southcrypt-the upper hall- l5

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chains contain 3 clasps large enough for the arms on the xorn.

The xorn will attack the PCs if they do not pick up the chains. It will try to get to the door and leave the room where it will stay for another 2 rounds before using its Earth Glide ability to escape.

Treasure: The duergar are holding 2 platinum ingots worth (500gp ea). They came from another source in the underdark and they are both planned to be used as tribute to the vampire Morg in the lower levels.

Xorn Med elemental, N

Armor Class- natural 19Hit Points (7d8+42) 75Speed 20 ft., burrow 20’

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA17

(+3)10

(+0)22

(+6)11

(+0)10

(+0)11

(+0)

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +3Damage Resistances piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantineSenses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 16Languages TerranChallenge 5 (1,800 XP)Abilities______ ____________________Earth Glide: The xorn can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the xorn doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.Stone Camouflage: The xorn has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain.Treasure Sense: The xorn can pinpoint, by scent, the location of precious metals and stones, such as coins and gems, within 60 feet of it.Actions_______________ ______________Multiattack: Three claw attacks and one bite attack.Claw: +6 to hit, (1d6+3) damage.Bite: +6 to hit, (3d6 + 3) damage.

#4 What’s Next ___ Past the Great Hall and down the 10ft hall will lead to a

30x30 chamber that is also a four-way intersection of hallways. Turning left will bring the PCs to the Norker Mines in Part 4. The center corridor leads to Part 5 and the final showdown with the lesser vampire. The right corridor leads to a large room containing a central stairwell leading down. This area is blocked by collapsed rubble making access to the lower levels impossible without spending time moving the rubble. The quaggoths encountered earlier have been living here and clearing rubble the last few weeks. The rooms smells and is littered with rubbish and filth. Read the following once the PCs come to the central intersection.

From the Great Hall you walk down the 10ft hall past a few small storage rooms and eventually come to a large intersection measuring 30x30. 10ft wide halls lead out of each side, all heading off into darkness.

PCs can make a Wisdom check (Perception DC13) to notice footprints most likely belonging to duergarleading straight ahead and both duergar and the quaggoths head to the right. The left tunnel has several footprints as well but these are a few weeks old. PCs will know this if the Perception roll was 17 or higher.

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The Gathering Hall (Map 3)

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Part 4: The Norker Mines A tribe of norker goblins occupy this level of surface

mines and the deeper mines beyond the chasm shown on map 4. The deeper levels are not included in this module and DMs are free to expand the module in this direction to where it joins with the deeper mines and living quarters of the mountain.

#1 The Partial Hall ___ The double doors marking the entrance to the mine

areas have been blocked by a large stone. The quaggoths have been used to move it when needed and PCs may make a Strength check (Athletics DC20) to remove.

The main finished room was used to grind ore and melt it down into ingots. Here are 2 presses and a forge for melting the copper ore. This room show signs of creature activity, but the main encounter is in the next room where the cavern was being cleared out, exposing the rough columns and rough walls.

The initial room past the double doors was once used to smelt ore and make ingots of metal. It measures 25x40ft with a smaller recess on the back center wall. A large cauldron sits in the center recess over a vast firepit. Two coal bins lay toppled next to it amid a few old tools and pieces of coal. On the left wall is a large machine used to crush the ore before melting. It stands next to a pair of old ore carts.

Two 10ft halls lead out of this room on either side of the cauldron. A smaller hall leads out of the right wall. All three go from a finished room to roughhewn tunnels after several feet. You also notice sticking out of one of the ore carts is a pair of dead, strange-looking goblins. There have a patchy, rock-like skin and a sinister appearance.

PCs searching the norker goblins can make an Intelligence check (Investigation DC13) to reveal bite marks on their necks and pale sunken skin, confirming the legend of a vampire living in the montain. These bodies look to have died only days ago.

After a few minutes of searching this room, PCs can make a Wisdom check (Perception DC15) to hear whispered voices and footfalls coming from both of the halls near the cauldron. As the seconds pass, more creatures seem to be joining the group down the hall. The whispers sound like they may be speaking goblin.

Read the following once the PCs move to investigate and come to the large room with the 2 columns.

This large room is still carved from unfinished stone measuring 40x40ft with the left side having a long wall running down the length, while the right side has been cleared and leaves only two rough columns. Tunnels run out of all the walls and run in many directions. Some rough terrain of rubble and broken carts litter the front of the room between the wall and front column.

In the middle of the room you see 4 of these strange goblins speaking to a large one who may be a leader of some sort. They all carry primitive clubs spiked with nails and sharpened rocks. You also hear a few more coming from the rear tunnel on the left.

The 4 norkers in the main room should be joined by 2 more at the beginning of combat. 2 more should join the fight on the following round coming from another tunnel trying to flank the PCs. When they begin combat, these goblins howl and hoot to make themselves more valiant, but this also serves to alert more of the tribe living deeper in the caves.

