TEXT: Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
   
  It’s All in the Blood 
  Rumors of faceless demonic creatures have been steadily rising in the Hillsfar region, and it is said that far below the 
  surface of Faerun, nestled in the bowels of the underdark, ancient terrors are stirring.  The imperiled drow of Szith 
  Morcaine have extended an intriguing offer, but can the drow be trusted, and for how long?  An eight-hour adventure for 
  11th-16th level characters. 
  Adventure Code: DDEX3-4 
  Credits 
  Adventure Design: Dave Olson 
  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 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, D&D Encounters, D&D Expeditions, D&D Epics, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and 
  their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are 
  property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2015 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 
  Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  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 12th-level characters. 
  Characters outside this level range cannot participate in 
  this adventure.  
   The adventure begins near the city of Hillsfar but 
  quickly moves to the Underdark. The adventure is broken 
  up into two, four-hour rounds. 
    
  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.  
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  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 12th-
  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.  
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  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. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  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 drow of Szith Morcane have been driven from their 
  home by invading forces. Fiendish fire giants led a host of 
  slaves from their home city of Maerimydra and overran 
  the drow outpost. Those drow that stood up to the 
  invaders were cut down, while the smart ones fled into 
  the darkness. 
   The fire giants and their forces had been harrying Szith 
  Morcane for several months before their invasion was put 
  into action, and in that time the drow desperately sought 
  a solution to their plight. The demonic blood coursing 
  through the fire giants's veins spurred them on to greater 
  acts of atrocity and malice, something that the drow of 
  Szith Morcane knew they would not be unable to fend off 
  for long. 
   Solom Ned'razak, the archwizard ruler of Szith 
  Morcane, poured all of his available resources, along with 
  those of his students at the Inverted Tower, into finding a 
  solution. Their research arrived at a single conclusion, if 
  they were able to somehow purge the demon blood from 
  the fire giants they would at least buy themselves an 
  advantage. 
   Solom worked closely with the city's greatest alchemist, 
  Xaven Tanor'this, to develop the ritual necessary for such 
  an act. As they drew closer to completion, however, the 
  final force from Maerimydra marched on Szith Morcane 
  and sacked it in one fell swoop (DDEX3-3 The 
  Occupation of Szith Morcane). 
   With the assistance of adventures from the area 
  surrounding Hillsfar, miles above and far to the north, 
  Solom managed to flee to Sporedome, a great fungal 
  forest in the Underdark, to regroup and plan his next 
  move. Xaven, however, was captured. Via spies, traders, 
  and other sources in and around Maerimydra, word 
  quickly reached Solom that Xaven was not brought to the 
  city as was expected, but was instead sold to a yugoloth 
  named Maram il Vass and taken to deep into the 
  Lowerdark. Known to those that live near the fiend, his 
  refuge--the Den of the Whispered Word--is avoided at all 
  costs. 
   Solom knows they need Xaven Tanor'this in order to 
  complete the ritual, which has become even more 
  important now that the demon-blooded fire giants and 
  their minions hold Szith Morcane. Solom, still in the 
  Sporedome, reached out to the drow mage Murssvayas 
  Dhuurniv in Hillsfar to find a group of capable 
  adventurers to recover Xaven and help finish the ritual. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  6 
   
   
  Overview 
  The adventure is broken into two rounds, each of which 
  should take up 4 hours of playtime. Round 1 consists of 
  Parts 1 through 4, and round 2 consists of Parts 5 
  through 7. 
  Round 1 
   Part 1. The characters are invited to a midnight 
  meeting outside Elventree by their faction contacts. In a 
  shadowed cave the characters meet Murssvayas 
  Dhuurniv--a drow wizard--who asks for their assistance on 
  behalf the displaced drow of Szith Morcane. In order to 
  take back their home and defeat the fire giants, they need 
  to recover the drow alchemist Xaven Tanor'this who was 
  captured and sold to a creature called Maram il Vass. 
   Part 2. Here, the characters descend into the 
  Underdark and into the Howling Pits. In this area, 
  powerful winds drive travelers insane from exhaustion 
  while strange creatures lurk in the darkness. The 
  characters must navigate the tunnels, facing off against 
  mad fire giants, hidden cloakers, natural and unnatural 
  obstacles, and demons in their search for Maram il Vass's 
  domain. 
   Part 3. The characters locate Maram il Vass's refuge 
  and are faced with a choice to find Xaven Tanor'this-- 
  either by treating diplomatically with the fiend or using 
  force in hopes of finding the drow on their own. Either 
  option presents problems to the characters that must be 
  overcome. 
   Part 4. The adventurers discover Xaven and other 
  prisoners being held in a great cavern below the Den of 
  the Whispered Word, being held by a coven of hags. Even 
  if the characters treated diplomatically with the ultroloth, 
  they are going to have to fight if they want to rescue 
  Xaven Tanor'this. 
  Round 2 
   Part 5. In order to complete the ritual that can expel 
  demon blood from targets, a living fire giant must be 
  captured and experimented upon. Not just any giant 
  would do however--the target must have the blood of 
  demons flowing through its veins. During the attack on 
  Szith Morcane at least one such opponent was engaged in 
  the battle. Xaven knows of a secret path into Maerimydra 
  to stealthily enter the city. 
   Part 6. The characters travel further into the 
  Underdark to find Xaven's secret tunnel into Maerimydra. 
  Unfortunately, in the intervening years, the fire giants 
  have fortified the area against intruders; constructing an 
  outpost called Black Ember. The characters must defeat 
  the fire giants, hell hounds, and other guardians, or find a 
  way to get past them, in order to gain access to the secret 
  tunnel into Maerimydra. 
   Part 7. Using the secret tunnel, the characters arrive in 
  Maerimydra via the ruins of the Shattered Tower in the 
  city's abandoned northern section. As they gaze upon the 
  fire giant city of chaos and madness, the characters find 
  the imp, Pipyap, scavenging amongst the ruins. In 
  exchange for not killing him, the small devil offers his 
  assistance. Though only an imp, Pipyap knows quite a bit 
  about Maerimydra, including the location of two fiend-
  blooded fire giants ("You can almost smell 'em."). One 
  serves in the Coliseum while the other watches over the 
  Six-Fingered Temple. Reaching either location without 
  raising alarms requires skill and timing, and then 
  capturing one of the fire giants alive and returning it to 
  Sporedome should test the resources of the characters. 
  Adventure Hooks 
  The characters have made a name for themselves across 
  their careers and people are starting to notice. Their 
  appearance in Hillsfar region has brought them to the 
  attention of Murssvayas Dhuurniv, a drow wizard 
  connected to Solom Ned'razak and the refugees of Szith 
  Morcane. 
   The easiest way to involve the characters is through 
  their representative in the Hillsfar region using the 
  Faction Invites, below. If a character does not belong to a 
  faction, you can use the "Message by Squirrel" hook. 
  Faction Invites 
  Characters who are members of a faction receive a 
  message from their contact in Hillsfar. The message asks 
  the character to stand for the faction at a midnight 
  meeting with a drow seeking a capable group to handle a 
  unique problem. The meeting is to take place within the 
  borders of Elventree at a site called Silver Shadow Cave. 
   Zhentarim, Lord's Alliance. These factions have been 
  seeking ways to treat with the drow of the Underdark for 
  many years but so far few avenues have proven 
  worthwhile. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  7 
   
   
   Harpers, Order of the Gauntlet, Emerald Enclave. 
  These factions's contacts relate that there have been 
  rumors of recent activities in the Underdark of a dire 
  nature. Demons and other fiendish creatures have begun 
  to take an active interest in the affairs of the world and 
  the fear is that those interests may affect Hillsfar and the 
  Moonsea region in the near future. The midnight meeting 
  with the drow is a way to get a group of experienced 
  agents into the situation and to help stop any problems 
  before they occur. 
  Message by Squirrel 
  If a character does not belong to any faction, their 
  presence in Hillsfar region is enough to draw the 
  attention of Murssvayas directly. However, he knows 
  what an invite from a drow might look like so he works 
  with the keeper of the Silver Shadow Cave in Elventree, 
  the aged elf druid Nymarrath, to request the presence of 
  the characters. Murssvayas and Nymarrath know and 
  respect each other. 
   Nymarrath sends a squirrel to greet the characters 
  wherever they are staying. The squirrel, magically 
  enchanted, speaks to the characters, inviting them on 
  behalf of the elf druid Nymarrath to follow him to a 
  meeting in Elventree that concerns the safety of the whole 
  region. The squirrel is excitable and doesn't stand still for 
  long, eager as she is to return to her home at Silver 
  Shadow Cave. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  8 
   
   
  Part 1: Desperate Times 
   
  Elventree is a small village a short distance away from 
  Hillsfar. The 300 elves, half-elves, and humans that live in 
  the small community dwell in homes built into the living 
  surroundings - some are high in the trees, some in 
  hollowed out stumps, while others in natural shallow 
  caves. Elventree is a haven for non-humans, a refuge 
  against the rampant prejudices that dominate the politics 
  and life of nearby Hillsfar. 
   Silver Shadow Cave is located just within the northern 
  border of Elventree. The characters are not accosted by 
  anyone in the area as they make their way through the 
  forest to the meeting site, and if they did not already know 
  about Elventree they would likely not even know a village 
  existed here! 
  Soft moonlight bathes the small clearing in pale radiance, 
  highlighting the motes of pollen that float gently in the air. The 
  light of the moon shines upon a wide cave entrance in the 
  center of the clearing surrounded by short grass and patches of 
  wild flowers. You can see that the shallow cave descends a short 
  distance and then into a broader opening - some natural 
  phenomenon causes the moonlight to filter down below ground 
  as well! 
   
  This is Silver Shadow Cave, a sacred site for communing 
  with the power of the moon goddess Selune. Characters 
  that enter feel a sense of calm and peace wash over them. 
  The cave is well lit by the moonlight and holds a round, 
  natural chamber, in the center of which sits the stump of 
  a tree roughly 10 feet wide. The stump has been 
  smoothed over and polished to create a table, upon which 
  sits a handful of glasses and a pitcher of odd, silvery 
  water. It's regular water, but somehow manages to 
  capture the moonlight. 
  Midnight Meeting 
  After the characters have had a few minutes to acquaint 
  themselves with one another, their host appears out of the 
  shadowy corner of the chamber. Murssvayas Dhuurniv, 
  a drow with long silver hair, thick sideburns, emerald 
  green eyes, and skin so dark it's nearly purple, steps 
  forward. He is dressed in a black silk shirt and pants with 
  a sword buckled at his side. 
   Murssvayas greets each of the characters by name and 
  sets immediately to his request in righting a shift in the 
  balance of power in the Underdark below Hillsfar. 
  Strange Bedfellows 
  Murssvayas gets right down to the heart of the matter. He 
  relays the following information as organically as possible 
  to the characters. 
   
  • 
  In the recent past, the drow outpost of Szith Morcane 
  was sacked by an army host of slaves led by fiendish 
  fire giants and demons striking out from the city of 
  Maerimydra. The outpost's leader Solom Ned’razak, 
  fled to the fungal forest known as Sporedome. 
  Shortly thereafter, a number of other survivors began 
  arriving, having received word of Solom's own 
  arrival. 
  • 
  Solom could not be here himself so Murssvayas was 
  chosen to be the representative of Solom's interests. 
  • 
  For many weeks the drow have been harried by these 
  forces so they had been taking precautions but those 
  plans were violently cut short when the giants 
  launched their attack. Those plans centered on a 
  ritual meant to cull the fiendish blood from targets--a 
  key advantage the giants have over the drow. 
  • 
  Xaven Tanor'this--the main alchemist working on the 
  ritual--was captured in the raid. In order to complete 
  the ritual and strike back against the giants squatting 
  on Szith Morcane, Solom needs Xaven. 
  • 
  Through a spy network that has since collapsed, 
  Solom learned that Xaven was sold to a creature 
  called Maram il Vass who resides in the Den of the 
  Whispered Word, sort of extraplanar brokerage of 
  goods and services. Maram's refuge is located in a 
  twisting realm of the Underdark known as the 
  Howling Pits. 
  • 
  Solom and the displaced drow need Xaven recovered 
  from Maram's clutches and returned to Sporedome 
  so that the ritual can be complete. 
   
  In exchange for returning Xaven and assisting with the 
  completion of the ritual, Solom Ned’razak is provide the 
  characters and their allies a copy of the documents that 
  detail its workings, along with any notes that Solom 
  might make upon conducting it. The abyssal forces 
  controlling both Maerimydra and Szith Morcane are not 
  going to be content with their conquests to date--soon 
  they will spill over into the surface lands. 
   Also, once Szith Morcane is retaken, avenues can be 
  opened up for friendly dealings with certain surface 
  factions, specifically those factions that help the drow 
  now in their time of need. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  9 
   
   
   Once they agree, the drow mage gives the characters a 
  map of the Underdark showing the location of the 
  Howling Pits, but he warns them that the area is filled 
  with dangerous winds that drive travelers insane. No one 
  has successfully mapped the area before so they are on 
  their own with finding the Den of the Whispered Word. 
  Roleplaying Murssvayas Dhuurniv 
  The drow mage was introduced in DDEX2-16 Boltsmelter's Book, 
  where he could have been a help or a hinder to the party at that 
  time depending on what they did with the elemental codex. If they 
  let him use the codex, Murssvayas deals with the characters with 
  a smile as he knows they did the "right" thing. If not, however, 
  the drow is cold in negotiations and blames the characters, 
  partially at least, for what happened to Szith Morcane. 
   
  If the characters had no previous dealings with Murssvayas, 
  he is polite but aloof in his negotiations. 
   
  Quote: "I assume I am dealing with people of business in this 
  room. If not, please be quiet or remove yourselves." 
  Preparations 
  Though time is of the essence, allow the characters a 
  chance to prepare for the journey as best as they are able 
  to before they set out, including purchasing rations and 
  other mundane gear. Murssvayas is quick to point out that 
  the Underdark is a dangerous place and that they are 
  going to need food and water for a long journey if they 
  hope to survive. 
  The Waydown River 
  The route into the Underdark is via a sinkhole a half day's 
  journey from Hillsfar called the Waydown. 
  You crest a small hill and come upon a great sinkhole in the 
  ground. A partially built wall surrounds the hole and two 
  soldiers are nervously walking around the perimeter. The 
  soldiers wear splint armor, shields and longswords, with 
  shortbows slung over their shoulders. There is a tent large 
  enough for four nearby with a small fire pit in front of it. 
   
  Someone in Hillsfar thought the drow attacks could be 
  contained by building a wall around the sinkhole. 
  However, even though there was a contingent of Red 
  Plumes here guarding the builders multiple small attacks 
  occurred closer to the city. Outside from an odd group of 
  adventurers nothing has come near. The Red Plumes 
  were called back to the city but left a guard of four. The 
  builders went to gather more stone. The wall varies 
  somewhat in height, but is on average currently about 3 
  feet tall. A disassembled winch that the Red Plumes used 
  to lower soldiers into the hole (to make sure nothing 
  nasty in the immediate area felt like climbing up) is 
  stacked to one side. 
   The guards know they are not a large enough unit to do 
  more than blast a warning using their horns if something 
  comes out of the sinkhole. The soldiers can tell them: 
  • 
  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. 
  • 
  Guard Commandant Vuhm Yestral is their group 
  commander. He has gone back to the city with the 
  larger contingent of Red Plumes 
  • 
  A patrol used to go down once a day to clear the area 
  underneath the hole of any creatures that seem a 
  threat.  
  • 
  They personally have never been down there. 
  • 
  The commandant  actually helped a group of 
  adventurers a while back go down there, so they have 
  no problem letting these adventurers go on down. 
   
  Mud clings to the sides which extend down about 100 feet, the 
  bottom of which holds a swift flowing river judging by the 
  sound. 
   
