Drummstone Cave

Introduction

This quest is intended for characters of levels 1-2.

The PCs have been in contact with the Grammini of the Redgold clan as part of clan business. It is assumed that the players have negotiated and agreed to the terms and conditions shown under Quest.

The quest is to go to a cave, loot it and get the loot to the Redgold clan. However, an illegal distillery has been set up there, so now the PCs will have to decide their best approach.

Quest

The Redgold clan hereby accepts the terms that the adventuring group consisting of, <insert names here>, has put forward.

The group shall be paid 500 standard gold pieces and be provided with a diplomats pouch in advance. In return the group shall venture to where the last cave of the Drummstone clan is believed to have been, located in the caves of Soriri, remove all of items of value, both magical and mundane, and hand them over to the Redgold clan. The diplomats pouch provided shall be used for further communication and reporting.

Should the adventuring group be unable to remove item(s) of value they are obligated to inform the Redgold clan of its(their) existance and to protect the item(s) until the Redgold clan is able to send reinforcements.

Of particular interest to the Redgold clan is an artifact that the Drummstone clan is said to have possessed. The attached paper provides a text which is the only known information on where it is located.

— Grammini, youngest mother of the Redgold clan

As I listen to the birds the end on the horizon looms. So take in my last words so that I'm not alone in these rooms.
The end of this clan fills me up with fear, yet I must keep to my plan to use my spear.
To defend without any song, the tunnels of this lair until the return of someone strong and who promises to be my heir.
If you want to take the reins, don't make a wish, instead empty your veins and feed the fish.
Next you must fill up a flagon to the brim with wine, pour it to a dragon and you'll find what is mine.

Getting to the cave

The players need to learn two things:

1. Where Soriri is located.
2. Where in Soriri the correct cavern is.

Finding Soriri

The general location of Soriri is common knowledge in the settlement that the players got the contract. Detailed navigation instructions can be aquired from ciminals, rangers, soldiers.

Soriri is located two days west of the settlement. Fastest way there is to follow the river for a days worth of travel, then head north-west to the ancient oak, then head due west.

Use the way there to add a few encounters. Example encounters:

• Wild animals
• Feud with guides
• Criminals wanting to stop the adventurers (if the get away have the Distillery on high alert)

Determining the exact cave

The number of people who know exactly which fissure the Distillery can be found in is low. Researching ahead of time can allow the location to be revealed by smugglers. When already there the topside area can be searched over a few days, revealing tracks of heavily laiden carts (smuggled alcohol), the smell of rotting fruit, or perhaps the local fauna can be asked.

Potential follow ups

• Underdark: The fissure at the central plateau can potentially lead to an adventure in the Underdark, or the Underdark might come to the PCs if Kremiti is allowed to dig all the way there.
• Redgold: Depending on how well the PCs do the Redgold clan might decide to hire the PCs again. The clan is always on the look out for other artifacts.
• Distillery: Assuming that the PCs don't tear the place to the ground they might start running the place for profit. This will obviously draw the attention of the nearby settlement as well as the various monsters in the caves.
• Exploring Soriri: Exploring and clearing out Soriri from criminals and monsters is going to take a while, but can be rewarded with almost anything.

Maps

The Distillery

Battlemap
Creator Patreon

Unless otherwise specified the caves and tunnels are about as high as they are wide. The stone floor is covered in dirt with quite a bit of foot traffic. In the ceiling normal spiders are hanging out having been left alone to make webs. Throughout the caves there is a persistent aroma of wine and beer.

Location key

Unless otherwise specified the caves and tunnels are about as high as they are wide. The stone floor is covered in dirt with quite a bit of foot traffic. In the ceiling normal spiders are hanging out having been left alone to make webs. Throughout the caves there is a persistent aroma of wine, beer and spirits.

All doors are well maintained and do not creak when opened.

Guard towers

There is always supposed to be a guard watching over the entrance. The fire is there to provide a bit of light.

Storage 1

Crates with weasel food are stacked high, with sacks filled with corn added on top.

Storage 2

Barrels filled with spirits, marked and ready to be shipped out

Stills

All stills have been adorned with dragon motieves.

Still 1

This still is used for spirits.

Still 2

The air stings in the nose as the vapors from the still making spirits rise.

Still 3

This still is to create strong wine, and in the south, stacked agains the stables are barrels ready to be shipped out.

On a small wooden table is a list that documents the process.

• DC 15 Investigation: They are trying different combinations of ingredients and changes in the process to maximise the intoxication.

Still 4

This still is not used a lot, the smell would indicate that it is there to create ale.

Drinking room

A small number of primitive, and heavy, stone tables with a large number of simple stools as sitting accomedation around them. There is a weak smell of vomit.

The ceiling is an even five feet in here.

Sacrifice Chamber

There are about half a dozen soft earth mounds that has been stamped down. On some bones have been placed.

There is one hole about the same diametre as the earth mounds that is about 5-6ft. deep that has a meager male human in it. The human is wearing rags with no obvious adornments.

In the southern end is a wooden altar to Tiamat, with lit candles faintly illuminating the clean altar surfaces.

In the north-east and north-west are small areas where a lot of rock-looking objects are placed. Each object is roughly 0.5-1 foot in diametre.

