TEXT: Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
   
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
  Agents of the fire giants of Maerimydra, a city in the Underdark, have overtaken the drow outpost of Szith Morcane. The 
  factions seek out adventurers to free the outpost’s leaders for questioning on the giants’ activities. Can you extricate them 
  before it’s too late?  A four-hour adventure for 5th-10th level characters. 
  Adventure Code: DDEX3-3 
  Credits 
  Adventure Design: Cindy Moore 
  Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Chris Tulach, Travis Woodall 
  Organized Play: Chris Tulach 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Matt Sernett, Chris Tulach 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Debut: July 30, 2015 
  Release: September 1, 2015 
   
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  property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
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  ©2015 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 
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  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  2 
   
   
  Introduction 
  Welcome to The Occupation of Szith Morcane, a D&D 
  ExpeditionsTM adventure, part of the official D&D 
  Adventurers LeagueTM organized play system and the 
  Rage of DemonsTM storyline season.  
   This adventure consists of five mini-adventures, and is 
  designed for three to seven 5th-10th level characters, 
  and is optimized for five 8th-level characters. Characters 
  outside this level range cannot participate in this 
  adventure.  
   The adventure is set in the Moonsea region of the 
  Forgotten Realms, in and around the city of Hillsfar. 
    
  The D&D Adventurers 
  League 
  This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers League 
  play. The D&D Adventurers League is the official 
  organized play system for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®. 
  Players can create characters and participate in any 
  adventure allowed as a part of the D&D Adventurers 
  League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ 
  experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take 
  those characters through other adventures that will 
  continue their story. 
   D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into 
  storyline seasons. When players create characters, they 
  attach those characters to a storyline season, which 
  determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create 
  and advance their characters. Players can continue to 
  play their characters after the storyline season has 
  finished, possibly participating in a second or third 
  storyline with those same characters. A character’s level 
  is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot 
  use a character of a level higher or lower than the level 
  range of a D&D Adventurers League adventure. 
   If you’re running this adventure as a part of a store 
  event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI number. 
  This number is your official Wizards of the Coast 
  organized play identifier. If you don’t have a number, you 
  can obtain one at a store event. Check with your organizer 
  for details.  
   For more information on playing, running games as a 
  Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D 
  Adventurers League, please visit the D&D Adventurers 
  League home. 
   
  Preparing the Adventure 
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this adventure for 
  a group of players, you should do the following to prepare. 
   
  • 
  Make sure to have a copy of the most current version 
  of the D&D basic rules or the Player’s HandbookTM.   
  • 
  Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything 
  you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while 
  running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to 
  portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a 
  combat. 
  • 
  Get familiar with the monster statistics in the 
  Appendix. 
  • 
  Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid 
  you in Dungeon Mastering, such as notecards, a DM 
  screen, miniatures, battlemaps, etc.  
  • 
  If you know the composition of the group beforehand, 
  you can make adjustments as noted throughout the 
  adventure.  
  Before Play at the Table 
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information. This includes:  
   
  • 
  Character name and level 
  • 
  Character race and class 
  • 
  Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common 
  passive ability check 
  • 
  Anything notable as specified by the adventure (such 
  as backgrounds, traits, flaws, and so on) 
   
  Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level 
  range cannot participate in the adventure with those 
  characters. Players can play an adventure they previously 
  played or ran as a Dungeon Master, but not with the same 
  character (if applicable). 
   Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from the 
  organizer). The player will fill out the adventure name, 
  session number, date, and your name and DCI number. In 
  addition, the player also fills in the starting values for XP, 
  gold, downtime, renown, and number of permanent magic 
  items. He or she will fill in the other values and write 
  notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player is 
  responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet.  
  
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  3 
   
   
   If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s 
  character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. 
  If you see magic items of very high rarities or strange 
  arrays of ability scores, you can ask players to provide 
  documentation for the irregularities. If they cannot, feel 
  free to restrict item use or ask them to use a standard 
  ability score array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers 
  League Player’s Guide for reference. 
   If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the 
  beginning of an adventure or episode, they can declare 
  their activity and spend the days now, or they can do so at 
  the end of the adventure or episode.  
   Players should select their characters’ spells and other 
  daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the 
  adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the 
  adventure description to help give players hints about 
  what they might face. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Throughout this adventure, you may see sidebars to help 
  you make adjustments to this adventure for smaller/larger 
  groups and characters, of higher/lower levels that the 
  optimized group size. Most of the time, this is used for 
  combat encounters.  
   You may adjust the adventure beyond the guidelines 
  given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, 
  if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, 
  you might want to make the adventure a little easier; for 
  very experienced players, you might want to make it a 
  little harder. Therefore, five categories of party strength 
  have been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as 
  a guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment during 
  the adventure if the recommended party strength feels off 
  for the group. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 8th-
  level characters. To figure out whether you need to 
  adjust the adventure, do the following: 
   
  • 
  Add up the total levels of all the characters 
  • 
  Divide the total by the number of characters 
  • 
  Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round frations of 
  less than .5 down 
   
  You’ve now determined the average party level (APL) for 
  the adventure. To figure out the party strength for the 
  adventure, consult the following table. 
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition  
   
  Party Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL less than  
  Very weak 
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent  
  Weak 
  3-4 characters, APL greater than 
  Average 
  5 characters, APL less than 
   
  Weak 
  5 characters, APL equivalent  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL greater than  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL less than  
  Average 
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL greater than 
  Very strong 
   
  Average party strength indicates no recommended 
  adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or may 
  not offer suggestions for certain party strengths. If a 
  particular recommendation is not offered for your group, 
  you don’t have to make adjustments.  
  Dungeon Mastering the 
  Adventure 
  As the DM of the session, you have the most important 
  role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the 
  players. You help guide the narrative and bring the words 
  on these pages to life. The outcome of a fun game session 
  often creates stories that live well beyond the play at the 
  table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a 
  group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun 
  of the adventure when possible. 
   
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following: 
   
  • 
  You are empowered to make adjustments to the 
  adventure and make decisions about how the group 
  interacts with the world of this adventure. This is 
  especially important and applicable outside of 
  combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for 
  groups that are having too easy or too hard of a time. 
  • 
  Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for 
  a group. Never being challenged makes for a boring 
  game, and being overwhelmed makes for a 
  frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the 
  players (not the characters) with the game, try to feel 
  out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to 
  give each of them the experience they’re after when 
  they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.  
  
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  4 
   
   
  • 
  Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session 
  moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, since 
  play loses momentum when this happens. At the 
  same time, make sure that the players don’t finish 
  too early; provide them with a full play experience. 
  Try to be aware of running long or short. Adjust the 
  pacing accordingly. 
  • 
  Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to 
  modify the text as you see fit, especially when 
  dialogue is present.  
  • 
  Give the players appropriate hints so they can make 
  informed choices about how to proceed. Players 
  should be given clues and hints when appropriate so 
  they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions 
  without getting frustrated over lack of information. 
  This helps to encourage immersion in the adventure 
  and gives players “little victories” for figuring out 
  good choices from clues. 
   
  In short, being the DM isn’t about following the 
  adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating a 
  fun, challenging game environment for the players. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide TM has more information on the 
  art of running a D&D game. 
  Downtime and Lifestyle 
  At the beginning of each play session, players must 
  declare whether or not they are spending any days of 
  downtime. The player records the downtime spent on the 
  adventure logsheet. The following options are available to 
  players during downtime (see the D&D basic rules or the 
  D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for more 
  information): 
   
  • 
  Catching up  
  • 
  Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot 
  commit to crafting a single item) 
  • 
  Practicing a profession 
  • 
  Recuperating 
  • 
  Spellcasting services (end of the adventure only) 
  • 
  Training 
   
  Other downtime options might be available during 
  adventures or unlocked through play, including faction-
  specific activities. 
   In addition, whenever a character spends downtime 
  days, that character also spends the requisite expense for 
  his or her lifestyle. Costs are per day, so a character that 
  spends ten days of downtime also spends ten days of 
  expenses maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some downtime 
  activities help with lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle 
  expenses. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can provide 
  some spellcasting services. characters need to be able to 
  travel to the settlement to obtain these services. 
  Alternatively, if the party finishes an adventure, they can 
  be assumed to return to the settlement closest to the 
  adventure location.  
   Spell services generally available include healing and 
  recovery spells, as well as information-gathering spells. 
  Other spell services might be available as specified in the 
  adventure. The number of spells available to be cast as a 
  service is limited to a maximum of three per day total, 
  unless otherwise noted.  
  Spellcasting Services 
  Spell 
   
   
   
  Cost 
   
  Cure wounds (1st level) 
   
  10 gp 
   
  Identify 
   
   
   
  20 gp 
  Lesser restoration 
   
   
  40 gp 
   
  Prayer of healing (2nd level) 
   
  40 gp 
   
  Remove curse 
   
   
  90 gp 
   
  Speak with dead 
   
   
  90 gp 
  Divination  
   
   
  210 gp 
  Greater restoration  
   
  450 gp 
   
  Raise dead  
   
   
  1,250 gp  
  Acolyte Background 
  A character possessing the acolyte background requesting 
  spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request 
  one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free. 
  The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the 
  consumed material component, if any.  
   
  Faiths that can call upon spellcasting services in and around 
  Hillsfar include the following: Chauntea, Lliira, Mielikki, and 
  Tempus.  
  Character Disease,  
  Death, and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or die. Since you might not have the 
  same characters return from session to session, here are 
  the rules when bad things happen to characters. 
  
