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4. SILT PIT
The giants avoid this cave, since they know it contains a
40-foot-deep pit of silt, more commonly known to adven-
turers as quicksand. A character who prods the floor or
otherwise searches for traps detects the natural hazard
with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.
The characters can avoid the pit by staying within 5
feet of the walls. If a character falls into the pit, resolve
the outcome using the quicksand rules in chapter 5 of
the Dungeon Master's Guide.
- CAVE OF ECHOES
Characters who enter this empty cavern hear the hum-
ming and chiseling of Gravillok, the stone giant in area
6a. Two tunnels lead in that direction, and the sounds
coming from both are equally loud. If the characters cre-
ate a ruckus here, Gravillok hears the disturbance, stops
working, and investigates. - CRAFT HALL
The walls of these caves are covered with abstract carv-
ings, many of them unfinished.
6A. STONEBONES CARVING
Gra villok. The stone giant is using a chisel to carve on
the wall between the tunnels leading to area 5.
Carvings. Abstract carvings cover the walls, and chis-
eled bits of stone lie scattered across the floor.
If the characters catch him by surprise or greet him
with hostility, Gravillok retreats to area 13 while shout-
ing out to his family in Giant, "Invasion! Arm yourselves!
We're under attack!" Gravillok's deep bellow echoes
throughout the level. To the best of his recollection,
Gravillok has never seen small folk before. His instinct
is to treat them as vermin and smoosh them with his
greatclub. If they attempt to parley and he can under-
stand them, he stops attacking long enough to listen to
their words, then discounts them, concluding that the
interlopers must be responsible for the strange magic
bedeviling his family. The characters will have to work
hard to change his mind.
In addition to his greatclub, Gravillok carries a favorite
chisel, much too large for Medium or smaller characters
to use as an effective tool.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check iden-
tifies Gravillok's wall carving as a 30-foot-tall image of
Skoraeus Stonebones, the stone giant god. Gravillok
hopes that Skoraeus will be honored by the carving
enough to help him catch whoever has been tormenting
his family.
6B. TOOL STORAGE
The stone giants store their stone-carving tools in this
cave. The tools are too big and unwieldy to be used by
anyone not of the giants' size.
- SILT PIT
Carved into the floor where the northeast tunnel meets
this cave is a large X (a warning sign). This cave con-
tains a silt pit like the one in area 4.
LEVEL 7 I MADDGOTH'S CASTLE
- STRANGE ROCK FORMATION
Petrified Basilisk. What at first glance appears to be
a spiky rock formation in the middle of the cavern is
really a petrified basilisk.
Decor.Jagged spirals are carved into the walls and roof,
but the crude artwork is incomplete.
Descending Tunnel. The tunnel to the southeast de-
scends hundreds of feet to level 8.
Hundreds of years ago, before the arrival of the stone
giants, an adventurer used a mirror to trick the basilisk
into targeting itself with its own petrifying gaze. It has
remained a fixture of this cavern ever since. A detect
magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic ema-
nating from within the basilisk's belly. One must smash
open the basilisk to get at the treasure inside. Its belly
can be cracked open with a solid weapon hit.
Treasure. Inside the belly of the basilisk is a gold ring
set with moonstones (250 gp) and a wand of conducting.
The wand, a common magic item, has 3 charges and
doesn't require attunement. The holder of the wand can
use an action to expend 1 charge and create orchestral
music by waving it around. The music can be heard out
to a range of 60 feet and ends when the holder stops
waving the wand.
The wand regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
If the wand's last charge is expended, roll a d20. On a
l, a sad tuba sound plays as the wand crumbles to dust
and is destroyed. - STONE CATHEDRAL
Decor. This chamber has all the looming hollowness
of a cathedral. The walls have been sculpted into ex-
quisite arches, buttresses, and draperies. Carvings of
giant whorls and spirals cover the ceiling.
Crystal Formations. Three dramatic crystal formations
explode from the floor, each one roughly 10 feet wide
and 15 feet tall. Broken shards of crystal litter the
floor around them.
The stone giants eat the crystals that grow in this
chamber. Ten pounds of crystals provide a giant with the
equivalent of a nutritious meal. The crystal formations
regrow at a steady pace, thanks to Halaster's magic.
Most humanoids would not consider them edible. - XORTA'S FLUTE
Xorta. The reclusive stone giant lairs here, shunning
the rest of her family.
Bats. Ten giant bats cling to the cave's roof, their wings
wrapped tightly around their bodies as they sleep.
Rocks. Strewn upon the uneven floor amid mounds of
bat guano are loose rocks that Xorta hurls at intruders
and others who bother her.
Xorta reclines in the north alcove, partially hidden
behind natural columns of rock. She uses her Stone
Camouflage trait to blend in with her surroundings.
Xorta has a mind to explore more of Undermountain,
but her parents won't let her stray far. She lacks the
courage to defy them and knows they won't let her leave.
She has a 4-foot-long stone flute and likes to play it here
because the acoustics are favorable. She's still learning