Chapter II: Into the Unknown Plot in Raslun | World Anvil
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Chapter II: Into the Unknown

Having dealt with the Cult of the Blazing Star, your group prepares to travel; straight to the dwarven kingdom of Hellsgrand.

Plot points/Scenes

Making your way for the dwarven kingdom of Hellsgrand, and the last known location of the Anti-Party, you hear word that the king, Krass Ironfell has died.   Arriving in the mighty stone city of Hellsgrand, you are met with several dwarves guarding the gates and entrance. They extend their hands stating, “State your business outsiders.”   Entering the city of stone, you see a great number of dwarves gathered around what could only be a central assembly hall of some kind, and two dwarves seem to be hashing out the ends of an argument.   -----   The Assembly of the Enclave   The first dwarf says, “I will never understand why our Lord Prince agreed to this assembly, he is the rightful heir to the throne.”   The second dwarf glares daggers at the first and says, “If the general says that the King's last words were for the Lord Prince to not be king, that's more than enough reason.”   The first dwarf responds, “By Crest and Krull, the King never said anything of the sort!”   As your party draws near, they turn their attentions away from each other and focus on your arrival.   The second dwarf looks at your group and processes your races, equipment, and stature before saying, “By Moradin's beard, you wouldn't happen to be the legendary Heroes of Falconspire would you? Slain any demons lately? Word of your exploits has reached even here.”   After the party answers he states, “Gartan Slagstone at your service; and this here is the ignorant stuck in our ways, carved in stone, Burbek Boulderbelt. Surely the Heroes of Falconspire could bring a quick end to this assembly.”   Gartan Slagstone beckons you forth into the assembly chamber when Burbek Boulderbelt sharply extends a hand in an almost stop motion fashion stating, “We want none of your outsider politics here.”   Gartan responds in kind, “Surely they couldn't hurt by simply observing our assembly, could they now Burbek?”   Burbek sighs loudly, and grasps at the braided ends of his beard before saying, “So long as no interference is had, I suppose it could do no harm.”   Several hundreds of dwarves file in to the assembly chamber, each introduced by a herald and begin to take their seats around the large stone antechamber. The chamber spans the width of the Falconspire courtroom, but is nearly five times as tall. Each level ascends onto a higher tier which looks down over the previous.   Large stone thrones jut up from the floor, and appear to have been carved directly from the stone itself; each row containing some several dozen thrones. The center of the antechamber bears a crescent shape that rises from the floor and contains one larger throne which sits empty alongside two smaller, but just as intricately carved thrones.   As the rest of the dwarves take their seats around the outskirts of the antechamber, the herald calls out, “Now announcing the Defender of the Deeps, Protector of the Peoples, and Leader of the Legions, General Sarin Cindercrest.”   As this figure strides into the room, you take note of his imposing stance and the clean cut and fit of his armor. His eyes seem to scan the room searching for exits and points of vulnerability as if he is anticipating an impending attack. His ash white hair is slicked back on the top and sides and his beard flows loosely. As he takes his seat he sweeps his cape out from underneath him with a flourish, revealing an onyx sheathed sword. Even from your seat at the furthest outskirts you can see he seems to be decorated with several emblems and medals.   “Now announcing his royalty, heir to the throne, singular son of stone, Lord Prince Igmund Ironfell.”   As this dwarf strides in to take his seat, you take note of his brass armor, well fitted up to the neck, with a long flowing navy blue cape. As he enters the room, he waves to what you assume to be his supporters and even shakes a few hands as he crosses the room. He seems to be very well poised and as he takes his seat he doesn't seem to bother with his cape. From here you can see he seems to be very well polished and neatly kept. His hair is a burnt amber and his beard is neatly trimmed and braided. At his side is a brass sheathed blade.   “And now for a moment of reverence, as we honor the great and revered King, Krass Ironfell, whom makes his journey back to reunite with Moradin, the stone father.”   Several hundred dwarves all rise at once, and with a resounding thrum and the humming of hundreds, the room falls into an almost melodic and song-like rapture. Just as quickly as it begins, it comes to a deafening silence as the herald announces, “The Assembly of the Enclave is now in session.”   The herald stands and places a large stone slab into a slot in the arch before him and begins to read aloud, “This Assembly of the Enclave is here to discuss the matters placed forthright. First order of business to discuss is that of the continuation of protests against exploration of the Deep Roads and the root cause of the Convergence.”   The Lord Prince slowly leans forward on his throne before standing and taking a look around the room. With a brief smile and a grim nod of his head he begins to speak.   “It is no secret that we have suffered greatly at the hands of the Convergence for many millennia, but even with the Convergence we continue to hold fast and build anew, never losing our foundation. It is that foundation that we continue to build upon today; on the backs of our ancestors and the traditions that have been laid before us. As you all know, my father forbade exploration of the Deep Roads and any subject matter related to the Convergence was to be promptly silenced. I wonder now with his death, why this topic has reared it's ugly head once more. Are my father's laws still not enforced? Are his wishes still not granted? Are these laws and traditions being bypassed as a result of his passing? Surely this Kingdom will not simply forget his reign and the peace that came with it. It saddens me to think that he is seen as so easily dismissed. Does his death mean nothing? Does his legacy mean... Nothing?”   The room erupts with a mixture of cheers, applause, whispers and solemn expressions.   The General stands abruptly and brushes his cape down over the side of his sword.   “If we are speaking of your father's passing, let us not forget what was said on his deathbed. 'Igmund must not take my throne'. If you respect your father and these traditions as much as you say, then would you not advocate for another to take your place?”   Igmund turns to the General, somewhat wild-eyed.   “Let US not forget that you were the only person that was supposedly there to hear these last words, General.”   The General never losing focus on the assembly continues his assault, “Yes I was there, just as tradition commanded it to be so. And being the loyal soldier and commander I am I assure everyone these words ring true. As for your inability to look beyond tradition, the Deep Roads are a part of our Kingdom, and we must oversee what threats may be looming within the dark. We cannot ignore a threat within our borders. Us being ignorant of the Deep Roads does not lessen any threat that they may pose.”   Igmund laughs stoically before stating aloud, “General, you see threats everywhere. Where others see villages, you see an army. Where others hear meaningless gossip, you hear a rattlesnake ready to strike. One who sees enemies everywhere will never see an ally lending a hand. The Deep Roads are a forbidden topic for a reason; they only bring needless argument.   The General places his hand upon the hilt of his blade as he states, “It was my job, tasked by your father to see enemies where there may be none. To see knives so they do not end up in our backs. It was – is my job to keep this Kingdom safe. And because I have done my job so well, we have the luxury to sit here in this assembly hall with peace of mind while we debate in hopes for the future. And because I will continue to do my job in protecting this Kingdom, I say that there is a threat in the Deep Roads. One that must be mitigated to the best of our abilities. In order to do that, we must turn from tradition. We must explore the unknown, and find hope in the darkness of the Deep Roads. I say we seek out the root cause of this Convergence and we try to understand the meaning of it. We are long overdue for another; and it very well could be our last.”   Several members of the assembly begin to clap, cheer, and even stand.   The Lord Prince scoffs before turning back to the assembly and stating, “Blasphemy, abhorrence, I will not have it! As Lord Prince Igmund Ironfell, rightful heir to the throne, and singular son of stone, I forbid this course of action. I hereby decree that no dwarf is to set foot outside this Kingdom and every part we call home. Those found disobedient of this order will be immediately exiled and stripped of their caste.”   The General shakes his head with disbelief before addressing the assembly.   “There you have it. A call of silence by our Lord Prince. A decree aimed to weaken this great Kingdom. These threats cannot go unanswered. This is a call to action. A call to arms. An act of suppression against our people and nation. Do not let what happened here go unheard of.”   The Lord Prince stands alone in front of the King's throne as everyone filters out of the assembly chamber stating, “Do not forget, any who defy me, defy the King.”   The General looks to him and says, “You are no King yet; but no dwarf will disobey this order.”   As you are ushered out of the Enclave chambers you are met with the sight of Gartan Slagstone and Burbek Boulderbelt once again in heated conversation. As you draw closer, you begin to overhear their words.   Gartan Slagstone chops his hand repeatedly as he says, “You don't understand Burbek, so long as the convergence remains a looming threat, we will never be safe. General Cindercrest's way is the only way we can thrive, the only way we can expand.”   Burbek shakes his head with disapproval, stating, “Gartan you're a fool, you and Cindercrest both. What you are talking about will bring complete disarray to our Kingdom. If Cindercrest takes power, life as we know it, will be forever changed.”   Gartan says, “Could that really be such a bad thing? Or are we so paved in the stone that we carve?”   Burbek says, “As set as we may be, only the past is paved in true stone. Forever keep that in mind.”   As you and your party approach their conversation draws to a close but each of them turns to take in your arrival.   Gartan looks up at your group and says, “You know, with a group like yours backing the General in the election, I have no doubts in my mind that it would secure his position as King.”   Burbek states, “Stone father preserve me; Lord Prince Igmund doesn't wish for outside involvement in the dwarves' politics, but surely a task or two completed by the dwarf among you would not go unnoticed and would earn the favor of the Lord Prince to secure his election.   Gartan states, “Whatever choice you make, make it an informed one. Seek me out at the Barracks if you wish to help aid Sarin Cindercrest's cause.”   Burbek looks at your group and says, “Only the Lord Prince can lead us forward into an age of prosperity and proper tradition. Should you wish to aid the cause of the rightful heir to the throne, seek me out at the palace proper.”   -----   Seeking out either representative will reveal a set of tasks that can be done in order to gain favor for the General or the Lord Prince in order to ensure they have a better chance of winning the election.   -----   The Barracks   Arriving at the barracks, you see it is more a proper fortress than anything else. Standing out front is Gartan Slagstone.   He extends his hands, greeting your party openly, and saying, “It was good of you to seek me out. I knew you would see reason. After all, General Cindercrest is responsible for leading us into a new age.”   Gartan goes into the details stating, “I have a task I'd like you to complete on behalf of the General. The Lord Prince is taking money from his constituencies for time shares in locations outside the city. Secretly, he's using this money in order to build a home for himself hidden away in the mountains. I'd like you to seek out three of his high profile clients and deliver them these promissory notes to reveal the scam. In doing so, they should change their votes. The three dwarves you seek are Hane Pershing, Shire Willow, and Lord Abel.”   If asked where the three clients can be found, Gartan will say, “Hane Pershing can most likely be found in Iron Row overseeing the building projects that go on there. Shire Willow is still grieving the loss of her father and can likely be found in Stonetomb. Lord Abel likes to frequent taverns and shops in the Diamond Quarter from what I hear.”   He hands the party 3 stone promissory tablets.   If these promissory notes are brought before the Shaperate, they will be revealed as falsified.   If the party brings the promissory notes back and reveals the falsification, Gartan will act shocked and say he was unawares and that they will be disposed of immediately.   Shocked, Gartan Slagstone states, “I must admit, I had no idea that they were falsified! They were delivered by a more than reliable source. I'll ensure that they are disposed of immediately.”   -----   Shaperate Nuranol Amberbrand   Arriving at the Shaperate, you see several fountains and strange pools of water that almost appear to flow completely still, but it appears to be a trick of the eyes and laminar flow. The pools glow with a faint iridescence.   A squat well kept dwarf dressed in robes and holding a staff containing several feathers and strands of beads approaches you before stating, “Welcome to the home of the Shaperate, holder of memories, keeper of history, and preserver of stone. I am Shaperate Nuranol Amberbrand. What brings you to my domain?   