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  5 
   
   
  Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating 
  Effects 
  A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and other 
  similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure can 
  spend downtime days recuperating until such time as he 
  or she resolves the effect to its conclusion (see the 
  recuperating activity in the D&D basic rules).  
  If a character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, 
  that character begins the next session still affected by the 
  debilitating effect.  
  Death 
  A character who dies during the course of the adventure 
  has a few options at the end of the session (or whenever 
  arriving back in civilization) if no one in the adventuring 
  party has immediate access to a raise dead or revivify 
  spell, or similar magic. A character subject to a raise dead 
  spell is affected negatively until all long rests have been 
  completed during an adventure. Alternatively, each 
  downtime day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty 
  to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in 
  addition to any other benefits the downtime activity might 
  provide. 
   Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the 
  other options, the player creates a new character. The 
  new character does not have any items or rewards 
  possessed by the dead character. 
   Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing any vital 
  organs and is mostly whole) and the player would like the 
  character to be returned to life, the party can take the 
  body back to civilization and use the dead character’s 
  funds to pay for a raise dead spell. A raise dead spell cast 
  in this manner costs the character 1,250 gp.  
   Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise dead 
  spell is paid for by the party at the end of the session. 
  Other characters are under no obligation to spend their 
  funds to bring back a dead party member. 
   Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a 
  member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be 
  returned to civilization and a patron from the faction 
  ensures that he or she receives a raise dead spell. 
  However, any character invoking this charity forfeits all 
  XP and rewards from that session (even those earned 
  prior to death during that session), and cannot replay that 
  episode or adventure with that character again. Once a 
  character reaches 5th level, this option is not available.  
  Adventure Background 
  The Deep Wastes are the section of the Underdark that 
  lies beneath the surface lands of the Dalelands and the 
  Moonsea. It is home of the drow; dark elves who mostly 
  worship the Spider Queen, Lolth.  
   The city of Maerimydra lies in the Deep Wastes, under 
  the southern portion of Mistledale. During the Silence of 
  Lolth in 1372, a drow archmage named Duneth Wharrell 
  enlisted the help of a half-fiend named Kurgoth 
  Hellspawn to execute a coup of the city from the 
  priestesses of Lolth. Although successful in the coup, 
  Duneth fell prey to a contingent of worshippers of the 
  drow goddess of death, Kiaransalee. This group has since 
  fallen to the fire giants who are now led by the daughter 
  of Kurgoth, Hledh, whose demonic lineage is apparent in 
  the six fingers she has on each hand. 
   The blood of the Dark Prince Graz'zt flows through her 
  veins. Graz'zt has recently been expelled from the Abyss 
  and is now residing in the Underdark, below the city of 
  Hillsfar. Lust, self-indulgence, and narcissism are 
  Graz'zt's gifts to the world. His presence has resulted in 
  even surface dwellers embracing those gifts and allowing 
  his spreading madness to infect their souls. One reason 
  for his success in spreading his influence is the existence 
  of faerzress, a magical radiation that exists in the 
  Underdark. 
   Szith Morcane used to be an outpost for the city of 
  Maerimydra when it was under the control the followers 
  of Lolth. It served as entry point for raids into Daggardale 
  by the drow. When the drow were beaten back to the 
  outpost, it was sealed away from the surface. During the 
  Silence of Lolth, the outpost was taken over by the cult of 
  Kiaransalee. Raids on the surface resumed and were 
  subsequently stopped by leaders in Shadowdale. Solom 
  Ned'razak, a drow archmage who witnessed the rise and 
  fall of the cult, took control of Szith Morcane and has 
  again magically sealed it from the surface. 
   Since then, the population of Szith Morcane has 
  swollen by the drow fleeing Maerimydra and Hledh. With 
  Graz'zt's madness running rampant throughout the Deep 
  Wastes, the fire giants under Hledh's leadership have 
  attacked the drow sequestered at the outpost to abduct 
  slaves to be fighters in their arena. The drow of Szith 
  Morcane knew the only place to flee was the surface. 
  Recent seismic activity opened a sinkhole in the area near 
  Hillsfar, granting access to the surface. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  6 
   
   
   The factions in and around Hillsfar, having questioned 
  escapees, have grown concerned about the fire giants' 
  aggressiveness and are keen to learn more about their 
  movements. They seek adventurers to travel to Szith 
  Morcane, find its leaders, and, if they are still alive, bring 
  them back for questioning. 
  The Spreading Madness 
  The extent of the spread and effects of Graz'zt's madness is not 
  yet clear, but it is building. Those that feel the grasp of this 
  insanity begin to crave the same things as the Dark Prince. They 
  enjoy contrasts, oppositions, and mismatches that others find 
  unsettling or disgusting. They are given over to the basest of 
  hedonisms that would shock even the most corrupt and 
  cosmopolitan. The lands surrounding Hillsfar, above and below, 
  are gripped by a frenzied hedonism that continues to grow with 
  demonic fecundity. 
  Overview 
  This adventure is divided into three parts. 
   Part 1. The adventure begins with the characters 
  meeting Seranolla of Elventree--Priestess of Mielikki and 
  member of the Emerald Enclave. She and leaders from 
  other faction have a mission of some importance to 
  discuss with group. 
   On their trip to Elventrree, they happen across an elven 
  bard, Elanil Elassidil, who has run into some trouble with 
  drow in the area. Elanil asks for help securing one of the 
  drow to take to Elventree for questioning.  
   Once at Elventree, Elanil introduces Seranolla the 
  Whisperer of the Emerald Enclave, and Zern Xerkstil 
  Zern of the Order of the Gauntlet. Zern challenges the 
  adventurers' best and burliest member to a wrestling 
  match. 
   Part 2. The group then travels to the Underdark and 
  Szith Morcane in order to rescue any leaders that may 
  have been taken prisoner when it was attacked by the fire 
  giants of Maerimydra. They head to a sinkhole that has 
  recent developed, to find that the Red Plumes of Hillsfar 
  are closing it off. The characters arrange for the Guard 
  Commandant Vuhm Yestral to aid them in getting down 
  the hole. 
   Once in the Underdark they travel down an 
  underground river to Sporedome to ask the inhabitants 
  for directions to Szith Morcane. The myconids are happy 
  to help after the adventurers save them from a derro 
  attack. They introduce a friend of theirs that has a portal 
  to Szith Morcane. Their friend is the mind flayer, Huum. 
   Part 3. After traveling through the portal the 
  adventurers make their way through the ransacked Szith 
  Morcane. The fight through the new inhabitants to finally 
  find Solom Ned'razak, the drow archmage leader. He is 
  being held prisoner by a fire giant. 
   The characters defeat Solom's captor and take him to 
  the surface and the leaders of the factions, in order to 
  share information, in hopes of putting a stop to the fire 
  giants. 
  Adventure Hooks 
   Emerald Enclave. Characters that are members of the 
  Emerald Enclave receive an urgent message from 
  Seranolla the Whisperer who is currently in Elventree. 
  She wishes to speak with them about a great concern she 
  has about drow disrupting the balance of the Cormanthor 
  Forest. 
   Heroes of Phlan. Characters who have worked to 
  protect the refugees of Phlan in previous seasons are en 
  route to Elventree from Mulmaster, looking to make allies 
  in the region to feed starving. They have been told by Zor 
  Garwyl Gos that the famous bard Elanil Elassidil of 
  Elventree is looking to hire adventurers. In the 
  breadbasket of the Moonsea, she would be a powerful ally 
  indeed. 
   Order of the Gauntlet. The character who are 
  members hear from an Order of the Gauntlet courier that 
  Zern Xerkstil is looking for an able body group of 
  adventurers to take a trip into the Underdark and keep 
  the drow from coming to the surface again. He urges 
  them to join him in Elventree 
   In Need of Work. The famous bard Elanil Elassidil, 
  Moonsilver Herald, has been seen around the area, telling 
  stories of drow coming to the surface again. She has 
  offered work to those who are willing to find out why they 
  facing the sun again. Elventree is where Elanil was 
  headed. 
   
  
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  7 
   
   
  Part 1: Unwelcome 
  Visitors 
   
  The road to Elventree is unusually busy. The traffic 
  consists mostly of non-humans who are unwelcome in 
  Hillsfar. These travelers have found the entrance to 
  Hillsfar closed and the guards unwelcoming. Many are 
  certain that they have the exact thing that Hillsfar needs 
  and will be let in because of it. Disappointment awaits 
  them. Others are traveling to Elventree in order to plead 
  for help and to sell their wares to those who have also 
  been refused. 
   The characters nearly make it to Elventree when they 
  come across the end of a confrontation between a lone 
  traveler and a group of drow. 
  With about two hours travel until you arrive at your destination, 
  you come across a horse laying, unmoving on its side in the 
  middle of the road. Closer inspection reveals multiple stab 
  wounds have killed the animal. Evidence of a struggle is 
  apparent all around, as your eyes fall on an immobile body on 
  the edge of the woods. The humanoid creature has long white 
  hair and black skin. 
   Before you are able to completely take in the situation, an elf 
  brandishing a rapier runs out of the woods. She is out of breath 
  and has blood soaking her white shirt. Many of the buttons on 
  the shirt have been ripped off. A lyre is slung over her back. 
   She sees you and beckons in common, "Oh, thank the Gods!  
  Quick, come and help me tie this one up before he wakes up."  
  She grabs a pack from the ground that has a rope attached, and 
  moves quickly toward the body on the side of the road. 
   
  The stranger is Elanil Elassidil, a famous half-elven bard 
  who is known to reside in Elventree, returning from a trip 
  to the outskirts of Hillsfar. A successful DC 10 Wisdom 
  (Perception) allows a character to notice a pin in the 
  shape of a harp on her shirt. The dark-skinned elf lying on 
  the ground is a female drow that was part of a small 
  group of three that attacked Elanil. Should the party 
  follow to help bind the drow, she relays the story of what 
  happened: 
  • 
  Any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence 
  (History) recognizes the famous bard. Bards and 
  characters with the Entertainer background make 
  this check with advantage. 
  • 
  Elanil is traveling to Elventree to meet with some 
  adventurers about the problem of drow coming to the 
  surface. 
  • 
  When she got to this point in the road, three drow 
  came barreling out of the woods and attacked her 
  horse first. 
  • 
  Her horse quickly fell from its injuries and then the 
  drow started grabbing at her. They pinned her down 
  and came at her with short swords. 
  • 
  The fighting was relentless, but Elanil managed to 
  wrestle away a poisoned crossbow bolt from the 
  drow and stab her with it, putting the now-captured 
  drow to sleep. The others panicked and ran into the 
  woods. 
  • 
  She chased after them, but they had too much of a 
  head start. All the recent activity in the area has 
  made tracking almost impossible. 
   
  When brought around, the drow is incoherent and wild. A 
  bit of food and water calms her for only a moment before 
  she begins to struggle frantically to free herself. It soon 
  becomes apparent that keeping her unconscious is the 
  only way to transport her successfully. 
  Roleplaying Elanil Elassidil 
  Elanil Elassidil resides in Elventree, where she has the title of 
  Moonsilver Herald, and is a bard of some renown in the area 
  around Hillsfar.  
   
  Elanil is confident in her ability and strong in purpose. She is 
  not afraid to give her opinion on a subject, even when not asked. 
  She is quick to give historical detail to back her opinions and 
  hard on those that do not back their opinions with similar 
  evidence.  
   
  If things get too heated, Elanil is prepared with a song to 
  lighten the mood and make all forget there was a disagreement. 
  She is an accomplished diplomat and uses this skill regularly as a 
  member of the Harpers. 
   
  Should the characters decide to not help Elanil, she 
  mumbles to herself as she struggles with her wounds 
  while securing the drow. She proceeds to slap the face of 
  the drow--rousing her from her slumber. Once she is 
  awake, Elanil brings her to her feet and uses her own 
  dagger to further goad her down the road. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  8 
   
   
  Elua’s Lighthouse 
   
  Just outside of the forest in which Elventree is located is a 
  lighthouse that could have once been on the shores of the 
  Moonsea. Its light still shines despite there being no harbor for 
  it to lead the way to. This, however, is not the most interesting 
  sight in this area. A small community has grown around the 
  lighthouse.  
   Several permanent structures, obviously recently built, can be 
  seen. Smoke rises from a couple of them, indicating that they 
  are occupied. Small gardens can be seen as well as livestock 
  penned near a half constructed barn. 
   A small halfling child spots you and runs into the closest 
  building. A few moments later a male halfling comes out and 
  observes your approach. 
   