Treasure: These norkers carry no treasure worth taking. They each have minor items such as shinny rocks or a seashell that they may value.

Goblin Norker (8) ___ _Sm. Humanoid (goblinoid), LE

Armor Class- natural 16Hit Points (2d6+2) 10Speed 30 ft.


(+2)12

(+1)12

(+1)8

(-1)10

(+0)8

(•1)

Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +5Senses DV 60’, Perception 0Languages Goblin Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)Abilities_______________ _____________Nimble Escape. Can take Disengage or Hide as a bonus action each turn.Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attacks and Perception checks when in sunlight. Actions________________ _____________Studded club: +4 to hit, (1d6+2)Bite: +4 to hit, (1d4+2)Rock: +4 to hit, (1d4+1). 20’/80’

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Goblin Norker Brute __ _Sm. Humanoid (goblinoid), LE



(+2)10

(+0)15

(+2)8

(-1)10

(+0)8

(•1)

Skills Athletics +6, Stealth +3Senses DV 60’, Perception 0Languages Goblin Challenge 1 (200 XP)Abilities_______________ _____________Nimble Escape. Can take Disengage or Hide as a bonus action each turn.Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attacks and Perception checks when in sunlight. Actions________________ _____________Multiattack: Make two melee attacks.Studded club: +6 to hit, (1d6+3)Bite: +4 to hit, (1d4+2)

#2 Norker Rope Bridge ___ The ledge on the far side of the cavern is where most

of the norkers live. Nothing is designed down these halls and DMs can tailor it to fit their campaign. Read the following once the PCs come out of the tunnels and approach the rope bridge over the cavern.

The dark, cramped tunnels you were in opens to a great cavern partially illuminated with glowing moss. This cavern stretches for hundreds of feet and drops down 50ft to the floor below where large stalagmites stand among clumps of huge mushrooms. The hall you stand in looks out over a chasm that leads to a rope bridge spanning the cave to a large ledge on the far sidecontaining a door into the far wall.

Three of the norker goblins are on the 25ft bridge coming your way while 3 more are on the far ledge standing next to a shaman of some sort. You can hear the faint sounds of drums coming from the tunnel behind them.

The idea of this encounter is to provide a cool place to have a fight with the rope bridge and the ledge on each side. I wanted to have the PCs try and push to get to the far side and then have to withdraw as more and more norkers come forth.

The initial norkers will proceed across the bridge to attack the PCs. The shaman will stay on the far side and cast spells while 1d4 more norkers come out of the door

each round. Every few rounds have a norker brute join the fight as well. At some point the PCs should retreat, maybe cutting the rope as well. Attacking the ropes on the bridge requires an attack at an AC 14, dealing 10 points of damage to each side.

Anyone falling into the cavern takes falling damage (5d10) and awakens the stropers living at the bottom of the cavern to come and attack, unless these were already encountered earlier (encounter #3).

The norkers and PCs can try to climb around people on the bridge by using the ropes to climb under the walkway. Anyone trying this needs to roll a Strength check (Athletics DC15) to succeed. PCs can also try to make a Dexterity check (Acrobatics DC17) to get around creatures on the bridge. Anyone failing by 5 or less means that they cannot move that round and failure by more than 5 results in falling. Norkers have advantage on this roll as a situation bonus by living here.

Treasure: Only the shaman carries anything of value unless the PCs assault the tunnels beyond the far ledge. He carries a necklace of gold and gems worth 400gp and carries a potion of greater healing.

Goblin Norker ___ _Sm. Humanoid (goblinoid), LE



(+2)12

(+1)12

(+1)8

(-1)10

(+0)8

(•1)

Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +5Senses DV 60’, Perception 0Languages Goblin Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)Abilities_______________ _____________Nimble Escape. Can take Disengage or Hide as a bonus action each turn.Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attacks and Perception checks when in sunlight. Actions________________ _____________Studded club: +4 to hit, (1d6+2)Bite: +4 to hit, (1d4+2)Rock: +4 to hit, (1d4+1). 20’/80’

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Goblin Norker Brute __ _Sm. Humanoid (goblinoid), LE



(+2)10

(+0)15

(+2)8

(-1)10

(+0)8

(•1)

Skills Athletics +6, Stealth +3Senses DV 60’, Perception 0Languages Goblin Challenge 1 (200 XP)Abilities_______________ _____________Nimble Escape. Can take Disengage or Hide as a bonus action each turn.Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attacks and Perception checks when in sunlight. Actions________________ _____________Multiattack: Make two melee attacks.Studded club: +6 to hit, (1d6+3)Bite: +4 to hit, (1d4+2)

Goblin Norker Shaman_ _Sm. Humanoid (goblinoid), LE



(+1)10

(+0)12

(+1)10

(+0)14

(+2)8

(•1)