  Descending the sinkhole shouldn't require any checks as 
  the characters are under no time constraint, though if 
  they did not bring rope there is still time to go back and 
  get some. At the bottom of the sinkhole is a swift-flowing 
  tributary of the River Tesh, which Murssvayas' map says 
  to follow for 10 miles before turning west along a 
  branching tunnel. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  10 
   
   
  Welcome to the Underdark 
  Once the characters split off from the river they are well 
  and truly in the realm known as the Underdark. Most of 
  the tunnels are natural formations though this close to the 
  surface the paths have been smoothed by foot traffic over 
  the years. Patches of fungus in ever-increasing quantities 
  are a common sight. 
   As the characters traverse the tunnels and caves the 
  way becomes rougher and less worn. It's a two day 
  journey to the Howling Pits from the Waydown River, and 
  in that time the characters are enveloped in the ever-
  present darkness that seems to choke out all light. See 
  Indefinite Madness f Graz'zt sidebar on the next page. 
   Drow characters, rangers with the Underdark favored 
  terrain, or any other character who grew up in this 
  sunless realm knows that the Underdark has a strange 
  effect on teleportation magic as a result of faerzress. 
  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. 
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  11 
   
   
  Part 2: The Howling Pits 
   
  The journey through the Underdark to the Howling Pits 
  takes approximately two days. Murssvayas' directions and 
  map are good and lead the characters directly to the site 
  without any problems.  
  The Howling Pits 
  However, it is possible for the characters to gain Madness 
  points on the second day of travel. 
  General Features 
   Ceilings. The tunnels of the Howling Pits vary between 
  ten to 30 feet wide and just as tall unless otherwise noted. 
   Width. Like the ceiling, the width of the tunnels varies 
  from section to section, but it is usually at least twenty 
  feet wide. 
   Light. There is no light in this section of the Underdark, 
  so the characters must provide their own means of 
  illumination. 
   Sound. The howling, maddening wind is ever present 
  in these tunnels, masking sounds more than 75 feet away. 
  The howling winds are not a magical effect and can be 
  heard through effects that provide shelter such as 
  Leomund's tiny hut. Extradimensional effects such as 
  Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, however is 
  effective at removing the threat. 
  Read: 
  For the past several hours you've detected a faint piping sound 
  echoing through the caves of the Underdark, though the exact 
  location was difficult to determine. The twisting tunnel you've 
  been following begins to descend sharply and the piping noise 
  grows louder as you feel a strange sensation - a breeze on your 
  skin, originating from somewhere in front of you. A sudden gust 
  rises up from the darkness bringing with it a howling sound that 
  resembles an unearthly moan. The tunnel ahead splits off into 
  branching passages in a multitude of directions. 
   
  This is the entrance to the Howling Pits, an area shunned 
  by most rational residents of the Underdark. Dangers lurk 
  in its windy tunnels. 
  The Howling Winds 
  Every time the characters finish a long, the maddening 
  howl of the winds drives them further into the arms of 
  madness. After the rest, each character must succeed on 
  a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or succub to madness.  
  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." 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  12 
   
   
  Navigating the tunnels 
  The path through the Howling Pits is a total of 24 miles 
  through difficult terrain. Each encounter in the Howling 
  Pits occurs after the characters have traveled for 3 miles 
  in the driving winds. Ask the characters the pace they are 
  setting for their journey (fast, normal, or slow) and 
  consult the Travel Pace rules in the Player's Handbook 
  (page 181) to determine how long the journey takes. 
  Traveling beyond 8 hours is considered a Forced March. 
  Travel Pace 
   
  Distance Traveled per... 
  Pace 
  Minute 
   Hour 
   Day 
   Effect 
  Fast 
  400 feet 
   4 miles 
   30 miles  -5 penalty to passive  
  Wisdom (Perception) 
  scores 
  Normal 300 feet 
   3 miles 
   24 miles  
  Slow 
  200 feet 
   2 miles 
   18 miles  Able to use stealth 
  Howling Pit Encounters 
  Presented below are eight encounter areas within the 
  Howling Pits. The characters should participate in a total 
  of four encounters during their travels; two encounters of 
  your own choice, followed by Encounters 7 and 8. 
   The opening encounters should be determined in one of 
  two ways, as described below. 
  Selecting Encounters 
  The other two encounters should be determined in one of two 
  ways, as described here: 
   
  Method 1. Choose a combat encounter and an environmental 
  encounter. 
   
  Method 2. Treat them as random encounters and using the 
  table below and a d10. Do not use the same result twice. Once 
  the characters have encountered an encounter of a particular 
  type (i.e., combat vs. environmental), choose or roll an 
  encounters of the other type. 
   
  Roll 
  Encounter 
   
  Type 
  1   
  Giants Gone Wild 
   
  combat 
  2-3  
  This is the Pits 
   
  environmental 
  4  
  Hungry Ropers 
   
  combat 
  5-6  
  You Smell That? 
   
  environmental 
  7  
  Demon Ambush 
   
  combat 
  8  
  Cloaker Hunting Ground 
  combat 
  9-10 
  Underwater Tributary 
  environmental 
   
  Once the characters have experienced 2 locations for the first 
  time continue with Encounters 7 and 8. 
  1. Giants Gone Wild 
   
  The howling wind slacks for a bit as the tunnel widens and 
  opens up into a large cave. Several tall stalagmites squat around 
  the uneven floor, though none reach the impressive twenty foot 
  high ceiling. A deep bellow echoes from the opposite side of the 
  cave, full of hatred and horror, rising above the gusting of the 
  wind. 
   
  This cave contains two fire giants who were sent on a 
  scouting mission to this area after Szith Morcane was 
  sacked. They quickly fell victim to the maddening winds 
  and have lost all sense of perspective and purpose. Now, 
  having been completely consumed to mindless insanity, 
  they seek only to destroy. 
   The fire giants leap out of the darkness two rounds 
  after the characters enter, staggering from around the 
  stalagmites. Unless the characters have taken 
  precautions they are spotted by the giants, who let loose a 
  bellow of fury and charge forward, hatred and madness in 
  their blood-crazed eyes. These fire giants are beyond 
  reason and do not engage in conversation - only a crazed 
  foam flies from their black and broken lips. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace both fire giants with fire giant 
  whelps 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace one fire giant with a fire giant whelp 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace fire giants with fire giant whelps, add 
  a fire giant whelp 
  • 
  Very strong party: Remove a fire giant, add two fire giant 
  whelps 
  Treasure 
  These fire giants have only a handful of treasure they 
  managed to plunder from Szith Morcane. Between the 
  two of them they have ten onyx gemstones worth a total 
  of 5,000 gp and a gold ring bearing a jeweled spider 
  worth 250 gp.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  13 
   
   
  2.  This is the Pits 
  The characters have run into a section littered with 
  dangerously deep pits, from which the winds howl out of 
  relentlessly. Each character must make a DC 15 
  Dexterity saving throw to navigate the pits successfully, 
  which involves some tight squeezing in certain areas. 
  Anyone that fails and isn't supported somehow falls into 
  one of the pits, suffering 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage 
  from the 80-foot plunge. 
   In addition, anyone in a pit (either at the bottom or 
  dangling somewhere in between) is subject to stronger 
  than normal winds and must immediately succeed on a 
  DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or gain a Madness Point. 
  This is described earlier under "The Howling Winds." 
  XP Award 
  If none of the characters fall into a pit, award each 
  character 1,000 XP. 
  3. You Smell That? 
  There are patches of yellow mold peppered throughout 
  the lowest tunnels of the Howling Pits, and occasionally 
  the wind picks up strong enough to trigger the spores and 
  send them further away. The characters have reached just 
  such a location. The tunnel they are following continues 
  on in the same maddening way, but the wind picks up 
  stronger suddenly. Characters can make DC 15 
  Intelligence (Nature) checks to pick up the scent of yellow 
  mold on the air a round before the spores arrive, giving 
  them a chance to act. 
   Once the spores arrive the characters must make DC 
  15 Constitution saving throws or suffer 22 (4d10) poison 
  damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. Poisoned 
  characters suffer 11 (2d10) poison damage at the start of 
  each of their turns. At the end of their turn, a character 
  may attempt another DC 15 Constitution saving throw 
  with success ending the effect early. A character that 
  successfully saves against the spores is immune to them 
  for 24 hours.  
   The wind carries the spores along the tunnel after a 
  single round. 
  XP Award 
  If none of the characters suffer damage from the spores, 
  award each character 1,000 XP. 
   
  4.  Demonic Ambush 
  Demons enter the Howling Pits from one of the many 
  portals further down into its depths, and the characters 
  have been noticed by some of them. A pair of glabrezu 
  have been following the characters, keeping far enough 
  away to not get noticed (trying to keep more than 60 feet 
  away to stay out of the range of typical darkvision). 
   The demons stalk the characters, waiting for an 
  opportune time to ambush them. Ideally they wait until 
  the party comes upon some other encounter and are 
  distracted. Alternately they strike during a short or long 
  rest. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace glabrezus with barlguras, add one 
  barlgura. 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace glabrezus with hezrous. 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace glabrezus with chasmes, add two 
  chasmes. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Replace glabrezus with hezrous, add one 
  chasme 
  5.  Cloaker Hunting Ground 
   
  Ahead of you the tunnel narrows to only five feet wide, and even 
  narrower at some points based on how far down you can see. 
  The ceiling rises to a height of thirty feet and widens to about 
  ten feet at the top. 
   
  This section of the Howling Pits has become the hunting 
  grounds for two cloakers who use the narrow tunnel to 
  isolate prey. They wait on the ceiling for the characters to 
  pass beneath them, and then one of them swoops down to 
  try and grab on to whomever is in the rear. Once the first 
  one has descended and attacked, the next round the other 
  one flies silently down to try and attack the person in the 
  lead. 
  Treasure 
  The cloakers have suspended a small sack in the ceiling 
  filled with trinkets gathered from previous travelers. The 
  sack is cleverly concealed and invisible to anyone on the 
  ground but becomes obvious to anyone within five feet of 
  it. The sack contains three amethyst gemstones (100 gp 
  each), one topaz gemstone (500 gp), and a brooch laid 
  with gold and ivory (250 gp). 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  14 
   
   
  6.  Underground Tributary 
   
  The tunnel ahead opens up into a wide cave. An underground 
  river, fifteen feet wide, cuts the area in half, and on the other 
  side you see branching tunnels leading further into the Howling 
  Pits. Strange gray-and-white fungus grows in large patches on 
  the banks of the dark and swiftly flowing river. 
   
  This is a tributary of a larger river system that flows out of 
  the Lake of Shadows, a region of the Underdark between 
  Szith Morcane and Maerimydra. The waters are dark, 
  cold, and surprisingly deep, sloping down sharply to a ten 
  foot depth in the center. 
   The gray-and-white fungus growing on the banks of the 
  river is cave creeper, a mind-affecting fungus. From the 
  cave entrance characters can make DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Nature) checks to identify the fungus and recall that its 
  spores cause madness. Anyone who enters the cave must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. 
  While poisoned a character suffers from the effects of the 
  confusion spell and can attempt another DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw at the end of each round to 
  negate the effect. Characters succeeding on the saving 
  throw are immune to the cave creeper's spores for 24 
  hours. 
   The river is 15 feet wide and there is 20 feet of cave 
  floor on either side of it. Characters can try to swim 
  across the swift-moving river with a DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check. Anyone that fails or falls into the river 
  must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled 
  under by the current and dragged thirty feet down. They 
  can make another DC 15 Strength saving throw to cling 
  to the side of the river, but if that fails they are swept away 
  into darkness. They wash ashore at a bend in the river 
  approximately 200 feet downstream. 
   Anyone caught in the river beyond the cave must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or suffers 11 
  (2d10) bludgeoning damage each round from rocks. On a 
  failure they are reduced to 0 hit points and are dying. The 
  current takes the victim 60 feet each round until the bend, 
  described above. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters make it safely across the river without 
  getting swept away, award each character 1,000 XP. 
   
  7. Winds of Madness 
  The areas surrounding Maram il Vass's Den of the 
  Whispered Word are closer to portals leading to the 
  Abyss than much of the rest of the Howling Pits. At this 
  encounter the characters face a particularly powerful gust 
  of the maddening winds that scream and howl like a 
  madman in the Underdark tunnels. 
   All characters must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving 
  throw or succumb to madness (see the “Madness” 
  sidebar on page 11).  
  8. Escaped Slaves 
   
  Over the mournful howl of the persistent wind in these tunnels 
  you hear a ragged scream that is suddenly choked off. It must 
  have been close ahead to have been heard. 
   
  The tunnel turns and opens into a small cave about 50 
  feet ahead of the characters. At the opposite end of the 
  cave huddles a male human, clutching his knees with his 
  hands and rocking back and forth. Dried blood runs from 
  his ears and is pooled near a short length of sharpened 
  wood at his side. A female human stands nearby trying to 
  comfort him, her hand on his shoulder. They are both 
  filthy, with mud-caked hair, torn rags for clothing, and 
  visible lash marks all over their bodies. 
   These two unfortunates are two human slaves named 
  Drystan and Tegan (both currently at half hit points), 
  siblings and now escaped slaves from Maram's Den of the 
  Whispered Word. 
   If any character enters the cave or if they call out, Tegan 
  moves in a protective stance over Drystan who does not 
  acknowledge anyone else's presence. Tegan swiftly picks 
  up the pointed stick and holds it unsteadily in both hands, 
  ready to defend herself and her brother. 
   Tegan shows more courage than her nearly starved 
  appearance would suggest, demanding to know who the 
  characters are and what they're doing here. She can be 
  calmed with a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, but 
  the characters must prove somehow that they are not 
  working with Maram as part of some elaborate plot to 
  torture her and her brother. Healing her brother's 
  wounds would go a long way to proving the characters are 
  not with the mysterious broker. Any character that restore 
  Dystan's hit points or, better yet, his hearing, make the 
  Charisma check with advantage. 
   Once she trusts them, Tegan breaks down and tells 
  them what she knows. Tegan can divulge the following: 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  15 
   
   
   
  • 
  She and her brother have been slaves controlled by 
  Maram il Vass in the Den of the Whispered Word. 
  They are farmers from the Dalelands until they were 
  captured by an orc raiding party five years ago. The 
  orcs brought them into the Underdark and sold them 
  to Maram, who seems to be a half-elf, but Tegan sus-
  pects that there is more to him than meets the eye. 
  • 
  Tegan has seen lots of demons that dwell in the pal-
  ace as well. Tegan and Drystan served Maram's 
  guests and tended to the broker's personal needs. 
  • 
  Tegan and Drystan escaped "some time ago" (they 
  don't have means of telling time outside the palace 
  but it was only a day ago) when they were led outside 
  to feed on the mushrooms that grow in the cave. Te-
  gan grabbed Drystan and fled into the caves. She 
  knew the dangers of the wind but preferred that to 
  the torment that would no doubt continue if they 
  stayed behind. 
  • 
  Tegan recalls seeing a drow being brought to Maram 
  il Vass recently. She doesn't know what happened to 
  him but he wasn't kept in the main part of the palace. 
  • 
  The palace is guarded by a pretty mean gnome with 
  grey skin that answers only to Maram il Vass, is de-
  ceptively polite to guests. Lot's of people come and 
  go there, and he doesn't like it when people are mean 
  back to him. 
  • 
  Drystan broke down the day before they escaped. It 
  seemed as though his mind just shut down from all of 
  the tortures he was subjected to. He completely suc-
  cumbed to the maddening winds yesterday and 
  shoved the only weapon they had—a pointed stick—
  into both of his ears. 
  Roleplaying Tegan 
  Tegan is desperate for help from anyone that isn't a fiend but she 
  and her brother have been playthings in the Den of the 
  Whispered Word for too long for her to trust anyone right away. 
  She is scared and feels that she and Drystan were incredibly lucky 
  to have escaped as they did, even though a part of her suspects it 
  was all a trick. Tegan is proud and stubborn, but if the characters 
  are honest and can prove that they're not working with Maram il 
  Vass she eventually opens up to them. 
   
