no
CARRION CRAWLER Mucus
Blacktongue bullywugs coat their weapons with carrion
crawler mucus. A creature hit by a bullywug's Spear
attack must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. A creature poisoned
in this way is also paralyzed. The creature can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on itself on a success.KARSTIS O F DWEOMERCORE
The mages of Dweomercore (level 9) have sent one of
their own, a human named Karstis, to monitor this level.
He hides in areas 7 and 8 with his minions. Karstis is
an ally of those looking to thin out any of the factions in
Slitherswamp, but a foe to anyone who tries to gain ac-
cess to Dweomercore.Exploring This Level
All location descriptions for this level are keyed to map- Many tunnels and caves of Slitherswamp are partially
flooded with water, ranging from a few inches to several
feet in depth, over a layer of thick mud. Areas marked as
swamp on the map are difficult terrain for any creature
that lacks a swimming speed.
This entire level is wet and humid. Ordinary frogs,
toads, and insects thrive here. - PRECIPICE
The sloping tunnel from level 7 ends (^20) feet above the
marshy ground of area 2.
Humidity. The walls and floor of the tunnel drip with
moisture from the humidity, and buzzing insects a re
everywhere.
Rop e Ladder. The crumbling remains of a ramp lie
below the precipice. A slimy rope ladder has been an-
chored with spikes to its western edge.
The rope ladder has been smeared with carrion
crawler mucus. Any creature climbing down the ladder
must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
be poisoned for 1 minute. A creature poisoned in this
way is also paralyzed and falls from the rope ladder into
the muck of area 2 below, taking 3 (ld6) bludgeoning
damage. The creature can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the mucus's effect on
itself on a success.
- BULLYWUG SENTRIES
Ceiling. T his swampy cavern has an uneven 30 -foot-
high ceiling.
Fireflies. Harmless fireflies flit over strange fungal
plants that sprout from the swamp, filling the cavern
with eerie dim light.
Bullywu gs. Three bullywugs use their Swamp Cam-
ouflage feature to hide in the swampy tunnel leading
to area 19.
The bullywugs watch the tunnel that leads to level - When they spot the characters, three of them try to
sneak away to areas 19a and 20, to warn the rest of the
tribe. The others wait to see where the intruders go.
LEVEL 8 I SLITHERSWAMP- ARCH GATE TO LEVEL 6
A three-forked passageway rises out of the swamp. The
center passage has an arch embedded in its back wall.
This arch is one of Halaster's magic gates (see "Gates,"
page 12). The space inside it bears a bas-relief of a
female dwarf standing with her eyes closed. A keyhole is
carved into the head of a stone hammer she clutches to
her chest. The rules of this gate are as follows:
- If the stone key from area 14a on level 2 is inserted
into the keyhole, the bas-relief and the key vanish as
the gate opens for 1 minute. When the gate closes,
the bas-relief reappears, and the key is ejected from
its keyhole. - A character can open the gate without the stone key by
using an action to pick the lock, requiring a success-
ful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. If the
check fails, the dwarf's eyes open and emit light. Each
creature within 10 feet of the arch must make a DC
16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4dl0) radiant
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one. - Characters must be 9th 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 Runes," page 12). - A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area 34b on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space
next to the identical gate located there.
DANGEROUS SHRUBBERY
A 20-foot-high dry ledge (area 4a) overlooks a 30 - foot-
high cavern filled with vegetation and ankle-deep mud
(area 4b). This area's features are as follows:
Vegetation. Luminescent, fern-like plants sprouting
from the mud fill this area with dim light.
Severed Limb. Part of the ledge wall is stained with
blood. Directly below the stain, a severed leg wearing
a sturdy boot sticks up out of the mud.
4A. FINAL REST OF TuUBID DUSKAXE
This 2 0 -foot-high ledge can be climbed with a success-
ful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Atop the ledge,
above the bloodstain but not visible from the tunnel
floor, the body of a duergar sprawls near a campsite. The
corpse is that ofThubid Duskaxe, a duergar adventurer
on a rescue mission. He lost a leg when he fought the
shambling mounds and subsequently bled to death.
Treasure. The corpse wears a leather satchel that
contains 224 gp, an ornate stone carving of an owl (SO
gp), and a journal written in Dwarvish. The journal con-
tains a map showing areas 1 through 6, as well as notes
of "frog people to the northeast" and "serpents with foul
magic to the southeast." The journal describes Thubid's
plan to find allies to help him rescue his cousin, Agorra,
who was "bewitched by the serpents."4B. S H AMBLING MOUNDS
Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Per-
ception) check is not surprised when three shamblin g
mounds attack. The shambling mounds chase creatures
through the mud but ignore creatures atop the ledge.