TEXT: Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
   
  When Fort Iron was taken from the duergar who inhabited it, much of their subterranean quarters were never fully 
  explored. An ancient oubliette has been discovered and its contents have disturbed the miners. Can the mine and the 
  miners be saved from the dangers of the Oubliette of Fort Iron?  A two-hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters. 
  Adventure Code: DDEX2-11 
  Credits 
  Adventure Design: Greg Marks 
  Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Chris Tulach, Travis Woodall 
  D&D Organized Play: Chris Tulach 
  D&D R&D Player Experience: Greg Bilsland 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Greg Bilsland, Chris Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Chris Tulach 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick 
   
   
   
   
   
  Debut: June 4, 2015 
  Release: July 1, 2015 
   
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  property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
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  2 
  Welcome to Cloaks and Shadows, a D&D ExpeditionsTM 
  adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers LeagueTM 
  organized play system and the Elemental EvilTM storyline 
  season.  
   This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-4th 
  level characters, and is optimized for five 2nd-level 
  characters. Characters outside this level range cannot 
  participate in this adventure. A player with an ineligible 
  character can create a new 1st-level character or use a 
  pregenerated character.   
   The adventure is set in the Moonsea region of the 
  Forgotten Realms, in the city of Mulmaster. 
    
  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. 
   
  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.  
  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.  
   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 
  
   
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  3 
  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. 
  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 2nd-
  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.  
  As the DM of the session, you have the most important 
  role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the 
  players. You help guide the narrative and bring the words 
  on these pages to life. The outcome of a fun game session 
  often creates stories that live well beyond the play at the 
  table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a 
  group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun 
  of the adventure when possible. 
   
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following: 
   
   
  You are empowered to make adjustments to the 
  adventure and make decisions about how the group 
  interacts with the world of this adventure. This is 
  especially important and applicable outside of 
  combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for 
  groups that are having too easy or too hard of a time. 
   
  Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for 
  a group. Never being challenged makes for a boring 
  game, and being overwhelmed makes for a 
  frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the 
  players (not the characters) with the game, try to feel 
  out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to 
  give each of them the experience they’re after when 
  they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.  
  
   
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  4 
   
  Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session 
  moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, since 
  play loses momentum when this happens. At the 
  same time, make sure that the players don’t finish 
  too early; provide them with a full play experience. 
  Try to be aware of running long or short. Adjust the 
  pacing accordingly. 
   
  Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to 
  modify the text as you see fit, especially when 
  dialogue is present.  
   
  Give the players appropriate hints so they can make 
  informed choices about how to proceed. Players 
  should be given clues and hints when appropriate so 
  they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions 
  without getting frustrated over lack of information. 
  This helps to encourage immersion in the adventure 
  and gives players “little victories” for figuring out 
  good choices from clues. 
   
  In short, being the DM isn’t about following the 
  adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating a 
  fun, challenging game environment for the players. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide TM has more information on the 
  art of running a D&D game. 
  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. 
  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 Mulmaster 
  include the following: Bane, Leira, Loviatar, Mystra, Savras, 
  Tempus, Tymora, Velsharoon, and Waukeen.  
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or die. Since you might not have the 
  same characters return from session to session, here are 
  the rules when bad things happen to characters. 
  
   
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  5 
  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.  
  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 no longer 
  available.  
  Point Iron was a dwarven iron mine roughly 225 years 
  ago when it was overrun by duergar. Rumors of a rich 
  vein of gold being found just before the fall of the dwarves 
  have been rampant ever since. Five years ago, with the 
  help of the temple of Tymora, Mulmaster marched on the 
  mine only to find the few duergar left were sick or crazed. 
  Reclaiming the mine, the High Blade ordered a fort 
  (named Fort Iron) built on the site to defend the rich 
  deposits of iron, and ordered the search for gold begun. 
  The miners searched, but the gold was never found. 
  Stories grew of some nameless fear in the deep mines 
  and the area was sealed off and avoided in the years that 
  followed.  
   
   Recently Leleanor, a descendant of Aurora the Eclectic 
  (author of the Whole Realms Catalogue), found a map in 
  her ancestor’s belongings suggesting that the gold veins 
  were located in an oubliette within the sealed tunnels. 
  Contacting allies within the Lords Alliance and the 
  Church of Tymora, she quietly secured access to the mine 
  and, with a handful of adventurers, departed to search for 
  the fabled wealth. Unfortunately for the young 
  entrepreneur, the Cult of the Black Earth had previous 
  detected powerful elemental magic in the area and they 
  have begun digging toward it.  
   What neither party knows is that the duergar, while in 
  possession of the mine, dug a bit deeper than they 
  should—unearthing the seed of fel earth; a piece of 
  Ogrémoch, the Prince of Evil Earth. Prizing this powerful 
  shard of earth, the grey dwarves hid it away beneath the 
  Oubliette. Over the centuries, the seed has corrupted the 
  complex, giving the tunnels a semblance of life with the 
  shard at its brain. 
   The Cult of the Black Earth, wholly devoted to 
  Ogrémoch, have detected the seed, and have begun work 
  to recover it for their own ends.  
  The adventure begins in Point Iron where the characters 
  meet with Leleanor who explains that she has received 
  access to the mine. She wants the characters to explore 
  the Oubliette and determine if it accesses a hidden part of 
  the complex as her map suggests. If so, she asks the 
  characters to map the area unexplored area and find the 
  gold! 
   As the characters leave, they have a chance meeting 
  with a strange young girl and goat, with a dire warning 
  about their journey. 
   
   
  
   
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  6 
   Once the characters arrive, they are directed to the 
  Oubliette, where they climb down and find a secret access 
  to further tunnels. However, as they enter, the Oubliette 
  closes behind them, leaving them trapped inside the living 
  tunnels. The characters must find their way through the 
  living complex to another way out. Eventually they cross 
  paths with the Cultists of the Black Earth where they 
  must fight to keep them from claiming the seed of fel 
  earth.  
  The characters are in meeting with Leleanor in Point 
  Iron, having come for one of the following reasons, as 
  appropriate for each of them.  
  Those characters that have participated in DDEX2-5 
  Flames of Kythorn, DDEX2-6 Breath of the Yellow Rose, 
  or DDEX2-9 Eye of the Tempest have been contacted by 
  Zor Garwyl Gos, a Mulman noble whom they have 
  befriended. His family controls most of the forges and 
  blacksmiths in Mulmaster and thus they have a significant 
  interest in the Point Iron mine. Garwyl has asked 
  characters to meet with Leleanor and do as she asks. Any 
  success in this endeavor can only strengthen his family's 
  position in the city and thus the aid that he can offer the 
  refugees of Phlan.  
  Members of the Emerald Enclave are able to contact the 
  secretive Seranolla the Whisperer (female gnome) who 
  met them on the road. She has been investigating a 
  poisoning of the land. The wildlife near Point Iron have 
  also been behaving erratically and she doesn't know why. 
  Seranolla wants the character to bring the source, or at 
  least a sample, of the corruption to her.  
  Members of the Lords' Alliance receive a letter from 
  Dornal Whitebeard (male dwarf), their faction contact. In 
  it he explains that the Lords' Alliance has been courting 
  the cooperation of Groshin Lor, a powerful member of the 
  secret police known as the Hawks. Groshin is known to 
  collect dwarven antiquities and so Dornal asks the 
  character to be on the lookout for any unique dwarven 
  items that the Lords Alliance might gift to Groshin.  
   Dornal mentions that good work will be rewarded with 
  a bonus of 50gp if the character or his minions recover 
  something suitable.  
  If the characters do not know Zor Garwyl Gos nor does 
  the party contain members of the Emerald Enclave or 
  Lords' Alliance, then they have heard of an expedition 
  sponsored by the Whole Realms Catalogue to Point Iron. 
  Rumors are that the opportunity for reward is significant. 
  Interested parties are to meet Leleanor, the 
  granddaughter of the famed Aurora, at the Tower Shield, 
  a tavern outside the fort in Point Iron. 
  Adventure Timing and Rests 
  This short dungeon crawl should take approximately two hours 
  to complete. It is important to be mindful of the time remaining. 
  The Introduction and Part One should take less than twenty 
  minutes, leaving the other one hundred minutes for Part Two, 
  which is the meat of the adventure.  
   