The Battle of Three Peaks - “The Battle of Three Peaks was spurred on by the Elves of Falconspire's first Era committing to a long and drawn out war with the dwarves over a territorial dispute. During this era, the elven Empress invited the dwarven King into Falconspire in an effort to broker peace. In truth, it was secretly an effort for the elves to lay claim to the land that the dwarves called home. During this meeting, the elves were found out, and so began the declaration of war. This resulted in a nearly three hundred year war, which in this day and age has come to be known, as the 'Battle of Three Peaks'. This dispute and the resulting war would leave long standing scars on the races and foundations that we see influenced by the past.”   Long Standing Traditions - “Long standing traditions have been in place as long as the stone foundations of the Kingdom itself. For these traditions to break, bend or change, it would require millennia of molding, shaping, and paving the way for a new mindset to be faced as a daily occurrence.”   Dwarven Crafting History - “Much of what we know today has been passed down through our lineages for as long as anyone can remember. Much as the Shaperate before me and and the Shaperate before him and so on, we take these learned things and apply them as best we can to ensure that no knowledge is lost in translation or passing.”   Manipulation of Knowledge - “To ensure nothing is lost and that texts are not manipulated, most things are recorded in the memories of the stone. It is a secret and ancient art passed down among the Shaperate, and the Shaperate alone. It is the Shaperates sacred duty to record the memories of our people in an as unbiased and uninfluenced way as possible.”   The Convergence - “We have recorded six over the course of our known history. Much of our history is lost when a Convergence strikes. Most memories do not survive the inevitable collapse that comes with such a disaster.”   Memories of the Stone and the Convergence - “When the Convergence strikes, it is as though the memories are purged from the stone. It is one of the great mysteries that I still wish to solve as Shaperate. As to whether there is a mystical force behind the convergence, I could not say. My position is simply to observe and record, not to speculate.”   Secrets - “I know only what is public knowledge and those memories that I record. If you seek secrets, seek out Dark's Door in the Pits.”   Forbidden Knowledge - “The convergence is considered a taboo topic due to the threat it poses. Some say that to even speak of it is to invite the very disaster that destroyed our kingdoms past, and so the information was banned by King Krass Ironfell when he took up rulership.”   Unmoving - “The armor you wear is old indeed. First Era, even. According to the memories it once belonged to a dwarven general by the name of Thruln the Unmoving. Thruln was one of the first dwarven generals to enter the deep roads in an effort to seek out the root cause of the convergence. Thruln never returned from his quest into the deep roads and many speculated that he was claimed by the horrors of the Underdark. As Shaperate and keeper of memories, I have a great interest in your armor. Would you be willing to part with it for say... Twenty thousand lumens?”   The Underdark - “The Underdark is speculated to be located even deeper than the deep roads themselves. It is from here that the horrors of the deep roads spawn. If you decide to make your way into them at any point, heed my advice; ensure you are truly ready for your journey into such a place. Make sure you are well stocked and whatever you do, don't split up. The creatures of the deep roads are at a natural advantage on their home ground.”   The Next Shaperate - “Choice of the next Shaperate is passed down through my caste, and mine alone. Even the Enclave has no say in whom I choose to take this knowledge.”   The Previous Shaperate - “My previous predecessor held this position for nearly four hundred years. It was an honor to learn my craft from him. Sadly he passed away, and is no longer with us, but his memory lives on in the stone. His ancestors are proud.”   The Artifacts - With a great hum, Nuranol extends his hand over one of the pools and begins to speak. “Sealed by the Nine into artifacts seven, sent by the gods, crystal of heaven, artifacts forged by dwarven kind, made whole once then uncombined, split among the races of men, never to be used again.” He lets out another lower hum before saying, “Beyond this, the memories are unclear; much of this time is lost to us due to the great number of convergences and collapses we have suffered through.”   Gal'inad - “A great dwarven treasure to be sure. It is rumoured that this very gemstone holds the spirits of our ancestors themselves. I only know of its existence through the memories. It is rumoured to be hidden away within the deepest depths of the oldest dwarven tharg, and even then was lost centuries ago due to the convergence. Hellsgrand proper was built upon its ruins. More than this, I cannot say.”   The Promissory Notes - After spending a few moments navigating the tablets and documents, Shaperate Nuranol Amberbrand says, “By Crest and Krull, these documents have been faked! Whomever you obtained these from may be trying to dupe you. You would do well to get rid of these before they are found in your possession.”   -----   The Palace Proper   Arriving at the palace proper you see it is adorned by large tapestries of family crests long past, and you see Burbek Boulderbelt standing readily by the front doors.   As you approach he extends a hand to Erias and says, “Hail Erias of caste Silveraxe. It is good to see you again. I knew you would seek me out; after all, the Lord Prince is the rightful heir and should be the only one to take the throne. Of course, with you backing him, I couldn't see how he could possibly fail to take the throne.”   He says, “The Lord Prince doesn't want outside involvement in our politics, but a task completed by the dwarf among you would gain quite a bit of traction in the election process. I can't help but ask for your aid in completing these favors, Erias Silveraxe.”   If another party member speaks up during this encounter, Burbek will rudely state, “I wasn't talking to you outsider. I don't mean to be rude, but it is imperative that Erias be recognized for these tasks in order to aid the Lord Prince in his election.”   Burbek goes on to say, “The first of these tasks is to subdue and eliminate a group of casteless dwarves calling themselves the Bootknives. This organization is running a smuggling ring deep within the Pits but we have yet to root them out. They have proven... Elusive, to say the least. It is imperative that these Bootknives be dealt with in a prompt and fashionable manner. One befitting the name of the Lord Prince. Bring them to justice if you can. If you can't, then this casteless scum is better off dead. I wish you luck in your task.”   -----   The Pits   Arriving in the pits, you see that is little more than shanty shacks and refuse piles lying in the streets. Most of the buildings seem to be in an appalling state of disrepair. Nearby, a dwarven beggar (branded on the left side of his face) sits next to a shack, vying for coin.   He holds a rusted mug and calls out weakly, “Lumens for a casteless? Coin for a beggar?”   If the party gives the beggar coin, he can be found dead from stab wounds on their way back, lumens missing, and scattered on the ground in a haphazard fashion.   Nearby, a young dwarven female (branded on the left side of her face) holding a baby sits crying against a shanty shack. Approaching her she cries out, “You have to help me! I can't care for this child! Please take it!” Speaking with her reveals her to be named Frinda.   Acquiring more information she states, “I had this baby out of wedlock and was stripped of my caste for the crime I committed. If you could only talk to Lord Flintstone, maybe he could have my caste reinstated? I know it's a stretch, but I have to try! You'll find him somewhere in the Diamond Quarter. Please speak to him on my behalf and see what you can do.”   Nearby, a disreputable looking figure (branded on the left side of his face) in a cloak stands in an alleyway looking around shadily. As you draw near he calls out to you, “Wanna buy something? I've got the good stuff.”   If the party asks his name, he simply says, “Names don't matter when you're casteless.” If the party pressures him for a name, he will say, “I used to go by Gared Granitebender. But that was a long time ago. Now I've only got the dust to remind me who I was.”   If the party asks where he acquired 'the good stuff' he will tell them, “Information doesn't come cheap.” If the party pays him to tell them, he'll say he nicked the items from a caravan passing through the Pits.   If asked about the Bootknives, he'll respond, “I couldn't tell you anything, though I might be convinced for a few purchases.”   The goods on offer range from a small bag of dust (150 lumens) to a dwarven dagger (150 lumens), to a few healing potions. Two potions of greater healing (4d4+4) (40 lumens each) and one potion of poison (3d6 DC 13 vs poison) (40 lumens).   Buying things, he'll give the party several clues. He will tell the party that they are dangerous criminals and that it's rumoured that they employ assassins in their ranks with the first purchase. With the second purchase he will state that they accept only accept casteless dwarves into their ranks. With the third purchase he will inform the party that there's an abandoned shack in the deepest recesses of the Pits that he sees dwarves coming and going from frequently.   -----   Dark's Door   Approaching a small rundown building, you hear chatter and merriment from within. It sounds like some sort of tavern. Entering the establishment you see it's little more than a bar with a few tables and stools. A few patrons are scattered about the room, but none of them look overly interesting, nor interested in you for that matter.   Approaching the bar, the dwarven barkeep (branded on the left side of his face) walks over and asks, “Welcome to Dark's Door. What'll it be for the topsiders?”   If the party asks for information, he taps the mug to the counter twice indicating payment and says, “What kind of information are you looking for?”   The Bootknives - He says, “Don't go looking for trouble where you don't belong. If you're really keen on finding them though, there's an abandoned shack that I've heard people come and go from quite frequently.”   Password - If asked about a password to get into the hideout he will say, “The Pits are a dangerous place my friends. Don't go poking around where you don't belong. Or if you do, I'm sure some of the less savory type will be drawn to you like sparkflies to a glowshroom.”   Smuggling - If the party asks what the Bootknives are smuggling, Dark will reply, “You know, it could be anything. Or everything. Word on the streets though is that their main import and export is dust. Weapons too. Maybe they're getting ready for something big.”   Dust - Asking what dust is, Dark will say, “Honestly? The best damn stuff you'll ever get your hands on. Addictive stuff though, so be careful not to get hooked. It's created using glowstone, an ore that's been magically infused due to growing on top of a ley-line. It gets crushed down and refined to create the stuff.”   -----   The Abandoned Shack   Approaching the abandoned shack in the deepest recesses of the Pits, you see it is little more than an abandoned building built into the side of a cliff-face. As you draw closer, you see a rather disreputable looking dwarf enter the building. Waiting a few moments yields nothing, and no one leaves.   Entering the building, it looks like someone once lived here many many decades ago but left in rather a hurry. Clothes lie scattered about the floor, drawers sit open, cabinets look to be rummaged through, old crusted food sits caked on plates in the sink, and cracks in the walls portray that this home is much older than it appears from the outside.   A door leading deeper into what you can only assume to be a basement of some kind sits closed and locked. Investigation of the door reveals that it seems to be much newer than the rest of the establishment. Knocking at the door, a gruff voice calls back from the other side, “From here we start and here we return.”   If the party responds, “Dust.” the door will unlock and open revealing a small room with a winding staircase descending into unknown depths, along with a rather gruff looking dwarf (branded on the left side of his face). His eyes are a glossy and glassy white. He says, “You're free to head in.” before sitting back down on his stool.   If the party opts to kick down the door, it will require a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On the opposite side sits a rather gruff looking dwarf (branded on the left side of his face). His eyes are a glossy and glassy white. He is wide eyed and alert and draws a dagger, swinging wildly about the room saying, “Who goes there? You shouldn't be here! Leave now!”   If the dwarf is killed, no information is gained.   If the dwarf is subdued, some information can be gained from him with a successful DC 15 Persuasion or Intimidation check.   Leadership - Asking for information about the Bootknives' leadership will yield five names; the dwarf will state, “Should you seek out the leaders of the Bootknives, you'll be looking for five of the most dangerous criminals to ever become casteless. Shale Sunderstone, Beryl Bonebuckler, Ruby Runerock, Pearl Pebblepike, and Ember Earthshield.   Shale Sunderstone - Asking the dwarf about Shale, he will say, “Shale Sunderstone once served under the Enclave as a mercenary scout and assassin for hire. Should you meet him in battle don't turn your back even for a second.”   