Pocket Dungeons 5e

The Lair of the Illithid

Introduction

You awake suddenly to the sound of people bursting into the room where you are resting. You see a dark cloaked hooded figure and his companions. You noticed that he is carrying what looks to be a young child in ropes, she is struggling and crying for your help. Having entered the room, the hooded figure looks at you with wide eyes surprised to find you here. He yells “we must not be interrupted, deal with them!” The hooded figure begins to chant words you do not understand and waves his hands in the air forming glyphs. The water in the pool starts to swirl violently and begins to glow with a magical light. In a flash, the man and girl disappears into the void.

Once the dark cloaked man and the girl goes through the portal roll initiative.

2 acolytes

Once the scouts are defeated:

Your mission is to rescue the girl from the hooded figure. Do you follow the hooded figure through the void?

Part 1: The Lair of the Illithid.

General Features

The following General Features apply to the first level of the dungeon unless otherwise noted:

Illumination: There is no light at all but what the characters bring with them. All of the descriptions assume the characters have a light source. If this is not the case the DM will have to adjust the descriptions.

Smell: Despite the cold, the first level smells of rot and animal and humanoid waste. Wisdom (Perception) checks based on smell are made with disadvantage.

Area 1. Entrance Hall

After traveling through the portal, you find yourself in an entrance hall. It is clear there has been a lot of activity here. Corpses of various sizes are piled around the room in various states of decay. A shallow pool, stained with blood, filled with bodies and a few patches of floating algae, takes up the center of the room. You can see a hallway to the west and a mural in the northern wall.

Once the characters investigate something, have a group of acolytes walk into the room from the hallway to the west roll initiative.

5 acolytes

1 cult fanatic

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative.

Very Weak Party: Remove the cult fanatic.
Weak Party: Replace the cult fanatic with an acolyte.
Strong Party: Add an acolyte.
Very Strong Party: Add 1 more cult fanatic.

The Hooded Figure's and his companions came through the entrance hall quickly and continued through a secret door behind the mural on the northern wall in search of the stairs in area 4. The piled corpses have been disposed there by someone or something.

Bodies: There are a dozen bodies on the ground and in the pool. These bodies are of all different types and races. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check notes that they all have holes in their heads. Any character that has a Passive Perception of 15 or higher notices that that their brains are missing.

Mural: The mural depicts an evil and sadistic looking being, humanoid in appearance, but with a four-tentacle octopus shaped head. A DC 14 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals the mural is of Ilsensine, the patron deity of the illithids.

Pool: The water is only six inches deep and the slimy algae harmless. The algae radiate magic and appears to be growing despite the lack of sunlight and the cold temperatures. There is no hazard here, though many may expect one.

Development:

If the acolytes get a chance them scream out a load warning and the others in area 2 to prepare to attack. The characters are able to hear:

The Acolytes begin to shoot down the hallway, “RELEASE, the defenses! We have intruders! You can hear shouting, something heavy being moved across the stone, etc...) coming from the hallway to the west, along with moaning.

The acolytes the characters are fighting begin to run towards area 2.

Treasure:

If searched, the cult fanatic has a pouch. It contains 15gp and a Potion of Healing.

Area 2. The Defenders

This area is home to the creatures the acolytes use to defend the lair from intruders made up of 1 Beholder Zombie, 1 Ogre Zombie, 6 zombies.

Around a corner, the hallway slopes up towards a room where two large doors have been set open. A horde of undead come barreling down the ramp, followed by a larger staggering undead creature moves behind them.

1 beholder zombie

1 ogre zombie

6 zombies

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative.

Very Weak Party: Remove the beholder and ogre zombie.
Weak Party: Remove the beholder.
Strong Party: Add 6 more zombies.
Very Strong Party: Add 6 more zombies and 1 more ogre zombie.

Once defeated

The stench of the unwashed mixed with decay is much stronger here. This looks as if it might once have been a barracks, but now is a nest of junk and scattered corpses. A hallway exits to the north.

