Credits
Inspiration story, dungeon lay-out, NPCs and lore based
on the game “Decked Out 2” (as built on Hermitcraft
Season 9 by TangoTek) as well as Hermitcraft
members itself
This module follows the Dungeons and Dragons 5th
edition ruleset and ranges from levels 3-7
Campaign story created by capriciouswriter207
PDF version created using The Homebrewery
Maps created by capriciouswriter207 using inkarnate
(they can be found here)
Cover image taken from GoodTimesWithScar (2023,
September 18) I WON Week One Of Decked Out - A
Minecraft Movie (screenshot from 00:09)
Other images
Screenshot taken from TangoTek (2023, September 8)
How to Play Decked Out 2!
Deepfrost Citadel, screenshot from 00:19 (pg. 92)
The Frozen Crypt, screenshot from 00:21 (pg. 41)
The Black Mines, screenshot from 00:25 (pg. 65)
Screenshots taken from TangoTek2 (2023, February 7)
Hermitcraft - BDubs Boat Tour, Traps, and Oreos!
Kuo-toa Ship, screenshot from 00:08:26 (pg. 60)
Mushroom Forest, screenshot from 03:11:40 (pg.
54)
Sources
Non-homebrew items and monsters taken from the
following books:
Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus (2019).
Wizards of the Coast. (From now on referred to as
BGDIA)
Basic Rules (2017). Wizards of the Coast. (BR)
Candlekeep Mysteries (2021). Wizards of the Coast.
(CM)
Dungeon Masters Guide (2014). Wizards of the
Coast. (DMG)
Monster Manual (2014). Wizards of the Coast. (MM)
Mordenkainen Presents: Monster of the Multiverse
(2022). Wizards of the Coast. (MotM)
Out of the Abyss (2015). Wizards of the Coast.
(OotA)
Rise of Tiamat (2014). Wizards of the Coast. (RoT)
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (2020). Wizards of
the Coast. (TCE)
Tomb of Annihilation (2017). Wizards of the Coast.
(ToA)
The Wild Beyond The Witchlight (2021). Wizards of
the Coast. (WbtW)
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (2017). Wizards of
the Coast. (XGE)
Terrors Beneath Deepfrost Citadel is unofficial Fan
Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not
approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the
materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast.
©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
 Table Of Contents
Table Of Contents 3 Chapter 4. The Caves of
Introduction 4 Carnage 47
The story of Thaddeus Holsten 4 Running this chapter 47
Adventure structure 5 Threats in the Caves 47
Running the adventure 6 Important NPCs 49
Caves of Carnage Features 49
Chapter 1. Hermilthan 9 What comes next? 64
Using this chapter 9 Chapter 5. The Black Mines 65
Missing townsfolk 9 Running this chapter 65
Beliefs about Deepfrost Citadel 9 Threats in the Mines 66
Important NPCs 10 Black Mines Features 69
Town Locations 10 Top Floor 69
Developments 15 Middle Floor 72
The Siege of Hermilthan 18 Bottom Floor 75
What comes next? 78
Chapter 2. Deepfrost Citadel 21 79
Chapter 6. The Burning Dark
A foreign influence 21 Running this chapter 79
Running this chapter 22 Threats in the Burning Dark 79
Important NPCs 22 It ends…? 87
The road to Deepfrost Citadel 22
Deepfrost Citadel Features 22 Chapter 7. Flee with extra
1st Floor 23 Flee! 88
2nd Floor 25
The Tower 29 Overview 88
What comes next? 32 Aftermath 91
Chapter 3. The Frozen Crypt 33 Appendix A. Magic Items 93
Running this chapter 33 Appendix B. Creatures 97
Threats in the Crypt 33
Frozen Crypt features 35
What comes next? 46
 Introduction
dventurer Thaddeus Holsten struck gold -
A
both literally and figuratively - when he
discovered the vast riches underneath an
icy mountain during an expedition with his
friends. Within a short period of time, the
Black Mines were founded. People from all
over the world flocked to the mountain to
find work in these mines and hopefully receive a portion
of the wealth they dug up.
Atop the mountain, Deepfrost Citadel rose - a
testament to the might and wealth of Thaddeus Holsten,
who called this castle his ‘humble abode’. A town called
Hermilthan sprung up at the foot of the mountain, near
the mines’ entrance, and its people flourished.
Ever prosperous, the miners were made to expand
the mines further and further, deeper and wider, until
they dug too deep. An unknowable, evil force crawled
through the breach and attacked all that lived. The
miners hoped to lure ravagers - savage beasts from the
caves above - into the mines to deal with the threat, but
they too were felled.
The miners fled. Some through the caves, others via
the tunnels to the entrance. Still, they were decimated
and only a few made it out. The survivors barricaded the
tunnel and had it collapse before all the beasts and the
terrors they unwittingly released could escape to the
surface and ravage Hermilthan. Thaddeus Holsten, who
learned what was going on, was said to have entered the
mines to put a stop to the terror, but vanished without a
trace. Deepfrost Citadel stands empty, a grim reminder
of what had happened.
Hermilthan still exists. Instead of exporting ores and
riches, they pivoted to the export of wood and wool.
Though some would rather forget the tragedy, the
legend of the Black Mines and Deepfrost Citadel
persists. It draws adventurers to this site of danger and
despair - to uncover lost riches, to slay the beasts, and
(potentially) to solve the mystery of the disappearance of
Thaddeus Holsten.
One fact remains certain, no matter how many
adventurers walk through the doors of Deepfrost
Citadel: those who enter, never return.
The story of Thaddeus
Holsten
The beginnings
Long ago, the half-elf adventurer Thaddeus Holsten led
an adventuring group with his close friends: the water
genasi Melena, the werewolf Rolf Derrilt, human Faena
Simms, and tiefling Tenacity. Together, they delved
under the icy mountain, drawn in by rumors of vast
riches being hidden within. These adventurers
INTRODUCTION
4
succeeded where no-one else did and discovered the
expansive ore veins. This discovery came at a grave
cost: Thaddeus and Melena were the only survivors of
this harrowing journey. The others perished during the
journey down. Upon their return to the surface, they
vowed to honor their fallen friends.
Thaddeus and Melena quit the adventurer lifestyle
and set up a mining operation instead. The Black Mines,
he called them, named after the blackstone that
persisted through the tunnels. The prospect of work and
more wealth than anyone had ever seen in their lives
drove people to the site, and in no time these people
established a town at the foot of the mountain.
Deepfrost Citadel
With his newly acquired wealth, Thaddeus built his new
hope atop the mountain: a dark castle he dubbed
‘Deepfrost Citadel’, from where he could enjoy his
wealth and the unusual treasures he’d found during his
adventures. Beneath the Citadel, in the middle of frosty
tunnels, he built a crypt. He constructed empty tombs
for his fallen friends - whose corpses they unfortunately
had to leave behind - and promised prominent members
of Hermilthan’s society and miners would be buried
here, though he would not allow visitors to “disturb the
deceased”.
The crypt served a dual purpose: to honor those who
passed away and to be a hidden entrance to the mines.
It did not immediately connect to the mines, but rather
connected to the caves, from where Thaddeus built an
entry from the caves into the mines. Afraid of attracting
adventurers and to discourage thieves, he refused to
clear out any threats in the caves. He was strong
enough to overcome them should he have to face them
himself on his way into the mines.
Dangers from below
The mines kept expanding, and miners dug deeper and
deeper until they uncovered a strange location. Few
brave miners ventured in, to explore this strange city-
like location. By the time they realized what they had
discovered, it was already too late. The Warden had
located them and chased the miners out of its home,
into the mines themselves. All the while behind him, the
strange organism - similar to the Warden’s skin -
expanded and crawled into the mines, consuming the
fallen.
Most of the miners perished, but some survived.
These survivors scattered - some ran for the mining
entrance, while others fled up Thaddeus’ personal
entrance and exit. Those who traveled through the
caves attracted ravagers to attack the warden, but
they died just as easily as the miners did. Those who
rushed through the tunnel to the surface called for the
destruction of the mine entrance. Despite pushback
from the uninformed Hermilthians, the miners blew up
the mine entrance and closed it off.
When Thaddeus Holsten learned what happened, he
and Melena descended into this strange city below the
mines, which they called the Burning Dark: a terrifying
mass of sculk and uncanny creatures in an unsettling
landscape, led by their horrific Warden. This unnatural,
strength-sapping moldy moss came alive and started to
spread into the mines. Thaddeus and Melena decided to
seal the Burning Dark with magic. Thaddeus kept the
key, while Melena split the metaphorical lock - the seal -
into three and scattered the pieces across the mines.
Unfortunately, the Warden found and attacked them
viciously. Melena used the last of her energy to
obliterate the creature, severely weakening her.
Thaddeus, unwilling to let another friend die, carried
her back to the Citadel.
Sculk corrupts
In the Citadel, Thaddeus used every resource at his
disposal to help Melena. Her weakened state was not
only the result of destroying the Warden, but also of
sculk corruption - a small patch that grew and grew and
slowly turned her into one of those mindless creatures.
Thaddeus fumbled to try to understand the sculk and
have it relinquish Melena, but it was difficult to bargain
with it.
This prolonged exposure to the sculk corrupted
Thaddeus as well. Slowly, his mind deteriorated and
fought against the sculk’s intrusive thoughts. In an
attempt to destroy what he’d brought into his home, he
attempted to burn everything to the ground. However,
the sculk persisted. As a reaction, he then used magic to
coat the room in eternal deepfrost, which did destroy it.
Yet, he could not bring it in himself to destroy Melena.
Still, these intrusive thoughts persisted, called him
down to the warmth of the Burning Dark. Unable to
resist the call, Thaddeus absconded with Melena’s near-
fully corrupted body, though he left the key he’d used to
seal the Burning Dark on his desk. When Thaddeus
arrived in the caves, he decided that Melena could not
suffer any more. He built her a sarcophagus, placed her
inside and, with the use of a powerful spell scroll,
ensured any sculk inside would be coated with a layer of
cold, killing it. He did not think about the traces of sculk
he left behind himself - just as he was unwilling to
acknowledge he himself had begun to transform - and
continued his journey down.
He entered the Black Mines weary and exhausted. He
came across the new denizens of the mines - creatures
made of this sculk, looking like humanoids or worse,
some stuck repeating what the miners had been doing
before tragedy stuck. They paid him no attention - those
that did, did not attack, but rather seemed to welcome
him. At the site where he sealed the Burning Dark,
Thaddeus chose to use one last spell scroll to teleport
into the Burning Dark so he wouldn’t disturb the
protections he and Melena put in place.
Trapped in the unsettling city with labyrinthine walls,
his mind had fully slipped away, his partially-corrupted
body now puppeteered by the sculk. Drawn to the
source of all sculk, he is sat there, where sculk gathers
around him into a new body, to begin the process of
making him serve as the Burning Dark’s next Warden.
Thaddeus Holsten, famous adventurer, was no more.
Now, the newly appointed Warden waited for the day
the seal would be broken, so the sculk can be unleashed
upon the world.
Adventure structure
Terrors Beneath Deepfrost Citadel presents an epic
journey, spanning from the frigid hallways of Deepfrost
Citadel to the scorching depths of the Burning Dark.
The adventure was designed for a party of four to five
characters. Characters of level 3 can jump right into this
adventure and will be level 7 at the end.
Chapter 1 lays the groundwork of the main settlement
the characters will have access to. They can explore
Hermilthan and gather knowledge and supplies before
and during the adventure. As there are opportunities for
the characters to return to town as they explore, they
can see how their choices and adventures beneath
Deepfrost Citadel affect this town.
In chapter 2 (designed for characters of level 3), the
doors of Deepfrost Citadel open themselves up for any
brave souls who wander in. The characters learn about
the chokehold one old portrait has on the citadel and
must navigate these halls without succumbing to this
maddening call.
Chapter 3 (designed for characters of level 4) sees the
characters travel into the Frozen Crypt. They meet
some frosty enemies in the ice tunnels, and strange and
undead citizens in the crypt itself. From there, they
must avoid the blinding gaze of the wanderer while they
find a way down below and perhaps glean some lore
from the frozen tombs.
Chapter 4 (designed for characters of level 5) describes
the Caves of Carnage, a dangerous set of tunnels and
caves with many opportunities waiting. The characters
can explore the map, from the lava fields to the
mushroom forest to the lake, as they try to find their
way to the Black Mines. These caves are filled with
friends and foes alike, and they will find more instances
of the sculk, that has only been hinted at until now.
INTRODUCTION
5
 Chapter 5 (designed for characters of level 6) allows the
characters to explore the Black Mines: a maze of
corridors and floors which doubles as the final resting
place of many miners. These claustrophobic hallways
are overgrown with the sculk, flourishing in these
tunnels. The Black Mines harbor both the creatures
born from the sculk, as well as the means to descend
into the Burning Dark.
In chapter 6 (designed for characters of level 7), the
characters will finally set foot in the Burning Dark,
where the mystery of Thaddeus Holsten’s
disappearance may be solved and a cure for the sculk
corruption might be found. But in truth lies danger and
the characters must destroy the evil they find here
before it consumes them.
Chapter 7 outlines a thrilling way to end the module,
where all the hazard generated in the dungeon works
against the characters as they race to escape the
different levels with their lives.
Running the adventure
When a name is written in bold text, it denotes that you
might want to grab that stat block, in case the creature
needs to make some rolls. Most creatures are taken
from official sources and books, and these will be
denoted by their acronyms behind the bold text,
following example:
magma mephit (BR, pg. 331)
When a text sits in this type of box, it means that it can be
read aloud or paraphrased for your players.
Relevant rules
Parts of this adventure take place in a frigid
environment, specifically in the three earliest chapters,
and extreme cold, frigid water, and slippery ice will be
relevant in these chapters.
Characters will also come across pockets (or
sometimes rivers) of lava.
A lake sits on the map for the caves of carnage, which
could lead to suffocation and/or underwater combat.
The sculk itself is dangerous and characters are
always at risk of being corrupted. If characters drink or
interact with water tainted by sculk, they are also
afflicted with sight rot.
Hazard
An optional but recommended rule is hazard. Hazard
dynamically changes the landscape of the different
INTRODUCTION
6
levels the characters spend time on. The longer the
characters stay on one level, the more the environment
changes to become more dangerous and hazardous.
Pathways may be blocked off, paths may be more
difficult to traverse, and perhaps the denizens of each
level grow more hostile.
Hazard is a cumulative effect; the more rooms the
characters explore, the more hazard they generate. This
starts off as a potential nuisance to the players. For
example, the tunnel they previously took appears to be
blocked off now and they need to find another way
around it. This can incentivize exploration and
potentially allow for more hazard to be generated.
If you plan to run chapter 7, hazard is a must. As the
characters race to reach the surface again and escape
the dungeon levels below Deepfrost Citadel, the paths
they choose in a blind panic may be blocked or are more
difficult to traverse because of hazard, which can cost
them precious time or increases a DC that would’ve
otherwise been more manageable. It makes for a much
more thrilling experience.
The Frozen Crypt, the Caves of Carnage, and the
Black Mines are all affected by hazard. Each of these
chapters outlines how hazard manifests on that level
and what changes as the characters explore.
Sculk
Within the Burning Dark resides the source of the sculk,
an alien organism few have experienced and lived to tell
the tale. Nobody knows where it comes from, how it
manifested, or what it wants - those who finally
understand its goals are already being assimilated.
Knowledge about the sculk comes from interactions
with the sculk itself, which proves to be a dangerous
source to glimpse information from.
Most akin to an eldritch abomination, this moss-like
organism is extremely tough to destroy. They thrive in
warm and hot environments, but cannot stand the cold
and are not capable of surviving in extremely cold
temperatures. Sculk isn’t completely mindless, but it
does work towards one goal: consume everything.
Spread everywhere. It tears at and covers the flesh and
bones from all sorts of creatures, consuming the
unfortunate souls to grow stronger and expand their
influence. The bodies then become vessels for this evil,
and might be trapped performing the latest work before
they were killed. The souls linger across the surface of
the sculk in the form of soul echoes: dancing lights
across its surface that shed no light and attempt to flee
their confinement forevermore.
Creatures that interact with sculk, or stay for a
prolonged amount of time near sculk, can be corrupted
by it.
Corruption
When a creature risks being corrupted, it must make a
DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the
creature becomes corrupted.
Signs of corruption
When a creature becomes corrupted, they are riddled
with physical signs and changes that show how far
along the corruption is in that creature. These signs
become more and more obvious as their corruption
level increases, as shown in the Physical signs of
corruption table. These signs cannot be removed by
magic or otherwise until the creature is no longer
corrupted and the source has been destroyed. The
environment of some levels and some enemies in this
adventure can afflict the characters with corruption.
Corruption
level Physical signs of corruption
1 A strange rash appears where the creature
touched the sculk.
2 Pulsing dark blue veins spread across the
creature’s skin.
3 From the veins, small patches of sculk appears on
the creature’s skin.
4 Soul echoes appear on the sculk whenever the
character kills a creature. The sculk patches
already present grow as well.
5 The sculk covers a large percentage of the
creature’s body.
6 The creature dies and becomes a Sculk Thrall.
When a creature suffers from corruption, their mind
is also affected. As the corruption proceeds and grows,
their mind’s defenses are lowered to the sculk’s
influence. They start to yearn to delve deeper into the
mountain, to continue on no matter the cost. They might
even become a little more reckless and prone to anger
and despair, as well as feeling strangely at ease in areas
where a lot of sculk is present. They might become
uncomfortable in cold environments and more at ease
in warm environments. All of these symptoms grow
alongside the physical signs of corruption. A corrupted
character’s player can roleplay these symptoms in
whatever way they want, though the DM can gently
remind them how the character is supposed to feel
about sculk at the various stages. These symptoms
persist until the creature is no longer corrupted.
Sculk Spell Components
One ounce of sculk can be substituted for 500 gp worth
of any material component needed to cast a spell. When
sculk is used as a replacement component in this way,
the creature that casts the spell must succeed on a DC
20 Charisma saving throw or gain 1 level of corruption.
The creature also becomes corrupted on a failed saving
throw, if it isn’t already.
Ending corruption
Removing the levels of exhaustion from a creature does
not cure it. Only a wish spell or divine intervention is
capable of such a thing.
Sculk and the effects of this corruption are
vanquished from the world if the source of the sculk in
the Burning Dark is destroyed. When the corruption
ends, all signs of corruption - physical and mental -
disappear instantly and completely from all corrupted
beings. Any sculk creatures instantly die.
Adventure hooks
You characters may need a reason to travel to Deepfrost
Citadel and Hermilthan. Below are a couple of
adventure hooks that could encourage your characters
to engage a little more with the world - or implore them
to come up with adventure hooks themselves.
Going for gold. Deepfrost Citadel is a notorious location
- there is no mercenary or adventurer who hasn’t heard
of this location. Everyone is familiar with the tale of
Thaddeus Holsten discovering the location and making
a fortune. Even though the operation has been shut
down and Thaddeus Holsten disappeared, it is easy to
assume that some of those treasures might still be
present in Deepfrost Citadel and below. Why wouldn’t
you take a look in that citadel and see if you can find
some spare gold and platinum pieces that might just
disappear into your pockets?
In the footsteps of Thaddeus Holsten. Thaddeus
Holsten, a famed adventurer you’ve looked up to all of
your life, disappeared a while ago. It has been a while,
but that doesn’t deter you. What’s a few decades in the
life of this celebrity? There is no way that he is dead;
perhaps he’s in trouble. And if you can help out this
person, then maybe your name will be remembered as
the hero who saved Thaddeus Holsten from certain
doom.
Tragedy at the Black Mines. Perhaps you had some
family members who used to work in these mines.
Perhaps the news has reached your ears some other
way. In either case, the tragedy of the Black Mines
concerns you more than treasure or the life of Thaddeus
Holsten, who might as well be dead. What you care
about are those strange creatures the people had
spoken of that came up. It’d be a good idea to check to
see if the town is truly safe, or if this is another tragedy
waiting to happen.
List of named NPCs
The module contains a plethora of NPCs. In the
following list, you will find all named NPCs in
alphabetical order.
INTRODUCTION
7
 Name Role
Xanthos Barian co-owner of Horsehead Provisions
Varin Bell lumberjack (representative)
Barthes Debnar deep gnome spores druid
Colt Farandras lumberjack, keeper of the Farandras shrine
Marlon Joybringer innkeeper of the Hidden Stache
Carter Grummins Hermilthan’s local troublemaker
Thaddeus Holsten adventurer, founder of the Black Mines, Lord of Deepfrost Citadel; Warden of the Burning Dark
Jonas Hyffal regular human (later ghost), traveling with Calliope Zemnas
Salaena Mirrialdestin traveling druid, mentor of Geranwyn
Dorias Miro the mad satyr scientist in the lab
Hal Terris co-owner of Horsehead Provisions
Geranwyn Thomiscia traveling druid, apprentice of Salaena Mirrialdestin
Soren Tidrostir sorcerer from Hermilthan
Simeon Veinbreaker sculk-corrupted blacksmith
Exander Veldt Hermilthan’s townmaster
Garrett Wells traveling knight, mounted expedition into Deepfrost Citadel
Calliope Zemnas undead person, traveling with Jonas Hyffal

INTRODUCTION
8
Chapter 1. Hermilthan
t the foot of a lone icy mountain sits a
A
quaint little town called Hermilthan. Once,
the families of these people had been drawn
to the Black Mines for work and even a
sliver of the riches they might mine out.
Since the Black Mines have been shut
down, most of the population has left,
leaving some of the homes abandoned and in disrepair.
The people who still live here - about a hundred or so -
make the most of their situation, having shifted their
main export from valuable ores to wood. Three decades
have passed since the tragedy of the Black Mines, and
most inhabitants still remember that day. That tragedy
and Deepfrost Citadel itself cast an inevitable shadow
on the town that serves as a stark reminder of what they
have lost.
Three paths run into this town; one coming from the
south, which serves as the main access point to the
outside world. A road going west leads to the former
entrance of the Black Mines. The road going north
snakes up the mountain in switchbacks until it reaches
the front gates of Deepfrost Citadel.
Using this chapter
This chapter serves as an overview of the main town,
Hermilthan. It is possible that your characters will
spend all of one session (or one hour) here, or that they
emerge from the dungeon several times to resupply and
catch up with the latest gossip.
The six most prominent locations are listed below, as
well as the most important NPCs. If your characters
decide to return to Hermilthan at any point during the
campaign, you can use the ‘developments’ section to
flesh out how the town has changed in their absence
and how their actions may have shaped these changes.
Missing townsfolk
A week before the party’s arrival, the latest expedition
left for Deepfrost Citadel. A knight by the name of
Garrett Wells has learned about its legend and has
come specifically to put restless spirits to rest. Speaking
with the townsfolk to acquaint himself with the location
and those he might come across, he has paid three
others to follow him and promised them a cut of the
treasure they find.
Geranwyn Thomiscia is a young elven druid who
arrived in town a few months ago following her mentor,
Salaena Mirrialdestin, after she received visions of
grave danger festering beneath Hermilthan. Their focus
is on nature and either eradicating the source of evil or
preparing nature to withstand it. However, Salaena has
no interest in going to Deepfrost Citadel. A conversation
with Garrett convinced Geranwyn that the source of
Salaena’s visions must be hidden within and she has
decided to follow him.
Carter Grummins is a young human man who grew
up in Hermilthan and who was too young to remember
the tragedy first-hand. None of his family was hurt and
he now works as a lumberjack. However, he believes his
life lacks excitement. He has often looked towards
Deepfrost Citadel and scaled the mountain, yet had
never ventured inside. When he learned that Garrett
was willing to pay for people to join him in his quest, he
did not hesitate.
Soren Tidrostir, a half-elven sorcerer, has lived in
Hermilthan for a long time, even if his potent magical
abilities are rather new. His life’s companion is a
beautiful cat named Jellie and he counts Carter as one
of his best friends. When Carter spun a story of gold and
renown, Soren could not wait to accept this offer. If
going into Deepfrost Citadel is what it takes to become
famous and find some magical secrets, he’s going to
follow this knight without question.
A week ago, at first light, Garrett led this party on the
path north, towards Deepfrost Citadel. None of the
Hermilthians have heard from them since, and everyone
assumes they all perished.
Beliefs about Deepfrost
Citadel
Deepfrost Citadel is as mysterious to the people of
Hermilthan as other dangerous forces of nature are.
Due to its close proximity and the aforementioned
tragedy, some inhabitants have developed superstitions
and beliefs that relate to the Citadel, the mine entrance,
and everything in between. Beneath, you’ll find such
stories they might tell the characters, or you can come
up with your own.
When the miners dug too deep, they exposed a portal
to the hells. To open up the mines is to allow the
denizens from the hells easy access to the surface
world to wreak havoc.
So long as the candles at the Farandras shrine burn,
the tormented souls of the deceased miners know
peace.
To disturb the mine entrance is to meddle with the
ghosts of the miners.
Thaddeus Holsten hated that he owed a percentage
of the profit from his ore extraction to the old miner’s
exchange and that he had to pay workers. He knew
what lay below and pushed his miners too far to
ensure the mines would fall, leaving him with all the
wealth for himself.
Thaddeus Holsten still lives at Deepfrost Citadel and
has become a vampire.
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
9
 Thaddeus Holsten ran away because he is a coward
and did not want to face the consequences of his
greed.
Deepfrost Citadel is alive and literally eats the people
that go inside.
Important NPCs
The town of Hermilthan is inhabited by a bunch of
people from all walks of life, who are trying to survive
and live outside of tragedy. Below, you’ll find a list of the
most important NPCs that are currently in town.
Name Role
Xanthos Barian co-owner of Horsehead Provisions
Varin Bell lumberjack (representative)
Colt Farandras lumberjack, keeper of the Farandras
shrine
Marlon Joybringer innkeeper of the Hidden Stache
Salaena traveling druid, mentor of Geranwyn
Mirrialdestin
Hal Terris co-owner of Horsehead Provisions
Simeon Veinbreaker sculk-corrupted blacksmith
Exander Veldt Hermilthan’s townmaster
Unless specified otherwise, they all use the
stat block (BR, pg. 163).
commoner
Town Locations
Hermilthan itself is a small town, and everything lies
within walking distance. The mine entrance, located
outside of town, is about half an hour’s travel away from
the town.
1. The Hidden Stache
This modest inn is the only remaining inn of
Hermilthan. Rooms here have either one or two beds.
Two rooms have been rented out: one to Salaena
Mirrialdestin and Geranwyn Thomiscia, and another to
Garrett Wells. None of them are present when the
characters arrive, and Garrett’s room has been
preemptively cleaned. In the evening, the characters
might find the other inhabitants and visitors to this
town.
On the north side of the river stands a three-story building
that looks like it was built to last, made out of blackstone
and rough-hewn timber. Outside, an old weathered sign
swings in the wind, depicting the fading image of a glorious
black mustache.
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
10
The common room is illuminated by a fireplace, casting its
light on the grim-looking stonework. A young-looking man
with dark hair and a majestic mustache stands behind the
bar and is wiping a glass. In one table to the back sit two
customers, who are enjoying some ale or cider. All eyes fall
on you as you enter.
The bartender and proprietor of the Hidden Stache is a
stout halfling by the name of Marlon Joybringer. Though
appearing youthful, his age has been expertly hidden by
the same magic that granted him the mustache. He
arrived like many before him, to see some profit from
these mines. He quickly discovered he wasn’t cut out to
be a miner and established the inn instead, giving it its
current name based on a friend’s suggestion. Marlon
has been running this inn ever since.
If questioned, Marlon can provide some backstory
about the town. He has spoken with Thaddeus Holsten
and Melena a few times, at the beginning of this town’s
history, and knows their stories well. He does not know
what happened to Thaddeus Holsten after the mines
were compromised and, like most Hermilthians,
assumes the former adventurer fled the area. He can
also provide information about the other townsfolk and
visitors.
If the characters express interest in going to the
mines, Marlon will direct them to the old miner’s
exchange instead and strongly discourage them from
making that journey. He firmly believes the entrance is
haunted and holds the superstition that, should the
mine entrance be cleared, the evil below will escape and
attack Hermilthan.
Table for two
Varin Bell, a human man, arrived a few months before
the tragedy happened. Along with the locals, he
established the Arbor Association and helped to
facilitate the switch from mining to the lumber industry.
He is the officially elected spokesperson for all the
lumberjacks in town. He is dedicated to his work and
makes it his business to keep close communication with
all those who work under him, and bring their concerns
and ideas to the townmaster.
Colt Farandras, a half-elf man (using the acolyte stat
block (BR, pg. 162)), was a young boy when his parents
took him to Hermilthan. His family funded building the
local shrine and gave it their name. Colt and his family
are also responsible for the shrine’s upkeep. His parents
perished in the mines, having been visiting to find more
materials to replace the more brittle materials used in
the shrine. Colt earns his living as a lumberjack these
days, but also ensures the shrine is in good shape.
The friends are seated at their usual table, and drink
a mug of ale. A third mug stands untouched. They toast
to a good friend of theirs: Soren Tidrostir, a naive
sorcerer who got roped into joining a knight to explore
Deepfrost Citadel. Believing any journey into Deepfrost
Citadel to be a death sentence, Varin and Colt are in the
middle of discussing the logistics of taking care of
Soren’s cat when the characters approach.
If asked, they share stories about Soren and his friend
Carter Grummins, whom they believe convinced Soren
to follow the knight Garrett Wells into the Citadel. If the
characters express interest in going to Deepfrost
Citadel, the friends will not shy away from showing their
thoughts. Colt calls them foolish for believing they could
survive when others could not. If they happen to survive,
he does ask them to please return with Soren or with a
token of his as proof of his death. When the characters
return with Soren or with proof, Colt will award the
party with 50 gp total.
2. Old Miner’s Exchange
The Black Mines weren’t the only source of income for
the town. Many prospectors came to town not just to
join the workforce, but to independently try to find some
treasure in the area and in separate operations that are
not a part of the Black Mines. Here, the independent
miners and prospectors used to have their finds
weighed, measured, and paid out.
After the Black Mines were compromised, the idea of
finding or mining for treasure in the environs of
Hermilthan declined in appeal. Few prospectors still
scoured the area, but not nearly enough to keep the
miner’s exchange profitable. The building has been
abandoned since then and none of the Hermilthians, not
even the children, would set foot inside.
Common Room (1st floor)
The front door creaks open and nearly falls out of its hinges
as it opens. You walk into a dark and dusty environment, the
areas near the windows covered under a thin layer of snow
and ice. Two rows of desks line the walls, the spaces
between littered with papers and tools. In the far end stands
a door and a staircase going up.
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
11
 On this floor, multiple records are spread out from
times when independent prospectors came in. After the
mine entrance was blown up, people vacated this
building. Only receipts of finds and some tools to
measure and weigh the found treasure remain. None of
these tools have any value.
Guild leader’s room (1st floor)
An old desk remains in the middle of the room, its drawers
having been pulled out and scattered on the ground. A
bookcase against the wall contains a few books, destroyed
by time and the cold weather. Wind howls through the
broken glass panes from the window.
This room is where the guild leader worked. A DC 12
Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the guild
leader’s journal, which details all the treasure brought
in and potential treasure and ore locations as told by the
prospectors. The characters will also find retellings of
the reports from miners, claiming they don’t feel
comfortable digging too deep, claiming the lower levels
of the mines give off this dark, eerie vibe and that some
believe something might lie below that should be left
alone. The guild leader dismisses these worries as
miner superstition.
Storage Room (2nd floor)
Crates upon crates are stacked against the wall, some towers
leaning precariously while others have already fallen. Most of
the crates have been broken open. A hole in the roof allows
snow to flutter inside.
Valuable ores found by prospectors were stored here
until the Black Mines operation purchased them for
export. Since the collapse, the crates that would hold
these valuable ores have all been ransacked and taken
by various individuals. The characters might find some
leftover ores and treasure after a successful DC 16
Intelligence (Investigation) check.
3. Horsehead Provisions
Horsehead Provisions is the biggest and only trading
post and shop in Hermilthan, founded by two good
friends: the humans Hal Terris and Xanthos Barian.
Unlike most, they came to Hermilthan specifically to
establish a trading post in town, named after an inside
joke. They remained in business after the Black Mines
were lost and became the main store for the town. They
are nice and friendly, though they are also realistic.
Because everyone comes here for food and other
supplies, they also have a good grasp on rumors and
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
12
gossip - which they consider another product in their
stock and are willing to part with for a bit of coin.
Horsehead Provisions stocks almost all common
goods and adventuring gear. However, they do not sell
any weapons or armor. Interested parties are directed
to the smithy, if they also seem willing to buy from
Horsehead Provisions.
All new faces that walk into their store are assumed
to be adventurers who are willing to venture into
Deepfrost Citadel. Unlike other Hermilthians, they do
not react negatively or try to persuade them not to go.
They sell their products at a 10% to 20% markup to
adventurers, operating under the belief that any
adventurers will not survive going into Deepfrost
Citadel. Hal and Xanthos might as well relieve these
adventurers of the money they soon won’t be needing
anymore.
Resupply
Horsehead Provisions is well-supplied. You can decide
whether or not such a resupply has occurred while the
party is exploring the different levels in the mountain. If
the party returns for more supplies after the first time,
Hal and Xanthos are pleasantly surprised to see they
have survived and returned to town, congratulating
them on this extraordinary feat. They might even be
persuaded to offer a discount to well-paying returning
customers, especially if they’ve survived Deepfrost
Citadel.
4. Farandras Shrine
At the northern edge of town stands a square, ornate shrine
built from beautiful blackstone and other stone materials. A
set of candles placed at the base illuminate the black
stonework and provide an oasis of calm and serenity. When
you approach, you can read names chiseled into the walls.
If the characters haven’t met Salaena yet, also read
aloud the following:
As you approach, a brown-haired elf in druidic attire stands
near the shrine and is sobbing. A purple-skinned tiefling
standing next to her is trying to speak with her and console
her.
The Farandras shrine was built during the early days of
Hermilthan and named after the family who largely
funded its construction. They wanted a place where they
could safely worship their gods and thus had this
neutral place of worship built. The Farandras family
was preoccupied with its upkeep. Unfortunately, the
parents found their untimely deaths in the mines.
Since then, their son Colt Farandras has been
responsible for the upkeep and keeps the place
immaculate.
The shrine doubles as a monument that
commemorates those who perished during the tragedy.
The names of the victims have been carved into the
walls. Colt adds a new name every time one of the
townspeople who were in Hermilthan when the mines
were breached passes away. At all times, the candles in
front of the monuments are lit. They are often replaced,
but according to local superstition, at least one candle
must always burn to grant peace to the souls of
deceased miners.
The missing druid
When the characters approach for the first time, they
find an elven druid, sobbing. This woman is Salaena
Mirrialdestin, a traveling druid (BR, pg. 398) who has
been feeling a disturbance below the ground and has
come to find its source. This has led her to Hermilthan.
She’s been here for a few months, communing with
nature and preparing it to withstand whatever is
growing below the ground.
She did not come alone. Her apprentice, a young elf
named Geranwyn Thomiscia, has joined Salaena in her
journey, to learn from her. She has been more
frequently in contact with the inhabitants of Hermilthan
and has learned from them what the townsfolk believe
about Deepfrost Citadel. She has started to believe that
whatever Salaena was sensing is located below
Deepfrost Citadel, a location that Salaena has been
persuaded not to go to. Geranwyn is braver than
Salaena, however, and when the opportunity presented
itself to follow a group of people into Deepfrost Citadel
(and be paid for it as well), she took it. She left with
Garret Wells, Soren Tidrostir and Carter Grummins a
week ago and hasn’t returned yet.
Exander Veldt - a kind tiefling man and the town’s
elected townmaster - saw Salaena mourn her young
companion at the shrine. He had approached to try to
comfort her, but he wasn’t successful. In this state,
Salaena blames him for the state of the town and for not
stepping in to stop not only Geranwyn, but two young
Hermilthians from walking into a death trap.
Salaena will be happy to have outsiders at her side -
unless they insult her, her mission, or her apprentice’s
behavior, she will remain civil and kind. She strongly
advises them not to go into Deepfrost Citadel, parroting
what any of the townsfolk can tell the characters about
that location. If she has calmed down and thinks more
clearly, she might harbor hope that the characters can
bring back her a token to remember Geranwyn by, if her
young apprentice is not in a state to return herself.
Salaena refuses to take one step closer to Deepfrost
Citadel, but perhaps - if the characters venture there -
they might take time out of their day to look for her.
If Geranwyn’s druid emblem is returned to Salaena,
she will be grateful and pay them 50 gp. If Geranwyn is
returned alive and well, Salaena will be more generous
and hand the characters 150 gp and offer the characters
her services, should the characters ever need them.
A grieving dwarf
If the characters have already met Salaena and haven’t
visited the smithy yet, another scene plays out when
they pass it for the second time.
A dwarven man, Simeon Veinbreaker, lights one of
the candles again (which had gone out) and stands up,
taking a moment to remember his fallen friends. When
spoken to, Simeon is willing to recount the events of
what happened, but uses a lot of evasive language and
barely goes into detail; it still hurts to speak about. If
characters press or pry too much without regard for his
sorrow, he refuses to elaborate. A successful DC 18
Wisdom (Insight) check might reveal that even after
thirty years, he still suffers from survivor’s guilt.
Something else might have happened that he is not
willing to share with anyone - something which he has
barely come to terms with himself.
5. The Smithy
Thick, black smoke rises from the chimney of this building.
The double doors are opened and when you look inside, you
see a plethora of tools, armor and weapons on racks that
line the walls. In the middle of the room, currently working
on a sword, stands a dwarf with a majestic brown beard. His
focus is razor-sharp and he does not notice your arrival.
The dwarf behind the forge is the town’s blacksmith by
the name of Simeon Veinbreaker. He uses the veteran
stat block (BR, pg. 403) - instead of the swords, he uses
a war pick as his weapon. Simeon used to work in the
mines and was among the miners who breached the
Burning Dark. He miraculously managed to escape the
clutches of the Warden and retreated to the surface,
being one of the first to warn Hermilthan about the
threat. This journey, however, has left him scarred in
ways that he only entrusted Colt Farandras with - a
strange rash on his arm where the warden grazed him.
Unbeknownst to either Colt or Simeon, he has been
corrupted. His life in Hermilthan has slowed the spread,
though his work in the smithy and proximity to heat
does mean the corruption has slowly but steadily grown
over the years - though not to the point where it is
hurting him. He does only wear long-sleeved shirts
nowadays, even while working.
Simeon has been struggling with survivor’s guilt ever
since his escape and wants to repay the community for
everything they’ve done. So he picked up a new
profession as the town’s blacksmith. He sells all
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
13
 common weaponry and armor, as well as some tools
and other ironworks, to Hermilthiand and passing
adventurers alike. He prices all of these items normally
and greets any newcomers jovially, though the sorrow
never truly leaves his eyes. A DC 13 Wisdom (Insight)
check reveals that he treats them well because he
believes they will die.
Local troublemaker
If the characters inquire about local news, or ask about
the adventurer that traveled into Deepfrost Citadel a
week ago, Simeon can elaborate a little. He has
witnessed the conversation between the knight and
Carter Grummins, a local troublemaker - whom Simeon
believes is only a troublemaker because he has grown
bored of Hermilthan. He has attempted to talk Carter
out of it, but it only seemed to make him want to do it
more.
Simeon feels responsible for Carter’s trek into
Deepfrost Citadel - and for Soren’s, too, since Carter
likely convinced Soren to come along. He knows he
cannot deter the characters from entering Deepfrost
Citadel and will not try to talk them out of it or shame
them for it. Instead, he asks that they keep an eye out
for Carter (and the other members of this expedition)
and try to ensure he returns home safely. He knows
some adventurers are more motivated by money and
offers them 50gp for safely returning Carter to him.
If the characters return without Carter, but with one
of his belongings, Simeon will thank them and still
grant them 25gp for their effort - and perhaps even a
discount on his merchandise.
6. The Townmaster’s Hall
Only a weathered sign on the side of the wall betrays that
this building is, in fact, the townmaster’s hall. This single-
story building has seen better times, but you see the signs
that someone’s attempts to keep this building in the best
shape possible, with obvious repairs and a patchwork of roof
tiles and wooden planks that cover up any holes. Still, this is
not what you think of when someone directs you to the
townmaster’s hall.
This is where the townmaster can usually be found
during the day. Currently, a tiefling by the name of
Exander Veldt is the townmaster and has been re-
elected five times. He holds the safety of his people as
the highest ideal and often looks to collaborate with the
people to make their lives a little better. A little bit of a
derp and a goof, he nonetheless has his heart in the
right place and attempts to ensure that every voice is
heard.
Lately, he has been in a worse mood than usual. The
fact that two of their own have decided to accompany a
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
14
knight into Deepfrost Citadel weighs heavily upon him.
He believed that his people knew that the Citadel was
deadly and that they were smart enough not to go there.
The added stress that a visiting druid’s apprentice has
gone with them - especially since they were the first
visitors in a long time that did not come to break into
the castle atop the mountain - is close to breaking him
emotionally. However, when the characters arrive and
they first meet the townmaster, Exander sees a chance
to inform them of what has happened, to fill the gaps in
their knowledge, and to formally ask them to return to
town with the missing members of this group, if they
happen to live through the ordeal. It would truly help
with morale.
Artifact run
One of Exander’s favorite pastimes is recording
anything of note inside of Hermilthan as well as inside
of Deepfrost Citadel and the mountain. This began as a
child, when he heard Thaddeus slip that he’d found
some interesting items on the different levels of the
mountain. Ever since then, Exander has attempted to
pry more information out of the adventurer - such as
“why didn’t you pick them all up?” - but received nothing
more and he disappeared soon after.
The knowledge of artifacts within the mountain is
tantalizing, even after three decades. It is enough of a
temptation to approach any adventurers that pass
through and ask whether they’d like to earn some more
money on the side and retrieve these artifacts for him.
It’s completely optional, of course, but if they’d like to
earn a little more coin, this might be an easy way to do
so.
For every artifact recovered from Deepfrost Citadel,
Exander will reward the characters with 50gp.
For every artifact recovered from the Frozen Crypt,
he will reward them with 100gp.
For every artifact recovered from the Caves of
Carnage, he will reward them with 150gp.
For every artifact recovered from the Black Mines,
he will reward them with 200gp.
He will also take any other magical item offered to
him, offering the same prices based on the level they
were found at. The characters can also keep these
artifacts, which are often magical in nature. It is up to
the characters to decide if they relinquish these artifacts
for coins.
The Black Mines entrance
If the characters decide to visit the entrance to the Black
Mines, they will need to make a half an hour journey
through the woods. This journey is an uneventful,
though perhaps unsettling one. When the journey
comes to an end, read the following:

As the mountain comes closer, you can see the trees do not
reach its foot. A small clearing with a few frozen tables and
other supplies that have never been picked up lie on the
ground. Ahead, what you assume to be the entrance to the
Black Mines is blocked off by rubble, debris and rocks. What
lies closer to the entrance is covered by a layer of
undisturbed snow.
At this site, people decided to completely bar the
entrance into the mines by blowing it up. Afterward,
they did not bother to clean up the environment and left
it as is: the last remains of what was once a profitable
mining operation. None of the Hermilthians have been
back since, and those who were too young to remember
the tragedy turn around when faced with this eerie
silence.
A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that
most of the snow in the area is undisturbed, as though
the wildlife that they’ve been hearing on their approach
has not dared to come any closer.
A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a
crude carving into one of the trees near the road; no
insight needed that this was a quick way for a miner to
show those outside what they had faced. It has a large
body and elongated arms, a mouth that spans the entire
face and two horns or antennae. It does not resemble
anything the characters have ever heard about, and it is
strange to know that whatever came crawling out of the
depths could be something completely now.
If the characters approach the mine entrance and
come within twenty feet of it, two specters (BR, pg. 346)
will materialize and immediately attack the characters,
telling them to go away and not to disturb the mines.
They fight to the death.
Treasure. After the fight with the specters, they can
find a bag of holding that has a few beads of
nourishment and beads of refreshment stashed in them.
A still-functioning lantern also lies among the rubble,
but has no oil. The mines are inaccessible from this
side.
Black Mines Entrance
The tunnel leads into the Black Mines, specifically into
the black mines exit room (area M3). It takes the full
party a successful DC 15 group Strength (Athletics)
check to clear the rubble in about six hours. If they don’t
succeed on this check, it instead takes twice as long. In
either case, the characters can clear the rubble enough
to reach the Black Mines, though they can still see that
the tunnel is rather unstable from the previous forced
collapse.
Whenever the characters use the Black Mines tunnel,
there is a 20 percent chance that it will collapse again
and become unusable. I would highly suggest you
discourage characters who haven’t visited the Caves of
Carnage yet before clearing this tunnel. It could provide
a shortcut, and potentially have a negative impact on
Hermilthan, and the creatures that can pour out of the
tunnel can result in a TPK if they are not careful.
During the first long rest after the tunnels are cleared,
the siege of Hermilthan starts. If the characters decide
to take a long rest in Hermilthan, they can help defend
the town. If the characters decide to take a long rest
elsewhere during the first night after they cleared the
tunnels, Hermilthan is overrun.
Developments
Deepfrost Citadel Explored
After the characters have completed “chapter 2.
Deepfrost Citadel” and have chosen to return to
Hermilthan, they will find it has not changed. Every
friendly NPC they meet will be pleasantly surprised or
overjoyed that adventurers set for Deepfrost Citadel live
to tell the tale.
If Soren Tidrostir has been saved, he will reunite with
Colt Farandras and Varin Bell, and share his tale with
them. The characters can collect their reward, as well.
Druids’ Reunion. If Geranwyn Thomiscia has been
rescued, she will be reunited with Salaena
Mirrialdestin. The druid will keep her promise and pay
the reward. The pair also offers their services to the
party whenever they are in town and need them. They
remain in town and make further preparations to shield
the town and surrounding nature from harm.
If Geranwyn did not make it out of Deepfrost Citadel
alive, Salaena will leave Hermilthan within a few days.
The Dwarf’s Inquiry. Whether Geranwyn and/or
Soren have been returned or not, Simeon Veinbreaker
approaches the characters and asks about Carter. He
shares with them a common rumor from the times
before the tragedy: that Thaddeus Holsten had a secret
way to go to and from the Black Mines via Deepfrost
Citadel, considering some miners often saw him
speaking with the foremen but nobody ever saw him
enter or exit the Black Mines entrance at the foot of the
mountain.
Simeon is pragmatic and knows that Carter most
likely perished, and that - if either Geranwyn or Soren
or both survived - the survival of the characters was
pure luck. Still, he does not want to give up on the youth
and hopes that neither will the party. If necessary, he’ll
offer a greater reward of 100 gp for their future efforts.
Greater Artifact Run. Exander Veldt’s confidence has
grown by the safe return of these adventurers and seeks
to take some magic items off of their hands. He has
heard the rumors about the secret entrance from
Deepfrost Citadel into Black Mines and suggests there
may be more valuable artifacts found in the spaces
between the two locations. The mountain itself is
rumored to have been subjected to many previous
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
15
 explorations, where these artifacts and magic items
have been left behind, forgotten or were dropped by
unfortunate adventurers. Once again, Exander will offer
to take some of the magic items the party doesn’t need
off of their hands for gold pieces.
The Frozen Crypt Silenced
After the characters have cleared the Frozen Crypt, they
can return to Hermilthan to resupply, catch their
breaths and catch up with the goings-on of the town.
They can collect their reward from Simeon Veinbreaker
if they bring Carter’s red parka back to town, and see
some new scenes.
Vigil at Farandras Shrine. Should the characters visit
the Farandras shrine, they can notice Colt Farandras
just finished carving two new names into the stone, to
add to the list of casualties: Soren Tidrostir and Carter
Grummins. He is willing to speak with the characters,
though after a while, he’d want to be left alone. He’ll
react saddened to the news of Carter. He does invite
them over to attend a vigil later this evening, to honor
the recently deceased.
The vigil itself is a rather sober ceremony, where the
remaining townsfolk (both named NPCs and others)
come together around the Farandras Shrine, where
both Colt Farandras and Exander Veldt say a few
words. The people will light some candles and
reminisce, to remember those they had to let go, now
also including Soren Tidrostir and Carter Grummins.
The characters can speak with townsfolk at any time,
though they’ll be asked to be quiet during the ceremony.
They are happy to answer questions to the best of their
abilities, but some may be too taken by emotions to
answer.
If the druids are still around, they attend this vigil as
well.
Druids in action. If the druids are still around, the
characters can see the positive influence the two have
on nature in and around this town. They are always
friendly and offer to help if they need it. They both have
Cure Wounds and Lesser Restoration prepared.
Salaena herself also has Revivify prepared and has
enough materials for one casting of the spell.
When approached, Geranwyn can speak with the
characters about her latest conspiracy theories. She still
believes the evil lies beneath Deepfrost Citadel, and she
is curious about everything the characters have come
across. She suggests that what Salaena is worried
about is deeply invasive and will attempt to supplant
everything else it comes into contact with. She is too
afraid to join the characters in their quest - the situation
at Deepfrost Citadel has properly spooked her - but she
does wish them a lot of luck.
Superior Artifact Run. With the return of the
characters, Exander Veldt will approach them again.
Pleased with the progress the characters have made
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
16
(and the potential magic items they’ve sold to him
already), he cautiously asks them to descend into the
Caves of Carnage as well and retrieve some artifacts.
Despite his eagerness to acquire these artifacts, he also
heard stories of the danger waiting in these caves. He
can warn the characters about ravagers, the mighty
beasts that were supposed to fight off the threats that
breached into the Black Mines, and cautions them that
these caves are extremely dangerous to traverse. Still,
Exander offers to buy the magic items the characters
don’t use.
The Caves of Carnage
Conquered
After returning from the caves of Carnage, the
characters find the town preparing for winter. The
hearth in the Hidden Stache burns brighter and people
wear warmer clothes. Horsehead Provisions offers
more warm supplies for colder days and has discounts
for any gear that is ostensibly better for warmer
temperatures. The druids, if they are still around, also
prepare the environment for winter and can’t seem to
come any closer to the source of the supposed
corruption of the land.
New Friends. After four days, Calliope Zemnas and
Jonas Hyffal - if they are alive - find their way back to the
surface and find a place to wind down and prepare for
their next adventure, taking a room at the Hidden
Stache. The innkeeper, Marion Joybringer, will be
visibly nervous about a zombie and a ghost renting a
room, but was too polite to turn them down and now
has two new patrons. Most Hermilthians are a little on
guard around them, but as long as the newcomers don’t
do anything bad, they won’t interfere. If Geranwyn
Thomiscia is alive, she will be one of the few to
approach the duo and befriend them.
The first time Calliope and Jonas see the characters,
they once again thank them for their help. They share
that they plan to return down below, to see what else
they might be able to find, but they will want to prepare
a bit longer and stock up on some supplies as they do
so. And enjoy being able to see the sky for a little while.
Druidic Investigation. If Geranwyn has an opportunity
to speak with the characters, she will announce she’s
gone to the Black Mines entrance to see if she can
determine whether or not that tragedy has something to
do with the visions of darkness that her mentor Salaena
was suffering from. Her own investigation has brought
to light that it might, and that whatever was hiding on
the other side might be responsible. She’ll urge them
not to go - and, if she can’t convince them, to be cautious
while they traverse there, for she senses great evil
awaits in the Black Mines.
Corrupted Nature. At this point, one or more
characters might be corrupted by the sculk, by one way
or another. Their visible corrupted sculk veins and
patches will elicit some strange looks from
Hermilthians. Most of them are unfamiliar with
corruption at all and might suspect it is some sort of
strange disease and none of them want to accidentally
catch their sickness - though it doesn’t impact their
politeness and friendliness towards the affected
character(s).
If specifically Colt Farandras spots them, he will
attempt to approach them in private - or, if that doesn’t
work, to visit them in their rooms. If Simeon
Veinbreaker spots them, he’ll implore the party to speak
with Colt for ‘urgent matters’.
As soon as Colt is able to speak with them, he will
correctly diagnose the characters with ‘corruption’. He’s
only ever seen this in the miners who escaped the
tragedy and most of those who escaped died outright,
only knowing of one such survivor. This survivor is the
town’s blacksmith, Simeon Veinbreaker, though Colt
will not disclose this information without Simeon’s
express permission. He can share with the characters
that this corrupted individual seems to be doing fine so
far, though distance hasn’t cured this disease. He has
the permission of this person to kill them should the
symptoms grow stronger at any point in their life.
He has no idea how to stop the corruption or how to
cure it, but he can share that the cold seemed to either
have made this disease dormant or made its progress
slow down significantly. If asked, he can let the
characters know that the answer to their disease and
the corruption may be found within the Black Mines and
below, but does warn them about a potential
aggravation of symptoms in close proximity to this
corruption and that it might claim them, just as it had
claimed many miners before.
Veinbreaker Corruption. If the characters confront
Simeon about his own corruption, or if they ask enough
questions, Simeon will show them his left arm; some
dark patches of sculk and veins reaching to and up his
hands, which is why he always wears gloves and long-
sleeved shirts these days. He is the most adamant about
the characters not going back, though he knows he can’t
stop them if that’s what they want to do. Should they
want to go back, he hopes that they will find a solution.
Beyond feeling a strange yearning to go to the Black
Mines, the corruption hasn’t bothered him, but he would
love to be rid of it if at all possible.
For the purposes of corruption, Simeon is at
corruption level 3. He has intrusive thoughts about
returning to the Black Mines and joining his fallen
friends, but always believed that was his own survivor’s
guilt trying to make him feel bad. He’s always ensured
he was too busy to actually go back, needing to take his
mind off of what happened.
Supreme Artifact Run. As the characters prepare to
breach or return to the Black Mines, the townmaster
Exander Veldt approaches them once again, this time
with a graver expression on his face. He finally explains
what this artifact collecting is all about: some of the
items the characters have been finding, but not all,
might have belonged to Hermimthians who might have
escaped the Black Mines via the caves. In all likelihood,
only a few had the opportunity to flee, and not all of
those thought to bring their belongings with them. He
understands that adventurers and mercenaries are often
driven by gold, which is why he opened with the offer to
buy them, instead of tugging at their heartstrings and
asking them to return what once rightfully belonged to
Hermilthians. Exander would be just as happy to take
these items off of them once they no longer needed
them to protect themselves from the dangers of the
Black Mines, at the same prices he previously set.
Exander can also warn the characters to be extremely
cautious, because he’s afraid the things that killed his
miners haven’t been eradicated properly.
Clearing the Black Mines Entrance. If the characters
want to go to the Black Mines through the official
entrance, they can do so. If the characters have gone to
inspect the entrance before, they will not encounter the
specters again - if not, they will have to fight these
specters before they can excavate the tunnel.
During the first long rest after the tunnels are cleared,
the siege of Hermilthan starts. If the characters decide
to take a long rest in Hermilthan, they can help defend
the town. If the characters decide to take a long rest
elsewhere during the first night after they cleared the
tunnels, Hermilthan is overrun.
The Black Mines Cleared
While the characters are exploring the Black Mines,
they have a chance to return to the surface more
frequently. If they excavate that tunnel, the characters
can return more easily. However, clearing that tunnel
comes with a cost: once the tunnels are opened, the
sculk creatures are free to start climbing out of the
Black Mines and to go into Hermilthan. The events that
happened during the siege are listed in “Siege of
Hermilthan”. This section deals with the state of
Hermilthan if the tunnels remain untouched and the
siege has not been triggered. It also presents this town
as though the Burning Dark has been unlocked.
Artifacts Acquired. Exander Veldt will still be pleased
with the progress the characters are making, willing to
pay for the magic items the characters do not need.
When he hears that they might be going to the Burning
Dark, he will strongly advise them not to go there. As far
as he (and every other Hermilthian) is concerned, that
place is the root of all evil, since that is where the sculk
came from that destroyed the Black Mines. He’ll still
take their artifacts if they find some down there, but
Exander very clearly believes that the characters will
perish if they do so. He will attempt to talk them out of
this if given the chance.
Call of the Dark. At some point, Simeon might seek
out the characters to speak with them. He doesn’t know
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
17
 what happened below the surface unless the characters
tell him, but the pull to go deeper has grown ever since
the Burning Dark was unlocked. He is afraid that he
won’t be able to resist the urge and that he might
disappear. Simeon prematurely asks the characters to
end his life if they see him down there, on the
assumption that he might still look like himself but no
longer can think rationally.
Colt Farandras will also approach the characters at
some point, if they don’t come to him. He shares the
worries that Simeon has already shared with him and
voices some hope that a cure could be found in the
Burning Dark. If there is no cure, they might at least
find something that could help them find a cure for their
problem. He wouldn’t normally recommend them to go
below the Black Mines, but if that was where
information could be found, it could be the characters’
best bet for finding answers.
The Siege of Hermilthan
This event is triggered during the first long rest after the
tunnels into the Black Mines have been cleared. The
sculk had not been looking for a direct way out, but with
the tunnel accessible to the creatures again, it has
decided to move part of their forces. They march out
through the tunnels, into the icy cold of the surface
world, with a singular road leading to the first signs of
civilization since it consumed the miners.
They march onto Hermilthan, ready for their next
meal. The sculk creatures arrive at the edge of town in
the evening. What happens next, depends on whether
the characters are present in Hermilthan for this siege
or not.
The characters are present
If one or more characters are corrupted with sculk, have
the one with the highest corruption level feel that more
is coming as the first few walk into the sunlight. They
have half an hour to prepare before the sculk creatures
arrive. If nobody is corrupted, the person with the
highest passive perception can see them advance from
the north and break through the tree line. In this case,
the time to prepare is cut down to ten minutes as the
sculk creatures amble closer.
If the characters are at a loss how to defend the town,
Exander Veldt will suggest everyone hunker down in
the Hidden Stache, to protect the people in one central
place and to fortify it from the inside. This section
assumes this inn is the main location of the siege, but
the bulk of the siege can happen elsewhere, too,
depending on the choice the characters have made.
Once all people have made it into the Hidden Stache,
they and the characters can block the door, hammer
some planks against the windows, or do anything else
they might believe to be helpful. A successful DC 15
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
18
group Strength check gives these fortifications an AC of
16 and 40 hp. A failed save gives these fortifications an
AC of 11 and 20 hp. Any other preparations that
characters make in anticipation of the siege is always
welcome as well.
Combatants
A few of the residents are able-bodied and ready to fight
off the sculk creatures or to help the party in another
way. Everyone else hunkers down and waits for the
siege to pass.
Simeon Veinbreaker. Simeon is familiar with these
creatures and more than willing to stand on the
frontline with the heroes and to soak up some damage.
He acts on initiative count 10 and uses the veteran stat
block. The party controls his actions. He does want for
someone else to be helped or healed before he receives
any aid.
Colt Farandras. Colt, who uses the acolyte stat block,
can aid in a small way and acts on initiative count 5. He
uses his first turn to cast bless on the party. They decide
who gets the bonus from this spell. The other turns, Colt
attempts to stay out of harm’s way and casts sacred
flame on a target of the party’s choice. If a creature is
within melee distance, he takes the Dodge action
instead.
Lumberjacks. A group of six lumberjacks, led by
Varin Bell, are at the characters’ disposal. They have an
AC of 12 and act on initiative count 0. On their turn,
they act as a collective and gang up on one creature,
giving each other advantage on the attack. Make one roll
for the whole group against the creature. If they beat the
creature’s AC, it takes 27 (6d6 +6) slashing damage. If
they don’t beat the AC, the creature still takes 9 (2d6
+2) slashing damage.
A creature can also attack the group. If they beat the
AC, one of the lumberjacks is killed. Once three
lumberjacks are dead, the group deals 13 (3d6 +3)
damage on a hit instead, and 5 (1d6 +1) on a miss.
Whenever a lumberjack dies, roll a d6. On a 1, Varin
Bell is the lumberjack who dies.
Exander Veldt. The townmaster stays with the rest of
his people in the Hidden Stache (if that is where they
are) and acts on initiative count 20. His presence keeps
the townsfolk calm for as long as the siege lasts. During
his turn, he can spend an action to refortify one of the
fortifications or he can usher some folks to the higher
floors of the inn, towards safety.
Once per combat, he can rally everyone within 30 ft.
of himself who can hear him, speaking inspiring words
in the process. Everyone in that radius gains 10
temporary hit points. If he dies and people see this
happen, the lumberjacks have disadvantage on their
attacks and creatures targeted by Colt’s sacred flame
have advantage on their saving throw.
Druids. If the druids Salaena Mirrialdestin and
Geranwyn Thomiscia are still around, they will help and
act on initiative count 0, having cast barkskin on
themselves prior to combat starting. During combat,
they can cast one of the following spells per turn:
At will: produce flame, shillelagh
3/day: healing word (2nd level), entangle
1/day: lesser restoration
The target of the spell is designated by the party.
Alternatively, the party can choose to have the druids
physically attack a creature with their quarterstaff.
Jonas Hyffal and Calliope Zemnas. If enough time has
passed for the zombie and the ghost to have arrived at
Hermilthan, Jonas Hyffal and Calliope Zemnas are
willing to help. They will stay with the townsfolk to keep
them calm and to fight off any creatures that come too
close. They do not have actions, but they do have three
reactions. As a reaction, they can take the damage that
any sculk creature wants to inflict on the townsfolk,
casting themselves as a shield. They take the damage
accordingly.
Horde of enemies
This siege will be an atypical version of combat.
Depending on the choices of the characters, they are
defending inside a building or outside, but they must
still deal with more creatures than they otherwise would
want to deal with. These enemies arrive on the scene in
four separate waves. Each new wave appears after two
completed rounds of combat.
During the first wave (on the first round of combat),
ten sculk thralls advance towards the characters or
towards the noise.
During the second wave (on the third round of
combat), four sculk thralls and two sculk brutes
come to accompany them.
During the third wave (on the fifth round of combat),
two sculk brutes and one sculk catalyst join the
fight.
During the fourth and final wave (on the seventh
round of combat), a sculk shrieker arrives.
The weather and location plays in the character’s
advantage. For every round that the sculk creatures
start their turn in the cold (i.e. when they are outside)
they take a certain amount of damage, as outlined by the
table below. This damage starts on their second round
of combat and accumulates for as long as they remain
outside.
Round Damage die
1
2
1d4
1d6
3 1d8
4 1d10
5+ 1d12
For example, on the sixth round of overall combat -
presuming all creatures are still alive and remained
outside for the duration - the ten sculk thralls from the
first wave take 1d12 point of cold damage. The
creatures from the second wave, that joined on the third
round, take 1d8 points of cold damage. The creatures
from the third wave take 1d4 points of cold damage.
The sculk shrieker from the fourth wave hasn’t joined
combat yet and isn’t affected by any cold damage yet.
If it would take too long for the final creatures to die
of cold damage and it looks like the characters have
decisively won, you can narrate how the sculk creatures
shrivel and wither in the cold.
Immediate aftermath
When all of the creatures are dead - either because the
characters and their allies have killed them, or because
they died from exposure to the cold - peace returns to
Hermilthan, but the quiet doesn’t quite come. The
surviving lumberjacks and Simeon go around to ensure
that no stragglers are still alive, while the druids and
Colt ensure the townsfolk and their defenders are not
dying from their wounds. Exander keeps the people in
the Hidden Stache until he has confirmation it is safe
for them to return to their homes.
The deceased are brought to a central, safe space,
where Colt can prepare for their funerals. If Colt has
died, Varin will prepare instead. If Varin also passed
away, the job falls to a dwarven woman.
Exander Veldt ensures that everyone is safely back in
their homes for the night. The lumberjacks and Simeon,
if alive, decide to patrol throughout the night, to ensure
that no other sculk creatures sneak up on them in the
middle of the night. If Exander passed away and Varin
is alive, Varin volunteers to take over as townmaster
until a new election can be held.
If the majority of people have survived, the party are
hailed as heroes, though it contrasts with the potential
losses the townsfolk have suffered. They can enjoy
discounts in every shop in Hermilthan, including the
inn, and all townsfolk have a positive opinion about
them. Exander Veldt can be more easily persuaded to
keep the tunnel open until the characters are finished
with their business in the Black Mines and the Burning
Dark.
If half or more of the townsfolk died, the survivors
acknowledge the efforts of the party, but are also
distraught by the losses they have suffered. Exander
Veldt needs more convincing to keep the tunnel open.
Some townsfolk have a positive opinion of them, while
others believe them to be the reason those things
attacked and act negatively around the party.
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
19
 The characters are not present
Without the characters present - without even properly
knowing this could happen - the town of Hermilthan is
unprepared. A keen-eyed Hermilthian notices the
movements between the trees, giving the townsfolk ten
minutes to attempt to prepare. The following events are
suggestions for what might have transpired, and you are
free to change and add and delete any that do not fit
your game.
Deceased
During the siege, about half of Hermilthan’s population
perished, and Xanthos Barian was part of that unlucky
half. The other half survived based on pure luck and the
swift intervention of the town’s defensive forces. The
whole community is shaken by the mass loss of life, and
many still grapple with how to move on.
Simeon Veinbreaker also did not make it.
Eyewitnesses claim that, while Simeon was fighting one
of the bigger ones, it ate him. The sculk that had been
present on Simeon from the tragedy at the Black Mines
started to grow and consume him, and before anyone
knew it, Simeon was consumed and had become one of
them. Sharing their vulnerabilities, he died from
exposure to the cold as one of the sculk creatures.
Varin Bell, along with some lumberjacks, also
perished during the siege. He gathered up some
lumberjacks in town and encouraged them to defend
their homes. His final act was to pull a creature off of a
friend and hack into it in a desperate attempt not to lose
said friend. However, the creature struck Varin down as
it was dying. Mortally wounded, he was brought away to
be healed, but he passed away before dawn.
If the druids were present, then Salaena Mirrialdestin
would be caught off guard and also perished.
Survivors
Jonas Hyffal and Calliope Zemnas, upon seeing the
horde come closer, decide to leave for their own safety.
They’ve known too much defeat lately, with Jonas losing
his life and recently becoming undead, and do not want
to lose what little life they do have left and run when a
fight inevitably breaks out.
Xanthos Barian died during the siege, but Hal Terris
survived. Horsehead Provisions is now solely run by
Hal, who is more distracted and who is significantly
easier to haggle with. He appears to have lost his wit
and is more downtrodden and outright more sorrowful.
After ten in-game days, he closes up shop to leave
Hermilthan and start anew elsewhere.
Exander Veldt survives the siege, but barely, as the
creature died of frostbite before it could deal the killing
blow. Haunted by the events that have left his people
dead, he cannot help but to blame himself and retreats
CHAPTER 1. HERMILTHAN
20
from all social life, holing up inside his house and
refusing all contact with the outside world.
Marlon Joybringer has stepped up as the community
leader after Varin’s death and Exander’s absence.
Rather, everyone was looking for a guiding voice and all
eyes have landed onto Marlon. He feels largely
unqualified for the job and tries to keep everyone as
happy and good as possible, but he already is starting to
feel the pressure that comes with being a leader in
times of despair. On the fifth day after the siege, he will
have the tunnel into the Black Mines collapsed again,
this time ensuring absolutely nothing can escape
through.
If the druids were still in town, Geranwyn Thomiscia
survived the assault. She elects to stay in town for as
long as she and her healing abilities are needed, but as
soon as she believes she has run out of usefulness, she
will leave.
Colt Farandras was attacked as well, but he
miraculously survived. He continued to help people
where he could, ignoring what was festering beneath his
skin. For as long as he can, he tries to hide what he is
becoming, but the call of the sculk is stronger than he
could have imagined. On the dawn of the third day after
the siege, he will descend into the Black Mines and go
to the western mining cavern (area M27). If the Burning
Dark has been unlocked by then, he will instead go to
the landing (area B1).
If the characters have told any of the Hermilthians
that they were going to enter the Black Mines via the
abandoned mineshaft, the news spreads like wildfire
and everyone will assume they succeeded in clearing
out the rubble - and clearing the path for the sculk as
well. People will have a generally negative attitude
towards the characters and may either refuse business
or hike the prices.
In either case - whether the characters were present
or not -, the sculk has been communicating everything
that happened to those who remained in the Black
Mines. They have determined it is too cold to launch
another attack, and they do not attempt to come for a
second round.
Chapter 2. Deepfrost Citadel
eepfrost Citadel sits atop the icy mountain - a
D
most ostentatious castle that served more to
be imposing than to be comfortably lived in.
Yet, this was where Thaddeus Holsten lived.
Though the adventurer has disappeared, the
citadel itself has not grown silent. Adventurers
from far and wide congregate and enter
through the gates in search for even a fraction of the
riches that had previously been unearthed.
The citadel, however, has been more lively than they
could have imagined, as the halls are patrolled by
previous adventurers. These have been driven mad,
enthralled by the living portrait that hangs in Thaddeus’
bedroom. Without the master of the house present (and
tainted by the sculk), the portrait has grown in power
and extended its consciousness to the citadel itself. It
has limited the space where this steady stream of
adventurers can roam, to funnel them to meet the
portrait in person. Every new sweet face is welcomed in
the citadel with open gates, only to be locked in when
they are too far down, for nobody escapes the grasp and
the attention of this living portrait.
A foreign influence
After destroying his laboratory to rid himself of sculk
and fleeing with Melena’s body, Thaddeus Holsten had
believed he had gotten rid of it all. Instead, a then-
negligible amount had been left behind on the living
portrait, once created with magical brushes and paints
to make it come alive. As a rescue from an arrogant
noble, it does not resemble Thaddeus in any way - the
hair is too brown and the eyes too wide. Yet, this
portrait had become a strange companion that only a
few knew about.
Too cold to thrive in the citadel, the sliver of sculk
instead hunkered down and clung to the only life-force it
could find: the back of the portrait. It was too weak to
impose its will on the portrait, yet it did influence this
construct. It began to develop its capabilities far beyond
what it had originally thought capable of, slowly driven
mad by the sculk and the isolation. Then one day, the
portrait ordered the citadel to come alive - and the
citadel obliged.
Over the years, its influence over the citadel grew.
With that influence came boredom. Control over the
citadel was not enough, and that crushing loneliness
could be fixed by a steady stream of overly confident
visitors. It was all too easy to underestimate a portrait,
after all, and those who stood before it were caught by
its penetrating gaze. Their minds were gone or mangled
before they could even react, turning on their friends or
mindlessly wandering the halls. Some were simply
caught in their final moments before the portrait
imposed its will onto them, while others became
mindless husks. The result was all the same; caught
unawares, they were taken and were made to do the
portrait’s will until their bodies could no longer sustain
themselves and they passed away.
When Garrett Wells and his expedition arrived, the
portrait did as it had done countless times before. It
compelled Soren Tidrostir to gaze into its eyes and, in
the subsequent altercation with the rest of the group,
broke the knight’s mind as well. Carter Grummins fled
to the basement and became the first to successfully
escape the citadel, albeit gravely wounded. Geranwyn
Thomiscia fended off the threat and locked herself into
one of the rooms, protecting her little pocket of safety
with thorns, vines and briars. It protected her from the
knight and sorcerer, though it offered no reprieve from
the portrait’s whispers in her ears. It patiently spoke as
though she was a willing participant in the
conversations, wondering when she’ll finally visit it and
look into its eyes…
Roleplaying the portrait
The portrait did not gain life before the sculk attached
to it; it had been an ornament in the home of an
arrogant noble and later a willing friend of Thaddeus
Holsten. Its worldview has been limited to Deepfrost
Citadel and the corrupted lens through which it now
views this home. Whatever name it once had has been
erased, though an insistent party might learn the
portrait considers itself a benevolent master, taking the
same title Thaddeus Holsten once held in the castle.
One of the sculk’s goals has always been to draw
people in and consume everything else. These goals,
mixed with the inherent loneliness of a portrait trapped
in a cold bedroom, informs its choices and actions. It
wants to meet people face to face so it can look into
their painted eyes and compel them to surrender their
minds. As of late, its power has grown large enough to
crack minds without needing to look at them, though it
vastly prefers to lay eyes on his future thralls.
Once it has its thralls, it barely knows how to take
care of them. It does not allow them to sustain
themselves - to eat or drink or do whatever else they
need to stay alive. Its thralls end up dying, much to the
portrait’s disappointment. Fortunately, a steady stream
of adventurers coming to Deepfrost Citadel breaks that
loneliness and begins this cycle horrible anew.
Since its merge with Deepfrost Citadel, it is aware of
the whereabouts of the characters and what they are up
to. It is not interested in direct interference - everyone is
free to do within these halls whatever they want, except
for going off of the beaten path that goes directly to
where the portrait resides. Despite this, it will
encourage any visitors to come and see it soon.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
21
 Above all, it tries to lure the characters with patience
and understanding, fueled by the loneliness it has been
experiencing. It speaks with a lower, calming, soothing
voice that attempts to lull the characters into a false
sense of security and tries to convey that after a
conversation face-to-face, the cruel world out there
won’t hurt them anymore. It won’t be too pushy with its
rhetoric - it knows they cannot leave the citadel and
they’ll have to face it sooner or later. The longer
someone spends in these halls, the more exposed they
are to its influence and the easier it will be to take their
minds in a moment of vulnerability.
The portrait might show its true colors when
speaking about certain topics. After finding Soren or
Garrett, the portrait can claim he went mad later, not
denying that it had taken Soren’s mind a week ago. It
won’t mourn the death of its newest thralls, for it
expects the characters to take their places soon.
Whispers of madness
Throughout the citadel, that sickly sweet and
comforting voice can appear to provide context, twist
the truth to its favor and encourage characters to visit it
in the highest room of the central towers. These can
serve as a reminder of what entity is in charge of the
citadel, to give the place an eerie vibe and familiarize
the players with this area’s boss. Narratively, the
portrait is trying to gauge the characters’ reactions and
will interact with them freely, so long as its goals are
met.
Running this chapter
In this chapter, the characters can explore the areas of
Deepfrost Citadel that the portrait allows them to
explore. Through exploration, they can learn what
happened to Wells’ expedition and what might happen
to themselves if they linger. They’ll also find hints of
what happened to Thaddeus Holsten and Melena, as
well as a way forward into solving this mystery.
Character Advancement
This chapter is meant for characters of level 3. The
characters will level up when they defeat the living
portrait and descend into the Frozen Crypt.
Important NPCs
Only few important NPCs dwell within Deepfrost
Citadel. Below, you’ll find a short list of these NPCs.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
22
Name Role
Geranwyn traveling druid, apprentice of Salaena
Thomiscia Mirrialdestin
Soren Tidrostir sorcerer from Hermilthan
Garrett Wells traveling knight, mounted this expedition
into Deepfrost Citadel
The road to Deepfrost
Citadel
Those who want to go to Deepfrost Citadel need to
climb the frozen mountain. A small road, nowadays only
used by the adventurers drawn to the front gates,
ambles up the mountain in hairpin bends, slowly
snaking up. At some point, the Citadel comes into view -
imposing, almighty, towering over the characters.
Cast in the shadow of the Citadel, your gaze is drawn ever
up. Eight blackstone towers rise into the air and seem to
scrape the clouds, tearing into them as they drift by. These
towers frame a low structure in its middle that holds the
biggest tower. The sight alone is imposing and a shiver
creeps up your spine. The thought enters your mind: the
gates of this enormous citadel have allowed many
adventurers to enter, and nobody has ever come out - not
even Thaddeus Holsten. Are you going to be the next, or will
your exploration end in riches and victory and a sound
return?
Feel free to make the journey as long or as short as you
wish. If you wish to summarize this, the journey passes
without issue and the characters easily make it to the
front gates.
Deepfrost Citadel
Features
Deepfrost Citadel is a gothic architectural marvel,
though the menacing outside easily outshines the lavish
inside chambers. Once a sprawling maze of corridors,
the living portrait has moved a few rooms around and
collapsed all hallways that would distract the visitor
from immediately coming to it, making a more
streamlined path to the middle tower.
Ceilings. The ceilings are 20 ft. high.
Doors. Unless specified, all doors are wooden doors
with iron banding. If they are locked, it takes a DC 20
Strength (Athletics) check to break through them or a
DC 15 Thieves Tools’ check to unlock them.
Floors. Most floors are either tiled with a darker
stone that has been mined from the Black Mines, or are
dark oak wooden planks.
 Light. All rooms are brightly lit by torches that have
been lit by a Continual Flame-spell.
Walls. All walls are made from the blackstone from
the Black Mines and are cold to the touch.
1st Floor
D1. Gates
A long walkway, with dark-blue tiles, reaches forward,
punctuated one either side by pincers made of ice. Even
during this time of day, the shadows of the towers cast this
walkway in darkness. When you are as close to the massive
dark wooden gates as fifty feet, the gates swing open with a
loud creaking, a warm current welcoming you inside.
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23
 The gates open on their own accord. The spirit within
the living portrait has grown enough power to have its
consciousness extended to the citadel itself, literally
opening the gate for new adventurers as it senses them
approach the Citadel.
When the characters are about to pass through the
gates, also read the following:
A whisper creeps from the back of your mind to the
forefront, its direction indiscernible, as though it came from
deep within you. The voice is alien, sickly sweet and
soothing. You figure it should feel invasive and unsettling,
but it’s not. It’s comforting and calming.
“My, my, my… such sweet faces… won’t you come in? Visit
me, at the top of the tower? I’d love to have a chat with
you…”
When they enter the entrance hall, the gates behind
them close. Nothing will be able to open them again
until the portrait has been defeated. Any attempts to
open the gates again are countered by whispers and a
voice genuinely wondering why the characters would
leave without visiting it.
D2. Foyer
The hallway is well-lit, flames burning in braziers and the
inanimate armors standing still as you pass by. A set of
heavy doors in the walls swing open for you as you approach
them.
A double staircase with the finest red carpets curl from
your left and right to an upper balcony. A large ornate brass
chandelier in the middle of the ceiling illuminates the room
and casts the areas underneath the balconies in shadows.
Two normal doors lead to the left and right, and another set
of double doors lead straight ahead.
In the middle of the room stands a knight in full plate
armor, with his back turned towards you. The tip of his
greatsword rests on the ground, the hilt presumably clasped
in his hands in front of his chest. He mutters words under
his breath in Common.
This knight (BR, pg. 163) is Garrett Wells, his mind
having been taken by the portrait. He is mindlessly
reciting the oaths he took in life and says nothing
beyond these words, looping in on themselves
forevermore.
He has not noticed the characters. If he becomes
aware of their presence, he will attack. He cannot be
reasoned with and fights to the death. As he fights, he
continues to calmly recite his oaths, unresponsive to
what the characters say.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
24
The characters can sneak around him to the second
floor. The knight will remain in this area and will not
notice the characters unless they pass right in front of
him - either on the first floor or on the northern balcony.
If the characters fail a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check,
Wells will notice them and fight.
Treasure. The knight is not carrying his expedition
supplies. He does carry a greatsword and wears both
excellent plate armor and the Knight’s Helm.
D3. Chapel
The flames of the brazier bathe the destroyed pews and altar
in soft light, which reflects off of the statue in the back,
which seems to hold its hand up to the newest visitors.
Despite the destruction, this room feels distinctly serene in a
way the rest of the citadel does not.
This chapel once served to provide religious services of
any kind to the inhabitants of the citadel. However, as
things grew bad, one follower of Kelemvor prayed to
their god for protection - and the god responded. This
space has been under the protection of Kelemvor ever
since and wards the influence of the portrait.
Statue of a Saint. This statue has been here since
Deepfrost Citadel was constructed, ever holding out its
hand. A text carved into the stone at its feet is revealed
on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check, saying:
‘return my symbol to me’. On the altar lies destroyed
papers and parchment that hold the doctrines of
Kelemvor, the god of death. The identity can be
uncovered - through these pages or by the statue itself -
on a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Religion) check. A
successful check also reveals that Kelemvor’s main
symbol is an upright skeletal arm holding balanced
scales. To complete this puzzle, they must find a set of
scales and place it in the statue’s hand. One such set
can be found in the kitchen (area D6).
Treasure. Once the statue holds the scales, it swings
open into a secret compartment that holds a pouch with
23 cp, 46sp and 86 gp. It also holds an uncommon
Amulet of the Devout and a spell scroll of Remove
Curse.
D4. Servants’ Quarters
Four doors stand in the wall leading to the left, and another
on your right, where the hallway continues around a corner.
Each of the rooms belonged to one of the people who
lived and worked here. There is one bed and one
cabinet per room. These rooms do not have any
treasure in them, just personal belongings. The
southernmost room has a decayed corpse in it, the
pungent smell wafting out of the room as soon as
the door is opened. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check
reveals this corpse has been here for a lot longer than a
week and must belong to an adventurer who came a
long time ago.
Backpack. Inside a backpack set against the wall, it
holds standard adventuring gear: a mess kit, a bedroll, a
pouch with 17 gp, a simple rapier, studded leather
armor, and five rations that have gone bad. A note on
the bed itself is old and the message barely readable,
but the text says: ‘serve the Master’.
D5. Dining Hall
The scent of freshly-cooked chicken and other aromas hit
your nose, even before you open the double doors. When
they do open, the sight welcomes you to take a seat at the
lavish dinner table. Multiple meals await on the table and
the plates - some of which have been partially eaten already -
and expensive-looking bottles of wine accompany the food.
An open flame roars in the fireplace to your right and almost
makes the space feel cozy. To your left and in the far end of
the room, simple wooden doors give you access to other
parts of the citadel.
This dining hall has a much cozier set-up than the rest
of the citadel and feels more inviting. The portrait has
covered the space in strong illusions, masking the odor
of rotting food as well as the absence of warmth. All this
serves the purpose to confuse any visitors who come in
and throw them off guard.
Dinner’s served. Should the characters want to avail
themselves of the food, they must make a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for the next
hour, as the food they consume has rotted away decades
prior. They can repeat the saving throw every ten
minutes. On a success, they are no longer poisoned.
D6. Kitchen
This text presumes the characters enter via the dining
hall:
When you open the door, you are greeted with a kitchen in
use. A dead quail lies untouched on a table in the middle of
this room, and clean pots and pans. One door to your right
and one to your left lead deeper into the citadel.
The kitchen looks like it has been in use recently,
though that is not the case. Once again, the portrait
attempts to confuse the characters by presenting a
scene that should be impossible, weakening their
mental defenses and (hopefully) making them more
susceptible to his influence.
A set of scales necessary for the statue in the chapel
(area D3) can be found here.
The cabinets do not hold anything of value beyond the
pots and pans and spices. The spices look okay, but as
soon as they leave the kitchen or dining hall, time will
catch up with them and they will rot, too.
The flying dagger (BGDIA, pg. 30) lying on the
counter next to the dead quail awakens when someone
comes within five feet of it. It will fight the party
relentlessly and only stops when it is destroyed.
D7. Storeroom
The walls are lined with racks and cabinets and crates, filled
to the brim with all kinds of meats, vegetables and other
foodstuffs that have long since spoiled.
The truth about this location is not masked in any way -
though perhaps the malodorous scent might have even
been enhanced.
Among these foodstuffs lies one item that hasn’t
spoiled yet and could pique the character’s attention: a
Multi-Grain Waffle.
D8. Central Tower
The inside of this cold tower is barely illuminated. The floor
stretches the entirety of the tower, yet nothing stands inside.
The stairs on your left lead down and are cast in darkness,
even more than the rest of the room. On your right, the
stairs lead up to a pinprick of light.
This tower is the only connection the portrait allows
between the floors of the citadel where it allows its
visitors to go. With the enhanced shadows and light, it
attempts to draw the characters away from the
basement (area D20) and up to the higher levels of the
tower, where it can be found.
If a character does try to go down the stairs, call for a
DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
character is compelled to climb the stairs to the second
floor as the portrait whispers in their ears and guides
them away. Upon arrival on the second floor, the
influence ends. On a success, they only hear the voice of
the portrait in their ear, strongly advising them not to go
downstairs, as well as an uneasy feeling coming over
them.
2nd Floor
D9. Throne Room
An ornate mauve carpet lies in the middle of this
ostentatious room, while a chandelier overhead shines
brightly. You look directly at a golden throne, and four brass
humanoid statues set into the walls watch you silently.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
25
 The eyes of the statues follow the characters and turn
their heads to see what they are doing. They cannot
move anything else and serve only as an example of the
portrait’s powers over the castle as well as to increase
how creepy this is. The throne itself is an illusion as per
a permanent Major Image spell and can be discerned by
a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
D10. Balconies
A beautiful wooden floor welcomes you onto the second
floor balcony. Behind you, you see another balcony, wrapping
around the back of this space. Massive double doors are
centrally placed in the walls, as well as other, normal wooden
doors. To the left, a door is completely covered in briars and
vines, blocking the entrance.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
26
One of the portrait’s surviving thralls from another
group had been sent to deal with Geranwyn Thomiscia.
However, the young druid defended herself well and
strangled the thrall, leaving the corpse out on the
balcony. It is no longer a threat and carries nothing of
value.
The balconies and wrap-around offer easy access to
all locations on the second floor, barring the areas that
have been cut off by the portrait through cave-ins and by
shifting the rooms to different locations.
The briars and vines block the door to what was once
Melena’s room (area D13) and seems to be an
intangible mess.
D11. Treasure Room
This open hall has a long scarlet rug that reaches to the
back, where two statues of strong warriors stand guard. Six
ornate pedestals stand against the wall and each holds a
specific item: a simple rope; a sharp-looking and dangerous
dagger; a single white rose that remains fresh and smells
delightful; a brilliant golden necklace with a red gem set into
it; a single bottle filled with a pale gray smoke that still swirls
inside; and a mighty greataxe that emanates great power.
Thaddeus Holsten liked to put his treasures on display.
This is one of those rooms, which is also the only one
that is currently available to wandering adventurers.
The treasures don’t appear to be protected by anything
non-magical. The Detect Magic spell reveals all these
items are magical in nature - as are the statues.
Treasure. The items on the pedestals are a Rope of
Climbing, a Frosted Dagger, a white Chromatic Rose, a
Necklace of Adaptation, an Eversmoking Bottle, and an
Axe of the Screamin’ Void.
Trap. The statues guard the treasures so long as they
can see these treasures. When someone tries to take
one of the treasures, they will have to make a DC 15
Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d6
lightning damage as two streaks of lightning -
originating from one statue each - race toward them
every round. The treasures can be taken safely if the
statues’ vision is obscured or if the statues are
destroyed. The statues have an AC of 17 and 20 HP.
D12. Library
A calm fireplace quietly burns in the background,
casting shadows from the two vermillion fauteuils
behind them. The heads of a boar and a deer are
mounted on the wall and let out wails of pain. The walls
are lined with bookshelves, upon which hundreds of
books and tomes and scrolls rest. Standing near one of
the bookcases, in the middle of what appears to be a
swarm of flying books, is a brown-haired half-elf
muttering some arcane words to himself.
Soren Tidrostir (App. B), after hearing the whispers
and visiting the portrait in the tower, returned to his
friends to attempt to make them see the truth. He
caught Garrett Wells, who immediately driven mad
himself, but Soren couldn’t catch Geranwyn or Carter.
Since then, he’s been holed up in the library for its
upkeep, and to find interesting spell scrolls for his new
master.
In this madness, the library has been twisted and had
to suffer all the wild magic cooped up inside the
sorcerer. In this state, Soren has already inadvertently
animated the animal heads mounted on the walls and a
couple of books that he cannot keep in check, no matter
how much he tries to stop them.
Though the door is opened, Soren is deeply
distracted, reading one of the tomes. The characters can
sneak up on him with a successful DC 11 Dexterity
(Stealth) check.
Once Soren notices the characters, he will turn to
violence immediately. His aim is not to kill the
characters, but to knock them out for his master to
corrupt. A swarm of animated books (CM, pg. 19) will
join the fight as well.
Soren Tidrostir
Medium Humanoid (Sorcerer, Half-Elf ), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Elven
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Twisted Mind. Soren has advantage on saving throws against
being charmed or frightened.
Spellcasting. Soren is a 4th-level sorcerer. His spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell
attacks). Soren knows the following spells:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, friends, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): chaos bolt, charm person, mage armor,
shield
2nd level (3 slots): blur, scorching ray
Wild Magic Surge. Soren’s spellcasting unleashes surges of
untamed magic. Whenever Soren casts a leveled spell, roll on
the Wild Magic Surge table to create a magical effect. If that
effect is a spell, and if it normally requires concentration, it
doesn’t require concentration in this case; the spell lasts for its
full duration.
Actions
Multiattack. Soren makes two melee attacks.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
If Soren dies, the swarm of animated books fall to the
ground and are no longer animated. The animal heads
on the wall will revert to their original inanimate state.
If Soren is reincarnated due to a roll on the Wild
Magic Surge table, he is freed from the influence of the
portrait and will be confused about what happened. It
takes him a minute to fully understand what he’s done
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
27
 and what he unleashed. He can share the tale about the
portrait in the tower and will sufficiently warn the party
about the dangers that await upstairs. Beyond that, it
would be great if he could return home as well, either
with or without the party. He refuses to return to the
tower with the portrait, but a DC 18 Charisma
(Persuasion) check could convince him to come along
either way.
Treasure. The room contains a multitude of spell
scrolls, some unusable. Between those that are still
usable, they can find a spell scroll of Invisibility, a spell
scroll of Ice Knife and a spell scroll of Heat Metal.
Soren himself has discarded everything he had on him
while he was still sane, but he does have his staff,
dagger and the Hood of Aw’Yah.
D13. Melena’s Room
The bedroom is blocked by a writhing mass of thorns,
vines, and briars that seems to have grown through the
wooden planks. To gain access to the room, the
characters must first deal with this. The plants have 12
AC, 20 HP, are immune to psychic damage, and
vulnerable to fire damage. Once they have been
destroyed, the door can freely be opened and the
characters can hear something moving around on the
inside.
Read this when the characters first enter the room:
You walk into another room in disrepair. The bed and couch
have both been torn by time, rotten and disturbed. Despite
the weight of time, the cabinet and writing desk have both
stubbornly survived until this point, though a breeze could
easily knock them both into a million splinters.
Before you can react, you see a flame originating from a
red-haired elven woman rushing toward you.
Geranwyn Thomiscia, the missing druid of the party,
has heard something outside of the door destroying her
defenses and is ready to hit the first character to enter
with a prepared Produce Flame spell, though she will
realize they are not thralls and apologize profusely to
the pearson whom she’d scorched.
Geranwyn can share the following information:
She decided to join this expedition because she
believed the source of nature being off-balance could
be found within these walls. Instead, she found
herself trapped in a living citadel that likely has
nothing to do with the situation.
She witnessed Soren and Garrett going insane and
knows that Carter ran into the throne room. She
hunkered down in this bedroom and created a
protective barrier for herself.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
28
She has managed to survive this long without
starving herself by eating goodberries, though her
water reserves are running dangerously low at this
point.
The whispers do not bombard her, but they do
regularly remind her that this siege can end if she
comes to see him at the top floor. She doesn’t know
who this person is, but she does not want to meet
him at all. Sometimes, they have kept her awake at
night.
She would love to leave this citadel as quickly as
possible.
Though Geranwyn is a capable druid, her time in the
citadel has taken its toll and she wants to leave and
return to Hermilthan and her mentor Salaena. She will
aid the characters throughout their journey and stay
close to them. She uses the druid stat block, but instead
of Longstrider and Speak with Animals, she has
prepared Goodberry and Cure Wounds.
If the characters have dealt with Soren in the library
(D12) and tell her of his demise, Geranwyn will express
her sorrow for the loss of such a well-intentioned man.
Treasure. An ornate mirror and brush on the desk are
worth 100 gp total, but everything else is unusable and
worthless.
D14. Greenhouse
Opening the door, you first notice the warmth inside. All
around the walls, all sorts of weird and exotic plants grow in
the dirt. Two small moving heaps of twigs and small
branches are cleaning the dirty floor to the best of their
ability, while a bigger one is watering a large, writhing plant
in the corner.
Beyond treasures, Thaddeus Holsten also collects all
kinds of strange flora from his travels. He had them
brought to Deepfrost Citadel, to this magically-protected
room that would serve as a miniature greenhouse.
Since his disappearance, it has continued to thrive,
though not without minor changes.
Two twig blights (BR, pg. 157) and one needle blight
(MM, pg. 32) amble about in the room, tending to the
plants. They have come to life due to the presence of the
portrait and its branching powers. They will not attack
unless they are attacked first and instead continue to
tend to the plants. If they are attacked, however, they
will fight back. The ruckus awakens a mantrap (ToA,
pg. 227) in the northwestern corner, which uses its
pollen to draw people in and then tries to engulf
whichever character fails the save. The blights
surrender and scuttle away when the mantrap is
defeated, and the mantrap fights until it is destroyed.
Treasure. In the cabinet, two regular potions of
healing can be found.
D15. Laboratory
The blackened door almost falls off of its hinges as you push
it - a miracle that it doesn’t disintegrate at your touch. The
inside is not much better - scorched stones, burned furniture
and lost research surrounds you. A thin layer of ash covers
the floor, and yet some embers still smolder.
Once a laboratory, Thaddeus Holsten did not spend a
lot of time in this room. Most notably, this was where he
brought his wounded friend and attempted to find a way
to save her, though he was not successful. Because of
the sculk, he opted to burn the whole room instead and
destroy the sculk along with it - to follow it up with a
blast of ice, when fire proved unsuccessful. The
combination had been effective, though everything he
had stored here was destroyed. Due to the destruction
in this room, its entire surface is considered difficult
terrain. The portrait has been attempting to thaw the
room out, revealing all that the ice once had covered,
almost reigniting the flames that once burned here.
Secrets. Glass pieces lie about on the table, along
with a journal the flames have destroyed. With a
successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the
characters can read but a small fragment of the journal.
It shares the frustrations of its author, Thaddeus, who
can’t seem to find a solution for their problems
regarding Melena’s sculk corruption.
On the desk lies a broken “skadoodler” of Thaddeus’
own design. A successful DC 20 Intelligence
(Investigation) check reveals this was a machine
developed specifically for the removal of harmful
substances, though any indication about which harmful
substances it would’ve removed, have been eradicated.
It is broken beyond repair.
The Tower
D16. Landing
At the top of the stairs, you are greeted by natural sunlight
pouring into the room. A small landing with simple armor,
standing guard at the door. As you step off of the stairs, the
heavy wooden door swings open and from inside, a familiar
voice beckons you.
“No time to dally. I would love to see you…”
The armor in this room is actually a suit of animated
armor (BR, pg. 116). It does not awaken or attack until
the players have entered the bedroom (area D17) and
have spoken with the living portrait.
D17. Thaddeus’ Bedroom
The room is well-kept, despite the passage of time. Not even
a thin layer of dust lies on the floor, natural light filtering into
the first windows you’ve seen since you entered Deepfrost
Citadel. A nice rug lies into the middle of the room and the
bed has been made, a wooden chest standing next to it. The
head of a young blue dragon has been mounted to the wall
and regards you hungrily. But your eyes are drawn to the
portrait hanging on the wall in a golden frame.
A broad shouldered man with wide eyes and dark hair has
been painted. Yet, when you enter, the man in the portrait
seems to perk up and lean in a little closer. A creepy grin
curls across his face.
“Ah, such sweet, sweet faces… in the flesh, for the first
time. I’m so glad you’ve made it.”
The portrait is the sole inhabitant of this room.
Thaddeus Holsten had originally brought it with him
from his previous home and it had been a good
conversational partner. However, the influence of the
sculk has tainted it. Over the years, without Thaddeus to
keep it company and the boredom settling in, the
portrait expanded its influence over the citadel until it
extended everywhere. It would not allow visitors to
leave, for it could help them and he’d have a cure for
that incessant loneliness - but whoever it influenced
would eventually pass away. The constant stream of
visitors does keep it occupied and happy, and now the
next batch of adventurers have come to confront it.
The portrait would rather the characters stand there
and give in to its influence willingly. In the likely case
that the characters resist, combat breaks out. The living
portrait (App. B) and its allies will fight until they are
destroyed. For this fight, it calls upon the rug of
smothering (BR, pg. 264) in this room and a suit of
animated armor from area D16. They fight until they
are destroyed, or until the living portrait has been
destroyed.
If you want to make things more interesting or if you
want to switch out one of the enemies, the dragon head
provides a nice alternative. On initiative count 1, the
dragon head breathes lightning in a 5 ft. wide line. Each
creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 2d10 lightning damage on a failed
save, or half as much on a successful one. It has an AC
of 12 and 18 HP. It will continue to do this until it is
destroyed, or until the living portrait has been
destroyed.
Thaddeus Holsten. The portrait knows a lot about
Thaddeus. It knows he and Melena lived in this citadel,
that they built a crypt under the citadel, that they
returned after an alleged attack on the mines. Melena
got hurt and Thaddeus tried everything to help, but
failed and set the lab on fire before frosting it over.
Thaddeus left with Melena’s body, but the portrait
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 CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
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Living Portrait
Medium Construct, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 5 (natural armor)
Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 0ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (-5) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)
Skills Perception +12, Persuasion +8
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Sylvan, Deep Speech
Challenge 4 (1100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Antimagic Susceptibility. The portrait is incapacitated while in
the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the
portrait must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against
the caster’s spell save DC or become unconscious for 1 minute.
Constructed Nature. An animated object doesn’t require air,
food, drink, or sleep. The magic that animates an object is
dispelled when the construct drops to 0 hit points. An
animated object reduced to 0 hit points becomes inanimate
and is too damaged to be of much use or value to anyone.
doesn’t know what happened afterwards. However, the
portrait doesn’t believe this knowledge is as important
as trying to reel the characters in.
Treasure. Besides the bed stands a pair of Papa’s
Slippers. The chest contains 347 gp, 663 sp, 145 cp,
and two potions of greater healing. On the desk lies
Thaddeus’ journal and the Master’s Key.
The journal. The journal of Thaddeus Holsten lies on
the desk. It contains a dramatic retelling of the events
that caused him to found the Black Mines, embellishing
his own actions and having nothing but good to say
about his deceased friends. The journal details the
construction of the Crypt in the frozen tunnels, to serve
as a gateway through the Caves of Carnage to go into
the Black Mines themselves. He speaks very highly of
this very rewarding enterprise and mentions the many
riches he will earn in the future. They can also learn the
passphrase “Rest, frosty” written in the margin of this
journal, as well as a reminder to always visit the crypt’s
library.
Through these pages, on a successful DC 15
Intelligence (Investigation) check, at the DM’s
discretion, the characters can learn about ‘annoying ice
creatures that keep attacking him’ (ice mephits) and the
spirits of the dead from the Frozen Crypt, the patrolling
ravagers and ‘dangerous lake-dwellers’ (kuo-toa) from
the Caves of Carnage, and the dangers of the sculk of
the Black Mines.
Innate Spellcasting. The portrait’s innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 15). The portrait can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
2/day each: calm emotions, crown of madness, sleep
Actions
Call of Madness (recharge 6). The portrait targets one creature it
can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed by the portrait
until the portrait is destroyed or until it is on a different plane of
existence from the target.
The charmed target is under the portrait’s control and can’t
take reactions, and the portrait and the target can
communicate telepathically with each other over any distance.
The charmed target can repeat the saving throw whenever it
takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a success. No
more than once every 24 hours, the target can repeat the saving
throw when it is at least 1 mile away from the portrait.
Reactions
Compel Sympathy. The portrait wards itself against an incoming
attack. Any creature who targets the warded creature with an
attack or a harmful spell must first make a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new
target or lose the attack or spell. This doesn’t protect the
portraits from area effects, such as the explosion of the fireball
spell.
On later pages, he laments the tragedy that had
claimed many of the miners and attempted to claim
Melena as well. Where his entries were once riddled
with overly flowery language, they now were shorter
and to the point. The very last entry reads that he “can’t
risk infection”.
The Master’s Key. This simple steel key is cold to the
touch and doesn’t feel quite right to whoever is holding
it. In actuality, this key is one of the main instruments
needed to unlock the Burning Dark. Having been in
Thaddeus’ possession at the time that he came into
contact with sculk, it had been affected by this
substance as well. It is not conscious, but attunement
does bring with it a strong desire to delve deeper
underneath the citadel and to unlock the Burning Dark.
D18. Washroom
A wooden tub stands in the middle of this well-illuminated
room.
This room has nothing of interest.
CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL
31
 D19. Closet
No light shines in this room, apart from what filters through
from behind you. Two metal bars are set into the walls on
either side of you, and old clothes lie in a pile in a corner.