Beryl Bonebuckler - Asking about Beryl, he will state, “Beryl Bonebuckler was once a respected member of the Ironthal Army until he committed a heinous act that left him casteless. Stripped of his caste, he turned to a permanent life of crime and his own version of 'law enforcement' within the Pits.”   Ruby Runerock - Asking about Ruby, he says, “Ruby Runerock was a great cleric and priestess that served under the churches and guidance of the Great Dwarf and Stone-father, Moradin. She became casteless when it was discovered that she was taking bribes to fill the church's coffers. Though her cause was just, the law was unimpeded and unswayed.”   Pearl Pebblepike - Asking the dwarf about Pearl, he will state, “From what I have heard, Pearl Pebblepike was born to casteless parents, and as such has always been. I hear she's a ferocious warrior in her own right and could match the strengths of an onyx knight any day of the year.”   Ember Earthshield - Asking the dwarf about Ember, he will say, “Ember Earthshield was the son of a great caste of warriors and generals. No one knows for sure how he became casteless and no one is brave enough to find out anymore. The last three dwarves to ask all wound up with a mace to the face.”   What to Expect - Asking the dwarf what to expect deeper in the hideout, he says, “I wouldn't know, I've never been there. My only job is to guard this here door and to ensure only the proper password has entry.”   The Password - Asking the dwarf what the password is, he responds simply, “Dust.”   His Vision Loss - Asking the dwarf about his loss of vision he says, “I was unfortunately born this way. My family caste was also that of the Enclave's scribes, which requires vision so naturally I was seen as an affront to nature. I was cast aside at birth and made casteless for my... Defect. Growing up in the Pits wasn't so bad. It taught me to fend for and rely on myself.”   Falling in with the Bootknives - Asking the dwarf how he came to work for the Bootknives he says, “I assume they needed someone they could rely on for... Discretion. Being blind is a surefire way to ensure that. I was approached a few years ago at Dark's Door. I'm well taken care of, and the coin is good so I can't complain.”   What He'll Do Now - Asking the dwarf what he'll do after you defeat the Bootknives, he says, “I hadn't considered that yet, but I assume that after you kill everyone, I'll drink my coin away at Dark's Door. There's little else for a casteless dwarf like myself to do in the Pits.”   -----   The Bootknives Hideout   Descending the winding stairs into the depths of the unknown, you finally arrive in what appears to be small cellar. The east wall of the cellar has collapsed, leaving a hole leading into an unknown destination. (If the party was attacked by these assassins on their return visit to the Pits for poking around, they will not be here.)   You hear some chatter coming from beyond the hole.   “I'm telling you, we didn't get our full cut.”   “And I'm telling you we did. They wouldn't cut us out like that. Casteless as we are, we at least look out for each other.”   “Crest and Krull, maybe you're right. Perhaps I simply miscounted.”   A third voice laughs and says, “Sounds about right, after all, we all know you can't count past your own ten fingers and toes!”   Entering the next room you see it appears to be a natural cave of sorts, the three dwarves will attack on sight bearing little more than short-swords and daggers and can be put down without much effort (AC 14, 22 HP each). On the bodies can be found a slip with the word 'Dust' and a sum of lumens in the amount of 53.   The true challenge lies in the dwarven runner positioned near the bridge. At the first sign of trouble, he will begin moving to alert the Bootknives of an intruder in the hideout. If he is not subdued by the time he reaches the first bell, the Barracks will open and more Bootknives will join the fight; if he is not subdued before reaching the second bell, all Bootknives will be alerted to the Party's presence. The dwarven runner has a bandolier containing eight daggers (AC 16, 35 HP).   On the far side of the natural cave sits positioned a large set of double wide stone doors. Trying them reveals that they seem to be locked by some unseen mechanism. Their craftsmanship is remarkable and otherwise predates known architecture.   Looking into the next room it appears to be a massive cavern/chasm that spans nearly two hundred feet across and descends into an endless black pit below. A large stone bridge spans a length of forty feet before connecting to another airborne platform at which another bridge cuts off at a symmetrical angle. Halfway across the bridge you see a large pulley system connected to a massive set of bells. It appears to be the same on the other side.   On the next platform you can make out several figures and what looks to be a large ballista, which seems to be aimed into the center of the cavern at a massive crumbling dwarven statue holding a large staff or rod in it's right hand. The top left half, face, and hand of the statue is gone, having fallen into the abyss at some point long ago.   Arriving at the second platform, there is a large set of stone doors that are currently closed. You hear some noise coming from behind them (or if the dwarven runner managed to alert the first bell system, the doors will be open and reinforcements will be pouring out in an effort to fight back the party).   Looking across the chasm, you see another set of large stone doors on the third platform that sit closed, guarded by two Bootknives (AC 14, 22 hp each).   Opening the stone doors, you seem to be looking into some form of ancient temple that has been repurposed into a headquarters and you are met with the five Bootknife leaders. They each draw their weapons and Beryl Bonebreaker says, “You've made a grave mistake in coming here. Get 'em!” The five Bootknife leaders will fight to the death.   ROLL INITIATIVE   After killing the leadership of the Bootknives, each of their bodies contains a single mastercrafted dwarven key, each of which seems to fit an oddly shaped lock.   Aside from the keys found on the bodies, the room only bears a central war table containing indecipherable plans, several crates of smuggled weapons and things such as fine silks and gem stones and lastly, a small crate sits by its lonesome in the far corner of the room. Prying open the crate reveals a small supply of Dust.   On the war table sits several notes and pieces of parchment. One clearly reads, “No one is to access the lift exit without express permission from Ember. Until we can find a way to seal the fissure and keep out those... Things... No one, and I repeat NO ONE is to access the lift exit.”   Another parchment reads, “To whomever tried to break into the treasure room, if we catch you trying again, you'll be thrown into the abyss. The treasure hoard can only be accessed using our keys. If you want to keep something in there, please consult one of us.”   Leaving the room, you see a large staircase descending deeper into the chasm and down to a third platform. A collapsed bridge leads to another set of stone doors and an old weathered plank bridges the gap between the two sides.   Crossing the weathered plank requires a DC 12 Dexterity/Acrobatics check (or jumping the gap using a DC 12 Strength/Athletics check or a DC 12 Dexterity/Acrobatics check) and it can only hold the weight of 1 character at a time. If more than 1 character tries to walk on the plank at the same time, it will snap and break, falling into the endless chasm below.   Arriving on the other side you get a closer look at two incredibly ornately crafted stone doors complete with gold trim and finery. Some scratches can be seen surrounding the central locking mechanism, and a broken crowbar lies on the ground nearby. Inspecting the surrounding area, you find five strangely shaped holes in the walls and door.   Fitting the strange keys into them, you hear a resounding clicking sound and the stone doors slide open and apart, revealing the inner chamber.   The Treasure Room - This room seems to be filled with a stockpile of weapons and treasure. Most of what is in this room seems to predate the current era, going as far back as the first era.   Grimsever - The first item that you take note of is a battleaxe flecked with gold and what appears to be coagulated blood. Try as you might to scrub the bloodstains from the blade, they don't seem to come free. It deals 1d8 (1d10 versatile) and has runic inscriptions down the blade that equate in the dwarven language to Grimsever. This axe grants the wielder +2 to hit and +2 to damage rolls made with this weapon, and requires attunement. Additionally the wielder heals for half of the damage dealt when they strike a humanoid with this weapon.   Jewel - The next item that catches your attention is a bejeweled shield that looks almost entirely ceremonial. They way the gems are positioned makes the front of the shield very sharp and jagged. This shield grants +2 to AC when equipped, but it's true power shines when used as a weapon. Shield bashes deal an additional 1d4 damage. This shield requires attunement.   Loch - The next item found appears to be a simple iron band inset with a brilliant sapphire. A dwarven inscription on the inner lining of the ring reads, “As one with stone as water.” This ring grants the wielder the ability to breathe underwater, and requires attunement.   Treasure - Last of all you find treasure in the sum of 1337 lumens.   At the far end of the platform lies another set of stone doors that sit closed.   Opening the stone doors on the platform reveals an ascending staircase that goes about 30 feet upwards and stops abruptly, dropping into an endless pitch black chasm. A large metal crank is attached to the wall nearby. Looking into the darkness above you can make out large sets of chains and some kind of platform.   Pulling the crank, a horrendous grating sound echoes throughout the chasm and a large stone lift descends to meet you. Climbing onto the lift, it sways precariously. The large sets of chains holding it aloft seem to show rust in several sections. A large crank sits in the center of the platform, ready to be used.   Turning the crank, the platform begins to ascend slowly. Another smaller platform comes into view after you rise about 170 feet, revealing a large set of stone doors. A large somewhat rusted metal beam is positioned so as to lock and bar the doors from being opened from the opposite side. Something was clearly being kept in.   You can hear a faint scratching coming from the other side of the stone doors.   If the bar is removed and the doors are opened, the party is met with a rust monster and a Tarnished Terror.   ROLL INITIATIVE   The rust monster (AC 14, 27 Hit Points) makes two antennae attacks when using Antennae (DC 11 Dexterity saving throw). The tarnished terror (AC 16, 65 Hit Points) makes four antennae attacks when using Antennae (DC 14 Dexterity saving throw).   After the rust monster and tarnished terror are dead, it becomes apparent that this room was once a study of some kind. Several shelves line the southern walls and a small desk sits promptly in the center of the room with millennia old parchments scattered about it.   On the north wall, a large fissure leads into pitch black darkness. The east and west wall each bear two large stone cranks (four stone cranks in total) that will open a set of large stone doors inset into the west wall.   Investigating the parchments on the desk will reveal what appears to be part of a log of some kind.   “Day 112, The rumblings grow louder and more frequent.” “Day 126, A team was sent into the Deep Roads in an effort to seek out the source.” “Day 139, Still no reports from the team sent into the Deep Roads. Another quake.” “Day 144, Vast returned from the Deep Roads talking about some kind of device.” “Day 157, I have readied my things and am prepared to meet up with the expedition team.” “Day 159, The strongest quake to strike yet. I cannot be swayed; I must investigate further.”   The log entries end abruptly. The parchment log is signed and dated, Lorin Lazurite, First Era Shaperate.   -----   Diamond Quarter   Arriving in the Diamond Quarter, you see that many of the buildings are adorned with tapestries and are of similar design but show grand craftsmanship. Several buildings bear large gemstones in their forefront. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds of all kinds can be seen glimmering at the tops of buildings in this quarter and the state of wealth and nobility that's held here is readily apparent.   Many of the dwarves here are dressed in fine silks, and embroidered gowns and seem to exhibit a much higher class of mannerism and speech.   Nearby, you see a shop by the name of the Jewelforger's, another location called Gauntlgrym's and another place called Deeparmour's.   Lastly, you see a large stone building at the top of a rise that seems to be surrounded by patrons. A large stone sign depicts a slightly Tilted Tankard.   -----   Jewelforger's   Entering the establishment, you are met with a blindingly brilliant array of dazzling and sparkling gemstones in nearly every direction. The proprietor of the shop greets you saying, “Welcome to Jewelforger's, Jasper Jewelforge at your service. What brings you to my store today?”   Purchases - If asked about purchases he says, “I've a great many offerings for sale, from rubies to diamonds, jade to orichalcum, mithril to gold. Anything in particular you're looking for?”   The Star Fragment - Inspecting the All Encompassing Star Fragment, he exclaims, “Wherever in the realm did you find such a thing? This is incredible. I've only heard about this in myths and legends!” If the party asks if he can forge something out of the fragment he will state, “It would be my honor to work with this material, though I fear the secrets to working with it have been lost to the convergence. If you should manage to recover the secrets to working with such a material, I'd be more than happy to forge something out of it for you. As for where you should start looking, I'd say the ancient dwarven thaigs and forges of history past might hold some secrets.”   