Princes of the Apocalypse

Arrival in Red Larch

For descriptions of buildings and NPCs in Red Larch, see x. The characters might be locals or travelers. They and players learn about the area as the party explores the town and meets its citizens.

The Swinging Sword (area 2) is the only inn, and the Helm at Highsun (area 3) is a large tavern across the street from the inn. Locals gather at Gaelkur's store (area 17) or the tavern to gossip. Ironhead Arms (area 13) is the best place to buy weapons and armor, and Helvar Tarnlar (area 7) sells well-made clothing for travelers. Red Larch doesn't have a mayor, but Constable Harburk (area 11) keeps the peace. Characters affiliated with factions might know the names of faction agents and supporters in town.

Bears and Bows

Constable Harburk (Red Larch, area 11) has heard rumors of a bandit lair south of town. If the characters investigate this lead, read the following:

The four bandits attack strangers, preferring ranged attacks. Their hideout is a cave full of stolen food, wine, weapons, and coins. They stole a wagon loaded with a giant boar in a stout iron cage, bound for a noble in Waterdeep. They ate the beast, but then captured a black bear.

The bandits broke the cage's lock, so they have it spiked shut with an iron piton. Starved, the bear uses an action to heave itself into the cage door when any violence starts. If it makes a successful DC 15 Strength check, it bursts free. The bear then attacks the closest creature or the creature that hurt it most recently. It runs off when reduced to fewer than half its hit points.

Haunted Tomb

Minthra Mhandyvver's granddaughter Pell (Red Larch, area 14) knows where this tomb is, as does Mangobarl Lorren (Red Larch, area 8).

Over time, many rich folks built in the valley. Some are buried in old tombs near town. One such tomb is the final resting place of a forgotten noble who was a warrior in his day.

If the characters scout the area before entering the tomb passage, they discover a brigand camp hidden in a boulder jumble 150 feet away. A goblin named Mougra and a half-ogre named Geeraugh have been watching the tomb. They attack anyone who invades their camp. Otherwise, they might ambush the characters—see the next section.

Bloody Treasure

In the hills south of the Larch Path is a cave known to Red Larchers as Tricklerock Cave. Albaeri Mellikho (Red Larch, area 18) and Elak Dornan (Red Larch, area 12) point the characters to this location.

If the characters enter the crevice, read the following:

The cave is home to four stirges, which attack as soon as a character enters the cave. Contrary to local rumors, there is no treasure to be found in Tricklerock Cave.

The Last Laugh

Endrith Vallivoe (Red Larch, area 22) heard a report that might lead the characters here.

Black parchment (actually dyed human skin) is wrapped around the arrow just in front of the fletching. It is a message that reads, in Common:

The arrow's point is of black-painted metal, and it punched a hole through the back of the skull and sank deep into the tree. Anyone who handles the arrow has nightmares of the skull rushing at them, laughing coldly. Such persons have been marked. For a tenday, undead attack them reluctantly and as a last possible target.

Lance Rock

Characters who confront troublesome situations in the wilderness attract the attention of Kaylessa Irkell, proprietor of the Swinging Sword (Red Larch, area 2). Kaylessa believes an evil influence emanating from Lance Rock is the source of Red Larch's troubles. She asks the characters, who should still be 1st level, to find out what's going on. The characters discover that a necromancer who styles himself a "lord" is lurking in a cave near the landmark.

Southwest of Red Larch, Lance Rock is visible for miles. When the characters can see it, read the following text:

The menhir is gray granite, unlike the surrounding limestone. (A dragon dropped it here long ago.) A few hundred feet south of the stone is a ravine choked with brush. A trail leads into the brush near a neatly-painted sign that reads, in Common:

The trail continues down to a cave mouth. Another warning sign with the same message is posted by the opening. If the characters explore the cave, proceed with the "Necromancer's Cave" encounters below.

L1. Entry Cave

A body is sprawled on the floor 60 feet into the passage. When the characters get close enough to take a good look at the body, read the following:

The body is a zombie, but it animates only if touched. Then, it attacks.

L2. Guard Cave

The boulder is stained with dry blood.

Above the eastern entrance, two zombies stand on a ledge 10 feet up. They hold a wooden box full of rocks between them. When they spot an intruder, they let the box go so it crashes down on the interloper. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. The zombies then jump down from the ledge (taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage each) to attack.

L3. Corpse Cave

Twelve corpses are stored in this chamber. Seven are skeletal, and five are fresher. Three skeletons remain still among the other remains. They attack anyone who touches them or the corpses here.

L4. Dancing Dead

The passage that leads to this room from the north can be described as follows:

Eventually this natural passage widens out:

These three zombies are dressed to entertain the Lord of Lance Rock by acting out grotesque comedies. They have orders to playact for a few moments when they spot intruders, using the distraction to approach and attack.

Sounds of combat in this room alert the necromancer Oreioth (in area L5) that intruders are nearby. Oreioth climbs the stairs in x to peer into the end of the western passage (see that section), hoping to get a chance to trigger the trap there.

L5. Workshop

The hooded figure is a zombie, and five crawling claws hide among the other body parts in the baskets. If intruders do anything other than turn back, the monsters attack.

The "Lord of Lance Rock" is Oreioth (see chapter 7), a wild-eyed Tethyrian human with a bristly beard and a shaved head. If the characters moved through x alerting him, they find Oreioth arranging and cleaning his tools on the tool bench. Otherwise, he watches warily from behind the four skeletons. In any case, if confronted, he shrinks from conflict and orders his skeletons to attack while he retreats into area L6.

The necromancer refers to himself in the third person and by his self-appointed title. He's afraid of physical confrontation, but he pretends bravery when his pets shield him, saying, "Bow before the Lord of Lance Rock! Me! Behold my dark terrors!" He's willing to magnanimously consider a surrender or offers of truce, as long as intruders leave the cave.

L6. Study

The workshop narrows into another passage that splits and links up twice. It gently descends to this area described as follows:

For the sigil, show the players the Elder Elemental Eye symbol (see x) without additional context. The sigil is an illusion that disappears if it or the pedestal is disturbed.

If he is here, Oreioth (see chapter 7) is hiding behind the draperies at the north end of the room, holding a wand of magic missiles. He reacts only if attacked or someone approaches the floating sigil. In this latter case, he yells, "Can't you see it? It's the Eye! It sees your every move! Don't you fear it?"

If he dies, Oreioth turns into a black flame. The flame dwindles to nothing with a plaintive wail and vanishes.

Sinkhole

If the characters don't find any leads to this scenario, a sinkhole opens in the middle of Red Larch, exposing the hidden chambers. In that eventuality, read the following text when you're ready to start:

Any creature that moves to the sinkhole's edge without taking precautions, such as lying flat on the ground and crawling forward or securing themselves with a rope, must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the hole as the ground crumbles further. The bottom of the sinkhole is 30 feet down, but a cushioning heap of loose earth has already cascaded into the underlying cavern, so those who fall take no damage.

