The arch is one of Halaster's magic gates (see "Gates,"
page 12 ). Its rules are as follows:- Feeding a gold coin into the keystone's slot causes the
coin to disappear and the gate to open for 1 minute.
Other coins placed in the slot disappear but don't
open the gate. - Characters must be 6th 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 Gates," page 12). - A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area S on level 2, in the closest unoccupied space next
to the identical gate located there.
Treasure. Talafaere wears an obsidian scarab bear-
ing the insignia of House Auvryndar (2S gp).
12. BAT CAVE
The drow and their quaggoths recently expanded into
this cavern, which is home to hundreds of bats.12A. DROW SENTINELS
Slop ed Roof. The ceiling here is SO feet high but slopes
down to 30 feet high toward the southeast.
Drow. Natural shelves and narrow ledges line the walls,
ranging in height from 10 to^30 feet. Hiding in the
shadows atop 10 -foot-high ledges are two male drow
elite warriors (Ryld and Llauzdrar).
Bats. Harmless bats flutter around, disturbed by the
drow's presence.
Stumps. The floor is dotted with the stumps of felled
zurkhwood stalks and the occasional bat carcass im-
paled by a drow crossbow bolt.
Ryld and Llauzdrar have taken to shooting bats with
their crossbows. Intruders provide the drow with a wel-
come opportunity to hone their melee combat skills. If a
battle turns against them, Ryld and Llauzdrar use dark-
ness spells to cover their withdrawal to area 8. From
there, they head to area 1 l a to make their stand. These
drow aren't i nterested in conversation. If captured, how-
ever, they agree to lead their captors to area 11 to speak
with the drow priestess who commands them.
· ·· Treasure. Each drow elite warrior wears an obsidian
scarab bearing the insignia of House Auvryndar (2S gp).
12B. ZURKHWOOD BRIDGE
Crevasse. A 20-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep crevasse splits
the floor. Spanning the gap is the rotting trunk of a
zurkhwood fungus.
Quaggoths. Living on natural stone shelves inside the
crevasse are eight quaggoths that serve the drow.
The quaggoths can climb the crevasse without having
to make an ability check, as can other creatures with a
natural climbing speed. A successful DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check is needed otherwise.
Moving across the trunk without slipping or falling re-
quires a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
On a failed check, the creature s lips and falls prone on
the makeshift bridge- but on a check that fails by S or
more, the creature plunges into the crevasse.- ZURKHWOOD GROVE
~~~~-
Ceiling. This immense cavern is SO feet high.
Fungi. A forest of zurkhwood erupts from the guano-
and moss-covered floor, the tallest and oldest standing
over 40 feet tall. Between the towering fungi lie a few
toppled zurkhwoods, as well as several stumps.
Monsters. Near the edge of the forest, feeding on a
duergar carcass, is a lone carrion crawler. The
deeper forest is guarded by four awakened zurkh-
woods (use awakened tree statistics).
A svirfneblin druid inhabited this grove until a few
months ago, when he felt threatened by the arrival of the
aboleth and decided to follow the River of the Depths
back down into the Underdark. Before he left, the druid
cast awaken spells on seven zurkhwoods in the grove,
three of which have s ince been felled by duergar axes
and damage-dealing s pells. The four that remain are
indistinguishable from normal zurkhwoods while they
remain motionless. The awakened zurkbwoods try to
kill or drive off creatures that cause harm to the grove.
They understand Gnomish but can't speak it.
The duergar, Iktarve Unsuttir, came up the river with
some companions to cut down zurkhwoods and sell the
wood-but he didn't count on the grove's fighting back.
He was killed by the awakened zurkhwoods and left be-
hind. The duergar's scale mail is not salvageable.
The carrion crawler plans to spend the next several
hours quietly devouring its meal. It attacks creatures
that come within 10 feet of the dead duergar, but other-
wise the crawler just wants to be left alone.
TREASURE
A search of Iktarve's corpse and the surrounding area
yields a war pick, three javelins stuck in a felled zurkh-
wood, and an empty lapis lazuli flask (SO gp).
A thorough search of the grove accompanied by a suc-
cessful DC lS Wisdom (Perception or Survival) check
reveals the gnome druid's old hovel: an igloo-like mound
of hardened bat guano. Inside, characters find a ratty
old blanket hiding two potions of healing in stoppered
gourds. The awakened zurkhwoods attack characters
who loot the druid's abandoned home.1 4. DROW RAFTS
Darkmantles. Stalactites hang from the 30-foot-high
ceiling. Two d arkmantles disguised as stalactites re-
main motionless until they attack.
Rafts. Leaning against the west wall are two^10 -foot-
square rafts made of zurkhwood logs lashed together
with thick spiderwebs. Resting nearby are six^10 -foot
poles that the drow use to guide the rafts.
Although the darkmantles need to eat, they flee if re-
duced to half their hit points or fewer.
The drow use the rafts to ply the River of the Depths.
Each raft is built to carry six Medium humanoids and
their gear, though as many as twelve people can fit onto
a raft if push comes to shove.LEVEL 4 I TWISTED CAVERNS