Sales - If asked about selling gems he will say, “I'll gladly appraise and buy your stones as well.”   -----   Gauntlgrym's   Entering the establishment, you see several rows of shields and dwarven armor hung upon the walls in a fine and organized manner.   The proprietor of the shop is a burly well dressed dwarf whom introduces himself, “Aleksandr Gauntlgrym, owner and proprietor of Gauntlgrym's. What can I do for you on this lovely day topsiders?”   Purchases - If asked about purchases he states, “I've a few things for sale, though I suspect most of my wares won't be of use to many of you, seeing as they are fitted for dwarves.”   The Tower (shield) – (800 lumens) This massive shield is made almost entirely of mithril ore and weighs nearly 60 lb. But offers superior protection when planted into the ground. The Tower grants +3 AC and full cover when planted firmly into the ground, but the wielder can no longer move. It is otherwise a normal +2 shield.   Gauntlgrym's Blade (shortsword) – (400 lumens) A fine short blade hangs against the back wall of the shop and has a small plaque underneath of it that reads 'My first blade'. It is of exquisite craftsmanship and grants +2 to hit and +2 to damage but is not considered magical for the purposes of calculating damage.   Link's Chain Vest (chainmail 17 or 19 AC) – (600 lumens) A somewhat small chain-link vest hangs on the wall to the right of the door. It could be made to fit someone other than a dwarf, although somewhat poorly. This vest offers dwarves +3 AC when worn. All others gain +1 AC when worn. This vest is considered armor for abilities like Unarmored Defense.   -----   Deeparmour's   Entering this establishment, you find that most of what is on display is finely embroidered gowns, fine silks, top notch clothing, and the like. You also see what looks to be soaps, lotions, fine oils and incense lining the corners and shelves of the room along with herbs and supplements of unknown origin.   A cheery voice greets you from behind the counter as a well dressed female dwarf says, “Welcome to Deeparmour's! Dagnamine Deeparmour's the name, and tailoring's the game! By the GREAT DWARF what is that SMELL? Is that you? We need to fix that ASAP!”   She lightly grabs Circe Birak by the pinky finger and drags him deeper into the establishment as she throws things into a basket. You hear her muttering under her breath the whole time, “Let's see... We'll need a TOP of the line shampoo. Limeroot for the grease. Shale shavings as an herbal supplement. Powdered emerald to add some shimmer and shine...”   Within minutes, Birak finds himself nearly naked and in a spa chair being pampered as Dagnamine applies some sort of powder to the scales around his face and crest of his neck.   Interrupting her yields a dagger like stare to which she responds, “You mean you aren't here for the deluxe spa package?”   -----   Deeparmour's   Another patron can be found being pampered in the establishment. Interacting with him will reveal him to be Lord Flintstone. He will continue on about his business if unpressured.   If the party brings up the woman in the Pits he will state, “I want nothing to do with her. She made her choices and the laws are clear. She is to remain casteless for her crime.”   If the party pressures him into (DC 15 Intimidation check) or reasons with him (DC 15 Persuasion check) to take the baby, he will say, “Perhaps you are right. The baby is victimless in this atrocity. Tell Frinda I will take the baby in and fight to give it caste. The only wish I will grant her is a name.”   If the party fails the check he will state, “I'm sorry but the Enclave's laws are clear. I cannot and will not take this bastard child. It could very well likely strip me of my caste, and that is not a risk I am willing to take.”   -----   The Tilted Tankard   Arriving at this establishment in the Diamond Quarter, you see that it seems to be privy to some of the Kingdom's most noble and elite dwarves. Many of them seem to be drinking themselves into merriment and a few even seem to be in a drunken stupor, though not so much that they can't hold their ale.   Stepping inside, you see that the walls are lined with finely embroidered tapestries depicting dwarven kings holding flagons of ale. Several dozen patrons fill the establishment and seem to be mostly minding their own business.   Approaching the bar, a bar maiden strolls down and sets down a few tankards of ale before asking, “Never seen you at the Tilted Tankard before topsiders. Lizzo Caskbreaker, barkeep extraordinaire. What'll it be; food, drink?”   A well dressed noble sits not far from you on a stool at the bar. You overhear Lizzo ask him, “Another refill Lord Abel?” as she walks past.   Lord Abel - Speaking to the well dressed dwarf, he is immediately dismissive of you, stating, “Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested.”   Only after stating that you're here on behalf of Gartan Slagstone or General Sarin Cindercrest due to his promissory note will he listen to you in full.   After revealing the 'scam', he will say, “And to think, the Lord Prince is supposed to be responsible for upholding our laws and traditions! Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll be sure to back the General in the upcoming election.”   If you reveal that the promissory note was falsified he will say, “That scoundrel! I knew that modernist couldn't be trusted. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll be switching my vote to the Lord Prince in the upcoming election.”   If the party returns to deliver the true promissory note, Lord Abel will state, “Politics, pfeh! I knew something was going on. I'll be sure to switch my vote at the first available chance.”   -----   The Pits   If the party returns to Frinda to report success she will say, “Yes, yes, I can't believe you managed to do it! Please, here take him. His name is Tuldar. Thank you. I don't have anything to give you except a mother's hope; I pray that's enough.”   If the party returns to Frinda to report failure she will say, “No! This can't be! There must be some other way! Please, you must take him! I can't do this alone!” and will attempt to pawn the baby off on the party.   If the party accepts her defeat, they will receive 1 dwarven babe in their inventory. If the party gives her lumens to survive, and returns to the pits at any point, they will discover that Frinda has fled with the money and left the baby on a nearby doorstep. Alternatively, the party can offer her a place in the village of River Vale (successful DC 15 Persuasion check required).   Regardless, if the party has poked around asking questions about the Bootknives, they will also be attacked by three Bootknife assassins on their way out of the Pits while potentially carrying the baby. These are the same Bootknife assassins that can be found upon entering the Bootknives Hideout the first time the party enters the area. If the party kills them here, they will not be in the entrance of the Hideout.   On the bodies can be found a slip with the word 'Dust' and a sum of lumens in the amount of 53.   -----   Iron Row   Arriving in Iron Row, you see that most buildings here are constructed in a fashion similar to miniature fortresses, though with far less amenities. These buildings are constructed almost entirely of metals with some stone showing through in minor sections of their construction.   Looking around you see a few shops and the like but nothing noteworthy or time worthy. One thing that does take your interest is what appears to be a building project in progress. It looks to be being overseen by a young dwarven noble in fine clothing.   A dwarf on top of the building shouts out, “How about here, Hane?”   As you draw closer, you overhear him issuing commands to a crew of builders and subordinates. “A little more to the left! Yes, yes good! There! Now that that's in place make sure you have your harnesses on. We don't need another casualty!”   Hane Pershing - Attempting to talk to Hane, he says, “Now's really not a good time, I have a lot of work to do, and many projects to oversee.”   If the party addresses the promissory note, he will say, “Oh, you're here for that? Well, I guess I have a few minutes.”   If the party reveals the 'scam', Hane will say, “By Crest and Krull! My money is being used for the Lord Prince to build his own estate? That sly son of a cockatrice. I'll be changing my vote to the General for sure. Thanks for letting me know at least.” He turns back towards his overseer position and begins to shout, “No, no! Not there! - Sorry I really need to go. These dwarves don't know which way is down sometimes.”   If the party reveals the promissory note to be falsified, Hane will say, “Moradin's braided beard! To stoop so low as to lie. That General is something else. I'll be sure to support the Lord Prince in the election, don't you worry.” He turns back towards his overseer position and begins to shout, “No, no! Not there! - Sorry I really need to go. These dwarves don't know which way is down sometimes.”   If the party returns to Iron Row to deliver the true promissory note, Hane will say, “The last one was a fake you say? I'll be sure to switch my vote as soon as I am able.”   -----   Stonetomb   Arriving at this location you see that appears to be a massive hall full of statues of dwarven kings and other notable dwarven figures of eras past. In addition it also appears to be their burial hall despite most dwarves being sent to the great beyond via a funeral pyre.   As you draw closer to the center of the hall, you can make out a large stone casket around which sits several dozen dwarves in quiet contemplation. You can only assume it to be the most recently deceased king, Krass Ironfell.   Smothered sobs fill the air around you as you move to another location within the hall and you see a rather well dressed dwarven woman hunched over a small plaque on the floor.   Shire Willow - As you draw closer she turns to look at you and says, “Ah, topsiders. Have you too come to grieve the loss of a friend or loved one?”   If the party says no, Shire will say, “Good, there's too much death in the world as it is.”   If the party says yes, Shire will say, “A shame, truly. If only we could all live on in the stone.”   If the party brings up the promissory note, Shire will say, “You interrupt my grief with this? I suppose we must all give up our mourning eventually.”   If the party reveals the 'scam', she will say, “Pathetic what people will do to take advantage of others. I'll be sure to change my vote for the General in the upcoming election. Thank you for letting me know about this. And thank you for helping me realize that I need to get back to the real world.”   If the party reveals that the promissory note was falsified, she will state, “I can't believe this, how dare Cindercrest try and take advantage of me in my current state. I'll be voting for the Lord Prince as soon as I can. Thank you for letting me know about this; and thank you for helping me realize how fragile our political alliances truly are.”   If the party returns to deliver the true promissory note, she will state, “Whatever do you mean you delivered a fake? So the Lord Prince was being truthful about my estate? I'll be sure to switch my vote as soon as I have the chance.”   -----   The Barracks   Returning to the barracks, you see Gartan Slagstone speaking to what looks to be a group of casteless. As you draw near, you hear him say, “It is imperative that you fight with honor in the name of the General. Once he has secured his position as King, your caste will be reinstated for your great efforts in this election.”   The group of casteless depart, leaving Gartan standing alone. He immediately takes notice of your arrival and asks, “How went the delivery of the promissory notes?”   If the party delivered the promissory notes successfully, Gartan will state, “Excellent. Good work. That brings us to the second task; that of the gladiatorial arena. It is in my hopes that you will participate in the General's name. Each bracket will hold a different fight, and the winner of the tournament will have a great deal of votes made in the favor of the candidate they represent. Each round a fight is held, a champion will be selected to represent a side in the solo tier fights. Additionally, there will be a chance to fight as a group in the group tier fights. You need only sign here to participate.”   He holds out a formal looking document that bears the crest of the Enclave.   -----   The Palace Proper   Returning to the palace, you see Burbek Boulderbelt talking amongst a group of what looks to be mercenaries of some kind. As you draw near, you over hear him say, “It is your duty to ensure that these casteless scum don't win this tournament and are put back in their proper places. In the name of the Lord Prince, make sure these honorless scur know that the only place they belong is the Pits.”   The group of mercenaries departs, leaving Burbek standing alone. He turns towards Erias and says, “Is it done? Are the Bootknives dealt with?”   If the party dealt with the Bootknives successfully, Burbek will say, “Fantastic. A fine job. That brings us to the second task; the gladiatorial tournament arena. It would be a great honor for you to fight in the Lord Prince's name. Each bracket will hold a different fight, and the winner of the tournament will have a great deal of votes made in the favor of the candidate they represent. Each round a fight is held, a champion will be selected to represent a side in the solo tier fights. Additionally, there will be a chance to fight as a group in the group tier fights. You need only sign here to participate.”   He holds out a formal looking document that bears the crest of the Enclave.   -----   The Hollow   The Rules - To win you must outlast your opponent, meaning to the point of the bloodied status (half health). All fights must be fought with honor in the name of your chosen candidate. In the group fights, one side wins when no opponents are left standing. Lastly, there's no cheating or outside interference once the fight has begun.   Stepping into the arena, the chants of dwarves and the beating of hundreds of drums begin to surround you. The gates to your cell slowly begin to rise, chains clanking and clattering against stone. Across the arena, your opponent comes into view.   If siding with the Lord Prince and fighting the Casteless - Your opponent bears a large brand on the left side of his face and a small scar on the other. He hefts his weapon closer towards his body in an effort to seem imposing. You each step into the arena as a loud horn blows to signify the start of the battle.   If siding with the General and fighting the Ironthal Army - Your opponent wears a large suit of finely made armor emblazoned with the crest of the Lord Prince. He holds his weapon most skillfully and shouts in dwarven, “For my Lord!”. You each step into the arena as a loud horn sounds to signify the start of the battle.   During the last fight, whether it be a solo fight or group fight, a massive quake will rock the foundations of the Hollow, sending several hundred viewers of the event into a panic.   The Herald will announce, “There's no need to panic, everyone please return to your seats. As you were. In the name of your honored candidates, let the fight proceed!”   During this fight, stalactites will begin falling from the ceiling on a 21x21 grid and covering a 15x15 ft area (deployed much like battleship). If a combatant is under the falling stalactites they must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 3d10 bludgeoning damage and become stunned until the end of their next turn.   -----   Winning the Tournament - Upon finishing the tournament regardless of placement, each representative will have things to say to the party.   Gartan Slagstone - If the party wins the tournament, Gartan will state, “Incredible work you've done! That'll be sure to show people who has your loyalty. We already have political backers lining up to sign for the election in the General's name!”   If the party does not win the tournament, Gartan will say, “You did well. Even though a win wasn't secured, you still showed your support for the General in an honorable way. There's no such thing as bad publicity.”   Burbek Boulderbelt - If the party wins the tournament, Burbek will state, “A fine job! Your righteous victory is sure to show the people whom you support. With your divine light at his back, the Lord Prince is sure to win this election. Votes are already being swayed in his favor. Seek me out at the Barracks when you are ready for the next task.”   If the party does not win the tournament, Burbek will say, “A shame, truly, that you didn't win the tournament. I'm sure you still secured a great many votes using this platform, though. Your appearance in the arena alone has swayed voters' standing. Come find me at the Palace Proper when you are ready to take on the next task.”   -----   The Barracks   Returning to the barracks, Gartan Slagstone waits readily by, almost looking eager to give instructions to your next task. As you approach he says, “I've gained word of a group of casteless criminals smuggling weapons throughout the Pits and we're keen to stop them. Seek them out and eliminate their operation. Once you've completed this task you should be well on your way to speaking face to face with the General.”   If the Bootknives have already been eliminated via the second task for Burbek Boulderbelt, Gartan will say, “Well look at you! One step ahead all the while, eh? That brings us to the last task; the retrieval of an ancient and prized gemstone known among the dwarves as Gal'inad (translates roughly as The Unity). What little is known of the stone is documented and written about in our texts and scriptures dating all the way back to the first era. Something about it being the source of all dwarven souls or some thing like that. It has since been lost to the Deep Roads. Securing such an artifact on his behalf would be a sure win for the General.”   He hands you a map showing an entrance located through the Earthworks Forge.   -----   The Palace Proper   Returning to the palace proper, Burbek Boulderbelt greets Erias upon arrival, and holds several stone tablets in his hands. As you join his position he states, “As your next task, I would ask that you deliver these promissory notes on behalf of the Lord Prince. They belong to three high profile clients located throughout the city and hold highly important details on estates that they were promised by the Lord Prince. Upon completing this task, you'll be one step closer to gaining audience with the Lord Prince. You'll want to find Hane Pershing, Shire Willow, and Lord Abel.”   If the party has already delivered the fake promissory notes via the first task for Gartan Slagstone and tells Burbek, he will say, “What do you mean you've delivered these already...? Wait, that means... By Crest and Krull, you delivered fakes! You must rectify this immediately! Take these and deliver them and explain yourselves then return to me for your next task.”   If the party has yet to deliver the fake promissory notes via the first task for Gartan Slagstone, Burbek Boulderbelt will say, “Hane Pershing can generally be found in Iron Row overseeing various projects, Shire Willow still grieves the loss of her father, and Lord Abel frequents the shops and taverns of the City. Seek them out and return to me when the task is complete.”   Returning to Burbek with the task complete, he will state, “Now that you've completed the third task, that brings us to the fourth and final. The retrieval of Gal'inad (translates roughly as The Unity). Securing this artifact would be a sure-fire way to not only show your support for the Lord Prince but to cement his path to victory. The only problem is that the stone has been lost in the Deep Roads since before time. But I'm sure that's no problem for the likes of you and yours.”   He hands you a map showing an entrance located through the Pits.   -----   The Deep Roads   Delving into the Deep Roads with your trusted map in hand, things immediately begin to go awry as you begin to find passages that dead end, and completely new passages exposed by the quake. Trying to make sense of your map, you eventually find your bearings and descend into the darkness of the earthen maze.   -----   The Earthworks Forge   Your first stop on your descent into the Stonemaze is the Earthworks Forge. Arriving at this location you are instantly met with a vast sprawling network of tunnels and bridges, which span over lava floes. Much to your surprise, a great many dwarves are still posted in this location, either on guard or going about their assigned duties.   The quake clearly caused a great deal of destruction; bridges now lead to nowhere, and large boulders and stalactites have fallen from the cavern above.   As you draw near you see a great number of dwarves scurrying into position around a fallen rock, which has pinned another dwarf. He screams out, “I can-nae feel my legs! You have to get me out of here! Help!”   The dwarves all shout in unison, “Lift!” but it doesn't seem to be enough.   If the party intervenes a group Strength check of DC 50 or more is required to lift the boulder.   If the party is unsuccessful in lifting the boulder, the dwarf will, sadly, be left to his fate.   If the dwarf is freed he will have no use of his legs but a successful DC 15 Medicine check or a lesser restoration spell will restore him.   If the party is unsuccessful, the dwarf will be carried off to the infirmary.   The lead dwarf of the Earthworks will approach your party and say, “Zorin Lavalance. It's a good thing you're here, we've lost a lot of structural integrity and we're losing more as we speak. Many were injured in the last quake and I don't have anyone to spare to check the integrity of the surrounding area. If you'd be so kind as to report what you find back to me, it would be greatly appreciated.”   The party must make five Intelligence (Investigation) checks of increasing difficulty.   The arches – DC 7 The bridge – DC 9 The forge – DC 11 The stairs – DC 13 The destroyed bridge – DC 15   If the party is successful on all five checks and reports back to Zorin Lavalance he will give the party a family heirloom ring in his possession. This ring is magical and is inscribed with the dwarven proverb, 'Still as Stone'. This ring grants the wearer the stability buff giving them advantage on effects that would knock them prone. This ring requires attunement. The ring is called Stability.   -----   The Stonemaze's Great Hall   Arriving in the entrance of the Great Hall, you see what looks to be a sort of camp set up. Several dwarves dressed in heavy armors stride back and forth on patrol as a more senior and official looking dwarf oversees orders. He bears a large brand on the left side of his face, as do several of the dwarves in his employ.   Approaching his position he greets you, “Brass Shardalon, lieutenant of the Dead Caste. What brings you to my domain?”   If the party brings up the Gal'inad, he will laugh and say, “That old myth? You'd be better off trying to find a Kruthik hive in all this mess. Regardless, I wish you luck. You're certainly going to need it if you're delving into the Deeps.”   If the party asks about his casteless status he states, “What better way to earn my glory than to fight and die in the Deep Roads? We aren't formally employed by anyone, though the General has shown his support for our cause.”   If the party asks about the dangers that lurk below he will state, “All kinds of denizens lurk within the Deep Roads of the Stonemaze, most of them deadly. If it isn't the twisted and malformed Duergar, or the malicious and mean-spirited drow, you're likely to wind up being the food of some other twisted creature. Watch your backs. And your fronts. And mind your arms and legs. And don't go sticking your fingers or toes in anything strange looking.”   He will also tell the party, “If you need supplies, come back here to stock up. We don't have much, but we're willing to share for a price.”   As the party departs, he will say, “Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, some of my troops have gotten separated on our exploration of the ruins. If you find any of them, please bring them back. Only Moradin knows where they might be now.”   He waves his hand and the few dwarves making up his company and blocking the entrance into the Stonemaze deftly step aside, allowing you access to the ruins.   -----   Stonemaze – Floor 1   North – Caridin's Cross – Lift to Floor 4 Once the central traverse to all parts of the dwarven kingdom, it now sits in complete disrepair; collapsed tunnels prevent access west where you can see the start of a set of stairs, and a large set of stone doors sit positioned in the north east wall of the tunnel.   Trying the doors reveals that they are locked by some unseen mechanism. Another tunnel leads east into a dark cavern, and the northern passage leads into an open area with two large stone doors and a small collapsed tunnel leading west.   West through the North Tunnel – The Perilous Passage This passage looks rather precarious and is a rather tight squeeze, but it isn't impossible to fit through. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the tunnel is perilous and that falling rocks could possibly block the path back if anyone were to go through.   North – The Assembly Hall Opening these massive stone doors reveals what appears to have once been an assembly hall of some kind, or perhaps a throne room. You see a short figure on the far side of the room walking back and forth with several objects in his hands, as well as several small barrels and kegs along the east wall. As you enter the room you see that it is dimly lit by torches holstered on the walls and the figure turns to look toward your location. It appears to be a casteless dwarf wearing dark dyed leathers.   As you draw closer he says, “You don't look like no creature of the deep.”   If the party asks what he's doing here, he introduces himself, “Brim Blastmoore, explosives expert and ordinance keeper of the Dead Caste. I got separated from my expedition. Since you're here though you might be able to help me with something. See those there explosives? I'm trying to take out an Ankheg nest down this here passageway. Help assist me and there might be something in it for you.”   If the party asks what needs doing, he will state, “Take these kegs and place them around the nest. Light up the fuses and you should have a good 25 seconds or so to clear the area before the big boom takes them all out. Watch out though, I'm sure it'll piss off whatever manages to survive.”   If the party has already cleared the Ankheg nest, their task will become significantly easier, as all they have left to do is place the bombs and light the fuses. If the party has not cleared the Ankheg nest, their task will be slightly more challenging. Any Ankheg's caught in the blast will suffer 2d10+5 force damage and 2d10+5 fire damage. If any party member does not manage to escape the blast zone in time, they must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) saving throw or suffer the same damage. A successful save results in half damage.   Returning to Brim Blastmoore, he will laugh heartily and say, “I heard- and felt that explosion from here! I won't even ask if it's done. I'm sure those Ankheg's- and their nest, are crispy crittered. Here, for your troubles. Oh, and if you find Zulft Shattershaft or Chrona Lightlink, tell them to head back; we got separated on the lower levels.”   Brim Blastmoore will give the party 1 explosive keg.   