When characters can see within, read the following:

The sinkhole exposes x in the Tomb of Moving Stones. Townsfolk who've fallen in are scared, bruised, and unable to climb out without aid, but otherwise unharmed.

The town elders trying to control the situation are Ilmeth Waelvur (male Tethyrian human bandit; see Red Larch, area 16), Albaeri Mellikho (female Tethyrian human commoner; see Red Larch, area 18), and Ulhro Luruth (male Chondathan human commoner; see Red Larch, area 19). Anxious to keep anyone from discovering that the sinkhole leads to passages, they make statements such as, "This isn't to be discussed in front of strangers!" and "The Delvers must not be angered!" and "The stones must not be moved!" Such commands elicit little obedience from the frightened townsfolk.

If no character has a rope, a helpful resident arrives with an old coil. He or she pushes past the elders to offer the rope to the characters. Children wail down in the pit as more onlookers arrive. It's clearly time for a rescue mission.

Rescuing those who've fallen is a matter of lowering a rescuer down with a rope, tying it around a victim, and having people above haul away. The townsfolk are grateful for the characters' aid.

T1. Entry Cavern

If the sinkhole opened up, this cavern has a pile of dirt in the center and a gaping, 20-foot-diameter hole in the 30-foot-high ceiling.

The waterskin is half full of water. The cloaks are quite plain. They belong to Believers who don't want to attract attention while coming or going from the entrance tunnel.

The stone door to the east has no lock. It slides open smoothly. Beyond it, a passage of dressed stone slopes downward, continuing east to area T2.

T2. Stone Sentinels

The doors slide open easily if pushed. To the south, the door leads to a long stone tunnel that ends in a pit covered by a stone bench with a hole in it (a privy unused for decades). The door on the north side of the hall guards a passage leading to area T5.

T3. Cage Trap

If the party continues east along the tunnel past area T2, they walk into a trap. Read the following text only if a character examines the ceiling:

Ten iron cages are suspended from chains over the hallway, and the "panels" are the cage bottoms. The true ceiling is 25 feet high, and each cage hangs from 5 feet of heavy chain and is 10 feet tall. The bottom panels appear to be a 10-foot ceiling from the hallway. The panels are thin plaster painted to resemble stone.

When the characters can see the eastern end of the hall, read the following:

Unless Grund (male half-orc thug) has already been dealt with, he is peering through the viewing slit. With his darkvision, he spots approaching characters 60 feet away, but if the characters are carrying light sources, he notices them as soon as they pass the doors in area T2.

Grund's orders are to trap intruders. Anyone who isn't an intruder is supposed to pause 60 feet from the door, cross his or her fists, and call out, "A Believer approaches!" Grund drops cages on anyone who doesn't follow this protocol.

T4. Antechamber

Depending on what has happened in area T3, Grund (male half-orc thug) might be standing by the western door, keeping watch down the hallway. Grund is baffled by intruders that arrive behind him. After standing and gaping for a moment, he finally says, "You can't be here. You have to go!" He points down the western hallway. In obvious exasperation and desperation, he attacks anyone who attempts to leave by the eastern door.

Pinned under a pile of small boulders is an eleven-year-old boy named Braelen Hatherhand (male Tethyrian human commoner with 2 hit points and no effective attacks). He is drifting in and out of consciousness. If strangers enter the room, he revives enough to feebly plead for his freedom.

T5. Charnel Chamber

Characters catch the scent of death as they approach this room.

Five giant rats found their way in through the narrow crevices, which are just big enough for the rodents to squeeze through. Two are in the middle of the room, and three more lurk in the crevices. Believers don't yet know the rats are here, and the grisly meal is sufficient to keep the rats from wandering. The giant rats ignore intruders that give them a wide berth and avoid startling them. They attack if harmed or provoked.

The bodies are those of travelers who disappeared near Red Larch. Each has the symbol of the earth cult cut deeply enough in the forehead to mark the skull. To pass a test commanded by the earth cultist Larrakh (see area T9), Believers waylaid and killed the travelers in separate incidents over the last month. The Believers are rarely murderers, but Larrakh is maneuvering them into darker and darker deeds.

T6. Hovering Stone

A normal rock floats here because of ancient magic that maintains an invisible floor-to-ceiling cylinder that is 10 feet wide. Visible to detect magic (transmutation school), the column enables objects placed and left in it to float where released. The column can hold up to 500 pounds. Objects in excess of this weight fall. If the characters move the rock, which weighs 20 pounds, out of the column, it is freed from the effect and crashes to the floor.

T7. Dwarf Statue

The statue is a petrified and long-dead dwarf. On the frame holding it together, a small, neat inscription reads:

The ring of gravel surrounds the statue at a distance of 5 feet, intended to mark a suitably respectful distance from the statue. Believers have a tradition of leaving small valuables here for luck. Larrakh urges them to bring more each tenday so he can collect it and take it with him when he leaves Red Larch.

T8. Approach

The human is an elder of Red Larch named Baragustas Harbuckler, a retired carpenter (male Tethyrian human commoner).

T9. Chamber of Moving Stones

If the characters speak to Baragustas in x or examine the door to this area, a Black Earth priest (see chapter 7) named Larrakh hears them. If he does, he quickly sets down his lantern and hides. The following descriptive text assumes this is the case:

Larrakh is hidden behind one of the larger stones. He spends almost all his time in this chamber, studying the old stones and experimenting with the magical floor. When he sees the characters, he lashes out at them with his magic.

Conclusion

The aftermath of the discovery of the Tomb of Moving Stones depends on how the last few encounters played out, in particular the discovery of bodies in area T5. The corpses are those of murder victims.

If the characters didn't pay much attention to the bodies, then the remaining Believers are able to abscond with them and bury them elsewhere before Harburk finds them. Red Larch is scandalized, but it's a matter of secrets and lies, not murder and justice.

If the characters expressed curiosity about the bodies, or if you deem it likely that Constable Harburk reached x before Believers did, then matters grow more serious. Harburk quickly draws the correct conclusion that the Believers are the murderers. The constable launches a full-fledged investigation.

If he can, Harburk questions Grund and Baragustas. Grund didn't kill anyone or witness the murders, but admits to helping stash the corpses. He says Albaeri Mellikho and Ilmeth Waelvur oversaw the process. Baragustas is also innocent of any overt wrongdoing, so he's quick to confirm Grund's story and exonerate himself.