Skills Athletics +3, Stealth +5Senses DV 60’, Perception +2Languages Goblin Challenge 1 (200 XP)Abilities_______________ _____________Nimble Escape. Can take Disengage or Hide as a bonus action each turn.Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attacks and Perception checks when in sunlight. Spellcasting. 5th level caster. DC 13 / +5 hitCantrip (at-will): poison spray, resistance, thaumaturgy1st lev. (4 slots): cure wounds, shield of faith, thunderwave2nd lev. (3 slots): locate animals or plants, levitate, spike growth3rd lev. (2 slots): meld into stone, protection from enengyActions________________ _______ ______Staff: +4 to hit, (1d6+2)Rock: +4 to hit, (1d4+1). 20’/80’

#3 Cavern Floor ___ The left side of the map contains ledge to overlook the

cavern and a set of stairs to gain access to the cave floor and the door on the floor of the cave. Stropers live on the floor of the cave posing as stalagmites among the other natural rubble.

The dark, cramped tunnels you were in opens to a great cavern partially illuminated with glowing moss. This cavern stretches for hundreds of feet and drops down 50ft to the floor below. You look out over a ledge located near one end of the massive cave. On the far side you can spot a rope bridge spanning from a ledge on one side to another tunnel similar to the one you are in. From where you are there is another similar ledge close that contains stairs leading down to the cave floor (change to suit if PCs come to the area with the stairs).

On the cave floor you see several large stalagmites standing among clusters of giant mushrooms. Close to where you are on the cave floor is a closed door.

Two stropers cluster near the stairs and another two by the rope bridge. They wait until norkers fall or come to gather mushrooms where they can catch them in their tendrils. Read the following if the PCs travel down to the floor of the cave either heading to the closed door or to explore the cave. You can allow PCs to make a Wisdon check (Perception DC20) to not be surprised by the motionless stropers.

The floor of the cavern is strewn with broken mining carts and ore. Amid the 10ft tall mushrooms you see several skeletons from goblins or other humanoids. They all appear to have been here for years and moss grows on the bones.

Suddenly, thick tendrils reach out from nearby stalagmites and try to grab you. The rocky stalagmites open eyes mistaken for calcium deposits and a toothy mag covered in sharpened rocks.

The stropers are single-minded in eating anything that comes near them. They do not fear anything since they have not encountered magical weapons before and anything has challenged them. The other two on the far end of the cave will begin to travel towards the fighting, but move at 10ft per round over the rough terrain. It should take (1d4+2) rounds before any of them can arrive to aid the others.

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Treasure: Scattered among the skeletons are the bones from a long dead adventuring party. An old pouch contains 10gp, and 8 diamonds each worth 100gp. There is also a magic item that has not been destroyed by time. Choose something along the lines of a mithral shirt orbracers of armor.

Roper- Stroper _ Med. monstrosity, NE

Armor Class- natural 19Hit Points (8d8+24) 60Speed 10ft, climb 10ft


(+3)8

(-1)17

(+3)7

(-2)15

(+2)6

(-2)

Damage Immunities non-magical ranged weapons that are not adamantine.Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5 Senses darkvision 60’Languages nilChallenge 4 (1,100 XP)Abilities_______ _____ ________________False Appearance. When motionless it is indistinguishable from a normal cave formation such as a stalagmite.Grasping Tendrils. The stroper can have up to six tendrils at a time. Each tendril can be attacked (AC 19; 10 hit points; immunity to poison and psychic damage). Destroying a tendril deals no damage to the stroper, which can extrude a replacement tendril on its next turn. A tendril can also be broken if a creature takes an action and succeeds on a DC 15 Strength check against it.Actions________ ____ _________________Multiattack. The stroper makes three attacks with its tendrils, uses Reel, and makes one attack with its bite.Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, Hit: (3d8+3) piercing damage.Tendril Grab. +6 to hit, reach 50 ft., Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and must make a Strength saving throw (DC12) each round or have his strength score reduced by 1d4. If it reaches 0 the target dies. Strength damage returns after any rest. Tendril Sting. +6 to hit, reach 50 ft., (up to 6 times per rest) Target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC12) or be paralyzed for one round and takes on a gray, stone-like appearance. On the following round, the paralization ends and the target falls under a charm that compels him to protect the stroper. The stroper does not control the target, but knows that someone is under the charm. The enchantment last for 1 minute (SE).Reel. The roper pulls each creature grappled by it up to 25 feet straight toward it.

#4 What’s Next ___ DMs are free to add more mines and adventure

through the norker lair or the mysterious door at the bottom of the cavern. My intent in design was to have these areas eventually access the middle levels of the mountain in the next adventure. The door can be locked with a mysterious key needed to open, which can be found on the duergar in the forge area of on the vampire himself at the end of the module.

Another idea is to include a set of rooms where the dwarfs held out in the battle with the orcs and now all of them are skeletons or ghouls who may or may not be controlled by the vampires of the lower levels.

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The Norker Mines (Map 4)

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southcrypt-the upper hall- l5

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