- CAVES OF THE RIVER COVEN
All the caves in this area are cold and damp, with water
dripping from the ceiling to form shallow pools of water
everywhere.
10A. BLACK PEBBLE CAVE
This 8-foot-high cave abuts the River Sargauth. Its floor
is covered with wet black pebbles that crunch underfoot.
The sound of footsteps on the pebbles is loud enough to
alert the grimlocks in area lOb.
10B. GRIMLOCKS
Having eluded the drow so far, ten grimlocks huddle in
the back of this 10-foot-high cavern. They feed on fish
from the River Sargauth and fight only in self-defense.lOc. SEA HAG CovEN
This 30-foot-high natural cave smells like brine and sea-
weed. It is home to a coven of three sea hags in league
with Halaster Blackcloak. Each hag has a giant crab pet
that follows her around and obeys her commands. The
cave's other features are as follows:
Noise. The sound of splashing geysers (see area lOd)
echoes throughout.
Pools. The uneven floor has many shallow pits filled
with dirty water. The hags use these pits as baths and
hide in them if they see lights approaching or hear un-
familiar footsteps.
Decor. A vast variety of shells are embedded in the slick,
algae-coated walls.
If the characters previously met with Anderian Dusk,
the lantern merchant of Skullport, the sea hags are
already acquainted with them thanks to the hag eye
pendant that Dusk wears. In this case, they address the
characters in familiar tones and ask them if they took
time to sample some of Skullport's local ales. Other-
wise, they politely introduce themselves as Coral Black,
Gurgle Brine, and Caldra Cuttlefingers.
While all three hags are alive, they gain the Shared
Spellcasting trait, as described in the "Hag Covens"
sidebar in the "Hags" entry in the Monster Manual. The
hags aren't spoiling for a fight with non-drow, because
Halaster has tasked them solely with ridding the Sarg-
auth Level of the dark elves. The hags keep their affilia-
tion with Halaster a secret and pretend to be harmless
shell collectors with no enemies to speak of. They use
adventurers to do their dirty work, promising not only
safe passage through their caves but also information
meant to turn them against the drow. Throughout the
conversation, they supply the following observations:
- "A drow priestess has defiled an ancient dwarven
temple on the other side of the river, turning it into a
profane breeding pit for spider abominations." - "The drow are kidnapping folk from the city above.
Those not fed to the spiders are sacrificed to the vile
demon goddess worshiped by the drow." - "The drow have already infiltrated Skullport and
found its defenses lacking. An invasion is imminent.
The capture of Skullport will give the drow a firm
base from which to strike into the heart of Under-
mountain. What's next? Waterdeep?"
lOD. WATER GEYSERS
Small geysers bubble throughout this 20-foot-high cave,
spouting jets of briny water that soak the roof.10E. STONE CAULDRON
Cauldron. In the middle of this 20-foot-high cave,
the floor bulges and forms a 5-foot-diameter
stone cauldron.
Decor. Ship rigging and tattered sails hang from the
ceiling like web strands and torn curtains.
The stone cauldron, created by Halaster, is filled to
the brim with murky water and has five rusty iron keys
at the bottom. (These keys unlock the shackles in area
lOg.) The cauldron has AC 17,^60 hit points, and immu-
nity to poison and psychic damage. If reduced to^0 hit
points, the cauldron cracks and is destroyed. The sea
hags use the cauldron as a focus for their scrying spell.
The first time a creature other than a sea hag dis-
turbs the water or damages the cauldron, an elder rune
materializes above it (see "Elder Runes," page 12).
Draw from the Elder Runes Deck (see appendix B) to
determine which rune appears. The elder rune targets a
random creature within^60 feet of it.
Any creature that drinks a pint or more of water from
the cauldron must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution sav-
ing throw or be poisoned for 1 hour per pint consumed.10F. GNAWED BONES
The walls of this cave are stacked neatly with goblin,
hobgoblin, troglodyte, and giant spider bones that have
been picked clean by the sea hags.lOG. LARDER
The sea hags shackle their food here. Old chains bolted
to the walls end in five sets of rusty shackles, the keys
to which are hidden inside the cauldron in area lOe. A
character with thieves' tools can pick each lock with a
successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Two prisoners are chained here when the characters
arrive: an unarmed goblin named Lerk and a^13 -year-
old boy named Delvin Stormshore (CG male Illuskan
human commoner with no weapons).
The hags caught Delvin after he and a friend "bor-
rowed" a rowboat and used it to explore the sea caves
near Skullport. When the sea hags attacked, Delvin's
friend leaped out of the boat and managed to swim
away, but Delvin wasn't so lucky. He's so cold and scared
that he stammers when he tries to talk.
For its own amusement, the wicked goblin has been
tormenting Delvin by threatening to eat him before the
hags return. Since the boy can't see in the dark, he mis-
takes the bullying goblin for his jailer, not another pris-
oner. If rescued, Delvin insists that the characters call
him "Del" and gladly offers to carry their gear for them.
Like most goblins, Lerk is a cowardly bully. He's very
hungry and begs characters for food and freedom.lOH. HAGS' HOARD
Ceiling. This cave has a jagged, 30-foot-high ceiling.
Wreckage. A 20-foot-high mountain of rotted-out
rowboats fills the back^40 feet of this damp cave.
jutting like needles from the mound are shattered,LEVEL 3 I SARGAUTH LEVEL