Marlandro Gaelkur, Albaeri Mellikho, and Ilmeth Waelvur are the actual culprits. Mellikho maintains her innocence in the face of all evidence, blustering loudly. Waelvur breaks down and confesses his involvement, and he implicates Mellikho. Gaelkur plays it cool as long as he can, and tries flees town a few tendays later when it becomes clear Waelvur is about to implicate him as well. The murderers also tell of Larrakh's part in the scandal, and of their use of his magic dagger.

This drama plays out over the course of the next month, with some Believers fleeing the town and others disavowing any knowledge of the murders. It might be tempting for the characters to get involved, but they have the four elemental cults to contend with. Justice for the Believers can play out in the background during the characters' next few visits to Red Larch.

Using the Treks

Side treks presented in this chapter are summarized in this section, along with their level. Options for involving the characters are presented in the next section and in the side treks themselves. Some are directly related to the elemental cults, and others are situations unconnected to the cults that demand immediate attention. These short adventures can provide a good change of pace.

Setup

This adventure occurs when the characters encounter Nalaskur Thaelond (male half-elf spy). He asks the characters to run the inn for a tenday or so, promising handsome pay and a good recommendation to his superiors. If the characters accept, Nalaskur designates one character (preferably someone associated with the Zhentarim) as the innkeeper and tells him or her where the keys are, and of the importance of those keys (see the "Key Duty" section below). He is in a hurry to leave, so he doesn't hand them over personally.

If the characters refuse, Thaelond leaves them a note about the keys and travels to Waterdeep. Before doing so, he tells the inn staff the characters accepted the job. Others in the Bargewright Inn rush to the characters when things start to go wrong.

If the characters have no connection to the Zhentarim, someone they've befriended or owe a favor to agrees to run the inn. That person then begs the characters for aid. Alternatively, the characters are merely present as events unfold.

Since the Zhentarim controls the Bargewright Inn, any number of scouts, spies, and thugs might be present in the inn complex. These agents could be at rest or on special missions. In any case, all of them look out for Zhentarim interests.

Key Duty

The innkeeper's foremost duty is ensuring keys to the gates and crucial inner doors remain safe from foes of the Zhentarim. The organization's negotiations, trade, and logistical preparations must remain secure. All the keys are hung in a cabinet in the innkeeper's office near the tavern taproom. The cabinet and office are locked when no one is using the office.

The black, thick-barreled keys are as long as a big human's hand, with distinctive red teardrops painted on their handle ends. The number of red drops identifies which lock each key belongs to.

Six keys go missing immediately after Nalaskur leaves for Waterdeep. Inglor, keen to impugn Nalaskur's judgment, steals them and stashes them in a chest in the attic of the southern tower. At the latest, characters notice the keys are gone from their usual location when Chalaska asks for some so she can lock up for the night.

The six missing keys unlock the outer wall's main gate, the outer wall's postern, two similar inner wall gates, the meeting rooms in the southern inn tower, and the strong room at the base of the northern tower. This last room is where the Zhentarim store pay chests, stolen items, valuables, and important objects.

Strong Room Burglary

While everyone is dealing with Kendrin, Inglor takes the opportunity to find out what's hidden in Nalaskur's strong room. To discredit Chalaska, for allowing the burglary, and Nalaskur, for leaving the Bargewright in incompetent hands, Inglor takes 500 gp. He then ransacks the room.

Before leaving the strong room, Inglor carefully places two distinctive silver fox-head buttons that he stole from a dress shirt of Chalaska's. Most of Bargewright's locals and all the Swords recognize the buttons. Inglor then leaves with the door ajar.

Inglor stashes 200 gp in the chest where he previously hid the keys. He then sneaks the keys and 300 gp into Chalaska's bedroom.

Its possible the characters spot Inglor about his skulduggery. When moving around the inn, though, he doesn't usually act in a suspicious way. He's a handyman, and he has a reason to be just about anywhere in the inn.

General Alarm

After the burglary, Inglor goes into the other areas of Bargewright Inn. Among the locals, he starts a whispering campaign about something odd going on inside the inn. He reminds those who listen that Chalaska is responsible for security.

If no one raises the alarm about the strong room within a few hours, Inglor "discovers" its door ajar in the morning. Due to Inglor's gossip the night before, more people than usual are in the inn's taproom for breakfast. He announces the problem publicly and urges someone to investigate. The dwarf even volunteers to be the first searched if that might "get things going."

As the investigation proceeds, he says, "I heard there was some sort of kerfuffle over Chalaska last night. Someone had a note about her?" He later adds, "Nothing like this happened while Nalaskur was in charge. Maybe he should have been here."

Conclusion

At this point, the clues all point at Chalaska. The strong room has her buttons. Her room contains the keys and some stolen gold, as well as her damaged shirt. She grows more agitated as the evidence mounts. As the Senior Sword, she takes a gamble, influencing some loyal Swords to help her. The renegades bar themselves in the strong room.

A thorough search might turn up the chest in the southern tower's attic and the gold there. In this case, Inglor's greed might be his undoing. His bootprints are in the dust on the attic's floor. Chalaska's aren't.

Nalaskur returns to find the Bargewright Inn in the state the characters' decisions lead to. With his ledger, he confirms that 500 gp is missing from the store room, not just 300. This final discovery might lead to another search that eventually points to Inglor, who is the only dwarf on staff inside the inn.

If not, Inglor succeeds. Chalaska is discredited and removed from service. Nalaskur loses face with the Zhentarim, as do the characters.

Background

The Iceshield orcs reside in a handful of lodges spaced about a day apart along the western edge of the High Forest. They have long been a thorn in the side of the denizens of that wood and the settlers who farm and ranch in the plains to the west. Now the Iceshields have become a prominent threat. Disruptions to the weather and landscape due to the powerful magic being used by the elemental cults has been taken as a sign from Gruumsh that blood and gold must flow from the lands of lesser races.

The orcs seek supply sources in the valley. Scouts found that the farmers and ranchers in the area are prime options. Now, roving war bands attack the frontier families directly, raiding the homesteads with impunity. In addition to stealing livestock, the Iceshields take any carts and wagons they find, loading them with loot. They take the families as slaves and force them to tow the conveyances back to the Iceshield lodges.

Some independent-minded squads of orcs decided that the fertile land of the homesteads was more appealing than serving as underlings in their own lodges, and they killed the original owners to occupy the land. They have no intention of farming the crops or tending the livestock, but they intend to stay until the food runs out, then move on to the next settlement.

The homesteaders, in conjunction with members of the Emerald Enclave and the Order of the Gauntlet, asked the elves of the High Forest for aid. The elves organized hunting parties to put an end to the disturbance. Now the farmers and ranchers are trying to hang on long enough for the elves to quell the uproar.

Setup

While traveling through the area, the characters discover the burning homestead of the Anderil Farm. Orcs attacked, taking a few farmers prisoner and setting the place ablaze. From there, the characters travel to the Dellmon Ranch, where they can aid in its defense until help from High Forest elves arrives.

