Out of the Abyss

Traversing the Darklake

The adventurers need to find a way to cross the Darklake on the way to their ultimate destination—out of the Underdark and back to the surface world. They might attempt to find a guide or hire passage in Sloobludop, but other possibilities could also present themselves.

Random Encounters

Every 4 hours that the characters are on the Darklake, roll a d20 and consult the Darklake Random Encounters table to determine what, if anything, they encounter. If the characters aren't moving—anchored or ashore, for example—any encounter is automatically a creature encounter.

Sloobludop

Slouching Toward Sloobludop

The characters can choose to go to Sloobludop for several reasons:

• They need a boat (and possibly a guide) to navigate the Darklake. Travel along the waterways of the Darklake is an excellent way to throw off their drow pursuers (see x for details).
• Staying a short while in Sloobludop can provide a respite from pursuit, since the drow are reluctant to provoke the kuo-toa needlessly. Reduce the pursuit level by 1 while the characters consider their next move.
• The characters need supplies and equipment, and hope the kuo-toa might be willing to trade for whatever they can offer. Alternatively, the characters might try to steal what they need from the kuo-toa.
• Shuushar might point out any of the previous reasons, or wish to go to Sloobludop to rejoin his people, feeling he has important guidance to offer them.
• Shuushar might not be the only one with "higher guidance." One or more characters might experience dreams or visions guiding them toward Sloobludop—not realizing that such dreams are simply further manifestations of the madness growing in the Underdark.

Notable Kuo-toa in Sloobludop

A number of important kuo-toa have the ability to influence the adventurers' fate in Sloobludop.

The Day's Catch

When the adventurers come within an hour's travel of Sloobludop, they encounter a party of eight kuo-toa led by a kuo-toa monitor. The fish-folk immediately attack, but their tactics show that they are attempting to capture the characters. The kuo-toa leave any fallen opponents unconscious at 0 hit points, intending to bring them back to Sloobludop as live offerings to the Deep Father. They bind prisoners with tough cords of gut, each with 2 hit points and requiring a successful DC 17 Strength check to break.

1. Gate

Sloobludop is enclosed to the north and south by outer "walls" of heavy netting with sharp bone hooks woven into them. In the middle of each wall is a gate through which creatures can safely pass. Any creature wishing to crawl through the netting can do so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the creature takes 1d8 piercing damage and becomes restrained in the netting, requiring a successful DC 12 Strength check as an action to break free.

Stationed outside each gate are four kuo-toa whips. They confront anyone who approaches. Party members escorted by other kuo-toa can pass through the gate unchallenged. If the characters are unescorted, any kuo-toa they meet attempt to capture them. Roll a d20. On a 1–7, captives are taken to area 3. On an 8–18, captives are taken to area 4. On a 19–20, the guards are evenly split and immediately begin to brawl for the right to take the characters as prisoners.

2. Docks

A half-dozen kuo-toan keelboats are moored here. Although kuo-toa will negotiate terms for ferrying the characters across the Darklake, none leave without permission (see below). Party members can attempt to steal one or more of the boats, but doing so requires a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth) check (and the kuo-toa are able to sense invisible creatures). The kuo-toa pursue any stolen boats, intending to capture the thieves as offerings to appease their gods.

Five groups of three kuo-toa monitors led by a kuo-toa whip patrol the platforms at the water's edge. They ensure no vessel enters or leaves without submitting to "auguries" to determine if a crew's actions are pleasing to the god of the hour—in this case, the Deep Father.

The auguries consist of a half-hour ritual, during which the whip casts bones, shells, and other tokens and reads the resulting omens. Roll a d20. On 1–8, the whip finds the omens favorable; on 9–18, he finds them unfavorable; and on 19–20, the auguries are unclear, and the whip feels the need to consult the archpriest of the Deep Father (area 4).

If the characters met or spoke with the archpriest of the Deep Father before coming here, the whip automatically refuses their request to leave.

3. Shrine of the Sea Mother

When the characters arrive here, on their own or escorted, read the following to the players:

All creatures that come here are expected to make an offering to the Great Sea Mother Blibdoolpoolp. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check recalls that Blibdoolpoolp is a scavenger goddess, meaning that discarded and recovered items are worthy offerings—and the more personal the better. Regurgitating at the goddess's feet is considered a sincere show of faith (and a behavior faithful kuo-toa might display if the characters wait long enough).

Four kuo-toa monitors guard the statue at all times, and there are always 2d4 kuo-toa worshipers around it offering prayers. Currently the shrine is tended by Glooglugogg, a kuo-toa whip and son of Ploopploopeen, the archpriest of the Sea Mother. The guards are wary of anyone, including other kuo-toa, due to recent tensions.

Ploopploopeen claims a small hovel adjacent to the shrine, where he is attended by four kuo-toa. This is where he brings the characters if they are his "guests."