This room has nothing of interest.

D20. Tower Basement
The darkness grips you even more the further you descend.
Yet, the sight of a torch eternally burning does not alleviate
any discomfort you may have stepping into this room. The
circular space is rather bare, with only a few destroyed
chests off to the side, a square wooden platform held up by
chains in the middle and a lever to the back of the room that
seems to be able to operate the platform. Blood is splattered
across the floor and on the wood of the platform. Beyond
that, the room is filled with an eerie silence.

The room has quite an eerie feel to it, only illuminated

by the torches in the room. With a successful DC 13
Wisdom (Medicine) check, someone can determine the
trail of blood is about a week old.
The wreckage of the chests do not have any treasure
in them. They used to contain some tools and warm
gloves and boots, used for the descent into the frozen
tunnels below.
Elevator. The platform is an elevator that, when the
lever in the southeastern corner is activated, leads into
area F1 of “chapter 3. The Frozen Crypt”. Thaddeus
Holsten used this elevator to easily go into the Frozen
Crypt from his citadel, and also the way Carter
Grummins escaped the portrait’s clutches. After he had
been wounded, he found this room and desperate for an
escape, he took his chance, leaving only a bloody trail.
If the characters attempt to use this elevator and the
portrait is still alive, it has frozen the lever in place. It
will refuse to let another escape its clutches again and
will ask innocently to come and see it first. No matter
what the characters do, the lever will not budge. If the
portrait has been defeated, the lever will work and allow
the elevator to lower.
What comes next?
After the portrait has been defeated, the characters can
freely use the elevator to descend into the depths below
Deepfrost Citadel and continue their journey into the
Frozen Crypt.
Alternatively, the characters can choose to escort
Geranwyn (and possibly Soren) back to Hermilthan.
There, they can take a day to recover, stock up and learn
from the townsfolk about the Frozen Crypt.

CHAPTER 2. DEEPFROST CITADEL

32
Chapter 3. The Frozen Crypt
irectly beneath Deepfrost Citadel, a series of
D
interconnected icy tunnels are located. Within
these tunnels, Thaddeus Holsten constructed
a crypt to honor his deceased friends,
prominent Hermilthians, and other
noteworthy people. Shortly after construction
had finished, Thaddeus realized the tunnels
were not as friendly or abandoned as they had first
appeared. Creatures stumbled their way into the caves
and the crypt, where the souls of those who had passed
away rose up to defend their last resting place.
Thaddeus himself never cared much for this strife, for
the spirits would rest once again if the threats from the
tunnels did not enter. Instead, he helped some of the
souls move back on, to peace, but he never could
convince the echoes of his friends to leave.
Since Thaddeus’ disappearance, the tunnels have
changed. Passages have opened up and closed off as
time went on. Some creatures are trapped within these
walls, but they know not to disturb the denizens of the
crypt. The spirits have since then grown quiet, with the
exception of Thaddeus’ old adventuring party, who wait
patiently for the next intruders.
Recently, this stalemate has been upset by an
unexpected new arrival: an undead adventurer, forever
mindlessly searching for ways down, forever ready to
tear anything that moves apart for answers.
Running this chapter
This chapter kickstarts the party’s journey into the
dungeon proper, traversing icy and snowy tunnels with
a mostly slippery underground, where some of the walls
are so thin you can look through them. In contrast,
though the walls of the crypt are made of study-looking
stone, brittle and look like they could collapse at any
second. The characters may find more hints to the fates
of those who escaped the Black Mines as well as a
potential insight into Thaddeus’ past.
Character advancement
This chapter is meant for characters of level 4. The
characters level up when they unlock the entrance to
the Caves of Carnage and have defeated the wanderer.
Threats in the Crypt
The wanderer
After his daring escape from Deepfrost Citadel, Carter
Grummins found his way into the Frozen Crypt level,
but unfortunately did not survive the cold. Due to the
harrowing experience in the citadel, he rose as an
undead wandered whose only goal is to fulfill this
unfinished business: to descend under Deepfrost
Citadel and go deeper and deeper. The person Carter
Grummins once was has perished, and only the
wanderer remains.
As his name suggests, the wanderer does not remain
in one place as he aimlessly searches for something that
can help fulfill his goal. When the party first enters the
level, the wanderer is in the library (area F26) and
remains there until one of two things happens:
the characters find Carter’s camp (area F3)
the characters cross the River of Souls (area F9)
If either of these happens, the wanderer slowly
ambles around the dungeon. Every two to three rooms
the characters enter (regardless of if they’ve already
been there or not) the wanderer gets to enter another
room. Roll a d4 and assign a cardinal direction to each
number. The result of this roll dictates in which
direction the wanderer moves. If there is no adjacent
room or passage in the direction of the rolled results,
you can check clockwise for the first room he can enter.
As he wanders, the other denizens of the tunnels and
the crypt allow him to pass. He cannot traverse through
hazards.
Whenever the wanderer is in a room adjacent to the
party, paraphrase the following:
The sound of footsteps echoes through a room adjacent to
you. Slow, almost methodical. A bright light seems to sway
from left to right with every step. You’re unsure about what it
could be or what its intentions are.
The wanderer attacks on sight. If the characters want to
sneak past him, they need to succeed on a DC 10
Dexterity (Stealth) check.
If the characters avoid him throughout the dungeon,
he shows up in the room with the Kneeling Man (area
F23) as the characters return the statue’s instrument to
it for a final confrontation.
Hazard
Monsters are not the only threats in the dungeon. The
tunnels and crypt are dangerous in their own right and
might cut off what you believed to be an easy way out.
The longer you stay, the more the landscape changes to
reflect how long you’ve been here.
For every four (new) areas the characters explore,
hazard is generated and changes the terrain. Previously
accessible passageways can be blocked off or are more
difficult to traverse. They could be a nuisance for as
long as the characters explore, but this remains
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
33
 even when they leave - either to go deeper or to return to
the surface.
When hazard is generated, roll a d10 to determine in
what section of the level the hazard is activated.
Tunnels. If the characters are in the tunnels, a 1-7
triggers a hazard in the tunnels, while an 8-10 triggers a
hazard in the crypt. Roll on the appropriate table to see
what hazard has been activated, re-rolling any results
that have already been triggered.
Crypt. If the characters are in the crypt, a 1-7 triggers
a hazard in the crypt, while an 8-10 triggers a hazard in
the tunnels. Roll on the appropriate table to see what
hazard has been activated, re-rolling any results that
have already been triggered.
Tunnel Hazards
d12 Tunnel Hazards
1 H1 - Entrance Passage
2 H2 - Flooded Tunnel Passage
3 H3 - Camp Passage
4 H4 - Circular Room: South
5 H5 - Circular Room: West
6 H6 - Circular Room: North
7 H7 - River Passage
8 H8 - Open Passage
9 H9 - Ravine to Crypt Passage
10 H10 - Collapsed Bridge
11 H11 - Docks Passage
12 H12 - Stairs to the library
H1 - Entrance Passage. The ceiling collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H1 to the map for a visual representation.
H2 - Flooded Tunnel Passage. The tunnel next to the
flooded tunnel (room F2) disappears completely - it
appears as though there has never been a passage at all.
Detect magic reveals that the path still exists, but is now
closed off by strong abjuration magic. If anyone
attempts to pass through, they must make a DC 19
Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take 2d6
bludgeoning damage as they walk into a solid wall. On a
success, they do not take the damage, but instead feel
their body lock up, unable to pass through. Add hazards
H2a and H2b to the map for a visual representation.
H3 - Camp Passage. The wall collapses, blocking off
this pathway. It takes the party two hours to safely clear
out the rubble and make it accessible again. Add hazard
H3 to the map for a visual representation.
H4 - Circular Room: South. The floor gives way,
revealing a deep pit of about twenty feet deep with
debris at the bottom. If the characters want to jump
across, they must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check. On a failure, the characters take 2d6
bludgeoning damage from the fall and 2d6 piercing
damage from the debris. On a success, they jump across
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
34
without issue. Add hazard H4 to the map for a visual
representation.
H5 - Circular Room: West. The ceiling collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H5 to the map for a visual representation.
H6 - Circular Room: North. The ceiling has cracked
open, and water flows into the area. Wherever the water
flows is considered difficult terrain. Add hazard H6 to
the map for a visual representation.
H7 - River Passage. The floor gives way, revealing a
deep pit of about twenty feet deep with debris at the
bottom. If the characters want to jump across, they must
make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
failure, the characters take 2d6 bludgeoning damage
from the fall and 2d6 piercing damage from the debris.
On a success, they jump across without issue. Add
hazard H4 to the map for a visual representation.
H8 - Open Passage. The left-hand tunnel connecting
areas F6 and F7 is littered with sharp crystals on the
floor for its length and becomes difficult terrain. When a
creature moves into or within the area, it takes 1d4
piercing damage and 1d4 cold damage for every 5 feet it
travels. Add hazard H8 to the map for a visual
representation.
H9 - Ravine to Crypt Passage. The ceiling collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H9 to the map for a visual representation.
H10 - Collapsed Bridge. The bridge across the River
of Souls has collapsed. To jump across the river, the
characters must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check. On a failure, the character falls into the waters of
the river and feels its effects. On a success, they make it
across safely. Add hazard H10 to the map for a visual
representation.
H11 - Docks Passage. The beginning of the tunnel
that leads directly to room F13 is littered with sharp
crystals on the floor and becomes difficult terrain. When
a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 1d4
piercing damage and 1d4 cold damage for every 5 feet it
travels. Add hazard H8 to the map for a visual
representation.
H12 - Stairs to the Library. The ceiling collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H12 to the map for a visual representation.
Crypt Hazards
d8 Crypt Hazards
1 H13 - Western Staircase
2 H14 - First Townmaster: West
3 H15 - First Townmaster: East
4
5
H16 - Twin Tombs Passage
H17 - Lava Room passage
6 H18 - Kneeling Man: West
7 H19 - Kneeling Man: East
8 roll again
H13 - Western Staircase. The ceiling collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H13 to the map for a visual representation.
H14 - First Townmaster: West. The party’s presence
has angered the spirits of the crypt. The ceiling and
floor have risen up, making it difficult to pass through
this doorway. With a successful DC 18 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check, a character can squeeze through the
opening. Add hazard H14 to the map for a visual
representation.
H15 - First Townmaster: East. The party’s presence
has angered the spirits of the crypt. The ceiling and
floor have risen up, making it difficult to pass through
this doorway. With a successful DC 18 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check, a character can squeeze through the
opening. Add hazard H15 to the map for a visual
representation.
H16 - Twin Tombs Passage. The wall collapses,
blocking off this pathway. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H16 to the map for a visual representation.
H17 - Lava Room passage. The doorway disappears
completely - it appears as though there has never been a
passage at all. Detect magic reveals that the path still
exists, but is now closed off by strong abjuration magic.
If anyone attempts to pass through, they must make a
DC 19 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take
2d6 bludgeoning damage as they walk into a solid wall.
On a success, they do not take the damage, but instead
feel their body lock up, unable to pass through. Add
hazard H17 to the map for a visual representation.
H18 - Kneeling Man: West. The party’s presence has
angered the spirits of the crypt. The ceiling and floor
have risen up, making it difficult to pass through this
doorway. With a successful DC 18 Acrobatics
(Dexterity) check, a character can squeeze through the
opening. Add hazard H18 to the map for a visual
representation.
H19 - Kneeling Man: East. The ceiling has cracked
open, and water flows into the area. Wherever the water
flows is considered difficult terrain. Add hazard H19 to
the map for a visual representation.
Frozen Crypt features
The tunnels east of the crypt gently slope upward, while
the others remain on the same level. Recent cave-ins
have blocked off some of the paths that would’ve led
elsewhere, and some tunnels might even be at risk of
collapsing as the party passes by.
Berries. Strange red bloodberry bushes grow
throughout the tunnels. They taste like goodberries, but
have an odd lingering metallic aftertaste. Whoever
consumes one bloodberry gains three hit points. For
every berry they eat after the first, the character must
succeed a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. The DC
goes up for every new bloodberry eaten. On a success,
they only feel light melancholy seeping into their bones.
On a failure, that melancholy sets deeper within their
psyche. They are poisoned for ten minutes. While they
are poisoned, they have disadvantage on Charisma
checks and saving throws. It is safe to consume one
berry every day. Each bush produces 1d6 berries.
Ceilings. Ceilings in the tunnels are 18 feet high.
Ceilings in the crypt are 15 feet high.
Floor. The floors of the tunnels are a mixture of snow
and slippery ice. All of the tunnels are difficult terrain.
The floors of the crypt are made from ornamental
purple tiles that have been worn down as time passed.
Hazard. The longer the party stays on this level, the
more hazard they generate. The read-aloud texts and
rooms are written and described as though hazard
hasn’t been generated yet.
Light. The icy tunnels and walls of the crypt are
illuminated by luminescent lichen, shedding a dim light
in the entirety of the map. The lava in area F17 sheds a
bright light.
River of Souls. The waters running through the icy
tunnels are as frigid as the environment and are
drenched with the souls of those who passed away in
the mines - hence its unofficial moniker of ‘the River of
Souls’. Anyone who comes into contact with it feels the
lethargy seep into their bones. If they drink from it,
wade through, or fall in, they must make a DC 14
Wisdom saving throw. On a success, they only feel
slightly lethargic. On a failure, they are affected as
though by the Slow spell. They can make a saving throw
to shake off the effect every minute.
Tombs. Within the crypt, the dead are restless. A
character must succeed on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
check to be able to push the top slab off of a tomb or
sarcophagus. Once they disturb the dead’s rest, either a
skeleton (BR, pg. 152) or a ghost (BR, pg. 129) rises.
They are relentless and fight until they are destroyed.
Unless specified, the tombs and sarcophagi have no
treasure in them.
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
35
 F1. Elevator Landing
The elevator churns and groans as it goes down. From the
darkness, you descend into the dim light of a frigid
environment. The few specks of light shed by the icy walls of
the tunnels and the silence give it an eerie vibe. With a loud
clang, the elevator comes to a halt.
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
36
The elevator opens into an unassuming tunnel that can
acquaint the characters with the cold temperature and
the slippery ice beneath their feet. Ice has frosted over
the platform on which the elevator lands and has been
recently disturbed. There are two ways to go: directly to
the north, to the higher of the two hallways; and directly
to the east, to the lower of the two. Neither path seems
more appealing or dangerous than the other.
A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check - or a
character with a passive Perception of 12 or higher -
reveals that some blood has stained the walls and
floors. The trail continues to the east, following the
southern tunnel.
F2. Flooded Tunnel
This tunnel branches off into two separated passages. On
the right, the tunnel slopes up slightly and moves through a
narrow passage with a low ceiling. On the left, the tunnel is a
little wider and deeper. Sharp rocks protrude from the
ground and ceiling, and a layer of water obscures the
deepest section.
If the characters choose to traverse the small pool of
water, they must make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check. On a success, they cross the pool without issue.
On a failure, the character stumbles and is hit by the
sharp rocks for 2d4 piercing damage.
Flooded section. The water in the flooded section
trickles down from the north and comes directly from
the River of Souls, running to the south underneath the
narrow passage on the right. Its deepest point lies two
feet deep. The usual effects from the River of Souls
apply to those who come into contact with it.
F3. Camp
A rock jutting out in the middle of the wall splits the tunnel
into two. To the left, a splash of red catches your attention. A
berry bush grows out of the walls, its vibrant green and red
contrasting with the icy blues and whites of the direct
surroundings.
If the character investigate the berries or approach the
camp to the point where they may see it, also read the
following:
In an alcove, previously hidden from view, sits a little camp.
A bedroll has been rolled out on the ground and looks like it
had been slept in. Sticks and stones have been arranged for
a campfire that was never lit, an unused tinderbox lying next
to it. A backpack, half-rummaged through, sits to the back of
the alcove.
This is the camp Carter Grummins made when he
couldn’t move further, setting it up near the berry bush
for an easy supply of food. Sapped of his energy and
fading fast, he wrote some notes in his journal before he
finally passed away and became the wanderer. The
journal is hidden underneath a portion of the bedroll’s
blanket. Characters who move the blanket or who
succeed in a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check
discover this journal.
Carter’s journal. The first few pages discuss his life
prior to being approached by Wells, riddled with
complaints about his boring lifestyle. He discusses how
Simeon Veinbreaker has tried to talk him out of it, but
that Carter will go anyway. The next entry is written in
frantic handwriting and details how Soren went mad
after briefly leaving the group to go on a solo adventure
and attacked them. Carter and Geranwyn fought Wells,
but Carter was hit and fled, finding the elevator in the
basement and now being stuck here. He can’t treat his
wounds, and wishes he had heeded Simeon’s words
and that he was back in Hermilthan. The last few
entries showcase how slowed he’d become, how the
cold is getting to him, and how he will die and nobody
will know. In his last entry, Carter asks anyone who
passes by to tell Simeon that Carter had been stupid
and writes down his own name, asking to be
remembered.
Despite the grim prospects of Carter, there is no
corpse to be seen.
Treasure. Carter’s backpack contains a spell scroll of
Shatter (previously taken from Deepfrost Citadel’s
library), two days’ worth of rations that are safe to eat,
and a coin pouch with 35 sp and 16 gp.
F4. Circular Room
The tunnel opens into a big circular room with entrances in
each of the cardinal directions, broken off pieces of ice on
the ground and heaps of snow having built up near the
walls. The walls are thinner here, looking out over the
tunnels behind them that follow the curvature of this room.
The middle of this room is indicated by a large compass-like
carving in the middle. The needle points to the north-
northwest, beyond the room you are standing in.
Hidden within the snow lies the only security measure
Thaddeus Holsten has installed in the tunnels. Three
snowmen (App. B) hide among the snowy patches.
When someone walks into the room, they reveal
themselves, but wait expectantly. If the characters do
not say the passphrase “Rest, frosty” before leaving, the
snowmen fight the intruders to the death. They will
pursue the characters into other areas. The snowmen
can be avoided by following the outer hallways instead,
and not stepping into the room with the snow.
Compass The needle on the compass points to the
chest in the pond (area F5), to confuse and lead
potential dungeon delvers and thieves to the trap
awaiting them there.
Remains. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check
reveals that some of the smashed pieces of ice on the
ground are a bit darker in coloration. When their
attention is drawn to it, they can see these are actually
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
37
 the remains of bats. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) Chest in the pond. The pond is about thirty feet deep
check will tell the characters these bats seemed to have and allows enough space for one person to comfortably
been frozen mid-flight and then shattered. swim down. This is not connected to the River of Souls,
and its effects do not apply to the water in this pond.
Within the pond sits a chest that weighs about 50
Snowman pounds. It is filled with treasure, including an
Medium Construct, Unaligned assortment of gemstones worth a total of 550 gp and
diamonds worth up to 350 gp. The chest is unlocked.
Armor Class 8 Rune rock. The runes carved into the rock are written
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
in the crude written version of Deep Speech that is
Speed 10 ft.
difficult to read. The most a character who speaks Deep
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Speech (or casts Comprehend Languages or similar
magic to read the text) can make out is “spread the
15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 1 (-5) 6 (-2) 1 (-5)
souls, spread the sculk” scrawled over and over again.
Damage Vulnerabilities fire Anything else carved into the rock is intelligible. Any
Damage Immunities cold, poison spell that allows you to read language grants access to
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from this knowledge.
nonmagical attacks Trap. If anyone enters the pond, it triggers the trap
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, and the water’s surface instantly freezes over, trapping
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned the person that dove inside. If anyone tries to break the
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
newly frozen over pond, they need to succeed a DC 21
Perception 8
Strength (Athletics) check or make a successful attack
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 xp) roll. The ice has an AC of 15, 35 HP and is immune to
Proficiency Bonus +2 poison and psychic damage, but is vulnerable to
bludgeoning, piercing, and thunder damage.
If anyone else enters the pond after the trap has been
Cold Absorption. Whenever the snowman is subjected to cold
damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of triggered, the pond does not freeze over again.
hit points equal to the cold damage dealt.