Alternatively, use one of the following options to draw the characters into this side trek:

• The next time the characters head into town for recuperation, supplies, or any other errand, they hear about the orc raids from displaced locals, who ask for help.
• Members of the Order of the Gauntlet, perhaps in Summit Hall, look for other faction members to find Erned Stoutblade, because he hasn't been heard from in several days (see the "Dellmon Ranch" section).
• Members of the Emerald Enclave are worried about missing members of the delegation sent to meet with the elves of the High Forest and need someone to search for them (see the "Dellmon Ranch" section). Using the animal messenger spell, the delegation sent a message, saying, "We're trapped at Dellmon Ranch and besieged by an orc war band. Safe for now, but we dare not leave. Send aid. Make sure they're tough."

Smoke on the Horizon

This encounter occurs early in the day. As the party travels, they spot smoke. Read the following text:

The burning farm is within five minutes' travel. Once the characters approach within sight, read the following:

Selwyn Anderil, a male half-elf, and his human wife, Maygan, have lived on this farm for eight years. Maygan is expecting the couple's first child. They employ two laborers, a pair of young human brothers named Ob and Fip Lavelle who came to the region from Waterdeep to escape city life and enjoy the country.

Iceshield orcs attacked the homestead about an hour ago, taking Maygan and the brothers captive. They gravely wounded Selwyn, who was beaten into unconsciousness while trying to protect his wife. The orcs forced the brothers to load the family's wagon with everything the orcs thought they could use. After setting fire to the barn and house, the orcs departed, forcing the brothers to pull the wagon. Maygan was stuffed in the wagon among the cargo.

Dellmon Ranch

The Dellmon family has lived in this area for several generations and is well known by the other homesteaders in the region. They are a wealthy family, having worked hard to cultivate their land, and they aren't willing to let a bunch of orcs drive them off. They've heard the stories of the rampaging orc war bands and seen the scouts nearby. When the attacks began on the smaller homesteads in the vicinity, Kerbin Dellmon sent out word that anyone could stay at their compound for safety. A number of farmers and ranchers took the Dellmons up on their offer.

Every able-bodied person on the premises pitched in to help bolster the defenses. They built a series of low earth ridges and ditches as defensive works running between the various buildings (see the map) and put together makeshift crenellations on the roof lines for missile combatants. They also stockpiled weapons and caches of ammunition.

Running the Siege

You have a few options on how to run the battle. Consider the following:

• You can treat each defender and orc as an individual, and run the combat as a long, complex encounter. If you do so, the players should control some of the NPCs.
• You can streamline parts of the fight. The map of the ranch has been divided into specific zones, and you can run regular battles only in the zone(s) player characters occupy, summarizing results from the other zones based on how you'd like the narrative to work. This method increases speed of play and lowers complexity.
• You can concentrate solely on the characters and their foes, glossing over all of the other fighting and just making an educated guess as to the outcome. This method is the quickest for resolving the battle.

The orcs could easily defeat twice their number of commoners, but with the defenses available to the ranchers, the odds improve considerably. The ranchers don't have to defeat the orcs outright. They just have to survive. You want to create tension and make it seem like the outcome teeters on the brink of disaster. Near the end of the battle, the elves show up as described in the "Relief Arrives" section.

Conclusion

The orcs are slain, scattered, or sent running back to their lodges. Farmers and ranchers hail the characters as heroes and pool meager resources to offer a reward of 25 gp per character. Members of the Emerald Enclave or Order of the Gauntlet receive appropriate kudos. Those could include renown, if you're using the optional rule described in chapter 1, "A World of Your Own," of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Increase the reward from the faction, and the locals' opinion of the adventurers, if the characters refuse to take money from the farm and ranch folk. Those people immediately set about rebuilding their lives.

Setup

The Zhentarim wants to start a small caravan from Womford and use its usual contingent of guards and drovers. They hire the characters as armed escorts for Ascaleld Marurryn, a negotiator for a new Sembian-sponsored merchant coster called the Rolling Wheel.

Shopkeepers affiliated with the Black Network approach the characters. They are prepared to do so several times, with each potential employer making a separate offer of around 20 gp per character. The characters could arrange to be paid several times over for the same work. Their terms are the standard "quarter up front, second quarter when we get to Triboar, and the last half when the wagons return to Bargewright." If pressed, the patrons add up-front bonuses, lump sums paid at the first rest stop on the outbound journey.

The caravan travels from Womford to Red Larch along the Cairn Road, then heads north along the Long Road through Westbridge to its final destination of Triboar.

Bandit Attack

Bandits watch for an opportunity to waylay caravans. When the characters stop for their first night, a large gang of outlaws closes in to try its luck. The band is made up of sixteen bandits led by one bandit captain.

The bandits try to take out sentinels outside the camp perimeter first. Otherwise, the attack starts with a volley of sixteen bolts, lit on fire and all directed at one wagon. The wagon starts to burn, and the attackers flee back toward their camp. Anyone pursuing them is led up over a ridge, straight into an ambush of the massed bandits waiting below the crest.

Haeler and his guards are preoccupied by the burning wagon, because they need to focus on removing the coin coffers.

If no one from the encampment rushes to find who fired on them, the bandits return. They use the light of the burning wagon to target individuals. The bandits prefer to harry the caravan from cover and mount an attack once the defenders are weakened.

None of the bandits is willing to die. They retreat so they can attack the caravan again later.

Second Bandit Attack

Before the second bandit attack, Haeler comes to the characters and asks for advice on defending the caravan. He's sure surviving bandits will attack again.

The bandits attack again on the second night, repeating the same tactics but refining their targets to reflect what they've learned of the caravan's strengths and weaknesses.

Oxen are of little use to the bandits except as food, so they target the beasts this time around, hoping to strand the wagons along the road so they can harry the caravan defenders at will. Use the rhinoceros statistics for the oxen, but remove the Charge feature.

Again, the bandits aren't willing to die to win. The wounded retreat as soon as they can.

Howling Hatred Attack

Just before dawn on the third morning, four Howling Hatred initiates (see chapter 7) try to prove their usefulness to the air cult by attacking the caravan. They've been watching the group for awhile, so they bide their time, especially if the characters acquit themselves well in the second bandit attack. They swoop in, riding giant vultures, and hurl javelins at the characters (not the Zhentarim NPCs or drovers). They try for at least one kill, making a second pass before flying away.

Conclusion

The return journey is much quieter, except for random encounters. The bandits are still licking their wounds, and cultists have been reined in by their superiors.

Setup

As part of their assassination plot, Wiggan and Bertram Nettlebee have constructed an elaborate ruse. They unearthed a nearby Uthgardt barrow mound and set it aflame. This plan was risky, since even Wiggan knows the Uthgardt barbarians have no tolerance for those who desecrate their burial mounds.