West – The Temple If the party backtracks to the Entrance, a passage leading west can be found behind a closed door on the west wall. The east wall bears a similar door but leads only to a small supply closet wherein can be found old and weathered brooms, mops, pickaxes and the like. Heading west through this passage reveals a small and narrow set of stairs that leads to an open cavern containing the remains of what was once a construction site of some kind. A successful DC 15 Investigation check reveals that it looks like the dwarves were in the process of building some kind of temple, though the statue does not look dwarven. It's features are tall and lithe and have a kind of beauty and grace to it.   North from the Temple – The Kruthik Hive A small passage leads to a 10 foot drop onto a platform within a large open cavern filled with boreholes and small maze-like passages. This platform drops another 20 feet or so onto the floor of the cavern but a weathered ladder hangs nearby.   Investigating the ladder (DC 12 Investigation check) reveals it is too weathered to support any sufficient amount of weight (a player character) but if they insist on trying to use it, it will snap, sending whomever is on it tumbling 20 feet to the cavern floor below.   When and if the party arrives at the cavern's lowest central point (the stairs), a screeching hiss can be heard echo through the cavern, and a swarm of Kruthiks will attack. Swarming from the boreholes and crevices of the cave, the party is quickly outnumbered.   ROLL INITIATIVE   The party will be swarmed by 8 Kruthiks, 2 adult Kruthiks, and 1 Kruthik Hive Lord, which will all take their turns on the same initiative.   When combat is resolved, or if the party decides to run, the path leading out of the cavern leads to a set of stairs descending downward or another cavern on the opposite side of the perilous passage leading to a large set of stone doors.   North from the Kruthik Hive – The Trench Opening this large set of stone doors reveals a perfectly cylindrical room in the center of which lies a perfect hole. The hole spans about 15 feet across and descends into utter blackness. It almost seems to draw you into it. No noise can be heard from within. Dropping a torch down the hole reveals another floor some 40 feet down for a brief second, and then the torch continues on into darkness. It descends until you can no longer see it.   East – The Shroom Room Traveling east into the dark cavern you begin to make out the faintest bio-luminescent blue and purple glow. If the party is traveling with a torch, the glow cannot but seen, but the inner contents of the room look faintly like humanoid figures, each standing about 4 to 7 feet tall with strange tentacles sprouting from their backs. Drawing closer you see that they appear to be mushrooms of varying shades and hues. A fine coat of powdery mushrooms tuft and cover the floors and walls of this cavern. On the far side of the cavern, a fissure within the wall leads into darkness (Fissure to Floor 3 – The Trophy Room).   If the party enters the room with a torch a piercing shriek will begin to emanate from the location audible out to 300 feet, alerting several nearby ankheg's (3) which will swarm the room from the north passage on the following turn.   ROLL INITIATIVE   This fight is fairly straightforward; the ankheg's will make attacks on the closest available targets once in the room. The true struggle however lies in the various mushrooms and spores that infest this cavern. Three violet fungus's are positioned around the outskirts of the room and will slowly move inward to use rotting touch attacks on anyone nearby. Meanwhile the shrieker will continue to alert ankheg's to the party's presence, summoning an additional 1 per round until silenced or killed. Additionally while the shrieker shrieks, spells with a verbal component have an automatic 15% chance of spell failure due to its obnoxious shrieking, and anyone maintaining concentration on a spell rolls at disadvantage to do so.   North from the Shroom Room – The Ankheg Nest Somewhere in the passages beyond you can hear the faint sound of chittering and scratching. As you make your way through these passages and halls you take note of large bulbous growths that look to be erupting from the stone. A successful DC 14 Nature check reveals these to be the nests and eggs of the Ankheg. A busted passage through a wall leads into a large cavern where several Ankheg lie in an almost dormant state.   If the party traversed the Shroom Room and set off the Shrieker, these Ankheg will be actively moving throughout the cavern. The party can back away from the cavern without drawing their attentions by making a successful DC 10 Stealth check.   South from the Shroom Room – The Lift and Stairs Traveling south from the mushroom filled cavern you arrive in a small rounded room. A passage leading east has long since crumbled and now leads to nowhere. To the west descends two flights of stairs with unlit braziers. A lone stone door sits in the south wall. Opening this door reveals a lift supported by four massive chains with a large central crank mechanism that looks like it takes four people to operate.   -----   Stonemaze – Floor 2   The West Stair – The Chasm Descending these stairs you arrive at a massive chasm spanning roughly 100 feet across, the length of which is spanned by a 20 foot wide bridge. About 50 feet across the bridge has crumbled into the abyss below. Two large pillars on either side of the bridge stand tall, reaching into the darkness above.   A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that a pillar could be toppled using enough force and the angle it would land would allow you to cross successfully.   You swear that two shadowy figures can be seen in the darkness beyond your torchlight. If the party lingers for a minute or more, two arrows will be fired from the darkness at the party.   If the party uses the explosive keg to topple the pillar, two drow (AC 12 and 13 hit points) will come out of the darkness and attempt to fight the party back while two more (AC 12 and 13 hit points) rain arrows from the far side of the bridge.   Concluding battle, you can see a set of stairs descending into the darkness on your left. A large stone plaque above the archway reads, 'Tharg Kylkith'. Behind you, a tunnel leads about 70 feet before breaking off to the right in a collapse. About halfway down this tunnel on the right side is a set of stone doors that sit closed.   West from the Chasm – Tharg Kylkith Descending the stairs you arrive at a large set of stone doors that sit closed. Opening them reveals a massive chamber beyond, in which you can make out several dark figures in the distance.   Several drow seem to be kneeling before a singular figure sitting upon a throne. The figure rises and points towards the door commanding the creatures in an unknown language, to which several of the figures stand and turn, drawing their weapons.   This room contains one Drow House Captain with an AC of 16 and 162 hit points. This room also contains eight Drow with an AC of 12 and 13 hit points.   East from the Chasm – The Trench Opening this large set of stone doors reveals a perfectly cylindrical room in the center of which lies a perfect hole. The hole spans about 15 feet across and descends into utter blackness. It almost seems to draw you into it. No noise can be heard from within. Dropping a torch down the hole reveals another floor some 40 feet down for a brief second, and then the torch continues on into darkness. It descends until you can no longer see it. On the opposite side of the room in a small alcove lies another set of stone doors.   East from the Trench – The Nameless Cavern Proceeding east through a small crumbling gap in the wall, you enter an open and spacious cavern. To the south a large rock formation conceals a passageway descending into darkness. Lying in the center of this cavern sits a large metal beam about seven feet long and three feet wide. To the east, the cavern opens up into a large room that looks to have once been an armory of sorts.   East from the Nameless Cavern – The Armory As you draw closer to the armory you make out the sounds of metal being knocked over and clattering about the floor. Peering into the room, you see a large rust mottled monster with four antennae like appendages scouring the room for sources of metal. The room contains 1 Tarnished Terror (AC 16, 65 hit points). Beyond the creature you see a large set of stone doors bound in iron and steel that sit closed.   ROLL INITIATIVE   While the Tarnished Terror can be sated with any metal object (like the metal beam from the nameless cavern), it is far better to remove the threat.   East from the Armory – The Stone Forge Opening up these doors you are looking into a large ovoid room which bears a walkway leading down and around to a lower platform. A large lava floe extends from one side of the room to the other and a small bridge crosses the floe to a large anvil and other machinery and equipment that you aren't quite sure of the use for.   A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that several small fragments of crystalline powder and dust are left as residual residue on the forge.   A small stone desk sits at the back of the room accompanied by a stone chair. Atop the desk sits an iron and gold bound book entitled, 'The Secrets of Stoneforge'. As soon as you touch the book, a loud hissing sound emanates from the lava floe; as steam ruptures forth, two lava elementals spring forth from the floe.   ROLL INITIATIVE   The lava elementals have an AC of 13 and 35 hit points each.   Within, the book is written in an ancient and primal dwarven dialect that will take some time to decipher, but from what you can see there are drawings and sketches of what look like crystal star fragments and artifacts of equal worth.   One page contains drawings of a key, a cylinder, an orb, two mirrors, a ring and a crystal circlet. This may be of some interest to Jasper Jewelforge.   South from the Trench – The Hall of Kings Opening these doors you are looking into a large room that spans about 90 feet in length and is 30 feet across. In the darkness beyond, you swear you see three small figures moving about.   Upon entering the room these figures shout orders in an unknown language (“Intruders! Kill them!”) before charging the party.   ROLL INITIATIVE   These Duergar underlings have an AC of 14 and have 20 hit points each.   On each side of the room are large dwarven statues depicting previous rulers and kings, each bearing a plaque. No two statues look alike, and several are crumbling. In order of oldest to newest, the plaques read as follows:   King Shard Hammerfist King Brignar Ironhammer King Folin Cinderfell King Slag Midcrest King Brill Ridrock King Erimund Ironfell   Towards the end of the hall is a passage leading east, containing a set of stone doors. At the end of this large room is a large set of stone doors that sit slightly ajar. Loud noises are coming from beyond them.   South from the Hall of Kings – The Throne Room Looking in through these doors you are viewing a massive room lined with tall pillars that reach towards the ceiling.   Several duergar are scattered throughout the room. It doesn't seem like your previous combat alerted them to your presence. Some sort of machine approaches one of the pillars and its arm draws back, before pounding forward into the pillar, sending a large chunk of the pillar flying outwards and onto the ground. It looks as though the machine is rearing back for another strike as another dark skinned dwarf walks out of a set of doors on the west side of the room.   This duergar is dressed in heavy plate mail and is carrying a shield. He barks orders in a guttural language (“Hurry up. I don't want to be here when this all comes down.”) before several more duergar enter the room alongside him.   If the party enters the room with a torch, all duergar will be alerted to their presence immediately.   ROLL INITIATIVE   This fight revolves around a central mechanic. The Duergar Hammerer will spend it's turns trying to take out the eight pillars throughout the room. Each pillar has an AC of 14 and has 15-20 hit points. If all 8 pillars are destroyed the entire room collapses dealing 10d10+10 bludgeoning damage to all targets within and sending them reeling onto floor 3 of the Stonemaze.   The three Duergar underlings have an AC of 16 and have 29 hit points. The Duergar Hammerer machine has an AC of 17 and has 186 hit points. The Duergar Warlord has an AC of 20 and has 116 hit points.   Pillar 1 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 2 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 3 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 4 – AC 14, and 07 hit points Pillar 5 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 6 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 7 – AC 14, and 20 hit points Pillar 8 – AC 14, and 20 hit points   If the room caves in, all members of the party (and any remaining combatants) will wind up on floor 3 of the Stonemaze, situated between the Food Supply and the Cracked Cavern. If this is the case, the party will have to climb back up to floor 2 from another location and make their way around the collapsed edges of the room in order to reach the throne/treasure vault.   After combat has concluded by killing all Duergar combatants, a large set of stone doors can be seen on the west wall, as well as a large throne situated atop several raised platforms on the south wall. The throne is gilt in gold and is of master craftsmanship.   A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Stonecunning check reveals a small brick at the base of the back of the throne that can be pushed in to reveal a secret door on the east wall.   West from the Throne Room – The War Room Approaching these stone doors, they sit slightly ajar. No noise comes from beyond. Looking in, you see a large stone table spanning the length of 40 feet. Surrounding it are several finely crafted stone chairs. This looks to have been some type of meeting room or war room.   