TEXT: Type to enter text
  DUNGEON BACKDROP: 
  RAGING SWAN PRESS
  DESZRAUL’S HOLD
  SYSTEM  
  NEUTRAL
  
  	
  YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS 
  MAKE YOUR CAMPAIGN PREP. EASIER 
  JOIN RAGING SWAN PRESS’S PATREON CAMPAIGN 
  PATREON.COM/RAGINGSWANPRESS 
  
  DUNGEON BACKDROP: DESZRAUL’S HOLD 
  Hidden deep in the hills, Deszraul’s Hold has a sinister reputation. The medusa Dezraul claims the caves and evidence of her fell powers—a 
  bewildering array of uncannily lifelike stone statues—stand about her gloomy domain. All that remains of adventurers daring to face the cave’s 
  snake-headed mistress, the statues are a salutary warning on the dangers of facing a medusa in her lair. But does Deszraul still lair within? Has 
  a band of savage, merciless bandits fallen under her sway? Only you can decide.  
  You are a GM, but you are busy. You want to write your own modules, but you just don’t have the time. And you don’t want to use commercial 
  modules. You want to make your campaign your own. That’s where the Dungeon Backdrop line comes in! Each Dungeon Backdrop presents a 
  fully ﬂeshed out and lovingly detailed self-contained dungeon ready for you to use as you see ﬁt. Stock the dungeon with your own monsters 
  (and—perhaps—their treasure), decide their back story and you are good to go.   
  Every Dungeon Backdrop is carefully designed to be easily inserted into almost any fantasy campaign and is compatible with virtually any 
  fantasy roleplaying game. Dungeon Backdrops: we describe the dungeon, you add the monsters (and the treasure). 
  C RE DI TS 
  Design: Creighton Broadhurst 
  Development: Creighton Broadhurst  
  Art: William McAusland. Some artwork copyright William 
  McAusland, used with permission. 
  Cartography: Dyson Logos 
  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, 
  stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any 
  means, without the prior permission in writing of Raging Swan 
  Press or as expressly permitted by law. 
  ©Raging Swan Press 2019. 
  To contact us, email gatekeeper @ragingswan.com 
  To learn more about Raging Swan Press, visit ragingswan.com  
  To learn more about Raging Swan Press on Patreon, visit 
  patreon.com/ragingswanpress 
  USING A D UN GEON BAC KDROP 
  Tweak and modify this dungeon to make it your own. The parts of 
  this supplement describing the actual dungeon itself feature 
  extensive space for you to make notes—adding treasure, 
  opponents and so on. 
  •
  Location Descriptions: The various location descriptions 
  provided herein only describe the basic appearance of the 
  dungeon’s rooms, chambers and corridors. They do not 
  include descriptions of any monsters lurking therein. 
  Remember when describing the dungeon to your players the 
  snarling orcs (or whatever) are probably more noticeable than 
  the room’s features. Also remember, creatures in the dungeon 
  will modify their home to better suit their needs. For example, 
  the aforementioned orcs may have set up a rough camp—
  mention these changes when describing the area.  
  •
  Treasure: The text only presents the details of minor treasures 
  the PCs could discover in the course of their adventure. Most 
  is of little value, but serves to underline the ﬂavour of the 
  dungeon. Remember to add level-appropriate treasure when 
  designing the dungeon.
  
  C O NTE NTS 
  D UN GEO N BAC KGR OU N D 
  The wooded forests and hills to Languard’s east have long been a 
  haven for bandits, brigands and other outlaws. The forest’s wild 
  reaches have long stymied the duke’s attempts to winkle out the 
  lawless folk dwelling beneath their boughs. 
   