  The male halfling is Falwan Underbough. The village 
  under the lighthouse grew as a result of the xenophobic 
  actions of Hillsfar. The community consists mostly of 
  elves, half-elves, halflings, and gnomes. The only humans 
  living here are relatives of the half-elves. The residents 
  are very leery of humans and are not overly friendly 
  toward them. They have not named the community yet 
  but some have simply been calling it Lighthouse. 
   If Elanil Elassidil is a prisoner, Falwan runs over and 
  demands her release. He tells the characters who she is 
  and after hearing what happened, offers that if Elanil had 
  to put down a drow it needed to happen. He does not 
  allow the characters to come any closer to the settlement 
  no matter what they say. He leads Elanil to the house he 
  came out of and has a few of the stronger residents bar 
  the characters from entering. 
   If Elanil is with the characters and not a prisoner, she 
  waves to Falwan and he starts walking toward the party. 
  Elanil introduces the characters to Falwan and then asks 
  him to give them food and drink while she takes a horse 
  in order to get the prisoner to the leaders of Elventree 
  right away. He eyes her pointedly, and she shakes her 
  head and continues down the road to Elventree with the 
  prisoner. If any characters attempt to follow her, she asks 
  them to remain with Falwan; they will only slow her 
  down. If they continue, skip to Elventree, below. 
   Falwan is reluctant to bring them closer to the 
  settlement, especially if there is a human in the party. He 
  walks them a little closer to the buildings talking about 
  the town a bit, but not close enough to be able to talk to 
  any other residents. 
  • 
  Falwan tells the characters that he used to be a 
  citizen of Hillsfar, but fled the city when all non-
  humans were banished by the First Lord, Torin 
  Nomerthal. He was a very successful baker there, 
  where "half cakes" were his specialty. 
  • 
  He brought his family to Elventree along with many 
  other refugees. Most have continued on their journey 
  to other parts of the Moonsea or beyond. The leaders 
  of Elventree suggested that those remaining could 
  use the lighthouse as a basis for starting a new 
  permanent settlement.  
   
  A successful DC 15 Charisma (Diplomacy) check can 
  convince Falwan to take them into the village proper in 
  order to talk a bit. The character is at disadvantage if 
  there are humans in the party. If Falwan feels more 
  comfortable with the party he divulges the following: 
  • 
  They have started to slowly build up a village, but a 
  new threat has arisen. There have been attacks by 
  drow, which is strange in this area. It has been many 
  years since the drow have come to the surface.  
  • 
  His son, Jory, came across a group of drow recently. 
  He was gathering wood for kindling and ran across 
  three drow. They gave chase, but Jory was able to 
  hide. 
  • 
  The strange thing about that encounter was that it 
  was during the day. The drow, also, seemed frenzied 
  and not careful and nimble as the stories say they 
  should be. 
  • 
  He knows the leaders of Elventree have been 
  investigating the area to try and see where they are 
  coming from. 
   
  A character that succeeds at a DC 15 Intelligence 
  (History) check knows that drow usually only come to the 
  surface when it is dark and do not typically conduct raids 
  during daylight. With a successful DC 20 Intelligence 
  (History) check, a character recognizes the name Solom 
  Ned'razak as the drow that rules the outpost of Szith 
  Morcane and sealed it away from the surface many years 
  ago.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  9 
   
   
  Roleplaying Falwan Underbough 
  Falwan Underbough is a male halfling of middle age, who acts as 
  community leader for this new settlement. His family suffered 
  greatly from their banishment from Hillsfar. There, he was the 
  proud owner of a bakery. His "half cakes" had a popular 
  following among the nobles. He lost that when the First Lord re-
  enacted the Two Great Laws. One of which forbade non-humans 
  from being in the city other than as fodder for the arena. 
   
  Falwan is friendly to most, even humans if they prove 
  themselves. Caution is evident when he encounters humans with 
  weapons, however. 
  Elventree 
  Elventree lies just inside the northern edge of the 
  Cormanthor forest, twenty miles due south of Elua's 
  Lighthouse. 
  The main road leading to Elventree turns into a footpath just 
  before the forest begins. The forest is dense and the path leads 
  over both hilly and flat land. After about a half a mile of travel, 
  the trees open up into a small clearing, with large hills 
  surrounding it on three sides. The hills have several caves and 
  large cairns standing between the trees. There is activity in and 
  around those openings. However, there are no free standing 
  buildings that you can see.  
   As your gaze moves up the hills you see that there are 
  buildings in the forest canopy. Walkways connect the structures 
  in the trees and rope ladders lead to the ground in several 
  places. 
   On the ground several fire pits with logs around them look to 
  be gathering areas. There are a few people sitting around one of 
  the pits sharing a few laughs. As they see you, a familiar face is 
  among them. An elven woman stands and heads toward your 
  group. 
   
  The elven woman is Elanil Elassidil, the woman that 
  asked for aid from the characters on the road to 
  Elventree. 
  "You Again!" 
  If the characters didn't help Elanil on the road, she recognizes 
  them when they arrive. She is gracious, but only refers them to 
  the Hall of the Unicorn and waits until they have gotten started 
  before she joins in the meeting representing the Harpers. 
   
  If the party attacked her, however, she is still very angry about 
  it. She is sharp tongued and generally unhelpful. When told that 
  they are here to answer the call from the Harpers, she snorts and 
  with a smirk tells them to follow her. 
   
  Elanil greets the characters as they enter the village. She 
  asks them how their visit at Lighthouse went and asks if 
  they were able to try any of Falwan's Half Cakes. If the 
  party has not yet told her why they have come to 
  Elventree she asks what has brought them to "this hidden 
  gem".  
   Elanil takes the party to the Hall of the Unicorn. She 
  leads them up the top of the northern hill. 
  At the top of the hill you see perhaps the biggest tree you have 
  ever seen. It is twenty feet in diameter and fifty feet high. Its 
  branches are twisted as to resemble a great pair of antlers. 
  There is a hole at the base through which Elanil enters. 
   As you follow, you find that the tree is completely hollow. There 
  is a winding staircase that winds around the perimeter of the 
  tree. Ten feet above you is a ceiling that the stairs lead up to. In 
  the middle of this ground floor, taking up almost the entire 
  room is a statue of a Unicorn. It is flawless and the wood it is 
  carved from what seems to be petrified.  
   Elanil ascends the stairs and motions for you to follow. As you 
  climb the stairs you start to hear voices on the second floor. You 
  emerge from the stairs to the second floor. There you see two 
  individuals debating around an unconscious drow. They notice 
  your entrance and stop and turn your way.  
   A gnomish woman steps forward, she wears bland green robes. 
  Her hair is wound around many small twigs, forming a rather 
  beautiful style. With a quiet voice she says, "I am Seranolla the 
  Whisperer, welcome to The House of the Unicorn!  Please, have 
  some half cake and tea. Oh! And have a seat, you must be weary 
  from your journey." 
   
  Seranolla runs nervously around the room finding straw 
  pillows for you to sit on. Elanil gently touches her 
  shoulder to have her stop and smiles at her. Seranolla 
  calms herself and settles down onto one of the pillows. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  10 
   
   
  Faction Representatives in Elventree 
  The following faction representatives can be found in Elventree: 
   
  Seranolla the Whisperer. Seranolla (female gnome) 
  represents the Emerald Enclave. She always seems very nervous, 
  and rarely speaks above a whisper. When anything disrupts the 
  natural process of the world, she is decisive and relentless in its 
  defense. 
   
  Elanil Elassidil. Elanil is the representative for the Harpers in 
  the Hillsfar area. She finds herself relegated to subordinate now 
  that Olisara Lightsong has also arrived in Hillsfar. She has the 
  title of Moonsilver Herald, the leader of Elventree. 
   
  Zern Xerkstil. Zern is a half-orc male. Dressed in the 
  vestments of a paladin of Helm. He represents the Order of the 
  Gauntlet, and has been given charge by his superiors to make 
  sure that only the strongest are chosen to go into the Underdark 
  to complete this mission. He speaks constantly about the 
  infiltration of Devils and the need for physical prowess to slay 
  them. He asks the characters for stories demonstrating their own 
  heroism and skill. 
   
  • 
  Seranolla introduces the others in the room as 
  representatives of the factions that have asked the 
  characters to travel here. Her demeanor becomes 
  serious and she loses her nervous behavior. With a 
  whisper, she relays the following information to the 
  party: 
  • 
  They have come to learn of some disturbing news 
  from the Underdark. 
  • 
  Szith Morcane, a drow outpost, has recently been 
  taken over by the fire giants of Maerimydra led by 
  Hledh Hellspawn. 
  • 
  This small group is speaking on behalf of all the 
  factions. The factions are concerned about this new 
  threat and need to have it further investigated. This is 
  why Seranolla and the other two have asked the 
  characters to come here. 
  • 
  The prisoner that Elanil brought back with her has 
  confirmed all of this information, but has also 
  informed the trio that Solom Ned'razak, a drow 
  archmage, is alive and being held captive in the 
  outpost. 
  • 
  That has been just about the only useful information 
  that the drow prisoner has been able to give them. 
  She seems to be suffering from some kind of 
  madness. She keeps repeating the same thing over 
  and over in between her small periods of lucidity: "he 
  embraces the madness!" 
  • 
  Seranolla believes that the drow are coming up to the 
  surface through a sinkhole that opened due to recent 
  rainfall and seismic activity stemming from the 
  events in Mulmaster. Locals have starting calling it 
  "The Waydown". 
  • 
  This entrance is about two days travel from here or 
  about a half day's journey from Hillsfar. 
  • 
  From what the drow prisoner has said there is an 
  underground river that flows to a lake in the middle 
  of a colony of Myconids. They should be able to give 
  the characters further directions to Szith Morcane if 
  they can befriend them. 
   
  Seranolla offers the characters a purse containing 1,000 
  gp if they bring back Solom Ned'razak alive and 
  unharmed. She refuses to provide anything more than 
  100 gp in advance. The Factions wish to learn more 
  about what's going on and believe that Solom may be the 
  key to the entire situation. 
   If the characters have not had favorable dealings with 
  Elanil, she contests Seranolla's decision to employ the 
  characters. The characters can change her mind with a 
  successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. 
   Not convinced of the characters ability to achieve the 
  mission in such a dangerous place as the Underdark, 
  Zern speaks up. He challenges the strongest looking 
  character to a wrestling match. Rolling her eyes, 
  Seranolla insists that this take place outside of the 
  temple. 
  Wanna Wrassle? 
  Use the following to facilitate the match. Zern has a 
  Strength (Athletics) modifier of +10.  
   Initiative. Roll to see who gets the first opening. 
   Grapple. Strength (Athletics) check opposed by the 
  opponent's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check (opponent's choice). 
   Take Down. Strength (Athletics) check opposed by the 
  opponent's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check (opponent's choice). If an opponent is already 
  grappled, the check is made with advantage. If successful, 
  the opponent is also prone.  
   Pin. Strength (Athletics) check opposed by the 
  opponent's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check (opponent's choice). This maneuver can only be 
  attempted if opponent has been knocked prone. Success 
  pins the opponent and wins the bout. 
   If the any characters not participating in the match 
  attempt to interfere, Seranolla and Elanil step in and stop 
  the match. That character then has to explain themselves 
  and convince the trio of the commitment that they have to 
  the mission. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  11 
   
   
   If Zern loses or wins after a good fight, he is still 
  satisfied that the characters will be able to handle the 
  Underdark. If he wins easily, Zern grumbles about 
  incompetence and having no other choice. He is 
  unconvinced the party will succeed. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters successfully convince Elanil that they 
  can be trusted, award each character 100 XP. 
  Treasure 
  When the characters are ready to leave, Seranolla gives 
  them two vials of antitoxin. She says that this should help 
  resist the poison that drow are known to use. 
   