Documents of eras past lay on top of the table, some crumbled with age, others waiting eagerly to be read. They look to be tenets and treatises of the Battle of Three Peaks, the long standing dwarven-elven war that once claimed much of Raslun's Spine, and Old Falconspire. Touching a few of the documents, they crumble immediately, so time worn are they that they can't even withstand being moved.   The only other thing in this room appears to be a fissure in the north wall, descending into the darkness.   East from the Throne Room – The Treasure Vault Opening the secret passageway, you are looking into a small hallway that proceeds about 40 feet and comes to a dead end. Another passage breaks off to the right, where you can see stairs ascending, but ends in collapse and rubble. On the north wall, a grand set of gold trimmed doors can be seen.   Approaching the doors, you note that they are inscribed in an ancient dialect of dwarven (see accompanying puzzle card), 'He who claims his kingship knows, where in his glory power grows, in this place in this great hall, does consume the power's call'.   Only upon solving the ancient dialect puzzle and it being read, can the doors be opened, revealing the treasure that lies within. The inside of this room is rather small but a vast horde of wealth can be found.   The first thing that can be found is several bars (10) of solid gold amounting to 2000 lumens. Each bar weighs about 25 pounds.   The next thing that can be found sits readily by on what appears to be a coat rack. A finely crafted bag hangs loosely, ready to take. It is embroidered with several different colored fabrics and has what appears to be a faintly smiling face looking back at you. This is a bag of holding.   A cloak hangs on the rack as well, ready to be worn. It appears unremarkable aside from being trimmed in gold. This cloak grants the wearer the Fast Hands feat when worn. This item requires attunement.   In the center of the room appears to be a large dais with a single sword stuck in it.   A successful DC 15 History check on the blade reveals that Ironfell was once used in the long and bloody Battle of Three Peaks, in which it was used to cut down hundreds of elves by the very dwarf it was named after. The blade requires attunement and gives the wielder +5 damage against elves of any kind.   Lastly, a small shelf in the corner holds a single bulbous potion bottle filled with a viscous black liquid. It is stoppered with a golden cap shaped like a dragon. Unstoppering the vial reveals a pungent smell, like that of freshly cut grass and harvested mushrooms. The cork refuses to refit the vial. The drinker of this potion permanently gains +1 to their Constitution score to a maximum of 18.   The East Stair – Onnam's Cross Heading down the east stairway, you arrive in a large cavernous chamber with a central cross section leading in all directions. Heading north reveals the armory. Heading west reveals the Hall of Kings. The bridge east has crumbled into the abyss below, but could easily be traversed with a beam or plank (such as the one from the nameless cavern).   East from Onnam's Cross – To Tharg Zakun Arriving at the stairway east, you see that it descends into the darkness below. Above the archway an ancient and weathered plaque reads, 'Tharg Zakun'.   East from Onnam's Cross – Tharg Zakun Proceeding into the ruins of this half buried tharg, you hear a loud pounding sound, like metal against stone. As you draw closer to the large set of stone doors descending deeper, the ground and walls rattle and shake.   Opening these doors reveals three small robed figures kneeling before a larger figure sitting on a throne. They look out at you with glowing white eyes then immediately vanish. Further in the room is a large machine which pummels a stone pillar repeatedly, collapsing it.   This room contains one Duergar Master Manipulator with an AC of 17 and 227 hit points. This room also contains three Duergar Mind Masters with an AC of 14 and 39 hit points. This room also contains one Duergar Hammerer with an AC of 17 and 73 hit points.   -----   Stonemaze – Floor 3   Fissure to Floor 3 – The Trophy Room Heading through the fissure in the shroom room and descending into the darkness, you are spit out in a small alcove across from what appears to be a war chariot.   You hear noise from within the room. Muffled speech can be heard but cannot be understood. “Sen ennik fra urzlu.” You hear weapons drawn.   If the party waits a moment, the footsteps recede slightly, but the room remains silent.   If the party enters the room, they see 3 drow, weapons drawn, ready for combat.   ROLL INITIATIVE   One Drow Elite Warrior, one Drow Mage, and one Drow Shadowblade await combat and will do everything they can to kill the intruding party.   The Drow Shadowblade has an AC of 17 and has 132 hit points. The Drow Elite Warrior has an AC of 18 and has 74 hit points. The Drow Mage has an AC of 12 (15 with mage armor) and 43 hit points.   When battle has concluded the party can finally get a look at the artifacts stored in this room. It appears to be a trophy room of sorts.   Starting at the left side of the room moving right, the objects contained are:   A tooth necklace (A DC 15 Investigation, Intelligence check reveals that they appear to be goblin teeth) An Ornate Elven Horn (It appears to be from the first era and depicts a war of some kind) A Demon Skull (Unsure exactly what demon it comes from, it watches you eerily as you stroll by) Ornate Elven Armor (A single puncture wound is apparent right through the heart) Dragon Scales (They shimmer in the dim light, and almost have a crystal hue) A Blacksmith's Hammer (The handle is engraved with the name Thurmil) A War Chariot (Gilded with gold, it is of old elven make and design and appears well used)   Looking at the objects, they all appear to be on pressure plates of some kind. Making a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, you see no signs of traps or otherwise in the walls or floor of this room.   A passageway leading west out of the room lies blocked by rubble and debris but could be cleared with enough force. If the party uses the explosive keg obtained from Brim Blastmoore on this rubble, it will clear the path to the Cracked Cavern.   Heading North from the Trophy Room – The Drafting/Architect's Room Stepping into the room you see two large stone tables filled with parchments and scrolls. Drawing closer you see that they seem to be construction drafts of buildings and rooms yet to be, as well as structural integrity reports. Several stone chairs sit idly by.   Racks and shelves on the walls contain bundles of rope, small wooden planks, pickaxes, drawing supplies such as charcoal and chalk, and leaning in one corner of the room is a large wooden beam.   A large set of stone doors lead from the north side of this room into the unknown beyond.   Heading North from the Drafting/Architect's Room – The Natural Springs/Sauna Opening these doors reveals a massive cave in which you hear the sounds of running water. Entering the room you see that it appears to be filled with natural springs and wells of still water. A thick misted fog roils through the room in all directions, obscuring your vision.   Small waterfalls pour into the pools from the cave walls surrounding the edges of the room. Large stalagmites reach for the ceiling and stalactites hang dangerously above you like icicles.   Entering the room, everyone makes a DC 16 Perception check. Anyone that meets the check gets the eerie sense of being watched.   This room contains four piercers, two cave fishers, and one roper.   Upon reaching the center of the room, the roper will make itself known, attacking from the ceiling above. The piercers will drop on anyone that is unlucky enough to walk into their spaces. The cave fishers will take advantage of the chaos caused by the roper in order to try and pick off straggling targets with filament and the like.   ROLL INITIATIVE   The Piercers have an AC of 15 and have 22 hit points each. The Roper has an AC of 20 and has 93 hit points. The Cave Fishers have an AC of 16 and have 58 hit points each.   On the far side of the room can be made out a large set of stone doors set into the west wall.   Heading West from the Natural Springs/Sauna – The Infirmary Opening these doors, you seem to be looking into some kind of infirmary or medical room. Several small stone beds line the walls on either side of the room, and small stone shelves bear poultices and salves that look almost black.   If the party decides to take these, they are Deep Salves made with mushrooms from the fungal abode. When applied, they heal the target 1d10+5 per round for 1d4+1 rounds. When used outside of combat, the healing is immediate.   There are four within the room. Additionally, bandages and other medical supplies like splints and gauze, needles and thread and various disinfectants can be found.   Another large set of stone doors leads west out of this room, but sit closed.   Heading West from the Infirmary – The Morgue These doors open up into a large room that bears two stone platforms that look tinged red. Several sections in the walls have gaps that look as if the stone slides out of place. A large set of stone doors leads north out of this room as does another set leading west. Both sit closed.   A DC 12 Religion check reveals that the platforms in the center of the room look almost sacrificial.   Checking the stone slots in the walls, you find small bricks which can be pushed in near each gap.   Pressing a brick slides out the section of wall near each gap, revealing a small stone tray, large enough for a dwarven body.   Two of these trays contain the remains of millennia old dwarves. They look to have been embalmed, which is strange, considering most dwarves are usually given back to the stone by way of a funeral pyre.   Heading South from the Morgue – The Summoning Circle Opening the southern doors, you are looking into a 50 foot hallway that swings west. The hallway is dimly lit by braziers on either side. About 35 feet down the hallway on the east side, there is a large hole in the wall leading into a large cavern.   Proceeding down the west hallway, there is a large set of stone doors that sit slightly ajar. You hear an ominous chanting coming from within. Peeking into the room reveals six robed figures chanting around a central figure.   After a few moments, a terrible screech comes from within the room and the central figure shape-shifts into a hideous spider-like creature.   Opening the doors reveals several drow, which immediately draw their weapons.   ROLL INITIATIVE   This room contains one Drow Arachnomancer with an AC of 15 and 162 hit points. This room also contains six Drow Chanters with an AC of 12 and 24 hit points each.   Heading East from the Summoning Circle – The Cracked Cavern Heading into this large cavern, you see a large fissure in the floor. Looking down into the fissure you see a platform about 20 feet down. Another ledge drops down 20 feet slightly to the right before leading to a third 20 foot drop.   If the party enters they will wind up in the Descent.   The cavern stretches north where a crevice ascends into darkness and east where a large pile of rubble sits, blocking the passage east.   You realize that this path could be cleared using an object with enough force. If the party uses the explosive powder keg obtained from Brim Blastmoore, it will clear the path to the Trophy Room.   Heading West from the Morgue – Storage Opening the western door, you seem to be looking into a 15 foot wide hallway that cuts right. On the left side is a small stone door. Proceeding further into the hall reveals that it has recently collapsed. Opening the small stone door, you are looking into a small room which seems to have been used as storage for numerous supplies. Pickaxes, rope, ladders, metal beams, and planks fill this space.   Heading North from the Morgue – The Trench Opening this large set of stone doors reveals a perfectly cylindrical room in the center of which lies a perfect hole. The hole spans about 15 feet across and descends into utter blackness. It almost seems to draw you into it. The faint sound of water can be heard from within. Dropping a torch down the hole reveals another floor some 40 feet down for a brief second, and then the torch splashes into a pool of water.   Heading South from the Trophy Room – The Dining Hall Passing through a small cavernous passageway, you arrive at a set of stone doors. Opening them reveals what appears to be a dining hall. Several large stone tables sit on either side of the room lined with stone chairs that sit empty.   The tables contain golden plates, fine silverware and brass tankards. Several large kegs lie stacked in the corner of the room.   Several positions at the tables look to have been recently used and a fresh meal – half eaten, looks to have been left behind, unattended. A DC 15 Medicine check will reveal that the meals look like an arm and a leg of some kind.   If the party opens a keg, the room will fill with a sour and sharp smell, like that of vinegar. If someone drinks the ale, they must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d12 poison damage and wretch violently. The ale has long since fermented and spoiled. Another large set of stone doors leads west out of this room.   Heading East from the Dining Hall – The Food Supply Stepping into this massive cavern you see faint bio-luminescence in nearly every direction. Large mushrooms and stalks of fungus encroach on the center of the cavern from all sides. You hear movement from deeper within the cavern.   Rounding the cavern's walls you see four duergar mounted on large spider-like creatures. The steeder's have baskets attached to their backs and they are filled with mushroom chunks. They seem to be in the process of gathering mushrooms as food.   If the party alerts them to their presence, they will attack in force.   If the party manages to surprise them, they will suffer a surprise round in combat.   ROLL INITIATIVE   The four Duergar Kavalrachni have an AC of 16 and have 38 hit points each. The four Female Steeders have an AC of 14 and have 38 hit points each.   