  Quote: "We're not going back! You'll have to kill us first!" 
  Developments 
  Tegan refuses to go back to the Den of the Whispered 
  Word under any circumstances, promising that she and 
  her brother can navigate the Howling Pits just fine (which 
  isn't true). She can be convinced to stay in this cave 
  waiting for the characters with a DC 15 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check but she does not respond to 
  intimidation well--she has endured horrors the likes of 
  which pale in comparison to anything the characters 
  might do. The DC to browbeat her into staying is the 
  same, but the check is made with disadvantage. 
   Anyone examining her brother can make a DC 10 
  Wisdom (Medicine) check to determine that Drystan is 
  suffering from some kind of mental breakdown. Curing 
  him would require time and a safe environment; magic 
  alone does not work. More apparent, however, is the 
  damage he inflicted upon his ears. He is completely deaf; 
  something that some might consider a blessing here. 
   Tegan has no idea but she and her brother have only 
  gone roughly three miles from the Den of the Whispered 
  Word in their flight. She has no real idea of where she is 
  or where the palace is located at this point but vaguely 
  points to the end of the tunnel opposite where the 
  characters entered. 
  Treasure 
  Between the encounters, the characters find a handful of 
  treasure; a long-lost lockbox with total of 5,000 gp in 
  various coins and a gold ring bearing a jeweled spider 
  (250 gp). 
   Additionally, they find a sack contains three amethyst 
  gemstones (300 gp), one topaz gemstone (500 gp), and a 
  brooch laid with gold and ivory (250 gp). 
  XP Award 
  When the characters successfully navigate the Howling 
  Pits, award each character 1,000 XP and proceed to Part 
  3. 
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  16 
   
   
  Part 3: Den of the 
  Whispered Word 
   
  Maram il Vass was approached directly by agents of 
  Graz'zt shortly after the demon lord was exiled to the 
  Underdark. The ultroloth was long ago in the employ the 
  Dark Prince in the Outer Planes, distinguishing himself 
  as someone suitable cunning and reliable enough to be 
  trusted…as much as a yugoloth can be. Eventually the two 
  parted amicably and Maram il Vass used his newfound 
  fortune to create the Den of the Whispered Word. With 
  Graz'zt fortuitous arrival, Maram has found himself 
  reaping the rewards of his previous service; having been 
  gifted with the service of a number of demons while he 
  serves Graz'zt once more. 
   With the fire giants in Maerimydra whipped into a blood 
  frenzy and the sacking of the drow outpost of Szith 
  Morcane recently, Maram il Vass saw an opportunity to 
  add to his collection. Working through contacts she 
  purchased from the fire giants the choicest of drow 
  prisoners from Szith Morcane--the alchemist Xaven 
  Tanor'this; a drow whose reputation preceded him. A 
  skilled alchemist would be invaluable. 
   The drow currently resides in the gardens below the 
  Den of the Whispered Word where he toils endlessly; 
  brewing and transmuting for Maram.  
  At the Den’s Door 
  The characters arrive at the Den of the Whispered Word 
  about a day's travel from their encounter with Tegan and 
  Drystan. 
  General Features 
   Ceilings. The cave the Den has been built in is 150 feet 
  tall. The center building of the palace has 12-foot high 
  ceilings on all the floors. The domes are 50 feet tall. 
   Faerzress. Faerzress does not interfere with 
  teleportation magic within the Den of the Whispered 
  Word. 
   Light. The illumination from the two domes is enough 
  to shed the entire cave in dim light. Inside the den, 
  cleverly placed lines of glowing marble provide bright 
  light. 
   Sound. The howling, maddening wind in the cave 
  masks sounds more than 75 feet away. Inside the palace 
  the wind cannot be heard. 
   Windows. There are no windows in the Den of the 
  Whispered Word, but if Maram il Vass allows it the glass 
  of the domes can become clear to allow outside viewing. 
   Glass Domes. The two domes are made of unbreakable 
  glass. They are as strong as steel and are magically 
  infused to change opacity based on Maram's whim. 
  Maram il Vass's Servant 
  Maram il Vass's servant (commoner) is possessive of no name 
  and appears to be incapable of speech. Any attempt to glean any 
  information from him are met with impassive stares. If asked, 
  Maram brushes any inquiries off with something to the effect of 
  "He enjoys working for me. He'd have it no other way." 
   
  In truth, the servant was a human captive of Maram il Vass 
  for many years who has become completely conditioned into 
  unquestioningly serving the yugoloth. He is wholly devoted to 
  serving Maram and resists any attempt to betray his master--with 
  violence if need be. 
  D1. Palace Grounds 
  The tunnel opens up into an expansive cavern, the ceiling and 
  sides of which extend well beyond your vision. Slender 
  stalactites cling to the ceiling and tall stalagmites rise from the 
  floor, but the most dominating feature in the impressive 
  structure in the center. A black-and-red marble central building 
  stands approximately 50 feet high flanked by two, smaller 
  buildings, each about 30 feet high. These domes's supports are 
  lined with licking flames of blue, green, purple--faerie fire by the 
  look of it. 
   
  There is 100 feet of open ground between the edge of the 
  cavern where the characters enter and the doors to the 
  Den of the Whispered Word. The ground is rocky and 
  uneven (considered difficult terrain) with only a handful of 
  stalagmites for cover. 
  D2. Brass Doors 
  A pair of ornate doors of beaten brass, look to be the only 
  entrance at the front of the marbled building. A smaller building 
  is affixed to the wall beside the door. A construct stands sentry 
  at the door and the flickering light of an oil lamp can be seen 
  inside the smaller building. 
   The brass doors are the only entrance into the palace. The 
  doors are carved with self-adulating images of what appears to 
  be a half-elf in various stages of becoming very rich and very 
  powerful.  
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  17 
   
   
  This is the entrance to the Den of the Whispered Word. It 
  is guarded by Grabber Forth and a shield guardian. 
   If the characters approach Forth and demand an 
  audience with Maram il Vass, the svirfneblin is taken 
  aback by their brazen attitude. However, he has orders to 
  admit anyone into the Den of the Whispered Word that 
  asks to see Maram il Vass by name. Otherwise, the shield 
  guardian stands in front of the door while Forth stands 
  behind one of the construct's legs and orders the 
  characters to leave. 
   If attacked, Forth loses his seemingly clumsy and 
  ineffective aire and begins cackling in glee. He is 
  absolutely vicious and his magical prowess is stupefying. 
  On his first round, he casts time stop and casts the 
  following spells in order (depending on how many actions 
  he is able to take via the time stop spell). However, he 
  uses his final action granted by time stop to cast circle of 
  death using a 7th level spell slot (10d6 necrotic damage) 
  on as many people as he can. Gabber Forth is a big fan of 
  using counterspell to annoy enemy spellcasters. 
  • 
  Stoneskin 
  • 
  Greater invisibility 
  • 
  See invisibility 
  • 
  Mirror image 
  The shield guardian attacks whomever Forth instructs 
  him to. If no instructions are forthcoming, he simply 
  attacks the closest target. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace the shield guardian with a clay 
  golem; replace Grabber Forth with a mage. 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace the shield guardian with a stone golem; 
  replace Grabber Forth with a mage. 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace the shield guardian with an clay golem 
  • 
  Very strong party: Replace the shield guardian with a stone 
  golem 
  Development 
  As the characters touch the door to enter, the carvings 
  morph and the half-elf changes to resemble the character 
  touching the door. The alluring image is fleeting and after 
  blinking or looking away for a moment, they find that it 
  resembles the half-elf once more. 
   This half-elf is Maram il Vass in his preferred guise. 
  Treasure 
  Gabber Forth carries diamond dust worth 200 gp 
  (stoneskin material component) and ruby dust worth 
  1,200 gp (forcecage material component). 
  XP Award 
  If the characters gain entrance to the Den without a fight, 
  award each character 1,000 XP. 
  D3. Entrance Foyer 
  Inside the Den of the Whispered Word, once the doors 
  close the howling winds of the tunnels are completely 
  shut out. The air is filled with the scent of what is no 
  doubt very expensive incense and perfume. 
   The entrance foyer has two large tapestries, one on the 
  east wall and one on the west wall. The tapestries are 
  similar in theme to the decoration of the front door; they 
  continue the story of a self-made half-elf of extraordinary 
  influence. 
   The hallway is lined with tall vases filled with fresh 
  flowers and glass containers filled with all manner of 
  small, unusual creatures, such as fish, birds, reptiles, and 
  other curiosities. 
  Treasure 
  The two tapestries are each worth 500 gp and weigh 150 
  pounds each. 
  D4. Audience Chamber 
   
  You step into a wide, long hallway that ends in an archway 
  before a grand chamber. The floor is polished white marble 
  streaked with veins of red and black. Archways are set into the 
  east and west walls leading into long hallways in either 
  direction. A large desk of an unusual, purple wood sits in the 
  middle of the room. Two brass doors lead out in the southeast 
  and southwest corners. 
   A rakishly handsome half-elf sits at the desk. 
   
  Maram il Vass is here. While Maram is an ultroloth, he 
  takes the guise of a rakishly handsome half-elf using alter 
  self. If viewed by a character with detect magic, he 
  radiates strong transmutation magic. If the characters 
  determine his true nature, he dismisses his disguise with 
  a wry smile. 
   Upon the characters entering the room, Maram il Vass 
  rises from his desk and, with a lazy wave of his hand, bids 
  them to be seated. A number of purple-wood chairs equal 
  to the number of characters that weren't there before are 
  inexplicably present. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  18 
   
   
  Roleplaying Maram il Vass 
  Maram il Vass is a yugoloth who found a better alternative to 
  warmongering long ago. He built the Den of the Whispered Word 
  as a refuge on the Material Plane to ply his wares and secrets. He 
  is meticulous and conniving and very, very charming--and he 
  knows it. 
   
  Quote: "Won't haggle?!." 
   
  A secret door leading to D7 can be spotted with 
  successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. 
   A pair of nycaloth are in D5 dutifully standing guard. If 
  combat breaks out, they enter initiative as normal. 
  Thanks to the small peepholes in the door, they can see 
  everything that transpires in the room and are able to 
  teleport inside and attack on their turn using multiattack. 
  Because of this, their initial attacks are made with 
  advantage. They attack the same target, preferring to 
  attack obvious spellcasters (i.e., less armored, etc.). If 
  combat breaks out, Maram il Vass dimension doors away 
  at his first opportunity, teleporting to D11. 
   If the mezoloths are used, they cast darkness upon 
  themselves in the first round, and then teleports into the 
  room on their turn in the following round, preferably 
  adjacent to ranged attackers. 
   In the event that an arcanaloth is present, it casts 
  greater invisibility upon itself, then opens the door, and 
  then steps to the side and out of line of sight. In the 
  following round, it casts chain lightning. 
   Detecting the peepholes requires a successful DC 25 
  Wisdom (Perception) check. A character actively 
  investigating the door notices them on a successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace one nycaloth with two mezoloths. 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace one nycaloth with an arcanaloth 
  Fiendish Bargaining 
  Maram il Vass, despite being a yugoloth, is polite and 
  hospitable and offers the characters food and drink. At 
  the characters's request, a human in fine clothing enters 
  the room impossibly quickly carrying a tray with whatever 
  food and drink the characters requested, along with a hot, 
  damp towel. He stands at the ready to address whatever 
  needs Maram's guests might have. 
   If asked, he initially refuses to speak business until the 
  characters have had a chance to refresh themselves, but if 
  a character succeeds at a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check, he relents with a disappointing sigh and dismisses 
  the human servant. Characters with the Guild Artisan or 
  Noble background make this check with advantage. 
   Maram il Vass then admits that he does, in fact, have a 
  drow--a prize which he bought from some "rather obtuse" 
  fire giants who had no idea of what they were selling. He 
  was unconscious and in pretty bad shape, but Maram 
  assures the characters that he has been extended the 
  epitome of hospitality since his arrival. He initially refuses 
  to offer up Xaven, but if he feels the characters are willing 
  to buy him, he begins what he has been waiting all this 
  time--haggling. There are two primary ways to "buy" the 
  drow from Maram il Vass: 
   Prize for Prize. Maram initially offers a simple 
  exchange--one of the characters' for the drow. His 
  preference, in order of priority is: 
  • 
  Arcane spellcasters 
  • 
  Divine spellcasters 
  • 
  Non-humans 
  • 
  Humans 
  If, for some reason, the characters agree, Maram il Vass 
  jumps from his seat and claps his hands excitedly. Once 
  he is convinced the character intends to honor his 
  arrangement, he rings a small bell on his desk, and the 
  nycaloth (or mezoloths) in D5 emerge and attempt to 
  escort the character to D6. If the character refuses, 
  Maram--sighing in contempt at the double-dealing--is 
  obviously upset. Future Charisma checks to negotiate 
  Xaven's release are made with disadvantage. 
   Gold Talks. In order to satisfy Maram's greed, the 
  characters may pay him 10,000 gp. Alternatively, they 
  may offer him two, rare consumable magic items. They 
  may attempt to negotiate this price, however--but is tricky. 
   Haggling with Maram is an exhausting affair that lasts 
  for over an over an hour. It is apparent to any character 
  with a passive Insight score of 10 or higher that Maram is 
  enjoying it immensely. At the end of the session, the 
  characters may attempt a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  group check. If successful, the price for Xaven's release is 
  reduced by half (5,000 gp or one rare, consumable magic 
  item). For 5 points that the check succeeds by, the price is 
  reduced by an additional 1,000 gp (to a minimum of 
  2,000 gp). He does not accept anything less than one rare, 
  consumable magic item, however. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  19 
   
   
  Development 
  What happens next depends on whether or not the 
  characters and Maram come to an accord: 
   Xaven's Release is Secured. He informs them that 
  Xaven is being held below and provides them the key to 
  the Hanging Gardens, below, via D8. He does not 
  accompany them. 
   Xaven's Release is Not Secured. If no deal can be 
  reached, Maram il Vass shrugs and after informing the 
  characters that they have no further business to discuss, 
  asks the characters to leave. If they refuse or offer any 
  trouble, he sighs and rings his bell, summoning the 
  nycaloths hiding in D5 to escort the characters out. 
   The door to D11 is arcane locked and opening it 
  requires a set of thieves' tools and a DC 30 Dexterity 
  check. 
   Additionally, it is trapped with a glyph of warding (DC 
  15; triggered when someone reads the runes that are 
  inscribed on a small, brass placard. Tiny words encircle 
  the explosive rune (thunder) that reads (in 
  Undercommon): "This is what an explosive rune looks 
  like." 
  Treasure 
  Maram carries a small silver key that unlocks the doors to 
  D6, D8, and D11. There is nothing else of value in this 
  room. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters treat peacefully with Maram il Vass and 
  negotiate Xaven's release without a fight, award each 
  character 3,000 XP. 
  D5. Side Office 
  The nycaloths use this room to avoid upsetting less 
  cosmopolitan visitors who might otherwise be put off by 
  their appearance. It is empty. The door has a three 
  cleverly disguised peepholes involving a series of fine, 
  crystal lenses. It can only be noticed by characters that 
  specifically state they are investigating the door and even 
  then only if successful on a DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. 
  Treasure 
  If the characters find the peephole, the lenses are worth a 
  total of 50 gp. 
  D6. The “Waiting” Area 
  This area is under the effect of a guards and wards spell. 
  Maram il Vass, the nycaloth and Maram's human servant 
  are all immune to its effects. As a result, the door is 
  arcane locked and anyone entering the room is subjected 
  to a suggestion spell. ("Please be seated. Someone will be 
  with you shortly.") A character succeeding on a DC 17 
  Wisdom saving throw may ignore the suggestion freely, 
  but the door remains disappointingly locked. 
   The door may be unlocked with thieves' tools and a 
  successful DC 25 Dexterity or bashed in with a successful 
  DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. Otherwise, Maram 
  carries a small silver key--the sole key to the door. 
  D7. Closet 
  This small room has a number of items waiting for 
  Maram's decision as to their disposition. Most of them are 
  trivial knick-knacks, but two things stand out: two bolts of 
  amazingly exquisite cloth that seems to change color, 
  pattern, and texture depending on the angle it’s being 
  viewed from; and a small box. 
   The box labeled "Markoth" is plain and nondescript; 
  about six inches on a side, and contains six tiny vials filled 
  with a clear, bubbling fluid and stoppered with a cork 
  which has been sealed with wax. The potion doesn't 
  radiate magic and seems to be little more than a vial of 
  sparkling water. No attempt to discern its purpose reveals 
  any information. Drinking the contents of a vial provides 
  no effect, at least none that is apparent. 
  Treasure 
  The bolts of cloth are extraplanar; imported from some 
  far off realm. The bolts of cloth are worth a total of 400 
  gp. The vial cannot be sold, but may be kept by one of the 
  characters if they so choose. 
  D8. Pantry 
  The door to this room is arcane locked. Opening the door 
  requires a set of thieves' tools and a successful DC 25 
  Dexterity check or a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. It 
  can otherwise only be opened by the silver key that 
  Maram and his human servant possesses. If the 
  characters negotiated Xaven's release, he opens the door 
  for the characters. 
   Inside this room is a series of shelves with what 
  appears to be empty bottles, vials, and casks; as well as 
  boxes, crates and barrels--all of which are similarly empty. 
   The stairs lead down to the Hanging Gardens (Part 4). 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  20 
   
   
  D9. Arboretum  
   
  Inside the great dome a veritable paradise opens up. Several 
  lush trees stand in well-tended plots around a sparkling pool, 
  nearly twenty feet wide, filled with calm clear waters. At the apex 
  of the dome, far above, a large white sphere bathes the entire 
  area in light nearly identical to sunlight. A small pond full of 
  unusual fish lies next to a table with a single chair--shaded from 
  the light by the trees above. 
   