Bertram branded the Nettlebee livestock with the fire symbol. Wiggan claims the mark to be that of a "fire witch," frightening his family with the wild tale. By keeping their relatives ignorant and scared, Wiggan and Bertram feel they can maintain the ruse and more easily lure the characters into their trap.

As the characters adventure in the Sumber Hills, rumor reaches them of a fire witch dwelling in an Uthgardt barrow and terrorizing the Nettlebees. Locals who visited the ranch confirm the scorched barrow mound and describe the symbol. Fearful talk of an evil fire cult operating in the nearby hills fills every taproom in the vicinity. The gossip includes much pity for the Nettlebees, who are known for prize livestock. A helpful citizen might ask the characters to lend a hand.

Nettlebee Ranch

Characters might investigate the ranch, the pasture, or the fields. They can also go to the barrow mound, which is described later in its own section.

Barrow Mound

Long ago, Uthgardt barbarians built the barrow mound to hold the body of a chieftain, now forgotten. When Wiggan Nettlebee joined the Cult of the Black Earth, he looted the barrow mound's altars, upsetting the spirit of the chieftain.

A few days before the characters arrived, Wiggan and Bertram set the barrow ablaze to lend credence to their fire witch ruse. When the characters go to the barrow mound, Wiggan and Bertram follow them. They keep their distance unless the characters invite them to come along.

When the characters approach the barrow, they see the following:

If they accompany the characters openly, Wiggan and Bertram cower at the edge of the hill. The halflings refuse to set foot upon the "cursed" ground.

[image: Map 6.6: The Barrow Mound]

Uthgardt Vengeance

When the characters emerge from the barrow, read the following text:

Uthgardt of the fierce Elk tribe, as can be discerned from their garb and markings, this barbarian raiding band is led by a female berserker named Fennor. Other members include ten tribal warriors and a male berserker named Padraich. Fennor wears a chain shirt (AC 14), wields a greatsword that deals 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage on a hit, and has the Multiattack action, allowing her to use an action to make two attacks with her sword. She has a challenge rating of 3. Padraich wields a maul that deals 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage on a hit. The two berserkers ride warhorses.

Anyone native to the area knows Uthgardt of the Elk tribe are dangerous raiders. Most locals consider them to be savage bandits. Those who are from other regions know the Elk tribe reputation with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (History) check.

Final Confrontations

The characters have many choices. They can do nothing, which allows the barbarians to loot and destroy the ranch and kill every Nettlebee. (The Uthgardt show no mercy.) If the party chooses to attack the Uthgardt before they arrive at the ranch, the adventurers must also battle the revenant. At the ranch, Javor focuses on finding and killing Wiggan and Bertram, giving the characters a better chance against the raiders. For their part, the Uthgardt, despite portentous visions, are unwilling to perish to serve Javor. If they suffer significant losses, including either berserker, they make a fighting retreat through the pastures to steal sheep and ponies.

Conclusion

If Wiggan or Bertram somehow survive, they later flee to the Temple of Black Earth to report. The characters might encounter them again there. It's up to you whether the cult leaders spare them or punish them for the failure.

Shrine of the Tender Oath

Revered sites within the Vale of Dancing Waters include temples and shrines positioned throughout the gorge, rather than a single consolidated structure. Most of these spots a require a hike to reach from the main trail that follows the gorge. One such location is known as the Shrine of the Tender Oath, a small retreat where devotees can dwell for a time and contemplate the nature of love.

Recently, two unscrupulous treasure hunters, an oni named Obratu and a duergar named Reulek, discovered evidence of the lost cellars of King Torhild Flametongue's summer palace. The fragmentary map sketches and journal entries they recovered suggested two possible entrances. One is in close proximity to the Shrine of the Tender Oath, and another is beneath the Sumber Hills.

Reulek opted to seek the subterranean route, and he subsequently died in the Black Geode (see x, area G8). Obratu cut a deal with a dwarf named Grumink and his crew of renegade miners. The oni and its allies sneaked into the shrine, used deceit and magic to overcome the few worshipers, and began digging. They have gone unnoticed by other dwarves in the region.

Setup

A dwarf acquaintance asks the characters to go to the Vale of Dancing Waters. Which NPC asks the characters is up to you. He or she might need help due to infirmity, which might be eased by holy water from the vale, or might instead be honoring the characters with a visit to this sacred place. In any case, it should be made clear that the vale is usually off limits to non-dwarves.

Once the characters agree, they receive instructions on how to find the vale. The group must ride on the Dessarin River to a certain bend, climb next to a waterfall toward a prominent bluff, and a hike along a narrow trail through heavy underbrush. The dwarf asking for aid also gives the characters a signed and sealed document proclaiming them friends of the dwarves who have permission to visit the vale. Lastly, he or she explains that the side path to the Shrine of the Tender Oath is subtly marked with a pair of Dethek runes, the first letter of the dwarven words for "Tender" and "Oath."

The trip to the vale can be as eventful as you like, but once the characters reach the right spot, start with area D1.

D1. Switchbacks

The approach to the Shrine of the Tender Oath begins as a short but steep flight of steps cut into the side of the gorge. Two of the creeks in the Vale of Dancing Waters meet near the steps before tumbling on toward the Dessarin River. The trail continues upriver to other parts of the vale, so unless the characters know about the runes, it's easy to miss the beginning of the steps; it takes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice them.

After twenty steps, the stairs turn into a narrow path that follows switchbacks up the wall of the gorge. The characters must walk single-file. The journey takes half an hour.

Two-thirds of the way up, at a switchback turnaround, Grumink's miners constructed a trap. Its purpose is to make noise and warn the lookouts in x above, but it's also dangerous. A character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices a steel tripwire fastened between boulders about two inches from the ground. A character who is looking for traps instead finds the tripwire with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.

If the tripwire is sprung, it tumbles one boulder along with a rush of smaller stones and gravel down the path. The first two creatures ascending the trail must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature is knocked prone and takes 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. A failure by 5 or more results in the creature being knocked from the pathway, sliding and falling to the next lower level of the path, and taking an additional 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage.

Cutting the tripwire triggers the trap. To disarm it, the wire must be disconnected, kept tight, and traced back to the wood panel it holds, shoring up the loose boulder and rocks. Then the boulder must be further supported until it can't fall due to lack of tension on the tripwire. Reworking the trap this way can be done in a few ways, but checks to do so are no worse than DC 10.

D2. Shrine Entrance

As the characters reach the top of the switchbacks, read the following text:

Two dwarf guards stand watch atop this stony shelf. Instead of spears and shields, they carry warhammers that they wield with two hands (1d10 + 1 bludgeoning damage on a hit). Without shields, they have AC 14. Whether or not the guards are present depends on how quietly the characters approach:

• If the characters trigger the trap in x or make no attempt to approach quietly, the dwarf guards detect them and aren't here. They have retreated to the courtyard (area D3).
• If the characters don't trigger the trap in x and make an effort to be stealthy, the guards are here, talking quietly in Dwarvish.

