EXPLORING THIS LEVEL
All location descriptions for this level are keyed
to map 11.- AUVRYNDAR WATCH POST
Ceiling. The concave ceiling of this cavern rises to a
height of 20 feet.
Sentries. A female drow elite warrior named Ventrid
Xil'talan leads six drow (two females and four males).
The drow, loyal to House Auvryndar, are tasked with
guarding the tunnel that leads up to level 10. They am-
bush and kill any non-drow coming from that direction.
TREASURE
Ventrid wears an obsidian scarab engraved with the in-
signia of House Auvryndar (25 gp) and a spider-shaped
crystal ring set with a black pearl (750 gp).- CAPTURED TROGLODYTES
The cracked bones and skulls of small creatures hunted
by the troglodytes litter the tunnels leading to this area,
marking the borders of territory that once belonged to
their clans. The invading drow from levels 10 and 12
have enslaved the troglodytes that once dwelled here
and have traded occupation of this area more than once.
The drow of House Auvryndar are currently in control.
2A. TROGLODYTE CHAIN GANG
The air in this cavern is heavy with the stench of twen-
ty-two adult troglodytes. They wear iron shackles on
their ankles and are chained together while awaiting
relocation to Muiral's Gauntlet (level 10).
A shackled troglodyte's speed is halved, and it can't
move more than 5 feet away from the other troglodytes
it is chained to. The drow mage in area 2c has the keys
to the shackles. A character can pick the lock on a set of
shackles with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using
thieves' tools.
Even if they are freed, the troglodytes won't flee this
area while the drow are holding their young (see area
2c). Although initially fearful, the troglodytes engage
with the characters in an attempt to turn them against
the drow. They promise treasure in exchange for freeing
them and their young. Characters who don't speak Trog-
lodyte and don't have access to a tongues spell or similar
magic can use gestures, pictures, or other crude meth-
ods to communicate with the troglodytes on a rudimen-
tary level. Getting a message across in this way requires
a successful DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check.
If the characters show no interest in aiding them, the
troglodytes begin to bow down and chant loudly, as if
worshiping the characters. They try to catch the atten-
tion of the drow in area 2c, hoping this display will an-
ger the drow and prompt them to attack the characters.
The troglodytes enter any fight against the drow, un-
der the limitations of their shackles. If they can, they
focus their attacks on Tsabdrar Do'ett (see area 2c), hop-
ing to acquire the key to the shackles. Any freed troglo-
dyte tears into the drow with a vengeance.
If the characters help to liberate the troglodytes and
their young from the drow, the troglodytes show the
LEVEL 11 I TROGLODYTE WARRENS
characters the secret door that leads to area 2d and
allow them to take the treasure that's there. If the char-
acters are unintentional participants in the troglodytes'
escape, the troglodytes offer up the treasure only if they
are subsequently threatened.2B. ARCH GATE TO LEVEL 6
A stone arch is embedded in the west wall of this
10-foot-high cave, just around the corner from the en-
trance tunnel. The arch is one of Halaster's gates (see
"Gates," page 12). Carved into the arch's keystone is a
hand-shaped indentation with a sigil representing magic
scribed into the palm. Its rules are as follows:- Casting the mage hand cantrip and pressing its spec-
tral fingers into the keystone's indentation opens the
gate for 1 minute.
Characters must be 9th level or higher to pass through
this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page 10). The
first creature to pass through the gate triggers an el-
der rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12). - A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area 40 on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space
next to the identical gate located there.
2c. AMORAL DILEMMA
Monsters. At the north end of the cave, five male drow
elite warriors are holding eleven troglodyte young
(Small noncombatants) at sword point. A male drow
mage named Tsabdrar Do'ett is contemplating what to
do with the troglodyte young.
Crates. Zurkhwood crates half filled with iron chains
and shackles stand in the south end of the cave.
Secret Door. A seam in the rock wall reveals a secret
swivel door covered with oily troglodyte secretions.
Anything that touches the oily door carries the mildly
revolting stench of troglodytes for 1 hour or until the
item is washed. The stench is not as potent as a troglo-
dyte's Stench trait and imposes no conditions on those
who catch a whiff of it.
The drow mage is deciding whether to kill the troglo-
dyte young, because they are too small to be shackled.
His inclination is to do so, and only the characters'
interference stays his hand. Tsabdrar carries keys that
unlock the shackles stored in this room as well as the
shackles on the troglodytes in area 2a.
The drow investigate any commotion in area 2a and
attack intruders who appear to be aiding or influenc-
ing the troglodytes. If the characters aren't doing so
(or if they are able to negotiate an end to any initial
hostilities), the drow are willing to bargain with them.
They explain that a behir has been rampaging through
this level, killing all the creatures it encounters. If the
characters defeat the behir- and eliminate any drow of
House Freth they encounter along the way-Tsabdrar
promises that House Auvryndar will let them keep the
behir's hoard. He also promises to spare the troglodyte
children. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check
confirms that both assurances are false.
Treasure. Each drow wears an obsidian scarab en-
graved with the insignia of House Auvryndar (25 gp).
Tsabdrar also carries a thin, leather-bound spellbook
containing the spells he has prepared.