  Maram uses this as a place to treat with surface dwellers. 
  Aside from the brilliantly-colorful insects and birds that 
  flutter and dart about, the room is otherwise empty.  
  D10. A Glimpse into Khalas 
   
  The door to this area is hot, but not unbearably so. Opening it 
  reveals a blasted, landscape of dust, smoke, and flame. Beyond 
  the door, the room seems to extend for eternity, but in the 
  distance four mountains can be seen, each one taller than the 
  one before it.  
   
  This is Khalas, the first and most hospitable layer of 
  Gehenna; Maram's home plane. Upon entering the room, 
  the pull of gravity shifts at an approximate 45-degree 
  angle, so it feels as if the characters are walking up (or 
  down) the side of a vast mountain. Immense waterfalls 
  can be seen in the distance, but no matter how long the 
  characters walk, they never seem to get any closer. 
  Gehenna 
  The four layers of Gehenna take the form of four, steep 
  mountains: Khalas, Chamada, Mungoth, and Krangath. Those 
  unfortunate enough to fall often tumble and roll for miles. It is 
  also the home of the yugoloths, though demons and devils can 
  be found here as well. 
   
  Unbeknownst to the characters, the interior of the room 
  is simply an illusion. They can walk for hours upon hours 
  and encounter nothing. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters enter this room and spend a half hour or 
  more exploring Gehenna (at least Maram's illusory 
  rendition of it), award each character 1,000 XP. 
  D11. Maram’s Quarters 
  The door behind Maram's desk in D4 leads to this room. 
  Read: 
  The door opens into a finely appointed stateroom replete with 
  two large cabinets, a comfortable-looking bed, a couple bureaus, 
  and other furniture. 
   
  If the characters attacked Maram, he is here (unless he 
  was slain in D4). By the time the characters arrive, he has 
  summoned a nycaloth to assist him. The nycaloth is in 
  the corner; having already cast invisibility on himself, and 
  refreshes it as long as necessary. Maram has since cast 
  alter self to make himself look like the human servant 
  that had waited on the characters earlier, in D4. Maram 
  (in his human guise) is standing beside a pantry holding a 
  tray when the characters enter the room. 
   Maram attacks only if the characters attack him first. 
  Otherwise, he lets the characters pilfer the room without 
  protest; he'd much rather the characters make off with his 
  treasures here than be sent back to Gehenna. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace Maram il Vass with an arcanaloth 
  and replace the nycaloth with two mezoloths which enter 
  the room  
  • 
  Weak party: Replace Maram il Vass with a arcanaloth. 
  • 
  Strong party: Add an arcanaloth. The arcanaloth has no 8th 
  or 7th level spell slots available. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add an ultroloth. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  21 
   
   
  Treasure 
  Maram il Vass keeps a small fortune's worth of treasure 
  in this chamber hidden in a secret false bottom of one of 
  the cabinets. Any character inspecting the interior of the 
  cabinets detects the secret compartment on a successful 
  DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation).  
   Inside he keeps a golden necklace set with rubies and 
  sapphires, a carved ivory statuette of a drow woman, a 
  platinum chalice set with small emeralds, a silver bracelet 
  inlaid with pearls, and a solid gold casting of a bird--each 
  worth 250 gp for a total value of 1250 gp. 
   In addition to the valuable jewelry, Maram il Vass has 
  stashed away a small cache of potions and scrolls. In a 
  finely crafted wooden box in the same couch are resting 
  six bottles - four potions of superior healing, a potion of 
  invulnerability, and a potion of heroism. A leather-bound 
  scroll case contains the following spell scrolls: stoneskin, 
  cone of cold, globe of invulnerability, and true seeing. 
   A small (unlocked) lockbox by the second bed holds 
  Gabber Forth's spellbook. It consists of sheets of 
  engraved stone and is bound in thick, grey leather. It 
  contains the following spells: 
  1st level: detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield 
  2nd level: mirror image, Maximillian's earthen grasp*, see invisibility 
  3rd level: counterspell, slow, fireball 
  4th level: greater invisibility, polymorph, stoneskin 
  5th level: cone of cold, fire shield, immolation*,  
  6th level: circle of death, globe of invulnerability 
  7th level: forcecage 
  8th level: incendiary cloud 
  9th level: time stop 
   Maram himself carries a small silver key that unlocks 
  the doors to D6, D8, and D11. 
   
    
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  22 
   
   
  Part 4: Hanging Gardens 
   
  There are secrets hidden beneath the halls of the Den of 
  the Whispered Word in a cavern known as the Hanging 
  Gardens. Maram il Vass sends new "acquisitions" here to 
  the care of a trio of hags and chasme demons before 
  deciding their ultimate disposition. Xaven Tanor'this is in 
  this cave along with a handful of others. 
  Hidden Horrors 
  The only way into the Hanging Gardens is down the 
  staircase in D8, above. 
  General Features 
   Ceilings The Hanging Gardens have a ceiling height of 
  100 feet. 
   Floor. The cave floor of the area is uneven and is 
  considered difficult terrain. 
   Light. Large patches of luminous fungus shed dim light 
  in the entire cave. 
   Sound. The droning of the chasme demons in the 
  ceiling and walls creates a disturbing, insect-like buzz. 
   Chains. The chains strung from floor to ceiling are 
  heavy iron. Each link has AC 18, 30 hp, resistance to non-
  magical weapons, and vulnerability to acid. Climbing a 
  chain requires a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check, and 
  each chain is about 15 feet from the next one. Each of the 
  chains that holds a victim has a corresponding pull chain 
  on the ground with enough slack to lower a victim to the 
  ground. Doing so requires a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) 
  check, with the victim dropping 1d6x10 feet on a failure. 
  H1. Admittance 
  Read: 
  The staircase descends below the floor of the palace, turning 
  rocky and uneven the further down you go. The rock walls give 
  way to a huge cavern lit by patches of luminescent fungus 
  clinging to the ceiling, bathing the cave in eerie pale 
  illumination that resembles moonlight. From floor to ceiling the 
  area is about one hundred feet tall and you see large heavy 
  chains running that length. Cages hang from the chains, most 
  occupied by a single occupant. An unusual buzzing sound 
  echoes throughout the area. 
   
  These are the Hanging Gardens, the place no slave in the 
  Den of the Whispered Word wants to find themselves in. 
   On the ground, hidden amongst stalagmites, the 
  keepers of the Hanging Gardens keep watch over the 
  area. They are Elsa, Ilsa, and Ulsa, a coven of three night 
  hags. They consider themselves the mistresses of the 
  Hanging Gardens and do not bargain with anyone but 
  Maram il Vass. 
  Hag Covens 
  When hags must work together, they form covens, in spite of 
  their selfish natures. A coven is made up of hags of any type, all 
  of whom are equals within the group. However, each of the hags 
  continues to desire more personal power. A coven consists of 
  three hags so that any arguments between two hags can be 
  settled by the third. If more than three hags ever come together, 
  as might happen if two covens come into conflict, the result is 
  usually chaos. 
   
  Shared Spellcasting. While all three members of a hag coven 
  are within 30 feet of one another, they can each cast the following 
  spells from the wizard's spell list but must share the spell slots 
  among themselves: 
   
  1st level (4 slots): identify, ray of sickness 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, locate object 
  3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, counterspell, lightning bolt 
  4th level (3 slots): phantasmal killer, polymorph 
  5th level (2 slots): contact other plane, scrying 
  6th level (1 slot): eye bite 
   
  For casting these spells, each hag is a 12th-level spellcaster that 
  uses Intelligence as her spellcasting ability. The spell save DC is 
  12 + the hag's Intelligence modifier, and the spell attack bonus is 
  4 + the hag's Intelligence modifier. 
   
  The droning in the air is a result of the three chasme 
  demons that cling like huge flies to the ceiling. They owe 
  loyalty only to Maram il Vass and are allowed to feed on 
  the people hanging from the chains. They attack anyone 
  entering unless they are accompanied by Maram il Vass. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove two of the chasme demons. 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one of the chasme demons. 
  • 
  Strong party: Add two chasme demons. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two chasme demons and one fire 
  giant. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  23 
   
   
  The Hanging Victims 
  The chains in the Hanging Gardens currently hold seven 
  victims. One of them, in the middle of the cave, is Xaven 
  Tanor'this, the drow alchemist who was sold to Maram il 
  Vass. The other victims are two dwarves and four 
  humans. All of the prisoners are simply commoners. 
   Xaven is in a cage hanging 40 feet from the ground. The 
  other cages hang anywhere from 10 feet to 60 feet from 
  the ground (roll 1d6x10 to determine the height of any 
  other cage the characters encounter). 
  Development 
  Once the coven sees the characters enter the Hanging 
  Gardens they wait until the characters have fully entered 
  H1 and then flee into H2; calling out for the chasme 
  demons to deal with the intruders.  
   The chasmes fly to attack the characters where ever 
  they are, hoping to catch some of them with their droning 
  effect. 
   If the night hags detect what the characters are after 
  (one of the hanging victims), they direct one of the 
  chasmes to drop all the victims to the ground, figuring 
  that Maram il Vass can get new ones if she needs them. 
  The prisoners within the cages take falling damage, as is 
  normal. 
  H2. The Coven 
  This room is where the coven resides. If the characters 
  entered without Maram accompanying them, the hags are 
  here, lying in wait for the characters. 
   Each has readied an action to cast ray of enfeeblement 
  at the first of the characters that enters. 
   The coven does what it is able to do in order to remain 
  within 30 feet of one another. Each hag carries a 
  heartstone. 
  Treasure 
  The night hags keep a small, moss-covered chest of 
  treasure in the corner of the Hanging Gardens. A 
  character searching the area that succeeds on a DC 15 
  Wisdom (Perception) check finds the chest. The chest is 
  locked (Ulsa carries the key currently) but can be picked 
  with a DC 15 Dexterity check and a set of thieves' tools. 
  Inside the chest are the following items: four potions of 
  greater healing, one potion of resistance, and an ivory 
  tube containing spell scrolls of fire shield, hold monster, 
  and prismatic spray. 
  What If Xaven Dies? 
  There are several options available to the characters if Xaven 
  Tanor'this doesn't make it through the Hanging Gardens alive. 
  The characters should have access to the raise dead spell if the 
  body of the drow alchemist isn't too maimed in the fighting. If all 
  other options are exhausted, however, you can add Xaven's 
  satchel of notes to the night hag's treasure pile. The notes 
  contain all of the alchemist's research into removing demon taint 
  from blood, though deciphering the coded material should 
  require a trip back to the drow in Sporedome regardless. Solom 
  is not be pleased that the alchemist is dead, but his notes are a 
  suitable enough consolation for the excursion to not be a total 
  loss. 
  Xaven’s Rescue 
  Once the characters recover Xaven (alive hopefully, or 
  dead with enough intact for a reasonable raise dead spell) 
  they can escape from the Hanging Gardens. There are no 
  other exits in the cave except for the stairs back up to the 
  Den of the Whispered Word, which may or may not be a 
  safe path depending on how the characters dealt with 
  Maram il Vass. 
   The characters must now get Xaven back to the Solom 
  Ned'razak and the other Szith Morcane refugees 
  currently residing in Sporedome. If healing magic is used 
  on Xaven to get him conscious he is confused at first but 
  insists on getting back to Solom Ned’razak and 
  whomever else escaped Szith Morcane. 
   He tells them that there is still some work to be done on 
  the formula to purge demon taint from the blood of 
  targets but he his research has indicated that they'll need 
  the blood of an existing demonic creature to hone the 
  process. Exactly what demonic creature is yet to be 
  determined. 
  Exit Through the Howling Pits 
  If you are running this scenario as part of a timed slot the 
  characters should begin Part 5 at about the 3 1/2 or 4 
  hour mark. If they are early you can have them run one or 
  more of the Howling Pits encounters that had been 
  skipped initially in Part 2. 
   The hard reality of this situation is that the dwarven and 
  human prisoners, if freed, may perish during the 
  excursion through the Underdark; or at least be driven 
  mad through their trip through the Howling Pits. The 
  characters should be made aware of this and be allowed 
  to decide their fate accordingly. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  24 
   
   
  Sporedome 
  Once he awakens, Xaven is quiet the entire trip to 
  Sporedome. He eats very little and seems preoccupied 
  with his thoughts, which focus mainly on the alchemical 
  procedures he was working on before the giants sacked 
  Szith Morcane. He can direct the party to Sporedome 
  once they escape the Howling Pits. 
   Read or paraphrase the following once the characters 
  arrive in Sporedome. 
   
  The tunnel opens up into a vast cavern, the ends of which are 
  lost to shadow beyond your sight. A great fungal forest spreads 
  out on the ground as far as you can see, with some stalks 
  reaching heights of 20 feet and beyond. Luminous fungus 
  provides soft light and you can see the dim waters of a large 
  lake surrounded by the fungus. Several hundred feet to the east, 
  tents have been erected in a hastily built camp, around which 
  mill several dozen drow elves. 
   
  This is Sporedome, the current home of the refugee elves 
  from Szith Morcane. The fungal forest is also resident to 
  a large colony of myconids, though the shy creatures keep 
  their distance from intruders. The drow and the myconid 
  have not yet engaged in any talks and the myconid seem 
  content to live and let live for the moment. 
   Xaven Tanor'this hurries the characters to the 
  encampment where he is welcomed by several of the 
  drow. Solom Ned’razak (DDEX3-3 The Occupation of 
  Szith Morcane) steps forward, his face gaunt and his eyes 
  harried, wearing a fresh set of finely crafted black robes 
  trimmed with silver. He greets the alchemist with a nod 
  and then turns his attention to the characters. 
   
  "I am Solom Ned’razak, archwizard and ruler of Szith Morcane. 
  Thank you for recovering Xaven Tanor'this from the palace of 
  Maram il Vass, but there is still much work to be done. Please 
  stay and rest while I consider my options. I don't think this is 
  over just yet." 
   
  Solom is a private drow and does not allow anyone else to 
  assist, though he is too preoccupied with the situation to 
  take any extreme measures to stop nosy characters. He 
  leads Xaven to the largest tent of the encampment and 
  they begin to talk about the alchemist's needs and next 
  steps for developing the ritual Solom hopes will allow him 
  to retake Szith Morcane. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  25 
   
   
  Part 4: Blood Needs 
   
  The characters have two days to spend in Sporedome 
  before Solom Ned’razak and Xaven Tanor'this are ready 
  for their assistance. The two drow work around the clock, 
  sleeping in shifts, trying to finalize the ritual. They know 
  that they need something--precisely what takes them the 
  two days to discern. 
   After the two days of study, Solom and Xaven exit the 
  tent and find the characters. Despite that they may seem 
  to be in a safe place, the characters must still make 
  madness checks as detailed above. 
  Solom Ned’razak, leader of the drow, has a determined look in 
  his eyes as he approaches you. Behind him trails Xaven, nervous 
  judging by the number of times he wrings his hands. "We know 
  what must be done," Solom begins, "and we're going to need 
  your help once again. We need the blood of a living fire giant in 
  order to complete the ritual." 
   