  A score of years ago, the medusa Deszraul Valos ﬂed into the 
  hills. Coming from the far east, she was ﬂeeing the wrath of an 
  adventuring party—the  Crusaders of the Burning Light—intent on 
  slaying her. She found a small, hidden cave network and made it 
  her own. The caves once housed a family of dwarves prospecting 
  in the region and it suited her to dwell therein. Inevitably, word of 
  a terrible creature dwelling in the hills trickled down into the 
  civilised lands to the west. Many adventurers have subsequently 
  tried to make their names by slaying the cave’s snake-headed 
  mistress, and over a dozen have since fallen prey to Deszraul’s 
  stony gaze. 
  OPTION 1: DESZRAUL LIVES! 
  While Deszraul has been attacked by several adventuring bands 
  over the years, none have managed to overcome the medusa. The 
  remains of these adventuring bands litter the cave’s outer reaches. 
  A survivor of one such ill-fated group, Auni Hellikki (NG female 
  human ﬁghter 3), recently staggered into Languard and gasped 
  out her story over a half-dozen of ales. Thus, do the caves comes 
  to the party’s attention. 
  OPTION 2: DESZRAUL HAS MINIONS 
  Deszraul yet dwells in the caves, but a few months ago a gang of 
  bandits staggered into the caves after being driven away from a 
  merchant caravan by an adventuring party travelling with the 
  traders. Deszraul saved the bandits from the adventurers’ 
  depredations and they have since thrown in their lot with the 
  medusa. For her part, Deszraul likes having minions; they bring 
  her treasures and she rarely has to leave the caves. For Deszraul, 
  life is good. The emboldened bandits have begun more frequent 
  raiding and have come to the attention of the local authorities 
  who are casting around for a suitable group of adventurers to 
  stamp them out. 
  Credits 
  1 
  ....................................................................................................
  Using a Dungeon Backdrop 
  1 
  ................................................................
  Contents 
  2 
  .................................................................................................
  Dungeon Background 
  2 
  ..........................................................................
  Option 1: Deszraul Lives! 
  2 
  ...............................................................
  Option 2: Deszraul has Minions 
  2 
  ....................................................
  Option 3: Deszraul’s Dead 
  3 
  .............................................................
  Adventure Hooks 
  3 
  ............................................................................
  The Locality 
  3 
  ......................................................................................
  Notable Locations at a Glance 
  4 
  ............................................................
  Generic Cavern Features 
  5 
  ...............................................................
  Generic Dungeon Features 
  5 
  ...........................................................
  The Caves 
  6 
  ...............................................................................................
  1: Main Entrance 
  6 
  .............................................................................
  2: Cramped Stairs 
  6 
  ...........................................................................
  3: Cave of Statues 
  6 
  ...........................................................................
  4: Cavern of the Two 
  8 
  .......................................................................
  5: Unﬁnished Chamber 
  8 
  ..................................................................
  6: Sloped Passageway 
  8 
  ....................................................................
  7: Short Staircase 
  8 
  ............................................................................
  8: Barracks 
  9 
  .......................................................................................
  9: Deszraul’s Lair 
  9 
  .............................................................................
  Conclusion 
  9 
  .............................................................................................
  OGL V1.0A 
  11
  ...........................................................................................
  �2
  CREIGHTON’S DESIGN SUGGESTIONS 
  Given the main feature of this small complex, when stocking the 
  dungeon, you’ve essentially got three choices about how to 
  deal with the cave’s stones statues (and who, or what, made 
  them).  
  1.
  You can use the various statues standing therein as the 
  victims of a medusa, basilisk, cockatrice or other creature 
  with the ability to turn its prey to stone.  
  2.
  You could decide such a creature once dwelled in the 
  complex but that it has been slain or driven off. The current 
  dungeon inhabitants—perhaps a band of goblins, bandits 
  or the like—use the statues as a deterrence, trusting in the 
  obvious presence of a medusa or the like to scare away 
  most intruders. 
  3.
  You could combine 1 and 2 and decide a medusa leads a 
  band of humanoids and the cave is their lair. 
  Whatever option you chose, the presence of so many highly 
  detailed statues is sure to make even the most conﬁdent player 
  somewhat cautious—no one likes to be turned to stone after all. 
  (Which reminds me, I dedicate this Dungeon Backdrop to Tim 
  Ayres; if anyone can fail a save against petriﬁcation, it’s Tim!) 
   
  As an aside, in my Adventures in Shadow campaign, I went 
  with option #2 as the PCs were low-level—a mixture of 1st- and 
  2nd-level PCs, and although the party was large (numbering 
  seven adventurers) there was no way they could have dealt with 
  a medusa. I did, however, play up the statues for all they were 
  worth and had the bandits pretend their leader was a medusa 
  to try to get rid of the PCs.
  ADDITIONAL GM RESOURCES 
  20 Things #35: Bandits & Brigands presents additional resources 
  to bring to life the bandit gangs in your campaign. Use the 
  material therein to add depth and ﬂavour to any bandits lairing 
  in the caves. Alternatively, Monstrous Lair #12: Medusa Lair 
  provides seven handy tables to add more detail to Deszraul and 
  her lair.
  
