control module, is a 5-foot-diameter pulsating crystal
hemisphere with AC 10, 25 hit points, and immunity
to poison and psychic damage. Destroying the crystal
hemisphere shuts down Shockerstomper.
Lightning Turre t. A character can try to plug the nozzle
of a lightning turret with a 10-pound rock or similar
object, doing so with a successful DC 15 Strength
(Athletics) check. A plugged turret can't shoot light-
ning until a creature uses an action to try to clear the
obstruction, which requires another successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check. Shockerstomper has no
ability to clear an obstruction itself.- SCRAP METAL WARREN
A 40-foot-high mountain of scrap metal has 10-foot-di-
ameter tunnels winding through it. The scrap metal pile
spills into area 2, dominates the cavern north of it, and
completely fills the opening between the two caverns.
The outer surface of the scrap pile is difficult terrain.
In addition, any creature that tries to climb or walk
across the jagged heap of metal must succeed on a DC
15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid triggering a
small avalanche that causes it to fall prone and take 7
(2d6) piercing damage.
The entrances to the warren are marked with arrows
on map 13. The warren contains the following:
Rus t Monsters. A rust monster gorges on scrap metal
in each of the squares marked R on the map.
Central Chamber. In the heart of the warren is a
30-foot-wide, 40 -foot-long, 10-foot-high chamber con-
taining four dead hobgoblins. Ten lava children (see
appendix A) hide in the walls and emerge to attack
anyone who enters the room.
The rust monsters tend to ignore other creatures that
maintain a respectful distance. If a character wearing
metal armor or carrying a metal shield walks within 5
feet of a rust monster, there's a 30 percent chance that
the creature attacks the character with the intention of
devouring the armor or shield.
The lava children walk through the scrap metal as
though it doesn't exist. They regard Zox as a trusted
friend and, at his request, attack creatures that enter the
central chamber. The lava children pursue fleeing crea-
tures as far as the warren entrances before disappear-
ing back into the scrap metal. While they are hidden in
the metal walls, the lava children have total cover.
The hobgoblins were sent to find and kill Zox Clam-
mersham but fell prey to the lava children. A character
who examines the corpses and succeeds on a DC 10
Wisdom (Medicine) check ascertains that the hobgob-
lins were killed two days ago. A search of the hobgoblin
corpses reveals that one has a charcoal sketch of Zox
Clammersham on a crumpled-up sheet of parchment.
- BACK TuNNEL
Corpses. Lying against the walls of this 20-foot-high
tunnel are the mutilated corpses of ten hobgoblins.
Scaladar. Three scaladar (see appendix A) patrol
the tunnel.
The scaladar hunt as a trio and have orders from Zox
to kill any humanoids they see. Ideally, the characters
should encounter the scaladar after they have had time
to inspect the hobgoblin corpses.
The hobgoblins were sent to find and kill Zox but fell
prey to the scaladar. A character who examines the
corpses and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine)
check can ascertain that the hobgoblins have been
dead for about a tenday. Half of them were torn apart by
sharp claws, and the rest died from deep, charred punc-
ture wounds.- CLAMMERSHAM
~~~ PALACE
Ceiling. This cavern has a 90-foot-high ceiling.
Palace. Atop a 20-foot-high plateau of twisted scrap
metal rises a rambling palace made of j agged metal
plates welded together. Circular iron doors are
recessed in the walls.
Scrap Pile. The slopes of the scrap pile are strewn with
the mutilated corpses of several rust monsters.
P ALACE FEATURES
The structural features of the palace are summa-
rized here.
Ceilings. The ceilings throughout the palace are 20
feet high.
Doors. The palace is sealed off by 7-foot-diameter
circular doors, each one made of riveted iron plates and
fitted with iron handles, iron hinges, and a sturdy iron
lock. Each lock is molded to look like a smiling gnome's
face missing its nose. Zox carries a stubby iron key with
a head shaped like a tiny bulbous nose that unlocks all
nine doors. Zox fashioned a spare key but lost it during
a recent Undermountain foray (see level 12 , area 14).
A character can try to pick a door's lock using thieves'
tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
A knock spell or simila r magic also works. A door can
be forced open with a successful DC 30 Strength (Ath-
letics) check. It can also be destroyed. Each door has AC
19, 40 hit points, a damage threshold of 10, and immu-
nity to poison and psychic damage.
Zox has cast a glyph of warding spell on every door.
Each glyph is inscribed on the inside of the door so that
it can't be detected by anyone outside the palace. The
glyph triggers when the door is opened by any means
other than using the proper key. When triggered, the
glyph erupts with magical energy in a 20 -foot-radius
sphere centered on it. Each creature in the area must
make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 31 (7d8)
thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much dam-
age on a successful one. The sound of a triggered glyph
is audible throughout the cavern and the palace. Alerted
to the presence of intruders, Zox awaits them in area 7c.
Illumination. The palace interior is dark. Zox relies
on his darkvision to see.
Walls. The walls of the palace are 10 feet thick and
made out of loose scrap piled between inner and outer
bulwarks of welded metal. The fortress has no win-
dows, but close examination reveals gaps in the walls
that a Tiny creature or a creature in gaseous form
can navigate.LEVEL 13 I TROBRIAND' S GRAVEYARD
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