  Solom has the following information to relate to the 
  characters. 
  • 
  The ritual to remove demon taint from the blood of 
  the fire giants, or really anyone, requires the blood of 
  a living fire giant--specifically one with the blood of a 
  fiend coursing through its veins. Any character who 
  participated in the events of DDEX3-3 The 
  Occupation of Szith Morcane immediately recalls 
  seeing one such fire giant. Solom has no doubt that 
  they can be found within Maerimydra.  
  • 
  If the characters did none of these things, Solom 
  Ned’razak mentions that at least one such fire giant 
  was involved in the sacking of his home. His spies in 
  the city of Maerimydra have been rooted out since 
  the fall of Szith Morcane but it’s likely that any fire 
  giants involved in the attack has since returned to 
  Maerimydra. 
  • 
  Solom provides the characters a map of Maerimydra-
  -albeit slightly outdated. 
  • 
  A frontal assault on Maerimydra would be 
  paramount to suicide--their leader, a powerful 
  fiendish giantess named Hledh, keeps the gates 
  heavily guarded and locked at all times. 
  • 
  In the years when Maerimydra was a drow city, 
  Xaven worked with the archmage in the city's 
  Shattered Tower, its center of arcane study. The 
  archmage built a secret tunnel out of the tower to 
  come and go beyond the sight of the Lolth-
  worshipping matron mothers. Xaven (or his journal) 
  is the only survivor of Maerimydra that knows of the 
  secret entrance, as Kurgoth Hellspawn and the fire 
  giants demolished the Shattered Tower when they 
  took the city over a century ago. 
  • 
  The tunnel exited into the Underdark four miles from 
  Maerimydra, and by unlucky circumstances the fire 
  giants built an outpost at the exit without realizing 
  the significance of their construction. Black Ember 
  Outpost is one of several outlying strongholds the fire 
  giants use to maintain control over the region. 
  • 
  The tunnel is found in the southern-most portion of a 
  large pool beneath the outpost. Solom hopes that it is 
  has not been blocked by time or the giants. 
  The Plan 
  Solom Ned’razak asks the characters to undertake the 
  journey into Maerimydra via the secret tunnel at Black 
  Ember Outpost to find and capture a demon-blooded fire 
  giant alive. The giant must then be brought back to 
  Sporedome so that Xaven can complete the ritual, which 
  they promise to share with the characters once it is 
  complete. The strength and ferocity of the demon-blooded 
  fire giants is great enough to threaten the entire region, 
  including Hillsfar and the rest of the Moonsea. Solom is a 
  master manipulator and tries to apply the right leverage 
  to get the characters to cooperate. 
   Once they agree, Xaven explains that the secret tunnel 
  into Maerimydra is located in a cave below a small 
  underground lake, which is why the fire giants built Black 
  Ember Outpost there. 
  Roleplaying Solom Ned'razar 
  Solom is a powerful drow wizard who rules Szith Morcane. He 
  uses the present tense when speaking of his home - he firmly 
  believes the invaders will be pushed back and he hopes that the 
  ritual is going to be the key that they need to accomplish that 
  goal. He is ruthless and efficient in his dealings and detests 
  dealing with non-drow, but understands circumstances have left 
  him no choice. 
   
  Quote: "We are not wiped out, not yet. And if I have my way 
  every demon-blooded pest is going to pay for what they did." 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  26 
   
   
  Once More Into the Breach 
  The journey through the Underdark to Black Ember 
  Outpost is over 100 miles. Solom knows these tunnels 
  very well, however, and provides directions for the 
  characters that avoid the dangerous elements of the 
  region, including fire giant patrols. The way is not 
  considered difficult terrain and Solom assures them that 
  they should be able to keep a quick pace (how much they 
  trust the drow is up to them). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  27 
   
   
  Part 5: Black Ember 
  Outpost 
   
  The path through the Underdark provided by Solom takes 
  the characters right into the cavern that holds Black 
  Ember Outpost. The tunnel is 15 feet wide and empties 
  into a large, naturally-occurring pool beneath the outpost. 
  General Features 
   Ceilings. The ceiling in Black Ember Outpost is 40 feet 
  high. 
   Doors. The doors within the outpost are made of 
  obsidian and incredibly heavy. Opening them requires 
  a DC 15 Strength check. 
   Walls. The walls of the outpost are five feet thick of 
  heavy stone masonry. 
   Light. In the cavern outside the fungal illumination is 
  bright enough to provide dim light. Inside the outpost 
  torches burn in sconces to shed bright light. 
   Sound. The loud laughter and shouting of the fire 
  giants coupled with the barking of the charnel hounds fills 
  the air of the cave and the outpost. 
   Windows. The triangles marked on the map on the 
  walls facing the cave are large arrowslits--5 feet wide and 
  10 feet tall. The giants inside can throw boulders through 
  these windows at intruders that they see in area 1. Any 
  creature hiding behind the arrow slit has three-quarters 
  cover. 
   Warmth. The construction of Black Ember Outpost 
  was completely in such a way to harness natural heat 
  vents in the rocks. The entire structure is unusually 
  warm. 
  The endless Underdark tunnel finally opens up into a huge 
  cavern. The floor is much smoother in this cave than what 
  you're used to, free of stalagmites and other natural formations, 
  though a few stalactites cling stubbornly to the ceiling several 
  hundred feet above you. In the southeastern corner a great, 
  black fortress has been built into the wall of the cave. Natural 
  fungal illumination shines on the polished, worked stone of the 
  structure owing to the excellent craftsmanship. Through wide 
  arrow slits you see firelight dancing and the sound of raucous 
  laughter and shouting echo in the cave. A set of obsidian double 
  doors appear to be the only true entrance into Black Ember 
  Outpost.  
   
  The characters can see into Area 1 because of the fungal 
  illumination. 
  Alert? 
  If the characters are detected by the patrol outside Black 
  Ember Outpost, one of the fire giants lets out a great 
  bellowing cry that echoes through the cave. The giants 
  inside the outpost react by gathering around the windows, 
  preparing for an assault by readying boulders to be hurled 
  at incoming invaders. 
   If the characters are inside the outpost and are noticed, 
  a demon-blooded fire giant's cry is enough to get 
  everyone's attention. The resting occupants in Area 3 do 
  not take the time to don their armor, instead taking up 
  weapons and rushing to the source of the commotion. 
   The fire giant in the kennel (Area 5) takes two rounds to 
  release two of the charnel hounds, leading them out 
  afterwards towards the source of the commotion. 
  O1. Training Field 
  The great cavern that opens in front of Black Ember 
  Outpost is used occasionally by the fire giants as a 
  training field. However, the demon blood coursing 
  through their blood keeps them from focusing on any one 
  task for too long so training is irregular at best. 
   The field is patrolled by a fire giant, two ogres and two 
  hell hounds. 
   The patrol walks all the way around the massive cavern 
  every two hours. At the furthest point from the doors to 
  the outpost they are still visible to the giants inside, but 
  the patrol can be lured into one of the larger tunnels by 
  strange sounds (the fire giants crave battle and 
  bloodshed). 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak and weak party: Remove two hell hounds. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two ogres. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  28 
   
   
  O2. Great Hall 
   
  Inside the outpost is a titanic chamber nearly one hundred feet 
  wide and long. In the center sits a great roasting pit filled with 
  smoldering coals. An uncomfortable warmth suffuses the inside 
  of Black Ember Outpost. 
   
  At any given time this area is occupied by two ogres 
  cooking meat in the fire pit for two fire giants who are 
  passing a large barrel between themselves. Three empty 
  barrels lay next to the giants. The fire giants are obviously 
  intoxicated and any attack rolls made by the fire giants 
  are made with disadvantage. Likewise, any attack made 
  against the fire giants are made with advantage 
  O3. Sleeping Quarters 
  This large chamber is where the denizens of Black Ember 
  sleep. They do so in shifts, so at any given moment there 
  a fire giant and two ogres resting here. Unless the alarm 
  has been raised, the fire giants here are not wearing 
  armor and have an AC of 9. 
   The ogres sleep in a bunk bed in the southeast corner 
  while the giant sleeps in the bay immediately to the left of 
  the door on a single bed. 
  O4. Armory 
  This chamber contains the spare weapons and armor for 
  the outpost in great racks on the east and north walls. 
  Titanic suits of black plate mail for both giant and ogre 
  stand alongside spare greatswords, shields, and javelins. 
  Two fire giants keep watch along the windows, arguing 
  amongst themselves most of the time. 
   The fire giants in the armory have access to a number 
  of preloaded heavy crossbows, and fire them on visible 
  enemies in O1 if an alarm is raised. Add the following to 
  their stat block in the Appendix: 
   
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d10 - 1) piercing 
  damage. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace a fire giant with an ogre. 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace a fire giant with three ogres. 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one ogre. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add three ogres. 
  O5. Kennels 
  The smell of burning hair fills this room, which has large 
  cages set against the south and east walls. The cages hold 
  five hellhounds being watched over by a fire giant. The 
  cages are all closed and kept shut by a heavy iron chain 
  that runs between all of them. An individual cage can be 
  opened as an action or the chain can be pulled to release 
  all of the cages which uses only two actions. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak and weak party: Remove two hell hounds. 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one fire giant. 
  O6. Storage 
  Large crates and barrels line the floor and walls of this 
  room, filled with dry foodstuffs, sluggish black ale, and 
  other perishable food items for the outpost. A lever in the 
  center of the room can be pulled to open the five-foot-wide 
  trap door in the floor. This room hangs over the pool of 
  shadowy water 30 below. Ogres in the outpost are given 
  the task of fetching water throughout the day by filling 
  buckets (a stack of empty buckets sits next to the lever). 
   Black Ember Outpost was built to control access to the 
  naturally fed pool but the fire giants never thought to have 
  a need to monitor it directly. The trap door in the floor of 
  this room is the only access in the outpost to the water. 
  Treasure 
  One of the ogres is keeping a small chest of coins and 
  potions in the corner of the storage room, which so far 
  has gone unnoticed by the giants. Anyone looking around 
  can make a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check to catch a 
  glimpse of the chest hidden beneath a ragged blanket. 
  The chest is unlocked and contains a potion of flying, a 
  potion of fire giant strength, and coral gemstones worth a 
  total of 400 gp. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  29 
   
   
  O7. Shadowed Pool 
  Dark, murky water fills the back end of the cave fed by an 
  underwater stream connecting to the larger Lake of 
  Shadows. Black Ember Outpost was built to deliberately 
  control the water supply in this region, though the fire 
  giants had no idea a secret tunnel existed linking the 
  outpost to Maerimydra (see Area 8). 
   There is no light in this cave but the occasional blind 
  albino cave fish disturbs the surface, enough to cause 
  regular ripples in the surface. The water is warm and only 
  about 5 feet deep. The characters need to provide their 
  own light in the cave and below the surface of the pool, 
  which is just mundane water--darker than normal, 
  perhaps, but possessing no unusual qualities. 
  O8. Secret Tunnel Entrance 
  In the southern area of the pool, discoverable with a DC 
  10 Wisdom (Perception) check and a light source, a five-
  foot-wide tunnel opens at the bottom of the pool at a 
  depth of 5 feet. The tunnel is filled with water for about 
  forty feet before it ascends and opens up into a small 
  cave, the waters of the pool lapping gently at the rocks. 
   The dry tunnel only goes one way - southeast towards 
  Maerimydra. This is the Path of Shadows built by the 
  archmage of the drow city long ago. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  30 
   
   
  Part 6: Maerimydra 
   
  The tunnel from Black Ember Outpost to the ruins of the 
  Shattered Tower in Maerimydra is four miles long and 
  considered difficult terrain. 
  The City on Fire 
  Once the characters reach the city, however, they still 
  have the daunting task of finding and capturing a demon-
  blooded fire giant alive in order to fulfill the requirements 
  of the drow ritual. 
  General Features  
  Maerimydra and the chamber that contains it have the 
  following general features: 
   Ceiling. The cavern that holds Maerimydra is 600 feet 
  tall at its highest point (between the Six-Fingered 
  Courtyard and Castle Maerimydra). 
   Smoke. Anything above 250 feet over the city is 
  enveloped in the ever-present layer of smoke. Creatures in 
  the smoke layer are lightly obscured but must succeed on 
  DC 16 Constitution saving throws every minute or inhale 
  smoke and become incapacitated for 1 round from 
  coughing. The coughing also draws the attention of the 
  vrocks that fly through the air (see area 0 for details). 
   Smells. The heavy scent of charcoal hangs in the air. 
   Light. Due to the numerous burning braziers 
  Maerimydra is lit at all hours in dim light. 
   Plateaus. The plateaus that separate Maerimydra into 
  sections are 100 feet high. The grand stairs marked on 
  the map between each plateau are 100 feet wide and offer 
  no places to hide. Climbing the sides of a plateau requires 
  a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Residents of 
  Maerimydra see a climber unless the climber can beat the 
  passive Perception score with a Dexterity (Stealth) check. 
  The passive Perception score is listed in the area 
  description. 
  A Dangerous Place 
  Maerimydra is a city fully controlled by demonic, evil forces bent 
  on bloodshed and conquest. Players should understand that their 
  goal is not to wipe out the entire city, as such an attempt at this 
  point would be foolhardy at best. A lot of the encounters in 
  Maerimydra are against tough combatants, but quick thinking 
  and silver tongues should go a long way towards avoiding having 
  to fight every evil creature the characters come across. Throw in a 
  few scenes of random carnage if you must to remind the 
  characters that they are in an epicenter of evil in the Underdark if 
  they don't seem to be getting the hint. 
   
  For the past half mile or so the tunnel has been growing warmer 
  as if you were drawing nearer to a smoldering fire. The end is 
  partially blocked by rubble but seeping through the cracks are 
  flickering orange lights and the sounds of shouting, talking, and 
  the ringing of steel. 
   Removing the rubble only takes a few minutes, revealing the 
  former drow metropolis of Maerimydra. As predicted the tunnel 
  opens on the north side amidst rocks and ruins which shelter 
  you from view. Beyond that sprawls a city of fire and ash nestled 
  in a titanic cavern. Huge buildings dominate the center floor, 
  creating alleys large enough for the black-skinned fire giants to 
  walk about comfortably. The western section of the city holds a 
  raised plateau upon which squats a courtyard surrounded by 
  black spires bearing a prominent symbol above an ebon archway 
  - a six-fingered hand. On the eastern side looms a castle on 
  another plateau whose two towers stretch from floor to ceiling 
  far above. The southern end of the residential district in the 
  center is dominated by a massive coliseum from which huge 
  crimson banners hang on the outside. The southeastern section 
  of the city drops into a lower section beyond your sight. All over 
  Maerimydra huge blazing fires burn in wide iron braziers 
  creating a thick area of smoke over the entire city, and 
  everywhere you look you see fierce-eyed fire giants, armored 
  ogres, slavering hell hounds, drow elves in chains, and demons 
  of all ilk. 
   
  Somewhere in this city on fire the characters must find a 
  fire giant with demon's blood and return to Sporedome 
  with the target alive. The task is not an easy one. 
  Impin’ Ain’t Easy 
  After the characters have a moment to take in the sights 
  of Maerimydra they hear a commotion nearby. 
   
  You hear it before you see it. Rounding the corner, you come 
  across an unusual sight. Four large bipedal creatures, are 
  standing over a smaller one. Occasionally, one of the larger 
  creatures--ogres by the look of them--throws a kick or a punch at 
  the smaller. 
   One of the ogres manages to get a hold on the little guy and 
  tosses it into the air, gripping it by a barbed tail and begins 
  swinging it around its head like a lasso. 
   The creature cries out in pain and scrabbles to keep hold of the 
  satchel that, until now, was slung over its shoulder. The satchel 
  is blood-stained and the flap secured shut by an over-sized 
  button. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  31 
   
   
  Pipyap (DDEX1-8 Tales Trees Tell) is being harassed by 
  four ogres over something the imp the found in the 
  rubble. The ogres are too busy pushing around Pipyap to 
  notice the characters (their passive Perception is 10 for 
  this encounter). 
   Assuming the characters assist Pipyap and rescue him 
  from the ogres, Pipyap falls over himself in gratitude at 
  the feet of the characters. He presents them with the 
  thing that he found in the rubble--a slightly-grubby ioun 
  stone of regeneration. He then begs to accompany the 
  party, at least out of Maerimydra but he wants to go as far 
  as Sporedome. He would forever owe a debt of gratitude 
  to the characters if they were to keep him safe during the 
  perilous journey through the Underdark. 
   If any of the characters encountered him in DDEX1-8, 
  he remembers them and waves happily. "What in the 
  Nine Hells are you doing here?" 
  Roleplaying Pipyap 
  Pipyap is a friendly, albeit ill-willed imp. He is talkative but has a 
  plainly visible mean-streak. While he is not above violence and 
  general meanness, he is honest and forthright in his dealings. 
  Pipyap absolutely loves being on the Material Plane and has no 
  desire to return to the Nine Hells. Because of this, he is very, very 
  careful to avoid getting himself killed. 
   
  Quote: "Oi. ::chewing noise:: You gonna eat that?" 
   