In the latter case, the faint sound of hammering can be heard from somewhere beyond the courtyard (see area D7).

D3. Courtyard

If the characters took out the guards in area D2, the courtyard is unguarded, and they can hear hammering from somewhere north of the courtyard (area D7).

D4. Dormitory

The passage west from the courtyard becomes a long hallway with a series of stone doors on either side. Read the following aloud the first time a character enters one of the rooms:

If the characters make a point of poking around, they spot a trace of blood or other signs of violence on a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.

D5. Chapel

This chapel is dedicated to Sharindlar. The renegade dwarves left this place alone.

D6. Hall of Vows

If the characters have come this far without alerting the creatures in area D7, they can hear hammering from upstairs. The carvings continue along the walls of the stairs as they rise toward the temple. Each flight of stairs ends at a wide brown curtain.

D7. Temple

This chamber serves as the main ceremonial hall for dwarven worship of Sharindlar. The windows that line the south wall are open rectangles 7 feet high by 2 feet wide.

Grumink and his team have been hard at work, trying to dig through the stone behind the altar. If Grumink is unaware of the characters, refer to the "Dwarves at Work" section. If Grumink knows the characters are coming, refer to the "Dwarves Alerted" section instead. Grumink is hostile toward the characters in either scenario, mistaking them for competitors.

Conclusion

Characters who defeat Grumink, Obratu, and their minions can explore the rest of the shrine. If the find the bodies of the slain priests and acolytes in the dormitory (area D4), they can search the Vale of Dancing Waters for other dwarven enclaves. During their search, they stumble upon a group of dwarves traveling through in the vale. The dwarves are horrified to learn what has transpired in the Shrine of the Tender Oath. They hold burial ceremonies for their slain kin and provide safe sanctuary for the characters. The shrine is then closed to visitors for the foreseeable future.

Background

Two tendays ago, the Cult of the Eternal Flame dispatched a group of cultists armed with a devastation orb to strike at the large town of Triboar. A patrol of the Twelve, the militia of Triboar, met and defeated the cultists in the nearby hills. Not knowing what the cultists were carrying, they brought the devastation orb in its containment case back to Triboar. Shortly thereafter, it disappeared.

Nareen Dhest, a member of the Hand of Yartar operating in Triboar, pilfered the lord protector's vaults and smuggled the orb in its case back to Yartar.

The Hand of Yartar had no particular use for a fiery orb, so the thieves decided to sell it. Nareen put out the word that interested parties could submit their offers at the Wink and Kiss, a tavern in Yartar's market square. However, another Hand by the name of Haliyra Ravenfast found a different buyer: the Kraken Society, a sinister secret network with spies throughout the North. Haliyra cut a deal with society operatives to sell them the orb. They just need to eliminate Nareen and leave the Harpers, Zhentarim, and anyone else interested in the orb blaming one another for dealing in bad faith.

Setup

You have several good options to involve the characters in this side trek. Consider one or more of the following:

• If a character is allied with the Harpers, a known contact sends a message through a sending spell. The message says, "Dangerous orb of fire stolen from Triboar. Hands of Yartar auctioning orb to highest bidder. Please recover orb and return it to Triboar."
• The Zhentarim sends word to an allied character through a local contact or a messenger. The Black Network needs to secure a magic orb the Hand of Yartar is trying to sell. The character is to obtain the orb at any cost.
• Characters who keep up with underworld news hear that the Hand of Yartar found an elemental weapon. The thieves are auctioning it off.
• Characters passing through Yartar hear rumors that the Hand of Yartar stole something dangerous. Now the thieves want to get rid of it.

Arrival in Yartar

Characters looking for a place to stay find two decent choices in the Pearl-Handled Pipe (good), and the White-Winged Griffon (poor). In addition, characters affiliated with the Lords' Alliance are welcome at the Waterbaron's Hall, where they are provided with guest quarters at no charge.

If the party was sent to Yartar by the Harpers or the Zhentarim, local contacts for those factions quickly confirm that the Hand of Yartar has let it be known that anyone interested in bidding on a strange magical orb should inquire at the Wink and Kiss and ask for Nareen. The Wink and Kiss is a tavern of low repute near the city's central market square.

Characters who lack any local connections can find out the same information by spending a few hours asking questions in local taverns and spending 10 gp in bribes and drinks.

The Wink and Kiss

The Wink and Kiss is a large tavern staffed by a dozen dancers, servers, and cooks (all commoners) protected by two human thugs who serve as bouncers. Nareen Dhest and her group are in a private room in the back. Everybody working in the Wink and Kiss is friendly toward the Hand of Yartar, and they know their regular clientele. Any suspicious-looking strangers are likely to be spotted at once. The staff pretends nothing is out of the ordinary and waits on newcomers, but they quietly warn Nareen and her group. Nareen might send a server to ask such folk whether they're here to talk business and invite them to join her.

When the characters meet Nareen, read:

The woman is Nareen Dhest (female Tethyrian human spy), the thief who stole the devastation orb in Triboar. She is protected by two mercenary veterans. In addition, the two thugs guarding the tavern are ready to come when called. The room has two small leaded-glass windows and a barred door facing the alley behind the tavern. Nareen made sure to set up in a room with two ways out, just in case.

Meeting at the Tomb

When the characters successfully deal with Nareen and Haliyra, they learn where the devastation orb is hidden. The next step is to take possession of the orb, but Haliyra's buyers are already on the scene.

The Kraken Society agents here at the tomb include a large sahuagin named Ghald (see "Other Villains" in chapter 7), Unferth (male Tethyrian human priest), and two bodyguards (male Tethyrian human veterans). The bodyguards are working with crowbars to open the crypt door, while Ghald keeps watch. Unferth is the group's spokesman, although Ghald is in command.

If the Kraken Society agents see the party coming, Unferth calls out a warning, saying, "No closer, friends! This is a private matter, and we don't wish to be disturbed." Unferth presents himself with a false joviality, making light of the fact that two groups of upstanding citizens should find themselves engaged in an ugly bit of skulduggery involving opening a tomb. Underneath the self-deprecating manner is a stern resolve. The Kraken Society paid good money for the orb, and they intend to keep it.

Ghald waits and watches to see if the adventurers can be scared away. When he decides conflict is likely, he attacks without warning. This act forces the others to join the battle. Unferth hangs back and uses his spells to support his allies.

If the characters accepted Nareen's offer to guide them here, and she is uninjured from Haliyra's attack, she and one of her veterans are here. They fight as the party's allies.