  The DM should keep track of the number of short or long 
  rests the party takes after beginning Part Two, as it affects the 
  final encounter. Should the characters take a short rest, subtract 
  one successful saving throw for each short rest taken from the 
  party's total in Area 4. This is what determines if they arrive in 
  Area 6 before the cultists. If the characters take a long rest, they 
  automatically arrive after the cultists.   
   
  
   
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  7 
  The characters have arrived in the small town of Point 
  Iron and make their way to the Tower Shield, read or 
  paraphrase the following:  
  Your trip northeast from Mulmaster to the village of Point Iron 
  was uneventful. For reasons of your own, you seek to join an 
  expedition into the mines under the Fort being organized by 
  Leleanor, the granddaughter of Aurora of the famous Whole 
  Realms Catalogue. As these things often do, this chance for 
  glory begins in a simple tavern.  
   The Tower Shield sits across from Fort Iron and seems heavily 
  trafficked by the Mulman soldiers stationed there. Moving 
  through the morning crowd, you manage to find the table you 
  are looking for.  
   
  Once all the characters gather, Leleanor orders a round 
  of drinks and a tray of bread and cheese for them to 
  share. She is excited to make her fortune and revitalize 
  her grandmother's business, so she gets right down to it.  
  Roleplaying Leleanor 
  Leleanor is a tall, thin human woman with long brown hair and a 
  constant smile. She is excitable and generally in a good mood. 
  She believes the best of others, but still has the business sense 
  her family is known for and is not easily tricked.    
   
  "I'm so glad that you answered my call, because have I got a 
  deal for you! I was going through my Grandmother Aurora's 
  things and I think I found something that is going to make us all 
  rich. She had a map of the old dwarven iron mines below Fort 
  Iron, made just before the duergar invaded and on it there is a 
  mark on it denoting a secret treasure in some sort of oubliette! 
  It has to be the lost vein of gold. I've managed to negotiate for 
  access to the mines, so I need you to check the map's accuracy 
  by going into the mines and finding the gold. If you find it, I'll 
  give you ten percent each of any profits I make from mining! It's 
  the score of a lifetime!" 
   
  Leleanor tries to answer any questions the characters 
  may have: 
   
  Who is your grandmother? "Why have you never 
  heard of Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue? My 
  grandmother started as an adventurer, but she 
  invested wisely into a business shipping goods all 
  across the world. Unfortunately, the Spellplague 
  made a mess of things and my mother Lemily had a 
  hard time of it. There's not much left of our family 
  business except a few outlets in major cities like 
  Waterdeep, Westgate and Baldur's Gate. With this 
  money I could reinstate our network of teleportation 
  circles and really get things going again."  
   
  Where did you get this map? "I was looking through 
  some of my grandmother's belongings from her 
  adventuring days, hoping there might be something 
  worth selling when I found an old painting of the 
  Moonsea coast near Mulmaster. Once I got it out of 
  the frame, I found the map was on the back of it." 
   
  What do you know about the history of the mine? 
  "Not a lot. Point Iron started out as a profitable iron 
  mine until a little over two centuries ago when it was 
  overrun by duergar. There were always rumors that 
  the dwarves had struck a vein of gold just before the 
  attack, but it was never confirmed. That's how things 
  stayed until about five years ago when the High 
  Blade marched on the mine only to find the few 
  duergar left were sick or crazed. They were 
  overcome without much of a fight and the High Blade 
  ordered the creation of Fort Iron over the mine to 
  protect the valuable iron deposits." 
   
  What do you know about the rumors of the lost 
  gold? "Well, there were always stories that dwarves 
  dug deeper that the current iron deposits in search 
  for more and in the process struck gold. 
  Unfortunately nearly all the dwarves were killed 
  shortly thereafter in the duergar invasion. Those few 
  dwarves that escaped either died out or are lost to 
  time." 
   
  How did you get access to the mine? "Well, I have 
  some friends in the Lords Alliance and they used 
  their pull with the Blades to get us access to the 
  mines under the guise of an archeological dig to find 
  information about the lost dwarven clan. We get 
  anything we find, less a small percentage for our 
  Lords Alliance backers. Sure there will be some blow 
  back from Mulmaster when we find the gold, but 
  we'll hire their miners to extract it and their smelting 
  operation to purify it, so they'll get their cut too. 
  Everyone wins." 
   
  Are you coming with us? "I'll be staying behind and 
  working out some last minute details with our hosts. 
  Besides, I'm not really the adventurer that my 
  grandmother was. I'd only get in your way."  
   
  What will you pay us if there is no vein of gold? 
  "Well, the map says there's some sort of treasure 
  there. It's got to be the gold! If it’s not, I guess we'll 
  still split whatever it is you recover. You can also 
  keep all the gear I'm sending with you." 
  
   
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  8 
  When the characters have asked all their questions, 
  Leleanor pulls a large framed backpack onto the table 
  and says an expedition for the Whole Realm's Catalogue 
  can never be too prepared. The pack includes:  
   
  A dungeoneer's kit consisting of a crowbar, a ham-
  mer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of ra-
  tions, a waterskin (filled with a fine wine) and 50 feet 
  of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.  
   
  A healer's kit, a vial of holy water, and a potion of 
  healing. 
   
  A block and tackle, a climber's kit, a lamp, a vial of 
  oil, 2 sacks, and another 50' of hempen rope. 
   
  A shovel and a miner's pick.  
  Leleanor tells the characters that it will take her a little 
  while to get the proper clearances in order to allow them 
  to access to the deep mine. They are free to do whatever 
  they like in town until then, but they should meet at the 
  gates to the fort in an hour.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  9 
  Give each character a chance to run an errand if they 
  desire, but do not spend more than fifteen minutes on this 
  encounter. Those that have no desire to leave the inn are 
  welcome to continue their meal at Leleanor's expense; 
  though at least one character should encounter Elisande 
  and her goat. 
  Scrounging rumors about the mine or its history costs the 
  character an hour and 1d6 gp in bribes and drinks in 
  order to make a Charisma check. The character receives 
  all the information for the DC they achieve and below.  
   Those characters with the following Background 
  features gain advantage on their checks: By Popular 
  Demand, Rustic Hospitality, Guild Membership, or 
  Military Rank. The DM may also choose to hand out 
  information for good role-playing or bribes of an 
  additional 10 gp or more during the investigation.  
   