Immutable Form. The snowman is immune to any spell or F6. River Crossing
effect that would alter its form.
A calm stream crosses the middle of this room, flowing from
Melt. While in an area of extreme heat, the snowman loses 1d6
hit points at the start of each of its turns. east to west. A berry bush stands off to the side, with its
tantalizing red berries. At the far end of this cavern, two
Unusual Nature. The snowman doesn’t require air, food, drink,
ways lead deeper into this ravel of tunnels.
or sleep.

Actions
Multiattack. The snowman makes two melee attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold
damage.
Snowball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, range 60 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) cold damage.
F5. Pond
In the middle of this smaller cavern stands a rock of sorts,
covered with strange scrawlings that almost look like
symbols and runes. To the east of this rock sits a little pond
in which something shimmers and calls your attention.
There are ways out in the north, west and south.
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
38
The stream that flows through this room is the calmer
precursor to the River of Souls in area F9. One can
easily step through the waters and not be swept away,
though they would be affected by its waters.
Someone can also try to jump across with a DC 12
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength (Athletics)
check. On a success, they are able to jump across. On a
fail, the slippery ice will not prevent them from jumping,
but they do fall into the stream and are affected by the
water.
F7. Open cavern
The open space reaches higher than you’ve seen in these
tunnels. A berry bush in the far end of the room is the only
interesting point and one way to the north leads further up.
The ceiling in this room is fifty feet high. This room has
nothing of interest.
F8. Ravine
This room appears to be ruptured. Its walls are jagged with
pointy spikes and cracks in the walls. One of the cracks has
spilled over to the floor, breaking it open and creating a
ravine that runs across the length of this cavern. To your left,
in the back of the room, the walls seem to have cracked
open and reveal an interior of sorts.
Deadly quintet. A group of five ice mephits (BR, pg.
331 ) live in this room. They don’t often get visitors and
will jump at the chance to entertain themselves by
attacking these people - preferably by shoving them into
the ravine and then attacking from higher up. The
mephits will cease their attacks when two of them have
died or all of them have lost half of their HP. When they
flee, they refuse to enter the crypt.
Ravine. Someone can jump across with a DC 15
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength (Athletics)
check. On a success, they make it to the other side. On a
failure, they fall 30 feet into the ravine and take 3d6
bludgeoning damage from the fall. Without external
help, the characters must succeed on a DC 20 Strength
(Athletics) check to climb out of the ravine. The walls of
the ravine have sharp edges, so the character takes 2d4
piercing damage if they grasp the walls with their hands
as they climb out.
F9. River of Souls
The following text assumes the players arrive from the
pond (area F5):
As you enter the cavern, your gaze is immediately drawn to
the sky. You know you are traversing a series of tunnels, yet
when you look up, you can see the persistent darkness of the
night sky with stars glistening. They illuminate the path
forward; to an old-looking entrance, a stone wall set into the
icy cavern walls and an ornate, ominous blackstone archway
that both beckons you to approach and begs you to stay out.
A fast-running stream cuts this cavern in half, leaving you
stranded on one side. Two bare trees made out of icicles
stand on either side of this river, with a smaller stream
rushing southward. A simple, yet creaky and old wooden
rope bridge connects the two sides with one another. A
passage leads further west.
This cavern provides the characters access to the crypt
through its front gates. The stream in this room is the
River of Souls at its wildest, and effects of the waters
apply here. It is not safe to wade through the river here;
anyone who falls in or fails a DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
check, is swept away by the water into the small lake in
area F10.
If the characters decide to jump across they must
make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength
(Athletics) check. On a success, they make it to the other
side. On a failure, they fall into the River of Souls, are
swept away with a speed of 20ft per round and are
affected by its waters.
The small branch going southward can be waded
through and doesn’t need to be jumped over, though the
effects of the River of Souls still apply.
F10. Docks
In the middle of the room sits a small lake, around which a
set of docks have been constructed. The water is deep and
dark, to the point where you cannot see the bottom of it.
Frozen barrels and crates are located to the sides. A set of
icy rocks climb up to twenty feet in the air to the cave wall.
The tunnels continue northward, through two passageways.
Thaddeus Holsten had the idea of creating a more
direct entrance into his mines and started to excavate in
this side cavern. He had the area dug up with explosives
and other means, but one such explosion hit an ice wall
and partially redirected the River of Souls, flooding the
hole. After this incident, Thaddeus deemed the site
useless and installed a secret staircase directly into the
crypt instead. Since then, the River of Souls has filled
the hole to the brim with water. Some of the explosives
still lay around, though most of these explosives have
frosted over and have been rendered useless.
Home of the Toad. Nowadays, the hole is the home of
a rather passive ice toad (RoT, pg. 90). It rests directly
under the waters’ surface and needs a DC 10 Wisdom
(Perception) check to be spotted. It does not attack, but
will retaliate when it is threatened. It will stop fighting
and will retreat deeper into the hole when it is reduced
to a quarter of its health or lower.
Icy rocks. The icy rocks can be climbed and form a
pathway to room F10a. Someone must succeed on a
DC 17 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to safely reach the
top. If someone takes their time to study the rocks and
makes a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the
DC for the Acrobatics check is reduced to 12.
To find the secret room, someone must either
succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check if they
try to look from the ground, or a DC 13 Wisdom
(Perception) check if they have successfully climbed the
rocks. On a success, they can see the inaccuracies in the
ice and open the hidden door.
Treasure. The toad has unwittingly gathered a lot of
resources below the waves, resting on a gentle slope,
including a small locked lockbox that holds 94 gp, a
destroyed spell scroll, and a particularly nice-looking
rock that once belonged to the ooze in area F19. If the
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
39
 characters succeed in a DC 17 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, they can find two still-functional
bombs. If they beat a DC of 22, they also find two sticks
of dynamite.
F10a. Hidden Room
This small, hidden room has a weird scent to it that you
can’t immediately place. You find the remnants of a nest,
with bones picked clean. A pristine set of boots, untouched
by time, sits to the side.
To find this secret room, a character must either
succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check if they
try to look from the ground in area F10, or a DC 13
Wisdom (Perception) check if they have successfully
climbed the rocks in that same area. On a success, they
can see the inaccuracies in the ice and open the hidden
door.
This room was once the secret home of another
creature, but it has since been abandoned. The scent
gives no hints to the type of creature that once might
have resided here, but it does vaguely smell like death.
Scent of death. If the characters spend more than
four hours in this room, the scent of death clings to their
clothes. The characters have disadvantage on Charisma
checks against non-undead creatures, and non-undead
creatures will not be as receptive to their words. They
do gain advantage on Charisma checks when they
interact with undead creatures and they may not be
targeted, as the scent tricks their minds into believing
the characters may be dead, too. The scent disappears
after a long rest.
Treasure. The boots are a pair of Boots of Striding
and Springing.
Wanderer-proof. The wanderer cannot enter this
room.
F11. Dripstone Pond
The sound of dripping water as it hits the surface echoes
through this cavern. Stalagmites and stalactites grow freely
in and above the pond, leaving little space for anything to
move around. A berry bush grows off to the side, and narrow
natural walkways line this pond.
The water in this pond is not connected to the River of
Souls. The narrow walkways on the side of the pond
appear to be the safest route across, but are covered in
extremely slippery ice.
If the characters choose to cross the walkways, they
need to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. If they
choose to wade through the pond, they need to make a
DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a success, they
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
40
can cross safely. On a failure, they fall prone and take
2d4 piercing damage from the dripstone.
Trap. When the characters make it halfway through
the room, or enter the room and attempt to leave it, the
trapper (MotM, pg. 245) on the ceiling releases its grip
and falls onto one of the characters. It knows about the
yeti that lives in area F13 and is waiting for the creature
to enter this area. It has been surviving off of bats and
other smaller creatures and has been waiting for a
larger meal. It ignores the wanderer; it already has been
hurt by the creature and barely survived. When the
characters enter this room, it finally takes its chance.
It immediately uses its smother ability on one of the
characters, dealing that damage. After a round of
combat and taking over 20 points of damage, it realizes
the characters pose a threat to its existence and
releases the character it has smothered. Then, it will
use its actions to Dash and to climb onto the ceiling, out
of reach of the characters.
F12. Dead End
The tunnel leads into a dead end, the walls crystalline. The
biggest berry bush you’ve seen so far sits at the very end, the
berries as red as blood, almost begging to be plucked and
eaten.
Beyond the abundance of berries, there is nothing of
interest in this area.
F13. Yeti’s Lair
The tunnel opens up into a larger, oval cavern. To the right,
you can see an opening in the wall and from where a
staircase descends. To the back, in a bit of a nook, lies a nest
of dead twigs and broken-off pieces of crates. But the
creature in front of you takes all of your attention; a tall
towering creature turns its head, its white fur almost
blending in with the icy walls. With a mighty roar, it charges
toward you.
This dead end room is the home to a displaced yeti (BR,
pg. 160). It has come here through ice tunnels that have
long since collapsed and has not yet been able to find its
way home. Instead, it has languished in this area and
has been surviving off of bats and fish. It does not like
intruders and will fight anything that enters its lair. It
will fight to the death, but will not chase characters
down the stairs.
Staircase. Once hidden behind a wall of ice, now
more visible, a curious staircase descends into the
lower levels of the crypt and provides a shortcut to the
 crypt’s library (area F26) unless hazard has closed off
this pathway.
F14. Entrance to the Crypt
The text assumes the characters first enter from area
F9:
The atmosphere thickens when you step into the crypt. The
ceaseless creaking of the ice stops when your footsteps start
to echo in the empty halls. Still, the ice protrudes and
invades into the crypt, breaking the limestone walls and tiled
floors. Two stairs lead up onto a balcony with four entrances
into the higher level of the crypt. To the back of the room,
two doorways lead downward.
And you could swear you can see a flicker of a ghost
briefly walk atop the balcony.
For the first time, the characters do not have to contend
with slippery ice and difficult terrain, but the
temperature is still freezing cold.
The ghost that walks across the balcony does not
notice the characters. It is merely intended to set the
tone of the location the characters have just entered.
They have left the creatures and hazards of the tunnels
behind them, and are now faced with a brand new set of
challenges.
The Frozen Crypt
F15. The First Townmaster
An ornate sarcophagus stands in the middle of the room,
the top relief depicting a human resting on their back,
holding onto a sword. A plaque on the side identifies them
as “Gissar Veldt, the first townmaster”.
To the south, two doorways lead onto the balcony. To
the west, north and east, another passageway gives
access to deeper parts of the crypt.
This old buried townmaster, Gissar Veldt, is an
ancestor of Exander Veldt. After their death, they were
buried here, as per Thaddeus’ promise. The
sarcophagus looks well-kept. A DC 16 Intelligence
(Investigation) check reveals that this sarcophagus
hasn’t been touched by time at all, as not even a thin
layer of dust has fallen on top of the sarcophagus, even
if the crypt’s floor and other features are covered in
dust.
F16. Miner Tombs
Two walls of this room are lined with tombs and sarcophagi,
the names unreadable. A third wall, on your left, has broken
apart on the top and light from the room on the other side
spills into this room. In the southeastern corner, a patch of
brown mold has grown. Even though you stand in the
doorway, it appears to be much colder inside this room.
 The broken section of the wall can be used to access the
lava room (area F17) and is 15 ft tall in this area. A
character needs to succeed a DC 15 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check to
successfully climb this wall.
Trap. A patch of brown mold rows in the corner. It is
the cause of the extreme cold inside of the room and
covers a 10 by 10 feet square in that corner. Whenever
a character comes within 5 feet of it, they must make a
DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they
take 11 (2d10) cold damage, or half as much if they
succeeded.
It is immune to fire damage, but any cold damage
immediately destroys it. Any source of fire that comes
within 5 feet of a patch of this mold causes it to expand
toward the fire and creates a new 10-foot-square, of
which the source of the fire is the center point.
Treasure. In the corner where the mold grows, lies an
ornate necklace with a bird totem on the ground. This is
a Death Loop.
F17. Lava Room
Three tombs stand on the eastern wall of this room, its
blackstone glistening in the bright light of the lava. Two
pockets of lava - captured in two square holes in the ground
- bubble and boil but don’t seem to cause harm to the
interior.
Three miners who passed away before the Black Mines
were compromised, are buried here. The lava was an
addition by Thaddeus Holsten, as these pockets of lava
had been found, his motives unknown. Due to the lava,
it is actually quite warm in this room.
F18. Entombed Foremen
In this sideroom, two blackstone tombs are set into the
walls. Their names are written in two different scripts, and
below that another brief text in that same script.
The two people entombed here are two foremen who
passed away on the job, before the Black Mines were
struck by tragedy. One of the tombs belongs to the
dwarf Arken Veinbreaker, Simeon’s deceased brother,
and the half-drow Corinne Japhalaste. These tombs are
a bit more ornate than the others the characters have
encountered (with the exception of those in areas F15
and F22) and might be a signal to the higher status of
the entombed.
Puzzle. The text on Arken’s tomb is written in
Dwarvish, the one on Corinne’s tomb in Elven. Both say
the same thing. The first line has their name, the
following say: through the darkness into the light. To
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
42
complete this puzzle, the characters must bathe both
tombs in bright light from any source, magical or non-
magical. If the characters succeed, the walls in the
northeastern corner of this room retract and reveal area
18a.
F18a. Warmer Room
The walls, floor and ceiling are all made out of perfectly
chiseled ice in a way that almost feels unreal. Stepping into
the room, you feel the temperature change to something
more pleasant. In the far corner lies a leather-bound book.
This room does not adhere to the frigid temperatures
found everywhere else on this level, with the exception
of the lava room (area F17) - instead, the temperature is
in a normal range. This has no repercussions for the
characters, but this sudden increase in temperature is
noteworthy and a way to spook the characters.
Treasure. The book in the corner is a Tome of the
Hills.
Wanderer-proof. The wanderer cannot enter this
room.
F19. Friendly Ooze
More tombs line the two walls of this sideroom that doesn’t
have a doorway in it, an empty jar standing nearby. Your
gaze is drawn to what sits in the corner of that room. A dark
blue-ish formless blob sits there, seemingly with stars
dancing across it. Though it has no head, it seems to stare
at you curiously.
This blue ooze is a denizen of the crypt that has made
its home in this side room. It has a limited amount of
intelligence, which it can use to communicate simple
ideas with those around him. It does not know how it
got in the crypt, or how it received its intelligence, but
considers this little nook its home. It can communicate
with other intelligent creatures with its limited
telepathy.
It will not attack the party unless it is provoked.
Provoking it could mean any harmful action, attempting
to steal from it, or generally showing hostility towards it.
It will defend itself and attempts to flee after losing a
quarter of its health (using the ochre jelly stat block
(BR, pg. 146)), but only if absolutely necessary.
Stolen treasure. The ooze has lost a nice stone to a
particularly evil ice toad that “resides in the wide water”
(the pond in the docks, area F10). If the characters
retrieve the stone for it, it will be grateful and allow
them to take a bit of its slime and put it in a jar, which
will create a Jar of Speedy Slime.
Thaddeus Holsten. If the characters speak about
Thaddeus Holsten - and/or if the characters are kind
enough - the ooze mentions another humanoid that
used to pass by often, but who doesn’t show up much
anymore. The ooze can share that this man always
traveled ‘downstairs’ first, and then walked up with a
straight piece of wood in his hands. The ooze does not
know the purpose of this piece of wood. The last time,
Thaddeus also carried another humanoid woman in his
arms.
F20. Twin Tombs
Two free-standing tombs are separated by a thin wall. When
you look to your right, into a far hallway, a mote of light bobs
for a second before it vanishes.
This room has nothing of interest.
The mote of light appears somewhere around the
entrance to area F22 and is one of the three will-o’-
wisps that reside there.
F21. Altar to Oblivion
This text supposes the characters enter from area F15:
An altar in the middle of this room stands on a raised
platform. On top of it lies an opened book, though its pages
are empty. On its right and left, following the pattern on the
floor, are entryways into a much larger room, and doorways
on the left and right lead elsewhere in the crypt.
A DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals jagged
inscriptions in the stone slabs behind the altar. It is
another crude text written in Deep Speech, which
communicates its readers to “face oblivion”.
Treatise of Wholeness. The book has hidden its text
from anyone who would want to read it. An illusion is
keeping these pages blank. Something that dispels
magic or an effect that sees invisibility can reveal the
knowledge from the pages, which are also written in
Deep Speech.
When someone touches the book, a voice in the back
of their mind asks them if they would give something up
to read these pages. If the character chooses not to
accept the offer, nothing happens. If they choose to take
the deal, however, they lose a happy memory of a
defining moment of the player’s or DM’s choice. Once
the deal has been made, they can read the pages of the
book.
It looks like it was penned by something that has
never held a quill before, but which writes in perfect
handwriting, close to typewriting. It follows a stream of
consciousness about hunger, needing to eat, but greater
yet feeling the need to spread out and lay down its
tendrils wherever it can. It must create more, must
induct and consume more creatures to fulfill this goal. It
curses the cold and speaks reverently of fire and
warmth. It almost feels like it knows it is being read and
welcomes any reader into ‘the burning dark’, beckoning
them to come.
Those who are able to understand the words must
make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failure,
they take one point of corruption.
F22. Friends of the Master
The room creates a dead end. In the middle stands an
ornate tomb, and in two of the three walls stand two more
tombs. The final wall holds a table with a horned skull and a
pair of darkened goggles on display. This part of the crypt
seems to be more in disrepair than others. In the back of the
room, beyond the middle tomb, three motes of light seem to
dance and beckon you closer.
Each of the tombs has a plaque on them with a name
and a short commemorative text. The northern tomb
belongs to Tenacity, the western tomb to Rolfe Derrilt,
and the middle tomb to Faena Simms. These three
were members of Thaddeus and Melena’s original
adventuring party who perished in this mountain before
the mines were established.
The three motes of light dancing are three will-o’-
wisps (BR, pg. 355) that reside in this room. The
restless spirits of Tenacity, Rolfe, and Faena have
traveled from where they originally died to where their
tombs have been constructed, to haunt anyone who
enters. The upkeep in this room isn’t as great as in
other parts of the crypt, mostly because of the will-o’-
wisps haunting the room, which they do not leave. They
will attempt to lure the characters closer to the back of
the room to attack them, but if the characters seem
resistant, they float closer to launch the attack instead.
Once in combat, they fight until they are dead or until
the characters have retreated far enough out of the
room that they don’t pursue.
Treasure. On the table lies Tenacity’s skull, as well as
a pair of Shades of the Dog that used to belong to Rolfe.
In the corner where the will-o’-wisps dwell
(northwestern corner), the characters can find a potion
of greater healing.
F23. Kneeling Man
It almost feels like you’ve left the crypt behind, if the cold
that caresses your exposed cheeks didn’t remind you of your
current location. Large pillars run the length of this tall
CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT
43
 leaves only the faded red parka that Carter had been
room, high-up torches leaving the space cold by illuminating wearing.
it. A pool of water rests in the middle of the room, framed by
a dark border. To the very back stands an imposing 20 foot
tall statue of a kneeling knight. He seems to look downward,
with one hand outstretched as though it just handed
The Wanderer
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
something over or is to be given something.
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (9d8 + 27)
The statue of the kneeling man guards the entrances to Speed 30 ft.
the Caves of Carnage. An inscription on a wall in
Common reads: ‘hand me my instrument’. This STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
instrument can be found hidden by a puzzle in the 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)
library (area F26). The doorways and the statue itself
are impervious to magical and non-magical damage, Saving Throws Int +2, Wis +3
and the hidden doors only open when the kneeling man Damage Immunities cold
is satisfied. Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion,
To go deeper. Once the kneeling man has been given frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
his instrument, the way to the Caves of Carnage is Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
cleared. Read the following aloud: Languages —
Challenge 5 (1800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
You place it in the statue’s hand, which seems to fit perfectly.
It closes the hand around the instrument and as it does, the Blinding Light. The wanderer sheds bright light in a 20-foot
walls on either side of the statue start to shake. The walls radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. As a bonus
slide to the side, revealing a pair of identical staircases action, the wanderer can target one creature in its bright light
that it can see and force it to succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
leading downward. saving throw or be blinded until the start of the wanderer’s next
turn.
The staircase to the left ends up in the Lava Fields (area Icy Doom. Any creature killed by the wanderer freezes for 9
C1), while the staircase to the right ends up in the Pillar days, during which time it can’t be thawed, harmed by fire,
Roundabout (area C2). animated, or raised from the dead.
If the characters haven’t killed the Wanderer yet, it
walks into this room right as the mechanism is Unusual Nature. The wanderer doesn’t require air, food, drink,
triggered. If the characters haven’t encountered the or sleep.
Wanderer yet, read the following: Actions
Multiattack. The wanderer makes two attacks.
When the room settles down again, you hear the uncanny
sound of footsteps behind you. An unnatural bright light Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
peeks over your shoulder. Walking through the doorway Hit: 6 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 11 (3d6) cold
damage.
comes a person, the hood of his red parka pulled over his
head. Where you expect to see a face you instead see that Cold Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
bright light, emitted from that hole. It walks over to you and Hit: 13 (2d10 + 2) cold damage.
reaches out a hand.

(
The wanderer App. B ), for better or for worse, was F24. Lower Tombs West
caught trying to find a way downward, into the Burning
Dark. This desire is a left-over from Carter Grummins’
attempt to flee the horrors of Deepfrost Citadel by going Two tombs are set into the wall, their plaques unreadable. In
deeper. He barely understands what he is doing and the corner that connects these walls sits a dwarven skeleton,
why - nothing is left of Carter’s personality - and cannot their back against the wall, holding onto a simple pickaxe.
be reasoned with. The wanderer attacks
indiscriminately and until he has been killed. The skeleton belongs to a dwarf who used to work in
When the wanderer dies, he seems to completely the Black Mines and who made it to the Frozen Crypt.
freeze over and breaks into a million pieces of ice, its Unsure where to go next (and to hide from the spirits of
light forever dimmed, its wandering come to an end. It

CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT

44
the dead), they retreated to the library
for warmth. However, they found death
near these tombs instead.
If the characters attempt to take the
pickaxe, the skeleton (BR, pg. 152) ani-
mates and attacks. They use a pickaxe
instead of a shortsword, and they don’t
have a shortbow. If a character tells them
in Dwarvish to stop or surrender, they
listen. If the characters still attempt to
take the pickaxe, the skeleton becomes
hostile again and cannot be told to stop
again.
Treasure. The pickaxe is An Old
Friend’s Pickaxe.
F25. Lower Tombs East
Two tombs stand in this room, the cobwebs gathering
between them.

This room has nothing of interest.
F26. Library
Your gaze is first drawn to the many red candles floating in
the air, bathing this room in warm, magical light. Secondly,
you notice the room feels impossibly warm, even though the
fireplace is not working. A beautiful wooden floor creaks
under your feet and all of the walls are lined with shelves and
books, holding all sorts of books and other weird items. To
the left-hand wall stands a broken piano and a closet that
has a lute on top of it. On the right, another cabinet and
bookcases stand against the wall, where one of the shelves
has a viol.
In the middle of the room stands a grand round table with
four chairs. On the table sits a small, unassuming booklet, a
broken alchemy set, and an intricately carved wooden horn.
This magical room served as a retreat for Thaddeus,
who asked a mage to create this room for him, in case
he wanted to leave Deepfrost Citadel for a little more
privacy. Thaddeus always briefly spent time in this
room, because this was where he always came to
retrieve the instrument the Kneeling Man required.
Most of the books displayed have no value and barely
make any sense; they were placed for aesthetic
purposes, not to actually be used.
Booklet. The booklet on the table is a storybook,
recounting many brave tales. The pages that lie exposed
tell the tale of a brave knight who brought a pair of
giants to their knees, only by playing a tune on a flute.
Fireplace of transmogrification. This fireplace is a
fireplace of transmogrification; any item that is placed
inside will instantly burn and, in a few seconds, be
reconstituted into a different item from the ashes. Above
the fireplace, it reads in Draconic: ‘an eye for an ear, a
song for a spell’, hinting at its purpose. The detect
magic-spell reveals strong transmutation magic coats
the fireplace.
When a musical instrument is placed inside, a
magical implement (wand, alchemy set, etc.) will appear
in its place. When a magical implement is placed inside,
a musical instrument will appear in its place. When one
of the blank books is placed inside, it transforms into an
empty scroll. Writing instruments become reading
instruments and vice versa. Undamaged items will
come out undamaged, while damaged items will still be
damaged upon transmogrification. If magic items of a
rarity of uncommon or higher are placed inside, nothing
happens.
Secret Entrance. The closet on the left contains a
secret walkway that leads into the yeti’s lair (area F13),
unless hazard has blocked it off.

CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT

45
 Wand closet. The closet on the right contains a treasure
trove of wands, which is the main magical implement
Thaddeus had chosen to be turned into the flute the
Kneeling Man requires. About a hundred common
wands of all makes and sizes are stocked in here. A DC
19 Intelligence (Investigation) check yields the
discovery of an uncommon Wand of the Warmage.

What comes next?

After the statue of the kneeling man has received his
instrument and the wanderer has been defeated, the
party can choose where to go next. They can return to
Hermilthan to rest up, stock up, and share the news of
Carter Grummins with the townsfolk. From there, they
may learn about the treacherous caves of carnage.
Alternatively, the party can decide to push through
and delve deeper into the mountain, to experience the
Caves of Carnage for themselves.

CHAPTER 3. THE FROZEN CRYPT

46
Chapter 4. The Caves of Carnage
he Caves of Carnage cannot be called
T
uninhabitable: many life forms call these
wide caverns and tunnels their home.
However, the denizens of these caves are
not all peaceful or friendly. Predators stalk
these halls and present a danger to all who
want to traverse them.
Thaddeus Holsten used these tunnels as an extra
safety measure when going down to the Black Mines
from Deepfrost Citadel. Due to the danger presented by
the caves’ inhabitants themselves, he only ever bothered
securing the door into the Black Mines with a two-key
system, at which both keys needed to be turned
simultaneously before access was granted.
When Thaddeus Holsten passed through during his
final descent, he stopped. He didn’t want to drag the
body of his good friend Melena all the way to the
Burning Dark, especially considering that was where
she became infected with the sculk that made her
perish - and that now seemed to take over. In a
desperate bid to save his friend’s memory, Thaddeus
ended her suffering and constructed a tomb for her. As
he descended into the Black Mines, he left the keys in
their respective keyholes. The doors closed behind him
as usual, and the keys were stolen from their keyholes.
Life in the caves has endured since then. Most
notably, the sculk that still burgeoned within Melena’s
body grew and overtook the tomb itself, laced with
powerful magic to keep everything else out - and
consequently, everything inside trapped. However, a
kuo-toa archpriestess discovered the tomb and became
corrupted in the process by small traces that Thaddeus
had unknowingly left behind. Now worshiping an entity
they call ‘Skoolak’, they continue to live on a ship in the
middle of the lake and the priestess demands a steady
stream of sacrifice for their new god - which pisses off
their old god, a lone sahuagin, immensely.
Beyond the kuo-toa in the lake, more threats await in
the caves. The spiders have built a considerable den,
while the ravagers are lords of the tunnels and
frequently get into conflict with the local myconid circle.
Running this chapter
This chapter offers a little more freedom. The
characters must still traverse half the map and explore
it all to reach their destination. During these
explorations, they can run into creatures and items
infected with sculk and learn a little more about its
effects on living creatures through interactions.
Melena’s tomb might even provide some extra insights
into what happened to her and Thaddeus Holsten.
Keys to the Black Mines
To reach the Black Mines, the characters first need to
find the doorway. There, they’ll find that the door opens
when two identical keys are used simultaneously.
However, the keys are no longer in their keyholes. The
door had locked behind Thaddeus, as it always does,
but he never returned and the denizens of the caves
took the keys. Only two such keys exist, though I’ve
listed five different locations where the characters can
find them:
Pale Tomb (area C5)
Mushroom Forest (area C11)
Kuo-toa Ship (area C15)
Spider Den (area C16)
Ravager Nest (area C17)
The DM decides where the two keys are located.
Whenever these keys are mentioned, they are denoted
by “Black Mines Key.” at the front of the paragraph.
This only applies to the key locations you - the DM -
have chosen, which can be any of these five spots, or
any other that you can come with. Through exploration
and potentially as quest rewards, the characters can
earn these keys and progress to the Black Mines.
It is not advised to have the keys be in both the
ravager nest and the mushroom forest. Similarly, it
might not be advised to have the keys be in both the
kuo-toa ship and the pale tomb.
Character advancement
This chapter is meant for characters of level 5. The
characters advance to level 6 as soon as they unlock the
entrance into the Black Mines.
Threats in the Caves
Ravagers
The caves are the stomping ground of vicious beasts
called ravagers. They have made their nest in a dead-
end space within the caves and have free reign of most
of the map. They are said to wander and roam the
caves, and the following locations foresee a run-in with
a ravager:
Lava Fields (area C1)
Pillar Roundabout (area C2)
Bridge Room (area C4)
Dripstone Cavern (area C7)
Mushroom Forest (area C11)
If the characters have already recently encountered
one of these beasts, or if you don’t want them to be in
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
47
 the area when the characters pass through at any point,
that is okay. I do encourage you to describe the signs of
a ravager having been in that area and having caused
havoc if they are absent for whatever reason. However,
as ravagers are territorial creatures, it is advised to
either let characters know they are nearby, to allow
them to try to sneak by, or to have them confront these
beasts as they come across them.
When the ravagers die in these areas, another one
will start roaming around in that area after 1d4 days,
unless the ravager’s nest (area C17) has been cleared.
Hazard
No matter how far away from the Frozen Crypt the
characters go, they must still contend with hazard and
the dangers of a shifting environment. For every four
(new) areas the characters explore, hazard is generated
and changes the terrain. Previously accessible
passageways are blocked off or have become more
difficult to traverse. These hazards remain active even
when the characters leave the caves.
When hazard is generated, roll a d10 to determine
which hazard is triggered.
d10 Cave Hazards
1 H1 - Arrows from Nowhere
2 H2 - Cave-in
3 H3 - Flowing Water
4 H4 - Wild Chains
5 H5 - Axolotl Pond
6 H6 - Mushroom Forest Spores
7 H7 - Lava Pit in Pale Tomb
8 H8 - Wither Rose Trail
9 H9 - Dripleaf Trail
10 H10 - Lakeshore Lethargy
H1 - Arrows from Nowhere. The caves dislike these
people traversing their grounds without thought.
Whenever a creature enters this hallway, the walls
themselves seem to launch razor sharp pieces of stone
at anyone passing through. A character must make a
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to successfully pass
through the hallway without being hit. On a failure, they
take 12 (3d6) piercing damage as the rocks dig into
them. Add hazard H1 to the map for a visual
representation.
H2 - Cave-in. The ceiling collapses, and debris covers
this pathway. It takes the party two hours to safely clear
out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Alternatively, the characters can make a DC 18
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to climb over the debris.
On a failure, they lose their footing and take 2d4
bludgeoning damage as they slip back down. Add
hazard H2 to the map for a visual representation.
H3 - Flowing Water. The pillar in the middle of this
space has cracked open, releasing water into the area.
Wherever the water flows is considered difficult terrain
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
48
as the characters struggle against the stream. Add
hazard H3 to the map for a visual representation.
H4 - Wild Chains. The lava in the pool below the
chains is unruly, its heat radiating more wildly and
affecting the chains as well. The DC for the Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check or Strength (Athletics) check is
increased from 14 to 18. Add hazard H4 to the map for
a visual representation.
H5 - Axolotl Pond. The axolotls in the pond bite at the
ankles of everyone who passes by and climb out to do
the biting. The characters must succeed on a DC 15
Dexterity saving throw or be bot for 2d4 points of
piercing damage. If the characters decide to fight the
axolotls, use the cat stat block (giving them a swim
speed equal to their walking speed and a bite attack that
does 2d4 points of piercing damage (BR, pg. 121)) and
put as many on the map as there are characters. If these
axolotls are dead, it takes 2d6 days for the pond to be
repopulated with axolotls. Add hazard H5 to the map for
a visual representation.
H6 - Mushroom Forest Spores. Dangerous dark
spores hang in the air in the mushroom forest. Any
flesh-and-blood creature that passes through the cloud
must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a
successful save, the creature can’t be infected by these
spores for 24 hours. On a failed save, the creature
becomes poisoned and must succeed on a DC 20
Charisma saving throw or become corrupted. If the
character is already corrupted, nothing happens. Any
creature that is already corrupted can harmlessly pass
these spore clouds and is unaffected. Add hazard H6 to
the map for a visual representation.
H7 - Lava Pit in Pale Tomb. The ground splits open,
creating a lava pool near the widest set of stairs in the
pale tomb area. A creature can jump across or make
either a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check to not fall into the lava below.
It takes another DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to attempt to climb
out of the lava pit. Add hazard H7 to the map for a visual
representation.
H8 - Wither Rose Trail. More flowers have sprouted
on the wither rose trail, making the route more difficult.
The DC for the Constitution saving throw to traverse the
roses is increased from 15 to 20. Add hazard H8 to the
map for a visual representation.
H9 - Dripleaf Trail. The debris on the sides of the
dripleaf trail has fallen, which makes the route more
difficult. The DC for the Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to
cross the dripleaf is increased from 15 to 20. Add
hazard H9 to the map for a visual representation.
H10 - Lakeshore Lethargy. Strange mists hang in the
air on the lakeside shore. The characters must succeed
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be under the
effects of the Slow spell for its duration. Add hazard
H10 to the map for a visual representation.
Important NPCs
There aren’t many humanoids in the Caves of Carnage -
yet, some of them are present when the characters go
out to explore. Below, you’ll find a short list of these
NPCs.
Name Role
Barthes deep gnome spores druid
Debnar
Jonas Hyffal regular human (later ghost), traveling with
Calliope Zemnas
Dorias Miro the mad satyr scientist in the lab
Calliope undead person, traveling with Jonas Hyffal
Zemnas
Caves of Carnage
Features
The caves of carnage are not known under this name by
everything that calls these caves its home. However,
after decades and centuries of tormenting any
adventurers with what lies down here, it has gained a
reputation, even though very few know its location. Most
of the caves are wide and spacious enough not to cause
claustrophobic adventurers to feel trapped, even though
they are underground.
Ceilings. The ceilings are all a minimum of 30 ft.
high.
Floor. The floors are made of packed dirt and darker
stone.
Hazard. The longer the party stays on this level, the
more hazard they generate. The read-aloud texts and
rooms are written and described as though hazard
hasn’t been generated yet.
Light. The caves and tunnels are illuminated by
luminescent lichen, shedding a dim light in the entirety
of the map. Lava, where it appears, sheds a bright light.
Walls. The walls are rough stone and dirt materials.
In the Lava Fields (area C1), the walls are sharp and
extremely hot. In the Mushroom Forest (area C11), they
are covered by moss and fungi.
C1. Lava Fields
The first thing you hear is the bubbling of something hot.
When you turn around the corner, the heat almost assaults
you. The caves in front of you have several pockets and pits
with lava, with sharp and hot lava rocks and stone on the
ground. Tones of red, orange and black dominate the space
right in front of you.
If the characters have taken the staircase on the left in
the room with the Kneeling Man (area F23, Frozen
Crypt), they end up in this area.
Lava. This area is littered with lava the characters can
fall into. If the characters have to jump across some lava
and they are not in combat, they must succeed on a DC
10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check
or make contact with the lava. For particularly small
crossings that they can easily step or jump across, this
can be handwaved away. In more stressful situations or
in combat, the DC can be adjusted to be higher.
Ravager. A ravager (App. B) hangs out in this area. It
knows the cavern extremely well and is smart enough to
avoid the lava pockets and streams. Still, it can be
affected by lava and can get hurt by it. When it spots the
characters, it will attack and fight until death.
Alternatively, the party could find parts of a ravager,
lying on the edge of one of the lava pools. This one had
back luck and perished in the lava.
If spoken to (as per the Speak with Animals spell), the
ravager reveals that the characters are encroaching on
their territory. It can be persuaded not to attack with a
successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check. It will
allow them to pass safely once. If the characters pass
through again and it is still there, it will attack the
characters and fight to the death.
Ravager
Large Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (8d12 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The ravager makes two attacks: one bite-attack
and one gore-attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the ravager moved at
least 20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the
hit, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone if it is a creature.
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
49
 CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
50
C2. Pillar Roundabout
Walking down, nothing but silence awaits you around the
corner. A darker space awaits, with a large pillar of natural
stone standing in the middle of it. On your left, a bright and
colorful and nearly otherworldly scene draws you in, while
right ahead bright oranges and general warmth welcomes
you.
Ravager. A ravager hangs out in this area. When it spots
the characters, it will attack and fight until death. If
spoken to (as per the Speak with Animals spell), the
ravager reveals that the characters are encroaching on
their territory. It can be persuaded not to attack with a
successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check. It will
allow them to pass safely once. If the characters pass
through again and it is still there, it will attack the
characters and fight to the death.
If the characters retreat toward the spider den (the
pathway between the one to the lava fields and the one
to the mushroom forest), the ravager will not follow
them.
C3. Chain Pit
In front of you stands a narrower hallway than before, where
the floor has fallen away and reveals a lava pit below. Across
this pit, a strong pair of chains has been strung. It looks like
they could be used to cross the pit.
The chains that connect both sides can be used to
successfully go to the other side. A character can make
a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength
(Athletics) check, or anything they can come up with, to
cross the chains. If a character falls, they fall into the
lava below. The walls on either side of the pit can be
used to climb out - at the DM’s discretion, this can also
have a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check associated with
it.
Wall to the pale tomb. A wall has come into ruin, now
revealing a more direct route to the pale tomb. When a
character succeeds on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
check, they can climb across the rubble and enter the
Pale Tomb (area C5).
C4. Bridge Room
The following text supposes that the characters come
from the Lava Fields, through the cave tunnel that has
hazard H2 in it:
The cave becomes a little taller as it widens. Rock formations
stand across the rooms, and a wooden bridge spans the
room. An overlook also stands in the wall, safely boarded up
with a wooden fence.
The room with the bridge is an important hub in the
middle of the map, connecting to most other important
areas - or connecting to those areas that connect with
these important areas. In the east, a smaller tunnel
leads to the Axolotl Pond (area C9). To the west, it
connects with the Chain Pit (area C3). To the south, it
connects to the Crossroads (area C6).
Bridge. A bridge spans across the room, about fifteen
feet above the floor of the cave. Crafty and creative
characters might be able to get on top of it from the
ground.
Overlook. The overlook from area C12 looks out over
the bridge room and is slightly higher than the bridge
itself. Characters who want to climb this wall can do so
with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check.
Ravager. A ravager hangs out in this area. When it
spots the characters, it will attack and fight until death.
If spoken to (as per the Speak with Animals spell), the
ravager reveals that the characters are encroaching on
their territory. It can be persuaded not to attack with a
successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check. It will
allow them to pass safely once.
If the characters pass through again and it is still
there, it will attack the characters and fight to the death.
It will also attack immediately if the characters decide
to go toward the Axolotl Pond (area C9) - if the
persuasion check was high enough, it might perhaps
issue a warning not to go any further down that path
before it attacks.
C5. Pale Tomb
The ground underneath your feet turns to fine, pale sand,
and the walls also turn a little lighter. Some lava bubbles in a
small pool, but your eyes are drawn to the first large scale
man-made structure you see. A porch area, constructed with
mud and sandstone, on which a pale tomb stands. The lid
had been blasted apart, and you can see the remains of an
elven body, partially consumed by this strange dark
organism with one flickering dot of light on it. Treasure lies
to the side, some of it tainted by the same organism.
This is the tomb of Melena, as constructed by Thaddeus
Holsten when he last passed by here. Thaddeus Holsten
dragged Melena’s suffering body with him in his descent
into the Burning Dark. As he entered the Caves of
Carnage, an untainted part of his mind convinced him
not to let Melena suffer anymore. Unwilling to return to
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
51
 the deadly cold of the Frozen Crypt for a proper burial,
he decided to build her a tomb right here.
To safeguard her body from the dangers of the caves,
he cast a protection spell on the tomb itself before he
continued his way. With this act, he locked in the bits of
sculk that still clung to Melena, hoping it wouldn’t hurt
anyone else. Thaddeus didn’t think about the residues
that he left behind, which grew freely and became the
main source of infection and corruption for everything
else in these caves - most notably of all the kuo-toa (area
C15).
Black Mines Key. If you decided to have one of the
keys to the black mines be located here, it is a part of
the treasure pile.
Tomb. The tomb itself is protected by a permanent
wall of force spell. A dispel magic spell won’t work on
this spell.
If the characters cast speak with dead on Melena and
they ask the right questions, Melena might be able to
share the following information with the party:
She is Melena, a member of Thaddeus Holsten’s
party alongside Tenacity, Rolfe Derrilt and Faena
Simms (area F22).
The party members passed away in the Caves of
Carnage.
Thaddeus Holsten mercy killed her because she was
corrupted with sculk.
She does not mind being corrupted, and invites any
character to try it out.
Thaddeus Holsten is going to the Burning Dark,
located below the Black Mines.
A monster lives in the Burning Dark (referring to the
Warden).
That monster destroyed the Black Mines.
The Black Mines are opened when two keys are
turned simultaneously at the door.
Sculk corruption cannot be cured.
Treasure. A pile of treasure, brought by kuo-toa that
believe the half-corrupted corpse to be their new god,
lies in a corner as some sort of tribute. The treasure pile
contains an assortment of gems and jewelry that totals
about 150 gp, a few spare coins (which totals 3 gp, 15
sp, and 46 cp), offerings of fish and other lake items, as
well as the Chisel of the Undead Sculptress. Any
organic materials have been overtaken by the sculk.
A character who carries corrupted treasure with them
for a while must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving
throw or become corrupted, if they aren’t already.
Wall to the chain pit. A wall has come into ruin, now
revealing a more direct route to the chain pit. When a
character succeeds on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
check, they can climb across the rubble and enter the
chain pit (area C3).
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
52
C6. Crossroads
As an offshoot of the bridge room, this area does not
really have any interesting features in and of itself.
Lava parkour. One trail leads to the Dripstone Cavern
(area C7). Lava bubbles in a pit, where four different
small lava rocks in the middle remain unaffected by the
heat. One can jump across from one platform to
another. One platform can support one player character.
They can make one DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check
or Strength (Athletics) check for all the jumps they
make to get across. On a failed check, they fall into the
lava. They can easily climb atop one of the platforms or
on the sides of the lava pool.
Wither rose trail. Beautiful black roses grow among
the moss on this short trail that leads to the lake (area
C14). However, these roses have been tainted by the
corruption and sap the life energy of all who pass
through. The characters must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or gain a level of exhaustion
and take 2d10 necrotic damage. On a failed save, they
must also succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw
or become corrupted, if they aren’t already.
C7. Dripstone Cavern
The cavern opens up into a space packed with stalagmites
made of dripstone, originating from a ravine that goes as
deep as 40 ft. A precarious path alongside the stalagmites
makes this cavern crossable, though difficult to do so.
If someone falls into the ravine, they take the fall
damage according to how deep they’ve fallen, including
2d6 piercing damage from landing on stalagmites that
are not as tall as those around it.
In the middle of the dripstone cavern lives a roper
(BR, pg. 342). Presented with an easy dinner, it will
attack the characters. If the characters leave the area
without killing the roper, it will not pursue them. If the
characters fight the roper, it will fight until it is dead.
Ravager. A ravager wanders around in the section of
this space that doesn’t have as many dripstone. When it
spots the characters, it will attack and fight until death.
If spoken to (as per the speak with animals spell), the
ravager reveals that the characters are encroaching on
their territory. It can be persuaded not to attack with a
successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check. It will
allow them to pass safely once. If the characters pass
through again and it is still there, it will attack the
characters and fight to the death.
C8. Door to the Black Mines
Set into the cave wall is a heavy, ornate oxidized copper door