  OPTION 3: DESZRAUL’S DEAD 
  Deszraul is dead, slain by adventurers. Her lair has been fought 
  over and claimed by many groups since them. (This background 
  gives the GM the most ﬂexibility in stocking the caves as desired). 
  ADVENTURE HOOKS 
  The PCs can merely stumble on Deszraul’s Hold by happenstance 
  and decide to explore the locale on a whim. Alternatively, use one 
  of the hooks below to lure the PCs into the caves. 
  •
  Bandit Attack: The PCs are on the road travelling to their next 
  adventure when they are attacked by bandits. They drive off 
  the attackers, who leave an obvious trail to follow. 
  Alternatively, if the PCs take a prisoner, the captured bandit 
  offers to sell out his companions for his freedom.  
  •
  Bandit Attack Aftermath: The PCs are on the road when they 
  encounter the aftermath of one of the bandits’ ambushes. A 
  cart lies on its side by a dead horse. Three arrows sprout from 
  the horse’s chest and the cart has been comprehensively 
  looted. As the PCs search, one of them hears a low moaning. 
  Investigation reveals a badly wounded mercenary—Aake 
  Neuvo (LN male human ﬁghter 2—with an arrow in his thigh. 
  He relates details of the bandit attack and begs the PCs to 
  help rescue the merchant  (Ilta Lempo [NG middle-aged 
  female human]) and her daughter (Charlotta [NG female 
  human]). Perceptive PCs quickly realise Take has fallen in love 
  with Charlotta. Searching the area, the PCs discover the 
  bandits’ tracks. 
  •
  Missing Adventurers: The PCs are relaxing in a tavern or inn 
  in the locality when they overhear two regulars gossiping 
  about a band of adventurers who came through this way a few 
  weeks ago. The adventurers planned to explore a speciﬁc area 
  of nearby forest or hills. If asked about the adventurers and 
  their plans, the locals warn the PCs a ferocious creature is 
  reputed to dwell in the area in which the other adventurers 
  disappeared. It is said, the creature can turn its prey to stone 
  and most of the locals believe this is the fate that has befallen 
  the disappeared adventurers.  
  THE LOCALITY 
  The dungeon complex stands in an area of rugged, forested hills 
  near a well traveled road used by merchants, traders and the like. 
  Game and forester trails criss-cross the region. A character skilled 
  at tracking can discover a relatively well-trod path snaking away 
  from the road and up into the hills.  
   
  The trail meanders through the undergrowth for several miles 
  before entering a narrow, steep-sided valley. Trees hang far out of 
  the valley’s ﬂanks plunging much of the valley ﬂoor into shadow. 
  Eventually, the trail leads to the mouth of a cave. When the PCs 
  reach this point, proceed to area 1.
  �3
  WHISPERS & RUMOURS 
  If the PCs think to learn more about the dungeon, use the table 
  below to determine what information they uncover. Determine 
  which rumours are true based on your dungeon design. 
  1.
  A small cave complex hides a terrible creature—which has 
  the ability to turn its foes into stone statues! Many people 
  have entered the cave over the years, and none have 
  emerged alive. Only fools dare enter the caves! 
  2.
  A terrible monster with the ability to turn its victims to stone 
  once lived in the caves but it is long dead. The statues of its 
  victims yet remain, however. 
  3.
  Bandits—Venla’s Crew—have been seen in the area in recent 
  months. The gang prey on travelling merchants and the like 
  and have had some success. The local lord grows weary of 
  their depredations and seeks someone to rid him of the 
  detestable bandits.  
  4.
  It’s not bandits preying on travellers and the like, but fey 
  creatures made angry by the logging and hunting carried 
  out in the forest’s fringes. 
  5.
  The local lord has offered a reward of 100 gp to the group or 
  person who can bring to justice whatever or whoever is 
  responsible for the recent attacks on lawful travellers. 
  6.
  Bandits certainly have been active in the local area recently, 
  but a few weeks ago their attacks abruptly ceased. No-one 
  has claimed responsibility for killing or driving them away 
  and speculation is rampant among the peasantry as to who 
  or what is responsible. 
  THE CAVES IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Deszraul’s Hold is not like a normal commercially available 
  adventure. While we have done the bulk of the work for you 
  describing the dungeon in detail, setting out its history, 
  designing plot hooks to get your PCs to the dungeon and so on, 
  there is still (a little) work left: you must stock the dungeon with 
  appropriate monsters and treasures and make any other 
  changes or additions you see ﬁt. In short, you must make the 
  place your own! 
   
