Out of the Abyss

a s uccessful DC 20 Strength check. A character

can unlock the manacles using thieves' tools with a

successful DC 15 Dexterity check. The manacles have

15 hit points. The iron collars can be broken with a

successful DC 20 Strength check. The collars have

12 hit points. A character who fails a check to break a

collar, break a set of manacles. o r escape from a set of

manacles can't a ttempt checks of that kind again until

he or she finishes a long rest. A character can still use

the He lp action to aid another character. however.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

The characters begin the adventure in the slave

pens of Velkynvelve. Stripped of everything but their

underclmhing, they are at the mercy of the dark elves

and in the company of othe r prisoners, many of who

aren't what they seem.

Captured by the drowl You wouldn't wish this fate upon

anyone, yet here you are~locked in a dark cave, the

cold, heavy weight of metal tight around your throat and

wrists. You are not alone. Other prisoners are trapped in

here with you, In an underground outpost far from the

light of the sun.

Your captors include a cruel drow priestess who calls

herself Mistress llvara of House Mlz.zrym. Over the

past several days, you've met her several times, robed

in silken garments and flanked by two male drow, one

of whom has a mass of scars along one side of h1s

face and neck.

Mistress llvara likes to impress her will with scourge in

hand and remind you that your life now belongs to her.

''Accept your fate, learn to obey, and you may survive.''

Her words echo in your memory, even as you plot

your escape.

Assume that each player character has been a prisoner
in Velkynve lve fo r ldlO days. (Roll separately for each
character.) The c ha racters spend most o f this time
locked in the s lave pen, emerg ing occasionally under
heavy guard to perform menial cho res fo r their captors'
amusement (see "Hard Labor'').
Feel free to play o ut any interaction between the drow,
the player characters, and the other prisoners. This is
an opportunity to reveal who the characters a re and ro
flesh out their backgrounds and personalities through
roleplaying, even as you introduce some of their fellow
prisoners. llvara's newest consort, Shoor. wants to
impress his mistress. while]orlan. her former consort.
sullenly does his duty but casts a curious eye over
the prisoners. Any hostile move is met with poisoned
crossbow bolts from the drew. and possibly a strike
from Tlvara's scourge or a ray of sickness spell. The
giant spide rs attack and poison a nyone who attacks
the dre w. The drew don't kill any of t he prisoners
(leaving the m unconscious at 0 hit points) but have no
compunc tion about beating them.

IN THE SLAVE PEN

Velkynvelvc's slave pen is closed with a heavy iron gate

bolted into the stone. See area 11 for more information

about the s lave pen, including options for opening or

breaking through the gate.

The prisoners are provided with clay chamber pots,

and one of the duties o f s laves .is to empty them into the

pool during their shift. There are no other comforts in

the slave pen. Prisoners must sit or lie on the stone floor,

and a re fed only once each day-a thin mushroom broth

served in small c lay bowls passed through gaps in the

bars of the gate.

SCAVENGED POSSESSIONS

The player characters have not been idle during their

capt ivity. Have each player roll a d20, and add the

numbe r of days (ldlO) that player's character has been

imprisoned in Ve lkynvelve. The res ult determines what,

if anything, the c haracter has in his or her possession

when the adventure begins.

ScAVENGED PossESSIONS

Result Item

2-

10-12 A gold coin

13-15 A living s pider the size of a tarantula

16-18 A 5-foot-long strand of silk rope

19-21 A flawed carnelian gemstone worth 10 gp

22- 24 A rusted iron bar that can be used as a club

25-27 A flint shard that can be used as a dagger

28 -3 0 A hand crossbow bolt coated with drow poison

(see "Poisons" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon

Master's Guide)

FELLOW PRISONERS

The c ha racters are held with ten other prisoners.

captured during v<Jrious raids a nd likewise awaiting

trans portati on to Mcnzobt;:rranzan. Some can expect to

be sold as s la ves, while others await death at the hands

of the drow or their pets. Regardless of what they might

think of the adventurers and each other-outside the

slave pens. all t he NPCs have good reason to cooperate

in order to escape and survive.

PRISONERS OF THE 0ROW

Buppido

Prince Derendil

Eldeth Feldrun

Jim jar

Ront

Sarith Kzekarit

Shuushar the Awakened

Stool

Topsy and Turvy

Talkative and cunnmg derro

Quaggoth who daims to be a

cursed elf prince

Shield dwarf scout

from Gauntlgrym

Deep gnome with a

gambling problem

Ore bully

Drow accused of murder

Kuo·toa hermit and mystic

Myconid sprout

Deep gnome wererat twins

C H \P'rE! U I I I'RISONERS 01' TRE DROW

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