  DC 5.The mine? They pull lots of iron out of the 
  ground and have for years. Better us than dwarves. 
  You know, they say there is gold somewhere in that 
  mine, but ain't no one never found it. Truthfully, I 
  think it's a myth; prolly just to keep the miners 
  digging hard, hoping to find it. 
   
  DC 10. You ever hear the stories about the duergar 
  they found here when the force arrived from 
  Mulmaster? What once was a whole host of vicious 
  grey dwarves was somehow turned into only a few 
  dozen starving wretches, ranting about fertile earth 
  that grows in the deep. That's what happens when 
  you go too long without seeing the sun. 
   
  DC 15. You know, you're not the first to be asking 
  about the mines. Just yesterday morning there was a 
  masked robed man with little feller wearing goggles 
  and a hood come into the tavern asking around. The 
  little one carried a bunch of shovels too big for him. 
  They both smelled funny; like rotten fish.   
  Those characters that wish to rack their brain for scraps 
  of history about Point Iron or the mine beneath it may 
  attempt an Intelligence (History) check.  
   
  DC 5. Five years ago, with the help of the temple of 
  Tymora, Mulmaster marched on the mine and easily 
  took it from the duergar. The High Blade ordered a 
  fort (named Fort Iron) built on the sight of the mine 
  to defend the rich deposits of iron. Much of the iron is 
  smelted and forged by House Gos.  
   
  DC 10. Point Iron was a dwarven iron mine roughly 
  225 years ago when it was overrun by duergar. 
  Rumors of a rich vein of gold being found just before 
  the fall of the dwarves have been rampant ever since. 
  Despite searching for the gold, the High Blade's men 
  never found the gold. It is said that the deep mines 
  were sealed by the order of the High Blade, though 
  no one seems to know why. 
   
  DC 20. Stories of some nameless fear in the deep 
  mines are common among the miners and in fact the 
  High Blade eventually ordered the deepest areas 
  sealed off and avoided.  
  Now fully knowing what they are hiring on for, some 
  characters may wish to acquire some additional 
  equipment. Point iron is a small village largely developed 
  to supporting the garrison and miners. Items found in the 
  Players Handbook of 25 gp or less and potions of healing 
  are available. There are no spellcasters for hire, but one 
  can easily purchase holy water. 
  At some point, at least one character should encounter 
  Elisande and her goat. If one or more characters are 
  killing time while other characters do things, they are the 
  optimal choice.  
  You see a waif of a girl picking at the mud with a knife. Her 
  dress is torn and covered in dirt and blood. Her bone thin legs 
  end in uncovered feet. A mud-covered, black furred goat with 
  white eyes sits in a puddle near her. She sees you, offers you a 
  wide yellow smile and waves.  
   
  Since leaving the isolated island where she was born 
  almost a year ago, Elisande has since traveled south with 
  the rest of the Phlan refugees. Now, she has recently 
  found her way to Point Iron by stowing away on a 
  caravan, only to cross paths with the characters.  
   If the character that see her does not approach her, she 
  gets up and walks over to them, the goat following blindly 
  behind. It is possible that some characters may have met 
  her before, in which case, she greets them with a big, 
  muddy, hug. 
  "Greetings Outside! Wut ist you doing? Do you hear the 
  grounds? It screams when eyes poke at it!" The girl smiles and 
  stabs into the dirt with her knife. "I think its lives. You shud stay 
  ought of it. It hungers too." 
  
   
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  10 
   
  Should the character try to ignore Elisande or move away 
  from her, the goat interposes itself until such time as they 
  converse. If the character insists on fleeing, it does not 
  come to blows.  
   Elisande is attuned to strange things and hears the 
  seeds desire to feast upon the cultists attempting to gain 
  access. She wants to try to warn the characters that there 
  is a danger in going into the earth, but she doesn't exactly 
  know what's happening.  
   
  "I hears the grounds talkin'. Its not happy. It hun-
  gers." 
   
  "The grounds, its head hurts from the scrappin'." 
   
  "Youse shudna go ins the grounds. Its belly is angry." 
   
  "If youse are goin' in da grounds, you should take 
  some good water. I things you wilse needs it. Icksey 
  things down theres." 
   
  "Goat says he want shiny rock. You find shiny rock, he 
  want you bring it to me. Not sure why I want rock, but 
  goat always right." 
  Roleplaying Elisande  
  Elisande is a 13-year old orphan human girl and troublemaker 
  from a disturbing, isolated island village in the Stormy Bay. Her 
  years of malnourishment make her smaller than other children of 
  her age and she is frequently mistaken for a younger age than her 
  13 years. She is fascinated with outsiders still despite her 
  wanderings. She has few morals and due to her upbringing, no 
  true concept of right or wrong. Elisande was encountered in 
  DDEX1-3 Shadows over the Moonsea when the characters rescued 
  her and brought her to Phlan. She disappeared shortly thereafter 
  only to be seen in DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan where she aided 
  the characters in their escape.  
  Roleplaying the Blind Goat  
  The Blind Goat was originally found on the same island as 
  Elisande (also in DDEX1-3 Shadows over the Moonsea). The black 
  furred goat appears to be totally blind but for some inexplicable 
  reason, seems able to see certain characters which it tends to 
  follow; completely nonplussed by things that would bother a 
  normal animal. It seems especially attracted to those who are 
  "pure of heart." While nonthreatening, most find the goat a bit 
  creepy. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  11 
  Once the characters are ready to meet Leleanor, they 
  gather in front of the fort before being lead in. They walk 
  through the active part of the mines before Leleanor 
  leaves and they head to the unexplored area of the mine.  
  The travel through the mines is uneventful. Whatever deal 
  Leleanor has struck with the local military has gotten you past 
  the guards, and the miners direct you through tunnels that are 
  no longer part of the active mine. With a wave Leleanor parts 
  company with you and your group moves into the abandoned 
  portions of the mine. Before long you begin to notice the 
  construction looks different from the rest of the mine, still solid, 
  but greyer, with carvings of openmouthed dwarves upon the 
  supporting arches. Whatever this place is, it is clear that no one 
  has come this way in a long time. 
    
  The tunnels that the characters travel are dusty and quiet 
  but the smell of moist earth is oddly ever-present despite 
  no obvious source. A faint breeze seems to come from 
  deeper in the caverns. Allow the characters to determine 
  their marching order and make any other necessary 
  plans.  
   Inspecting the Caverns. The mine looks old, but stable. 
  Each cavern varies from ten to fifteen feet wide and is 
  well-braced. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) 
  skill check (dwarves make this skill check with 
  advantage) notes that the abandoned sections of the 
  mines have been dug by Duergar as opposed to the 
  human and dwarven construction seen in the active areas 
  of the mine. A successful DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) notes that the dust in 
  these tunnels has not been disturbed for many years. 
  There are no footprints from humanoids or subterrean 
  fauna in this part of the mine. 
  The Nature of the Tunnels 
  After the characters have entered into the tunnels (Area 2 or 
  later), it may become obvious that all is not right with the 
  complex. If the character begins to ask questions about the 
  nature of the tunnel system, use the following to assist in answer 
  those questions. All skill checks are made against a DC of 10. 
   