that starkly contrasts the general darkness of the
environment. A little further away stands a copper pole that
stands at five feet tall and has a small-sized cube on top of
it, outfitted with two keyholes.
This ornate copper door is the main entrance into the
Black Mines. Thaddeus originally built this to only be
able to be unlocked by a set of two keys, which he would
have possession of. He would keep these keys in their
respective keyholes, protected by magic. He never spent
too much time downstairs anyway, so he would always
come back to the keys still being where he’d left them:
in their keyholes. In the meantime, the door would be
closed to ensure no dangerous creatures would be able
to enter the mines. A lever on the other side of the door
would be able to open it back up.
Pair of Keys. To open the door, you need the keys.
The door has a strong antimagic field around it, to
disallow enemy spellcasters from blasting it open or
using knock. These two keys are hidden somewhere in
the dungeon - some of which may already be discovered,
based on what your characters have gotten up to in the
caves.
C9. Axolotl Pond
As you’re crossing from one part of the caves into the next,
you are greeted by a gaping hole in the wall on one side, and
a pond on the other. Small creatures dance and play in the
murky waters and chirp at the characters.
The pond is inhabited by a group of axolotls. Until their
hazard is triggered, they are harmless creatures who do
not do anything to harm or hinder the characters.
C10. Lake Overlook
Crossing the bridge, you come into a widening tunnel.
Through a hole in the wall, with a wooden fence preventing
someone from just running off, you can see the glistening
lake and the ship that lies in the middle of it, stuck on the
rocks. Up ahead, the bright color and strange scents of fungi
draws you in. Beyond that, a hatch is set into the floor of this
cave.
It is possible for the characters to go into the mushroom
forest (area C11) from here, about twenty feet below the
floor of this area. On a successful DC 11 Dexterity
saving throw, they do not take any damage as they
descend down the steep wall.
Hatch. The hatch leads characters into the iron golem
lab (area C18).
Overlook. The characters are able to see into the lake
area, though the northern beach (area C14a) lies just
out of reach. Perceptive characters might be able to
hear someone shuffling around on there. That someone
is Calliope Zemnas, working on fixing herself.
C11. Mushroom Forest
You step into a world you may have never thought possible.
For a second, you might even think you’re dreaming or
crossed into a whole new realm. Bright blues, yellows and
reds nearly overwhelm you, with mushrooms and other
fungi growing twice, thrice, much taller than you, nearly as
big as the trees outside of Hermilthan. Spores hang in the
air as the ground slopes down, toward some sort of geode,
while a small stream with the brightest bluest water
meanders down.
And biting sounds and feelings of distress assault you,
coming from closer down.
The mushroom forest is a world of wonder, and should
be described as such. As soon as they step into the
mushroom forest, they’ve already breathed in the spores
or are under its influence. It doesn’t have an effect on
the characters just yet, but it could be used to
communicate with the myconids in the area.
Dripleaf trail. A narrow path leads to the lake (area
C14), but it has fallen thirty feet below. In its stead,
large dripleaves have grown, providing a path to
parkour over to get to the lake and back. On the floor
already lies a deceased ravager who didn’t survive the
jumps. On a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check, the characters can cross the dripleaf in one go.
One leaf can hold one person for one round before it
collapses under the weight. It takes three rounds for the
dripleaf to return to its usual state. If the characters fall,
they take the fall damage and can make a DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check to climb out at either end.
Myconids. The mushroom forest is one of the main
dwelling places of a thriving myconid circle, the
entrance to their grove carefully hidden out of sight by
mushrooms. A character with a passive perception of 18
or higher - or anyone who succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom
(Perception) check - can find the entrance to the circle.
See “Myconid Circle” for more information.
Spores. The spores in the area are harmless, unless
hazard has been triggered.
Ravager. A young ravager (App. B) has stumbled into
the mushroom forest and has found a group of myconid
sprouts (MM, pg. 230) accompanied by a myconid adult
(MM, pg. 232) which has already been destroyed and
mauled. The sprouts have released the distress spores,
which is what the characters felt when they just arrived.
When the characters stumble upon the scene, the
young ravager has just bitten down on another sprout,
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
53
 Young ravager
Medium Beast, Unaligned
Mushroom Forest
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 34 (4d12 + 8)
Speed 30 ft.

some already dead. Three more are currently alive. The

characters can join the fight, if they want to. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

If the ravager is damaged by the characters, it will 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)

shift its attention to them. If it has lost half its hit points
or more, it will attempt to retreat back to area C16,
going through area C9. The myconid sprouts dash away
from the threat, risking opportunity attacks in the
process. They flee until the ravager is dead or no longer
a threat.
If one or more myconid sprouts survive, they will
release rapport spores to be able to communicate with
the characters. They were exploring the mushroom
forest when this beast attacked them. They thank the
characters and stay around until more myconids come.
After two minutes, two myconid adults and a miner
spore servant (App. B) will arrive to act on the distress
spores that have reached them. If one or more sprouts
are still alive, they will relay the heroics of the
characters fighting the ravager and the myconid adults
will invite them back to the circle, as their sovereign
would like a word with them.
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The ravager makes two attacks: one bite-attack
and one gore-attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. If the ravager moved at least
20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the hit,
the target takes an extra 6 (1d8) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone if it is a creature.

CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE

54
Myconid Circle
Hidden behind some mushrooms, a tunnel leads into a
separate safe area, where the myconid circle lives. If the
characters have been invited to see their sovereign, they
can freely walk around the area as long as they don’t
appear violent towards myconids and don’t try to steal Miner Spore Servant
from them. If the characters have not been invited back, Medium Plant, Unaligned
they are met with distrust. Armor Class 10 (natural armor)
Features Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 20 ft.
This grove has some additional features to the rest of
the caves, listed below: STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Fungal growth. In the little cove the myconids call 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 6 (-2) 1 (-5)
home, a multitude of fungi and mushrooms in all colors
and sizes grow, giving this space an alien feel. Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, paralyzed
Quiet communications. Myconids use rapport spores Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
to speak with one another - rather, to telepathically Perception 8
communicate. As a result, the grove is quiet, even Languages —
though it appears to be bustling with myconids. Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Guardians of Mold. The myconids are well-protected
Proficiency Bonus +2

in their grove. With many miner spore servants around

as well as cultivating some awakened zurkhwoods Actions
(OotA, pg. 230), they are able to protect themselves
should a rogue young ravager or another threat wander Miner’s Pick. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one
into their home. target. Hit: 3 (1d4 +1) piercing damage.

C11a. Entrance
Pushing between the fungi and mushrooms, you enter into a
space more beautiful and bizarre than the mushroom forest
you just left. Only fungi, as far as the eye can see, with a little
pool in the middle. But first, you see one myconid standing
in front of you, tilting its head to take a better look at you.

One myconid adul stands guard while

two miner spore servants (App. B) and
an awakened zurkhwood are nearby.
The myconid at the entrance issues
a warning to leave immediately, if the
characters aren’t invited in or are not
accompanied by myconids. If the
characters don’t respond, the myconid
adult warns the rest of the circle and
orders the spore servants and the
zurkhwood to attack. The spore ser-
vants fight to the death, the adult flees
when it is at half hit points or more.
 C11b. Deep Gnome Druid
On a ledge, overlooking the whole area, sits a deep gnome
with a mossy cape as well as an outfit with moss patches.
His red bandana stands out among everything else. He
seems to be content to be where he is.
If this deep gnome has spotted the characters and they
haven’t attacked or killed myconids, he approaches
them for a friendly conversation. He introduces himself
as Barthes Debnar, an inhabitant of the Underdark, who
lost his way home and has been taken in by the
myconids after proving himself. He doesn’t often go out
these days, but is happy to speak and is very curious
about their adventures thus far. A conversation with
Barthes might reveal the following:
Barthes is a deep gnome coming from an Underdark
city with an unpronounceable name (he struggles
with it himself)
He’s been away from home longer than he can
remember
He almost got his face eaten by a ravager, but it
didn’t finish the job and the myconids found him and
took him in
He helped them when they needed it and they
accepted him into their circle
The myconids defend him, and he defends them
It has been a long time since he’s had the chance to
use his voice instead of rapport spores - which is why
his volume is a little off and he sometimes shouts
and sometimes whispers
The rapport spores are suffused in the circle and in
the mushroom forest, but not anywhere else
The miner spore servants are the corpses of poor
people who came from the mines and did not survive
- either because of ravagers, or the hostile
environment in the caves
Something bad must’ve happened down there, but
he’s not aware of what that might be
There’s fish people in the lake, they’re very scary,
don’t come too close
The ravagers are monsters and must be destroyed,
whatever the cost (mostly subjective - it is true, but
colored by his negative experience with them)
They live in a hole near where the axolotls live
He’s recently heard people speaking in Common
near the lake, but never went to investigate because
whenever he does go out, he doesn’t leave the
mushroom forest
If the characters walk around unauthorized and the
myconids have alerted everyone that there are
intruders, Barthes Debnar will attack the ones
threatening his home. He uses the druid stat block and
as soon as he was warned, has pre-cast barkskin onto
himself. He recklessly throws himself into the fight,
without regard for his own safety.
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
56
Treasure. Barthes has a quarterstaff, a mossy Cloak
of Many Fashions, a Pocket Watch of Shreeping, and an
assortment of food that lasts about two days. He’s been
living with the myconids long enough that he has no
need for money anymore and doesn’t have any.
If the characters successfully complete the
sovereign’s quest for them, Barthes offers up the Pocket
Watch of Shreeping as an additional reward.
C11c. The Sovereign
Most of the myconids - more than you’ve ever seen in your
life - are in the central area, all surrounding the tallest
myconid among all. Their songs and murmurs draw you in
and direct your attention to the tallest myconid, whom you
can assume is the sovereign who wanted a word with you.
The myconid sovereign Nashal (MM, pg. 232) sits
surrounded by four myconid adults and with two
awakened zurkhwoods nearby. It is waiting for the
characters to approach before it starts to communicate
with them.
With the rapport spores, Nashal will thank them for
their help against the ravagers. Its tone is mournful,
though less so if one or more of the sprouts survived the
attack of the young ravager. It will give an explanation
about the caves, specifically about their places in it. The
tunnels of the caves are the territory of the ravagers:
savage beasts that do not tolerate any other life forms in
their hallways, while the myconids are content living
their relatively simple lives in their little colony. As of
late, the ravagers have been a little more adventurous
and have been crossing the borders of their own
territory more often, as evidenced by the young ravager
assaulting the adventurous sprouts and other ravagers
having crashed through their territory. In the process,
many other myconids have been lost in this struggle.
Considering the party acted up against the beast and
easily killed it or scared it off, Nashal asks that the
characters take care of the ravagers one way or another.
It would prefer the threat eliminated, but if the
characters ensure that the ravagers do not kill the
myconids, it would be great. Whether the characters ask
for a reward or not, Nashal offers them the chance to
take the belongings of the miner spore servants with
them.
Sovereign Nashal can also share more information
about the caves themselves. It has not been outside of
this protective cove often, but it knows through the
many reports from its myconids and the shared
knowledge of its family:
The ravagers live in a separate cave that can be
found across from the axolotl pond.
They regularly have young, but the adults themselves
die often as well, most often to the lava in the lava
fields and to the dripstone cavern.
 The ravager spore servant was found on the edge of
the mushroom forest. Sovereign Nashal believed it
was a good idea to keep it around as a spore servant
in the forest, for their protection.
The dripleaf trail is the most direct route to the lake,
though one must be careful crossing it, for the leaves
are only able to hold one humanoid for one turn
before they collapse.
Sometimes, strange sounds can be heard from the
lake overlook area. Noise echoes into the mushroom
forest, what - when shared with the characters -
sounds like metal hitting metal.
The last time myconids went to the lakeside was
before the dripleaf trail existed and the ground was
flat. Even then, they heard about and noticed a group
of fish-people living in the big ship in the lake. The
myconids never wanted to go any closer because the
fish-people tend to attack and capture anyone they
come across.
A long time ago, miners came from further down
below. The myconids don’t know what exactly
happened, but they saw no wounds on their bodies
and sovereign Nashal raised them as spore servants
to help out.
Black Mines Key. If you decide that the myconids
have one of the keys into the Black Mines, it is part of
the treasure pile.
Treasure. The items that belonged to the miners are
simple working tools (two sets of mason’s tools, one set
of smith’s tools), some amulets and jewelry that totals
about 50 gp, some raw materials and minerals they’d
been mining before they fled, a torn blanket, a handful
of normal candles, a piece of chalk, a set of dice, and a
small notebook in which one person kept a tally of
everything they’d mined out during their career, calling
themselves a ‘diligent worker’ in the same breath. They
also briefly expressed concerns for digging deeper, but
as long as they were getting paid, they saw no problem
actually digging deeper.
C12. Bridge Overlook
Walking through this tunnel, You eventually reach the end.
There, a flimsy wooden fence keeps you from falling into a
large cavern, where you can see a bridge running about
fifteen feet above the ground.
This overlook watches out over the bridge room (area
C4), which is accessible for the characters. It lies about
twenty feet below them if they climb over the fence. On
a successful DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, they do not
take any damage as they descend down the steep stone
wall.
C13. Crystal Cavern
You are drawn in by the beautiful purple shine of the
amethyst walls that seem to reflect off of the water. Crystals
growing from the walls and floors shine in the light cast onto
them, carrying a symphony of calming sounds whenever a
drop of water hits its surface.
This cavern is a dead end. Anyone who succeeds a DC
16 Intelligence (Arcana) check can determine these
crystals have magical properties.
Amethyst. Five ounces of amethyst crystals can serve
as a substitute for 100 gp’s worth of material
components. If the spell consumes the material
component, the crystals turn to dust as the spell is cast.
C14. Lake
In the middle of this tall cavern sits a deep lake, of which you
can hardly see the lake floor through the murky waters. In
the middle of this lake sits an impossible ship, held in place
by sharp rocks. Something seems to move on top of it. The
lake ripples, and you’re uncertain what could lurk beneath it.
The southeastern portion of the map is dominated by a
small lake, where a shipwreck dominates the view. This
shipwreck is the home of the kuo-toa and the lake itself
is nevers still, teeming with life. All the beaches and
lakefronts are made out of a darker stone that can be a
little slippery at the very edge of the water.
Crossing the lake. There are several ways to traverse
the lake, most of which are only limited by the creativity
of your players. However they choose to traverse this
lake, if they do so in a way that they are touching the
water (such as swimming, or using a boat), they will
draw the attention of One Eyed Willie.
One Eyed Willie. This lake is the home of One Eyed
Willie, a lone and lost sahuagin. For as long as he has
been stranded in this lake, he has been the subject of
kuo-toa worship and had become their god. It has
sustained him for the longest time, but the kuo-toa have
recently switched to a new deity. Bitter and vengeful,
One Eyed Willie has been attacking kuo-toa to scare
them into submission again. He does not want to
completely destroy the commune on the ship, but
occasionally kills one or two to remind them of his
existence and to make them fear him more than their
new god, which hasn’t worked out yet so far.
Whenever the characters are traversing the lake,
there is a 25% chance that One Eyed Willie will notice
them and attack. He will fight for as long as he can, and
will start to retreat when he’s been reduced to a quarter
of his original hit points and won’t bother the characters
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
57
 again. If he dies, the body sinks to the bottom of the When the character enter the beach at the same time,
lake. add the following:
Trident of returning. Whenever Willie makes a
ranged attack with the trident, it magically returns to his
hand, whether it has hit its target or not. The person stops in the middle of the process and turns
their head to you. “Are you going to keep staring or actually
have a conversation with me?”
One Eyed Willie
Medium Humanoid (Sahuagin), Chaotic Evil
The person on the beach is Calliope Zemnas, an undead
woman who is in fact stitching her arm back onto her
Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27) body. She appreciates any help that anyone might offer,
Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. but she can do it herself. Once she’s finished with her
arm, she will give the party her full attention. She will
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA also have a conversation with them while she’s doing it,
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) as well, though her main focus would be.
During the ensuing conversation, she can explain
Saving Throws Str +7, Con 6 what has recently happened to her. She and a friend of
Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +4 hers, a human man named Jonas Hyffal, traveled away
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 from home to explore the caves in this mountain.
Languages Sahuagin However, they got lost and somehow found themselves
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
at the edge of the lake, where they were assaulted by the
Proficiency Bonus +3
kuo-toa, fish people. They took Jonas and left Calliope
when they thought they had killed her. It is easy to
Blood Frenzy. One Eyed Willie has advantage on melee attack confuse the living with the dead, after all, and all
rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Calliope did was go unconscious and the kuo-toa
Limited Amphibiousness. One Eyed Willie can breathe air and believed they had murdered her. Instead, they
water, but he needs to be submerged at least once every 4 unintentionally inconvenienced her by cutting her arm
hours to avoid suffocating. off, which she now needed to reattach.
She believed she saw some movement on the ship
One-eyed scoundrel. One Eyed Willie has disadvantage on and suspects that is where they took Jonas. When asked
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. what the kuo-toa want with Jonas, she cannot answer
Actions their question, though she believes they unwittingly
encroached on their territory and paid the price for it.
Multiattack. One Eyed Willie makes three attacks: one with his She warns them about the kuo-toa: they may be simple
bite and two with his claws or trident. fish, but when there are multiple of them, they could
easily overwhelm them - and they may have more
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
specialized fighters among them. She cannot offer a
9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.
reward, but if they want to help, they are always
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. welcome to do so. She will be working on a plan in the
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. meantime, because she’s not leaving this place without
Jonas.
Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
If the characters decide to intervene, Calliope will
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage,
allow the characters to make use of her foldable boat,
or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to
make a melee attack. which she expects them to return at the end of this side-
quest.
If the characters antagonize her, she will attempt to
leave as quickly as possible, not truly wanting to fight.
C14a. Northern Shore She uses the zombie stat block (BR, pg. 161), but has
If the characters are looking at this larger beach for the straight 10s for her ability scores.
first time - whether they set foot on it or not - you can
read the following: C14b. Side Cave
Set into the wall is a small cove, where the water
A redheaded humanoid leans against the cave wall, fiddling trickles down and a space is hidden behind a wall that’s
with something. When you look a little more closely, you can jutted out. It is completely dark in this little nook of the
see that they appear to be stitching their arm back onto her cavern, which makes it difficult to see. Those who have
darkvision or create a light source will see a dead deep
upper arm.
gnome in this little alcove. A successful DC 14 Wisdom
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
58
(Medicine) check reveals that this body has been dead
for a few days, though everyone can see that the deep
gnome’s head and face has been eaten from, with
chunks of flesh and skin missing completely and rotting.
Due to this, it is hard to identify them.
On the ceiling in this little hidden place hangs a
darkmantle (BR, pg. 269), waiting for a meal. It will
take its shot as soon as the characters step underneath
it and will fight to the death.
Treasure. The deep gnome had a bedroll, mess kit,
cartographer’s tools, a set of fine clothes, and a pouch
with 13 gp, 23 sp and 11 cp in it.
C14c. Eastern Shore
This is a small smoothened beach that is slippery all
around, though the first thing anyone approaching
would notice is the stench of rotting fish. On the shore
lie a couple of deceased kuo-toa, rotting and decaying.
This is where One Eyed Willie takes his kills.
There is a 50% chance that Willie is dragging a
freshly murdered kuo-toa onto the shore and notices the
characters as they are passing by. Combat ensues as
described earlier.
C14d. Western Shore
Another piece of shoreline with a bit of an alcove, this
one does not contain anything. Instead, this is an easy
way to go toward the entrance to the Black Mines (area
C8) from the lakeside. Beyond this passageway, you
can’t find anything of interest here.
C14e. Hidden Cove
Beyond the shoreline, hidden behind a piece of wall, lies
a small hidden chamber, tucked away from the rest of
the world. Once, this place was used by creatures that
lived here and coveted treasure. They have long since
been ousted, now used by the kuo-toa archpriest. In her
corrupted state, however, she has found the treasure
and kept it for herself.
Trap. The place is trapped. A character with a passive
Perception of 16 or higher, or any character who
succeeds in a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check, can
see the tripwire across the ground and perhaps even
spot the net that’s hanging overhead. When it is
triggered, the characters must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw or be caught in the net and flung thirty feet
into the air.
This trap alerts the kuo-toa when it has been
triggered. Within two minutes of the trap being
triggered, one kuo-toa whip (MM, pg. 200) and four kuo-
toa (MM, pg. 199) arrive to take their new prisoners to
the ship. They fight to the death.
Treasure. The treasure contains an assortment of
jewelry that equals a worth of about 516 gp as well as a
Hypnotic Bandana.
C15. Kuo-Toa Ship
In the middle of the lake, shipwrecked on the rocks, sits
a ship. It is unknown how this ship got here and who its
original passengers were, but since then, a community
of kuo-toa have come together to live on this structure.
At first, their archpriestess worshiped One Eyed Willie
and as a result, every kuo-toa on the ship worshiped
him. That only changed when some kuo-toa scouts
discovered the pale tomb.
Needing to see this for herself, the archpriestess left
the ship and visited the pale tomb. There, she found the
sarcophagus of Melena, as well as the bit of sculk that
was left nearby. When she came into contact with it, it
instantly infected her and festered within her. The
archpriestess immediately believed it to be a divine sign
and started to worship it and Melena as their god. She
forced all of her people to undergo the corruption
process as well, to be a step closer to their new god,
dubbed “Skoolak” after misinterpreting the
pronunciation of ‘sculk’.
Since then, treasures are left at the tomb as offerings
to their god, and blood sacrifices on the ship are also
made in its honor. To be able to do this, however, they
often need fresh blood. They have taken the human
Jonas Hyffal captive as a sacrifice for their god, and have
already enacted that sacrifice. Now, only Jonas’ ghost is
incarcerated as the kuo-toa try to figure out their next
steps now they have a ghost.
The ship also has the following features:
Ceilings. The ceilings are 8 feet high with 6-foot-high
doorways.
Doors. The ship’s doors are made of wood and have
AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and
psychic damage. A lock can be picked with a successful
DC 15 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools, or the
door can be forced open with a successful DC 20
Strength (Athletics) check.
Light. Hanging lanterns cast bright light throughout
the ship.
Rigging. Rigging on the ship can be climbed without
an ability check.
C15a. Deck
Climbing the ladder, you enter onto a slippery deck. In the
middle stands a mast, its sails torn to shreds. As soon as
you set foot onto the creaky wooden floor, five pairs of fish
eyes sharply turn to you. These fish people - these kuo-toa -
stare and glare, strange patches of some dark moss clinging
to their skin in places. Immediately, they start brandishing
their weapons.
The deck of the ship is a mostly open space, with the
possibility of hiding behind the mast. The helm stands
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
59
about ten feet higher than the rest of the ship.
Four kuo-toa (MM, pg. 199) are currently on the deck,
and one more at the helm. They have been corrupted by
the sculk, but are only in the beginning stages, as
evident by the small patches and veins across their skin.
As soon as they see intruders, they will attack and
attempt to capture them. They will fight to the death.
The sound of fighting alerts the kuo-toa archpriestess
(MM, pg. 200) who is sitting in the captain’s cabin. She
joins the fight after the first round of combat and will
call upon everything she has at her disposal to destroy
her enemies. She will also fight to the death.
C15b. Captain’s Cabin
This tight, crammed space was once the captain’s cabin. A
desk stands in the middle and dominates the room, and a
cabinet to the side has all shapes and sorts of bottles on the
top of it.
The corrupted kuo-toa archpriestess works from here.
If a fight breaks out on the deck, she will join that fight.
Unlike the other kuo-toa, most of her chest area has
been completely claimed by the sculk, as well as her
Kuo-Toa Ship
complete right arm and right half of her face, her eye on
that side a hole where a bright electric blue dot dances.
Similar, yet smaller and less intensely bright blue dots
seem to shift and move around, reflecting all the lives
she’s already taken and all the echoes she’s absorbed
onto the sculk on her body. The characters can
definitely tell this isn’t quite right, especially if they’ve
seen the other kuo-toa not being as corrupted - and it
could also present an opportunity to show how bad it
could become for some already potentially corrupted
characters.
Black Mines Key. If you decide to place one of the
keys to the Black Mines in this area, this key hangs on a
string around the archpriestess’ neck, used more
decoratively than anything else.
Treasure. Among the bottles stand a few potions: two
potions of greater healing and one potion of superior
healing, one potion of water breathing, one potion of
climbing and one bottle with one dose of oil of
slipperiness.
C15c. Gun Deck
This low, enclosed space has a couple of more kuo-toa
present in there, all with various of these patches of moss
covering them. They stand at the ready to attack. In the
middle stands a small cell where a ghost calmly floats in
place.
One kuo-toa whip (MM, pg. 200) and two kuo-toa
monitors (MM, pg. 198) are standing at the ready after
hearing the commotion upstairs. They are ready to fight
as soon as a non-kuo-toa comes into view, which
includes attempting to take the treasure from the
captain’s cabin. As they fight, they will fight to the death
and do not consider surrender at all.
Behind them sits a small cell, where they have been
trying to figure out what to do with their prisoner. Jonas
Hyffal, as a human, had been sacrificed to Skoolak by
the archpriestess. However, he almost immediately rose
as a ghost. He doesn’t necessarily have unfinished
business, but he just wanted to hang out among the
living a little longer and doesn’t want to leave his
companion Calliope all alone out here. The kuo-toa are
intimidating and strange, though, to the point that Jonas
has cooperated and is willingly staying in the cell.
Initially, Jonas Hyffal (App. B) stays out of the fight
and only watches until the threat is gone. If the
characters mention Calliope or say that she has sent the
characters to fetch him - or if the characters otherwise
inspire Jonas to help out - he joins the fight.
Cannon. These cannons are still fully operational and
can be used by characters who wish to use them. It
takes an action to load the cannon and another to fire it.
You can use the cannon stats from the Siege Equipment
section in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 255.
Once the threat is averted, Jonas thanks the
characters for their help. He can tell them that he was
sacrificed by the archpriestess and that he felt a weird
sensation, almost as though his soul was being sucked
towards her. As he didn’t want that to happen, he
refused - apparently, that was enough for his ghost to
stay around. They promptly imprisoned him again and
he didn’t dare make much of a move afterward. Jonas
had actually felt quite safe in the meantime, as they
didn’t exactly harm him while they discussed his fate
like that.
He expresses that the kuo-toa might or might not
have treasure sitting in the storage or the hold. He has
no idea, but they could still have some stuff in there. He
will stay with the characters until they have returned
him to Calliope.
C15d. Storage
Descending down the short stairs, you stand ankle-deep into
the cold lake water. Crates have been broken open and lids
thrown about.
Inventory. The ship holds some items from the standard
adventuring gear as detailed in the Player’s Handbook,
though it doesn’t contain any edibles like rations. You
can cater it to the needs of your party, or randomly fill
these chests. The idea is that anything of value was
either given to the pale tomb (area C5) or was located in
the hidden cove (area C14e).
Jonas Hyffal
Medium Undead, Chaotic Good
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 45 (10d8)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)
Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +4, Performance +6
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Undercommon
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Ethereal Sight. Jonas can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane
when he is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
Incorporeal Movement. Jonas can move through other creatures
and objects as if they were difficult terrain. He takes 5 (1d10)
force damage if he ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage.
Cacophony (Recharge 4–6). Each creature in a 15-foot cube
originating from Jonas must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 9 (2d8) thunder
damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away from Jonas. On a
successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and
isn’t pushed.
Bonus Actions
Inspire (2/Day). Jonas targets one ally that can hear him within
30 feet of him. That ally gains one Bardic Inspiration die (a d6),
to be used within the next 10 minutes to add the number rolled
to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they makes.
Taunt (2/Day). Joe Hills targets one creature within 30 feet of
him. If the target can hear Jonas, the target must succeed on a
DC 12 Charisma saving throw or have disadvantage on ability
checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the start of Jonas’s
next turn.
C15e. Breached Hold
Through a hole in the ship wall, the hold has filled with lake
water. Light only filters in through this hole and through the
doors you walked through. At the water line, algae and other
plants have started to grow.-
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
61
The water rises to about two feet high. A Small or
smaller creature can comfortably fit through the hole in
the side and swim out into the lake.
Treasure. A Butcher’s Apron floats on the water.
C16. Spider Den
The space darkens as you continue upward, all of the natural
lights from bioluminescent lichen and other sources
dropping away. Still, as your eyes adjust to his darkness, you
start to see rock formations in the middle of this space, silk
webs having been spun between them. Silvery cocoons of
various shapes and sizes - one that once must have been a
large beast - stand against the walls, and you can hear this
den’s inhabitants skittering around.
To the east, the pathway slopes down into the pillar
roundabout (area C2). To the west, a passageway runs
about twenty feet below the den and goes to the
dripstone cavern (area C7). A rough cliff face covered in
vines can be used to climb down to the western
passage. In stressful situations, it takes a DC 13
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength (Athletics)
check to successfully climb these vines.
The rock formations are about ten feet tall each. The
southernmost rock formation has a piece jutting out of
five feet tall that can be used as some sort of stairs on
top of it.
Two giant spiders (BR, pg. 136) as well as eight giant
wolf spiders (BR, pg. 137) live in this den. They live off
of adventurers and denizens of these caves - such as
ravagers - and will not pass up on a new snack if it
walks into their home. They will fight to the death.
Should the spiders win, the characters will be webbed
up into a cocoon to be eaten later, as they recently also
ensnared an adult ravager, which now is dead. The
spiders do not repopulate, but they regain their health
since the last battle if the characters also do.
Black Mines Key. If you decide to have one of the keys
to the Black Mines be located in this area, it is lying on
the ground somewhere.
Treasure. If the characters loot the previous victims of
the spiders, they can find a total of 37 gp, another 18
gp’s worth of jewels and gemstones, as well as a +1
glaive and a Horn of the G.O.A.T.
Webs. Between the four rock formations in the middle
of this cave. A character that starts their turn in the
webs or that enters them during its turn must make a
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the
character is restrained as long as they remain in the
webs or until they break free, which is possible either by
succeeding in a DC 12 Strength check or by destroying
these webs. The webs have 10 AC, 5 hp, vulnerability to
fire damage, but immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and
psychic damage.
C17. Ravager Nest
The scent of decay and shit reaches your nose before you
can even see what you’re walking into. The sounds of
lumbering beasts also reach you before you are able to find
them. Mounds of dirt and filth lay across the floor, as well as
the remains of what must have once been people. The gray
of the ravagers stands out against the murky browns of the
dirt ground and the mound, and their groans don’t sound
friendly.
Two ravagers and three young ravagers are currently
located in this space. If the characters decided to
intervene in the mushroom forest (area C11) and let the
young ravager there run away, it sits in the back of this
space, still nursing its wounds. All ravagers immediately
notice the characters unless they succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Black Mines Key. If you decide to have one of the keys
to the Black Mines be located in this area, it is part of
the treasure found by the characters.
Fight. This encounter can also turn into a fight.
During the first round of combat, the young will flee to
the back while the two adults charge at the characters.
Only when both adults are either dead or at a quarter of
their hit points do the young charge forward to attack
the characters as well. The injured one from the
mushroom forest, if it is still alive, does not join this
charge and instead cowers. The attacking creatures
fight to the death.
Parlay. Characters who decide to use the speak with
animals-spell to parlay with them, they can figure out
their intentions. One of the adults takes the word,
declares that ‘evil’ has come to the caves and they can’t
find a safer space to move away to. This ‘evil’ is
something they can only describe as a dark moss (the
sculk). They do conflate the myconids with the sculk
and have attacked more fiercely when confronted with
them.
When the characters attempt to persuade them to be
nicer to the myconids, or to do anything else, the
character who has been speaking must make a DC 17
Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the young ravager from
the mushroom forest is still alive, the DC is lowered to
13. On a success, the ravagers concede and
begrudgingly agree to the terms posited by the party.
They’ll allow the characters to leave with their lives, but
not with possible loot from this area.
Treasure. Ravagers are omnivores and leave little
behind of their victims. What is left behind is 45 gp, 26
sp and 47 cp in a small pouch tossed to the side, a
climber’s kit, a set of manacles, and a hooded lantern.
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
63
 C18. Iron Golem Lab party. He does not store his coins in the bag of holding;
his small hoard of 348 gp is hidden and spread out
across all of the books in this space.
A ladder leads you down into the bowels of the caves, into a
If the characters defeat the golem and Dorias, they
room of sorts that looks like a room. A square space, where
can take the bag of holding itself and do with its
one wall is lined with bookcases filled with books, and
another has a display of all kinds of flowers and plants native
contents as they please.
and non-native to this area. What catches your eyes the most
is the giant pot of lava, bubbling inside, and lava still flowing What comes next?
in through pipes yet never overflowing. Your view of this pot With the two keys collected, the characters can return
is obstructed by a large metal creature with a humanoid to area C8 and unlock the Black Mines.
shape, and a medium-sized green-furred satyr, horns curling From there, they can decide to either descend deeper
to the back and one half of his face covered in the same into the mountain and go to the site of tragedy itself, or
they can decide to return to Hermilthan to restock and
metal plating as the creature he seems to be working on.
resupply. If they do decide to recover in Hermilthan, you
Neither has noticed your arrival.
can take a look at the developments section in chapter 1
to see what has changed since the characters first
The metal creature is a deactivated iron golem (BR, pg. entered the Caves of Carnage.
317) named Rusty, and the satyr is Dorias Miro, a Whatever they may decide to do, the characters
researcher and scientist who founded his lab under progress to level 6 and the story continues.
these caves. Obsessed with constructs, his main goal is
to create one that can live freely without having to obey
the commands of a master. Unfortunately, his research
hasn’t been too conclusive and has only yielded failures
so far. His obsession has led him away from his people
and his research is the reason why his skin and fur are
green, and that half of his face has melted off, now
replaced with the metal plating and a bionic sort of eye.
Dorias is not happy with this interruption, but is
willing to strike a bargain with the characters. He does
not want to leave his latest prototype behind, especially
now he has confirmation that other sentient humanoids
are walking around here. Instead, he asks the
characters that they recover something for him. He’s
heard of some sort of substance that may allow his
creations so that he may continue his experimentations
and hopefully progress with his research. This
substance is the sculk that the characters might have
already come into contact with.
When the characters return (empty-handed or not)
the iron golem is no longer deactivated, though it is still
a construct that takes orders from Dorias. If the
characters return without what Dorias has asked of
them, the paranoia kicks in and he demands that they
leave, believing them to be spies sent to sabotage him
and his research. If the characters don’t immediately
leave, he orders the golem to attack. The golem, due to
its size, cannot follow any characters fleeing up the
ladder. Dorias does not join the fight himself, but he
uses the master sage (CM, pg. 9) stat block and will
defend himself when threatened. The golem deactivates
when Dorias tells him to deactivate, or when Dorias is
either unconscious or dead.
Treasure. If the characters return with some sculk,
Dorias will thank them profusely and allow them to
have what they want from his bag of holding. He has
almost all kinds of +1 weaponry and tools stuffed in
there, as well as other things that could be useful to the
CHAPTER 4. THE CAVES OF CARNAGE
64
The Black Mines
Chapter 5. The Black Mines
he Black Mines; a destination that has been
T
hanging above the characters’ heads this
entire time. The one place that has shaped
their adventure and the lives of the many
people they have come across. This was
where it all started when Thaddeus
Holsten opened it up. This was where it all
ended when the miners dug deeper than they ever had
done before and opened up a direct route to the Burning
Dark.
Once, people walked through these halls. Once,
workers from all ages, species and sizes took up work
for the opportunity of a sliver of the wealth they
extracted. Wealth, stuck in the walls; all kinds of
gemstones and precious metals, in the strangest
formation one had ever seen. One cave might be where
they extracted some lapis lazuli, while another provided
diamonds. It might have been the first sign that
something was afoot in the area, but as long as these
riches made it to the surface, nobody thought much of it.
Of course, disaster struck. With the Burning Dark
breached, the sculk and all its denizens escaped to take
what they can take and leave little else. Those few who
could flee either died from exposure to the sculk or
perished in the caves.
Thaddeus Holsten and Melena returned to seal it
away. With a magical seal, they blocked the tunnel that
had given the sculk access to the Black Mines.
Thaddeus Holsten elected to keep the key on his
person, while Melena chose to separate the seal into
three pieces, scattered across the Black Mines. These
pieces retained their power and were only capable of
receiving the key once all were reunited.
Upon his final return, Thaddeus elected to teleport
into the Burning Dark instead of finding the pieces of
the seal. He hadn’t brought his key and with what little
sanity he had left, he didn’t want to return to the surface
either. So he teleported and left the Black Mines behind
him, doomed it to fester and rot for as long as it existed.
Unable to retreat back into the Burning Dark, barely
enough warmth and fresh nutrients to accommodate for
a climb into the Caves of Carnage or to the Black Mines
entrance, the sculk continues to exist in this tense
status quo.
Running this chapter
This chapter explores the Black Mines: a dark
environment with little light beyond what the characters
bring in - the final level to go through before the
characters can descend into the Burning Dark.
Exploration of this location will familiarize the
characters with the threats presented by the sculk and
the creature borne from it. Hidden messages and pieces
of parchment can offer insights into different people
who used to work here as well as the different monsters
roaming the halls.
CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
65
 The Seal of the Burning Dark
To unlock the Burning Dark, the characters will need to
reassemble the seal that Melena had split up. The
proximity of one piece to another will allow anyone to
place them next to one another and wait for the two
pieces to meld together again.
The pieces can be found in the following locations:
Iron Ore Room (area M8)
Flooded Lapis Ore Room (area M18)
Lower Eastern Mining Cavern (area M22)
Once all three pieces are recollected that way, the
characters have to go to the magic circle still etched into
the ground in the western mining cavern (area M27).
There, the key can be inserted and turned, clearing the
way to the Burning Dark for the characters.
If a character is attuned to the Master’s Key, they can
make an Intelligence check to sense where the pieces of
the seal have been hidden. A successful DC 18
Intelligence check reveals the general direction of all
three pieces. Between a 17 and a 13, they learn the
general direction of two pieces. Between a 12 and an 8,
the general direction of one piece is revealed. None of
this information includes on which floor the revealed
pieces can be found.
Character advancement
The characters advance to level 7 when they unlock the
seal and gain entry to the Burning Dark.
Threats in the Mines
Sculk
This strange moldy mossy organism grows everywhere
in the Dark Mines, having escaped their containment
within the Burning Dark. It clings to the walls and floor
and has partially consumed it, veins reaching and
connecting several patches with one another. In the
main hallway, even crystals seem to grow from the
sculk, and what could approximate spores float into the
air. Silence reigns, as it waits for its next victim.
Two threats are presented by the sculk, one more
immediate, which comes in the form of creatures, and
one that is more continuous, which comes from the
spores in the air.
Sculk is dangerous. In the past, the characters have
only come across this in small amounts that only under
specific circumstances could corrupt them. In the Black
Mines, the characters will find more sculk than they
have ever seen in their lives. Anyone who spends more
than 24 hours in such close proximity to the sculk must
make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or gain one level
of corruption. If a creature hasn’t been corrupted yet,
failing this saving throw will corrupt them. This saving
CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
66
throw occurs every time a character spends more than
24 consecutive hours in this area. This timer resets
every time they leave the Black Mines.
Beyond the spores, the sculk has also grown and
taken over the bodies of all those who perished at their
Warden’s hands. Multiple of these sculk creatures thrive
in these hallways. Though slightly sentient, the sculk
itself is not conventionally intelligent and many of these
creatures are stuck with the core memories of these
bodies, acting out their jobs or wandering around. Down
here, the sculk is also covered with many tiny soul
echoes. shimmering and blinking dots of light across
the dark organism, these are the souls of those who
perished, their bodies consumed for their strength and
their souls unable to escape the grasp of the sculk.
Forever flickering across it in many futile attempts to
escape.
Most of these creatures are simple sculk thralls (App.
B). They are most likely to be acting out their jobs and
can be circumnavigated. A successful Stealth check can
convince the thralls to ignore the characters, even if
they come within blindsight range. If they are explicitly
explained to have been holding weapons and become
aggressive, they will drop their tools and attack without
anything on them.
Sculk Thrall
Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 23 (3d10 +6)
Speed 20 ft.
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
11 (+0)
CON
14 (+2)
INT
2 (-4)
WIS
3 (-4)
CHA
1 (-5)
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 6
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Blind Senses. The sculk thrall can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Keen Hearing. The sculk thrall has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Immutable Form. The sculk thrall is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
The second most common kind of creature is a sculk
brute (App. B). Though likely to be stuck mining
forevermore, the sculk has overtaken these corpses as
well as the drills they were operating, melding them
together. They are likely to be using their drill to mine
out a tunnel or to attack a person, a loud noise coming
from them in the process.
Sculk Brute
Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 42 (5d10 +15)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 7 (-2) 1 (-5)
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Blind Senses. The sculk brute can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Keen Hearing. The sculk brute has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Immutable Form. The sculk brute is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Multi-Attack. The sculk brute makes two Drill attacks.
Drill. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 12 (2d6 +5) piercing damage. If the creature is Large or
smaller, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone. If the target is inorganic material,
the brute deals an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Reactions
Unyielding. When the brute is subjected to an effect that would
move it, knock it prone, or both, it can use its reaction to be
neither moved nor knocked prone.
The next two kinds are not as numerous, but are not to
be underestimated. A sculk catalyst (App. B) is not a
corpse that is being puppeteered, but rather a clump of
sculk that gained enough sentience. It uses its four
appendages to move around quickly and is a little more
difficult to fool or sneak around than the others. They
have a few special abilities, which include being able to
corrupt a creature they repeatedly attack as well as
something that can drain their target’s strength.
Lastly, a sculk shrieker (App. B) creeps around in the
Black Mines. A thin body of sculk, barely a spine, held
aloft by six spindly bone-white legs. It doesn’t have a
discernible head, but it is always moving, even if only
slowly at times. It is capable of letting out a deafening
shriek upon spotting intruders, as well as casting
complete areas into darkness and confusing whoever it
is facing.
Hazard
Though the sculk presents a great threat to the mines, it
is also quite the hazardous location as well. For every
four (new) areas the characters explore, hazard is
generated and changes the terrain. Previously
accessible passageways are blocked off or have become
more difficult to traverse. These hazards remain active
even when the characters leave the caves.
When hazard is generated, roll a d12 to determine
which hazard is triggered.
d12 Mines Hazards
1 H1 - Ladder Down
2 H2 - Workshop Pit
3 H3 - Iron Room Stairs
4 H4 - Top Floor Eastern Hallway Collapse
5 H5 - Top Floor Intersection Sculk
6 H6 - Middle Floor Access
7 H7 - Middle Floor Gold Room Blue Flames
8 H8 - Middle Floor Hallway Sculk
9 H9 - Bottom Floor Blue Flames
10 H10 - Bottom Floor Access
11 H11 - Bottom Floor Corner Sculk
12 H12 - Bottom Floor Hallway Sculk
H1 - Ladder Down. The unstable environment around
this ladder has finally collapsed, destroying the ladder
and blocking the entrance on the top floor. Add hazard
H1a and hazard H1b to the maps for a visual
representation.
H2 - Workshop Pit. The floor gives way, revealing a
deep pit of about twenty feet deep with debris at the
bottom. If the characters want to jump across, they must
make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
failure, the characters take 2d6 bludgeoning damage
from the fall and 2d6 piercing damage from the debris.
On a success, they jump across without issue. Add
hazard H2 to the map for a visual representation.
H3 - Iron Room Stairs. The ceiling collapses and this
stairway is blocked off. It takes the party two hours to
safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible again.
Add hazard H3a and Hazard H3b to the maps for a
visual representation.
H4 - Top Floor Eastern Hallway Collapse. The ceiling
collapses and this path is blocked off. It takes the party
two hours to safely clear out the rubble and make it
accessible again. Add hazard H4 to the map for a visual
representation.
CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
67
 Sculk Catalyst Sculk Shrieker
Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil Large Aberration, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 15 Armor Class 17