The zombies rush down the hallway followed by the ogre towards the intruders. At the top of the hallway in the room to the north lucks a beholder zombie waiting for the characters to enter the room. After the acolytes released these creatures, they escaped through a secret door that they bared from the other side.

Crates: The two crates are filled with rocks and can be used to take half cover (+2 to AC and Dex saving throws). The crates can be moved with a DC 10 Strength check. Anyone climbing them or trying to move past them from the south must succeed in a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 1d4 points of piercing damage from the arrows and javelins covering them.

Barrel of Spiders: The goblins open by pushing the barrel which fills the hallway down the ramp. A character can attempt a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to hop over the barrel or leap around the corner (depending on where they are when the barrel is launched). Those that fail the saving throw take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. The barrel breaks open upon impact releasing some very frightened and angry spiders. If the barrel does not collide with a character it smashes open on the rear wall.

Junk: With the exception of ten feet from the entrance, the floor is covered with slippery and shifting junk. The floor is difficult terrain. There are nest-like depressions throughout the room where the goblins sleep.

Development:

If the characters capture any of the goblins, they know the general numbers of the hooded figure's band, but did not know there was a lower level behind the wall. They did try to follow the hooded figure but there was some kind of trap that killed several goblins with fire. The characters are about an hour behind the other intruders.

If Dank is captured, he knows all the things the goblins know, and is also willing to join the characters in taking vengeance upon the hooded figure if he believes there is a reward in his future. If your party is Weak or Very Weak, the DM is encouraged to consider having Dank volunteer to join the characters.

Treasure

The goblin’s treasure is buried in the junk but can be found with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. It contains 85gp worth of coins.

Area 3. Old Library

The stench here is overpowering. The northeast corner of this ruined library has been used as a latrine and is piled high with waste. Several of the shelves have been broken up and the wood and books have been used to create a cook fire against the north wall. Most of the library has clearly been lost. Those shelves that remain have strange flame shrouded rope-like carvings decorating them.

This room is used by the goblins as a latrine and kitchen, as well as a place to store things taken from the raids.

Illumination: Unlike the other rooms on this level, there is dim light in this room from the embers of cook fire.

Shelves: The remains of the library are in poor shape. Most of the books have been burned and those that remain are smeared with filth and rotten to a slimy paste. The titles on the covers are written in Abyssal, Common, Deep Speech, Draconic, and Infernal and suggest that the library was devoted conjuring and binding things from other planes. The shelves themselves are decorated to look like tentacles covered in flames.

Treasure

A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals on one of the higher shelves is a scroll tube carved like a mass of grasping tentacles. The tube itself is a disturbing work of art and also a trinket that protects anything inside from moisture. The scroll tube is worth 15gp. If kept it does not count against the character's permanent magic item count. Inside is a spell scroll of Arms of Hadar.

Area 4. Grand Stair

A wide stairway sweeps into the depths. The walls and steps are carved with tentacles that end in eyes or fanged mouths. Blood stains the walls and at the edge of your light there appears to be bodies at the bottom of the stairs.

As is clear from the evidence, there are 10 steps and some are trapped. When stepping on a trapped step, flame shoots out of the surrounding walls of the full hallway doing 3 (1d6) fire damage. A character that succeeds in a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw suffers half damage. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) confirms the steps are trapped. The ability to disarm the trap is beyond characters of this level, but the DM should reward creative attempts to bypass the trap.

Bodies: At the bottoms of the stair are two badly burned and bloodied goblin bodies that tried to chase the hooded figure and his band down the stairs. Unfortunately, not knowing about the trap, they died from the fire and were blasted down the stairs, further setting off more traps until their broken remains settled at the bottom.

Development

Once the characters get to the bottom of the stairs, they have found the Vault of the Devourer. Proceed to Part 2.