  Detect Magic: The walls and all structures within the 
  complex radiate strong transmutation magic. 
   
  Intelligence (Arcana or Nature): Something magical is 
  definitely going on. Moving walls and spontaneously 
  generated mud are not a naturally occurring. This is not a 
  naturally occurring complex, nor does it appear to be worked.  
   
  Investigation (Investigation): The walls seem to vary, being 
  made of rock or wet earth. When damaged, they weep wet 
  mud. It’s almost as it the walls are alive.  
   
  Wisdom (Survival): The walls seem unnaturally stable though 
  there is no bracing, natural or otherwise.  
  Once the characters have traveled the spot on Leleanor's 
  map, they come to a dead ended tunnel with a pit at the 
  end of it. This is the end of the living earth's 
  gastrointestinal tract, and the source of the faint breeze 
  and smell of fresh earth.  
  After traveling for more than an hour, the map Leleanor 
  provided you with leads to a pit at the end wide tunnel. The pit 
  is carved into an irregular pattern with rounded edges and there 
  is a large iron ring embedded into the wall above the pit. The 
  oubliette descends down into darkness. 
   
  The oubliette is forty feet deep and those with an 
  appropriate light source or vision can see that it has an 
  unfinished irregular floor that seems to slope towards the 
  center. The ring is solidly set into the wall and holds the 
  weight of any character using it to descend. Ask the 
  players how they plan to get down and work out the 
  appropriate details, but assume any reasonable plan 
  succeeds without failure. The goal is not to have the party 
  severely injured from a fall before even starting the 
  adventure.  
   The Bottom of the Oubliette. The bottom of the 
  oubliette is soft, loose dirt and the smell of fresh earth is 
  even stronger here. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Nature) 
  skill check notes that the dirt here is very rich and fertile. 
  The floor slopes noticeably towards the center, though 
  not so much as to hinder movement or make it likely that 
  a character might fall.  
   Searching the Oubliette. Searching the bottom 
  requires a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) in 
  order to find a rock that is able to be depressed into the 
  floor. Pushing on the stone is difficult and requires a 
  combined Strength of 20 to push it in.  
  When the characters press on the rock, the entire hallway 
  is rocked by an earthquake.  
  As the rock is depressed into the wall, an earthquake rocks the 
  entire hallway. For several seconds, you thrown to the ground, 
  unable to determine which way is up as you bounce off the walls 
  of the oubliette. In the center of the pit, a hole begins to spiral 
  open as the shaft of the oubliette spirals closed. You are falling. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  12 
  As the rock is depressed, the oubliette and the ground 
  around it instantly falls several feet and a shudder 
  proceeds down the hallway above towards the pit causing 
  everyone in the hallway to fall into the oubliette. At the 
  same time, the shaft squeezes closed from the top down 
  and the bottom of the oubliette opens widely, dropping 
  everyone in the oubliette, as well as those falling in to it, 
  into the guts (area 2, below).  
   The earthquake and associated fall may injure some 
  characters depending on where they were standing when 
  the secret door was opened: 
   
  Floor of the Oubliette. Those that are on the floor of 
  the oubliette when the floor opens must attempt a 
  DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. Those that succeed 
  land roughly in the mud but are undamaged while 
  those that fail suffer 3 (1d6) points of damage.  
   
  In the Hallway Above the Oubliette. Those that are 
  not in the oubliette when rock is depressed are 
  forced into the oubliette via the peristaltic shudder 
  that ripples through the hall, where they fall. These 
  characters must attempt a DC 10 Dexterity saving 
  throw. Those that fail suffer 6 (2d6) bludgeoning 
  damage as they bounce off the now slanted wall and 
  land painfully. Those that succeed manage to slow 
  their fall along the wall, grab or rope, or otherwise 
  mitigate the fall, taking half damage.  
   
  Alternatives. It is possible that a character might 
  find ways to avoid the fall using creative thinking, 
  spells such as feather fall, or other alternatives. 
  Reward quick thinking by eliminating the damage, 
  but do everything possible to prevent characters from 
  escaping the fall in general. The rippling and 
  squeezing of the tunnel force the characters into the 
  now opened trapdoor. Make it clear that staying 
  above results in the character being crushed to death.  
   
  After the characters all fall through the entrance, it closes 
  behind them.  
  The characters now find themselves in a level tunnel that 
  only proceeds in one direction. The door through which 
  they have fallen has squeezed itself such again.  
  You find yourself in a tunnel moving in only one direction. The 
  stones comprising the tunnel that you just fell through grind 
  quickly closed. The narrow tunnel before you is wet and muddy 
  rivulets run down the sides to the spongey floor somewhere 
  under several inches of mud. It twists and turns out of sight.  
   
  The characters may consider attempting to dig their way 
  out. Those that succeed in a DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) realize that it is likely that the entire tunnel 
  above them has collapsed and it would take weeks to dig 
  out even if there are no secondary cave-ins. Dwarves 
  make this check with advantage. It seems there is no 
  choice but to move forward and look for another way out.  
  Give the characters a chance to inspect their 
  surroundings before they hear the rolling approach of the 
  Shards of Ogrémoch. The tunnel is vague ten feet around 
  with a spongey floor and drips mud from the walls and 
  ceiling. It twists and turns frequently so that there is 
  never more than thirty feet of visibility.  
   Light. There is no light in the tunnel, if any of the 
  characters do not possess darkvision, the party needs a 
  light source.  
   Mud. The ankle deep mud-covered ground is spongey 
  and is considered difficult terrain. Creatures with the 
  earth walk ability, such as earth genasi or shard of 
  Ogrémoch ignore this penalty. In addition, the mud is 
  slightly alkaline and after a few minutes, the characters 
  develop an itchy rash on any exposed skin.  
   Smell. The mud has a strong fresh earth smell with the 
  hint of a faint ammonia smell underneath. It’s not enough 
  to harm the characters, but it is clearly noticeable.   
   Walls. The walls seem to be made of unstable moist 
  earth. The mud dripping from the walls does not seem to 
  be part of the wall itself, and is not natural. Anywhere the 
  wall Is damaged, more mud runs from the wound. 
  After the characters have moved down the slippery 
  tunnel—drawing closer to one of the wider portions—any 
  character that succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) 
  hears a sound not unlike a large rolling stone plowing 
  through thick mud. Those who succeed are not surprised 
  by the two shards of Ogrémoch that roll around the 
  corner 30 feet from the party. Each looks like a mud 
  covered boulder. When slain, they split open revealing a 
  very light, hollow geode with enough space for two 
  Medium-sized creatures to squeeze into per hemisphere.  
   The shards of Ogrémoch use their earth walk ability to 
  ignore the difficult terrain and then use their trampling 
  charge whenever possible. They fight until killed. 
  The crystals of the geodes are worth 150 gp.  
  