Hit Points 45 (6d10 +12) Hit Points 67 (9d10 +18)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 19 (+4) 1 (-5)

Damage Vulnerabilities cold Skills Perception +7

Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Blind Senses. The sculk catalyst can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Charge. If the sculk catalyst moves at least 10 feet straight
toward a target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same
turn, the target takes an extra 6 (2d4) piercing damage. If the
target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength
saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked
prone.
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 17
Languages —
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Blind Senses. The sculk shrieker can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Keen Hearing. The sculk shrieker has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Magic Resistance. The sculk shrieker has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.

Keen Hearing. The sculk catalyst has advantage on Wisdom Immutable Form. The sculk shrieker is immune to any spell or
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing. effect that would alter its form.

Immutable Form. The sculk catalyst is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Multi-Attack. The sculk catalyst makes two Claw attacks or two
Slam attacks. If possible, it makes a Sap Strength attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 11 (2d8 +2) slashing damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The sculk shrieker’s spellcasting ability is
Wisdom (spell save DC 15). The shrieker can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect thoughts, web
1/day: confusion, darkness
Spider Climb. The sculk shrieker can climb difficult surfaces,
including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) psychic
damage.
Spread the Sculk. If the two attacks both hit the same target, it
must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it
gains a level of corruption. If the target hasn’t been corrupted
yet, this corrupts them.
Sap Strength (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit,
range 30 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 +4) necrotic damage.
The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal
to the necrotic damage taken, and the sculk catalyst regains hit
points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the
target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces
its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain this way rises
within 4 (1d4 +1) days as a sculk thrall.
Actions
Multi-attack. The sculk shrieker makes two Slam attacks. If
possible, it makes a Deafening Shriek attack.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Deafening shriek (Recharge 5-6). The sculk shrieker lets out a
blood curdling cry. Each creature within 30 ft. of the shrieker
must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the creature takes 3d8 thunder damage and is deafened as the
cry, echoed against the walls, is reverberated back to the target.
On a success, the creature takes half damage instead and is
not deafened.
Bonus Actions
Call to Arms (1/day). The sculk shrieker calls for reinforcements.
After 1d3 rounds, 2 sculk thralls and one sculk brute answer
the call and join the fight. They will continue the fight, even if
the shrieker is dead.

CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES

68
 H5 - Top Floor Intersection Sculk. The floor is
completely covered in a quite active patch of sculk, and
some strange spores hang in the air. Anyone who
passes through this area must make a DC 20
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
becomes poisoned and must succeed on a DC 20
Charisma saving throw or gain one level of corruption.
If the creature isn’t corrupted by sculk already, it
becomes corrupted when it fails the saving throw. Add
hazard H5 to the map for a visual representation.
H6 - Middle Floor Access. The ceiling collapses and
this stairway is blocked off. It takes the party two hours
to safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible
again. Add hazard H6 to the map for a visual
representation.
H7 - Middle Floor Gold Room Blue Flames. Blue
flames emerge from the ground, seemingly out of
nowhere. A character must succeed on a DC 15
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or Strength (Athletics)
check to successfully jump across. On a failed save, they
take 4d6 fire damage and land prone on the other side
of the flames. Add hazard H7 to the map for a visual
representation.
H8 - Middle Floor Hallway Sculk. The floor is
completely covered in a quite active patch of sculk, and
some strange spores hang in the air. Anyone who
passes through this area must make a DC 20
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
becomes poisoned and must succeed on a DC 20
Charisma saving throw or gain one level of corruption.
If the creature isn’t corrupted by sculk already, it
becomes corrupted when it fails the saving throw. Add
hazard H8 to the map for a visual representation.
H9 - Bottom Floor Blue Flames. Blue flames emerge
from the ground, seemingly out of nowhere. A character
must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check
or Strength (Athletics) check to successfully jump
across. On a failed save, they take 4d6 fire damage and
land prone on the other side of the flames. Add hazard
H9 to the map for a visual representation.
H10 - Bottom Floor Access. The ceiling collapses and
this stairway is blocked off. It takes the party two hours
to safely clear out the rubble and make it accessible
again. Add hazard H10 to the map for a visual
representation.
H11 - Bottom Floor Corner Sculk. The floor is
completely covered in a quite active patch of sculk, and
some strange spores hang in the air. Anyone who
passes through this area must make a DC 20
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
becomes poisoned and must succeed on a DC 20
Charisma saving throw or gain one level of corruption.
If the creature isn’t corrupted by sculk already, it
becomes corrupted when it fails the saving throw. Add
hazard H11 to the map for a visual representation.
H12 - Bottom Floor Hallway Sculk. The floor is
completely covered in a quite active patch of sculk, and
some strange spores hang in the air. Anyone who
passes through this area must make a DC 20
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
becomes poisoned and must succeed on a DC 20
Charisma saving throw or gain one level of corruption.
If the creature isn’t corrupted by sculk already, it
becomes corrupted when it fails the saving throw. Add
hazard H12 to the map for a visual representation.
Black Mines Features
The Black Mines have changed a lot since someone last
set foot in this place. Dark hallways stretching for
seemingly miles, ores in the walls untouched for
decades. Life still crawls around the mines, in the form
of sculk, always looking for anything that disturbs its
peace and for chances to leave, to grow and expand
beyond the limits of this abandoned location.
Bridge. The bridges in the main halls are made of
blackstone and other stone materials, and they are held
up by strong iron chains.
Ceilings. The ceilings in the halls are 20 feet tall. The
main hall is about 80 feet tall.
Floor. Underneath all the sculk that covers it, the
floors are a mixture of blackstone, regular stone and
some packed dirt. Minecart tracks run across the length
of the hallways and bridges.
Hazard. The longer the party stays on this level, the
more hazard they generate. The read-aloud texts and
rooms are written and described as though hazard
hasn’t been generated yet.
Light. The main hall is illuminated by the bright light
of the lava at the bottom. Adjacent tunnels are cast in
dim light. Any other locations, hallways or rooms or
otherwise, sit in complete darkness.
Sculk. The whole level is covered in sculk, either by
large patches or veins of this alien organism, or by
spores hanging in the air. There is nowhere to hide from
this organism within the Black Mines. Characters who
spend 24 consecutive hours in the Black Mines must
succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or gain a
level of corruption. If the creature isn’t corrupted
already, this will corrupt them.
Walls. The walls are rough stone and dirt materials,
clearly mined out by a multitude of capable hands, if
they are not made out of blackstone slabs. Most walls
are covered by patches of sculk.
Top Floor
M1. Entrance Hall
From the dimly-lit staircase, you enter a dark place. The
sculk, more numerous than you’ve seen before, permeates
the area. Patches of this strange mold clings to the walls and
floors and ceilings cover a single lantern standing on a lamp
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post. Within this darkness, you can see the flickers of echoes
across the sculk, electric blue dots that dart around. Beyond
the darkness, the silence itself seems to weigh on you,
almost waiting for you to make a mistake. Even then, a
banner still hanging above the ground identifies the tunnels
ahead as the Black Mines.
This is the area the characters arrive in if they’ve come
from the Caves of Carnage. Characters with darkvision
can see as they normally can, but it is completely dark.
Sculk. In the middle of the room sits a patch of sculk.
If a character walks over that patch, one sculk thrall
emerges from the patch and attacks. It will fight until it
is dead.
M2. Workshop
A creaky wooden floor welcomes you to an unusual part of
this environment; cabinets lining two sides of the sculk-
ridden walls, all filled with all sorts of smaller tools and
equipment, as well as a small note that has been placed very
noticeably on the one table.
A small workshop, meant for repairs of the bigger tools,
sits near the entrance of the Black Mines since that was
the only place where there still was some space for it.
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70
Note. On the table lies a note, written with a tidy hand. A
message in Common berates the recipient - most likely
the person who worked in this workshop - to keep his
tools in a more organized manner and to keep this place
as clean as they possibly could, and that tidiness is the
key to a better workflow. The note is signed by the
cleaning lady Pellas Mogge.
Treasure. Among the many sets of mason’s tools and
other equipment, the characters can find a Pearl of
Cleansing.
M3. Black Mines Exit
The text assumes that the party comes from area M2:
The chamber has several ores poking out through the walls
of this side room. A separate, straight tunnel leads away
from the Mines, while another way leads into what appears
to be a well-lit area.
Black Mines Exit. The exit to the south leads the
characters to the outside world and, eventually, to
Hermilthan. The tunnel seems clear on this side, but as
they walk, the characters find the cave-in. It takes the
full party a successful DC 15 group Strength (Athletics)
check to clear the rubble in about six hours. If they don’t
succeed on this check, it instead takes twice as long. In
either case, the characters can clear the rubble enough
to reach the Black Mines Entrance, though they can still
see that the tunnel is rather unstable from the previous
forced collapse.
Whenever the characters use the Black Mines tunnel,
there is a 20 percent chance that it will collapse again
and become unusable.
During the first long rest after the tunnels are cleared,
the siege of Hermilthan starts. If the characters decide
to take a long rest in Hermilthan, they can help defend
the town. If the characters decide to take a long rest
elsewhere during the first night after they cleared the
tunnels, Hermilthan is overrun.
M4. Ore Storage
The rails stop in this room. To the left, common ores are
separated into four stalls and presumably stored here. To the
right, chests and crates are stacked against the wall, which
might also be full of these ores. A strange shape moves
around in the middle of the room.
The strange shape ambling around in the hall is a sculk
thrall. It can easily be distracted and drawn into another
room. Its blindsight may pick up on other life forms, but
it is not smart enough to immediately realize this is a
potential threat. If a character fails a DC 6 Dexterity
(Stealth) check, the sculk thrall realizes the party is
present and attacks. It will fight until it is dead.
Treasure. Some of these ores are still quite valuable.
With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation)
check, the party can find up to 300 gp’s worth of raw
ores. On a failed check, they can still find about 50 to
100 gp’s worth of raw ores among the crates.
M5. Crossroads
The text assumes the characters are coming from the
east:
The wood of the persisting rail tracks creak beneath your
feet, what little light shines on the dull iron glistens. You
come to a crossroads of sorts, with one track running
perpendicular to the one you are walking on now, each
disappearing to deeper levels. Just ahead of you, the hallway
opens up.
The way to the south leads to the bottom level, passing
by the foreman’s office (area M20). The way to the north
leads to the middle level.
M6. Main Hall - Top
Unlike the other rooms, this one is brightly lit from below.
Stone bridges, held up with chains of iron, span the area.
The bridge runs in its length from east to west, with four
separate bridges branching off to the right and left. It stops
at some sort of platform, at the back of the hall. The walls
are covered in sculk, some strange fungi appearing to grow
overtop of it in some spaces. Below, lava bubbles and boils
and the bridges on lower levels are visible.
On this floor, the laval below provides bright light for
the characters.
Lower floors. It is possible to jump down to the
bridges on the floor below. There is 20 ft. space
between the bridges. If they jump, the characters take
fall damage and have a chance of setting off a shrieker,
if one is near where they land, unless the character
explicitly asks to try to land quietly and succeeds in a
DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the characters want
to jump on a five feet wide piece of bridge in the middle
of combat, they must succeed in a DC 8 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check or miss the jump and fall into lava
instead. In any case, they will land in the middle section
of the main hall (area M12).
Shriekers. Two shriekers (BR, pg. 309) grow against
the walls on this floor; one to the right of the bridge that
leads into the barracks (area M11) and one to the south
of the mid-mine drop (area M7). They have grown
accustomed to the light from the lava, though any other
light source will disturb them. The shriekers have the
following modifications:
their creature type is Aberration instead of Plant;
their passive Perception is 8 instead of 6;
their “shriek” reaction lasts 1d4 turns.
When the shriekers notice a character, they will use
their ‘shriek’ reaction. For each turn that it shrieks, it
has a 25% chance of calling 1d4 sculk thralls to the
characters’ current location, which will emerge from the
hallways on the side. The thralls are not smart enough
to try to push the characters off the bridge, but they will
fight to the death. The shriekers can also be killed.
M7. Mid-Mine Drop
At the end of the main hall stands a square, fenced off from
the rest of the main hallway. Four panels with a simple
pattern connect with one another.
This retractable platform was once used as a way to
magically make minecarts travel up and down the
levels. The magic has long since waned, however, and
the panels have been stuck together ever since.
The panels can be forced apart with a successful DC
20 Strength (Athletics) check. On higher floors, the next
platform is 20 feet below. The platform on the lowest
level leads into a ten-foot deep, lightless pit, where the
sculk has been growing and thriving.
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71
 M8. Iron Ore Room
You hear noise in the small cavern before you can look into
it. Wherever the walls are not covered with sculk, all sorts of
iron ores can be seen within them, and off to the side stands
a table with supplies. A wooden beam in the middle seems
to hold up the ceiling. Four sculky humanoids are in this
area; three bear pickaxes and chip away at the walls, while a
fourth figure appears to use a drill to piercing a hole in the
wall.
Four sculk creatures are in this room: three sculk
thralls and one sculk brute, with the drill. However,
they appear to be preoccupied by their ‘work’. If the
characters are just passing through without drawing the
sculk’s attention, they can bypass the creatures
altogether. If they do anything to disturb the
environment or the worker’s peace, or if a character
fails a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth) check, the sculk
creatures realize the party is present and they attack.
The wooden beam in the middle of the room has an
AC of 14, 20 hp and is immune to psychic and poison
damage. If it is reduced to 0 hp, it will collapse. Every
creature in a 10 ft. radius of the wooden beam needs to
make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6
bludgeoning damage as the ceiling comes down on
them, being knocked prone and caught under the
rubble. A successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check
frees the creature.
If the staircase hasn’t been blocked and the fight has
taken two rounds, the sculk thrall from the tool storage
(area M15) notices the fight and arrives as back-up.
Treasure. The table with supplies holds one of the
seal fragments, pulsing with a low icy blue energy
around it. The characters can steal the seal fragment
with a successful DC 8 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
check. The room also holds about 200 gp’s worth of
loose iron ore.
M9. Upper Lapis Ore Room
The hallways end into a side cavern, carved out by miners
over the years. Two sculk creatures stand off to the sides,
going through the motion of mining out deep dark blue ores
that protrude from the walls, though they hold no tools.
Beyond the two sculk thralls in the widened corner,
there is one more that patrols the northern hallway. If a
character fails a DC 6 Dexterity (Stealth) check, the
patrolling sculk thrall realizes the party is present and
attacks. A fight also draws out the two thralls that
appear to be mining without tools.
M10. Copper Ore Room
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72
This long, narrow cavern has walls covered in sculk and what
appears to be copper ore. A staircase in the corner leads
downstairs, and beyond the corner stands a sculk creature,
its back turned to the party, drilling into the wall. At its feet
lay pieces of loose ore.
In the far back, a sculk brute appears to be continuing
to mine, too occupied with its work to notice the
characters. If a character fails a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth)
check, the sculk brute realizes the party is present and
attacks. It takes about two rounds for the sculk thralls
in the lower lapis ore room to notice a fight has broken
out and will arrive as back-up. The sculk creature fights
until it is dead.
Treasure. The copper ore at its feet amounts to 50
gp’s worth of copper ore.
M11. Barracks
This room appears to be a little more homey than the
others. Beds and bedrolls lie around, and in the back of the
room stand a few bunk beds. A small table with a wall lamp
stands off to the side, along with some broken crates and a
small scroll of paper that lies crumpled on the ground.
This dead-end room is the barracks, where workers
could opt to sleep or take a break from their work. They
slept and relaxed here, as well as being additional
storage for some more personal items.
Note. The crumpled paper on the ground is a letter of
complaint. Penned by a miner who identifies
themselves as ‘Ivar Kyll’, they have written this letter as
a way to let management know why they should not
continue to dig any deeper than they already have. They
claim that most miners already have a bad feeling on
the lowest floor. With the countless ores in the walls, it
might be beneficial to keep expanding horizontally
instead of vertically, where bad things might happen,
citing the many accidents involving the lava lakes they
hit upon going deeper. This reads like a disgruntled
miner who has attempted to share his side multiple
times, but whose worries have been shrugged off as
superstition and not to be taken seriously.
Treasure. There are more than enough bedrolls for
anyone. The crates hold currently worthless trinkets
and personal belongings, as well as the Bionic Eye of
Doom.
Middle Floor
M12. Main Hall - Middle
The main hall cuts through the whole level.
Platform. The most eastern bridge connects to a
platform that overlooks and has a staircase leading to
 the eastern mining cavern (area M21). Almost
everything in that area is visible from this platform.
Lower floors. It is possible to jump down to the
bridges on the floor below. There is 20 ft. space
between the bridges. If they jump, the characters take
fall damage and have a chance of setting off a shrieker,
if one is near where they land, unless the character
explicitly asks to try to land quietly and succeeds in a
DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the characters want
to jump on a five feet wide piece of bridge in the middle
of combat, they must succeed in a DC 8 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check or miss the jump and fall into lava
instead. In any case, they will land in the bottom section
of the main hall (area M23).
Shriekers. Two shriekers grow against the walls on
this floor; one in the southeastern corner of the hall and
in between the two most western bridges, clinging to
the north wall. They have grown accustomed to the light
from the lava, though any other light source will disturb
them. The shriekers have certain modifications that are
detailed in the main hall - top (area M6).
When the shriekers notice a character, they will use
their ‘shriek’ reaction. For each turn that it shrieks, it
has a 25% chance of calling 1d4 sculk thralls to the
characters’ current location, and a 10% chance to call a
sculk brute, which will emerge from the hallways on the
sides. The thralls or brute are not smart enough to try to
push the characters off the bridge, but they will fight to
the death. The shriekers can also be killed.
M13. Gold Ore Extraction Room
Walking into the room, you are faced with an unmoving
conveyor belt that seems to go through the wall into the
room on the right, clumps of raw gold lying on the belt. The
sound of drilling comes from the left, where a sculk creature
is drilling into a singular hole in the wall, without regard
whether they’re carving out the gold ores or not.
Technology had advanced to the point that conveyor
belts and other technology, such as drills, can be used.
The conveyor belt is used to immediately transport the
raw gold ores to the gold ore smelting room (area M14).
A Small or smaller creature can squeeze through the
hole without issue.
In the far back, a sculk brute appears to be continuing
to mine, too occupied with its work to notice the
characters. If a character fails a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth)
check, the sculk brute realizes the party is present and
attacks.
Message. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception)
check reveals a message had been scrawled onto the
wall, even before it had been covered with sculk. A
successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check lets
the character know what was written on the wall: a
hoard reveals its own treasure.
Treasure. The characters can take some raw ores
with a successful DC 8 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
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73
 check. About 200 gp’s worth of loose gold ore is located
on the conveyor belt.
M14. Gold Ore Smelting Room
The centerpiece of this space is a large furnace, now cold,
standing in the back of the room. The conveyor belt seems
to run through the furnace, or it drops off the ores on one
side and pumps out extremely hot gold on the other end. A
staircase seems to lead downward.
Once the gold from the other room is transported into
this room, they are slowly going through a fiery hot
furnace that is currently non-functional. Here, smiths
were tasked with immediately minting coins and
creating golden bars, while other workers took the
surplus of what the furnace could handle off of the
conveyor belt before the furnace could swallow them.
The staircase leads into the western diamond ore
room (area M26).
Deposit of gold. In the corner sits a crate, in which
some gold bars and other processed ores are located. It
already contains about 350 gp’s worth of gold bars. If
about 1500 gp’s worth of ores and other treasures and
coins are in the crate, it reveals a secret nook.
Treasure. The crate has about 350 gp’s worth of ores,
while the conveyor belt that rolls towards it from the
furnace has 50 gp’s worth. In the secret nook, one can
find the Goggles of Symmetry.
M15. Tool Storage
An array of drills are standing in this room, some covered in
sculk and others not, ready to be deployed when needed.
More traditional tools, such as pickaxes, are standing in
racks against the wall, equally tainted by the sculk. A hole in
the wall overlooks a larger cavern that lies below.
A sculk thrall as inspecting the available tools, too
occupied with its work to notice the characters. If a
character fails a DC 6 Dexterity (Stealth) check, the
sculk thrall realizes the party is present and attacks.
If the staircase hasn’t been blocked and the fight has
taken two rounds, two sculk thralls from the iron ore
room (area M8) notice the fight and arrive as back-up.
Tools. Most of the tools in this area are heavy drills,
mason’s tools and pickaxes. Most of them are covered
by sculk. If the characters pick up any of it and are
exposed to it for a prolonged period of time, they are at
risk of being corrupted.
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74
M16. Outlook
Next to the platform, a blackstone overlook has been
constructed to watch over the cavern below.
This viewing platform has been constructed over the
western mining cavern (area M27) and looks out over
the southern portion. It does not have line of sight on
the northern part. Whenever something is visible from
the platform, anything that is down there might also
spot the characters on the outlook. The platform stands
about 20 ft. off of the ground.
M17. Break Room
Though tracks lead into this room, it does not appear to
have been used for mining. Instead of ores, lanterns hang
against the wall, little sputtering blue flames inside barely
illuminating the space. Two tables stand on either side, with
remnants of others beside them, as well as storage spaces
that appear to be completely overgrown with sculk.
Once, this cavern was used as a break room. However,
the sculk has consumed much of the wood the tables
and chairs were made off, and only a few pieces of the
furniture remained.
Three sculk thralls are in this room, as though they
are on break, too occupied with their break to notice the
characters. If a character fails a DC 6 Dexterity (Stealth)
check, the sculk creatures realize the party is present
and they attack.
Note. One of the tables has a note, written by the
person who identifies himself as “I, Zachary Daphnos”
in the text. He writes about how he wishes to leave the
mines, but it’s easy money that he can invest into his
lifestyle as an inventor. He writes down names of
various contraptions and machines of which the party
doesn’t know what they do, but this Zachary certainly
did. The note closes with a hopeful statement about the
future, knowing that his work in the mines will pay off
eventually, so that he can later be the inventor he always
wanted to be.
Treasure. In one of the chests lies a Wand of
Gorgeousness, as well as some trinkets and personal
belongings from the miners that don’t have any value.
M18. Flooded Lapis Ore Room
Water seeps from the walls into puddles, the sound of water
dripping down onto stone and other water surfaces. Three
sculky creatures are ambling around in the room; two figures
like you’ve seen before, and one that looks more alien, more
like a cube with four feet and two arms. Below the surface of

the farthest water pool, something pulses with an icy blue
energy.
This room was used to mine some lapis lazuli. However,
they must have hit some water reserves. This had been
patched up to the best of their ability, yet water still
trickles into the room. It created pools of water that
have been filling up over time, now festering with the
sculk.
One sculk catalyst stays in the room, standing close
to a wall. Characters need to succeed a DC 11 Dexterity
(Stealth) check or be spotted by this strange creature. If
the water is disturbed or the characters try to take
something, they must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check or be noticed by the sculk
catalyst. It will fight to the death.
Water. The waters in this room have been tainted by
the sculk and is unsafe to consume, unless targeted with
a Purify Food and Drink spell. If characters drink from
the water in its tainted form, they are poisoned and
must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
become infected with sight rot.
Treasure. The most western pool of water holds one
of the seal fragments.
M19. Lower Lapis Ore Room
The tracks lead into a sideroom, where a staircase seems to
come down into it. A minecart filled with ore stands in the
middle of the room, and two sculk figures stand to the side,
with pickaxes mindlessly slamming into the wall. A lookout
from this room watches over a large cavern.
Two sculk thralls appear to be mining the ores, too
occupied with their work to notice the characters. If a
character fails a DC 6 Dexterity (Stealth) check, the
sculk thralls realize the party is present and they attack.
It takes about two rounds for the sculk brute in the
copper ore room to notice a fight has broken out and
will arrive as back-up.
Treasure. The bulk of what is located within the
minecart is just sculk that has grown inside, though the
top is still lapis. The characters can grab about 150 gp’s
worth of valuable ores from the cart if they succeed on a
DC 6 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Bottom Floor
M20. Foreman’s office
Going down, you come across a room to the side. The
door is closed and inside, a light stubbornly flickers
every now and again. On the inside, the sculk has barely
penetrated, yet it is starting to reach through the holes
in the walls and through the rock. A desk stands to the
side, with a journal lying on top of it as well as a map
and a name plate that reads “Thossar Lanion”. Shelves
line another wall, with small trinkets and belongings on
display.
This office used to belong to the foreman, but has
since fallen into disuse and disrepair.
Journal. The journal gives some more information
about Thossar Lanion; according to the dates of these
entries, he became the foreman 10 years before the
tragedy. He meticulously notes down all of his decisions
and conversations with Thaddeus Holsten regarding the
mines, creating a clear paper trail in case of disputes. In
the rare personal note, he laments how the crew does
not even try to respect him in front of him, having heard
many people call him “washed up”, but he still
continues to do his job regardless. The last entry seems
to justify the decision to dig deeper and seems to place
most of the responsibility with Thaddeus and paints
himself as someone who was forced to follow orders.
The final entry ends with the hope that digging deeper
wasn’t a bad mistake.
M21. Eastern Mining Cavern
A large cavern, completely mined out, provides a basis for
the lowest floor; Ores are scattered across the walls, from
diamonds to gold to coal. Along the eastern wall, from the
south to the north, the terrain rises enough to bring the floor
in the north at the same level as the middle floor, where a
few ladders lead onto platforms or further up. Upon that
slope stands a crane, extending high above them, with
enough space to be able to transport a minecart from the
middle floor to the bottom floor and vice versa. A staircase
leads up to that platform on the middle floor.
This location used to be one of the larger mining
caverns, because it provides so many ores in such a
small space. Now, sculk is growing on the walls and
floors, and this has become the prime location for some
creatures to prowl around. Many smaller forms are
acting out that they work and are too small-minded to
notice or even join a fight. However, other forms are
also present and are a little less friendly.
Within the cavern, one sculk brute and three sculk
thralls walk around, searching for any prey that might
come their way. They are joined by a sculk shrieker, the
only one in the mines. They are ready to pounce on
anything that makes a sound. To successfully sneak
around the cavern without being noticed by the sculk
shrieker, they need to succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity
(Stealth) check. The creatures will attempt to follow the
characters if they decide to flee, but they cannot jump
from the broken-off bridge onto the next and they
cannot follow up the ladder, either.
There is a 50% chance the creatures from the lower
eastern mining cavern (area M22) join the fight within
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 CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
76
1d3 rounds if one has broken out.
Treasure. The chests in the northern part contain
trinkets and other belongings of miners that have long
since lost their value.
M23. Main Hall - Bottom
The main hall cuts through the whole floor.
Heat. Only ten feet below, lava boils. As long as the
characters are in this room on this floor, they are under
the effects of extreme heat.
Broken off bridge. A part of the bridge has broken off.
A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check can jump
from one side to the other. Anyone who fails falls into
the lava.
Shriekers. Two shriekers grow against the walls on
this floor; one next to the mid-mine drop (area M7) and
one near the destroyed portion of the bridge. They have
grown accustomed to the light from the lava, though any
other light source will disturb them. The shriekers have
certain modifications that are detailed in the main hall -
top (area M6).
When the shriekers notice a character, they will use
their ‘shriek’ reaction. For each turn that it shrieks, it
has a 25% chance of calling 1d4 sculk thralls to the
characters’ current location, and a 10% chance to call
over the sculk catalyst from the western mining cavern
(area M27), which will emerge from the hallways on the
sides. The thralls or brute are not smart enough to try to
push the characters off the bridge, but they will fight to
the death. The shriekers can also be killed.
M24. Southern Small Storage
This is barely big enough to be a supply closet, yet many
shelves and even a cabinet has been shoved into the
claustrophobic space.
This is a small supply closet that holds all sorts of tools,
trinkets, and other items.
Treasure. Among the supplies in the vault lies an
extract of eyebright, which can help against sight rot. It
is enough for two doses. Any character who succeeds
on a DC 17 Investigation check can discover the Golden
Eye hidden among them.
Trap. The closet is trapped, but not intentionally.
When a character opens the cabinet door, they must
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be hit
with all sorts of junk that had once been pushed inside
the cabinet without a second thought.
M25. Eastern Diamond Ore Room
This small room is brightly illuminated by small pools of
lava, an extremely slow trickle moving in. The western wall of
this room seems to have collapsed prior to your adventures
down here, leaving a small opening through which you can
see into the rest of the room.
Very recently, with the help of some sculk thralls
mindlessly mining into the walls, some lava had
breached the walls and started to pour into these two
rooms. It has also made the walls and ceilings unstable,
hence the ceiling collapse that separated the eastern
and western diamond ore rooms from one another.
Through the hole you can see the western diamond
ore room (area M26) as well as the sculk thrall who
works there. The characters are safe from this creature.
Treasure. There is about 150 gp’s worth of diamonds
on the ground.
M26. Western Diamond Ore Room
The bigger of the two separated parts, this room has a
small table off to the side with some ores already lying
on it. One sculk creature is slamming their hands
against the walls as though it is holding a pickaxe and
mining it out. Lava pours into the room at an
excruciatingly slow rate and a staircase goes up.
A sculk thrall is acting out work, too occupied to
notice the characters. If a character fails a DC 6
Dexterity (Stealth) check, the sculk thrall realize the
party is present and attacks.
Treasure. There also is about 300 gp’s worth of
diamonds on the ground and table. The characters can
steal this treasure with a successful DC 6 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check.
M27. Western Mining Cavern
An open space stretches out in what appears to be a large
tunnel rather than a cavern. Lava pools have bubbles up
from below, breaking the ground and expanding ever
patiently. Sculk is scattered across the ground and the walls,
a wooden platform offers more space for miners to do their
works, and the outlook would give someone a bird’s eye
view of the southern section of the cave. Directly beneath
this outlook, the vague lines of a circular shape on the
ground. The cave wall appears smoother right next to this
circle.
Rather than digging in the width of the cavern, they
decided to dig in its length. This is where they last came
to mine out ores, compared to the eastern mining
cavern which existed first. However, it is slightly lower
than the eastern mining cavern and in their efforts of
digging deeper, they already breached several pockets
CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
77
 of lava. They also breached through to the Burning Dark
from here.
Two sculk brutes and one sculk catalyst amble
around in the area. They do not appear to be working -
instead, they appear to be guarding the area, perhaps
waiting for the opportunity to unlock the Burning Dark
again. They recognize other sculk entities, and
characters of corruption level 3 or higher will also be
considered sculk and will not be attacked. Characters
who are not corrupted or have corruption level 2 or
lower will be attacked on sight. The sculk creatures will
fight to the death.
Farandras at the Gate. If the Siege of Hermilthan has
passed without the characters being present for it, Colt
Farandras will be present here from the third day since
the siege. He uses the sculk thrall stat block and is the
middle of a transformation. He acts the same around
the characters as the above described sculk creatures
and cannot be reasoned with.
Way Below. This is the location where Thaddeus
Holsten and Melena sealed the Burning Dark. They
made the abstract more concrete and, as they sealed out
the enemy, transfigured their abjurative magic into a
physical lock and key. The key was later taken back to
the surface by Thaddeus Holsten, while Melena
transfigured the lock into a seal which she split in three
and of which she scattered the pieces. Once the pieces
are reunited and are brought into the magic circle, it will
be revealed to be a lock. If the key is placed into the lock
and turned, the abjuration magic will be negated and
the protective wall raised by Thaddeus and Melena will
crumble, revealing the way forward into the Burning
Dark.
Unlocking the Burning Dark makes some noise and
attracts the attention of the sculk creatures in this area.
M28. Northern Small Storage
Many crates and boxes stand in this room, crammed into
this small space.
the small lava pool.
One sculk brute drills into the wall, missing all of the
ores. If a character fails a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth)
check, the sculk thralls realize the party is present and
they attack.
Treasure. About 150 gp’s worth of redstone and other
red gemstones lie in the crate. A character must
succeed on a DC 8 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check or
be noticed by the sculk brute.
What comes next?
Once the three pieces of the seal are reunited and
turned back into a lock, and after the Master’s Key has
been used to unlock it, the abjurative magic put in place
years ago is dispelled and the way to the Burning Dark
is revealed and the characters level up to level 7.
From here, the characters can once again return to
the surface and resupply and rest in Hermilthan. If they
have cleared out the tunnel at the Black Mines exit (area
M3), they can use that tunnel as a shortcut. If they
cleared the tunnel without using it and have not yet
returned to Hermilthan after taking at least one long
rest since they cleared the tunnel, Hermilthan will have
been hit by a siege.
They can also choose to rest elsewhere, or to
continue deeper and to finally see what the Burning
Dark is all about (see “6. The Burning Dark”).

This is another storage room, where many items once

were stored. You can use this place to add more
supplies or tools to the DM’s discretion, or to have
nothing of interest here.
M29. Redstone Room
In this room, the walls are lined with brilliant red ores, a
pretty shine as the light from the small lava pool in the back
illuminates it. A sculk figure stands next to a crate filled with
these ores, drilling into the wall.