Conclusion

When the characters recover the devastation orb, they must decide what to do with it. The Harpers want to see the orb returned to Triboar. Zhentarim agents want to smuggle the orb out in a Zhentarim-sponsored caravan, intending to study the device. Otherwise, the characters can turn it over to the authorities or detonate it in the countryside away from any populated area.

Background

The Dark Lady—a nickname for Nurvureem often whispered in shuddering fear—received a delegation of elemental cultists months ago. They came seeking the Dark Lady's aid. Nurvureem not only declined their offer but also feasted on the delegation. She allowed a few cultists to escape and report on the terrible outcome of their "negotiations."

The surviving cultists' hasty departure didn't go unnoticed. A spy from the Harpers, the Zhentarim, or the Lords' Alliance (your choice) saw them leave and jumped to the wrong conclusion by assuming the elemental cults were in league with the Dark Lady.

Although based on a faulty premise, this side trek is hardly a waste of time for the characters. If they play their cards right, they can obtain a historical perspective on Elemental Evil that only Nurvureem can provide.

Setup

This adventure is best used late in the campaign for two reasons. First, the characters know more about the elemental cults and have a better perspective to understand the Dark Lady's information. Second, it strains credulity for any of the factions to send inexperienced agents into the Dark Lady's lair.

The characters receive a sending spell, telling them to meet a faction agent at a local inn. When they do, read the following text:

If the characters ask, their contact says the other agent saw half a dozen figures leaving Rundreth Manor in haste. That agent tried to follow the cultists but lost them in the dark.

If the characters request payment, the contact is authorized to negotiate on her faction's behalf. Tailor the reward to the characters' needs. While the characters are traveling to and from the manor, faction agents can send word to their superiors and get whatever coin or magic the characters negotiate for.

The Ruins

The two wings of the manor are fallen stones and forest now. Bits of flagstone floor can be seen amid the bushes and trees growing in the feast hall. With a little exploring, the characters find a hole that leads to a stairway down into the earth.

The flagstones within 10 feet of the top of the stair are laid loosely atop flimsy boards concealed with dirt. They collapse under 100 or more pounds. A character searching for traps can spot these loose stones with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A successful check also reveals the lip at the end of the loose flagstones that forms the top step of the stair is solid. If the trap triggers, those in its area can attempt a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to catch the edge. On a failed save, the character falls 40 feet to the dirt floor of the pit, landing prone in the undercroft.

Undercroft

The air shimmers, and a female drow appears in the center of the chamber.

The drow is an illusory projection, like a major image spell, that Nurvureem uses to speak with interlopers without exposing herself to danger. The Dark Lady's image opens conversation by saying, "Welcome to Rundreth Manor."

The image ignores any attacks the characters make against it, although such interaction reveals it to be an illusion.

Conclusion

Nurvureem's hoard is beyond the characters' reach. When the party returns from Rundreth Manor, whatever faction they were dealing with honors the bargain the characters struck. Their contact expresses surprise that the characters survived the trip to Rundreth Manor.

Background

Gargosh Blusterhelm, a young shield dwarf from Mithral Hall, has made it his life's quest to find the legendary axe Orcsplitter and present it to the elders of Clan Blusterhelm in the hopes of restoring his family's lackluster reputation. Most of the elders believe Gargosh's plan is a fool's quest.

Gargosh has developed and maintained an extensive diary of his quest, filling it with notes, drawings, rubbings of ancient stone tablets, and so on, all holding clues pointing toward the secret location of the tomb of Torhild Flametongue. Convinced at last that he has enough to go on, Gargosh has set out to find the axe. Now he just needs a few trustworthy souls to assist him in his quest.

Gargosh's greedy cousin, Drannin Splitshield, is also interested in finding the axe for his own glory. Drannin has put a separate plan into motion, one that involves stealing Gargosh's diary and tricking Gargosh's allies into doing all the dirty work before Drannin claims the axe himself.

Gargosh's other problem is the Harpers. That faction feels that the legendary axe should remain exactly where it is, hidden away and undisturbed, so that its power will not fall into the wrong hands. They have taken steps to prevent treasure hunters from getting too close, keeping vigilant agents in the vicinity of the Halls in order to head off any serious digging.

Setup

This adventure is designed for a party of 11th-level characters. Yartar is an ideal starting point because it's a gathering point for allies of the Lords' Alliance.

Gargosh approaches the characters and pleads with them for their help. If one of the player characters is a member of the Lords' Alliance, someone from the faction introduces Gargosh to them. The Lords' Alliance has connections to Mithral Hall and would like to do the dwarves a favor by helping Gargosh find the axe.

"Everyone else thinks this is a fool's errand," he continues. "The king's tomb, where the axe lies, was hidden even from his own people, but I believe we can find it together!"

Gargosh continues in detail, giving the adventurers a crash course on Besilmer history (see the "Ancient Bones" section of x for an overview) and explaining what he is trying to accomplish. During the conversation, he reveals that he has "an extensive collection of notes and evidence" pointing to the location of the tomb, but he has not brought it with him out of caution for the diary's safety. He promises that they can see it next time. Gargosh agrees to meet them the next day at the same spot, equipped and ready to go.

Starting Out

A doppelganger in the guise of Gargosh meets the characters at the appointed hour:

The Stone Bridge

See x for more information on the Stone Bridge. When the characters reach the middle of the bridge, read the following text:

The figures on the bridge include five thugs (male shield dwarves) and a mercenary mage named Cavil Zaltobar (male Tethyrian human). Cavil is armed with a +1 wand of the war mage. If the characters don't attack immediately, Cavil tosses a few words at them before ordering the thugs to attack:

Drannin left these forces here knowing that they were unlikely to defeat the characters, but he wanted to play up the idea that someone is trying to stop Gargosh from completing his quest. Cavil chose this spot because it's where Torhild Flametongue, the dwarf king of Besilmer, reportedly fell to his death long ago. "Not a bad place to die," the mage says with mild amusement.

The doppelganger posing as Gargosh doesn't take part in the fight, remaining on the fringes of the battle and rooting for the characters to triumph. Once three of the thugs are defeated, the remaining two surrender and the mage casts fly on himself to escape.

X1. Owlbear Greetings

The owlbear has been hunting in the area and has fed recently, so it's not hungry enough to attack a group of well-armed travelers. If the characters leave it alone, the owlbear lets them pass. If they attack it, it leaps down and fights back, fleeing when reduced to half its hit points.

This ancient road merges with a ravine that has a small stream flowing at the bottom of it. Characters who follow the road come to a plaza surrounded by crumbled ruins.

X2. Crumbling Arch

The road passes through a free-standing arch—an example of how some of the Besilmer stonework has withstood the ravages of time.