   
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  13 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
   
  Very weak party: Remove one shard of Ogrémoch, and the 
  remaining shard of Ogrémoch does not use trampling charge 
  more than once.  
   
  Weak party: Remove one shard of Ogrémoch.  
   
  Strong party: Add one shard of Ogrémoch. 
   
  Very strong party: Add two shard of Ogrémoch. 
  After having traveled for almost hour, the characters 
  come to another annulus like entrance next to a 
  prominent rock like they found in the oubliette. This one 
  is set into the wall instead of the floor and is much easier 
  to be opened. No earthquake occurs, the door simply 
  spirals open and the stone retracts into the wall.  
  The pool is vaguely kidney bean shaped, and fills the 
  entire room. The acid is a translucent green and the 
  bottom cannot be seen. The pool is thirty feet deep, and 
  the bottom is irregular. There is a visible annulus with 
  rock nodule visible on the other side, one hundred feet 
  away.  
   Acid. The pool is full of acid. Touching it deals 3 (1d6) 
  acid damage. Any creature entering or beginning one's 
  turn immersed in the pool takes 5 (1d10) points of acid 
  damage.  
   Light. There is no light in the room.  
   Smell. The room smells overwhelmingly caustic. It is 
  unpleasant to breathe but the fumes are not poisonous.    
   Walls. The walls of the room are rough with deep 
  vertical fissures creating almost fin-like rocky protrusions 
  throughout the room. They can be climbed with a 
  successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) skill check.  
  The stinging scent of acid burns your nostrils before you see the 
  contents of this rocky oblong cavern. A vast pool fills the kidney-
  shaped cavern between you and the tunnel on the other side.  
   
  This oblong cavern is made of rock and filled with a lake 
  of lightly churning acid. The smell is overpowering. Other 
  than that the only obvious exit is one hundred feet on the 
  other side of the lake of acid, there is no eminent threat. 
  This room is a puzzle to be solved.  
  There are a number of possible solutions to crossing.  
   
  Block and Tackle. The characters could try to use 
  the block and tackle, rope, and other climbing gear to 
  rig basket that moves back and forth on ropes above 
  the acid. This would require someone to fly or free 
  climb the rough wall over one hundred feet, setting 
  pitons into the wall at least three points as a 
  Standard action each. Someone riding in such a rope 
  basket could pull themselves at half their movement 
  speed, but at the end of each round the stomach 
  grumbles and churns the acid, forcing them to 
  attempt a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. Those that 
  fail take 3 (1d6) acid damage, while those that 
  succeed take no damage.  
   
  Geodes. The geode bodies of the Shards of 
  Ogrémoch from Area 2 floats, creating a boat capable 
  of carrying up to two Medium-sized creatures or four 
  Small-sized creatures. A character can then use a 
  shovel or similar object to paddle across the pool a 
  distance equal to their movement. The geode has no 
  lip and any creature using the dash action to move 
  further than their movement causes acid to splash 
  over the side forcing those inside to attempt a DC 10 
  Dexterity saving throw. Those that fail take 3 (1d6) 
  acid damage, while those that succeed take no 
  damage. If moving at full speed, the saving throw is 
  made with disadvantage.  
   
  Mud. Any character that succeeds at a DC 10 
  Intelligence (Nature) check realizes that the mud 
  from the guts (srea 2) was mildly alkaline. A 
  character could go back to the intestines and cover 
  themselves in mud and subsequently attempt to 
  swim across. Being completely covered in mud 
  makes the character immune to acid damage for the 
  first two rounds. At the beginning of the third the 
  character must succeed at a DC 12 Constitution 
  saving throw. If successful, the mud continues to 
  provide its protection. Each round thereafter, the 
  character must attempt the saving throw again with a 
  cumulative +1 to the DC for each round after the 
  third. Should the character fail the saving throw, the 
  mud is dissolved and the character begins taking 
  immersion damage, as normal. 
   
  Swimming. A character could simply try to swim 
  across, taking damage as appropriate. Despite the 
  depth of the acid, it is quite thick and while there is 
  some mild churning it requires no Strength 
  (Athletics) to remain afloat, but swimming through 
  the pool follows other swimming rules as normal. 
  
   
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  14 
   
  Other. There is no limit to the number of ideas that a 
  creative player might come up with, especially once 
  spells and magical items are added to the mix. The 
  DM is encouraged to use the solutions given above as 
  guidelines when adjudicating the success of any plan, 
  and when in doubt, siding with the players.  
   
  Once the characters cross to the other side, they find that 
  they can easily open the valve as they have previously.  
  From the stomach valve, the characters find themselves 
  in another circular tunnel, with slime-covered spongey 
  walls. A constant ripple moves through the walls pushing 
  towards the stomach. The characters have to fight to keep 
  their feet and make forward progress.  
  The tunnel is round and has a ten feet diameter. It runs 
  straight for as far as the characters can see. The walls are 
  made of spongey earth that gets firmer the more one digs. 
  Everything is covered in a slippery slime.  
   Light. There is no light in the tunnel.  
   Mucus. The walls are covered in a thick, slippery slime. 
  The mucus complicates walking in the tunnel. Any 
  character with earth walk can mitigate the effects (see 
  below). 
   Peristalsis. The rippling wave is about a foot high and 
  runs the length tunnel with one wave coming once a 
  round, forcing creatures to hop over it or be knocked 
  prone. See below for more details on crossing the 
  esophagus. 
   Smell. The room smells like fresh, wet earth. 
   Sound. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) 
  detects what sounds like a strong breeze nearby (the 
  lungs) and a rhythmic crashing (the heart) like two, 
  immense rocks striking against each other, over and over.  
  The tunnel past the lake of acid is smooth and round, similar to 
  the tunnel before the last room, only it clearly continues straight 
  without turning. All surfaces are covered in a shiny slime and 
  the soft spongey earth ripples, the wave passing through the 
  ground and walls towards the lake of acid behind you. The wave 
  is quickly followed by another and another.  
   
  The party needs to find a way to traverse the tunnel, with 
  the peristaltic action constantly pushing them back. The 
  longer they take, the more tired they become and the 
  better positioned the Cult of the Black Earth team is 
  when the characters finally arrive.  
  Travelling through the esophagus is abstracted by a skill 
  check and a saving throw. Each character must attempt a 
  DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to hop over the waves 
  in the floor and maintain their footing. Characters with 
  earth walk, float, levitate or similar movement abilities 
  make this check with advantage. Those that fail slip in the 
  mucus and fall prone. This is then followed by a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw. Characters that are prone 
  make this saving throw at disadvantage. Those characters 
  that fail gain one level of exhaustion (disadvantage on 
  ability checks until a long rest is completed). 
   Total the number characters that succeed in their 
  saving throw subtracting one success for each short rest 
  the party takes before entering Area 6. If the result is 
  equal to half or more of the total characters, the party is 
  outpacing the cultists; the characters arrive first and hear 
  the cultists enter Area 6. If more than half fail, the cultists 
  in Area 6 are already in the room waiting for the 
  characters.  
  Having finally forced their way up the esophagus, the 
  characters pass through another valve, into the mouth. 
  The room is hemispherical with the characters entering 
  from the flat wall. Stalagmites and stalactites line the 
  curved wall like teeth. The withered corpse of a purple 
  worm hangs from the center of the ceiling, its head 
  resting on the ledge above the entrance. A glowing battle 
  axe is buried in the worm, anchoring its head to the stone 
  ledge.  
   Purple Worm Corpse. The corpse of a huge purple 
  worm hangs from the center of the ceiling with its head 
  resting on the ledge, making a "J"-shape. The bottom of 
  the "J" is ten feet from the floor and can be climbed ten 
  feet to the ledge. Unfortunately the worm has withered so 
  that it no longer fits snugly in its burrow. Any character 
  pulling on the worm causes it to slide from the ceiling. A 
  character holding onto the worm can choose to safely let 
  go and move away or must succeed in a DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check in order to climb the worm's body faster 
  than it falls from ceiling. If the character fails, they must 
  succeed in a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked 
  prone and be buried in the coils of the worm's body. The 
  character can be freed with a DC 15 Strength check or by 
  doing 20 slashing damage to the worm's body.  After the 
  body falls from the ceiling, the weight of the corpse tears 
  it free of the axe, and the head falls to the floor as well.  
  