Redstone ore was mined in this room. Over the years,

the lava from beneath started to push up and created
CHAPTER 5. THE BLACK MINES
78
Chapter 6. The Burning Dark
t is difficult to say what the Burning Dark is -
I
most people who stumble onto this location are
often dead and assimilated before the information
can be spread to other people. What goes into the
Burning Dark usually stays there, and those who
do come here are faced with an alien landscape
beyond anything they have ever seen in their lives.
This used to be a large cave, inhabited by fire-
worshipping people, but it had long been taken over by
the sculk. Once, these people taken over by the sculk
must’ve been sentient enough to construct these
suffocating brick walls and empty green homes.
Soulfires burning in the corridors, across the walls,
shed the whole place in an eerie blue light, along with
the soul echoes that linger still. Lava persists in the
area; lakes lay quiet but the passways are full of life.
In the middle of this cavern - the focal point of this
strange civilization, a large round building, made of a
material that feels alien even to this place. Within this
dome hides the secret of the sculk: the source, from
which it all is sprung, from which everything else is
born, from where it has coordinated its rise. It takes and
takes and takes without giving back, strangling what life
it can cling to, and force it to carry out its will. The heat
is perfect for them; the cold hinders them. And when the
thralls are depleted of their energy and can no longer
function, they move on to the next.
It’s been so long since they’ve had extra energy to
consume. So long since the miners from Hermilthan
breached their home and let them out.
The Warden rushed them, slaughtered them. Until it
was slaughtered, too. But the Burning Dark needs a
Warden - the sculk needs something to protect it in case
of emergencies. But the process of creating a Warden is
time-consuming, takes a lot of energy. It nearly depleted
all of their energy to do this - until Thaddeus Holsten
stumbled into the dome, already corrupted. If he did not
want this to happen, he had no free will left to complain.
Drawn ever closer to the source, he moved forward and
let the sculk take him. Now melded with this alien
growth, what was left of Thaddeus Holsten’s mind was
completely obliterated and taken over by the sculk,
bleeding into the creature that would become the
Warden. Except now, it had recently absorbed a human
consciousness, which comes with an intelligence that is
unrivaled with creatures of the Burning Dark.
Running this chapter
This chapter sees the characters explore the warm,
ancient city within the Burning Dark. Navigating the
labyrinthine streets and roads they can avoid the sculk
and make their way to the middle of the city, where the
most corrupted player is drawn towards. They can
explore the lava lake and one of the abandoned homes,
but everything draws them closer to the dome, where
their destiny awaits them.
Grand finale
The final battle against the mutated Warden takes place
inside the dome (area B14). Either the characters fail
and die, to become one with the sculk, or they succeed
and destroy the source of the sculk along with its
Warden, ending this threat to society.
Escape!
However, this could not be the end. This cave and its
sculky foundations are located directly beneath
everything else they have encountered throughout the
adventure. You could add a thrilling escape sequence to
end the adventure, that will either bring the characters
to the Black Mines entrance or to the elevator into
Deepfrost Citadel (see “7. Flee with extra Flee!”).
Threats in the Burning
Dark
Lava Passway
The lava passway was a piece of ingenious engineering,
either made by the creatures the sculk first corrupted or
by the sculk itself. It allows them to move lava around
designated passways, where it is magically pushed
through to be moved to the end as a way of moving
resources and generating a primitive form of electricity,
which was then used throughout the settlement. The
lava is contained within the same five by fifteen feet
invisible box that moves at a speed of 20 ft. per round.
However, that magical invisible box can move through
creatures, and the lava will rush through anyone who
remains in the passway.
Wardens and other sculk creatures are not affected
by lava. A stream can still push them away and it slows
them down, but they do not take any fire damage related
to lava. Consequently, they do not care if the characters
stuck in the passway have to deal with that lava as well -
an intruder is still an intruder.
Sculk
Sculk is still present within the Burning Dark, even
more numerous than before. Whereas it has corrupted
certain sections of the Black Mines, it is now
everywhere. It is the ground they walk upon, it’s in the
air they breathe, it is impossible to avoid it at all. Any
character who spends 6 or more consecutive hours
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
79
 in the Burning Dark must make a DC 20 Charisma
saving throw or gain one level of corruption. If a Soul Echo
creature hasn’t been corrupted yet, failing this saving Tiny Aberration, Chaotic Evil
throw will corrupt them. This saving throw occurs every
time a character spends 6 or more consecutive hours in Armor Class 18
this area; a character who spends 12 hours in the Hit Points 22 (9d4)
Burning Dark must have made two saving throws. This Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
timer resets every time they leave the Black Mines.
More creatures also wander around in the Burning STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Dark; more of the same types of enemies that the 1 (-5) 25 (+8) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
characters have already come across, as well as a new
type. Soul echoes (App. B) represent the souls of those Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances acid, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
consumed by the sculk that managed to tear away from piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
the organism. Still trapped within this un-life, the soul Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
echoes remain flecks of electric blue light that seek able Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled,
bodies to latch onto and to take over. They are too weak paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained,
to take control, however, and only end up siphoning the unconscious
life force of the living creature that they cling to. Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive perception 12
Furthermore, in the dome in the middle of this city, Languages The languages it knew in life
the Warden (App. B) awaits. This hulking, imposing Challenge 3 (700 XP)

figure is the primary defense the sculk has against Proficiency Bonus +2

intruders that can evade everything else and reach the

source. It has quite the range with its long limbs and its Consume Life. As a bonus action, the soul echo can target one
sonic boom, both devastating in their own right. To fight creature it is attached to that has 0 hit points and is still alive.
this creature in its home is a death sentence for the The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
attackers, for the warden leaves nobody standing and against this magic or die. If the target dies, the soul echo

fights until it is destroyed. regains 10 (3d6) hit points and detaches from the corpse.

Damage Transfer. While it is attached to a creature, the soul

echo takes only half the damage dealt to it, and the creature it
Burning Dark features is attached to takes the other half.

The Burning Dark is an accurate name for this location; Immutable Form. The soul echo is immune to any spell or effect
it is dark, and it is burning. Black and an eerie green-ish that would alter its form.
blue are the colors that are overwhelmingly found here, Actions
alon with the bright yellows and oranges of the lava.
Ceilings. The ceilings in the homes are 15 feet tall.
Siphon Life. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) fire damage, and the soul echo attaches
Outside the homes, it is difficult to say how high the to the target. While attached, the soul echo can’t attack, and at
ceiling of the cave is. the start of each of the soul echo’s turns, the target takes 7
Floor. The floor is made off of packed-together sculk (1d10 + 2) necrotic damage. The attached soul echo moves
and some of the stone material that was once the cave with the target whenever the target moves, requiring none of
floor. the soul echo’s movement. The soul echo can detach itself by
Homes. The homes appear to be made out of some spending 5 feet of its movement on its turn. A creature,
sort of wood-like material, but it doesn’t feel like wood. including the target, can use its action to detach a soul echo.
In actuality, they are made of large sculk mushroom
stems.
Light. The lava emits a bright light, and the soulfires
each shed 10 ft. of bright light and 10 ft. of dim light.
Beyond these light sources, the dungeon is cast in
darkness.
Sculk. The whole level is covered in sculk. Prolonged
exposure to the sculk forces a DC 20 Charisma saving
throw, which on a fail gives the characters one level of
corruption and which corrupts them, if they have not yet
been corrupted.
Walls. The outside walls are made out of dark stone
bricks and slabs and are covered in sculk. They are 20
ft. tall.

CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK

80
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
81
 B1. Landing
You walk down a dark tunnel, covered in sculk. The air is
thicker than you’re used to, which makes it slightly more
difficult to breathe. The tunnel opens up into a large cave,
either with a high ceiling or one that is obscured, for you
can’t actually see it. You are met with tall, dark walls. To the
left, an elevated platform is located that sits besides a lava
pool. In the far right, dominating the odd skyline, stands
what looks like the curved exterior of a dome. Everywhere
you look, you see the sculk in veins and patches, and you
hear strange sounds emerging from behind the walls.
This is where the characters first enter into the Burning
Dark. From the moment the characters enter, the timer
for the sculk corruption starts (as explained in “threats
in the Burning Dark”) and the characters can start to
explore the level. Characters who are at corruption level
three or higher are naturally drawn towards the dome
(area B13) and feel like they want to go there. If nobody
is at that level, the character with the highest corruption
level or the one who is attuned to the Master’s Key will
be drawn to the dome instead.
Anyone who tries to defy the call of the sculk needs to
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or are
magically charmed for ten minutes. While charmed, the
affected creature wants to go to the dome as quickly as
possible with their group, disregarding other goals.
When it takes damage, it can make the saving throw
again.
Platform. A set of stairs leads five feet off the ground
onto an elevated fifteen-by-fifteen feet platform. The
characters are unable to look over the walls. A character
with a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 17 or higher - or
anyone who succeeds on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception)
check - discovers a button on the ground. Pressing this
button will elevate the platform by 20 ft. and will allow
the characters to get a brief glimpse at the surrounding
area. It also emits a loud groan as this mechanism
hasn’t been used in a long time, which will attract the
creatures in the eastern portion of the labyrinth (area
B2). Pressing the button again will lower the platform,
accompanied by another groan.
B2. Labyrinth east
A winding set of walls and passages make up the
majority of this section of the map, labyrinthine in
nature. In here, two sculk thralls, one sculk brute and
one soul echo wander around in these alleyways. If the
characters choose to sneak around, the DC is
determined by the passive perceptions of the creatures.
If they walk without sneaking, the creature with the
highest passive perception finds them after 4 (1d6)
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
82
rounds. The creatures fight to the death, and soulfire
does not hurt them.
The noise of fighting attracts the other creatures - but
if the fight ends early, the characters may be able to
sneak away without being spotted. If all creatures are
slain, it takes the Burning Dark 2 (1d3) days to
repopulate this section with the same type and number
of monsters.
Abandoned House. On one side, tucked away to the
northeast, stands an abandoned home, made out of
green, sculky fungi that resembled a green-ish wood.
The interior is completely bare and the house is missing
a door. The ceiling is simultaneously the gabled roof of
the place. Soul flames in the corner illuminate the space
and non-hostile soul echoes hang around and wail at
any living non-sculk creature that enters. Any characters
that enter the house that have a corruption level of 3 or
higher are recognized as sculk and do not elicit such a
wail.
Carvings. Certain sections of walls have been carved
into and are reminiscent of what had been carved into
the rune rock in the Frozen Crypt (area F5). It is a crude
written version of Deep Speech mixed with idioms in
Common that is difficult to read. The most a character
who speaks Deep Speech (or casts Comprehend
Languages or similar magic to read the text) can make
out is “spread the souls, spread the sculk” scrawled over
and over again. Anything else carved into the rock is
intelligible, and the handwriting is extremely erratic.
Any spell that allows you to read language grants access
to this knowledge.
Soulfire. Multiple blue soulfires cut through the walls
and passages. A soulfire burns brighter and deals more
damage, but it sheds less light than a normal fire. If
such a soulfire is only five foot wide, the characters
must succeed on a DC 10 Strength or Dexterity check
or take 6 (1d6 + 2) fire damage and have their feet
singed by the flames. If such soulfire is ten foot wide,
they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity
check or take 6 (1d6 +2) fire damage. In a soulfire
corridor - a narrow corridor with a fifteen-foot-long strip
of soulfire - the character must succeed on a DC 20
Strength or Dexterity check to successfully jump across
it, or take 11 (2d6 + 4) fire damage. Neither the
character nor anything they are carrying are set ablaze.
Treasure. In the abandoned house sits some treasure.
Most of it is broken beyond repair, but it still includes a
Gem of Greatness, and two doses of CF-135 have
survived in a batch of eight, of which the other six have
been destroyed.
B3. Southern Passway
Cutting across the space is an extended straight corridor of
fifteen feet wide. Unlike the surrounding area, the clean tiles
are not covered with sculk at all, and neither are the walls on

the inside. The wood-like ceiling seems to have been burned
away in places.
This is one of the passways through which lava flows.
The sculk isn’t able to take root in this area because of
the regularly moving lava washing away what little
attempted to crawl in. The characters can easily avoid
the lava by timing their crossing over into another area.
If the characters are caught in a combat that they lead
into a passway, the lava is added to initiative during the
next round. If the characters linger, the DM can put
them on a timer by forcing them into turn-based mode
when the lava first appears in the north.
Ceiling. The wood-like ceiling is weak from the times
the lava caught onto it and set it ablaze during the years.
If more than 200 pounds of weight is ever applied onto
the ceiling in a 10 by 10 feet area, it cannot hold the
weight and collapses onto the lava passway. The debris
is burned and whatever remains is swiped away by the
next bit of lava passing through.
Lava. Every 5 rounds, a telekinetic box moving lava
starts to flow from north to south. It moves at a speed of
20 ft. per round and moves at initiative count 10 (losing
all initiative ties). Creatures who fall into the lava or
start their turn there take 44 (8d10) fire damage. On the
lava’s turn, if any creatures are standing inside, must
succeed a DC 15 Strength check or be pushed 10 ft. in
the direction of where the lava is flowing. The lava does
not deal any damage to creatures made of sculk.
B4. Lava lake
Peering through the opening in the wall, you can see a lake
filled with lava, sculky shores surrounding it. In the back
area, beyond the lake, stands a 20 ft. tall pillar, ornately
carved in odd and strange shapes.
This lava lake has been present since the sculk arrived.
It has taken over the area and no longer expends energy
to do the same to the protected pillar.
Totem. The pillar to the side is a totem and is the only
thing in this area that is not covered by sculk.
Constructed by the people that came before, they
imbued it with the power of their god before they
perished to the sculk. The totem has been protected
ever since by the dying god, warding off the sculk. Any
writing on the totem is identified as Primordial - rather,
Ignan - instead of the Deep Speech the characters might
expect.
If any character steps within 15 ft. of the totem, it will
activate and summon an avatar, completely made up of
lava (using the stat block of a fire elemental myrmidon
(MotM, pg. 123)). This creature understands Common,
but does not speak it. It does not immediately attack,
gauging the characters and what they are capable of. If
one or more characters expresses that they are here to
destroy the sculk, the avatar gives the characters the
Blessing of the Fire Totem, which grants the characters
resistance to normal fire damage, and immunity to fire
damage dealt by lava.
If the characters are hostile towards the avatar or the
totem, the avatar will attack. The totem acts on initiative
count 20 (losing initiative ties). The totem has an AC of
18, 50 HP, and is immune to poison, fire, and psychic
damage. On the totem’s turn, it has a 50% chance of
summoning a magma mephit (BR, pg. 331), which
shares its initiative with the totem and erupts from the
lava lake. After the totem is destroyed, the magma
mephits die and the avatar loses 1d10 hp every round as
it dies.
Abandoned House. Off to the side stands an
abandoned home. The interior is completely bare and
the house is missing a door, though the back wall has a
hole that must simulate a window. The ceiling is
simultaneously the gabled roof of the place. Soul flames
in the corner illuminate the space and non-hostile soul
echoes hang around and wail at any living non-sculk
creature that enters. Any characters that enter the
house that have a corruption level of 3 or higher are
recognized as sculk and do not elicit such a wail.
This house can be used as a shortcut into the larger
area if characters can squeeze themselves through.
B5. Labyrinth west
A winding set of walls and passages make up the
majority of this section of the map, labyrinthine in
nature. In here one sculk brute and two soul echoes
wander around in these alleyways. If the characters
choose to sneak around, the DC is determined by the
passive perceptions of the creatures. If they walk
without sneaking, the creature with the highest passive
perception finds them after 4 (1d6) rounds. The
creatures fight to the death, and soulfire does not hurt
them.
The noise of fighting attracts the other creatures - but
if the fight ends early, the characters may be able to
sneak away without being spotted. If all creatures are
slain, it takes the Burning Dark 2 (1d3) days to
repopulate this section with the same type and number
of monsters.
Abandoned House. In the corner of the labyrinth
stands an abandoned house. The interior is completely
bare and the house is missing a door. The ceiling is
simultaneously the gabled roof of the place, though
there is a hole in the roof on the northeastern corner.
Soul flames in the corner illuminate the space and non-
hostile soul echoes hang around and wail at any living
non-sculk creature that enters. Any characters that
enter the house that have a corruption level of 3 or
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
83
 higher are recognized as sculk and do not elicit such a
wail.
Soulfire. Multiple blue soulfires cut through the walls
and passages. A soulfire burns brighter and deals more
damage, but it sheds less light than a normal fire. If
such a soulfire is only five foot wide, the characters
must succeed on a DC 10 Strength or Dexterity check
or take 6 (1d6 + 2) fire damage and have their feet
singed by the flames. If such soulfire is ten foot wide,
they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity
check or take 6 (1d6 +2) fire damage. In a soulfire
corridor - a narrow corridor with a fifteen-foot-long strip
of soulfire - the character must succeed on a DC 20
Strength or Dexterity check to successfully jump across
it, or take 11 (2d6 + 4) fire damage. Neither the
character nor anything they are carrying are set ablaze.
B6. Vineyard
From the ground, several vines and other plants grow
upright to the ceiling, without using that keeps them
straight. Other plants are dotted across the floor, having all
kinds of bright colors that look strange and painful in this
environment.
This yard area does not contain any man-made
structures beyond the walls that surround it. Instead,
the space once served as some sort of public park,
where flowers, vines and other plants once grew. Now,
the area is overgrown and the plants have been imbued
with and grown from the sculk. The vines, if assaulted,
will fight back using the stat block of assassin vines
(ToA, pg. 213). There can be three such vines in this
area.
Abandoned House. Tucked away on the other side of
the vineyard stands an abandoned home. The interior is
completely bare and the house is missing a door. The
ceiling is simultaneously the gabled roof of the place.
Soul flames in the corner illuminate the space and non-
hostile soul echoes hang around and wail at any living
non-sculk creature that enters. Any characters that
enter the house that have a corruption level of 3 or
higher are recognized as sculk and do not elicit such a
wail.
Treasure. In the middle of the vineyard sits the Staff
of the Pink Shepherd, held a few feet off of the ground
by a couple of vines that have twisted around it. It takes
a DC 16 Strength check to pull it free. A weapon attack
will similarly let the vines let go of the staff.
B7. Passway north - left
This is one of the passways through which lava flows.
The sculk isn’t able to take root in this area because of
the regularly moving lava washing away what little
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
84
attempted to crawl in. The characters can easily avoid
the lava by timing their crossing over into another area.
If the characters are caught in a combat that they lead
into a passway, the lava is added to initiative during the
next round. If the characters linger, the DM can put
them on a timer by forcing them into turn-based mode
when the lava first appears in the north.
Ceiling. The wood-like ceiling is weak from the times
the lava caught onto it and set it ablaze during the years.
If more than 200 pounds of weight is ever applied onto
the ceiling in a 10 by 10 feet area, it cannot hold the
weight and collapses onto the lava passway. The debris
is burned and whatever remains is swiped away by the
next bit of lava passing through.
Lava. Every 5 rounds, a telekinetic box moving lava
starts to flow from west to east, until it reaches the
middle and is ferried south into the southern passway
(area B3). The lava moves at a speed of 20 ft. per round
and moves at initiative count 10 (losing all initiative
ties). Creatures who fall into the lava or start their turn
there take 44 (8d10) fire damage. On the lava’s turn, if
any creatures are standing inside, must succeed a DC
15 Strength check or be pushed 10 ft. in the direction of
where the lava is flowing. The lava does not deal any
damage to creatures made of sculk.
B8. Passway north - right
This is one of the passways through which lava flows.
The sculk isn’t able to take root in this area because of
the regularly moving lava washing away what little
attempted to crawl in. The characters can easily avoid
the lava by timing their crossing over into another area.
If the characters are caught in a combat that they lead
into a passway, the lava is added to initiative during the
next round. If the characters linger, the DM can put
them on a timer by forcing them into turn-based mode
when the lava first appears in the north.
Ceiling. The wood-like ceiling is weak from the times
the lava caught onto it and set it ablaze during the years.
If more than 200 pounds of weight is ever applied onto
the ceiling in a 10 by 10 feet area, it cannot hold the
weight and collapses onto the lava passway. The debris
is burned and whatever remains is swiped away by the
next bit of lava passing through.
Lava. Every 5 rounds, a telekinetic box moving lava
starts to flow from east to west, until it reaches the
middle and is ferried south into the southern passway
(area B3). The lava moves at a speed of 20 ft. per round
and moves at initiative count 10 (losing all initiative
ties). Creatures who fall into the lava or start their turn
there take 44 (8d10) fire damage. On the lava’s turn, if
any creatures are standing inside, must succeed a DC
15 Strength check or be pushed 10 ft. in the direction of
where the lava is flowing. The lava does not deal any
damage to creatures made of sculk.
B9. Altar
As soon as you approach, you can feel it in the air. The
solemn atmosphere that comes over you and gently
wraps itself around you when you stare at this second
raised platform. It isn’t just a platform, though - it feels
different. Sculk has eaten away at its walls and the
sides, but the center remains untouched. Something
small stands in the middle of the circle.
This altar was once used by the original people, to
worship the fire god. Of course, when the sculk arrived,
it tore down everything to do with this deity, just as it
tore down everything else as well. The idol to the fire
god has long since been smothered and smashed, the
remaining pieces having decayed and rotted away.
Currently, the altar is overrun by sculk on the walls.
Remnants of ancient magic still protect the center, but
even that magic is waning and could fail.
Blessing of the Fire God. If the characters have
received the Blessing of the Fire God, the altar can
serve as a safe space to rest for any amount of time
without being affected by the sculk or being discovered
by some of the creatures that roam around.
Treasure. In the middle of the altar, on its side, is The
Slab.
B10. Dripstone Garden
Tall stalagmites reach for the ceiling, partially covered with
sculk veins, pierce through the ground. It is difficult to look
behind them or to traverse the middle section of this area.
The dripstone had always been here and the sculk
merely took it over. This is the home of the galeb duhr
(MM, pg. 139), which hides among the dripstone in this
area. It had originally been summoned by the people
who used to inhabit this space, but its new connection
with sculk has corrupted it and turned this guardian
hostile. As soon as the characters spend more than a
minute in this space or otherwise linger, it will attack. It
will fight until it is dead.
B11. Neighboring houses
You walk into what could be a nice, yet tiny gated
community. Lanterns shed an eerie blue light on two homes,
which look better-kept than the ones you had come across
before.
A sculk catalyst (App. B) hides in the southern house.
When discovered, it will initiate a fight and will continue
to fight the characters until it is dead.
Abandoned Houses. Two abandoned homes are
standing in this enclosed space. The interior is
completely bare - unless specified otherwise - and they
are missing a door. The ceiling is simultaneously the
gabled roof of the place. Soul flames in the corner
illuminate the space and non-hostile soul echoes hang
around and wail at any living non-sculk creature that
enters. Any characters that enter the house that have a
corruption level of 3 or higher are recognized as sculk
and do not elicit such a wail.
Treasure. Within the northern of the two houses sits a
Mug of the Dungeon Master on a small pedestal, as
though as a bit of ornamentation.
B12. Plaza
After narrow hallways, it is almost freeing to step into an
open space. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the large
structure in front of you. A dome that reaches high, made
out of a strange blue-ish smooth metal none of you are
familiar with. A door is set into the wall. Some sort of
walkway leads to the door, with two statues of a tall creature
with long arms, a giant mouth and no discernible eyes
flanking it. You could swear you hear whispers coming from
inside the dome, barely understandable, beckoning you
closer.
The plaza is the only place from where the characters
can access the dome. Within this dome resides the
source of the sculk; one whose call any corrupted
characters can hear, regardless of corruption level. Any
corrupted characters feel a sense of ease come over
them as they stand in front of the dome and feel the
need to enter through the door. Anyone who tries to
defy the call of the sculk needs to succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or are magically charmed. While
charmed, the affected creature needs to enter the dome
and expose itself to the source, disregarding other goals.
When it takes damage, it can make the saving throw
again.
The door slides open when a character is within ten
feet of it.
B13. Dome
You step into an imposing space, bigger than you expected
on the outside. Your feet carry you in deeper, the floor more
of the sculk you’ve been walking on this entire time. In the
middle of the space, upon a platform, sits a writhing,
amorphous mass of sculk and bone, pulsing as though it
has a beating heart.
Next to this mass, on the ground, stands a person, more
sculk than man. Their pale skin seems to be knitted together
with the sculk, their blond hair now dull. Half of their face
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
85
 Siege Monster. The warden deals double damage to objects and
The Warden structures.
Large Aberration, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Actions
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64) Multiattack. The warden makes two Slam attacks. It also makes
Speed 30 ft. a Sonic Boom attack, if possible.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
25 (+7) 8 (-1) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-3) Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

Sonic Boom (Recharge 5-6). The warden emits a sonically

Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances acid, lightning, poison, thunder;
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical
attacks
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 12
Languages —
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Immutable Form. The warden is immune to any spell or effect
that would alter its form.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The warden has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the warden fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The warden has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
charged shriek at one creature within 30 ft. of it. The target
must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it
takes 36 (8d8) necrotic damage and is knocked prone, or half
damage and it isn’t knocked prone on a success.
Legendary Actions
The warden can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
warden regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Move. The warden can move up to its speed without provoking
opportunity attacks.
Charge (Costs 2 Actions). The warden moves up to its speed
without provoking opportunity attacks, then makes a Slam
attack.
Roar (Costs 2 Actions). The warden emits a furious roar. Each
creature of the warden’s choice within 30 feet of it must
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become
frightened of the warden until the end of its next turn.
Sonic Boom (Costs 3 Actions). The warden makes a Sonic Boom
attack.

they should give into the corruption, to let it take over,

and head are similarly hidden away by the sculk. Soulfire
seems to burn in the one eye that isn’t covered by sculk, and
a half-corrupted grin spreads across his twisted face.
“What do we have here?” He speaks in Common, but it
feels like a struggle to pronounce every word correctly. His
voice has an otherworldly echo to it. “More have come to
join.”
The corrupted being at the middle platform is none
other than the half-elf Thaddeus Holsten, who uses the
warden stat block (App. B), with the modification that
he can cast Fire Bolt at will, Darkness and Web twice
per day, and Hunger of Hadar once per day. The Web
spell is reflavored to be sculk veins instead of actual
webbing.
Upon first meeting the characters, Thaddeus will
attempt a conversation with the characters. His speech
will be difficult, since part of his vocal chords have been
corrupted and sculk doesn’t speak. Though he still
partially looks like Thaddeus, the sculk is firmly in
control. It will attempt to convince the characters that
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
86
implying all of their worries will go away. With the way
to the surface now once again opened, it will only be a
matter of time before the whole world will be covered in
sculk. The characters shouldn’t waste their time fighting
the inevitable. It will try to draw them in, calling on the
sculk already festering within their bodies, and the
characters will feel that tug in the back of their minds.
If the characters decide to attack Thaddeus, he will
fight them as well. If the characters attempt to cast
Lesser Restoration or Remove Curse on Thaddeus, if
they give him a dose of CF-135, or if he is within range
of the Slab, he will be temporarily returned to his
former state. He won’t know what exactly happened, but
he will beg the characters to end this un-life he has been
forced to lead, as well as begging them to destroy the
source. When the source is destroyed, Thaddeus
Holsten will pass away, but not before giving his thanks
to the characters.
The source. This mass of sculk atop the platform is
the source of all the sculk the characters have come
across in the past, the main intelligence behind
everything. Without the source, the sculk cannot
survive. All remnants of sculk will shrivel up and all
affected creatures return to their normal states, though
they may have to scrub the remaining sculk off of their
bodies.
The source can be destroyed if it is within the radius
of the Slab. Alternatively, the characters can decide to
slay it themselves. The sculk source has 50 HP, an AC
of 18, resistance against non-magical bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing damage, vulnerability against
cold damage, and immunity against fire, poison, and
psychic damage. After it has taken damage, as a
reaction, it can force the character that dealt damage to
make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the character either takes (3d6) psychic damage, or is
charmed by the source to protect it. While charmed, the
character can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
of their turns, or when they take damage.
It ends…?
If the characters fall to the sculk, they will be consumed
completely and will be resurrected as sculk thralls with
none of the abilities they had in life. With the path to the
Black Mines open, the sculk can spread and completely
take it over as well, reaching further into the Caves of
Carnage and spilling out onto the surface world. While
it does not like the cold, it can still attempt to corrupt
other creatures that can bring the sculk to other warm
places where it cannot yet reach, dooming the world to
be corrupted.
If the characters destroy the source, all fully-
transformed sculk creatures will immediately perish, as
the intelligence that kept them alive has been destroyed.
Thaddeus Holsten perishes along with them. Any
creature that has one or more levels of corruption is
immediately healed of this affliction, although they will
have to scrape the remnants of the sculk off of them.
The characters are free to return to the surface.
If you want an exciting escape sequence that sees the
characters flee through the Black Mines tunnel or all
the way up to Deepfrost Citadel, you can look into
“chapter 7. Flee with extra Flee!”. If you would like the
campaign without this escape sequence, the characters
simply return to Hermilthan.
Epilogue
In Hermilthan, the current state is highly dependent on
whether or not the siege has happened and if certain
characters have survived or are present. If the following
NPCs are alive and well, this is how the characters will
find them:
Simeon Veinbreaker has his own corruption cured
and will find the characters to personally thank
them, allowing them to take one weapon from the
shop they want.
Hal Terris and Xanthos Barian will give them a
permanent discount at Horsehead Provisions.
Colt Farandras will pull them aside and also thank
them for putting the spirits of the miners - who
might’ve been around because of the sculk -to rest.
The druids are confident that whatever had drawn
them to Hermilthan has been taken care of and are
making plans to leave as soon as they can, while
staying long enough to say their goodbyes to the
party.
Jonas Hyffal and Calliope Zemnas also make plans
to leave, ready to explore the surface world as a pair
of undead creatures. Jonas has gotten the hang of
being undead for as much as he is able to, but they
won’t leave until they have had a chance to speak
with the characters again. They are curious about
the sculk and will have a substantial conversation
about it, instead of just thanking them.
Marlon Joybringer will offer them free stay at the
Hidden Stache for as long as they live or as long as
their restless spirits wander around. He is more than
relieved this is finally cleared up, though he regrets
so many people had to die because of the sculk.
Exander Veldt, Varin Bell, or whoever is in charge of
Hermilthan, will come to the characters and - upon
learning what they have achieved - will thank them
for ridding the world of a great evil that has haunted
them for so long. The characters are named
honorary members of the Hermilthian community.
Finally, the people of Hermilthan are able to heal now
the threat that has decimated their workforce years
prior has been resolved. The characters are free to take
a well-deserved break after this adventure and to stay in
Hermilthan for as long as they’d like, until something
calls them away to the next adventure.
CHAPTER 6. THE BURNING DARK
87
 Chapter 7. Flee with extra Flee!
ilence falls onto you and the space you’re
S
standing in. The world around you seems to
hold its breath, but there is only silence as the
sculk’s alien source mass writhes and
squirms, shriveling away. Whatever influence
it exerted over you similarly dissipates as its
desperate clinging onto control while it dies.
The Warden - the monstrous behemoth that merged
with Thaddeus Holsten three decades ago - lies still on
the ground. The sculk of its body melts away and
shrivels up, until only the half-devoured body of
Thaddeus Holsten remains.
The remnants of the sculk tremble; that which had
shaken you to your core now shakes in turn before you.
The tremor extends into and beyond this dome, growing
with each passing second, reaching the walls of the
cave. Ceaselessly, it shakes, dislodges parts of the walls
and ceilings and sculk that is clumped together. The
realization dawns on you: you must leave before this
mountain - before the Burning Dark - becomes your
grave.
Overview
This chapter provides the tools to make the escape from
the mountain - and the return back to Hermilthan - a
thrilling and unforgettable experience. This whole
chapter runs as an extended skill challenge, during
which the characters need to accrue more successes
than failures on skill checks. Successes propel them
forward and onto the next challenge, which failures
either harm or hinder the characters and bring them
one step closer to their demise.
Hazard fully comes into play in this chapter.
Inconvenient blockades may be the reason that the
characters do not have a clear path forward and may be
forced to take another route. Alternatively, they can
attempt to overcome that obstacle themselves and
spend some time figuring out how to best handle the
complications in their path. Some hazards in the Black
Mines that are caused by the sculk are no longer active,
but those locations are now considered difficult terrain.
Structure
Every level, with the exception of Deepfrost Citadel, acts
as its own skill challenge. If the characters want to
successfully flee each level, they need to gain five
successes before they gain three failures. When the
characters succeed in fleeing one level, their accrued
successes and failures are reset to zero for the next leg
of the overarching skill challenge. Any damage or effects
the characters have been afflicted with during this
challenge does persist, unless they find a way to either
heal themselves or find a way to end the effects.
CHAPTER 7. FLEE WITH EXTRA FLEE!
88
Below, each level describes what the characters
might come across on their paths back to the surface, as
well as possible complications in case of failure. The
standard DC is 16, but this can change based on what
the characters do to alleviate the pressure or to make it
unintentionally more difficult for themselves. The DM is
also highly encouraged to make up their own challenges
based on what the characters did or did not interact
with during the adventure. If the characters have dealt
with certain threats or have removed hazards over the
course of the adventure, remove those from the possible
list of challenges your party faces. Any sculk hazard has
become inert due to the destruction of the source and
only counts as difficult terrain.
Usually, only one character can volunteer to take on
the challenge. This character can act as though it is
their turn in combat, with an action, bonus actions, and
object/environment interaction at their disposal. They
make a suggestion and make a roll that the DM believes
would suit best, and the DM announces the success or
failure. When the next challenge is presented, it is
highly encouraged for every character to try out a
challenge, and not to allow one person to keep taking on
these challenges for the group. We’d recommend that,
when a character has attempted a challenge, they are
automatically barred from trying the next, to give
everyone the opportunity to participate.
Depending on what the characters have done during
the adventure, the tunnel from Hermilthan to the Black
Mines may have been excavated and still be accessible
by the time these skill challenges are initiated. You can
say that, after a set amount of failures in the Black
Mines and Burning Dark combined, the tunnel has
collapsed again and the characters must make their way
up to Deepfrost Citadel. Alternatively, you can allow
them to escape via the tunnel, for which challenges have
also been outlined.
Escape the Burning Dark
Though the characters cannot see the ceiling, they do
see the shriveled clumps of sculk and loosened rocks
and deepslate as it plummets to the ground. The caves
are still shaking while everything around them is
crumbling and they must find their way back to the
tunnel that will bring them back to the Black Mines. The
characters start their skill challenge within or just
outside the dome (area B13), and it ends when they
approach the tunnel to the Black Mines near the landing
(area B1).
Below are a few scenarios that the characters might
encounter on their way out:
Lava passway. Due to the collapse, the lava passways
have gone haywire. Lava is still being transported, but
they race past at a much greater speed than before.
Their 20 ft. speed per turn has increased to 60 ft. per
turn and the next one comes quicker than before. On a
failure, the characters are caught in the lava and take
the appropriate amount of fire damage, or they spend
too much time figuring out its speed and lose time this
way, though they remain unharmed.
Navigate the labyrinth. The walls of the labyrinths
were already causing navigational problems for the
characters, and it is even worse when passages are
blocked off and create new, unfamiliar paths that have a
chance of disorienting the characters. On a failure, the
characters have trouble navigating this labyrinth and
lose time as they attempt to find their way back.
Crumbled walls. Some walls have crumbled, debris
has plummeted from the unseeable ceiling, and it has
blocked the way forward. On a failure, the character
loses precious time to escape, or they clear the way and
exert themselves to the point that they gain one level of
exhaustion.
Soulfire flames. Soulfire flames still burn brightly and
form a barrier to their escape. The labyrinths and other
locations may be littered with these flames, but for the
sake of the skill challenge, they come across a ten-foot
wide patch of soulfire that stretches from wall to wall.
On a failure, the characters land in the soulfire and take
11 (2d6 +4) fire damage from the contact with the
flames. Alternatively, the ground the flames have been
burning on are still hot and is considered difficult
terrain, with the possibility of 3 (1d4 +1) fire damage
from what remains.
At the end of the sequence, the characters have reached
the end of the Burning Dark skill challenge. If they
failed more times than they succeeded, they see the
tunnel collapse in front of them, doomed to die within
the Burning Dark. If they succeeded more than they
failed, the same tunnel only collapses once the
characters have already passed by, blocking off the
Burning Dark forever. The slate is wiped clean, and the
skill challenge starts anew in the Black Mines. In the
unlikely case that the amount of successes and failures
is equal, roll a luck check (or have one of your players
do so). On a 1 through 9, add another failure. On a 10-
20, add another success.
Escape the Black Mines
The Black Mines tremble as well, though the tremor is
lighter here than it was in the Burning Dark. It still feels
like the structures themselves could collapse at any
second, and caution is to be taken. The characters start
their skill challenge for this level on the western side of
the bottom floor (area M27), and it ends when they
either reach the tunnel to Hermilthan (area M3) or the
stairs to the Caves of Carnage (area M1).
Below are a few scenarios that the characters might
encounter on their way out:
Navigating the mines. The mines are a series of
tunnels, for which it can be confusing to find the best
way to their destination. One character can take a
moment to try to figure out the best way, based on
hazards triggered and ways trodden. On a failure, they
can make a mistake and lead the characters into not-
quite-obvious danger, or they find the way to the next
level after much time has passed.
Collapsed bridges. Some of the chains that are
holding the bridges into place are collapsing, which
means parts of the bridges are falling into the lava and
possibly other bridges below. On a failure, the
characters lose time to escape, or - under specific
circumstances - they may even fall into the lava below.
Blocked hallways. Some of the walls outside of the
main halls are crumbling and falling in on themselves,
and debris is blocking the way forward. On a failure, the
character loses precious time to loosen the debris and
make the hallway passable, or they clear the way and
exert themselves to the point that they gain one level of
exhaustion.
Soulfire flames. As a consequence of hazard, soulfire
flames may burn in a pathway and form a barrier to
their escape. On a failure, the characters land in the
soulfire and take 11 (2d6 +4) fire damage from the
contact with the flames. Alternatively, the ground the
flames have been burning on are still hot and is
considered difficult terrain, with the possibility of 3 (1d4
+1) fire damage from what remains.
Blocked stairs. Not only hallways can be blocked by
debris; in a similar vein, staircases can be destroyed or
littered with debris that make them impassable. On a
failure, the character loses precious time to loosen the
debris and make the hallway passable, or they clear the
way and exert themselves to the point that they gain one
level of exhaustion.
Haywire lights. The mechanical lights in the
foreman’s office are going crazy, making the pathway up
there a dangerous endeavor. On a failure, the character
has a chance of being shocked and taking 13 (2d8 +4)
lightning challenge. Alternatively, the character
becomes incapacitated, but can still run and walk with
the party. They can try to make a Constitution saving
throw after every new challenge to shake it off.
Cracks with lava. On the bottom floor, the ground
cracks open and reveals more pockets of lava.
Alternatively, in higher levels, the natural stone walls
may crack and lava could spill out across the floors. On
a failure, the characters are caught in the lava and take
the appropriate amount of fire damage, or they spend
too much time figuring out how to safely pass it by.
At the end of the sequence, the characters have reached
the end of the Black Mines skill challenge. If they failed
more times than they succeeded, both exits - to
Hermilthan and the Caves of Carnage - are blocked off
and the characters are stuck in the collapsing mines. If
they succeeded more than they failed, the characters
CHAPTER 7. FLEE WITH EXTRA FLEE!
89
 can escape the mines, either via the tunnel (if that is an
option the DM provides) or to the Caves of Carnage.
Whatever the case, the characters can’t return to the
Black Mines as the way collapses behind them. The
slate is wiped clean, and the skill challenge starts anew
in the Caves of Carnage. In the unlikely case that the
amount of successes and failures is equal, roll a luck
check (or have one of your players do so). On a 1
through 9, add another failure. On a 10-20, add another
success.
Escape the Caves of
Carnage
The caves feel the reverberation of the collapse below,
and the tremors don’t seem to stop. With two ways to go
from the entrance to the Black Mines, to two staircases
to the Frozen Crypt, the characters will need to make a
decision. They start their skill challenge for this level on
the southwest of the map (area C8), and it ends when
they reach either of the staircases to the Frozen Crypt
(areas C1 or C2).
Below are a few scenarios that the characters might
encounter on their way out, depending on the route they
choose:
Beasts. Anywhere on the level, the characters can run
into an adult ravager, if they haven’t cleared the ravager
nest. On a failure, the ravager may grow hostile and
attack the characters as they pass by. Alternatively, the
ravager chases the characters to the next challenge and
provides a bigger hindrance there.
Lava pools. Lava pools have spilled over, making the
areas where you can pass by them much more
dangerous to traverse. On a failure, the characters are
caught in the lava and take the appropriate amount of
fire damage, or they spend too much time figuring out
how to safely pass it by.
Lakeshore mists. At the shores of the lake hangs a
strange mist, which seems to create lethargy in all who
pass through. On a failure, the mists still hang around
and the characters might need to find a different way
around. If they do choose to pass through, they must
succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be under
the effects of the Slow spell for its duration. They can
try to make a Constitution saving throw after every new
challenge to shake it off.
Wither roses. A trail of blackened wither roses stands
between the characters and their chance to return to the
surface. On a failure, the characters can progress
through, but they need to take it slow and take 7 (2d6)
necrotic damage. Alternatively, the character who leads
the charge is affected so much by the withering effect of
the roses that they gain one level of exhaustion.
Blocked-off section. The ceiling has collapsed and
blocks off the tunnel into the lava fields off. On a failure,
the character loses precious time to loosen the debris
CHAPTER 7. FLEE WITH EXTRA FLEE!
90
and make the tunnel passable, or they clear the way and
exert themselves to the point that they gain one level of
exhaustion.
Chains across lava. The lava below the chains is
unruly and its heat radiates atop the warm chains. On a
failure, the characters risk falling into the lava and
taking the appropriate amount of fire damage.
Alternatively, the heat and stress imposes a level of
exhaustion on the character who leads this challenge.
At the end of the sequence, the characters have reached
the end of the Caves of Carnage skill challenge. If they
failed more times than they succeeded, both exits - both
left-side and right-side - are blocked off and the
characters are stuck in the caves. If they succeeded
more than they failed, the characters can escape the
caves and go to the Frozen Crypt, the staircase behind
them collapsing as they go. The slate is wiped clean,
and the skill challenge starts anew in the Frozen Crypt.
In the unlikely case that the amount of successes and
failures is equal, roll a luck check (or have one of your
players do so). On a 1 through 9, add another failure. On
a 10-20, add another success.
Escape the Frozen Crypt
The frozen crypt, the final level to traverse. From the
warmth of the Burning Dark, the characters have
traveled all the way back to the cold. The ice will make
every location outside of the crypt difficult to traverse,
and the spirits of the dead are not happy with the way
the frozen crypt and the surrounding tunnels shake and
tremble. The characters start their skill challenge for
this level in the room with the statue of the Kneeling
Man (area F23), and it ends when they escape the level
via the elevator (area F1).
Below are a few scenarios that the characters might
encounter on their way out:
Blocked-off section. Either the ceiling collapsed, the
wall broke off, or something else happened, but the
passage the characters attempt to take is blocked off
with debris. On a failure, the character loses precious
time to loosen the debris and make the section
passable, or they clear the way and exert themselves to
the point that they gain one level of exhaustion.
Crossing the water. The River of Souls may yet claim
another. On a failure to cross the river, the characters
who leads this challenge touches the water and is
affected by the Slow spell. They can make the
appropriate saving throw (DC 15) at the end of each
challenge.
Deep pits. The path the characters attempt to take
has fallen away, only to reveal a deep pit. On a failure,
the character who leads the charge falls down 20 ft. and
takes the appropriate fall damage. The other characters
need to pull them out of the pit, which takes them a
while.
Restless spirits. The spirits in the crypt do not like to
be disturbed, especially not by tremors or by the
adventurers that seem to rush through these halls. With
nobody else to point the finger at, they target the
characters. On a failure, the spirits (using the will-o’-
wisp stat block) grow even more hostile and attack the
characters, dealing 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Alternatively, they impose disadvantage on the next skill
check made in this challenge.
Exploding ice. Some thinner, unstable ice walls are
shattered or are close to shattering when the characters
pass by, shards ready to fly in all directions. On a failure,
the characters take 9 (2d8) piercing damage as the
shards fly everywhere and hit the characters while they
rush by.
Treacherous ice. The floor beneath the characters’
feet is more slippery than they thought it had been
before. On a failure, the characters can still cross this
obstacle, but they have to take their time to be able to go
across this without any issues.
At the end of the sequence, the characters have reached
the end of the Frozen Crypt skill challenge, and the skill
challenge overall. If they failed more times than they
succeeded, the elevator is broken beyond repair, with no
way to escape to the surface and die a slow and cold
death. If they succeeded more than they failed, the
characters can escape the crypt and go to Deepfrost
Citadel, where they can take a breath after the
harrowing experience they’ve just survived. In the
unlikely case that the amount of successes and failures
is equal, roll a luck check (or have one of your players
do so). On a 1 through 9, add another failure. On a 10-
20, add another success.
Alternative Route:
Black Mines Tunnel
The tunnel between the Black Mines and Hermilthan
provides an alternative route to the surface. It is no less
intense than what happens in the Caves of Carnage and
the Frozen Crypt, though this is a shorter route. The
characters start their skill challenge for this level after
they’ve entered the tunnels, and it ends when they reach
the surface and the Black Mines entrance.
Below are a few scenarios that the characters might
encounter on their way out:
Navigate the Mines. The tunnel, even before the main
hub, also is a winding way with many different branches
that are often the same size as the main tunnel, making
it difficult to tell which one they need to follow. On a
failure, the characters have trouble navigating this
labyrinth and lose time as they attempt to find their way
within the tunnels.
Echoes of the dead. The spirits of deceased miners do
not like to be disturbed, especially not by tremors or by
the adventurers that seem to rush through the tunnels.
On a failure, the spirits (using the will-o’-wisp stat block)
grow even more hostile and attack the characters,
dealing 9 (2d8) lightning damage. Alternatively, they
impose disadvantage on the next skill check made in
this challenge.
Debris in the way. Either the ceiling collapsed, the
wall broke off, or something else happened, but the
tunnel the characters attempt to take is blocked off with
debris. On a failure, the character loses precious time to
loosen the debris and make the section passable, or
they clear the way and exert themselves to the point that
they gain one level of exhaustion.
Minecart in the way. The way is blocked off by a
minecart, filled with all sorts of goods and wares, stuck
on the tracks. On a failure, the character loses precious
time to loosen the minecart and otherwise pass it by, or
they clear the way and exert themselves to the point that
they gain one level of exhaustion.
Tunnel dwellers. Anywhere within the tunnels, the
characters can run into strange beasts, once mutated by
the sculk, now half-alive and ready for a meal. On a
failure, the creature may grow hostile and attack the
characters as they pass by. Alternatively, the creature
chases the characters to the next challenge and
provides a bigger hindrance there.
At the end of the sequence, the characters have reached
the end of the Black Mines tunnel skill challenge, and
the skill challenge overall. If they failed more times than
they succeeded, the elevator is broken beyond repair,
with no way to escape to the surface and as the tunnel
collapses on top of them. If they succeeded more than
they failed, the characters can escape through the
tunnel and get to breathe in the fresh cold air as the
tunnel collapses behind them. In the unlikely case that
the amount of successes and failures is equal, roll a luck
check (or have one of your players do so). On a 1
through 9, add another failure. On a 10-20, add another
success.
Aftermath
If the characters have accrued more failures than the
given subchapter details, they are buried beneath the
mountain as it all collapses on them. The world has
been rid of the sculk, but the heroes who made this
possible have perished.
If the characters safely make it out, they only barely
make it out alive. Whether they decide to go through the
tunnel or go all the way back to Deepfrost Citadel, they
are able to catch their breaths. The elevator in
Deepfrost Citadel can still go down, but it shouldn’t be
done with the Frozen Crypt in disarray. Similarly, the
tunnel to the Black Mines collapses once again, this
time closing it off for good.
CHAPTER 7. FLEE WITH EXTRA FLEE!
91
 The world returns to its natural state regardless of
whether the characters make it out of the mountain or
not. Upon their return to Hermilthan, they will see the
results of their interactions with the townsfolk, as
detailed in the ‘epilogue’ sub-section in “6. The Burning
Dark”.

