The troglodytes are bracing for another drow attack
from the north. The clan's current leader is a troglodyte
with 20 hit points named Kol'daan. He carries a wooden
sparring sword and can replace each of his claw attacks
with a sword attack, dealing 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning
damage on a hit. Whether in battle or negotiations,
Kol'daan is prone to striking heroic poses with his spar-
ring sword and giving inspiring speeches in Troglodyte.7B. BATTLEGROUND
The floor of this damp cavern is littered with the corpses
of twenty-one troglodytes and nine drow, all surrounded
by pools of sticky blood and in different stages of decay
(suggesting that more than one battle occurred here).
The troglodytes were felled by drow weapons, while the
drow were torn to pieces by the troglodytes' teeth and
claws. Some of the drow corpses are half eaten.7c. WOUNDED TROGLODYTES
Four adult troglodytes occupy this side cave. One trog-
lodyte is at full health and guards the other three, which
are wounded (each has ld6 hit points remaining). If
the characters offer magical healing to all the wounded
troglodytes and word of the deed gets around, they gain
advantage on subsequent Charisma checks made to in-
fluence any troglodytes throughout area 7.7D. FIRE BEETLE FARM
A fiery glow emanates from this cavern. Six giant fire
beetles live here, watched over by a troglodyte with a
10-foot pole. Since being trapped by the drow, the trog-
lodyte clan has taken to raising the beetles for food.7E. HALASTER FORMATION
Centuries of dripping sediment have created a rock for-
mation on the back wall of this cavern that resembles
the face of Ha laster Blackcloak. The troglodytes have
left small offerings around the formation, including a
half dozen balls of bat guano, a garland of drow intes-
tines, and a muddy dagger with a curved blade.
Treasure. The muddy dagger is a dagger of ven om.
The troglodytes are unaware of its magical nature.7F. TROGLODYTE NURSERY
Four adult tr oglodytes look after twenty-two troglodyte
young (Small noncombatants) in this area. Two of the
adults stand guard in the front cave; the other two feed
and play with the young troglodytes in the rear cave.7G. CHIEFTAIN'S CAVE
The last troglodyte chieftain was killed by drow some
time ago, leaving Kol'daan in charge. Lurking in the
chieftain's cave are three toothless old troglodytes ,
each with 8 hit points remaining and no bite attack.
These evil troglodytes served as the former chieftain's
advisors. Kol'daan thinks they're weak and wants noth-
ing to do with them. They fight only in self-defense, and
each has a challenge rating of 1/8 (25 XP).
S ecr et Door. A secret door stands in the northwest
wall of this cavern. The old troglodytes won't divulge
the secret door's location, and they spit insults at anyone
who dares to open it.
7H. BLESSED LAOGZED
This dank cave contains a 5-foot-tall, 8-foot-diameter
mud sculpture of a loathsome creature that combines
the features of a demonic toad and a lizard. Any char-
acter who has an appropriate background or who suc-
ceeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check knows
that the sculpture represents the demon-god Laogzed,
worshiped by many troglodytes.
Treasure. Smashing open the mud sculpture of Laog-
zed reveals fifty malachite gemstones (10 gp each).- ILLUSORY FRONT
~~~~ LINE
The drow of House Freth have learned the hard way that
the troglodytes in area 7 are too hardy and stubborn
to be easily conquered. A male drow mage named Ori
Telenna has been tasked with holding these caves until
reinforcements arrive. Using the resources at his dis-
posal, Ori has created illusions designed to discourage
the troglodytes from entering this area. As part of this
tactic, he has the hallucinatory terrain spell prepared
instead of Evard's black tentacles, seeming instead of
cloudkil/, and rope trick instead of alter self.
8A. FALSE IMPASSE
Thanks to Orl's ha/lucinatory terrain spell, this 20-foot-
high cavern appears to be filled from wall to wall with
a pool of bubbling acid. The caustic scent of the acid
seems real to any creature that approaches this area,
but contact with the acid deals no damage. The illusion
can be removed with a successful dispel magic spell
(DC 14). Ori refreshes the spell each day.8B. FALSE CAMP
Ori has created a false camp inside a 30-foot-square
area in the middle of this rubble-strewn cavern. The
camp appears to be a quiet gathering of nine well-armed
drow wizards and warriors, who are communicating
with one another using s ign language. In truth, the drow
are nine troglodyte zombies created using animate dead
and disguised with a seeming spell.Be. ORL's CAVE
Water. Fresh water trickles into this cave from cracks
in the dead-end tunnels to the west, forming a 5-foot-
deep pool over much of the floor.
En campment. A rough camp is set up in an alcove to
the southeast.
The alcove holds a blanket, a cask of mushroom wine,
and a satchel made of spider silk that contains 10 days
of rations and Orl's spellbook (see "Treasure" below).
Ori spends most of his time here, but he listens for trou-
ble and slips out every once in a while to check area 8b.
Orl's orders don't include fighting troglodytes or
well-armed adventurers singlehandedly. If he discovers
any creatures approaching, he casts a rope trick spell,
climbs into the extradimensional space created by the
spell, and pulls up the rope. He hides this way for^10
minutes before poking his head out to see if the intrud-
ers have left. If he doesn't have time to hide in this man-
ner, he casts a greater invisibility spell on himself and
retreats to area 9b.LEVEL I I I TROGLODYTE WARRENS