   
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  15 
   Ledge. The skeletal corpse of Malus Blackiron, dressed 
  in a rotted tabard and rusty mail, lies on the ledge is 
  fifteen feet above the entrance. In addition to his magical 
  battle axe and a potion of growth in his belt pouch, there 
  is a shield chased in silver next to his body. Embossed 
  upon it is the holy symbol of Deep Duerra, which can be 
  recognized with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Religion) 
  check as the Duergar demigoddess of psionics, conquest, 
  and expansion; now a dead power who is no longer 
  worshiped in the Faerûn. Dwarves make this check with 
  advantage. A narrow tunnel exits the room from the 
  ledge. 
   Light. There is no light in the room.  
   Stalagmites/Stalactites. The stalagmite/stalactite 
  formation can be climbed with a successful DC 10 
  Strength (Athletics) check, reaching the ledge. However, 
  anyone climbing them prompts the ceiling and the 
  stalactites to move up and down in a chomping and 
  grinning motion. Nothing but dirt can be seen on the 
  other side of the "teeth." On initiative count 20 (losing 
  ties), the stalagmites and stalactites grind together. Any 
  creature climbing any of them must succeed on a DC 12 
  Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10) bludgeoning 
  damage and fall to the ground below. 
  Before you is a room with rows of stalagmites and stalactites on 
  the three sides opposite the entrance. A giant unmoving worm 
  with purple skin hangs from ceiling, its end resting on a ledge 
  above you. A chill blue light shines from a battle axe embedded 
  in its head, a skeletal humanoid hand still wrapped around the 
  hilt.  
   
  This is the final resting place of Malus Blackiron, a 
  duergar driven to insanity by the proximity of the seed of 
  fel earth. It was he that carried the seed into the tunnels 
  beneath the oubliette to its final location. Unfortunately 
  for Malus, before he could return to his people, the seed 
  attracted a purple worm. In an epic battle, they slew each 
  other. Tormented by the seed, he could find no rest, and 
  now he lurks here as a specter.  
   Malus manifests in the room as soon as a living 
  creature enters the room, but does not initially enter 
  combat unless attacked first. In time sensitive 
  environments such as conventions, be wary of role-
  playing with Malus for too long. If the characters are 
  aggressive, attack him, attempt to climb to his axe, or 
  spend more than three rounds asking questions, Malus 
  attacks them. He fights until destroyed and gives chase to 
  anyone that flees if there are no other targets. 
   Use the following as a guide for the types of things 
  Malus might impart to the characters.  
   
  "Do you hear its thoughts? It festers in the pain of 
  earth." 
   
  "Go no further. Death is the only release for you!" 
   
  "I am the champion of my people. Tell me I carried 
  the seed of fel earth far from them." 
   
  "I am the sickness and the fever." 
   
  "Seek not the brain of the great earthen beast." 
   
  "Face the wrath of Malus Blackiron, Norothor of Deep 
  Duerra!" 
  Roleplaying Malus Blackiron 
  Malus Blackiron was a Norothor (cleric of Deep Duerra) of Clan 
  Blackiron. His goddess granted him some protection from the 
  seed of fel earth's malevolent mental influence that infected his 
  duergar brothers. Taking it upon himself, he fled deep into the 
  caverns with the seed before he died. In undeath, his mental 
  connection to the seed torments him. He feels as though he is a 
  germ trapped inside a great beast that cannot rest and feels all of 
  its pain. He rambles his lamentations frequently and is prone to 
  violent outbursts. 
  A +1 battle axe, a potion of growth, and a shield decorated 
  with the holy symbol of Deep Duerra and chased in silver 
  worth 50 gp. Those who recover the shield can turn it 
  over to Dornal Whitebeard in order to succeed in the 
  Lords Alliance Faction assignment and are reimbursed 
  50 gp for their trouble.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
   
  Very weak party: Replace the specter with a shadow. Reduce 
  the shadow's hit points by 5 and change damage to 6 
  (1d8+2) necrotic damage. 
   
  Weak party: Replace the specter with a shadow. 
   
  Strong party: Add one shadow. 
   
  Very strong party: Add two shadows.  
   
  Two narrow tunnels exit the ledge. The tunnels quickly 
  meet and form a wider tunnel that leads to the brain, Area 
  6.  
  After traveling throught the tunnels, the characters enter 
  the brain cavity either before or after the Black Earth 
  Cultists, depending on the party's success travelling the 
  esophagus.  
  
   
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  16 
   Light. The room is brightly lit by the pulsing light of the 
  seed of fel earth.  
   Rocks. There are several large rocks spread 
  throughout the room that can used to hide behind or take 
  cover.  
   Seed of Fel Earth. On a stone pedestal attached to the 
  floor in the center of the room sits the crystal seed of fel 
  earth. During the combat, the seed tries to infect others 
  with its madness. At the beginning of each vulnerable 
  creature's turn, they must succeed in a DC 10 Wisdom 
  saving through or be affected (see sidebar). Note that the 
  cultists are not immune to the effects of the seed of fel 
  earth.   
  If half or more of the total characters succeeded in the 
  saving throw while traveling through area 4: 
  A glowing crystal the size of a man's head rests upon a rocky, 
  pedestal dominating the center of this round, domed cavern. 
  The glow crystal strobes angrily at your approach and arcs of 
  electricity crackle along its surface. 
    Scrapping sounds emanate from the wall, three quarters of the 
  way around the room from your entrance. The wall vibrates as if 
  it could crumble at any moment—revealing whatever is making 
  the sound.  
   
  The characters have one round with which they may 
  prepare, cast spells, or move about the room as they 
  desire. See below for the general features of the room. 
  After one round, the cultists break through the wall, 
  badger in the lead.  
  If less than half of the total characters succeeded in the 
  saving throw while traveling through Area 4: 
  A glowing crystal the size of a man's head rests upon a rocky, 
  pedestal dominating the center of this round, domed cavern. 
  The glow crystal strobes angrily at your approach and arcs of 
  electricity crackle along its surface. 
   A freshly dug tunnel breeches the wall, a quarter of the way 
  around the room from your entrance. A group of humanoids 
  encircle the crystal, their faces smiling with ecstasy. Their 
  apparent leader, a human in robes covered in plates of rock, 
  kneels before the pedestal in the middle of the room—his hand 
  reaching for the crystal.  
   
