BOOMINC WAVES

All good dungeons havecharacteristics that makethem unique,

andWave EchoCaveis no exception. Therhythmic thunder of

pounding waves echoes throughout the mine,loud enough

to makethe stone underfoot shiver.Waves come about two

minutes apart, growing louder toward the northeast.

Wave EchoCaveis nowhere near the ocean,but a water-filled

cavern deep in the mine is connected to an underground hot

spring. That spring boilsovercontinuously to producea surge

thatslams intoa narrow funnel, making a sound likebreaking

surf.Describe thissound to players on occasion. It willpique

theircuriosity andlurethem toward its source,drawing them

deeper intothe mineas a consequence.

1. CAVE ENTRANCE
   Whether the charactersfollowGundren's mapor receive
   directions to WaveEcho Cavefromanother source, their
   initial approach leadsthem to a narrow tunnel whose
   entrance is hiddenwithin the SwordMountain foothills.

Theentrance tunnel leads intoa large-cavern supported by a

natural pillarof rockand containing three stalagmites. In the

western part of the cave,behind the columnofrock, are three

bedrolls anda heap of ordinary supplies-sacks of flour,

bagsof salt, casks of saltedmeat, lanterns, flasks of lamp oil,

pickaxes, shovels, and other gear.Amid thesupplies, yousee

thebody of a dwarfminer, dead for at leasta week.

Thenortheastern section of the cavernhascollapsed,

forming a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-deep pit. A sturdyhemp

rope is tiedoff around a nearby stalagmite anddangles down

the sideof thepit, at thebottom of which is a rough-hewn

tunnel heading northwest and east.

Thiswasthe campsiteof the Rockseekers.Thedead

dwarfis Tharden, Gundren's brother, whowaskilled

by the BlackSpider. Gundren's otherbrother, Nundro,

washereas wellandis currently the BlackSpider's

prisoner in area20.

Thedwarves' supplies are potentiallyuseful, but not

particularly valuable.

OpenPit. Climbing up or down the wallof the pit

without a rope requires a successful DC15 Strength

(Athletics) check.A character whofailsthe checkby 5

or morefallsandtakes Id6bludgeoning damage per 10

feetfallen, landing prone at the bottom.Thetunnel at the

bottom of the pit leadsnorthwest toward area 2 andeast

toward area3.

TREASURE

Tharden wears a pairof boots of stridingand springing.In

his haste to explore the restof WaveEcho Cave,Nezznar

overlooked them.

2. MINE TUNNELS

Thismaze of passagesis an old sectionof WaveEcho

Cave'soriginal mine site.

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PART4: WAVEECHOCAVE

This areaconsists of numerous intersecting passages.

Theceilings hereare onlysix feethigh, andseveral of the

passages end in partially excavated rockfaces.

I

Thedead-end passages are placeswhere the minersgave

up anddecided to moveon to otherspots. Patiently lurking

in oneis an ochrejelly.When the partyenters thissection

of the mine,the jellybegins to stalk the group,instinctively

waiting for an opportunityto attacka lonetarget.

3. OLD ENTRANCE

Thetunnel thatruns southwasthe originalentrance to

WaveEchoCave,but it wasburied by the destructionthat

wracked the minescenturies ago.A pitched battlewas

foughtherewhen the oresstormed the mines.Thedead

stilllie wheretheyfell.

Many tunnels intersect at thisnatural, thirty-foot-high cavern.

Thewalls are carvedwith simple reliefs showing dwarf and

gnome miners hard at work.Below them, nearly twodozen

skeletons in rusted scraps of armorare scatteredacross the

cavern floor. Some are dwarfskeletons, while others are orc

remains. Halfa dozen largebrass lanterns stand in niches or

on ledgesaround the cavern,butnone are lit.

Clingingto the ceilinglikebatsare ten stirges.The

monsters findscant livingpreyin the mines,andthey

are ravenous. If the charactersare looking downat

the skeletonson the floor,the stirgesare likelyget the

dropon them. Anycharacter whoisn'twatching the

ceilingis surprised unless his or her passiveWisdom

(Perception) score is higherthanthe stirges'Dexterity

(Stealth) checktotal(rolloncefor all of them).Characters

whoaren't surprised heara flapping noise as the stirges

descend to attack.

Thelanterns andthe carvingsof miners at workwere

meant as a welcometo newcomers.

4. OLD GUARDROOM

Thisguardroom once protected the nearbyentrance to

the mine,but it wasoverrun earlyin the fightingwhenthe

oresattacked.

Splintered stone benches andheaps of rubblefrom a

partially collapsed ceiling fill thisroom. Amid ruined stone

bunks andtoppled weapon racks are thebones of several

dwarves andorcs.

In the roundafteranylivingcreature enters thischamber,

the bonesbegin to stir andknittogether, forming nine

skeletons. Theyfightuntildestroyed.

5. ASSAYERS' OFFICE

Themine's assayers worked here,weighing andassessing

ore samples andpayingthe minorsfor theirlabor.