Deepfrost Citadel

CHAPTER 7. FLEE WITH EXTRA FLEE!

92
Appendix A. Magic Items
The magic items found in this adventure are presented in alphabetical order.
Axe of the Screamin’ Void
Weapon (battleaxe), rare (requires attunement)
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made
with this magic weapon. In addition, while you are
attuned to this weapon, your hit point maximum
increases by 1 for each level you have attained.
Curse. This axe is cursed, and becoming attuned to it
extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed,
you are unwilling to part with the axe, keeping it within
reach at all times. You also have disadvantage on attack
rolls with weapons other than this one, unless no foe is
within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear.
Whenever a hostile creature damages you while the
axe is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. While berserk, you
must use your action each round to attack the creature
nearest to you with the axe. If you can make extra
attacks as part of the Attack action, you use those extra
attacks, moving to attack the next nearest creature after
you fell your current target. If you have multiple possible
targets, you attack one at random. You are berserk until
you start your turn with no creatures within 60 feet of
you that you can see or hear.
Proficiency with a battleaxe allows you to add your
proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you
make with it.
Bionic Eye of Doom
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement)
This symbiotic eye is carved from a sickly green
gemstone. To attune to this item, you must wear it on
your head for the entire attunement period, during
which the eye’s hidden tendrils burrow into your scalp
to bond with your skull.
While wearing the eye, you can see normally in
darkness, both magical and non-magical, to a distance
of 120 feet.
The eye has 3 charges. As an action, you can activate
the eye and expend 1 charge. For the next 10 minutes,
you have truesight out to 120 feet when you peer
through the eye.
You also gain the following benefits:
You have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall
information about the sinister or tragic history of
your current location.
You have advantage on Charisma checks made
against sculk-infected creatures.
Symbiotic Nature. The eye can’t be removed from you
while you’re attuned to it, and you can’t voluntarily end
your attunement to it. If you’re targeted by a spell that
ends a curse, your attunement to the eye ends, and it
detaches from you.
Corruption. Whenever you make an ability check
related to an ability linked to the bionic eye, you gain a
level of corruption, as the eldritch knowledge granted to
you slowly corrupts your mind. If you are not corrupted
already, you become corrupted.
Butcher’s Apron
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
This apron is perpetually covered by blood, even after
being washed off. You gain the following benefits while
wearing the apron:
Once per turn when you roll damage for a melee
attack with a weapon, you can reroll the weapon’s
damage dice. If you do so, you must use the second
total. Your weapon attacks that deal slashing damage
score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
CF-135
Potion, very rare
When you drink this potion, it removes any
exhaustion you are suffering and cures any disease or
poison affecting you, except for sculk corruption. For
the next 24 hours, you regain the maximum number of
hit points for any Hit Die you spend and you have
advantage on saving throws to resist corruption. The
potion’s crimson liquid regularly pulses with dull light,
mimicking a heartbeat.
Chisel of the Undead Sculptress
Rod, uncommon (requires attunement)
You can use an action to present the chisel and
command obedience from each creature of your choice
that you can see within 30 feet of you. Each target must
succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be
charmed by you for 1 hour. While charmed in this way,
the creature regards you as its trusted leader. If harmed
by you or your companions, or commanded to do
something contrary to its nature, a target ceases to be
charmed in this way. The chisel can’t be used again
until the next dawn.
Death Loop
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
While you are attuned, you have advantage on death
saving throws.
APPENDIX A. MAGIC ITEMS
93
 Curse. This hood is cursed, and becoming attuned to it
extends the curse to you. While you are cursed, your
Constitution Score decreases by 2. This curse can be
undone by a Remove Curse spell or similar magic.
Frosted Dagger
Weapon (dagger), uncommon (requires attunement)
When you hit with an attack using this magic dagger,
the target takes an extra 1d8 cold damage.
Proficiency with a dagger allows you to add your
proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you
make with it.
Gem of Greatness
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a
sorcerer)
This polished red gem harbors some strange energy,
steeped in the warped essence of a far off, unknown
realm. As an action, you can attach the shard to a Tiny
object (such as a weapon or a piece of jewelry) or detach
it. It falls off if your attunement to it ends. You can use
the shard as a spellcasting focus while you hold or wear
it.
When you use a Metamagic option on a spell while
you are holding or wearing the shard, you can cause a
slimy tentacle to rip through the fabric of reality and
strike one creature you can see within 30 feet of you.
The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw
against your spell save DC or take 3d6 psychic damage
and become frightened of you until the start of your next
turn.
Goggles of Symmetry
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement by a
Martial Class)
While wearing the goggles, you gain insight into your
opponents. As a bonus action, you make a Wisdom
(Insight) check against a creature you can see that isn’t
incapacitated, contested by the target’s Charisma
(Deception) check. If you succeed, you gain a +2 bonus
to attack and damage rolls made against that target. In
addition, you can make one attack as a bonus action on
each of your turns.
This benefit lasts for 1 minute or until you
successfully use this feature against a different target.
Golden Eye
Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)
While holding this shield, you have advantage on
saving throws against spells and other magical effects,
and spell attacks have disadvantage against you.
This beautiful shield is made out of gold, and has the
relief of an opened eye on the front. It is carried in one
hand. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by
2. You can benefit from only one shield at a time.
APPENDIX A. MAGIC ITEMS
94
Hood of Aw’Yah
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
You gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws while
you wear this hood.
Curse. This hood is cursed, and becoming attuned to
it extends the curse to you. While cursed, you have
disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, as you are
prone to burst into uncontrollable fits of giggles at the
most inopportune moments.
Horn of the G.O.A.T.
Wondrous Item, uncommon
You must be proficient with wind instruments to use
this horn. It has 3 charges. You can use an action to play
it and expend 1 charge to create an eerie, spellbinding
tune. Each creature within 30 feet of you that hears you
play must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
become frightened of you for 1 minute. If you wish, all
creatures in the area that aren’t hostile toward you
automatically succeed on the saving throw. A creature
that fails the saving throw can repeat it at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune
to the effect of the horn for 24 hours. The horn regains
1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.
Jar of Speedy Slime
Wondrous Item, rare
When you apply the slime to your skin, you gain the
effect of the haste spell for a minute (no concentration
required). Once you’ve applied the slime once, it
becomes non-magical.
Hypnotic Bandana
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement by a Bard,
Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard)
While wearing this bandana, you can use an action to
expend 1 of its 10 charges to cast Charm Person,
Command, or Comprehend Languages from it using
your spell save DC.
If you are wearing the bandana and fail a saving
throw against an enchantment spell that targets only
you, you can turn your failed save into a successful one.
You can’t use this property of the bandana again until
the next dawn. If you succeed on a save against an
enchantment spell that targets only you, with or without
the bandana’s intervention, you can use your reaction to
expend 1 charge from the bandana and turn the spell
back on its caster as if you had cast the spell.
The bandana regains 1d8 + 2 expended charges daily
at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a
1, the bandana becomes non-magical.
Knight’s Helm
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a
Martial Class)
This helm has 3 charges. While wearing it, you can
use an action and expend 1 charge to cast the Heroism
spell (save DC 13) from it. The helm regains 1d3
charges daily at dawn.
While attuned to it, you are also immune to being
frightened.
The Master’s Key
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
While attuned to the key, you gain the following
benefits:
Your Intelligence Score increases by 2, to a
maximum of 20.
You have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall
information about the sinister or tragic history of
your current location.
Curse. This key is cursed, and becoming attuned to it
extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed,
you are unwilling to part with the key, keeping it within
reach at all times.
Corruption. Whenever you make an ability check
related to an ability linked to the key, you must succeed
on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or gain a level of
corruption, as the eldritch knowledge granted to you
slowly corrupts your mind. If you are not corrupted
already, you become corrupted. You also have
disadvantage on Charisma saving throws to resist the
sculk corruption from any source other than the key.
Mug of the Dungeon Master
Wondrous Item, rare
When you drink any non-magical drink from this mug
(drink not provided), you feel refreshed and invigorated.
This removes any exhaustion you are suffering and
cures any disease or poison affecting you, except for
sculk corruption. You also gain 4d4 +4 temporary hit
points that last until you finish a long rest.
Madness. The person who drinks from this mug must
make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with
long-term madness. This cannot be removed except
with a remove curse spell can.
Multi-Grain Waffle
Wondrous Item, common
You gain 2d4 + 2 temporary hit points when you use
an action to take a bite out of this waffle. Once this
property has been used, it can’t be used again, and the
waffle becomes non-magical.
An Old Friend’s Pickaxe
Weapon (war pick), very rare (requires attunement by a
Dwarf)
You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made
with this magic weapon. It has the thrown property with
a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
When you hit with a ranged attack using this weapon, it
deals an extra 1d8 damage or, if the target is a giant,
2d8 damage. Immediately after the attack, the weapon
flies back to your hand.
Proficiency with a war pick allows you to add your
proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you
make with it.
Papa’s Slippers
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
These furry slippers are snug and feel quite warm.
While you wear them, you gain the following benefits:
You have resistance to cold damage.
You ignore difficult terrain created by ice or snow.
You can tolerate temperatures as low as -50 degrees
Fahrenheit without any additional protection. If you
wear heavy clothes, you can tolerate temperatures as
low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pearl of Cleansing
Wondrous Item, common
This alien-looking pearl has a smooth surface, not a
speck of dust to be seen. While holding it, you can use
an action to cast either the prestidigitation spell or the
mending spell from it.
Pocket Watch of Shreeping
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement)
On your turn, you can use your action to press a
button on the side of the pocket watch to activate it,
releasing a wave of magical slumber within a 20-foot
radius of you.
Each creature in the area must make a DC 17
Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, any affected
creature falls unconscious for 1d10 minutes for its
duration, until it takes damage, or someone uses an
action to shake or slap the creature awake. On a
successful save, any affected creature has disadvantage
on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws until
the end of your next turn.
Undead and creatures immune to being charmed
aren’t affected by this pocket watch.
Curse. Whenever a creature uses the pocket watch’s
ability, it is instantly affected as though it failed its
saving throw.
APPENDIX A. MAGIC ITEMS
95
 The Slab Tome of the Hills
Wondrous item, very rare Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement by a
This smooth, square stone slab can be thrown up to Spellcaster)
30 feet and explodes in a 10-foot-radius sphere of This spellbook, along with anything written on its
magical energy on impact, which destroys the stone. pages, can’t be damaged by fire or immersion in water.
Any active spell of 5th level or lower in the sphere ends. In addition, the spellbook doesn’t deteriorate with age.
Any effect inflicted by a sculk creature are instantly While you are attuned, you can cast the legend lore
eliminated. Sculk creatures within a 10-foot-radius gain spell once per seven days.
disadvantage on all attack rolls, saving throws and
ability checks until the end of their next turn. Their DC
and AC are lowered by 2. Wand of Gorgeousness
Wand, uncommon (requires attunement by a
Spellcaster)
Shades of the Dog This wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement) use an action to expend 1 of its charges to cast the
While you are attuned, you can cast the
Speak with Purify Food and Drink spell from it, or expend 2
Animals spell once per long rest. You also have charges to cast the Protection from Poison spell.
advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks against beasts to The wand regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at
decipher their intentions. dawn. If you expend the wand’s last charge, roll a d20.
On a 1, the wand crumbles into ashes and is destroyed.
Staff of the Pink Shepherd
Staff, very rare (requires attunement by a Sorcerer,
Warlock, or Wizard)
This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that
grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with
it. While holding it, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class,
saving throws, and spell attack rolls.
The staff has 20 charges for the following properties.
The staff regains 2d8 + 4 expended charges daily at
dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1,
the staff retains its +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls
but loses all other properties. On a 20, the staff regains
1d8 + 2 charges.
Power Strike. When you hit with a melee attack using
the staff, you can expend 1 charge to deal an extra 1d6
force damage to the target.
Spells. While holding this staff, you can use an action
to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the
following spells from it, using your spell save DC and
spell attack bonus: Cone of Cold (5 charges), Fireball
(5th-level version, 5 charges), Globe of Invulnerability (6
charges), Hold Monster (5 charges), Levitate (2
charges), Lightning Bolt (5th-level version, 5 charges),
Magic Missile (1 charge), Ray of Enfeeblement (1
charge), or Wall of Force (5 charges).
Wild Magic Surge. Whenever you cast a spell with
this staff and expend charges, you roll on the Wild
Magic Surge table. If that effect is a spell, and if it
normally requires concentration, it doesn’t require
concentration in this case; the spell lasts for its full
duration.

APPENDIX A. MAGIC ITEMS

96
Appendix B. Creatures
This appendix holds all the new creatures - NPCs and monsters alike - that appear in this adventure in alphabetical
order.
Jonas Hyffal
How does one even describe Jonas Hyffal? As the task, Jonas Hyffal
it seems, is impossible, let’s go with what we know. He’s Medium Undead, Chaotic Good
a human. He’s dead and returned as a ghost. He’s a
poet. He’s traveling with an undead woman. What else Armor Class 11
would you need to know? Hit Points 45 (10d8)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

7 (-2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)

Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +4, Performance +6

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Undercommon
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

Ethereal Sight. Jonas can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane
when he is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.

Incorporeal Movement. Jonas can move through other creatures

and objects as if they were difficult terrain. He takes 5 (1d10)
force damage if he ends its turn inside an object.

Actions
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage.

Cacophony (Recharge 4–6). Each creature in a 15-foot cube

originating from Jonas must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 9 (2d8) thunder
damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away from Jonas. On a
successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and
isn’t pushed.

Bonus Actions
Inspire (2/Day). Jonas targets one ally that can hear him within
30 feet of him. That ally gains one Bardic Inspiration die (a d6),
to be used within the next 10 minutes to add the number rolled
to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they makes.

Taunt (2/Day). Joe Hills targets one creature within 30 feet of

him. If the target can hear Jonas, the target must succeed on a
DC 12 Charisma saving throw or have disadvantage on ability
checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the start of Jonas’s
next turn.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
97
 Living Portrait Living portrait
The only “living” inhabitant of Deepfrost Citadel, this
Medium Construct, Neutral Evil
portrait has been crushed by loneliness - a feeling
Armor Class 5 (natural armor) greatly enhanced by sculk attached to the back of its
Hit Points 27 (6d8) frame. Since then, it has grown its influence to stretch
Speed 0ft. beyond that frame and reach into Deepfrost Citadel
itself, to lure visitors to the lonely tower room so they
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA may succumb to its will.
1 (-5) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)

Skills Perception +12, Persuasion +8

Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Sylvan, Deep Speech
Challenge 4 (1100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Antimagic Susceptibility. The portrait is incapacitated while in

the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the
portrait must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against
the caster’s spell save DC or become unconscious for 1
minute.

Constructed Nature. An animated object doesn’t require air,

food, drink, or sleep. The magic that animates an object is
dispelled when the construct drops to 0 hit points. An
animated object reduced to 0 hit points becomes inanimate
and is too damaged to be of much use or value to anyone.

Innate Spellcasting. The portrait’s innate spellcasting ability is

Charisma (spell save DC 15). The portrait can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:

2/day each: calm emotions, crown of madness, sleep

Actions
Call of Madness (recharge 6). The portrait targets one creature it
can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC
15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed by the
portrait until the portrait is destroyed or until it is on a different
plane of existence from the target.
The charmed target is under the portrait’s control and can’t
take reactions, and the portrait and the target can
communicate telepathically with each other over any distance.
The charmed target can repeat the saving throw whenever it
takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a success. No
more than once every 24 hours, the target can repeat the
saving throw when it is at least 1 mile away from the portrait.

Reactions
Compel Sympathy. The portrait wards itself against an incoming
attack. Any creature who targets the warded creature with an
attack or a harmful spell must first make a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new
target or lose the attack or spell. This doesn’t protect the
portraits from area effects, such as the explosion of the fireball
spell.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
98
Miner Spore Servant One Eyed Willie
A lone sahuagin somehow stumbled into the lake in the
Medium Plant, Unaligned
south of the caves, finding adoration and worship from
Armor Class 10 (natural armor) the local kuo-toa. Once that adoration and worship ran
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) dry and the archpriestess found a new deity to worship,
Speed 20 ft. the sahuagin holds the whole world responsible for
these misdeeds. Killing a few kuo-toa here and there
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA might return their worship to him, and killing everything
12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 6 (-2) 1 (-5) else could help, too. One such close encounters gave
him a nickname he does not use himself, but which has
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, paralyzed
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
been circulating, citing the one-eyed sahuagin menace.
Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

One Eyed Willie

Actions Medium Humanoid (Sahuagin), Chaotic Evil

Miner’s Pick. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
target. Hit: 3 (1d4 +1) piercing damage. Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27)
Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

Miner Spore Servant STR

19 (+4)
DEX
15 (+2)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
12 (+1)
WIS
11 (+0)
CHA
12 (+1)
Their names lost, their identity gone. These unfortunate
souls were able to escape the terrors of the Black Saving Throws Str +7, Con 6
Mines, but stumbled upon an equally as dangerous Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +4
situation. Discovered by the myconids and dragged back Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
to their sovereign, these unthinking, unfeeling spore Languages Sahuagin
servants can never tell their tales of what had happened Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
to them and their brethren. Proficiency Bonus +3

Blood Frenzy. One Eyed Willie has advantage on melee attack

rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.

Limited Amphibiousness. One Eyed Willie can breathe air and

water, but he needs to be submerged at least once every 4
hours to avoid suffocating.

One-eyed scoundrel. One Eyed Willie has disadvantage on

Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions
Multiattack. One Eyed Willie makes three attacks: one with his
bite and two with his claws or trident.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or

range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage,
or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to
make a melee attack.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
99
 Ravagers Ravager
The beasts of the caves, the main persistent threat in
the north - with a nest in the middle of the map and a Large Beast, Unaligned

widespread net of ravagers patrolling the hallway, it is Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
impossible to go somewhere without running into these Hit Points 68 (8d12 + 16)
large menaces… and nearly impossible to leave without Speed 30 ft.
getting your face chomped off by those large teeth.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)
Ravager
The standard, adult ravager as it can be encountered in Senses passive Perception 11
the wild. Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Young ravager
The younger ravagers, not quite adults yet. Smaller than Actions
the adults, they nonetheless pose a threat as well and
are not to be underestimated. Multiattack. The ravager makes two attacks: one bite-attack
and one gore-attack.

Ravager spore servant
Sometimes, a ravager corpse is found within the
mushroom forest. For a little more protection around
this area, the sovereign can be moved to turn this
deceased creature into a spore servant, to be used
against its own kind.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the ravager moved at
least 20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the
hit, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone if it is a creature.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
100
Ravager Spore Servant Young ravager
Large Plant, Unaligned Medium Beast, Unaligned

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 68 (8d12 + 16) Hit Points 34 (4d12 + 8)
Speed 20 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 2 (-4) 6 (-2) 1 (-5) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, paralyzed Senses passive Perception 10

Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The ravager makes two attacks: one bite-attack
and one gore-attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the ravager moved at
least 20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the
hit, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone if it is a creature.
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The ravager makes two attacks: one bite-attack
and one gore-attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. If the ravager moved at least
20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the hit,
the target takes an extra 6 (1d8) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone if it is a creature.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
101
 Sculk Sculk Brute
The world below Deepfrost Citadel is infested by the
main environmental threat: the all-encompassing, all- Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil

devouring sculk. It comes in many forms, but the Armor Class 12

characters will have to deal more with the creatures Hit Points 42 (5d10 +15)
that spring forth from this organism. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

Sculk Brute 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 7 (-2) 1 (-5)
A little bulkier than the thralls, the brutes had been
carrying drills or other machinery when they were Damage Vulnerabilities cold
turned. Now these tools have been melded to their Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
skins, now weapons to be used against those who would Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
disturb their peace. Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Sculk Catalyst
Proficiency Bonus +3
Perhaps the strangest of the bunch, the sculk catalyst
doesn’t look quite as humanoid as the others. Instead,
they are a bulky cube with appendages it uses to crawl Blind Senses. The sculk brute can’t use its blindsight while
forward. Its strength doesn’t lie with melee attacks, but deafened.

with ranged assaults that have the potential to be
devastating. They are usually the ones who spread the
sculk and when they see something that doesn’t belong,
they are quick to either sap its strength for the sculk, or
to turn them into sculk itself.
Keen Hearing. The sculk brute has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Immutable Form. The sculk brute is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.

Sculk Shrieker
Though more humanoid than a catalyst, this spider-like
creature is bigger than the thralls. With long, spindly
bone-like limbs, it crawls around the floors, the ceilings
Actions
Multi-Attack. The sculk brute makes two Drill attacks.
Drill. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 12 (2d6 +5) piercing damage. If the creature is Large or

and the walls. Once it has detected an intruder, it will smaller, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving

emit a loud deafening shriek. If that wasn’t enough, it throw or be knocked prone. If the target is inorganic material,
the brute deals an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
can cover the area in a layer of disorienting darkness,
which only further serves to incapacitate the intruders Reactions
and to claim them for the sculk. Unyielding. When the brute is subjected to an effect that would
move it, knock it prone, or both, it can use its reaction to be
neither moved nor knocked prone.
Sculk Thrall
The most basic of sculk lifeforms. These humanoid-
shaped clumps of sculk move around tirelessly,
endlessly attracted to the noises all around them.
Though weaker than their sculky friends, they often are
more numerous than the others and their sheer
numbers can overwhelm even the most abled
adventurers.
Soul Echoes
Tiny fragments of light, floating around aimlessly,
represent the souls of those consumed by the sculk that
managed to tear away from the main body of the
organism. Still trapped within this un-life, the soul
echoes remain flecks of electric blue light that seek able
bodies to latch onto and to take over. They are too weak
to take control, however, and only end up siphoning the
life force of the living creature that they cling to.
APPENDIX B. CREATURES
102
Sculk Catalyst Sculk Shrieker
Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil Large Aberration, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 15 Armor Class 17

Hit Points 45 (6d10 +12) Hit Points 67 (9d10 +18)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 19 (+4) 1 (-5)

Damage Vulnerabilities cold Skills Perception +7

Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Blind Senses. The sculk catalyst can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Charge. If the sculk catalyst moves at least 10 feet straight
toward a target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same
turn, the target takes an extra 6 (2d4) piercing damage. If the
target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength
saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked
prone.
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 17
Languages —
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Blind Senses. The sculk shrieker can’t use its blindsight while
deafened.
Keen Hearing. The sculk shrieker has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Magic Resistance. The sculk shrieker has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.

Keen Hearing. The sculk catalyst has advantage on Wisdom Immutable Form. The sculk shrieker is immune to any spell or
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing. effect that would alter its form.

Immutable Form. The sculk catalyst is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Multi-Attack. The sculk catalyst makes two Claw attacks or two
Slam attacks. If possible, it makes a Sap Strength attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 11 (2d8 +2) slashing damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The sculk shrieker’s spellcasting ability is
Wisdom (spell save DC 15). The shrieker can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect thoughts, web
1/day: confusion, darkness
Spider Climb. The sculk shrieker can climb difficult surfaces,
including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) psychic
damage.
Spread the Sculk. If the two attacks both hit the same target, it
must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it
gains a level of corruption. If the target hasn’t been corrupted
yet, this corrupts them.
Sap Strength (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit,
range 30 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 +4) necrotic damage.
The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal
to the necrotic damage taken, and the sculk catalyst regains hit
points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the
target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces
its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain this way rises
within 4 (1d4 +1) days as a sculk thrall.
Actions
Multi-attack. The sculk shrieker makes two Slam attacks. If
possible, it makes a Deafening Shriek attack.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Deafening shriek (Recharge 5-6). The sculk shrieker lets out a
blood curdling cry. Each creature within 30 ft. of the shrieker
must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the creature takes 3d8 thunder damage and is deafened as the
cry, echoed against the walls, is reverberated back to the target.
On a success, the creature takes half damage instead and is
not deafened.
Bonus Actions
Call to Arms (1/day). The sculk shrieker calls for reinforcements.
After 1d3 rounds, 2 sculk thralls and one sculk brute answer
the call and join the fight. They will continue the fight, even if
the shrieker is dead.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
103
 Sculk Thrall Soul Echo
Medium Aberration, Neutral Evil Tiny Aberration, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 11 Armor Class 18

Hit Points 23 (3d10 +6) Hit Points 22 (9d4)
Speed 20 ft. Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 2 (-4) 3 (-4) 1 (-5) 1 (-5) 25 (+8) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)

Damage Vulnerabilities cold Damage Vulnerabilities cold

Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison Damage Resistances acid, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
perception 6 Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled,
Languages — paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained,
Challenge 3 (700 XP) unconscious
Proficiency Bonus +2 Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive perception 12
Languages The languages it knew in life
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Blind Senses. The sculk thrall can’t use its blindsight while Proficiency Bonus +2
deafened.

Keen Hearing. The sculk thrall has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Immutable Form. The sculk thrall is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Consume Life. As a bonus action, the soul echo can target one
creature it is attached to that has 0 hit points and is still alive.
The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
against this magic or die. If the target dies, the soul echo
regains 10 (3d6) hit points and detaches from the corpse.
Damage Transfer. While it is attached to a creature, the soul
echo takes only half the damage dealt to it, and the creature it
is attached to takes the other half.

Immutable Form. The soul echo is immune to any spell or effect

that would alter its form.

Actions
Siphon Life. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) fire damage, and the soul echo attaches
to the target. While attached, the soul echo can’t attack, and at
the start of each of the soul echo’s turns, the target takes 7
(1d10 + 2) necrotic damage. The attached soul echo moves
with the target whenever the target moves, requiring none of
the soul echo’s movement. The soul echo can detach itself by
spending 5 feet of its movement on its turn. A creature,
including the target, can use its action to detach a soul echo.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
104
 Siege Monster. The warden deals double damage to objects and
The Warden structures.
Large Aberration, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Actions
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64) Multiattack. The warden makes two Slam attacks. It also makes
Speed 30 ft. a Sonic Boom attack, if possible.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
25 (+7) 8 (-1) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-3) Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

Sonic Boom (Recharge 5-6). The warden emits a sonically

Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances acid, lightning, poison, thunder;
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical
attacks
Damage Immunities fire, necrotic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
perception 12
Languages —
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Immutable Form. The warden is immune to any spell or effect
that would alter its form.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The warden has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the warden fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The warden has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
charged shriek at one creature within 30 ft. of it. The target
must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it
takes 36 (8d8) necrotic damage and is knocked prone, or half
damage and it isn’t knocked prone on a success.
Legendary Actions
The warden can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
warden regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Move. The warden can move up to its speed without provoking
opportunity attacks.
Charge (Costs 2 Actions). The warden moves up to its speed
without provoking opportunity attacks, then makes a Slam
attack.
Roar (Costs 2 Actions). The warden emits a furious roar. Each
creature of the warden’s choice within 30 feet of it must
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become
frightened of the warden until the end of its next turn.
Sonic Boom (Costs 3 Actions). The warden makes a Sonic Boom
attack.

The Warden
This hulking, imposing figure is the primary defense the
sculk has against intruders that can evade everything
else and reach the source. It has quite the range with its
long limbs and its sonic boom, both devastating in their
own right. To fight this creature in its home is a death
sentence for the attackers, for the warden leaves nobody
standing and fights until it is destroyed completely.
Lair Actions
When fighting inside its lair, a warden can invoke the
ambient magic to take lair actions. On initiative count
20 (losing initiative ties), the warden takes a lair action
to cause one of the following effects:
The sculk source clump pulses with energy, which
reverberates in the space. Each corrupted creature
in a 30 ft. radius centered on the sculk source must
succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw (which
is increased by the amount of levels of corruption a
character has) or be charmed by the sculk and the
warden until the end of their next turn.
Grasping roots and vines of sculk erupt in a 20-foot
radius centered on a point on the ground that the
warden designates within 120 ft. of it. That area
becomes difficult terrain, and each target there must
succeed on a DC15 Strength saving throw or be
restrained by the roots and vines. A target can be
freed if it or another target takes an action to make a
DC 15 Strength check and succeeds. The roots and
vines wilt away when the warden uses this lair action
again or when the creature dies.
A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around
the warden. Each target other than the warden on
the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15
Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
APPENDIX B. CREATURES
105
 Snowman
This once mass of snow has been brought to life with
magic, now employed by Thaddeus Holsten to guard the
tunnels and not to let anyone through who doesn’t know
the passphrase. Non-magical weapons pass through its
snowy form without dealing any appreciable damage to
it, though heat is its doom.
Snowman
Medium Construct, Unaligned

Armor Class 8
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 1 (-5) 6 (-2) 1 (-5)

Damage Vulnerabilities fire

Damage Immunities cold, poison
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 xp)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Cold Absorption. Whenever the snowman is subjected to cold

damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of
hit points equal to the cold damage dealt.

Immutable Form. The snowman is immune to any spell or

effect that would alter its form.

Melt. While in an area of extreme heat, the snowman loses 1d6

hit points at the start of each of its turns.

Unusual Nature. The snowman doesn’t require air, food, drink,

or sleep.

Actions
Multiattack. The snowman makes two melee attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold
damage.

Snowball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, range 60 ft., one

target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) cold damage.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
106
Soren Tidrostir Soren Tidrostir
The local happy-go-lucky half-elf sorcerer from
Hermilthan had always been happy with his life, even if Medium Humanoid (Sorcerer, Half-Elf ), Chaotic Neutral

it was not all that exciting (safe from his unusual magic Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
outbursts). A conversation with a good friend made him Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
join the adventuring party of a knight set to go into Speed 30ft.
Deepfrost Citadel. Once inside, Soren could not resist
the call and met the living portrait, who took his mind STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
shortly after. 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
As a thrall, Soren has limited freedoms and wants,
mostly wandering the halls of Deepfrost Citadel and Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4
attacking anyone that comes into sight. While his mind Senses passive Perception 11
is all gone, he cannot tell friend from foe and anything Languages Common, Elven

that moves is considered a threat. Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Twisted Mind. Soren has advantage on saving throws against

being charmed or frightened.

Spellcasting. Soren is a 4th-level sorcerer. His spellcasting

ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell
attacks). Soren knows the following spells:

Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, friends, shocking grasp

1st level (4 slots): chaos bolt, charm person, mage armor,
shield
2nd level (3 slots): blur, scorching ray

Wild Magic Surge. Soren’s spellcasting unleashes surges of

untamed magic. Whenever Soren casts a leveled spell, roll on
the Wild Magic Surge table to create a magical effect. If that
effect is a spell, and if it normally requires concentration, it
doesn’t require concentration in this case; the spell lasts for its
full duration.

Actions
Multiattack. Soren makes two melee attacks.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or

range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
107
 The Wanderer The Wanderer
Once, this undead was a young man from Hermilthan.
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Once, he didn’t haunt these halls, but instead played
Armor Class 11 (natural armor) harmless pranks on the people of Hermilthan and
Hit Points 68 (9d8 + 27) became known as a local good-natured troublemaker.
Speed 30 ft. However, his boredom led to a journey into Deepfrost
Citadel, which ended in tragedy. Though he could
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA escape its terrors, he fled into the Frozen Crypt where
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) he perished.
Within the icy tunnels, he was resurrected as the
Saving Throws Int +2, Wis +3 Wanderer, to continue the last goal he held in life: to
Damage Immunities cold
escape Deepfrost Citadel and to go deeper. Whatever
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion,
may have been left of Carter Grummins has long since
frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 passed away, and all that remains of who he once was,
Languages — is the red parka he donned just before he made this
Challenge 5 (1800 XP) journey.
Proficiency Bonus +3

Blinding Light. The wanderer sheds bright light in a 20-foot

radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. As a bonus
action, the wanderer can target one creature in its bright light
that it can see and force it to succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
saving throw or be blinded until the start of the wanderer’s next
turn.

Icy Doom. Any creature killed by the wanderer freezes for 9

days, during which time it can’t be thawed, harmed by fire,
animated, or raised from the dead.

Unusual Nature. The wanderer doesn’t require air, food, drink,

or sleep.

Actions
Multiattack. The wanderer makes two attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 6 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 11 (3d6) cold
damage.

Cold Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d10 + 2) cold damage.

APPENDIX B. CREATURES
108