   
   
  The cultists group consists of two troglodytes, one giant 
  badger, Alfun Deeprock a svirfneblin hiding and carrying 
  a big clay jar with three stirges inside, and Lorn Tauh, an 
  acolyte of the Cult of the Black Earth. The cultists believe 
  that they are divinely entitled to the seed of fel earth and 
  they are offended by the very presence of unbelievers. 
  Lorn is more than willing to sacrifice all of his minions to 
  retrieve the seed for the glory of Ogrémoch, the Tyrant of 
  Black Earth.  
  Madness of the Fel Earth  
  The whispers of the seed of fel earth are ever-present. Any living 
  creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher that begins its turn 
  within 30 feet of the seed must attempt a DC 10 Wisdom saving 
  throw. Creatures that have telepathy, the elemental type, or speak 
  Primordial make this saving throw with disadvantage. Those that 
  fail must roll 1d6 and consult the chart below: 
   
  1: Earth Lover. You are overwhelmed by a love of solid stone. 
  You immediately move towards the nearest large rock and 
  express your newfound affection by embracing it.  
   
  2: Solid Hysteria. You fall to your knees and cry out about the 
  crushing despair of The Mountain of Doom (Ogrémoch). 
  You see only your inevitable death under his pulverizing 
  enormity. You grant advantage to attack rolls against you 
  until the beginning of your next turn.  
   
  3: Stone Legs. Your legs have turned to stone, or at least you 
  think they have! Your speed becomes zero until the end of 
  your turn.  
   
  4: Rockspeaker. A flood of Terran words fill your mind and 
  you have no choice but to scream them out for the course of 
  your turn. This prevents you from hiding or casting spells 
  with a verbal component. 
   
  5: Mental Erosion. You feel yourself slipping away but hold 
  on for a few more seconds. Act normally this round but next 
  round roll 2d6 and use the lowest number to determine what 
  happens. 
   
  6: Insane Inspiration. You are flooded with the enduring and 
  relentless power of Ogrémoch. You gain 5 temporary hit 
  points and make saving throws with advantage until the 
  beginning of your next turn. 
  The troglodytes run to the nearest enemy and try to block 
  access to Lorn. All of the cultists have successfully saved 
  against the troglodytes’ stench within the last hour. The 
  giant badger moves toward a different foe and chases 
  them wherever they flee. Alfun spends his first action to 
  throw the stirge bomb (see sidebar) and then tries to hide 
  behind the pedestal or a rock. Lorn tries to get the seed 
  on the first opportunity and thrust it into a bag attached to 
  his belt. He uses spells as appropriate, but flees the room 
  if he has the seed and it looks like the cultists might lose 
  the fight.  
   
  
   
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  17 
  Stirge Bomb 
  Alfun has constructed a fragile clay sphere that has several small 
  holes in it. Inside he has sealed several stirges along with some 
  glass jars of fragrant mud mixed with dried blood. When he 
  throws the bomb (Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 15/30 
  ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage), the mud splatters 
  over the target and the now freed stirges target the victim over all 
  other targets until they are satiated. If Alfun misses the target, 
  the bomb splatters at their feet and they must succeed at a DC 
  15 Dexterity saving throw or still be covered in the mud (but do 
  not take any bludgeoning damage). If the target succeeds, the 
  stirges choose their targets randomly.  
   
  The mud might be washed or scraped off or spread to 
  another foe at the DM's discretion. The DM is encouraged to 
  reward creative thinking.  
  The characters can recover 100 gp worth of various coins 
  from the cultists' pouches.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
   
  Very Weak party: Remove two troglodytes, one giant badger 
  and two stirges.   
   
  Weak party: Remove one troglodyte and one stirge.  
   
  Strong party: Add one troglodyte and one stirge. 
   
  Very strong party: Add one troglodyte and one svirfneblin. 
  The cultists are clearly insane. The troglodytes are hire 
  thugs, but Alfun and Lorn can be interrogated 
  successfully. Alfun and Lorn are members of the Cult of 
  the Black Earth who dreamed of the seed of fel earth 
  while passing through Mulmaster. Believing they had 
  been touched by The Mountain of Doom, they 
  immediately began digging for it with the plan to bring it 
  back to their cult. They are unable to tell the characters 
  anything useful to locate other cult members and endure 
  further interrogations stoically.  
  Once the characters have defeated the cultists, they can 
  claim the seed of fel earth and find their way out of the 
  living caverns via the tunnel dug by the cultists. 
   
  Climbing out through the tunnel dug by the cultists, you escape 
  the strange living caverns and finally see the light of day. You 
  bare an odd glowing brain-like crystal that pulses with life. What 
  do you do with it? 
   
  The characters need to decide what to do with the seed of 
  fel earth.  
   
  Give it to Leleanor. Leleanor is disappoint that the 
  characters were unable to find the long lost gold, but 
  is still interested in trying to find a buyer for the 
  strange crystal. She gives the characters 50 gp as 
  their share of the profits. 
   
  Give it to the Emerald Enclave. The Emerald 
  Enclave contact, Sarenolla the Whisperer meets the 
  characters outside Fort Iron and is deeply troubled to 
  see the seed of fel earth. Unwilling to touch it, she 
  has the characters put it in a leather bag and then 
  turns into an eagle and carriers it away to determine 
  what it is, and how to destroy it. She rewards the 
  characters with 25 gp. Characters that choose this 
  option succeed in the Emerald Enclave faction 
  assignment. Characters that bring back only pieces of 
  the seed still succeed in the Emerald Enclave faction 
  assignment but are not rewarded with any gold.  
   
  Give it to Other Faction. The faction is pleased the 
  characters think of them over their other options and 
  rewards the characters with 25 gp.  
   
  Give it to Elisande. Elisande looks at the seed with 
  wide eyes and then stares at the goat who nods. She 
  thanks characters ("Dis fer me?") and she picks up 
  the seed which causes the glow to fade. Looking sad, 
  she pitches the now dull-grey crystal into the nearest 
  ditch and is quickly distracted by a cat which she 
  chases as it runs away. The goat follows at a leisurely 
  pace.  
   
  Give it to Someone Else. The DM must adjudicate 
  an appropriate response.  
   
  Destroy It. Smashing the seed with a bludgeoning 
  weapon or tool causes the glow to fade from the 
  resulting fragments.  
   
  Characters Keep It. Only one character may keep 
  the seed. Whomever keeps it earns the "Seed of Fel 
  Earth" story award. Having removed it from the 
  living caverns, it no longer causes madness and after 
  a few days the glow appears to fade. 
  
   
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  18 
   
  Climbing out through the tunnel dug by the cultists, you escape 
  the strange living caverns and finally see the light of day. 
  Leleanor is disappointed to learn that you have not found the 
  long-lost gold, but she says with a smile, "I suppose that's the 
  life of an adventurer!" 
   