  This Dungeon Backdrop is designed for use with the Duchy 
  of Ashlar and the Gloamhold megadungeon. However, the 
  dungeon is relatively self-contained and so with minimal effort it 
  can be easily modiﬁed to ﬁt almost any campaign world.  
   
  The major salient components of the complex comprise: 
  •
  A small, self-contained cave system comprising a mix of 
  natural caverns and worked passageways. 
  •
  Many life-like statues scattered throughout the place. 
  Because the cave complex is essentially self-contained it could 
  be place anywhere in almost any campaign setting. It could 
  even  appear as an “add-on” or sub-level in a larger dungeon.  
  
  N OTA B L E L OCATION S AT A GL ANCE 
  Much of the cave system’s features depends on what or who 
  dwells within. Use the notes below as a starting point, and modify 
  them as necessary to complement your design.  
  1.
  Main Entrance: Two life-like statues watch over the cave 
  complex’s main entrance, from a raised escarpment. These 
  statues are the PCs’ ﬁrst concrete clues that something terrible 
  lurks in the caves. 
  2.
  Cramped Steps: This secondary entrance to the caves is clear 
  of suspiciously detailed statues.  
  3.
  Cave of Statues: This large cave comprises the bulk of the 
  outer caverns. Over a dozen life-like statues—adventurers who 
  once challenged Deszraul—are scattered about the area.  
  4.
  Cavern of the Two: Here stand two statues—these unfortunate 
  adventurers were the two who made it furthest into Deszraul’s 
  lair. Their progress availed them naught. 
  5.
  Unﬁnished Chamber: The dwarves who built the complex’s 
  inner chambers did not ﬁnish this large room before departing 
  for a new home. 
  6.
  Sloped Passageway: This slightly sloped, low-ceiling 
  passageway leads up to a set of curving steps. This 
  passageway runs under parts of area 4. 
  7.
  Short Staircase: This curved 
  staircase descends about 
  ﬁve feet. It is designed for 
  defence, and hard to 
  ﬁght on.  
  8.
  Barracks: This large, dry 
  chamber serves as the 
  barracks for any large 
  group of individuals 
  dwelling in the caves. If no 
  such group lairs in the cave, 
  the bedrolls and suchlike 
  are old, musty and dusty.  
  9.
  Deszraul’s Lair: This 
  c h a m b e r 
  i s / w a s 
  Deszraul’s private lair. If 
  s h e , o r a g r o u p o f 
  i n t e l l i g e n t 
  c r e a t u r e s 
  c l a i m s t h e 
  caves, they use 
  the secret door in this chamber 
  to attack interlopers from 
  behind. They can also use the 
  secret door to ﬂee 
  their enemies if 
  the PCs seem 
  too mighty.
  �4
  DUNGEON DRESSING 
  Use the entries below, to breathe life and detail into the locales 
  described on these pages. Alternatively, use the information 
  below to describe otherwise empty areas. 
  1.
  Water oozes down the wall to form a small puddle. 
  2.
  Rubble has been pushed to the side against the wall.  
  3.
  A burnt-out torch stub lies on the ﬂoor against one wall. A 
  smear of soot on the nearby wall and ﬂoor show where the 
  torched smouldered for a while after being discarded. 
  4.
  Deep scrape marks on the ﬂoor show where something 
  heavy was dragged toward the exit. 
  5.
  The remains of a small campﬁre ﬁll a hollow in the ground. A 
  small pile of dry ﬁrewood lies nearby. 
  6.
  Several spots of dried blood decorate the ﬂoor.  
  7.
  Water drips from the ceiling, turning the ground to sticky, 
  wet mud. Several easily detected footprints in the mud 
  provide a clue to what might lie deeper into the caves. 
  8.
  A faint smell—sweat and animal musk—hangs in the air.  
  9.
  Scratches on the ﬂoor show where someone or something 
  tried—and failed—to dig into the stone. 
  10. Clumps of mottled green and brown lichen cling to the wall 
  and ceiling. Several small bats hang from the ceiling. 
  THINGS TO FIND 
  Use this list, to determine what minor objects or features of 
  interest the party discover if they take the time to search. Modify 
  the value of items below to suit your campaign.  
  1.
  The broken-off tip of a stone ﬁnger lies on the ﬂoor.  
  2.
  Wisps of dusty cobwebs obscure part of the ceiling. Careful 
  investigation reveals a small stone spider attached to the 
  ceiling at the centre of the webs. 
  3.
  A grime-covered gold coin lies on the ﬂoor; only perceptive 
  PCs—or those searching the area—spot the coin. 
  4.
  Grafﬁti daubed in chalk on one wall reads, “Despair for 
  Deszraul dwells here.” 
  5.
  The tracks of several booted footsteps lead further into the 
  caves. A skill tracker can spot at least six individuals. The 
  track’s age depends on what dwells in the caves.   
  6.
  Grafﬁti, neatly chiselled into the wall in Dwarven reads, 
  “Dolrak Thorhig” along with a date eighty years past. 
  7.
  A loose stone hides a small hollow in the ﬂoor. A rotting 
  pouch containing 12 gp and 19 sp ﬁlls the niche.  
  8.
  A ripped sack lies on the ground. It holds nothing but a few 
  mouldering heads of wheat. 
  9.
  A (dried) bloody handprint decorates the wall. The blood is 
  smeared as if whoever left it was steadying themselves. 
  10. Broken and rusty, a bear trap languishes on the ﬂoor. 
  