4. Altar of the Deep Father

When the characters visit the altar of the Deep Father, read the following to the players:

Six kuo-toa work at the altar, cleaning up and arranging offerings. Klibdoloogut, a kuo-toa whip dedicated to the Deep Father, stands in front of the altar with two kuo-toa monitors. Offerings are usually living creatures killed on the altar, although an offering of one's own blood also satisfies the whip. Humanoids other than kuo-toa are immediately taken into custody to be brought before the archpriest of the Deep Father, who summarily condemns them to be sacrificed.

Bloppblippodd, a female kuo-toa archpriest of the Deep Father, lives on the bottom floor of a squat hovel near the altar. She is a bloodthirsty sadist absolutely assured that her divine vision will raise her in glory to rule her people. Bound and gagged against the far wall is a duergar prisoner (see "x").

The Offering

If allowed to do so, Ploopploopeen brings the characters to his quarters near the Shrine of the Deep Mother. There they meet Glooglugogg, who loudly tells his father in Undercommon that he sees no need for outsiders to be involved in sacred matters. The archpriest dismisses his son's concerns with a negligent wave, telling Glooglugogg that he must flow with the currents of the goddess's visions. The whip relents but throws the characters a hostile glare.

Within the hour, twelve kuo-toa led by a kuo-toa monitor arrive at Ploopploopeen's quarters. The archpriest of the Sea Mother admits the monitor and informs him that he, his whip, and the prisoners will accompany them to see the archpriest of the Deep Father. They are escorted to the altar of the Deep Father near the docks, where Bloppblippodd awaits them. Describe the scene to the players as given in that area, then read the following boxed text; if none of the characters speak Undercommon, the exchange is gibberish to them, though Shuushar can translate.

The followers of the Deep Father are already preparing to sacrifice a bruised and bedraggled duergar named Hemeth—an arms smuggler who was looking to cut a deal with one or both factions of the kuo-toa, but instead found himself captured for his trouble. He's willing to cooperate with the characters to save his own skin, and will even return the favor given the opportunity (see chapter 4, "Gracklstugh").

The Ritual

Kuo-toa parade around the altar in a wide circle as they chant. Part of their path sends them splashing and wading through the shallows of the Darklake. The characters quickly can't tell one faction of fish-folk from the other, but they see the archpriest of the Sea Mother and his whip moving toward the altar.

Bloppblippodd calls for the sacrifices to be brought forth, and one kuo-toa per character jumps to do her bidding. They prod the characters with their spears to herd them toward a slight depression 20 feet from the altar, with a large grate at its center. The characters can see that the stonework of the depression is stained with the blood of innumerable sacrifices, and they can hear the gentle lapping of the Darklake coming up through the grate. The chanting grows louder.

When the sacrifices are brought forward, Bloppblippodd gestures toward the altar, whereupon her father suddenly attacks, striking her with his scepter. Kuo-toa loyal to him surge forward to attack, while the guards that brought the characters forward stand in shock. They are surprised and can't move or take an action on their first turn of the combat, and they can't take reactions until that first turn ends.

As the two archpriests and their followers fight, the characters can intervene on either side or attempt to slip away during the melee.

On round 3 of the fight, characters notice kuo-toa crying out and flailing in the shallows of the Darklake. Several are pulled under or strike at unseen foes beneath the surface. The water foams red with blood.

Dozens of ixitxachitl (see appendix C) are responsible for the attacks in the water. They have been drawn by the kuo-toa ritual and feast on any creatures they can reach, including party members in the water. The sudden frenzy sets a wave of panic through the kuo-toa. The young archpriest calls out "Leemooggoogoon!" just as her father strikes a final, fatal blow, dropping her before the profane altar. (If any character is also engaging the archpriest of the Deep Father, allow that character to strike the final blow.)

Demogorgon Rises!

Although Bloppblippodd falls, the ritual still achieves a terrible success. Read the following:

The kuo-toa offerings and the fervor of his worshipers in the Darklake have drawn the attention of Demogorgon (see appendix D). Upon witnessing the rise of the Prince of Demons, each party member must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or gain a level of madness (see "x" in chapter 2). The kuo-toa become incapacitated for 1d10 minutes, crying out "Leemooggoogoon!" over and over again.

Demogorgon wades toward Sloobludop, heads roaring and gibbering, tentacles flailing and smashing the water. In 4 rounds, he comes within reach of the shoreline and lashes out, smashing docks and sending bodies flying with each sweep of his tentacles. When the demon lord attacks, some kuo-toa recover their wits enough to flee, while others cower, paralyzed with fear.

XP Awards

In addition to the XP awards earned for the creatures the party overcomes in this chapter, the characters earn 400 XP (divided equally among all party members) for surviving the encounter with the Cult of the Deep Father and their brush with the Prince of Demons.