  Part 2: Into the Darkness 
   
  The characters make their way to The Waydown, a 
  sinkhole that formed about a two days from Elventree and 
  a half day's travel Hillsfar. The group's journey has been 
  easy, when they make it to an enormous hole that leads 
  into darkness. 
  As before, travel along the main road has been filled with traders 
  hoping to trade in Hillsfar, only to be turned away. As you reach 
  the area in which you were told the sinkhole formed, the amount 
  of activity is surprising. 
   Around The Waydown you see a contingent of human soldiers--
  members of the Red Plumes by the look of it. The soldiers wear 
  splint mail, carry shields and longswords, and have shortbows 
  slung over their shoulders. They are overseeing a group of 
  human laborers building a wall around the hole. Nearby there is 
  a wagon filled with barrels and crates. Many of the laborers are 
  in line drinking water from the barrels and grabbing tack from 
  the crates. Guards talk with them pleasantly and help them carry 
  the heavy stones they are using. There is also a winch whose 
  rope leads down the hole.  
   An older man in armor is arguing with another over a table 
  strewn with plans. As you approach, a few of the soldiers step in 
  front of you and block your way to the pair. "What can we do for 
  you travelers?” one of them says pleasantly. 
   
  If the characters try and hide the reason they wish to go 
  into the Underdark, they must succeed at a DC 20 
  Charisma (Deception) check to convince the guard. This 
  check is made at disadvantage if there are nonhumans in 
  the group. The guard does not let them through if he does 
  not believe them. 
   If the characters tell them the truth about their mission, 
  the soldier asks them to wait there and goes to speak with 
  the older man at the table. After listening to the soldier, 
  the older man beckons the characters over to a nearby 
  tent. 
   The tent is appointed with chairs and a table. He takes 
  a ladle from a barrel in the tent and drinks from it. He 
  then offers some to the characters. He sits at the opposite 
  side of the table from them. The man introduces himself 
  as Guard Commandant Vuhm Yestral. He then asks to 
  hear about their "mission" into the Underdark. 
  Roleplaying Vuhm Yestral 
  Guard Commandant Vuhm Yestral is the head of the Red 
  Plumes, the military group charged with the security of Hillsfar. 
  He is loud and opinionated, however, is kind and very devoted to 
  the citizens of Hillsfar. He is a member of the Lord's Alliance, 
  who is looking to restore proper trade balance by allowing 
  nonhumans into the city for business only, and not to lodge 
  there regardless. Vuhm, as a human in his early 60s, still is a 
  commanding presence among his subordinates. 
   
  If the characters do not reveal who has hired them, Vuhm 
  asks that question first. He gives this information about 
  what the Red Plumes are doing at The Waydown: 
  • 
  Due to the recent attacks by drow around the city of 
  Hillsfar, the First Lord called for Vuhm to bring a 
  contingent of Red Plumes here to protect the masons 
  and secure the sinkhole. 
  • 
  Some of the drow are surfacing during the day which 
  is very unusual. He is used to them attacking during 
  the cover of night. He is under the impression that 
  they are sensitive to sunlight. 
  • 
  The drow he has seen seem wild in their fighting 
  skills, not graceful and cunning. They appear frantic. 
  It is like their only goal is to destroy. 
  • 
  The sinkhole is 100 feet straight down at which point 
  it opens into a cavern that has a river flowing through 
  it. The current is pretty fast and the water deep 
  enough only for a raft. He offers supplies to build one 
  once they make it to the bottom. 
  • 
   The climb is difficult and treacherous, yet somehow 
  the drow have managed to make it.  
  • 
  He has sent a patrol down once a day to clear the 
  area underneath the hole of any creatures that seem 
  a threat. They have encountered the usual denizens 
  of the Underdark. The sunlight has attracted many 
  creatures to the hole. Giant spiders, quaggoths, 
  derro, and oozes have all been seen in the cavern 
  below. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  12 
   
   
  • 
  The patrols are sent down in a basket attached to a 
  winch. He would be willing to lower the characters 
  down using the basket. 
  The Underdark 
  If the characters want to delve into the sinkhole, Vuhm 
  orders his men to attach the basket and lower them down 
  into the Underdark. All the characters are able to fit easily 
  in the basket and the winch has been secured so no 
  accidents happen on the way down. 
  General Features 
  The Underdark is not welcoming to those from the 
  surface. It has taken the inhabitants centuries to become 
  accustomed to the harsh conditions it provides. The 
  following features are true throughout one's travel in the 
  Underdark unless otherwise described in a specific 
  location.  
   Light. The caverns and passages of the Underdark are 
  completely void of any light. Those without darkvision 
  must have a light source in order to be able to see. The 
  area descriptions assume the characters have a light 
  source. Adjust the description if they do not 
   Sound. The sound of dripping, an occasional "scream", 
  but mostly utter silence is what you hear here. 
   Smell. The smell of a dank and musty cellar is 
  constant. Occasionally the smell of death is unmistakable. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Faerzress 
  An unusual magical energy the drow call faerzress pervades much 
  of the Underdark. The origin of this mysterious arcane power is 
  unknown. Legend claims it is an ancient elven magic dating back 
  to the time when the dark elves were first exiled from the world 
  above. The drow and other Underdark creatures use the 
  properties of areas suffused with faerzress to protect their 
  settlements. 
      Areas suffused with faerzress can range in size from a few 
  dozen feet across to several miles in diameter, and feature the 
  following effects: 
   
  • 
  Areas suffused with faerzress are always filled with dim light. 
  • 
  A creature in an area suffused with faerzress has advantage 
  on saving throws against any divination spells. If a divination 
  spell doesn’t allow a saving throw, the caster must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw to cast the spell. 
  Failing this save means the spell is wasted and has no effect. 
  • 
  Any creature attempting to teleport into, within, or out of 
  a faerzress-suffused area must succeed on a DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature 
  takes 5 (1d10) force damage and the teleportation attempt 
  fails. Even if the save succeeds, the teleportation attempt can 
  suffer a mishap as if the destination was known only by 
  description, regardless of how familiar the destination 
  actually is. See the table in the teleport spell for more 
  information. 
  • 
  Areas suffused with faerzress have become tainted by the 
  chaos of the demon lords. When a spell is cast in a faerzress-
  suffused area, the caster rolls a d20. On a roll of 1, the spell 
  has an additional effect, determined by rolling on the Wild 
  Magic Surge table in chapter 3, “Classes,” of the Player’s 
  Handbook. 
  • 
  Though faerzress can’t be dispelled, its effects are temporarily 
  suppressed in the area of an antimagic field. 
   
   
  
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  13 
   
   
  The Waydown 
  Traveling down the Waydown is slow, jerky, and at times 
  painful as the characters are jostled around in the basket. 
  A basket of supplies for building a raft follows. 
  You begin to realize what a lobster in a trap feels like when it is 
  being brought in. On the way down into the darkness the basket 
  swings, hits the side, and causes your companions to fall into 
  you. By the time the basket reaches the bottom the bruises are 
  already visible. 
   You step onto the solid ground outside the basket and pull on 
  the rope to let those above know that they can bring the basket 
  back up. The supplies to make the raft are sent down next. 
   It is evident, as you use this time to take in your surroundings, 
  that the Underdark is a whole different world from the surface. 
  New sounds and smells accost you as you slowly move around 
  this enormous cavern. 
   A fast moving river flows into the chamber, travels the length 
  of the cavern, and then exits on the other side. 
   Suddenly, you hear loud twang and something large crashing 
  down the sinkhole. Looking up you see wood, tools, and pieces 
  of the basket falling down the sinkhole. It is going to be landing 
  right on top of you. 
   
  The characters must succeed at DC 15 Dexterity saving 
  throw or be hit by the falling debris. Those who get hit by 
  the debris take 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage.  
  As you move out from under the remains of the basket, you see 
  a black tar-like substance on some of the pieces. The substance 
  starts to move toward you, leaving a trail of slime that is eating 
  away at anything it touches. 
   
  The substance is a black pudding. It attached itself to the 
  basket as it was coming down. It easily dissolved the rope 
  and caused the basket to fall.  
   In the second round of combat, a kuo-toa archpriest 
  and two kuo-toa whips emerge from the river and join 
  the fight. They have been waiting for the opportunity to 
  get rid of the surface dwellers that have been invading 
  their lair. 
   The archpriest starts combat with hold person against 
  the strongest looking character. It then uses spiritual 
  weapon to attack that person on the next round. 
   The whips start by casting shield of faith and moving 
  closer the characters. They then use their pinchers and 
  bite to attack. The whips stay in melee combat. Try not to 
  use spells. 
  Madness 
  At the best of times, the Underdark is a bizarre, alien, and 
  inhospitable world, but the influence of the demon lords has 
  transformed it into a domain of madness and chaos. Faerzress 
  acts as a catalyst, spreading the demon lords’ madness 
  throughout the Underdark. 
   
  A creature’s madness level starts at 0. When the creature fails 
  a madness saving throw, its madness level increases by 1, and 
  the creature immediately suffers the level’s effect (as determined 
  by rolling on the Short-Term Madness, Long-Term Madness, or 
  Indefinite Madness table in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, as 
  appropriate). When the effect ends, the creature’s madness level 
  doesn’t change. Any time the creature’s madness level increases, 
  it suffers the effect of the new level. 
      If a creature with level 3 madness fails a madness saving 
  throw, its madness level becomes 1. In this way, characters can 
  potentially accumulate multiple forms of madness. If a character 
  accumulates a form madness that they are already suffering 
  from, reroll until a new result is reached. 
      Bouts of short- and long-term madness can be cured as 
  described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Given the demonic 
  source of the madness, remove curse and dispel evil are also 
  effective as cures. A greater restoration spell or more powerful 
  magic is needed to cure indefinite madness and also resets a 
  creature’s madness level to 0. 
   
  In adventures set during Rage of Demons, madness is 
  measured in three levels: 
  Madness Level 
  Level 
  Effect 
  1  
  Short-term madness (lasts 1d10 minutes) 
  2  
  Long-term madness (lasts 1d10 x 10 minutes) 
  3  
  Indefinite madness (lasts until cured) 
  Indefinite Madnesses of Graz’zt 
  Graz'zt influence on the region has manifested itself in the 
  different forms of madness that characters may develop. Upon 
  reaching madness level 3, instead of rolling on the Indefinite 
  Madness table on page 260 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, roll 
  on the following table and the character gains the madness listed 
  below. Have the player note it on his or her character sheet.  
   
  If the roll results in a madness already possessed by the 
  character, reroll until a new result is reached. 
   
  01-20 
  Narcissism: "There is nothing in existence that is more 
  important than me." 
  21-40 
  Megalomania: "Anyone who doesn't do exactly what I 
  say does not deserve to live." 
  41-60 
  Infatuation: "I will not rest until I have made someone 
  else mine, and doing so is more important to me than 
  my own life or the lives of others." 
  61-80 
  Hedonism: "My own pleasure is of paramount 
  importance. Everything else, including social graces, is 
  a triviality." 
  81-100 
  Abomination: "The mores of society are a lie, meant to 
  shackle free thinking people. I will revel in that which 
  others find shocking or disgusting to demonstrate my 
  rebellion." 
  