  GENERIC CAVERN FEATURES 
  The outer reaches of this small complex are of 
  natural stone. They have several generic features:  
   
  Illumination: Beyond areas 1 and 2, it is dark 
  in the caves unless otherwise noted. Dim light ﬁlls 
  areas 1 and 2 within 30-foot of the cavern 
  entrance. 
   
  Rough Hewn Steps: Flights of rough hewn 
  steps count as difﬁcult terrain. The steps are 
  hacked out of the ﬂoor’s natural gradient. 
   
  Floor: The cave ﬂoor is of stone covered with 
  gravel and (mostly dried) mud. In a few places, 
  where water oozes down the walls or drips 
  from the ceiling, the mud is wet and glistens 
  in the party’s lights. 
   
  Walls: The cave walls in the cave are 
  rough and natural.  
   
   
  Ceiling: The ceiling is about 20-foot 
  high throughout the caves. Above 
  escarpments it is corresponding 
  lower. For example, above a 
  ten-foot high escarpment the 
  ceiling is only ten-foot high. 
   
  Stone Statues: Many stone 
  statues stand about areas 1-4. 
  These statues are incredibly detailed. 
  Note, if the statues are petriﬁed 
  adventurers and the like, destroying or 
  damaging them will likely “kill” the 
  petriﬁed individual. Refer to individual 
  statue descriptions for more details. 
  GENERIC DUNGEON FEATURES 
  The deeper parts of this small complex are of 
  worked stone. They have several shared features: 
   
  Dwarven Artiﬁce: A dwarf, or other 
  character skilled in architecture or mining, 
  recognises the artiﬁce of the inner caves as 
  being of dwarven origin. 
   
  Illumination: Unless otherwise noted, it is 
  dark in the dungeon portion of the complex. 
   
  Ceiling: The ceiling is about 10-foot high. In most 
  places it is plain and unadorned. Perceptive PCs spot 
  the occasional signs of tool marks on the ceiling.  
   
  Floor: Flagged, the ﬂoor is generally ﬂat and 
  unimpeded.  
   
  Walls: The dungeon walls are of unadorned worked, 
  natural stone. 
   
