The pole of angling looks like a 10-foot pole. While
holding the pole, one can speak the command word
("lchthyglug") and transform it into a fishing pole with
a hook, a line, and a reel. Speaking the command word
again changes the fishing pole back into a normal
10-foot pole.
- SPACE 0ROGS
Eyes. The 15 -foot-high ceiling of this passage is carved
with hundreds of glaring eyes. (Halaster used magic
to create the eyes, which are harmless.)
Orogs. Twelve hostile orogs (see "Space Orogs," page
244) are camped here. S ubtract from this number
any orogs previously encountered and defeated as
wanderin g monsters.
One of the orogs has 60 hit points and is bigger than
the others. Her name is Rukha, and until recently she
served as first mate aboard the Scavenger (see area 13).
TREASURE
Rukha the orog has a sending stone tucked in one of her
gauntlets. Rukha's mate, the former cook of the Scaven-
ger, had the matching stone but lost it (see area 13c).
- OOZE THERE?
The characters see odd shapes form out of the ooze that
flows nearby.
3A. THE GREAT OOZE MARCH
The river of ooze flows north through this 15 -foot-high
cave (see "Elemental Ooze," page 244). When the char-
acters first arrive, the ooze rises and takes the form of
a conga line of modrons stretching as far as the charac-
ters can see. The modrons march against the sluggish
flow and make little progress. After 1 minute, they sink
back into the ooze. The ooze modrons aren't creatures
or spell effects, and they can't be harmed or dispelled.3B. OOZE HALASTER
An artery of ooze flows down this tunnel and pools in
a slight depression in the rocky floor. The first time
anyone comes within 10 feet of the pool, the ooze rises
up, takes the form of Halaster Blackcloak, and flails its
arms in a way that suggests it might be trying to cast a
spell. After 1 minute, the effigy of Halaster loses its form
and becomes a pool of ooze once more. The ooze isn't a
creature and can't be harmed, nor is it a magical effect
that can be dispelled.- THE WEEPING EYE
~~
Ooze. This 60-foot-high cavern contains a large pool
of viscid, foul-smelling ooze that flows sluggishly
northwest.
Urm. A mud m ephit named Urm crouches near the
edge of the ooze (at the spot marked Mon map 19),
absently poking it with a short pole while mumbling
to itself.
Orb. Near the east wall, a^10 -foot-diameter orb of ooze
floats 5 feet above the pool. The orb weeps a continu-
ous stream of ooze into the pool and appears to be its
source (see "Orb of Ooze" below).
Rock Formations. The cavern's ceiling is dotted with
stalactites, and the ooze flows around a few stalag-
mites that rise from the rocky floor.
Urm had the misfortune of being caught up in the
ooz.e being siphoned from the Swamp of Oblivion and
deposited here. Halaster found the mud mephit and
cast a geas spell on it, compelling it to serve jaruk the
dao and Ichthyglug the marid. The genies use Urm as
an intermediary to communicate insults to one another,
but the mephit has grown weary of the genies' game. It
wants to be free of Halaster's geas spell.
Urm knows all about the competition betweenjaruk
and Ichthyglug, and tries to lead adventurers to both
genies, one after the other. Urm offers to take characters
to see Ichthyglug first (area 1), since the marid is closer.
If the characters have already spoken with Ichthyglug,
Urm offers to guide them tojaruk's caverns (area 11) by
following the river of ooze.
Urm is lazy a nd selfish, inclined not to help characters
beyond what it must do to satisfy the terms of its geas
spell. It is familiar with the da ngers lurking in the Cav-
erns of Ooze but denies knowing anything. Removing
Ha laster's geas spell makes the mephit somewhat more
helpful but doesn't change its wicked disposition. In
exchange for its newfound freedom, Urm shares the fol-
lowing information, which is a mixture of truth and lies:- The ooze that spills from the orb and fills these cav-
erns comes from a place called the Swamp of Obliv-
ion (true). - Halaster captured a strange-looking vessel and hid it
in a giant cavern nearby (true). The ship is alive (false). - A powerful demon is trapped in a statue to the
north (false).
ORB OF OOZE
The orb is immobile, though it can b e moved with a
telekinesis spell or similar magic. Casting a disintegrate
spell on the orb destroys it and stops the flow of ooze
into the cavern. Other spells have no effect on the orb.
Creatures and objects can pass through the orb,
which is made of the same ooze found throughout this
level of the dungeon. Any creature that enters the orb
is restra ined by it. A creature restrained by the orb can
use an action to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, freeing itself on a success.
Another creature outside the orb can use an action to
attempt the check if its within reach of the restrained
creature; on a successful check, the creature is freed
from the orb.- IN THE GRI P OF GHAUNADAUR
A 15-foot-high tunnel containing an open pit connects
two caves with 20-foot-high ceilings.
5A. PUDDING PIT
This naturally formed pit is 20 feet across and 20 feet
deep. At the bottom of the pit are three intelligent black
puddings (see "Intelligent Black Puddings," page 244)
that used to be drow worshipers of Ghaunadaur. When
they detect prey nearby, the puddings climb the sides of
the pit and use faerie lire spells to outline their intended1.EVEL 19 I CAVERNS OF OOZE.