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  14 
   
   
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These 
  are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove the archpriest. 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove whips. 
  • 
  Strong party: Add two kuo-toa monitors 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two whips and two kuo-toa monitors. 
  Treasure 
  The kuo-toa have jewelry made from bones and pearls 
  and precious gems that total 50 gp. 
  Development 
  Once the combat has ended and the supplies gathered, 
  the characters can get busy constructing a raft to take 
  them down the river. The raft is easy enough to make and 
  in a short time they are ready to launch their creation.  
   When the raft is ready and the characters climb aboard, 
  their journey to Sporedome should take about five hours. 
  Along the shore there are many passages that lead away 
  from the river. Beside the occasional giant rat or spider 
  the trip down stream is uneventful. 
  Down the River 
  Once the combat has ended and the supplies gathered, 
  the characters can get busy constructing a raft to take 
  them down the river. The raft is easy enough to make and 
  in a short time they are ready to launch their creation.  
   When the raft is ready and the characters climb aboard, 
  their journey to Sporedome should take about five hours. 
  Along the shore there are many passages that lead away 
  from the river. Beside the occasional giant rat or spider 
  the trip down stream is uneventful. 
   As the raft approaches the Sporedome read the 
  following: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The raft moves through the darkness with only the light you 
  provide illuminating the dank passages you travel. Save for the 
  common creatures one expects to see underground, your 
  journey has provided few glimpses of other living creatures. 
   After several hours of travel, the passage opens up ahead. 
  Exiting it, you realize the enormity of what lies ahead of you. The 
  cavern stretches farther than your light reaches. However, light 
  is not needed to see vastness of the area you are in. 
  Phosphorescent molds, fungi, and lichen give off an eerie glow 
  that reveals the cavern's size to be miles across. Spores cloud 
  the air, floating on unseen breezes. The river you are on winds 
  through a forest of full of color and texture. It ends in a lake that 
  appear to be exactly in the middle of the chamber. 
   As you start to contemplate your course of action, there is a 
  rustling on the nearby shore. Shining your light in that direction, 
  two creatures suddenly burst out of a grouping of bright purple 
  mushrooms. A very small humanoid with dark skin, white hair 
  and mustache, white bulbous eyes, and wearing armor chases, 
  strangely enough, a tall multicolor mushroom. The small 
  creature catches up to the fungi and trips it, all the while 
  spouting off gibberish. More like the dark creature run out from 
  the cover of the flora. They try and take possession of the 
  mushroom creature from the first. A scuffle starts, enabling the 
  mushroom to escape without the small creatures noticing. What 
  they have noticed, however, is your light. 
   
  The creatures are derro and they are hunting myconids. A 
  successful DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) identifies both the 
  ten derro and the myconid. A character whose race is 
  native to the Underdark automatically succeeds on this 
  check. The derro come to the edge of the water, snarling 
  and shouting at the characters in Undercommon. The 
  characters are easily able to get the raft to the closest 
  shore if they wish. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These 
  are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Strong and very strong parties: Add a derro savant 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  15 
   
   
  Developments 
  The derro start shooting their crossbows at the 
  characters. If the characters do not come to shore they 
  lose interest and take off into the fungi forest after a 
  round or two of combat.  
   They can be subsequently found by succeeding at a DC 
  20 Wisdom (Survival) check. They are found waiting to 
  ambush whatever happens by. The characters can avoid 
  being surprised by succeeding on a Wisdom (Perception) 
  check opposed by the derros's Dexterity (Stealth) check.  
   If any of the derro are captured and interrogated, 
  between gibberish and insane ravings, they can tell the 
  characters that they have come from the city of 
  Ravagestone to harvest myconids to bring back to feed 
  "Mother." She hungers and will come for them! They do 
  not elaborate on the location of Ravagestone or who or 
  what "Mother" is. Indeed, it seems almost as if they do 
  not really know. 
  Treasure 
  The derro carry a total of 50 gp in various coins and 
  trinkets. 
  Communication is Key 
  While the characters were dealing with the derro the 
  myconid had time to escape and gather some of his kin. 
  Surface dwellers do not often come into the Underdark, it 
  could mean disaster or a great opportunity. 
   A group of six myconid adults and one myconid 
  sovereign approach the party, shortly after combat has 
  ceased. Adjust the boxed text based on character actions 
  after combat completed. 
  As you catch your breath from the run in with the derro you 
  notice that the surrounding have changed slightly. The patch of 
  mushrooms that you were resting in has become a bit thicker. In 
  fact, a particularly tall one seems to have the same coloring as 
  the creature that the derro were chasing.  
   As you become aware of their presence a group of myconids 
  break from camouflage and surround you. They make no hostile 
  moves, except that they collectively move their arms and spores 
  come forth and envelope all of you. 
   Within seconds of breathing in the pollen, you start to hear 
  voices in your head. They seem to all be asking if you can hear 
  them. 
   
  The voices are those of the myconids using spores to 
  communicate with the characters. After verifying that the 
  characters can hear them, the myconid sovereign steps 
  forward and his voice quiets the others. He thanks the 
  characters for helping him escape the derro. He asks if 
  they are in need of a safe place to rest. He offer the 
  hospitality of Sporedome to the party, as well as giving 
  this information: 
  • 
  The derro occasionally come into Sporedome and 
  wreak havoc among the myconids. They are 
  completely deranged and attack for no other reason 
  than to kill. They know there is a derro city 
  somewhere far from this cavern. 
  • 
  Lately their attacks have been more frequent and 
  ferocious. They have started carrying away the 
  bodies of the myconids they kill.  
  • 
  The increase could have something to do with a new 
  presence in the Underdark. 
  • 
  No creature knows what the entity is but they all feel 
  its pull toward madness. 
  • 
  If asked where Szith Morcane is, he is able to give 
  them directions. It is about 21 days walk from here. 
  However, he happens to know a creature that knows 
  of a portal connected close to there. The creature is 
  known as Huum and has been friendly to the 
  myconids. 
  Rapport Spores 
  The spores the myconids spread are rapport spores. They do not 
  speak a language but instead communicate by creating a 
  telepathic link by spreading the spores. The effect lasts for an 
  hour. 
   
   
  The characters are welcome to stay with the myconids as 
  long as they would like. The creatures are very hospitable 
  and can answer many questions about the Underdark, 
  and what to expect.  
   When the characters are ready to depart the myconids 
  take them to their contact, the Mind Flayer Huum, who 
  knows the location of the portal. 
   If the characters choose to make the trek on foot, the 
  myconid gives them basic directions on how to get there. 
  The trip is long, arduous and dangerous, but eventually 
  the characters arrive. However, they arrive too late and 
  Solom has been taken to Maerimydra by Fydor and his 
  slaves. To top it off, the characters must still make saving 
  throws to avoid accumulating Madness Points. If they are 
  lucky, they won't be stark, raving mad by the time they 
  finally arrive. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  16 
   
   
  Your Friend is a What? 
  The myconids send a contingent of four with the 
  characters to visit the contact they know. They lead the 
  group through what seems like a maze of tunnels and 
  caverns, until they finally arrive at a door. 
  The telepathic link that existed between you and your new found 
  friends has worn off by the time they stop and point down a 
  short passage. The passage ends at an elegantly carved stone 
  door that has a giant knocker.  
   Before you are able to knock, the door flies open and a hairless 
  purple-skinned humanoid with writhing tentacles surrounding 
  its mouth say, “Ahhhh. Come innnnn. I have tea waiting on the 
  table. You musssst be dyyyying of thirsssst." 
   
  The creature can be identified as a mind flayer if a 
  character succeeds at a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check. He introduces himself as Huum and asks what he 
  can do for them. If asked about allowing use of his 
  teleportation circle to travel to Szith Morcane, he 
  chuckles and pours himself a cup of tea. 
  • 
  "Yessss I can give you accessss to Szith Morcane, for 
  a pricccce." 
  • 
  "Morcane'ssss leader is a ssssimply awful drowwww, 
  by the name of Sssssolom Ned'razak. He hassss 
  ssssomething of mine." 
  • 
  "It issss a broachhhh that protectssss hissss mind 
  from my prying into hissss brainnnn." 
  • 
  If the characters bring the brooch back to him he 
  promises that he won't hunt them down and eat their 
  brain for his next meal. 
  • 
  "Becausssse now that you have sssspent ssssome 
  time with me, I will not have a hard time locating you 
  in the futurrrre." 
   
  If the adventurers agree to this deal, Huum slowly rises 
  and walks toward another door in his chamber. After 
  quietly mumbling something to himself he opens it and a 
  bright orange glow can be seen from inside the room. He 
  then walks into the room. With a successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (Arcana) check a character is able to discern 
  that he likely uttered a magical password to deactivate the 
  room's protections. 
  Inside is a glowing circle on the ground, whose magical 
  energy extends up to the ceiling. He looks at the group 
  and says, “Right through there is the way to Sssszith 
  Morcannnne. Pleasssse ssssend Ssssolom my 
  regaaaaaaards."   
   Before they leave, Huum warns them that they will not 
  be able to return the way they are arriving. The portal is a 
  one way trip without him.  
   If attacked Huum defends himself and receives help 
  from the four adult myconids that brought the characters 
  here. 
  It is possible that the characters may decide to attack 
  Huum before he repeats the password to enter the room. 
  If that happens, the characters are unable to access the 
  portal. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check 
  reveals that without the password only a knock or dispel 
  magic spell opens the door without ill effects. 
   Breaking down the door is possible with a successful 
  DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. This, however, triggers 
  the room's protections and each creature in a 20 foot 
  sphere must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw 
  or takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage. 
   If the group does not want to take Huum's offer, they 
  must then make the twenty-one day trip to Szith Morcane. 
  The myconids will be able to give the characters a crude 
  map showing the way. The characters eventually find a 
  spot where they are able to descend into the chasm. This 
  leads them down to the entrance of the Barracks level. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters treat peacefully with Huum, award each 
  character 250 XP. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  17 
   
   
  Part 3: Into the Fire 
   
  Szith Morcane 
  This encounter assumes the characters have used the 
  portal in the Huum's home. Adjust accordingly if they 
  made their way without the illithid's help. Either way they 
  arrive in a cave in the great chasm wherein the entrance 
  to Szith Morcane lies. 
  Fodder or Foe? 
  As they travel through the ravaged outpost, they find it has been 
  attacked by a fire giant accompanied by demons and a host of 
  slaves--drow, duergar, quaggoth, and other denizens of the 
  Underdark. 
   
  Any humanoids led by one or more demons or the fire giant 
  Fydor are slaves and bear the marks of their servitude. Anytime 
  the characters encounter such a creature, a character with a 
  passive Perception or Insight score of 12 or higher notices one of 
  these marks. Examples of such indicators are: 
  • 
  A thick, iron collar set with a ring to which a chain could be 
  attached. 
  • 
  Numerous fresh scars that appear to be from a scourge or a 
  whip. 
  • 
  Malnourished or otherwise sickly in appearance. 
  • 
  Afraid to go within 5 feet of a demon or fire giant. 
  If any of the humanoids are still alive when the demons or giant 
  leading them are slain, they immediately surrender and plead 
  that they be spared. If spared, they refuse to fight, and flee at 
  their earliest opportunity. Any drow that hasn’t used its darkness 
  spell-like ability uses it to facilitate its escape. 
  General Features  
  The general characteristics of this area of Szith Morcane 
  are listed below. Any changes are specified in the 
  descriptions for specific areas. 
   Light. The fire giants are unable to see in the dark, so 
  they have illuminated this entire level in bright light shed 
  by countless braziers of burning coals. 
   Sound. Echoed screams calling for help from 
  somewhere further in this level can be heard. 
   Smell. The smell of sulfur and death hang in the air. 
  Read: 
  Stepping through the portal is almost unnoticeable. One 
  moment you are in Huum's refuge, and the next you find 
  yourself in a small cavern. A single table is the only furniture 
  present and there are two bodies of drow lying on the floor. Next 
  to them lies the carcass of a giant spider. 
   A cave mouth is the only way out that you see. 
   