  Wooden Doors: The complex’s wooden doors are in good 
  repair and open into the room they ward. Unless noted in the text, 
  the doors are plain and unadorned. 
  �5
  
  T HE CAVE S 
  1: MAIN ENTRANCE 
  Two life-like stone statues stand on the escarpment overlooking 
  the cave entrance. 
  A narrow set of rough hewn steps, overshadowed by a stone 
  escarpment, leads down into the cave. Two life-like statues—one an 
  elven man, the other a human woman—stand atop the ledge.  
  Escarpment: The stone escarpment is ten-foot high; its ﬂank are 
  easy to climb and can be scaled with a +10% chance to the 
  character’s climb check.  
   
  Stone Statues: Two stone statues stand atop the escarpment: 
  •
  Northern Statue: This elven man wears ﬁne robes adorned 
  with mystic symbols around the hems. He is holding a stone 
  scroll and was caught in the acting of reading from it. 
  •
  Southern Statue: This human woman wears stone chainmail 
  and carries a mace in her left hand. Her right arm is extended 
  and her hand points into the cave beyond.  
  2: CRAMPED STAIRS 
  These narrow natural stairs provides a shortcut into the caves. 
  A narrow set of stairs leads downward into a large cave. 
  3: CAVE OF STATUES 
  Life-like stone statues stand about this large, natural cavern. 
  At least a half-dozen incredibly life-life statues stand about this 
  large, natural cavern, To the north east a crumbling stone 
  escarpment rises about ten feet high and hosts two more statues. 
  Eastern Escarpment: Two statues stand atop the ten-foot high 
  escarpment in the north-western part of the cave. Characters 
  scrambling up (or down) the escarpment get a +10% bonus to 
  their climb check. 
  •
  Eastern Statue: A half-elf woman clad in leather armour points 
  a bow down into the main part of the chamber. A look of 
  anger mixed with fear is ﬁxed on her face. 
  •
  Western Statue: A halﬂing man wearing studded lather 
  armour and holding two daggers is frozen in the act of 
  creeping toward the wall. His eyes are narrowed in 
  concentration and his demeanour and pose is that of a hunter. 
  Secret Door: A secret door pierces the eastern wall. It is nothing 
  more than a cleverly counterweighted slab of stone—simply 
  pushing on it causes it to spin about an iron pole set into its centre 
  line. 
   
  Stone Statues: A dozen or so stone statues stand about the 
  main part of the cavern; all are highly detailed and life-like. Some 
  of the statues are smashed and broken; others remain whole. Use 
  the following table to generate the details of the statues the PCs 
  investigate: 
  �6
  GM NOTES 
  Depending on what dwells in the cave, the PCs will likely ﬁnd 
  tracks in areas 1 and 2. They may also see light emanating from 
  area 4. 
  
   
  The Pit: A crumbling ledge bounds a ten-foot deep section of 
  cave to the north-western. Characters scrambling up (or down) the 
  escarpment get a +10% bonus to their climb check. 
   
  Narrow Passage: A two-foot wide passageway leads roughly 
  northward from the bottom of the pit. Small or larger creatures 
  must squeeze if they plan to explore the passageway. Two short 
  ﬂights of natural steps each drop down about ﬁve feet.  
  D12
  STATUE
  1
  A goblin crouches on the ﬂoor. It has its hands over its 
  eyes, but clearly it could not resist seeing its doom 
  approach. Observant PCs note the unfortunate was 
  petriﬁed because it was peeking between its ﬁngers.
  2
  This large, muscular human warrior has been petriﬁed 
  in the act of charging. His axe is held high over his 
  head and his face is twisted into a terrible snarl. As the 
  warrior was petriﬁed while running forward, the statue 
  is ﬁnely balanced; anyone moving passed it has a 
  good chance of knocking it over and smashing it.
  3
  Smashed rubble surrounds this statue which is missing 
  from the waist up. The ﬁgure seems to have been a 
  human or elf based on his legs and waist and was 
  wearing ﬁne ﬂowing robes.
  4
  A snarling wolf stands in the centre of the area, hackles 
  raised and teeth barred. Slightly behind the wolf, and 
  to one side, stands a female half-elf dressed in leather 
  armour. The half-elf is pointing deeper into the cave.
  5
  This headless statue of a muscular warrior wields a 
  huge falchion. The man’s legs are set wide and the 
  falchion is pulled back as if he were ready to strike.
  6
  The statue of a halﬂing, a stone dagger clenched 
  between its teeth, lies on the ﬂoor, practically ﬁlling a 
  deep niche in the ﬂoor. The halﬂing is snarling. Cold, 
  muddy water ﬁlls the remainder of the niche.
  7
  A stone warrior holds his shield up in front of his eyes 
  and his short sword down low ready to murderously rip 
  the weapon up into his opponent’s belly.
  8
  This heavily overburdened human woman wears an 
  oversized backpack and holds a lantern outstretched 
  in front of her. A look of horror mars her otherwise 
  attractive features.
  9
  This small rat was petriﬁed in the act of looking around 
  the stony legs of another statue.
  10
  Bones surround this statue of an adventurer caught as 
  he looked back over his shoulder. From the stance of 
  the statue—and the skull and spinal cord still draped 
  about it—it looks like the adventurer was carrying a 
  dead or unconscious companions when he was 
  petriﬁed.
  11-12
  This statue is smashed and broken—it is little more than 
  a pile of rubble.
  �7
  GM NOTES 
  Add detail to the statues as you see ﬁt. Perhaps the PCs 
  recognise an adventurer they have previous encountered. Such 
  a discovery could lead to further adventures—particularly if they 
  try to return the trapped adventurer to ﬂesh. 
  
