Out of the Abyss

of distance costs 3 feet of movement. Anyone fighting

or taking strenuous action atop a strand must succeed

on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid falling

off. An adventurer who reaches an egg cluster and has

a suitable cuuing tool (such as a dagger. sword, or axe)

can carefully hack an egg out in 2d4 minutes.

The upper reaches of the egg chamber are covered

in wehs spun by the giant spiders in area 11. Some of

these webs reach all the way down to the egg clusters.

For every five minutes the adventurers spend in this

room, check for a random encounter by rolling a d20

and consultin~ the Egg Chamber Encounters table.

Ecc CHAMBER ENCOUNTERS

d20 Encounter

1-15 No encounter

16 - 18 1 giant spider from area 11

19-20 1 purple worm

The giant spider walks on the ceiling and surprises

the adventurers unless someone in the pany has a

passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher.

If a purple worm appears, it enters the nursery

through the tunnel in area 7 and circles the outside of

the cavern. Any party member in the egg chamber can

try to hide with a successful DC 10 Dexterity {Stealth)

check. A failed check means the parry member attracts

the worm's auention.

The purple worm auacks anyone it detects in the

chamber except the giant spiders from area 11 and the

fomorian from area 6. h won't pursue fleeing characters

anywhere except into the adjoining echo chambers

(area 5) or the slop cave (area 10). If it doesn't detect any

intruders, the purple worm exits the complex through

the tunnel in area 7, passing through the nearest echo

chamber along the way.

9. BAT C AV E
   This cave is thick with stalactites and stalagmites. and
   home to thousands of bats. The cavern Boor is covered
   in a thick layer of guano. making the floor di fficult
   terrain. The bats spend most of their time clinging to the
   cavern's 6Q.foot·high ceiling, but the noise of the purple
   worms drives them into a shrieking. flapping frenzy.
   Whenever a purple worm enters the area 8 (whether
   as a random encounter or in response to an alarm from
   area 5. or as noted in the "Worm ursery: General
   Features" sidebar). a swarm of bats flies out of the
   cave I minute before the worm appears. Roll a d6 to
   determine which way the bats go. On a roll of 1- 3. the

HANNE'S HELP

Educated by her mother, Hanne Hallen (see '"Voice in the

Dark") knows qu1te a b1t about purple worms. If she's

traveling with the characters, she realizes that they are

in a worm nursery as soon as she enters area 8. She also

recogn1zes the echo chambers (area 5) and understands

the1r function.

Hanne won't want to leave the nursery without an egg

of her own. If necessary, she'll sneak away from the rest of

the party to try to obtam one.

CH"I'IJ::K 13 lilt: WOR\1\RITIIINGS

bats take the shortest route to the tunnel in area 7 and

exit through that tunnel. On a roll of 4 6, the bats take

the shortest route to the tunnel in area 14 and exit

through that tunnel.

The swarm doesn't attack unless threatened. bur

any creature that occupies an area the swarm passes

through is buffeted by scores of bats. taking 1d4

bludgeoning damage.

DEVELOPMENT

When the purple worm that caused the bats to swarm

exits the nursery. the bats return to this cave to roost 10

minutes later.

10. SLOP CAVE

The floor of this dark. 60 ·foot·high cavern is covered in a

thick layer of viscous purple worm saliva. Consequently.

the Boor is difficult terrain. As they enter, adventurers

notice dozens of glinting objects in the goo beneath their

feet. Further inspection reveals the sparkling objects

are precious gems.

For every minute the adventurers spend in this cave,

there is a 25 percent chance they altract the attention

of ld4 giant spiders from area 11. The spiders scuttle

along the walls and ceiling. avoiding the gooey floor.

TREASURE

Tf the adventurers take 10 minutes to search through the

goo. they can retrie\·e a total of twenty SO gp gems.

11. SPIDE R NE ST
    Giant spiders enjoy a symbiotic relationship with purple
    worms and are frequently found !airing in purple worm
    nurseries. The multitude of predators that seck out
    the worms' eggs provide the spiders with easy prey.
    while the presence of the spiders provides additional
    protection for the hatchery.
    The eastern half of this cavern floor is covered i n webs
    stretching up to the ceiling. See "Dungeon Hazards'" in
    chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for ru les about
    webs. Eight giant spider s lurk in the nest. minus any
    k illed elsewhere in the nursery.


12. CHASM
    A chasm cuts across this cavern, stretching from wall
    to wall. The chasm is 10 feet wide. 200 feet deep. and
    slopes down to the southwest at a sixty degree angle.
    The chasm's slope can be climbed with a successful
    DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. A creature that fails
    rhe check by 5 or more goes tumbling down the slop to
    rhe bottom of the chasm. taking damage from the fall
    as normal.

TREASURE

At the bottom of the chasm lie the skeletons of two

svirfneblin who tried to leap across the chasm while

being chased by a purple worm. Lying near the remains

are two miner's picks and a small leather pouch

containing a gem of brightness.