  The fire giants have cleared this part of Szith Morcane. 
  The drow are dead as a result of that purge. They do not 
  have any gear or belongings with them. The cave mouth 
  leads to the chasm, the sides of which Szith Morcane is 
  built into.  
  When you go to look out the cave, instincts urge you to take a 
  step back as an enormous chasm lies immediately outside the 
  opening. Carefully peering out, you see the chasm is 30 feet 
  across and deeper and wider than your light extends. Far below, 
  you can hear the sound of rushing of water.  
   A giant web stretches across the surface of the cliff. 
   
  With closer inspection of the web a character can see that 
  the strand connected to the cave they are in has been 
  spun to act as a ladder. The ladder extends straight down 
  to a second cave that is 130 feet directly below. As they 
  continue to look out, a third cave can be spotted 
  approximately 100 feet below and to the left. There are 
  many diagonal strands of webbing that can be used to 
  travel to that cave. 
   Climbing down the center strand requires a successful 
  DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to keep from falling. 
  Characters who fall must attempt a Dexterity saving 
  throw with advantage in order to catch hold of one of the 
  abundant strands of the web. Failure causes the character 
  to fall, slamming against the cliff face while doing so; 
  causing 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage. Those that 
  succeed take only half damage. 
   Climbing on a diagonal strand is a little more difficult. 
  To shuffle along one of those strands a character must 
  succeed at a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or fall as 
  above. 
  The enormity of the web you are climbing down is only realized 
  as you travel to the other caves. As you climb, you find the 
  strands of the web resonate and vibrate at your slightest touch. 
  You are half way down to the center of this particular strand 
  when you see it. What can only be described as an enormous 
  spider leg as long as an immense tree extends from the 
  darkness and touches a thick strand of vibrating web--silencing 
  it, It nudges gently at the sticky rope before the leg withdraws 
  and disappears back into the darkness. 
   As you draw closer to the other side of the chasm, other cave 
  openings fade into view. A half dozen total caves line this side of 
  the chasm, though four of them are blocked with rubble and 
  detritus, leaving them impassable. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  18 
   
   
  The strand splits in two; the upper branch goes towards 
  the Barracks Level (S1, below), and the lower branch 
  goes down towards House Morcane (H1, below). 
   The spider to whom the leg belongs is a colossal, 
  fiendish spider that resides in the vast depths of the 
  chasm, hundreds of feet below. The spider makes no 
  move to attack the characters. If attacked, the spider 
  retreats into the caves near the bottom of the chasm; far 
  beyond the characters's reach. 
  S1. Barracks 
   
  As you climb on the ledge here, you can see into the cave ahead. 
  The entrance is dimly lit by the light in the room beyond.  
  S2. Sleeping Quarters 
  These rooms are filled with simple bunks. There is a 
  small chest at the foot of each bunk. Some of the furniture 
  has been overturned. There is nothing else of interest 
  here. 
  S3. Mess Hall 
  This room is taken up almost entirely by a huge table. 
  There are many chairs knocked over or broken here as 
  well. Scattered about the room are playing cards, dice, 
  and plates of food. 
   Treasure. Among the debris in the room is a pair of 
  sapphire dice with silver pips worth 100 gp. 
  S4. Prison Cells 
   
  Six cells line the sides of this hall. It is hard to hear yourself 
  think as desperate cries for help come from at least two-dozen 
  drow imprisoned there.  
   
  The locked cells are occupied, each with four drow 
  prisoners (for a total of twenty-four drow). Fydor, the fire 
  giant in H8 possesses the key for the cells. A character 
  without the key that wishes to attempt to unlock a cell 
  must have a set of thieves' tools and succeed on a DC 20 
  Dexterity check. The doors can also be breeched with a 
  DC 25 Strength check or by doing 30 points of damage 
  (AC 19). The doors are immune to poison and psychic 
  damage. Each of the occupied cells has four drow inside 
   The drow know the following information: 
  • 
  Solom Ned'razak is being held in House Morcane. 
  The only access now is the web. 
  • 
  It is the cave at the bottom of the web. 
  • 
  The fire giants came with demons and destroyed 
  everything they came into contact with. 
  • 
  They are led by Hledh Hellspawn of Maerimydra. 
  She is a fearsome fire giant who commands a legion 
  of demons. 
  • 
  She is no longer here. She left one of her captains in 
  charge while they took the rest of the drow back to 
  the arena in Maerimydra. 
   
  The drow do not fight for the characters. They are 
  thoroughly dehydrated, and weak; their primary concern 
  is escape. They use their darkness spell-like ability if 
  necessary to escape. 
   XP Award. If the characters free the drow rather than 
  leave them to die, award each character 200 XP. 
  S5. Study 
  This room is of newer construction than the others. It is a 
  modestly-sized study. There’s nothing of value present. 
  House Morcane  
  Climbing down the web leads the characters to the 
  entrance of House Morcane. Proceed to H1, below. 
  The City of the Spider Queen 
  House Morcane may be familiar to some players. It was featured 
  in the 3rd edition adventure City of the Spider Queen, released in 
  2002. Some of the features within the House remain so many 
  years later--specifically the illusory throne in H8 and the coffin in 
  H9. This inclusion in this adventure is done for the sake of 
  continuity. 
  General Features  
  The general characteristics of this Szith Morcane are 
  listed below. Any changes are specified in the description 
  of a given area. 
   Light. The fire giants are unable to see in the dark, so 
  they have illuminated this entire level in bright light shed 
  by countless braziers of burning coals. 
   Terrain. The hallways of House Morcane are 20 feet 
  wide and just as high. Though burnt, torn, and broken in 
  many places, the area is lavishly decorated. Unless 
  otherwise specified, the ceilings of the rooms in House 
  Morcane are 30 feet high and also finely appointed. 
   Sound. Echoing deep laughter reverberates through 
  the level. 
   Smell. The smell of sulfur and death hang in the air. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  19 
   
   
  H1. House Morcane Entrance 
  Climbing down the center strand the characters see the 
  following: 
   You finally make it to the cave opening at the end of the strand 
  of web you are on. You easily move onto the ledge and your light 
  illuminates a large stone worked room. Its far wall is vaguely 
  octagonal in shape. There are two openings that lead out of this 
  room. There is also another ladder that resembles the one you 
  have been climbing on, that leads through an opening in the 
  ceiling. 
  Demon Patrol 
  The fire giant leader at Szith Morcane has ordered a group of 
  demons to patrol the passages of the former seat of House 
  Morcane. The patrol's location is determined randomly each 
  time the adventurers reach a new area in their exploration of this 
  level. 
   
  When the group enters a new numbered area that doesn't 
  already contain an encounter, roll a 1d8. If the number you roll 
  corresponds to the room number on the map, the characters 
  encounter the patrol in that area. If the patrol has not been 
  encountered by the time the characters move towards Solom 
  Ned’razak's residence (H8), they are found in the 
  quartermaster's (H7). Additionally, the patrol might happen 
  upon the characters if they take a short or long rest; if the 
  characters attempt to rest, roll a die. On an even result, the 
  patrol happens upon the characters half way into their rest. 
   
  A demon patrol consists of three quaggoths, two dretches, 
  and a chasme. There is only one patrol; once it is defeated, there 
  is no other patrol to replace it. 
  Adjusting Demon Patrol Encounters 
  Here are some suggestion for adjusting a demon patrol. These 
  are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Add a quaggoth; replace chasme with a 
  shadow demon. 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one dretch; add a quaggoth; replace 
  chasme with a shadow demon. 
  • 
  Strong party: Remove dretches add two quaggoths. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one shadow demon and one 
  quaggoth. 
  H2. Ascents to the Fane of Lolth 
  These octagonal chambers are identical, each with a 
  ladder that resembles a spider web made of cool, black 
  metal leading up and through a hole in the ceiling. 
   The ladders here lead to the ruins of the Fane of Lolth, 
  above. Characters venturing into the Fane are greeted by 
  a century's worth of dust. The room is immense and 
  shaped like a spider. Aside from the aforementioned dust, 
  there is nothing in this room but the haunting thoughts of 
  the profane and obscene acts performed here in centuries 
  past. 
  H3. Guard Post 
  This room is a guard post. When the fire giants attacked, 
  after defeating the guards they destroyed all the furniture 
  in this room. Piles of debris are strewn about the room as 
  well as broken weapons amid puddles of dried blood. 
  H4. House Barracks 
  There are broken cots and chests throughout this 
  structure. There is nothing of interest here. 
  H5. Former Temple to Kiaransalee 
  Beyond the guard post is the central feature of the 
  complex—a structure once dedicated to Kiaransalee. 
  Kiaransalee, the Revenancer 
  This lesser drow deity's portfolio includes the undead and 
  vengeance. Her worship rose to prominence in Szith Morcane 
  when, during the Silence of Lolth, cultists of the Revenancer 
  tracked down and slew the last remaining worshippers of Lolth 
  who had fled to Szith Morcane. 
   
  Eventually, however, the cult would be defeated and her 
  worship all but ended. 
   
  Solom Ned’razak repurposed this structure as an 
  audience chamber after he came into power. 
  The double doors to this room have been taken off their hinges 
  and lie in the hallway. As you approach the room you can hear a 
  great ruckus. Outrageous cackling and angry roars are heard in 
  between loud crashes. 
   Looking into the room you see a monstrous, demonic creature 
  accompanied by a handful of drow. 
   
  The noise is being made by a pair of drow veterans and a 
  hezrou. The characters are able to surprise the demon 
  and its entourage if they are succeed on a Dexterity 
  (Stealth) group check. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These 
  are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove one veteran. 
  • 
  Weak party: Add one veteran; replace hezrou with a chasme. 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one veteran. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one veteran; replace hezrou with a 
  glabrezu 
  Development 
  The hezrou demon fights to the death. If drow escape 
  they go and warn the fire giant in H8. 
   Treasure. Among the debris is a gold chalice worth 
  100 gp. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  20 
   
   
  H6. Bedroom Suite 
  This suite consists of three rooms, two of them smaller 
  than the third. The larger room looks like it was once a 
  very elegant bedroom. The drapes around the bed have 
  been torn down and ripped to shreds. The mattress has 
  also been shredded. The furniture has been smashed and 
  thrown about the room. 
   The smaller rooms are in the same state as the 
  bedroom. One of them has clothes thrown about, ripped 
  and soiled. Bureaus and wardrobes are open and knocked 
  over. The other room has a fireplace and several 
  upholstered chairs that have been shredded and broken 
  to pieces. 
   Treasure. A half full silver tea set has been knocked 
  over and its contents have stained some of the upholstery 
  that has been scattered about. The set is worth 100 gp. 
  H7. Quartermaster 
  The large room has no furniture in it but it is stocked with 
  barrels, casks, and crates--all broken. Food in the early 
  stages of rot lies on the floor. Casks have been smashed--
  their contents leaving a slightly-sticky, dark red patch on 
  the floor. 
  H8. Solom Ned’razak’s Residence 
  The doors to this room are barred from the inside. A 
  character must succeed at a DC 20 Strength (Athletic) 
  check to break the door open. Otherwise, magic is needed 
  to gain entrance. 
  This is the only room you have seen that still has all its furniture 
  intact and no rubble. Rich furniture adorns the room at ground 
  level. A bed with green velvet curtains surrounding it is against 
  the far wall. A fire is lit in the fireplace faced by a green-
  upholstered chaise and several comfortable looking chairs. The 
  chairs surround a large low wooden table. There is a large desk 
  with many papers strew over it along the wall to the left. Several 
  smaller chairs sit in front of it. 
   A male drow in rich robes sits in the chair behind the desk. He 
  is bound with his hands behind his back and a gag in his mouth. 
  The large round table is being used as a chair for an immense, 
  black skinned giant with flaming red hair. A smirk crosses his 
  face as he notices you. 
   