  If asked about the city, Pipyap is happy to chat and 
  provide information if it means the characters won't kill 
  him. He knows the following bits of information. 
  • 
  Demonic fire giants rule the city. 
  • 
  The ruler of Maerimydra is Hledh, a huge fire giant 
  queen. She lives in the big castle on the eastern side 
  of the city. "If you're smart, like me, you'll stay away 
  from there." 
  • 
  Non-fiends and non-giants are considered slaves and 
  have no rights in the city. He is convinced that the 
  pecking order in Maerimydra, from top to bottom, is 
  demons, giants, ogres, rothé, devils, slaves, and then 
  Pipyap. "Dumb leading the dumb, is what I say." 
  • 
  Pipyap knows of two fire giants with fiendish blood in 
  the city. One of them is in charge of security at the 
  Coliseum and the other manages the Six-Fingered 
  Courtyard. "They're both jerks." 
  • 
  Great gladiatorial fights happen in the Coliseum all 
  the time. "Oh, boy. What a hoot that was." 
  • 
  The Six-Fingered Courtyard is where a lot of demons 
  and giants go to worship some demon lord. "Meh. 
  They all look the same to me." 
  Developments 
  Pipyap doesn't accompany the characters as he would no 
  doubt be subject to a life of slavery, but he is willing to 
  wait in the rubble of the Shattered Tower and promises to 
  let the characters know if he has been caught ("I'm 
  helpful like that"). He tells them that the giants and 
  demons leave this area alone which is why Pipyap 
  decided to live here (he points proudly to a small nearby 
  cave). If the characters save Pipyap and treat him with a 
  modicum of respect, they receive the story reward "A 
  Deal with a Devil". 
   If asked, Pipyap abjectly refuses to serve as a familiar. 
  He is still pretty broken up about the death of Halvin, his 
  last master. He does, however, allow any characters that 
  are also warlocks swear fealty to him in exchange for 
  "slightly impressive power." A fiend-pact warlock who 
  received the story reward, above, may choose Pipyap as 
  their patron. This has no effect on the character's 
  abilities. 
  Treasure 
  Pipyap has a ioun stone of regeneration and gives it to the 
  characters if they treat him well enough. Alternatively, if 
  they slay the imp, the ioun stone is found gripped in his 
  tiny, clawed hand. Inside the satchel are a handful of 
  crude drawings of a human man in black and purple 
  robes, a tin cup, a tiny folding-knife, and a kaleidoscope of 
  various kinds of raw meat wrapped in oilcloth. The 
  drawings in the pictures are labeled "Halvin" in untidy, 
  childish scrawl, and are blurred by what appears to be 
  drops of water.  
  Moving Around Maerimydra 
  The fire giants and demons run the city and take what 
  they want from anyone lesser than themselves. A group of 
  non-fiends walking around Maerimydra attracts the 
  wrong kind of attention unless the characters have 
  disguised themselves or are sneaking around. 
   Each section of the city has two attributes: 
   Passive Perception. If the characters try to stealthily 
  move about Maerimydra, you can have them make 
  Dexterity (Stealth) group checks for each section of the 
  city they cross, failure indicates that they have been 
  detected. 
   Wandering Encounter. Each section has a list of 
  monsters that the characters encounter if they are 
  detected. You can also determine the structure for the 
  encounter by choosing or rolling on the table for Random 
  Activities below. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  32 
   
   
  Random Tables 
  Maerimydra is a city with many residents that they 
  characters may encounter. You can use the first table to 
  randomly determine what activity the residents were 
  engaged in before running into the characters.  
   You can use the second table to randomly generate a 
  fire giant name. You can roll a first syllable and second 
  syllable or any combination to generate a first name and 
  then combine rolls from the name part 1 and name part 2 
  columns to generate a family name. These tables are 
  there for you to quickly flesh out an encounter based on 
  the actions of the characters. Some of these are rather 
  graphic, so consider the players before using them. 
  Random Maerimydra Activity 
  1d8 
  Random Maerimydra Activity 
  1 
  Gambling in a game of skullies, where polished 
  skulls are tossed onto a flat surface with bets on 
  which direction the eyes are facing. 
  2 
  Torturing a group of drow slaves by seeing how long 
  they can keep their hands in the fire before the flesh 
  melts (a game called "showing bones"). 
  3 
  Roasting the flesh of some creature over one of the 
  many braziers that burn in the city. 
  4 
  Arguing over won and lost bets to the point of 
  bloodshed over a recent match in the Bloody 
  Coliseum. 
  5 
  Drinking thick black sludge from the hollowed out 
  skulls of drow, toasting to victory in Szith Morcane. 
  6 
  Heating up a large iron brand to use on a recently 
  acquired batch of drow slaves. 
  7 
  Entertaining a hell hound by tossing a huge giant 
  bone and having the hound fetch it. 
  8 
  Leading a pack of rothe (Underdark cattle) to the 
  grazing fields (area H). 
   
  Random Fire Giant Name 
  1d8 
  First Sylla-
  ble 
  Second 
  Sylllable 
  Name Part 
  1 
  Name 
  Part 2 
  1 
  Bal 
  ak 
  Black 
  Axe 
  2 
  Crub 
  bos 
  Blood 
  Beard 
  3 
  Den 
  der 
  Coal 
  Blade 
  4 
  Dim 
  gor 
  Fire 
  Eater 
  5 
  Gak 
  log 
  Iron 
  Hammer 
  6 
  Maw 
  rag 
  Magma 
  Heart 
  7 
  Ska 
  rus 
  Red 
  Skin 
  8 
  Tra 
  tor 
  Smoke 
  Stone 
  Encounters in Maerimydra 
  The residents of Maerimydra hold the city under absolute 
  control and know it. If any group of them comes upon the 
  party they engage in combat if anything seems suspicious 
  in the slightest - they are arrogant, brash, and eager for 
  bloodshed. Death is not an uncommon occurrence in the 
  city and open fighting in the streets is commonplace 
  enough to not warrant much investigation by those 
  nearby. 
   Unless otherwise noted, the chaotic frenzy that imbues 
  the giants and demons in Maerimydra drives them to fight 
  until dead. Hledh and Graz'zt behead cowards. 
  Caught! 
  Characters who are not cautious can quickly find themselves 
  overwhelmed by the forces in Maerimydra and killed or captured. 
  If it looks like the party is going to be wiped out completely, you 
  can have the attackers take the characters prisoner instead. Such 
  prisoners make good fodder for the Bloody Coliseum, where the 
  party can find themselves facing off against some force of 
  creatures soon. While winning their freedom is beyond the scope 
  of the adventure, they might be able to buy themselves enough 
  time to escape. 
  MA-MH. Airborne 
  Passive Perception 13 
  Wandering Encounter: Four vrocks 
  The smoke-filled air above Maerimydra can be used by 
  characters to move about without having to worry about 
  the giants and demons in the streets. However, the smoke 
  makes breathing difficult and also hides the flocks of 
  flying demons that keep to the air at all times. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  33 
   
   
  MA. Northern Residential 
  District 
  Passive Perception 16 
  Wandering Encounter: Two fire giants 
  The northern district of Maerimydra is filled with houses and 
  buildings built for the fire giants. Doorways and windows are all 
  of appropriate sizes for their residents, making you feel like a 
  tiny stranger in a dark land. Black stone and obsidian seem to 
  be the building materials of choice. Giants, demons, ogres, and 
  slaves live and walk around every corner, coming and going in 
  their own way.  
   
  Each of the houses in this residential district are sized for 
  giants, with 40 foot high ceilings and two levels. The 
  buildings range in size from 100 feet wide and long to 
  twice that and more, while inside dwell numerous demon-
  blooded fire giants. Moving between the alleys and 
  shadows of the houses is the safest route. 
   The gate leading out of Maerimydra on the northern 
  end of the cave is guarded by eight fire giants at all times. 
  MB. Plateau of the Dark Prince 
  Passive Perception 16 
  Wandering Encounter: One glabrezu and a fire giant 
  whelp 
  Atop the plateau on the western end of the cavern sit a small 
  number of broad estates for what seem like important giants of 
  Maerimydra. Slaves are well-dressed and the general fiery chaos 
  of the rest of the city is somewhat muted here. On the southern 
  end of the plateau stands a courtyard with a polished obsidian 
  floor surrounded by ebony pillars. A six-fingered hand is 
  emblazed in crimson on each of the pillars. 
   
  When the city was under drow control over 150 years ago 
  this plateau served as the home to the most prominent 
  and powerful houses. The temple of Lolth was torn down 
  and most of the great houses torched when Kurgoth 
  Hellspawn took the city, and since then it has become 
  home to powerful fire giants who have pleased Hledh and 
  her master, Graz'zt the Dark Prince. 
   Characters can make DC 15 Wisdom (Religion) checks 
  to identify the six-fingered hand symbol as belonging to 
  Graz'zt. 
  The Six-Fingered Courtyard 
  This wide open area is where the devout of Maerimydra 
  come to pay their respects to Graz'zt. The obsidian floor 
  is polished smooth as glass, and at every six hours the 
  most faithful enter the courtyard to light the six ebony 
  pillars in exultation to the Dark Prince. 
   This group consists of four cambions and Brandyr--a 
  particularly powerful fiendborne fire giant--who leads the 
  way dressed in black robes over her armor. Brandyr--
  surrounded by her attending cambions--raises her hands 
  in exultation as the cambions use their Fire Rays to light 
  the tops of the ebony pillars one by one, which flare to life 
  with black and green flames. The ceremony lasts for 30 
  minutes. 
  Fiendborne Fire Giants 
  These fire giants are fiendborne, infused with the blood of Hledh. 
  Aside from making them look rather scary, their heritage renders 
  them immune to poison and the poisoned condition. In addition 
  to this, they gain the ability to cast darkness innately 1/day. They 
  gain blindsight 60 ft. Finally, the fiendborne trait also grants 
  them the proficiency in Abyssal and some minor cosmetic 
  features, examples of which include: 
  • 
  Leathery wings (too small to fly with) 
  • 
  Horns 
  • 
  Extra eyes 
  • 
  Extra fingers 
  • 
  A long tail 
   
  When they are not attending to the lighting of the pillars, 
  the group spends their time in the long building south of 
  the courtyard. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace the cambions with a glabrezu 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace  the four cambions with two chasmes 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace  the four cambions with four chasmes 
  • 
  Very strong party: Replace cambions with two glabrezus 
  Tactics 
  If combat is initiated in or around the courtyard Brandyr 
  orders the cambions to engage the characters. The 
  cambions use their fiendish charm ability on any 
  spellcasters first. 
   The fire giant begins combat by hurling a rocks at the 
  characters before charging into melee supported by the 
  fire rays of the cambions and spells of Brandyr. Spurred 
  on by demonic blood and the invasion of Graz'zt sacred 
  site they all fight until dead. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  34 
   
   
  Developments 
  Combat in the courtyard is isolated from the rest of 
  Maerimydra so the characters can ambush the group 
  containing Brandyr without having to worry about a city 
  full of reinforcements. However, the wandering 
  encounter in the area does notice and comes to 
  investigate after any combat occurs, forcing the 
  characters into another situation. 
  How Big is a Fire Giant? 
  This is an important question for a group of characters trying to 
  carry one out of Maerimydra. Fire giants are huge creatures, but 
  what does that really mean? For the purposes of this adventure, 
  the demon-blooded fire giants stand 18 feet tall and weigh about 
  2,000 pounds. A group would need a combined Strength of 65 to 
  drag an unconscious fire giant or a Strength of 130 to carry one. 
  Treasure 
  Brandyr has a small bag at her side that contains a 
  handful of peridot gemstones worth 5,000 gp. 
  MC. Castle Maerimydra 
  Passive Perception 16 
  Wandering Encounter: Two nalfeshnee and two fire giant 
  whelps 
  The most impressive structure in all of Maerimydra is the castle 
  that broods dark and mysterious atop a tall plateau on the 
  cave's eastern edge. Two massive towers rise to connect the 
  castle's grounds with the ceiling with several broad bridges 
  connecting the two. The staircase leading into the massive 
  structure is flanked by ten-foot-tall iron braziers made in the 
  form of leering demonic faces. 
   
  Hledh, descended from Graz'zt himself, rules Maerimydra 
  from this imposing castle. The site is heavily guarded and 
  protected by magical wards. Nalfeshnee patrols make 
  sure no one who doesn't belong enters the castle. 
   Castle Maerimydra is not detailed in this adventure. 
  MD. Southern Residential 
  District 
  Passive Perception 16 
  Wandering Encounter: A fire giant and four hell hounds 
  The southern residential district of Maerimydra sprawls around 
  a wide stone column that reaches up to the ceiling. Packs of 
  charnel hounds and their lesser kin run in the alleys between the 
  titanic black stone houses. The cheering and shouts from the 
  nearby Coliseum seem to fuel the residents of this district with a 
  reckless rage based on the bodies in the streets and blood on 
  the walls. 
   
  The houses here are much the same as the ones in the 
  northern district (area A), but the frenzy of the Coliseum 
  does infuse many of the residents with an unquenched 
  blood rage. Any Charisma checks are made with 
  disadvantage in this district, turning most encounters 
  violent quickly. 
   The gate on the western side of the cave is guarded by 
  eight fire giants at all times. 
  ME. Bloody Coliseum 
  Passive Perception 15 
  Wandering Encounter: Four ogres and two barlgura 
  The sounds of violent combat echo from within this enormous 
  oval building and the metallic smell of blood hangs heavy in the 
  air. Clangs of steel on steel, bone-crunching bones, and shouts 
  of the dying and victorious rise only to be drowned out by the 
  stomping and crying of the enormous crowd inside. The walls of 
  the coliseum are 60 feet tall, dotted with numerous windows. 
   
  The drow that built Maerimydra were proud of their 
  coliseum, but since Hledh and the fire giants took over it 
  has become a site of bloody nightmares and grotesque 
  violence. Matches occur every hour of the day to satiate 
  the bloodlust of the city's residents. 
   You can use the table below to randomly determine a 
  matchup occurring at the Bloody Coliseum. Simply roll 
  once for the first opponent and once for the second 
  opponent. The matches are almost never fair and usually 
  involve one side dominating the other, but occasionally an 
  even match occurs. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  35 
   
   
  Random Bloody Coliseum Matchup 
  1d8 
  Opponent 1 
  Opponent 2 
  1 
  One fire giant 
  Four manticores 
  2 
  One drow 
  Two nightmares 
  3 
  Four drow 
  Four fire giants 
  4 
  One barlgura 
  Four gladiators 
  5 
  One glabrezu 
  Three fire elementals 
  6 
  One ogre  
  Six ogres  
  7 
  One gladiator 
  Four hell hounds 
  8 
  Four gladiators 
  One nalfeshnee 
  Inside the Bloody Coliseum 
  The chief of security in the Bloody Coliseum is Veperyd, a 
  male fiendborne fire giant who is surrounded at all times 
  by his retinue of personal bodyguards (four barlgura). A 
  proud and haughty giant, Veperyd enjoys a position of 
  power in the city and makes sure that no unauthorized 
  fighting occurs inside the coliseum. He spends most of his 
  time in the stands patrolling with his bodyguards. 
  Fiendborne Fire Giants 
  These fire giants are fiendborne, infused with the blood of Hledh. 
  Aside from making them look rather scary, this power renders 
  them immune to poison and the poisoned condition. In addition 
  to this, they gain the ability to cast darkness innately 1/day. 
  Finally, the fiendborne trait also grants them the proficiency in 
  Abyssal and some minor cosmetic features, examples of which 
  include: 
  • 
  Leathery wings (too small to fly with) 
  • 
  Horns 
  • 
  Extra eyes 
  • 
  Extra fingers 
  • 
  A long tail 
   
  Inside the Bloody Coliseum opens into a large public 
  gallery beneath the stands with three grand staircases 
  leading up to the seating area. A 20-foot-tall iron statue of 
  Kurgoth Hellspawn stands in the middle of the area, 
  positioned so that it is gazing down with angry eyes upon 
  anyone entering. Giants, demons, and ogres argue over 
  bets won and lost on recent matches and a large board is 
  set against the wall that contains a listing of the recently 
  completed matches and upcoming ones. Numerous 
  barlgura demons maintain the board, climbing up and 
  down it to change lineups and to mark results. 
   The stands are open to the smoky air and give a great 
  view of the arena, which is filled with blood-soaked sand 
  from all of the matches that have occurred. The Bloody 
  Coliseum is the most popular venue in Maerimydra and 
  every match is attended by over one hundred giants and 
  demons. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Replace the barlguras with a fire giant 
  • 
  Weak party: Replace barlguras with two chasmes 
  • 
  Strong party: Replace barlguras with chasmes 
  • 
  Very strong party: Replace barlguras with two fire giants 
  Tactics 
  Veperyd and his bodyguards can be lured into one of the 
  antechambers of the Bloody Coliseum with a convincing 
  enough story (DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check). 
  Developments 
  Initiating combat with Veperyd in the stands draws the 
  attention of a nearby group of watchers consisting of four 
  cambions. While not loyal at all to Veperyd, this group is 
  simply caught up in the bloodlust of the match and rush 
  headlong into combat. Within a minute the stands are 
  filled with bloodshed as giants and demons fight one 
  another in a massive carnage. 
   Getting the Veperyd out of the coliseum without being 
  noticed is going to be much more difficult. 
  Treasure 
  Veperyd keeps a small bag of gemstones at his side to 
  help cover bets and settle issues if things get out of hand 
  in the Bloody Coliseum. He currently has 10 aquamarine 
  gemstones worth a total of 5,000 gp. 
  MF. Slave District 
  Passive Perception 16 
  Wandering Encounter: Three fire giant whelps 
  Below the main level of Maerimydra squats what must be the 
  slave district. Tents and squalid houses lean together in a 
  sprawling clump north and east of a wide natural rock pillar. 
  Well-armored ogres keep watch on the various slaves, most of 
  which are drow. 
   Turning the corner in a dark alley, a human in ragged clothes 
  slams into you. Skidding to a halt behind her are three young 
  fire giants. 
   "Well, well", one of them says, "What have we here?"  
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  36 
   
   
   
  This area is where the slaves of Maerimydra live out their 
  lives when they are not being actively owned. Ownership 
  of a slave in the city is done by branding, and all slaves 
  know that the punishment for hiding from one's master is 
  flaying so most slaves come when sought after. 
   The slave residents of the district are apathetic to the 
  characters, believing them to be just more property to be 
  owned by the giants and demons of Maerimydra. The 
  scope of saving these slaves is beyond the length of this 
  adventure. 
  MG. Lake of Blood 
  Passive Perception 12 
  Wandering Encounter: Six ogres 
  Occupying nearly half of the lowest portion of Maerimydra is a 
  great natural lake filled with blood-red waters. Herds of 
  Underdark cattle graze on massive fields of mushrooms 
  surrounding the lake. 
   