• DC 10 Perception or Medicine proficiency: The human is alive, with shallow breathing.
• DC 15 Medicine: The human has been drugged and will likely wake on 1d4 hours.
• Religion proficiency: The rags are those provided by the church of Illmater.
• DC 15 Investigation/Nature or Stonecunning: The rock-looking objects are geodes of various kinds, the shape and low weight being indicators. They are worth a decent amount.

Stables

Clean straw floor with a basin for fresh water. The giant weasels are well fed with food from Storage 1.

Central Plateau

In the centre is a large plateau, with the ceiling held up by stone pillars. The plateau is separated by a crevice (~10 ft. wide, 40-50 ft. deep) reachable from Still 1 and Still 4 over two bridges lit by magical torches (continual flame). There is also a door into the main cave from Still 2, but there is no bride to get over.

The smell of wine cannot overshadow the smell of decay rising from the crevice, but there is also a minimal amount of reverberation and echoing in the cave.

In the north-east and the north-west are entrances to the two pool caves.

• Dwarf Race or History proficiency: The pillars are dwarven in design.
• DC 15 History/Intelligence: The dwarven pillar design came into existance centuries ago and is still popular, as they were shaped to minimize reverb in caves.
• DC 20 Investigation: The amount of pillars is on the low side. It should be enough to remove a few to get the ceiling to collapse.
• DC 15 perception or Perception proficiency: The crevice walls are moist and slippery, difficult to climb.
• If able to see the bottom from the top: DC 20 perception or Perception expertise: The bottom of the crevice seems to be covered in some kind of mold or moss.

Dragon Pool

Four dragon heads spout water into a series of basins that spill into each other. The lowest basin is at human knee height. The water does drain away.

Standing on the floor are a few metal buckets filled with gold coins that were fished out of the basin.

In the north corner stands a wooden table with sealed and unsealed documents and the tools to write them. On a cursory inspection one can see that they are about deliveries of alcohol.

• DC 15 Perception/Investigation: The water drains out of a series of small cracks at the bottom of the final basin.
• DC 20 Perception: While the water surface looks as calm as one would expect, any refracted light looks as if there are creatures swimming in it.
• DC 15 Investigation: One of the documents show that they are soon going to make a massive delivery to the nearest settlement.
• DC 20 Investigation: Based on the information in all the documents the black market in the nearest settlement is becoming saturated with alcohol and Kremiti is looking for other markets.

Fish Pool

Four fish heads spout water into a series of basins that pill into each other. The lowest basin is at human knee height. The water does drain away.

Standing on the floor are a few metal buckets filled with gold coins that were fished out of the basin.

• DC 15 Perception/Investigation: The water drains out of a series of small cracks at the bottom of the final basin.
• DC 20 Perception: While the water surface looks as calm as one would expect, any refracted light looks as if the water is frothing with fish.

Advesary Roster

Items

World of Land of the Ancients

Drum of Stone

Wondrous Item

Legendary Enchantment

Minor Artefact

A cylindrical stone drum with dark grey mycelia skin, two feet wide and one foot deep. The stone is carved with dwarvish runes that glow faintly when the drum is played.

All effects have a 100 foot radius. A creature can start playing on the drum as an action and the effects of a song last for as long as the creature continues to play the drum, which they can do by using an action on their turn.

To play this drum properly you first must know how to play the song that you want. If the drum is improperly played all creatures within range must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw as the disonant sounds cause agonizing mental pain. On a failed save, they takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use their reaction, if available, to move as far as their speed allows away from the drum. The creatures don’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the creatures take half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away.

Enduring March

Allies within range gain 10 feet of movement speed and they can travel for an additional watch (four hours) each day without it being a forced march.

Song of Resolve

Allies within range cannot be frightened and gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Weight: 100 lb

MCDM

Diplomats pouch

Adventuring Gear

Uncommon

Letters that are put into the diplomats pouch while being adressed to another person who also bears a diplomats pouch are magically transported to them. If a letter is adressed to multiple people all recipients receive a copy. Works across planes.

Names

All names are supposed to be replaced with ones that are more appropriate to your setting/world and the location that your players are currently travelling in.

People

Frank

Meager, poor male human who had been out drinking when he was drugged and brought to the cave as a sacrifice to Tiamat. He is normally working as a beggar and/or cutpurse.

He remembers that his mates said that they had found some "especially strong stuff".

Can, if saved, be/provide a point of contact to the thieves guild in the nearest settlement.

Kremiti Sverdkross

Duergar who runs the illegal distillery. They want to use the funds generated by the distillery to dig downwards in the Drummtone caves to eventually end up in the Underdark, the vast network of underground caverns and tunnels underneath the surface.

Organisations

Church of Illmater

Illmater is the god of those who suffer and his worshippers try to aid those who are injured or are have fallen on bad times.

Drummstone

A dwarven clan long disbandend. They were known for their songs and music.

Redgold

A dwarven clan located a couple of weeks away, known for their affinity to hoard unique items. They are the ones to hire the PCs.

Places

Soriri

An area of fissures and sunken ground located a couple of days from the nearest settlement. It harbors a number of caves that are often filled with monsters and criminals wanting a safe place to be.

Underdark

The vast network of underground caverns and tunnels underneath the surface. It is the place where a lot of evil creatures dwell, including Duergar clans.