  4: CAVERN OF THE TWO 
  This raised ledge is a good place for organised groups claiming 
  the caves to set a watch on the outer caverns.  
  Two more statues stand atop this low escarpment. A wooden door 
  pierces the chamber’s far wall. 
  The Statues: Two more stone statues stand here. 
  •
  North Statue: Missing its left arm, which lies half-way down 
  the crumbling escarpment, this statue of a female half-elf is in 
  a sorry state. A look of fury mars the woman’s face. 
  •
  South Statue: This statue of a dwarven man wearing studded 
  leather armour has been extensively vandalised. Some wag 
  has carved his initials—MC—into the dwarf’s buttocks. 
  5: UNFINISHED CHAMBER 
  This large chamber marks the extent of the dwarves’ work in the 
  cave complex. 
  The western portion of this chamber is akin to a natural cave, 
  although here and there, signs of improvements are evident. To the 
  east the far section of the cave has been shaped and smoothed to 
  be habitable.  
  Stonework: The stonework in this chamber is rougher, less 
  ﬁnished, than in areas 6 - 9. 
  6: SLOPED PASSAGEWAY 
  This area is a natural choke point; organised defenders may try to 
  hold intruders here while more of their brethren use the secret 
  door in area 9 to take intruders from the rear.  
  This 20-foot long passageway slopes gently upwards to a set of 
  stone steps leading up to the east. 
  This area has no notable features. Roll on “Dungeon Dressing” or 
  “Things to Find”, if the PCs search here. 
  7: SHORT STAIRCASE 
  A wooden door stands at the bottom of the stairs. Defenders in 
  area 8, may try and hold this door shut if intruders appear strong 
  or numerous. 
  This short staircase spiral downwards to a wooden door. 
  Except the staircase, this area has no notable features. Roll on 
  “Dungeon Dressing” or “Things to Find”, if the PCs search here. 
   
  Staircase: The staircase counts as difﬁcult terrain. Built for 
  defence, the staircase was designed to hamper attackers. 
  Characters lower down on the stair than their attacker gain cover 
  from the curving wall. 
  �8
  GM NOTES 
  Organised inhabitants of the dungeon dwell in areas 8 and 9. 
  They likely keep a watch in area 4 so intruders will ﬁnd it difﬁcult 
  surprise them. Remember, if human bandits dwell in the caves 
  these guards will probably have some source of illumination in 
  area 4, which the PCs will automatically spot when they enter 
  area 3. 
  