  The waters have been blood red since drow occupied 
  Maerimydra. No one knows why the waters are tinged as 
  they are but it is otherwise normal water. Deep rothé 
  graze in great herds around the lake, providing 
  nourishment for the city's residents when they grow tired 
  of eating slaves. 
   The gate in the southeastern corner of the grazing field 
  is guarded at all times by eight fire giants. 
  MH. Secondary Grazing Field 
  Passive Perception 12 
  Wandering Encounter: Three ogres 
  This area contains a shallow pool of reddish water 
  (similar to the Lake of Blood but less pronounced) around 
  which a herd of rothé (Underdark livestock) graze. They 
  are watched over by three bored ogres. The ogres watch 
  over the flock in 10 hour shifts, between which no one 
  comes to visit. At shift change the ogres lead half of the 
  herd to the southern residential district (area D) to sell off 
  the rothé while the next two ogres come in with 
  additional cattle to make up the loss from other areas of 
  the city. 
  Getting Out 
  Once the characters have their prize, they must get out of 
  Maerimydra. The quietest way is back the way they came 
  into the city, through the Path of Shadows in the ruins of 
  the Shattered Tower.  
  Journey to Sporedome 
  The journey back to Sporedome with the live fire giant 
  can be as involved as you want it to be. If the characters 
  have had luck and success in the adventure up to this 
  point or if there is extra time in the slot, you can have 
  them encounter something along the journey back. 
  Perhaps Black Ember Outpost received some 
  reinforcements since they left, or they run into a group of 
  cloakers in a tunnel. If time is in abundance and the 
  characters have had an easy time thus far, you can use 
  one or more of the encounters from Part 2: The Howling 
  Pits if the characters skipped over them as well, adapting 
  them to fit in this section of the Underdark. Perhaps the 
  tunnel that the characters took to reach Black Ember 
  Outpost becomes blocked by a natural collapse, forcing 
  them to find their way via the well-trafficked main routes 
  in this section of the Underdark. 
   The fire giant (Brandyr or Veperyd, whichever they 
  captured) does its best to escape during the journey. 
  Transporting the target may be the most difficult part of 
  the journey, as the giant is huge, heavy, and resistant to 
  magic. The general rule here is to allow the characters to 
  devise a means by which to transport the giant; they must 
  rely on their own ingenuity. 
   Alternately, if the characters had a particularly difficult 
  time in escaping from Maerimydra, a band of pursuers 
  can be sent to re-capture the fire giant. Both Brandyr and 
  Veperyd are deeply involved in the inner workings of the 
  city (Brandyr in the efforts to maintain Graz'zt as the true 
  power and Veperyd in maintaining security at the Bloody 
  Coliseum). A strike team of fire giants, barlgura, and a 
  glabrezu could be sent out following the characters to 
  retrieve the fiendborne fire giant or to at least see that it is 
  killed rather than captured alive. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  37 
   
   
  Conclusion 
  Once the characters return to Sporedome with the living 
  fiendborne fire giant, Xaven and Solom rush out to greet 
  them. Xaven and a group of drow assistants take 
  possession of the subject, careful to make sure it doesn't 
  escape, and moves the giant into a nearby tent to begin 
  experimentation. 
   Solom thanks the characters with little joy in his voice. 
  Murssvayas reveals himself as well to offer a little bit 
  more gratitude for the work the party completed--it was 
  no easy task to capture a fiendborne fire giant alive in a 
  city full of demons and danger. 
   The work to complete the ritual takes Xaven and his 
  team a tenday to complete, during which the characters 
  are asked to leave the drow encampment in Sporedome 
  and return to Hillsfar. Solom assures the characters that 
  he shall remain in touch via Murssvayas regarding their 
  progress, and he does deliver the ritual to the characters 
  once it is complete. 
   If any characters insist on remaining in Sporedome to 
  assist or otherwise oversee Solom's work, they may 
  spend 10 downtime days, at the end of which, they 
  witness Solom's success firsthand. 
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  38 
   
   
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. 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 
  Barlgura  
   
   
  1,800 
  Roper 
   
   
   
  1,800 
  Chasme  
   
   
  2,600 
  Cloaker 
   
   
   
  3,900 
  Fire giant  
   
   
  5,000 
  Glabrezu  
   
   
  5,000 
  Hezrou 
   
   
   
  3,900 
  Mage 
   
   
   
  2,300 
  Shield guardian 
   
   
  2,900 
  Clay golem 
   
   
  5,000 
  Stone golem 
   
   
  5,900 
  Gabber Forth 
   
   
  8,400 
  Mezoloth  
   
   
  1,800 
  Nycaloth  
   
   
  5,000 
  Arcanaloth 
   
   
  8,400 
  Maram il Vass, ultraloth 
   
  10,000 
  Night hag (coven)  
   
  2,900 
  Ogre 
   
   
   
  450 
  Hell hound 
   
   
  700 
  Cambion  
   
   
  1,800 
  Vrock 
   
   
   
  2,300 
  Fiendborne fire giant 
   
  5,000 
  Nalfeshnee 
   
   
  10,000 
  Noncombat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per character 
  Avoiding the pits 
   
   
  1,000 
  Resisting the spores  
   
  1,000 
  Crossing the river unharmed  
  1,000 
  Staving off madness  
   
  1,000 
  Navigating the Howling Pits 
   
  1,000 
  Peacefully enter the den 
   
  1,000 
   
   
  Negotiate Xaven's release 
   
  3,000 
  Behold Gehenna's beauty 
   
  1,000 
   
   
   The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 17,250 experience 
  points. 
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 23,000 experience 
  points. 
  Treasure 
  This section summarizes the treasure awarded during the 
  adventure. Each award should be divided up equally 
  among the party members. 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 
  Howling Pits treasure 
   
  1800 
  Gabber Forth's components  
  1400 
  Crystal peephole lenses 
   
  50 
  2 tapestries 
   
   
  1000  
  Bolts of exotic cloth  
   
  400  
  Maram's hidden treasure 
   
  1250 
  10 coral gemstones  
   
  400  
  10 peridot gemstones 
   
  5000  
  10 aquamarine gemstones 
   
  5000  
  Ioun Stone of Regeneration 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  This ioun stone is a pearly white spindle that orbits 
  around your head when activated. A description of this 
  item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  39 
   
   
  Gabber Forth’s Spellbook 
  This spellbook consists of sheets of engraved stone and is 
  bound in thick, grey leather. It contains the following 
  spells: 
  1st level: detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield 
  2nd level: mirror image, Maximillian's earthen grasp*, see invisibility 
  3rd level: counterspell, slow, fireball 
  4th level: greater invisibility, polymorph, stoneskin 
  5th level: cone of cold, fire shield, immolation*,  
  6th level: circle of death, globe of invulnerability 
  7th level: forcecage 
  8th level: incendiary cloud 
  9th level: time stop 
  Potion of Fire Giant Strength 
  Potion, rare 
  A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon 
  Master Basic Rules or the Dungeon Master's Guide. 
  Potion of Flying 
  Potion, very rare 
  A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon 
  Master Basic Rules or the Dungeon Master's Guide. 
  Potion of Greater Healing 
  Potion, uncommom 
  A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon 
  Master Basic Rules or the Dungeon Master's Guide. 
  Potion of Superior Healing 
  Potion, rare 
  A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon 
  Master Basic Rules or the Dungeon Master's Guide. 
  Spell Scrolls 
  Scroll, varies 
  The spell scrolls available in this adventure are listed 
  below along with their rarity. Each spell scroll contains a 
  single spell. A description of spell scrolls can be found in 
  the Dungeon Master Basic Rules or the Dungeon 
  Master's Guide. 
   
  Spell Scroll 
   
   
  Rarity 
  Cone of cold 
   
   
  Rare 
  Fire shield  
   
   
  Rare 
  Globe of invulnerability 
   
  Very rare 
  Hold monster 
   
   
  Rare 
  Prismatic spray 
   
   
  Very rare 
  Stoneskin  
   
   
  Rare 
  True seeing 
   
   
  Very rare 
  Permanent Magic Item Distribution 
  D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine 
  who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a session. 
  Each character's logsheet contains a column to record 
  permanent magic items for ease of reference. 
  • 
  If all the players at the table agree on one character taking 
  possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets 
  the item. 
  • 
  In the event that one or more characters indicate an interest 
  in possessing a permanent magic item, the character that 
  possesses the fewest permanent magic items gets the item. 
  If there is a tie in the total number of permanent magic 
  items owned by contesting characters, the item's owner is 
  determined randomly by the DM. 
  Favors and Enmity 
  The following favor is available during the course of this 
  adventure. 
   A Deal with a Devil. You have rescued the imp Pipyap 
  in the giant-controlled city of Maerimydra. Somehow the 
  pudgy fiend finds a way of knowing things that are 
  happening in places he shouldn't be near. Maybe it's his 
  unusual affection for the Material Plane? In exchange for 
  your bravery, he made an offer that you just might be able 
  to refuse. 
  Renown  
  All faction members earn one renown point for 
  participating in this adventure.  
  Downtime 
  Each character receives 10 downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 600 XP, 300 gp, and 10 downtime days for 
  running this session. 
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  40 
   
   
  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. 
   
  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. 
   
  Roper 
  Large monstrosity, neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33) 
  Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  8 (−1) 
  17 (+3) 
  7 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Skills Perception +6, Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
    
  False Appearance. While the roper remains motionless, it is 
  indistinguishable from a normal cave formation, such as a 
  stalagmite. 
  Grasping Tendrils. The roper can have up to six tendrils at a time. 
  Each tendril can be attacked (AC 20; 10 hit points; immunity to 
  poison and psychic damage). Destroying a tendril deals no 
  damage to the roper, which can extrude a replacement tendril on 
  its next turn. A tendril can also be broken if a creature takes an 
  action and succeeds on a DC 15 Strength check against it. 
  Spider Climb. The roper can climb difficult surfaces, including 
  upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability 
  check. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The roper makes four attacks with its tendrils, uses 
  Reel, and makes one attack with its bite. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  22 (4d8 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 50 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the 
  grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on 
  Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the roper can’t 
  use the same tendril on another target. 
  Reel. The roper pulls each creature grappled by it up to 25 feet 
  straight toward it. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  41 
   
   
  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. 
   
  Cloaker 
  Large aberration, chaotic neutral 
    
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 78 (12d10 + 12) 
  Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Skills Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon 
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) 
    
  Damage Transfer. While attached to a creature, the cloaker takes 
  only half the damage dealt to it (rounded down), and that 
  creature takes the other half. 
  False Appearance. While the cloaker remains motionless without 
  its underside exposed, it is indistinguishable from a dark leather 
  cloak. 
  Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the cloaker has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks 
  that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The cloaker makes two attacks: one with its bite and 
  one with its tail. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage, and if the target is Large or 
  smaller, the cloaker attaches to it. If the cloaker has advantage 
  against the target, the cloaker attaches to the target’s head, and 
  the target is blinded and unable to breathe while the cloaker is 
  attached. While attached, the cloaker can make this attack only 
  against the target and has advantage on the attack roll. The 
  cloaker can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. A 
  creature, including the target, can take its action to detach the 
  cloaker by succeeding on a DC 16 Strength check. 
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Moan. Each creature within 60 feet of the cloaker that can hear 
  its moan and that isn’t an aberration must succeed on a DC 13 
  Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the 
  cloaker’s next turn. If a creature’s saving throw is successful, the 
  creature is immune to the cloaker’s moan for the next 24 hours 
  Phantasms (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The cloaker 
  magically creates three illusory duplicates of itself if it isn’t in 
  bright light. The duplicates move with it and mimic its actions, 
  shifting position so as to make it impossible to track which 
  cloaker is the real one. If the cloaker is ever in an area of bright 
  light, the duplicates disappear. 
   Whenever any creature targets the cloaker with an attack or a 
  harmful spell while a duplicate remains, that creature rolls 
  randomly to determine whether it targets the cloaker or one of 
  the duplicates. A creature is unaffected by this magical effect if it 
  can’t see or if it relies on senses other than sight. 
   A duplicate has the cloaker’s AC and uses its saving throws. If 
  an attack hits a duplicate, or if a duplicate fails a saving throw 
  against an effect that deals damage, the duplicate disappears. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  42 
   
   
  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. 
  Fiendborne Fire Giants 
  Some fire giants in this adventure are fiendborne, infused with 
  the blood of Hledh. Aside from making them look rather scary, 
  their heritage renders them immune to poison and the poisoned 
  condition. In addition to this, they gain the ability to cast darkness 
  innately 1/day. They gain blindsight 60 ft. Finally, the fiendborne 
  trait also grants them the proficiency in Abyssal and some minor 
  cosmetic features, examples of which include: 
  • 
  Leathery wings (too small to fly with) 
  • 
  Horns 
  • 
  Extra eyes 
  • 
  Extra fingers 
  • 
  A long tail 
   
  Fire Giant Whelp 
  Huge giant, neutral 
    
  Armor Class 17 (splint) 
  Hit Points 126 (11d12 + 55) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   23 (+6) 
  9 (-1) 
  20 (+5) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +4 
  Skills Athletics +12, Perception +4 
  Damage Immunities fire 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Giant, Undercommon 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The giant makes two longsword attacks. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage, or 22 (3d10 + 6) 
  slashing damage if used with two hands. 
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a 
  creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be 
  knocked prone. 
   
  Glabrezu 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 157 (15d10 + 75) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  21 (+5) 
  19 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +7 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The glabrezu’s spellcasting ability is 
  Intelligence (spell save DC 16). The glabrezu can innately cast 
  the following spells, requiring no material components: 
  At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic 
  1/day each: confusion, fly, power word stun 
  Magic Resistance. The glabrezu has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The glabrezu makes four attacks: two with its 
  pincers and two with its fists. Alternatively, it makes two attacks 
  with its pincers and casts one spell. 
  Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a 
  Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). The 
  glabrezu has two pincers, each of which can grapple only one 
  target. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 
  (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  43 
   
   
  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. 
   