  The fire giant, Fydor, is accompanied by four drow 
  hiding within the illusory column. 
   Upon seeing the characters, Fydor says (in Giant) 
  "Ahhh visitors. Are you here to see the master of the 
  house?" He then picks up an immense greatsword and 
  rushes the characters. 
   The drow bound in the chair is Solom Ned'razak. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These 
  are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Reduce Fydor's AC to 16 and his hit points 
  to 137; remove three drow. 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove four drow; add one drow veteran 
  • 
  Strong party: Remove two drow; add one drow elite warrior 
  • 
  Very strong party: Remove four drow; add two drow elite 
  warriors 
  Development 
  Fydor relentlessly attacks the strongest-looking character. 
  The drow, however, ready their action to attack after all of 
  the characters have gone. They then take it in turn to 
  attack the least armored, physically weakest character 
  present with their hand crossbows. They then spread out 
  and seek out cover behind whatever furniture present. 
  All enemies fight to the death. 
   Once the enemies are defeated the characters are able 
  to free Solom. He is grateful and ask them who they are 
  and why they are here. He can relay the following 
  information: 
  • 
  The fire giant attacked about four tendays ago. 
  • 
  Their leader, Hledh Hellspawn, led an army of fire 
  giants and demons up the chasm wall into Szith 
  Morcane. 
  • 
  Many of the inhabitants have been taken back to 
  Maerimydra to fight in the arena. 
  • 
  She left the fire giant Fydor here to clean up any 
  stragglers and to question me. 
  • 
  On the way back to Maerimydra she had the giants 
  collapse all but two of the access caves. He suspects 
  it will take many years to clear that up. 
  • 
  Fydor wanted to know where all the valuables were 
  and what magical defenses the place had.  
  • 
  They plan on bringing more giants and demons back 
  soon to take complete control of the outpost. Solom 
  prefers not to be here when that happens. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  21 
   
   
  If the characters refuse to rescue the other drow, Solom 
  says he will come with them only if they free his kin. They 
  don't have to bring them to the surface, just ensure they 
  are able to escape the fire giants and their slaves. If they 
  still insist on not rescuing them, he rescues them himself. 
  Solom refuses to willingly accompany the characters 
  unless the drow are freed. He then tells them to bring him 
  to the people who hired them so he may tell them how 
  incompetent they are. If the characters defeat him in 
  battle, there isn't much he can do about their refusal to 
  free his kin--at least for now. 
   If asked about the brooch that Huum asked them to 
  obtain, he just laughs and says that he has managed to 
  convince Huum that the brooch protects Solom from his 
  powers. It doesn't do any such thing. He is just easily able 
  to resist Huum's powers through strength of will. He 
  hands them a brooch from his robes. 
   The entrance to H9 is hidden on the northern wall 
  behind a curtain. Any creature examining the wall finds 
  the hidden entrance if they succeed on a DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check. The entrance is 
  unlocked and is not trapped. 
   Treasure. The fire giant has gathered all of the 
  treasure from around the house and barracks and put 
  them in a chest that sits underneath the desk. It contains 
  400 gp in various coins, a statue of Kiaransalee inlaid 
  with precious jewels worth 200 gp, and a staff of 
  swarming insects. He also has a chain with a key around 
  his neck. This key is to the cells in the barracks. 
   They also receive a brooch; presumably the one that 
  Huum asked them to retrieve. To all estimates, it appears 
  to be worthless; it is simply a cheap brooch made of soft 
  metal set with a green, glass gem. 
  H9. A Reminder 
  The room contains nothing but a coffin made of stone, 
  covered in shining copper leaf that appears to have been 
  untouched by quite some time if the dust on its lid is of 
  any indication. The lid has been carved to resemble a 
  beautiful drow woman. 
   Though there is no means to determine this short of 
  asking Solom, the coffin once belonged to Dorina 
  T'sarran, the former ruler of Szith Morcane. Solom left 
  the coffin intact after his assumption of power and keeps 
  it as a reminder of why he sealed Szith Morcane away 
  from the surface world. Any character investigating the 
  coffin that succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) finds that tiny holes have been drilled into 
  the eyes, nostrils, and mouth of the face carved into the 
  coffin's lid. Dorina was a vampire, and the holes in the 
  coffin's lid allowed her to enter and leave the coffin while 
  shapechanged into a cloud of mist. The coffin is empty. 
  Conclusion 
  Solom assures the characters that he will dispel the 
  magical seal he put into place to keep the inhabitants 
  from going to the surface. He leads them to the cave 
  Huum's portal originally brought them to and  performs a 
  ritual to open a hole in the ceiling that leads to the 
  Dordrien Crypts which is about 10 miles from Daggardale 
  in the Dalelands. In Daggardale the group can purchase 
  horses and make their way back to Elventree. 
   The faction leaders are thrilled that the adventurers 
  were able to complete their mission and are eager to talk 
  with Solom about what Hledh is planning. 
   They award the group their fee for completing their 
  mission and ask about what they saw during their travels. 
   The group can return the brooch to Huum if they wish. 
  If the characters tell him the fact that the brooch is only 
  mundane, he chuckles and gives the characters a potion 
  of greater healing for returning it even when they knew it 
  was not magical. 
  Treasure 
  In exchange for returning the brooch, Huum gives the 
  characters a potion of greater healing. 
   Upon returning to Seranolla, the characters receive a 
  purse containing 10 platinum trade bars worth 100 gp 
  each. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters return to Huum with the brooch, award 
  each character 200 XP. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  22 
   
   
  Rewards  
  Make sure the players note their character’s rewards on 
  the adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI 
  number (if applicable) so players can record who ran the 
  session.  
  Experience  
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated foes, 
  and divide by the number of characters present in the 
  combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards are 
  listed per character. Give all characters in the party non-
  combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.  
  Combat Awards  
  Name of Foe  
   
   
  XP per Foe  
  Drow 
    
   
   
  50  
  Commoner  
   
   
  10  
  Black pudding 
   
   
  1,100  
  Kuo-toa archpriest  
   
  2,300  
  Kuo-toa whip 
   
   
  200  
  Kuo-toa monitor 
   
   
  700  
  Derro 
    
   
   
  50  
  Myconid adult  
   
   
  100  
  Myconid sovereign   
   
  450  
  Mind flayer  
   
   
  2,900  
  Dretch 
   
    
   
  50 
  Barlgura  
   
   
  1,800 
  Chasme  
   
   
  2,300 
  Shadow demon 
   
   
  1,100 
  Quaggoth  
   
   
  450 
  Drow veteran 
   
   
  700 
  Hezrou 
   
   
   
  3,900 
  Fire giant  
   
   
  5,000 
  Non-Combat Awards  
  Task or Accomplishment  
   
  XP per Character  
  Treat peacefully with Huum 
   
  500 
  Freeing the imprisoned drow  
  200 
  Brought brooch to Huum  
   
  200 
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 4,500 experience 
  points.  
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 6,000 experience 
  points.  
  Treasure  
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided up 
  amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide 
  treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values 
  listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, 
  not their purchase price.  
  Consumable magic items should be divided up however 
  the group sees fit. If more than one character is interested 
  in a specific consumable magic item, the DM can 
  determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
  Permanent magic items are divided according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items.  
  Treasure Awards  
  Item Name  
   
   
  GP Value  
  Kuo-toa Jewelry 
   
   
  50 
  Derro 
   
   
   
  50 
  Dice found in the Mess Hall 
   
  100 
  Temple of Kiaransalee 
   
  100 
  Bedroom Suite 
   
   
  100 
  Fire Giant Stash 
   
   
  600 
  Seranolla's reward  
   
  1000 
  Staff of Swarming Insects 
  Staff, rare (requires attunement by a bard, cleric, druid, 
  sorcerer, warlock or wizard) 
  This staff is made of finely-polished white wood. The 
  insects summoned by the staff take the form of winged 
  spiders with gossamer wings. The description of this item 
  can be found in the Dungeon Masters Guide. 
  Antitoxin 
  Gear, Common 
  A description of potions can be found in the basic rules or 
  the Players Handbook. 
  Potion of Greater Healing  
  Potion, uncommon  
  A description of potions can be found in the basic rules or 
  the Dungeon Master's Guide.  
  Renown  
  All faction members earn one renown point for 
  participating in this adventure.  
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  23 
   
   
  Downtime 
  Each character receives 10 downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 400 XP, 200 gp, and 10 downtime days for 
  running this session. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  24 
   
   
  Appendix: Monster/NPC 
  Statistics 
  Commoner 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 4 (1d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Drow 
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) 
  Hit Points 13 (3d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
   
  Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Elvish, Undercommon 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving throws against 
  being charmed, and magic can’t put the drow to sleep. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is Charisma 
  (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no material components: 
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each: darkness, faerie fire 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has disadvantage 
  on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that 
  rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target 
  must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the 
  target is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target 
  wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action 
  to shake it awake. 
  Black Pudding 
  Large ooze, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 7 
  Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) 
  Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  5 (−3) 
  16 (+3) 
  1 (−5) 
  6 (−2) 
  1 (−5) 
    
  Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, slashing 
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, 
  frightened, prone 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
    
  Amorphous. The pudding can move through a space as narrow 
  as 1 inch wide without squeezing. 
  Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the pudding or hits it 
  with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid 
  damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that 
  hits the pudding corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon 
  takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If 
  its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical 
  ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the pudding is 
  destroyed after dealing damage. 
   The pudding can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or 
  metal in 1 round. 
  Spider Climb. The pudding can climb difficult surfaces, including 
  upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability 
  check. 
  Actions 
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) acid 
  damage. In addition, nonmagical armor worn by the target is 
  partly dissolved and takes a permanent and cumulative −1 
  penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is destroyed if the penalty 
  reduces its AC to 10. 
  Reactions 
  Split. When a pudding that is Medium or larger is subjected to 
  lightning or slashing damage, it splits into two new puddings if it 
  has at least 10 hit points. Each new pudding has hit points equal 
  to half the original pudding’s, rounded down. New puddings are 
  one size smaller than the original pudding. 
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  25 
   
   
   
  Kuo-toa Archpriest 
  Medium humanoid (kuo-toa), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Skills Perception +9, Religion +6 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19 
  Languages Undercommon 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 
    
  Amphibious. The kuo-toa can breathe air and water. 
  Otherworldly Perception. The kuo-toa can sense the presence of 
  any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or on the Ethereal 
  Plane. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving. 
  Slippery. The kuo-toa has advantage on ability checks and saving 
  throws made to escape a grapple. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kuo-toa has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Spellcasting. The kuo-toa is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The kuo-toa has the following cleric spells 
  prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, sanctuary, shield of faith 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon 
  3rd level (3 slots): spirit guardians, tongues 
  4th level (3 slots): control water, divination 
  5th level (2 slots): mass cure wounds, scrying 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The kuo-toa makes two melee attacks. 
  Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning 
  damage. 
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Kuo-toa Whip 
  Medium humanoid (kuo-toa), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 11 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +6, Religion +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Undercommon 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
    
  Amphibious. The kuo-toa can breathe air and water. 
  Otherworldly Perception. The kuo-toa can sense the presence of 
  any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or on the Ethereal 
  Plane. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving. 
  Slippery. The kuo-toa has advantage on ability checks and saving 
  throws made to escape a grapple. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kuo-toa has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Spellcasting. The kuo-toa is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The kuo-toa has the following cleric spells 
  prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): sacred flame, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (3 slots): bane, shield of faith 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The kuo-toa makes two attacks: one with its bite and 
  one with its pincer staff. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Pincer Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a 
  Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). Until 
  this grapple ends, the kuo-toa can’t use its pincer staff on 
  another target. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  26 
   
   
  Kuo-toa Monitor 
  Medium humanoid (kuo-toa), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +6, Religion +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Undercommon 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
    
  Amphibious. The kuo-toa can breathe air and water. 
  Otherworldly Perception. The kuo-toa can sense the presence of 
  any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or on the Ethereal 
  Plane. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving. 
  Slippery. The kuo-toa has advantage on ability checks and saving 
  throws made to escape a grapple. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kuo-toa has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The kuo-toa makes one bite attack and two 
  unarmed strikes. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) 
  lightning damage, and the target can’t take reactions until the 
  end of the kuo-toa’s next turn. 
   
