Out of the Abyss

100

PROBLEMS CUBED

If the gelatinous cube Glabbagool travels with the party

(see chapter 4), its presence poses a few challenges in

Blingdenstone. The recent ooze attacks have the deep

gnomes rattled, and an intelligent, telepathic gelatinous

cube is something beyond their understanding. The

characters have to convince the svirfneblin to allow their

unusual companion inside, or tell it to remain outside the

settlement. If left outside. Glabbagool might eventually

find its way in through the wererat warrens, giving the

characters insight into how the other oozes are getting in,

or appeartng 1n the nick of time to help the characters if

they find themselves in peril.

ENTEMOCH's BooN

This large cavern is located west of Blingdenswne (see

the map of Underdark regions and locations in chapter

2) and has always been a closely guarded secret. Most

sv irfneblin who knew of it perished during the d row

invasion of Blingdenstonc. A few members of the

Stoneheart Enclave have heard of its existence, but

have either dismissed it as legend or have simply been

too preoccupied with the reclaiming and rebuilding of

Blingdenstone to search for it.

The cave is two days' walk of the settlement. its

entrance a small cunnellcading to a ledge high above

the <·avern floor. The cave is lined with stalagmites and

stalactites. but the dominant feature is the summoning

circle at its ccmer. The circle was once used by the

svirfneblin to summon Entemoch. a prince of elemental

earth. and his energies suffused the entire cavern,

empowering elemental summoning within its confines.

If the circl<" is used to cast a spell that summons an

earth elemental. the spell's duration becomes ld4 +

6 days and the spell requires no concentration. The

summoned elemental never becomes hostile toward the

spell's caster or its companions. To gain these benefits,

the caster must provide material components in the

form of gems with a total value of 10 gp per Hit Die of

the elemental summoned.

FINDING ENTEMOCH'S BOON

Locating the tunnel that leads to Entemoch's Boon is a

great service for the svirfncblin, and might be a quest

set for the adventurers (sec "Uniting Blingdenstone"

later in this chapter). Despite how close the cavern is to

Blingdenstone, finding it is no easy task.

Characters can search for the tunnel by traveling at a

slow pace in its general vicinity. Each day they search,

have the characters make a DC 20 group Intelligence

(Investigation) or group Wisdom (Survival) check. If

the group chec-k succeeds, the characters find a curious

waymarkt-r: a small pyramid of carefully stacked stones

next to the mouth of an otherwise unassuming tunnel.

After locating the waymarker and following the tunnel

next to it, the party can make a DC 20 group TmeUigence

(Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. On a

failure, the party wastes a day searching for the next

waymarkcr. If the group check succeeds, the characters

find their next lead after 2d6 hours: a tunnel whose

entrance is flanked by the sc-ulpted faces of a male

and female deep gnome. This tunnel features many

C H \ PTER 6 BLJ;-;GOI:.NST0!'/1:.

side tunnels concealed by rock formations. The party

must make a DC 20 group Intelligence (Investigation),

Wisdom (Perception). or Wisdom (Survival) check. lf

this group check succeeds, the party finds Ememoch's

Boon: if the check fails, the characters waste a day of

exploration searching for it.

Finding Entemoch's Boon allows the characters

to make a check to improve the attitude of the deep

gnomes (see "Changing Svirfncblin Attitudes~).

Random Encounters. For each day of exploration,

check for random encounters using the tables in chapter

2 and adjust the drow pursuit level as necessary.

THE BEASTS OF ENTEMOCH'S BOON

Characters who explore the cavern find shattered bits of

statuary. A successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation)

check confirms that the stone bits are the remains of

petrified cave vermin. Unless they leave the cavern

immediately, the characters are accosted by a mated

pair of basilisks that call Entemoch's Boon home.

Once the basilisks arc defeated, characters can

resume their exploration of the cave and find three

basilisk eggs in a nest made of pulverized stone. Each

egg is a 6-inch-diameter, 20-pound sphere with a

pebbled-gray shell as hard as stone. Left alone. the eggs

batch in ld4 + I months. An infant basilisk that emerges

imprints on the first creature it sees. It thereafter

follows that creature around like its parent, demanding

to be fed. lf the characters manage to keep the basilisk

alive. it reaches adulthood after twelve months. Track its

growth using the Basilisk Maturation table.

BASILISK MATURATION

Age Size Notes

Infant Tiny AC 11; 4 (ld4 + 2) hit points ;

(up to 3 months) speed 10ft.; Str 10 (+0); no

Petrifying Gaze ; bite attack is

+2 to hit and deals 1 piercing

damage p lus 1 poison dama ge

on a hit; Challenge 0 (10 XP)

Young Small AC 13; 22 (4d6 + 8) hit points;

{3- 12 months) speed 15 ft.; Str 1 3 (+1);

Petrifying Gaze has a range

of 15 feet; bite attack is +3

to hit and deals 3 (1d4 + 1)

piercing damage plus 2 (1d4)

poison damage on a hit;

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Adult Medium See the Monster Manual

(12+ months)

WH ITESHEL L MINE

Blingdenstone's largest salt mine is half a day's travel to

the south. Like many of Blingdenstone's resource sites,

the road to the mine is easy to miss by casual travelers,

but sentries hiding along the way can recognize friendly

visitors (such as those in the company ofjimjar, Topsy,

or Turvy) and guide them along the proper tunnels.