  Mage 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) 
  Hit Points 40 (9d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 
  Skills Arcana +6, History +6 
  Senses passive Perception 11 
  Languages any four languages 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 
    
  Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell 
  attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, prestidigitation, shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): false life mage armor, magic missile, shield 
  2nd level (3 slots): Maximillian’s earthen grasp*, mirror image, see 
  invisibility 
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly 
  4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, stoneskin 
  5th level (1 slot): cone of cold 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  *Found in the Elemental Evil Adventurer’s Companion. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  44 
   
   
  Clay Golem 
  Large construct, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  9 (−1) 
  18 (+4) 
  3 (−4) 
  8 (−1) 
  1 (−5) 
    
  Damage Immunities acid, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t 
  adamantine 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t 
  speak 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
    
  Acid Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to acid 
  damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit 
  points equal to the acid damage dealt. 
  Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 60 hit points or 
  fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes berserk. On each of its 
  turns while berserk, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can 
  see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the 
  golem attacks an object, with preference for an object smaller 
  than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do so 
  until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points. 
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that 
  would alter its form. 
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or have its 
  hit point maximum reduced by an amount equal to the damage 
  taken. The target dies if this attack reduces its hit point 
  maximum to 0. The reduction lasts until removed by the greater 
  restoration spell or other magic. 
  Haste (Recharge 5–6). Until the end of its next turn, the golem 
  magically gains a +2 bonus to its AC, has advantage on Dexterity 
  saving throws, and can use its slam attack as a bonus action. 
   
  Stone Golem 
  Large construct, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   22 (+6) 
  9 (−1) 
  20 (+5) 
  3 (−4) 
  11 (+0) 
  1 (−5) 
    
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t 
  speak 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
    
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that 
  would alter its form. 
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. 
  Slow (Recharge 5–6). The golem targets one or more creatures it 
  can see within 10 feet of it. Each target must make a DC 17 
  Wisdom saving throw against this magic. On a failed save, a 
  target can’t use reactions, its speed is halved, and it can’t make 
  more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the target can take 
  either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. These 
  effects last for 1 minute. A target can repeat the saving throw at 
  the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a 
  success. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  45 
   
   
  Shield Guardian 
  Large construct, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 142 (15d10 + 60) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  8 (−1) 
  18 (+4) 
  7 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  3 (−4) 
    
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, poisoned 
  Languages understands commands given in any language but 
  can’t speak 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
    
  Bound. The shield guardian is magically bound to an amulet. As 
  long as the guardian and its amulet are on the same plane of 
  existence, the amulet’s wearer can telepathically call the guardian 
  to travel to it, and the guardian knows the distance and direction 
  to the amulet. If the guardian is within 60 feet of the amulet’s 
  wearer, half of any damage the wearer takes (rounded up) is 
  transferred to the guardian. 
  Regeneration. The shield guardian regains 10 hit points at the 
  start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. 
  Spell Storing. A spellcaster who wears the shield guardian’s 
  amulet can cause the guardian to store one spell of 4th level or 
  lower. To do so, the wearer must cast the spell on the guardian. 
  The spell has no effect but is stored within the guardian. When 
  commanded to do so by the wearer or when a situation arises 
  that was predefined by the spellcaster, the guardian casts the 
  stored spell with any parameters set by the original caster, 
  requiring no components. When the spell is cast or a new spell is 
  stored, any previously stored spell is lost. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The guardian makes two fist attacks. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Reactions 
  Shield. When a creature makes an attack against the wearer of 
  the guardian’s amulet, the guardian grants a +2 bonus to the 
  wearer’s AC if the guardian is within 5 feet of the wearer. 
   
  Grabber Forth 
  Medium humanoid (gnome), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) 
  Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +6 
  Skills Arcana +13, History +13 
  Damage Resistance damage from spells; nonmagical 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (from stoneskin) 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Elvish, Gnomish, 
  Infernal, Undercommon 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
    
  Gnome Cunning. Forth has advantage on all Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. 
  Magic Resistance. The archmage has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Spellcasting. The archmage is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The archmage can cast disguise self and invisibility 
  at will and has the following wizard spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, 
  shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor,* magic missile, shield 
  2nd level (3 slots): Maximillian’s earthen grasp*, mirror image, see 
  invisibility 
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, slow 
  4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, polymorph, stoneskin* 
  5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, fire shield, immolation** 
  6th level (1 slot): globe of invulnerability 
  7th level (1 slot): forcecage 
  8th level (1 slot): incendiary cloud 
  9th level (1 slot): time stop 
  *Grabber Forth casts these spells before combat. 
   
  Stone Camouflage. Forth has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) 
  checks to hide in rocky terrain. 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  ** Found in the Elemental Evil Adventurer’s Companion. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  46 
   
   
  Mezzoloth 
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  7 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
    
  Skills Perception +3 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities acid, poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., 
  passive Perception 13 
  Languages Abyssal, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft. 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The mezzoloth’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 11). The mezzoloth can innately cast 
  the following spells, requiring no material components: 
  2/day each: darkness, dispel magic 
  1/day: cloudkill 
  Magic Resistance. The mezzoloth has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The mezzoloth’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The mezzoloth makes two attacks: one with its 
  claws and one with its trident. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 8 
  (1d8 + 4) piercing damage when held with two claws and used to 
  make a melee attack. 
  Teleport. The mezzoloth magically teleports, along with any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. 
   
  Nycaloth 
  Large fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52) 
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  11 (+0) 
  19 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Skills Intimidation +6, Perception +4, Stealth +4 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities acid, poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., 
  passive Perception 14 
  Languages Abyssal, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft. 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
   
  Innate Spellcasting. The nycaloth’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. The nycaloth can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no material components: 
  At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, invisibility (self only), 
  mirror image 
  Magic Resistance. The nycaloth has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The nycaloth’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The nycaloth makes two melee attacks, or it makes 
  one melee attack and teleports before or after the attack. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) 
  slashing damage at the start of each of its turns due to a fiendish 
  wound. Each time the nycaloth hits the wounded target with this 
  attack, the damage dealt by the wound increases by 5 (2d4). Any 
  creature can take an action to stanch the wound with a 
  successful DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. The wound also 
  closes if the target receives magical healing. 
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Teleport. The nycaloth magically teleports, along with any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  47 
   
   
  Arcanaloth 
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  20 (+5) 
  16 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +7 
  Skills Arcana +13, Deception +9, Insight +9, Perception +7 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities acid, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 
  Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The arcanaloth’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 15). The arcanaloth can innately cast 
  the following spells, requiring no material components: 
  At will: alter self, darkness, heat metal, invisibility (self only), magic 
  missile 
  Magic Resistance. The arcanaloth has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The arcanaloth’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Spellcasting. The arcanaloth is a 16th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The arcanaloth has the following wizard spells 
  prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, minor illusion, 
  prestidigitation 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, shield, Tenser’s floating 
  disk 
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, phantasmal 
  force, suggestion 
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fear, fireball 
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, dimension door 
  5th level (2 slots): contact other plane, hold monster 
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning 
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death 
  8th level (1 slot): mind blank 
  Actions 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. The target must make a DC 14 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a 
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  Teleport. The arcanaloth magically teleports, along with any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. 
   
  Mara mil Vass, Ultroloth 
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
   
  Skills Intimidation +9, Perception +7, Stealth +8 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities acid, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 
  Languages Abyssal, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The ultroloth’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 17). The ultroloth can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
  At will: alter self, clairvoyance, darkness, detect magic, detect 
  thoughts, dispel magic, invisibility (self only), suggestion 
  3/day each: dimension door, fear, wall of fire 
  1/day each: fire storm, mass suggestion 
  Magic Resistance. The ultroloth has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The ultroloth’s weapon attacks are magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The ultroloth can use its Hypnotic Gaze and makes 
  three melee attacks. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands. 
  Hypnotic Gaze. The ultroloth’s eyes sparkle with opalescent light 
  as it targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. If the 
  target can see the ultroloth, the target must succeed on a DC 17 
  Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed until the 
  end of the ultroloth’s next turn. The charmed target is stunned. If 
  the target’s saving throw is successful, the target is immune to 
  the ultroloth’s gaze for the next 24 hours. 
  Teleport. The ultroloth magically teleports, along with any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  48 
   
   
  Night Hag (Coven) 
  Medium fiend, neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Skills Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6, Stealth +6 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered 
  Condition Immunities charmed 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Primordial 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
    
  Innate Spellcasting. The hag’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She can 
  innately cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components: 
  At will: detect magic, magic missile 
  2/day each: plane shift (self only), ray of enfeeblement, sleep 
  Magic Resistance. The hag has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Actions 
  Claws (Hag Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Change Shape. The hag magically polymorphs into a Small or 
  Medium female humanoid, or back into her true form. Her 
  statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment she is 
  wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. She reverts to her true 
  form if she dies. 
  Etherealness. The hag magically enters the Ethereal Plane from 
  the Material Plane, or vice versa. To do so, the hag must have a 
  heartstone in her possession. 
  Nightmare Haunting (1/Day). While on the Ethereal Plane, the 
  hag magically touches a sleeping humanoid on the Material 
  Plane. A protection from evil and good spell cast on the target 
  prevents this contact, as does a magic circle. As long as the 
  contact persists, the target has dreadful visions. If these visions 
  last for at least 1 hour, the target gains no benefit from its rest, 
  and its hit point maximum is reduced by 5 (1d10). If this effect 
  reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and 
  if the target was evil, its soul is trapped in the hag’s soul bag. The 
  reduction to the target’s hit point maximum lasts until removed 
  by the greater restoration spell or similar magic. 
   
   
   
  Hag Covens 
  When hags must work together, they form covens, in spite of 
  their selfish natures. A coven is made up of hags of any type, all 
  of whom are equals within the group. However, each of the hags 
  continues to desire more personal power. 
   
  A coven consists of three hags so that any arguments 
  between two hags can be settled by the third. If more than three 
  hags ever come together, as might happen if two covens come 
  into conflict, the result is usually chaos. 
   
  Shared Spellcasting. While all three members of a hag coven 
  are within 30 feet of one another, they can each cast the following 
  spells from the wizard’s spell list but must share the spell slots 
  among themselves: 
   
  1st level (4 slots): identify, ray of sickness 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, locate object 
  3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, counterspell, lightning bolt 
  4th level (3 slots): phantasmal killer, polymorph 
  5th level (2 slots): contact other plane, scrying 
  6th level (1 slot): eyebite 
   
  For casting these spells, each hag is a 12th-level spellcaster that 
  uses Intelligence as her spellcasting ability. The spell save DC is 
  12 + the hag’s Intelligence modifier, and the spell attack bonus is 
  4 + the hag’s Intelligence modifier. 
   
  Hag Eye. A hag coven can craft a magic item called a hag eye, 
  which is made from a real eye coated in varnish and often fitted 
  to a pendant or other wearable item. The hag eye is usually 
  entrusted to a minion for safekeeping and transport. A hag in the 
  coven can take an action to see what the hag eye sees if the hag 
  eye is on the same plane of existence. A hag eye has AC 10, 1 hit 
  point, and darkvision with a radius of 60 feet. If it is destroyed, 
  each coven member takes 3d10 psychic damage and is blinded 
  for 24 hours. 
   
  A hag coven can have only one hag eye at a time, and creating 
  a new one requires all three members of the coven to perform a 
  ritual. The ritual takes 1 hour, and the hags can’t perform it while 
  blinded. During the ritual, if the hags take any action other than 
  performing the ritual, they must start over. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  49 
   
   
  Ogre 
  Large giant, chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 11 (hide armor) 
  Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   19 (+4) 
  8 (−1) 
  16 (+3) 
  5 (−3) 
  7 (−2) 
  7 (−2) 
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages Common, Giant 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. 
   
  Hell Hound 
  Medium fiend, lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  6 (−2) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Skills Perception +5 
  Damage Immunities fire 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages understands Infernal but can’t speak it 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
    
  Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. 
  Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of the hound’s allies is within 5 feet of 
  the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 
  (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. 
  Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The hound exhales fire in a 15-foot 
  cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity 
  saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half 
  as much damage on a successful one. 
   
  Cambion 
  Medium fiend, lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 19 (scale mail) 
  Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Str +7, Con +6, Int +5, Cha +6 
  Skills Deception +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +4, Stealth +7 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, poison; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
    
  Fiendish Blessing. The AC of the cambion includes its Charisma 
  bonus. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The cambion’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 14). The cambion can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
  3/day each: alter self, command, detect magic 
  1/day: plane shift (self only) 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The cambion makes two melee attacks or uses its 
  Fire Ray twice. 
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 8 
  (1d8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a 
  melee attack, plus 3 (1d6) fire damage. 
  Fire Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. 
  Fiendish Charm. One humanoid the cambion can see within 30 
  feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be 
  magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the 
  cambion’s spoken commands. If the target suffers any harm 
  from the cambion or another creature or receives a suicidal 
  command from the cambion, the target can repeat the saving 
  throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving 
  throw is successful, or if the effect ends for it, the creature is 
  immune to the cambion’s Fiendish Charm for the next 24 hours. 
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  50 
   
   
  Vrock 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 104 (11d10 + 44) 
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  8 (−1) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (−1) 
    
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4, Cha +2 
  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 6 (2,300 XP) 
    
  Magic Resistance. The vrock has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The vrock makes two attacks: one with its beak and 
  one with its talons. 
  Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Spores (Recharge 6). A 15-foot-radius cloud of toxic spores 
  extends out from the vrock. The spores spread around corners. 
  Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution 
  saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, a 
  target takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of each of its 
  turns. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of 
  its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Emptying a vial 
  of holy water on the target also ends the effect on it. 
  Stunning Screech (1/Day). The vrock emits a horrific screech. 
  Each creature within 20 feet of it that can hear it and that isn’t a 
  demon must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or 
  be stunned until the end of the vrock’s next turn. 
   
  Nalfeshnee 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 184 (16d10 + 96) 
  Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   21 (+5) 
  10 (+0) 
  22 (+6) 
  19 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +11, Int +9, Wis +6, Cha +7 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) 
   
  Magic Resistance. The nalfeshnee has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The nalfeshnee uses Horror Nimbus if it can. It then 
  makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  32 (5d10 + 5) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Horror Nimbus (Recharge 5–6). The nalfeshnee magically emits 
  scintillating, multicolored light. Each creature within 15 feet of 
  the nalfeshnee that can see the light must succeed on a DC 15 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened 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. If a creature’s saving 
  throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is 
  immune to the nalfeshnee’s Horror Nimbus for the next 24 
  hours. 
  Teleport. The nalfeshnee magically teleports, along with any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  51 
   
   
  DM Appendix: NPC 
  Summary 
  This section is provided to the Dungeon Master to help 
  keep track of the various NPCs present in the adventure.  
   
  Solom Ned'razak (SOLE-um NED-rizz-ack). Male drow 
  archwizard and the deposed ruler of Szith Morcane. 
   
  Xaven Tanor'this (ZAY-vin tuh-NORE-this). Male drow 
  alchemist. Captured resident of Szith Morcane and 
  possessive of knowledge that would purge the demonic 
  taint from the fire giants of Maerimydra. 
   
  Murssvayas Dhuurniv (mer-SVEY-yas DURR-neef). 
  Male drow wizard. Very practical and cautious about 
  surface dwellers. 
   
  Nymarrath (nye-MARR-ath). Male elf druid. Keeper of 
  the Silver Cove Cave. Companion to a particularly 
  annoying squirrel. 
   
  Maram il Vass (MAY-rim ill VAHS). Powerful Yugoloth 
  from Gehenna. Collector and purveyor of secrets, 
  curiousities, and other exotic things. Resides in Den of 
  the Whispered Word. 
   
  Pipyap (PIP-YAP). Imp. Devil. Former familiar to a Red 
  Wizard. Whatever you want to call him, he's now a 
  Faerûn-trotting explorer with a penchant for overeating. 
  Despite being someone friendly if it gets him what he 
  wants, he is thoroughly evil and manipulative. 
   
  Brandyr and Veperyd (BRAN-deer and veh-PUR-reed). 
  Two fiendborne fire giants who hold positions of power 
  within Maerimydra. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  52 
   
   
  Map: The Den of the Whispered Word 
   
   
   
   
  
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  53 
   
   
  Map: The Hanging Gardens 
   
   
  
   
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  54 
   
  Map: The Black Ember Outpost 
   
   
  
   
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  55 
   
  Map: Maerimydra 
   
   
  
   
  It’s All in the Blood 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  56 
   
  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/DDEX3-04 It's All in the Blood.pdf