The Dethek runes on the arch once told visitors that they were standing amid the mighty works of the Besilmer dwarves. The statue is described in area X3, the ruined hall in area X4.

X3. Watchtower

A stairway inside the building rises through the statue, and though it was originally designed to ascend all the way to the statue's head, it stops suddenly at the shattered torso.

X4. Ancient Hall

The four entrance arches (in the center of each wall) are more or less intact, though the doors themselves are smashed or fallen. Set into each arch is a narrow doorway leading to an equally narrow spiral staircase that descends into the earth. Each staircase leads to a small underground chamber containing dwarven machinery. When the characters first discover one of these four rooms, read the following aloud:

The symbol carved into the ceiling is one of the four elemental symbols (see x):

If the players want to know what the symbol in each room looks like, sketch out the symbols as they appear on the corners of the Halls of the Hunting Axe map.

No matter how hard the characters push, the flywheel doesn't move. Close inspection accompanied by a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a disengaged sprocket that can be slid along an axle to engage a different part of the machinery. If the sprocket is set in place, the flywheel does move when a character pushes it, and the characters can hear the sound of grinding stone echoing off in the distance. If the characters move the flywheel and then let go, it reverses and spins back to its original position when it is released. There is no apparent way to stop this motion with raw strength; characters who push against the reversal don't even slow it down.

While brute force won't work, mechanical ingenuity will. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a small hole on the rim of the flywheel into which a typical weapon hilt or bundle of arrows will fit. If something at least six inches long extends from the flywheel at that point, the flywheel can't reverse.

Along the edge, the flywheel has faint etchings of the elemental symbols of air, earth, fire, and water. If the characters turn the flywheel so that its symbol lines up with a matching symbol on the ceiling, then lock the flywheel into place using the hole on the flywheel's rim, one of the four locks on the secret door in x opens. Once all four flywheels are properly aligned, the secret door in x becomes unlocked.

The doppelganger impersonating Gargosh can't figure any of this out on his own, and is both surprised and impressed when the characters figure it out.

X5. Cistern

The Besilmer dwarves once had extensive waterworks, though little of it remains.

South of the cistern are some old ruins perched on the edge of the bluff. Hidden in these ruins are three good-aligned agents of the Harpers—a mage named Ariana Riverlost (female moon elf) and two half-moon elf scouts named Elifar (male) and Lorendil (female). They've heard rumblings of a dwarven plot to loot the tomb of King Torhild Flametongue. They emerge from their hiding spot and confront characters who emerge from the crypts with Orcsplitter (see "x").

X6. Amphitheater

Drannin Splithelm (see "Other Villains" in chapter 7), his shield guardian, and three dwarf veterans armed with battleaxes instead of longswords hide here. They keep a watchful eye on the entrance to the crypts (area X7). Unless they are confronted and defeated here, Drannin and his retinue follow the characters into the crypts (see area X10).

X7. Entrance to the Crypts

The opening leads into a hallway that extends back about 60 feet before coming to a long staircase that descends into the darkness for 200 feet, with landings positioned every 20 feet. On either side of each landing, a small alcove holds a stone brazier. Though none have been lit in many years, touching a torch to one causes all of them to magically burst into flame, as well as the braziers in area X8, which lies at the bottom of the staircase.

X8. Hall of the Fallen

The floor here is made of smooth, cut stone.

Each column holds four crypts, and each crypt is hidden behind an alcove that either contains or once contained a stone slab carved with a bas-relief of the dwarf entombed within. Crypts that have already been searched stand open, their doors and effigies smashed. Only eight crypts remain sealed, and they contain nothing but the bones of the ancient dead.

X9. False Crypt

This particular crypt looks unremarkable among the others, but it reveals a secret.

Close inspection of the effigy reveals that there are no seams to indicate that a crypt lies behind it. In fact, there is none. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check also reveals that the scepter is a separate piece of stonework that can be easily removed from the dwarf king's grip. The scepter is 2 feet long with a handle 2 inches thick; it weighs 25 pounds.

Inspection of the floor reveals that the 20-foot-square section in front of the crypt is different from the smooth stone found elsewhere in the hall. It consists of ten 20-foot-long, 1-foot-wide stone slabs neatly fitted together. Drilled next to the southernmost slab is a 2-inch wide, 6-inch deep hole, which can be found with a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.

The stone slabs are actually the topmost steps of a secret staircase that descends to area X10. Four locks hidden under the floor prevent the slabs from lowering. However, if the flywheels in x are properly lined up, these locks are now open. Once the locks are open, inserting the stone scepter or a similarly sized "key" into the hole causes the stone slabs to sink, forming the steps of the hidden staircase. The staircase remains open as long as the key (the scepter or some other object) remains in place.

"Gargosh" might be helpful at noticing the hidden staircase and the hole cut into the floor, but he's not much help when it comes to figuring out how to lower the stairs. If the characters have not yet turned the flywheels in area X4, Gargosh suggests that they look elsewhere for the symbols needed to open the way. Characters can also "cheat" by casting four knock spells on the secret staircase.

If Gargosh is present when the characters open the secret staircase, read the following:

X10. False Tomb

The characters reach this area by descending the stairs from area X9.

Any character who reads Dwarvish can translate the Dethek runes on the wall:

The dwarf statues are two stone golems. The moment anyone attempts to open the sarcophagus, the golems animate and attack, returning to their alcoves once all intruders retreat up the stairs. If he is still with the characters, "Gargosh" flees up the stairs to escape the golems' wrath, and to reunite with Drannin (see "x" below).

X11. The True Tomb of King Torhild Flametongue

Any character who reads Dwarvish can translate the Dethek runes:

Here lies His Noble Majesty

King Torhild Flametongue.

He raised a kingdom in the sun.

May his reign never be forgotten.

The dias is a heavy stone lid covering the king's tomb. Lifting and moving the dais requires three characters acting in concert and each succeeding on a DC 20 Strength check. For each additional creature that helps, reduce the DC by 2. Beneath the dias is a circular stone crypt, 8 feet wide and 3 feet deep, containing a simple stone coffin.

Aftermath

Captured members of Drannin's crew can divulge the location of the real Gargosh. He is imprisoned in a small cave on the riverbank near Yartar, locked in a large trunk with air holes and water. Gargosh can survive for four more days inside the trunk.

If the characters emerge from the dwarven crypts with Orcsplitter in their custody, the Harpers hiding in x confront them under the open sky. They point out that Orcsplitter belongs in the hands of dwarven scholars. They'll first appeal to the characters' sense of altruism, but if that doesn't work, the Harpers try to arrange an exchange of magic items. This is an opportunity for your players to ask for something—a specific weapon or two, perhaps—that suits their particular characters. If an agreement is reached, Ariana Riverlost promises to meet the characters again in two weeks, at a location chosen by them, with the agreed-upon payment.