fungus resembles a mass of rotting flesh, but it’s surprisingly edible. Though it can be eaten raw, it tastes better roasted. A single sheet of ripplebark yields 1d4 + 6 pounds of food. If adventurers approach from the south, heading toward Azrok’s Hold (area 21), the hobgoblins demand to know their business but allow them to pass if the group’s intentions aren’t hostile. If the party includes one or more drow, the hobgoblins attack instead. Anyone traveling away from Azrok’s Hold isn’t questioned, but they are warned not to harm the shriekers in area 23b.23b. Shriekers
This enormous cavern has a conical roof that rises to a peak 50 feet overhead. The air is full of harmless, dimly luminescent spores that form clouds around gardens of moss and fungi. Planted among the other fungi are four shriekers. Anyone who has encountered shriekers before can spot the ones in this chamber with a successful DC 11 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Perception) check. Each shrieker cries out when a creature or a bright light comes within 30 feet of it, alerting the guards in area 23a. The tunnel to Skullport eventually leads to Whisperhaunt Pass.Aftermath
If the forces of House Auvryndar are defeated but the Legion of Azrok remains, the goblinoids reclaim and fortify their lost caverns (areas 18 through 20). If the converse occurs and the Legion of Azrok is wiped out, the drow secure the rest of Stromkuhldur. If both factions are defeated, the level becomes a playground for explorers from Skullport. Any good fortune visited upon the Legion of Azrok is temporary, as more of Azrok’s goblinoids come under Xanathar’s sway. Once the beholder has implanted intellect devourers in the skulls of Azrok and Lurkana, it uses the Legion of Azrok as a bulwark to halt any drow advancement into Skullport. The sea hags of the River Sargauth join forces with Xanathar to hold the drow at bay.
Type
Dungeon
Parent Location
Connected Rooms
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