20. NEHEEDRA'S LAIR

~cheedra Duskryn was part of the expedition sent to

loot Blingdenstone of its spell gems. Her abode reflects

the richness and elegance of the drow monarch she

yearned to be.

I The adornments in this chamber would be more at home

in a drow City. Sp1der-themed tapestries, fine zurkhwood

furniture, and racks of expensive clothing fill the area,

all of it old and rotted. At the center of the chamber, a

female drow sits upon a zurkhwood throne. She stands,

eyes closed and arms crossed as if in meditation or

prayer. Then her white hair writhes, and you see it is

formed of pale, hissing snakes.

The medusa attacks intruders without hesitation.

~eheedra's curse has driven her mad, and reasoning

with her isn't an option.

TREASURE

Five of the dresses in Neheedra's rack are made of

spider silk shaped by drow magic. They are worth

200 gp each if sold in the markets of the Underdark.

The drow magic on a dress fades when the garment is

exposed to sunlight. causing it to fall apart.

DEVELOPMENT

If the characters divulge the medusa's location to

Sark Axebarrel in area 10, they receive the promised

reward of 50 gp each. If they deliver Neheedra's head

·o Sark. he also gives them the 1 ,000 gp diamond he

promised them.

XPAWARDS

The characters gain 50 XP each if they successfuJly

report back to Sark, whether they defeat the medusa or

not. Upon earning this award, the characters can make

a group Charisma (Persuasion) check to improve the

gnomes' attilude (see "Changing Svirfneblin Attit udes").

2 1. DROW STATUES

This cave is filled with thirty statues of drow warriors,

all standing as if on guard. In her madness. eheedra

turned these warriors of her house to stone. Over long

years, Ogremoch's Bane has used its power to animate

these statues, turning them into elemental creatures.

When the characters step inside the chamber, six

of the statues animate and attack. The statues have

•he statistics of animated armor, except that they are

... lementals instead of constructs.

The statues attack until destroyed but don't leave this

area. lf the characters spend I round or longer in the

~hambcr after defeating the last statue. six more statues

animate. This process repeats until either all of the

:,tatues are destroyed or until the characters leave the

·ave. A statue also animates and attacks if touched or

otherwise disturbed.

0GREMOCH'S BANE

If every stawc in this cave is destroyed, Ogremoch's

Bane appears.

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As the last statue crumbles, a cloud of dust erupts from l

1ts shattered remains and expands to fill the cave.

The cloud is Ogremoch's Bane. Characters within the

cloud can sense its malevolence, and a successful DC

15 I ntelligence (Arcana) check confirms that the cloud is

of cxtraplanar origin. The cloud has a flying speed of 20

feet and is impervious to all damage and spells except

the following.

• A gust of wind spell or similar magic can forcibly
  move the cloud.


• Casting a banishment spell on the cloud sends it back
  to the Elemental Plane of Air if it fails its Charisma
  saving throw (it has a +4 modifier to the roll). A dispel
  evil and good spell is equally effective and doesn' t
  require a successful attack roll; however, the caster
  must be in contact with the cloud.
  Creatures native to the Elemental Plane of Earth
  (including earth elementals, galeb duhr, gargoyles.
  and xorn) that come in contact with Ogrcmoch's Bane
  instantly fall under the cloud's sway. The effect lasts as
  long as the enslaved elementals and Ogremoch"s Bane
  are on the same plane of existence.

XP AWARDS

lf Ogremoch's Bane is banished back to the Elemental

Plane of Earth. award each character 150 XP.

22. STEADFAST STONE

Once a temple of Callarduran Smoot hhands, the deep

gnomes' god of stone and mining, this cavern was

named after its long-lost galeb duhr protectors-the

dharum suhn (the ''Hearts of Steadfast Stone'').

The Aoor of this cavern is worn smooth, but t he walls are

rough. A great menhir carved from a stalagmite stands

in the center of the chamber, pockmarked with dozens of

empty sockets that might once have held gems.

Characters with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score

of 14 or higher notice that the roughness of the walls

outlines several large, vaguely humanoid shapes.

CLEANSING THE TEMPLE

lf the characters accepted Gurnik Tapfinger's task (see

area 13). they can place the ruby spell gem he gave them

into one of the sockets in the menhir. When they do so,

the elementals in the walls begin to stir.

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As the ruby begins to glow against the menhir, the walls

begin to rumble. Part of one wall shifts, detaches, and

charges toward you.

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