After killing the three Kavalrachni the party is free to explore this cavern. A large set of stone doors are set into the southeast wall, as well as a set of stone doors in the west wall. A passage leads north out of the chamber leading east, and a narrow passageway ascends into darkness on the west side of the passage.   Heading Southeast from the Food Supply – The Kitchen Opening these doors you are looking into what appears to be a kitchen. Two large stone ovens sit diagonally from each other and baskets of dried herbs and spices fill stone slots on the walls. The ovens look like they were used recently, and still give off faint amounts of heat.   The remains of what look to be a casteless dwarf are scattered in the corner of the room, a bloodbath. Limbs have been cut off and the smell of cooked meat and spices lingers faintly in the air.   Checking the body, you find a metal tag reading, 'Xarin Cinderspark'. You figure Brass Shardalon, lieutenant of the Dead Caste might have some interest in this.   Heading West from the Food Supply – The Food Storage Opening these doors you are met with the pungent and earthy smell of harvested and dried mushrooms. The room is lined with stone shelves filled with dried mushrooms and baskets full of freshly harvested mushroom chunks. From deep within the southern parts of the room you can hear a loud metal banging sound and muffled yelling.   Proceeding into the room, you see a small stone door on the east wall. As you draw near, a loud metal clang emits from behind it, sending echoes throughout the room.   Opening the door reveals a dwarven woman who holds in her hands an old and rusted metal pipe. As soon as she sees your party she exits the room and embraces you in a massive bear hug.   She says, “Moradin's beard, you saved me! I'm sure they were going to eat me, or worse! The Duergar took Zulft and Chrona further into the Deep Roads. Who knows what they're planning! I've got to get back to the expedition site. I'll be fine to travel on my own. Thanks again!”   With this, she strides from the room and into the dark beyond.   This room bears nothing more than a few old pipes, rusted and broken.   -----   Stonemaze – Floor 4   The Descent Heading down from the fissure above, you arrive in a large central cavern rife with passages as well as a single set of large stone doors.   The first passage you lay eyes on leads northwest. Beside it lies a passageway west. Just south of this passageway lies another, leading south. Small steps can be seen leading downward into the darkness.   Lastly, you see a passageway leading east out of this cavern and splitting in a T shape.   Opening the set of stone doors reveals a lift suspended by four large and slightly rusted chains. This lift will take the Party to Caridin's Cross - Floor 1.   Heading West from the Descent – The Fungal Abode You arrive at the entrance of a small cavern containing black mushrooms of varying sizes. These are the mushrooms used to create the Deep Salves and can be successfully harvested with a successful DC 15 Nature or Medicine check, granting the party 1d4+1 black mushroom chunks.   A passageway leads northwest out of this room.   Heading Northwest from the Descent – The Trench Rounding the passageway, you arrive in a short hallway that leads to a nearly perfect round room filled with water. Objects that look like body parts float aimlessly in the water, bobbing up and down.   Heading East from the Descent – The T You stand at an intersection. A passageway leads north and a cobweb filled passageway leads south. The strands of gossamer silk glow ever so slightly.   Heading South from the T – The Abandoned Shrine Entering the cobweb filled passageway you see nothing but glowing strands of silk. A light clicking fills the air as you proceed further in. In the back of the passage you see something that looks like a cobweb covered statue.   If the party continues forward they will be attacked by three Phase Spiders.   The Phase Spiders have an AC of 13 and 33 hit points each.   After battle concludes, the party can burn away the webbing surrounding the statue to reveal what appears to be a beautiful elven woman wearing an ornate mask. A plaque at the bottom of the statue reads, “Ioun Valeska, created by Stonesmith Brilwell Stonesculpt'.   Heading North from the T – The Abandoned Encampment Arriving in this cavern you see the remains of what was once an encampment. The remains of the fire are ashen cold, and the tents that lie here are tattered and torn, as though they were stabbed through. It looks as safe a place as any to set up camp.   Heading South from the Descent – The Lair of the Mother Descending the steps downward into the abyss, you begin to get a gut wrenching feeling in the pit of your stomach. You begin to notice that it becomes ice cold past a certain point and the walls start to develop a thick slime.   Bones and body parts litter the floor and small strange looking bugs scatter out of your path. As you continue you notice that the walls and ground start to become coated with a thick and viscous bloody slime, and grotesque boils are sprouting from the walls.   Within the boils it almost looks like something vaguely humanoid is growing. Strands of goo and sinew coat the ceiling and a strange gurgling can begin to be heard from deeper within the chasm. Small creatures that glow faintly with an otherworldly purple energy skitter across the floor underfoot.   Stepping on one, it emits a violent pop and squish, as its innards explode across the ground, the glowing fades. The nearer you draw the louder the gurgling sound becomes, until you hear the sound of distant screams and combat.   Stepping into the cavern, you see several ledges which drop on the left and right side several times. The ledge you're on drops a total of 40 feet on the right side and 30 feet on the left. Taking the ledges down results in only a 10 foot drop each time.   Arriving at the base of the chamber, you see a single dwarf being swarmed by small glowing insect like creatures as he charges a massive creature at the back of the cavern.   The creature appears almost utterly alien to you, its body a writhing mass of tentacles, fat, and spines. At the top of the creature an almost humanoid figure can be seen sprouting out, surrounded by spider-like appendages. Its face is devoid of features aside from a gaping maw of razor sharp teeth which open up behind a large set of clacking mandibles and a single set of beaded black eyes that lack any form of emotion aside from hunger.   Another dwarf lies trapped in a writhing mass of tentacles screaming and pleading for help.   She cries out, “Father please! You must run! Save yourself! You'll be turned too if you stay!”   He screams back as he thrusts several of the insect like creatures away from him, “I'm not leaving you behind lass!” and charges the mighty creature.   A massive tentacle sprouts from the ground and sweeps forward, knocking the dwarf pitifully away like a ragdoll. As soon as the party enters combat, Zulft spits out a tooth and says0, “Ah, looks like the cavalry is finally here! And just in time too! I wouldn't want to take the glory all for meself.”   ROLL INITIATIVE   During this combat, Zulft and Chrona act as allies to the party. Zulft does his best to fight back the swarm and tentacles that are spawned by the Mother, and Chrona uses healing each opportunity she gets in order to heal either Zulft, the Party, or herself.   Upon defeat the Mother emits a piercing shriek, and the tentacle prison holding Chrona breaks. She writhes and hisses as she deflates, until no more movement can be seen.   Chrona climbs out from under a mass of rotted tentacles and says, “Whew, you all came just in time. Whatever brings you to the deep roads?”   Zulft interrupts the party and says, “None of that matters now, did you see what they just did? They just took down the beast of the deeps!”   Chrona responds, “I suppose it doesn't. Thank you for saving my father and I. We'll be sure to make our way back to the Dead Caste's encampment.”   When the conversation concludes, Zulft and Chrona take their leave.   With the Mother defeated, another passageway is revealed leading deeper into the caverns beyond.   Heading South from the Mother's Lair – To the Chamber of Gal'inad Twisting through the narrow passages beyond the Mother's Lair, you finally arrive in a large ovoid chamber, the center of which bears a large series of six interlocking, twisting rings. A soft and gentle steady ticking can be heard throughout the room.   As they rotate you can feel the force of the air around you become heavier.   All arcane magic users in this location immediately feel a deep well of magic surge through their bodies, as if they are a pure conduit of magical energy.   Located at the center of the twisting rings shines a single stone, which glows with ethereal power. Some kind of dais or panel sits directly in front of the spinning ring and has glowing runes on it. In front of the dais sits a large pile of ash.   As you step further into the room, a hurricane like wind descends upon you and the ticking grows louder. Out of the top of the cavern descends a massive metal and clockwork dragon. It lands between you and the spinning device with a loud and creaking thud. It scratches at the floor before a dominating and booming voice begins to speak.   “Ah, the forces of the weave stir once more. Who are you to enter my domain?”   If the party responds that they are the Heroes of Falconspire, the dragon will state, “Heroes? The last hero to enter my domain wound up as a pile of ash.” The dragon motions to the pile of ash sitting before the glowing dais.   If the party asks how long ago this was or whom, the dragon will scoff and say, “Even my memories do not reach so far.”   If the party asks what the device before them is or does, the dragon will state,   “Before you lies a great masterpiece, crafted by the first. Powered by the stone, it draws in magic from the surface world above, generating a massive amount of force. Every so many millennia, the device must be turned off to be maintained, thereby creating the undesired effects that so affect the dwarves; resulting in the convergence. I am bound eternally to this task and so it shall be for millennia upon millennia until even the mountains have turned to dust; but even I grow weary of this task, and wish to be free from it. ”   If the party asks who the first was, the dragon will state, “A dwarf by the name of Thurmil.”   If the party asks what needs to be done, the dragon will say:   “See that dais? The device can only be turned off by a fellow dwarf, but know this; the resulting convergence will be unlike any before it but will mean that the dwarves will live in safety for eons to come. Not only this, but the ambient magic consumed by the device will be set free from its clutches once more, empowering the weave, and those forces tied to it.”   If Erias decides to Deactivate the device and claim the stone, the ground will immediately begin to shake, and a great rumbling and shifting of stone can be heard from above.   If Erias decides against Deactivating and taking the stone from the device, Circe has an opportunity to reason with him.   If Erias takes the stone, the dragon will say, “Thank you for setting me free of this task. Now that the magic has been released, I can sense a great disturbance growing ever closer. An even more powerful threat than the convergence crosses paths with yours even now. May the guiding lights of fate lead you forward to your destiny.”   With a great flapping of its mechanical wings the dragon ascends into the darkness of the caverns above leaving you standing alone in front of a large set of stone doors leading deeper into the depths.   The Antechamber Entering these doors, you are standing in a small hallway lit by braziers filled with magical blue flames. Proceeding down the stairs, you see another large set of stone doors before you.   Opening these doors, you see a group of figures standing in the distance on some kind of raised platform containing a podium on which sits a crystalline orb.   A raven haired, ornately robed female figure picks up the crystalline orb and turns to face the doors, as do the other figures. Standing before you is a massive silver dragonborn dressed in full plate armor, a half-orc with slicked back hair and a large scar covering half his face, a bluish purple tiefling with a black gauntlet covering his arm all the way to his shoulder, a brown haired woman with a large headdress made of thorns and vines, a young child dressed in ominous black leathers and carrying a strange book, as well as two dark skinned elves with snow white hair; one covered in daggers and knives, and the other wielding a bow all step forward and into positions around the podium.   She says aloud, her voice echoing throughout the room, “Look what we have here. You again? Who would have thought.”   She stares daggers at the party before saying, “As if your interference the first time wasn't enough. Annihilate them.”   ROLL INITIATIVE   If the party manages to get Velouria to half health, she will shout, “Enough! No more games! I've had it with your meddling!” and her contingency spell will go off teleporting herself and her allies to safety.   After combat concludes, you see a small crevasse in the west wall that looks to have been the source of their intrusion. As you investigate it, another quake strikes, sealing the passageway.
Plot type
Chapter II: Into the Unknown
Parent Plot
Book III: Return
Related Session Reports
All content created and copy-written by xXxVanityAffair, and Co-Authored by Bijoux Galanodel
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Plot
World
Raslun
Category
Chapter II: Into the Unknown in Book III: Return
Author
xXxVanityAffair
Publication Date
29 Mar, 2022
Creation Date
31 Oct, 2021
Last Update Date
12 Nov, 2022
Visibility
Public
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