  Make sure note their rewards on their adventure 
  logsheets. Give your name and DCI number (if applicable) 
  so players can record who ran the session. 
  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 
  Specter 
   
   
   
  200 
  Shadow  
   
   
  100 
  Shard of Ogrémoch  
   
  100 
  Alfun Deeprock, svirfneblin 
   
  100 
  Giant badger 
   
   
  50 
  Lorn Tauh, acolyte  
   
  50 
  Troglodyte 
   
   
  50 
  Stirge 
   
   
   
  25 
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
  Research information about the mine 
  25 
  Talk to Elisande 
   
   
  25 
  Mine Tunnels 
   
   
  50 
  Removing the seed from the mine 
  50 
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 225 experience points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 300 experience points. 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided up 
  amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide 
  treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values 
  listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, 
  not their purchase price. 
   
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide. 
   Permanent magic items are divided according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Shard of Ogrémoch geodes 
   
  150 gp 
  Malus Blackiron's silver shield  
  50 gp 
  Cultists' loose coins  
   
  100 gp 
  Sell the seed of fel earth 
   
  50 gp 
   or 
  Give the seed of fel earth to a faction 
  25 gp 
   
  The characters may keep any of the mundane equipment 
  given to them by Leleanor in the Introduction.  
  Weapon, uncommon 
  This ancient axe is made of grey stone marbled with 
  purple veins. Its head is inscribed with ancient dwarven 
  runes and its haft is covered with the cured hide of a 
  purple worm. A description of this item can be found in 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Potion, uncommon 
  A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. 
  Potion, uncommon 
  A description of this item can be found in the Player’s 
  Handbook. 
  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. 
  
   
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  19 
  All faction members earn one renown point for 
  participating in this adventure. 
   
  Emerald Enclave characters earn one additional 
  renown point if the group surrenders the seed of fel earth 
  to the Emerald Enclave. 
   
  Lords Alliance characters earn one additional renown 
  point if the group returns the dwarven shield emblazoned 
  with the holy symbol of Deep Duerra to Groshin Lor. 
  The characters have the opportunity to earn the following 
  story reward during the course of play. 
    
  Seed of Fel Earth. You are in possession of the seed of 
  fel earth; a piece of Ogrémoch, the Prince of Evil Earth, 
  himself. Unbeknownst to you, the seed glows faintly while 
  you sleep. While you slumber, those around you can hear 
  the faint, yet distinct rumbling noises of something 
  burrowing closer and closer to you. 
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
  You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days for 
  running this session. 
  
   
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  20 
  Medium undead, chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 22 (5d8) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover) 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   1 (−5) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages understands all languages it knew in life but can’t 
  speak 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
    
  Incorporeal Movement. The specter can move through other 
  creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 
  (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the specter has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Life Drain. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 
  10 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced 
  by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts 
  until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect 
  reduces its hit point maximum to 0. 
   
  Medium undead, chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   6 (−2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  8 (−1) 
    
  Skills Stealth +4 (+6 in dim light or darkness) 
  Damage Vulnerabilities radiant 
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Amorphous. The shadow can move through a space as narrow as 
  1 inch wide without squeezing. 
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadow can 
  take the Hide action as a bonus action. 
  Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the shadow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. 
  Actions 
  Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target’s 
  Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces 
  its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target 
  finishes a short or long rest. 
   If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a new shadow 
  rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later. 
   
  Medium elemental, neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 11 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  8 (−1) 
  16 (+3) 
  3 (−4) 
  8 (−1) 
  3 (−4) 
   
  Damage Vulnerabilities thunder 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, 
  prone, unconscious 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages Terran 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Earth Walk. The shard of Ogrémoch can move across difficult 
  terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra 
  movement. 
  Trampling Charge. If the shard of Ogrémoch  moves at least 20 
  feet in a straight line toward a creature and then hits with a slam 
  attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, 
  the shard of Ogrémoch can move through the target's square 
  and continue its movement (provoking an attack of opportunity 
  from the prone creature if it moves out of its threated area). If 
  the shard of Ogrémoch comes to a second creature, it may 
  attempt another attack with its slam as a bonus action. The 
  second attack has no chance of knocking the foe prone. 
  Actions 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage. 
  
   
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  21 
  Small humanoid (gnome), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d6 + 6) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Skills Investigation +3, Perception +2, Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Gnomish, Terran, Undercommon 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
   
  Stone Camouflage. The gnome has advantage on Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain. 
  Gnome Cunning. The gnome has advantage on Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The gnome’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Intelligence (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components: 
  At will: nondetection (self only) 
  1/day each: blindness/deafness, blur, disguise self 
  Actions 
  War Pick. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Poisoned Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target 
  must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at 
  the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a 
  success. 
   
  Medium beast, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) 
  Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  2 (−4) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (−3) 
    
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Keen Smell. The badger has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on smell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The badger makes two attacks: one with its bite and 
  one with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage. 
   
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil 
    
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 9 (2d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Medicine +4, Religion +2 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Spellcasting. Lorn Tauh is a 1st-level spellcaster. His spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). 
  He has the following cleric spells prepared (asterisked spell is 
  from the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion): 
  Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (3 slots): bless, cure wounds, earth tremor* 
  Actions 
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
   
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  22 
  Medium humanoid (troglodyte), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 11 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  6 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Skills Stealth +2 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Troglodyte 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Chameleon Skin. The troglodyte has advantage on Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks made to hide. 
  Stench. Any creature other than a troglodyte that starts its turn 
  within 5 feet of the troglodyte must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the 
  creature’s next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is 
  immune to the stench of all troglodytes for 1 hour. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the troglodyte has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The troglodyte makes three attacks: one with its bite 
  and two with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. 
   
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 2 (1d4) 
  Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   4 (−3) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  2 (−4) 
  8 (−1) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the stirge 
  attaches to the target. While attached, the stirge doesn’t attack. 
  Instead, at the start of each of the stirge’s turns, the target loses 
  5 (1d4 + 3) hit points due to blood loss. 
   The stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. 
  It does so after it drains 10 hit points of blood from the target or 
  the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action 
  to detach the stirge. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  23 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
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  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
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  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  26 
   
  This section is provided to the Dungeon Master to help 
  keep track of the various NPCs present in the adventure. 
   
  Leleanor (luh-LEE-uh-nore). Human female. 
  Descendent of Aurora the Eclectic; author of the Whole 
  Realms Catalogue. Excitable, she is a shrewd 
  businesswoman despite her cheerful and trusting 
  demeanor. 
   
  Elisande (ELL-ih-sand). Human female. A young and 
  thoroughly disquieting girl. Introduced in DDEX1-3 
  Shadows over the Moonsea and appeared in DDEX-10 
  Tyranny in Phlan. Elisande is seldom seen without her 
  goat. 
   
  Goat (GOTE). Male goat. Goat eat food. Food goat food. 
  Food. 
   
  Malus Blackiron (MAL-us). Deceased male duergar. 
  Died within the Oubliette and wanders its corridors in 
  undeath. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  27 
   
  If you are DMing this adventure during the months of June or July 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/S02 - Elemental Evil/DDEX2-11 - Oubliette of Fort Iron.pdf