  Derro 
  Small humanoid (derro), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  5 (−3) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Skills Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 7 
  Languages Dwarvish, Undercommon 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Insanity. The derro has advantage on saving throws against 
  being charmed or frightened. 
  Magic Resistance. The derro has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the derro has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Hooked Shortspear. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 1 (1d4 − 1) piercing damage. If the target is a 
  creature, the derro can choose to deal no damage and try to trip 
  the target instead, in which case the target must succeed on a 
  DC 9 Strength saving throw or fall prone. 
  Light Repeating Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
   
  Myconid Adult 
  Medium plant, lawful neutral 
    
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  7 (−2) 
    
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Distress Spores. When the myconid takes damage, all other 
  myconids within 240 feet of it can sense its pain. 
  Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the myconid has disadvantage 
  on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. The myconid 
  dies if it spends more than 1 hour in direct sunlight. 
  Actions 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (2d4) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4) poison damage. 
  Pacifying Spores (3/Day). The myconid ejects spores at one 
  creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on 
  a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. 
  The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  Rapport Spores. A 20-foot radius of spores extends from the 
  myconid. These spores can go around corners and affect only 
  creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or higher that aren’t undead, 
  constructs, or elementals. Affected creatures can communicate 
  telepathically with one another while they are within 30 feet of 
  each other. The effect lasts for 1 hour. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  27 
   
   
  Myconid Sovereign 
  Large plant, lawful neutral 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 60 (8d10 + 16) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Distress Spores. When the myconid takes damage, all other 
  myconids within 240 feet of it can sense its pain. 
  Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the myconid has disadvantage 
  on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. The myconid 
  dies if it spends more than 1 hour in direct sunlight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The myconid uses either its Hallucination Spores or 
  its Pacifying Spores, then makes a fist attack. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 
  (3d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (3d4) poison damage. 
  Animating Spores (3/Day). The myconid targets one corpse of a 
  humanoid or a Large or smaller beast within 5 feet of it and 
  releases spores at the corpse. In 24 hours, the corpse rises as a 
  spore servant. The corpse stays animated for 1d4 + 1 weeks or 
  until destroyed, and it can’t be animated again in this way. 
  Hallucination Spores. The myconid ejects spores at one creature 
  it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The 
  poisoned target is incapacitated while it hallucinates. The target 
  can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  Pacifying Spores. The myconid ejects spores at one creature it 
  can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target 
  can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the condition on itself on a success. 
  Rapport Spores. A 30-foot radius of spores extends from the 
  myconid. These spores can go around corners and affect only 
  creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or higher that aren’t undead, 
  constructs, or elementals. Affected creatures can communicate 
  telepathically with one another while they are within 30 feet of 
  each other. The effect lasts for 1 hour. 
   
  Mind Flayer 
  Medium aberration, lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (breastplate) 
  Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  19 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +6 
  Skills Arcana +7, Deception +6, Insight +6, Perception +6, 
  Persuasion +6, Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
    
  Magic Resistance. The mind flayer has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The mind flayer’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can 
  innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: 
  At will: detect thoughts, levitate 
  1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only) 
  Actions 
  Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is 
  Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) and must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until 
  this grapple ends. 
  Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  incapacitated humanoid grappled by the mind flayer. Hit: The 
  target takes 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces 
  the target to 0 hit points, the mind flayer kills the target by 
  extracting and devouring its brain. 
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5–6). The mind flayer magically emits 
  psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 
  4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
   
  
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  28 
   
   
  Dretch 
  Small fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 11 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (−3) 
  8 (−1) 
  3 (−4) 
    
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 60 ft. (works only with creatures 
  that understand Abyssal) 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The dretch makes two attacks: one with its bite and 
  one with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 
  (1d6) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  5 (2d4) slashing damage. 
  Fetid Cloud (1/Day). A 10-foot radius of disgusting green gas 
  extends out from the dretch. The gas spreads around corners, 
  and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a 
  strong wind disperses it. Any creature that starts its turn in that 
  area must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned until the start of its next turn. While poisoned in this 
  way, the target can take either an action or a bonus action on its 
  turn, not both, and can’t take reactions. 
   
  Barlgura 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24) 
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  7 (−2) 
  14 (+2) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6 
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The barlgura’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom 
  (spell save DC 13). The barlgura can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components: 
  1/day each: entangle, phantasmal force 
  2/day each: disguise self, invisibility (self only) 
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, the barlgura can gain advantage 
  on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but 
  attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next 
  turn. 
  Running Leap. The barlgura’s long jump is up to 40 feet and its 
  high jump is up to 20 feet when it has a running start. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The barlgura makes three attacks: one with its bite 
  and two with its fists.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 
  (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
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  29 
   
   
  Chasme 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 84 (13d10 + 13) 
  Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +5 
  Skills Perception +5 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 
   
  Drone. The chasme produces a horrid droning sound to which 
  demons are immune. Any other creature that starts its turn 
  within 30 feet of the chasme must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. A 
  creature that can’t hear the drone automatically succeeds on the 
  save. The effect on the creature ends if it takes damage or if 
  another creature takes an action to splash it with holy water. If a 
  creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is 
  immune to the drone for the next 24 hours. 
  Magic Resistance. The chasme has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Spider Climb. The chasme can climb difficult surfaces, including 
  upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability 
  check. 
  Actions 
  Proboscis. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 24 (7d6) 
  necrotic damage, and the target’s hit point maximum is reduced 
  by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. If this effect 
  reduces a creature’s hit point maximum to 0, the creature dies. 
  This reduction to a creature’s hit point maximum lasts until the 
  creature finishes a long rest or until it is affected by a spell like 
  greater restoration. 
   
  Shadow Demon 
  Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   1 (−5) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +4 
  Skills Stealth +7 
  Damage Vulnerabilities radiant 
  Damage Resistances acid, fire, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities cold, lightning, poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, 
  poisoned, prone, restrained 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
    
  Incorporeal Movement. The demon can move through other 
  creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 
  (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. 
  Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the demon has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the demon can 
  take the Hide action as a bonus action. 
  Actions 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) psychic damage or, if the demon had advantage 
  on the attack roll, 17 (4d6 + 3) psychic damage. 
   
  Quaggoth 
  Medium humanoid (quaggoth), chaotic neutral 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18) 
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  6 (−2) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (−2) 
  Skills Athletics +5 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Undercommon 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Wounded Fury. While it has 10 hit points or fewer, the quaggoth 
  has advantage on attack rolls. In addition, it deals an extra 7 
  (2d6) damage to any target it hits with a melee attack. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The quaggoth makes two claw attacks. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. 
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  30 
   
   
  Drow Veteran 
  Medium humanoid (elf), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 17 (splint) 
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Athletics +5, Perception +2 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Elvish, Undercommon 
   
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
   
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving throws against 
  being charmed, and magic can’t put the drow to sleep. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is Charisma 
  (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no material components: 
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each: darkness, faerie fire 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has disadvantage 
  on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that 
  rely on sight. 
   
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The veteran makes two longsword attacks. If it has a 
  shortsword drawn, it can also make a shortsword attack. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 100/400 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. 
   
  Hezrou 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   19 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
  20 (+5) 
  5 (−3) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
    
  Saving Throws Str +7, Con +8, Wis +4 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) 
    
  Magic Resistance. The hezrou has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the 
  hezrou must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving 
  throw, the creature is immune to the hezrou’s stench for 24 
  hours. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The hezrou makes three attacks: one with its bite 
  and two with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. 
   
  Fire Giant 
  Huge giant, lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (plate) 
  Hit Points 162 (13d12 + 78) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   25 (+7) 
  9 (−1) 
  23 (+6) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +3, Con +10, Cha +5 
  Skills Athletics +11, Perception +6 
  Damage Immunities fire 
  Senses passive Perception 16 
  Languages Giant 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The giant makes two greatsword attacks. 
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 28 (6d6 + 7) slashing damage. 
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  31 
   
   
  DM Appendix: NPC 
  Summary 
  This section is provided to the Dungeon Master to help 
  keep track of the various NPCs present in the adventure.  
   
  Elanil Elassidil (EL-uh-kneel uh-LASS-ih-deel). Female 
  elf. Bard extraordinaire and member of the Harpers. 
   
  Falwan Underbough (FALL-won). Male halfling. Once a 
  renowned baker of bread in Hillsfar. Now relegated to 
  little more than a community organizer. 
   
  Seranolla the Whisperer (SIR-uh-NOLE-uh). Female 
  gnome representative of the Emerald Enclave. Nervous, 
  and rarely speaks above a whisper.  
   
  Zern Xerkstil (ZERX-still). Half-orc male. Paladin of 
  Helm and has been given charge by his superiors to make 
  sure that only the strongest are chosen to go into the 
  Underdark to complete this mission. Speaks constantly of 
  the infiltration of Devils and the need for physical 
  prowess to slay them. Member of the Order of the 
  Gauntlet. 
   
  Vuhm Yestral (VOOM YES-strill). Male human officer 
  within the Red Plumes, the military group charged with 
  the security of Hillsfar. Kind and devoted to the citizens of 
  Hillsfar (provided they are human). Member of the Lords 
  Alliance. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  32 
   
   
  Map: Barracks Level 
   
   
   
   
  
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  33 
   
   
  Map: House Morcane 
   
   
  
   
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  34 
   
  Map: Solom Ned’razak’s Residence 
   
   
  
   
  The Occupation of Szith Morcane 
   
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  35 
   
  Results Code: August-September 2015 
  If you are DMing this adventure during the months of August or September 2015, please show your players this page. The 
  QR code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the 
  storyline in the future! 
   
  If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter their 
  results.  
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S03 - Rage of Demons/DDEX3-03 Occupation of Szith Morcane.pdf