  8: BARRACKS 
  Here dwell the rank and ﬁle of any organised group claiming the 
  caves.  
  Bedrolls and other personal pieces of camping equipment lie 
  scattered about this large chamber. Soot covers the ceiling around 
  a natural ﬁssure in the north east corner. The remains of a large 
  campﬁre ﬁll the niche under the ﬁssure. 
  Camping Equipment: The bedrolls, spare clothes and other 
  miscellaneous equipment here are mundane and have little value. 
  9: DESZRAUL’S LAIR 
  Herein dwells the most dangerous creature in complex—either 
  Deszraul or the bandit chieftain.  
  Surprisingly richly appointed, this chamber has several rugs on the 
  ﬂoor and what looks like a comfortable bed in one corner next to a 
  chest. In the east wall, clear, fresh water ﬁlls a small niche. 
  Secret Door: A secret door pierces the west wall. It is nothing 
  more than a cleverly counterweighted slab of stone—simply 
  pushing on it causes it to spin about an iron pole set into its centre 
  line. 
   
  Natural Basin: Clear, fresh and cold water oozing from a crack 
  in the rock ﬁlls this stone basin. 
   
  Rugs: The rugs are dirty, but serviceable; one has an 
  interesting geometric pattern. 
   
  Bed: The bed is sized for a human-like creature; furs and 
  blankets cover the bed. 
   
  Chest: This stout wooden chest is locked. The bandit chieftain, 
  if one is present, has the chest’s key. The chest holds clothes and 
  the band’s choicest pieces of treasure. 
  C O NC LUS I ON 
  Once the PCs have cleared out the cave system they can simply 
  move on to their next adventure. Alternatively, the PCs: 
  •
  Could use the caves as a handy base from which to explore 
  the surrounding area.  
  •
  Could be altruistic and try to return to ﬂesh some of the 
  unfortunate petriﬁed individuals.  
  •
  Might become victims of their own success. If they claim the 
  caves and fail to publicise their victory over the cave’s 
  denizens they could be assaulted by other bands of 
  adventurers seeking to make a name for themselves by slaying 
  the cave’s foul denizens. 
  •
  Might discover another set of passages and chambers after a 
  rock fall in area 5 reveals a narrow passageway in the north 
  wall; the tunnel slopes steeply downwards into the bowels of 
  the earth.  
  �9
  GM NOTES 
  If an organised group lair in the caves they’ll likely make their 
  stand in areas 8 and 9, but don’t be afraid to have them send out 
  skirmishers to attack the party from behind using the secret door 
  in area 9.  
  
  �10
  
  OGL V1.0A 
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. 
   
  1. Deﬁnitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including 
  derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modiﬁcation, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in 
  which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open 
  Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement 
  over the prior art and any additional content clearly identiﬁed as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works 
  under copyright law, but speciﬁcally excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures 
  characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic 
  and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, 
  creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identiﬁed as Product identity by the 
  owner of the Product Identity, and which speciﬁcally excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify 
  itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate 
  and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 
   
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must 
  afﬁx such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be 
  applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 
   
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 
   
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this 
  License to Use, the Open Game Content. 
   
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You 
  have sufﬁcient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 
   
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are 
  copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 
   
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the 
  owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open 
  Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content 
  does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product 
  Identity. 
   
  8. Identiﬁcation: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 
   
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any 
  Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License. 
   
  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 
   
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 
   
  12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or 
  governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 
   
  13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses 
  shall survive the termination of this License. 
   
  14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 
   
  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Open Game License v 1.0 ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
   
  Open Game License v1.0a. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast Inc. 
   
  System Reference Document: ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
   
  Gloamhold Campaign Guide. ©Raging Swan Press 2017; Author: Creighton Broadhurst. 
   
  Dungeon Backdrop: Deszraul’s Hold. ©Raging Swan Press 2019; Author: Creighton Broadhurst. 
  To learn more about the Open Game License, visit wizards.com/d20. 
  Product Identity: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artefacts, places and so on), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, 
  characters, artwork and trade dress are product identity as deﬁned in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) and are not Open Content. 
  Open Content: Except material designated as Product Identity, the contents of Dungeon Backdrop: Deszraul’s Hold are Open Game Content as deﬁned in the Open Gaming License 
  version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. The moral 
  right of Creighton Broadhurst to be identiﬁed as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
  �11
  
  R A G I N G S W A N . C O M  
   EVERYTHING  
       is Better with  
  Tentacles 
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TITLE 
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Raging Swan - Gloamhold/Raging Swan Dungeon Backdrop/Raging Swan Dungeon Backdrop Deszrauls Hold/Raging Swan Dungeon Backdrop Deszrauls Hold.pdf