Part 2: The Vault Below

A DC 14 Intelligence (History) check reveals the this is The Vault of the Devourer was used by the Tempest Mage in his research into conjuration and pacts before an aborted attempt to summon Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) the Grasping Flame. The level has been sealed for hundreds of years.

The hooded figure and his companions broke through onto it. While his companions knew of the level and the trapped Grand Stair, they knew little else of this level and soon became separated and several of his companions have died. That has not slowed his progress however and he continues to push forward even as the characters give chase.

General Features

The following General Features apply to the second level of the dungeon unless otherwise noted:

Illumination: Motes of red, green or purple light float on the air in areas 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12, providing dim illumination. Areas 9 and 10 are dark.

Smell: The stench of the upper level does not permeate this level. Instead it is cold and dusty.

Doors: With exception to area 8, none of the doors on this level are locked.

Tracking: A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check notes that Medium-sized humanoids have disturbed the dust and been in each room except area 8 (the door to which they could not open). A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) notes the dust in all the rooms but area 8 has been recently disturbed (but this skill does not allow the reading of any tracks)

Area 5. Pool of Consumption

Like pool on the level above, this one is covered with slimy green algae despite the lack of sunlight, however this pool has a stronger glow. The eastern side of the pool has been recently disturbed. Hallways lead off to the north and east. Motes of dim magical light float about the room.

Pool: The algae floating on the water is actually green slime (see sidebar). A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check notes that the slime is not the same as the algae on the floor above. Any character shining a light over the pool notes that it is much deeper than the one above: 10 feet to the bottom. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) while examining the dust and pool notes that someone knelt before the pool, stirred up the algae and splashing some water onto the floor and then dripped water as they went into area 6.

Green Slime: This acidic slime devours flesh, organic material, and metal on contact. It has no ability to move. A creature aware of the green slime can avoid being struck by it with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, but fails automatically if unaware or touching it purposefully. A creature that comes into contact with green slime takes 5 (1d10) acid damage. The creature takes the damage again at the start of each of its turns until the slime is scraped off or destroyed. Against wood or metal, green slime deals 11 (2d10) acid damage each round, and any non-magical wood or metal weapon or tool used to scrape off the slime is effectively destroyed. Sunlight, any effect that cures disease, and any effect that deals cold, fire, or radiant damage destroys a patch of green slime.

Treasure

On the bottom of the pool is a pile of silver and copper coins worth 60gp and a small statuette of a tentacle creature with one eye and fang filled mouth made of jade, it is worth 25gp.

Area 6. Armory

This room looks like it may once have been a guard room or armory. Several empty racks and a few chairs are placed evenly throughout the room. A dusty quiver hangs from a rack toward the back of the room.

Bodies: The slime covered remains of two of the Hooded figure's minions are in the southeast corner behind one of the racks. They are covered by spreading green slime which is slowly consuming them after one foolishly stuck his hand in the slime and a second tried to help him remove it. If not touched, there is no threat to the characters.

Quiver: The quiver contains six magical arrows that are inscribed in Abyssal with the name of Vorax the Devourer. When touched, the arrow glows and if used against Vorax, they bypass his resistance to non-magical weapons. The arrows turn to dust if removed from the dungeon.

Area 7. Altar of the Devourer

A massive altar dominates the center of the room. It depicts a small winged demonic creature with a large paunch sitting atop a mass of reaching tentacles covered in toothy maws. There are large double doors on the northern wall and hallways heading off to the east and west.

Vorax (vor-axe) the Devourer, a particularly powerful quasit, sits bound to this room where he remains invisible at all times. Unfortunately, the previous intruders did not raise his interest, but he has high hopes for the characters.

If any character touches or spends time inspecting the altar they hear a tiny voice whisper "Ask what you would know. You will be tested and Vorax the Devourer will grant your heart's desire." Vorax moves after speaking to limit the chances of being detected and does not answer additional questions or drop his invisibility.

Once the characters ask a question roll initiative.

1 Displacer Beast

1 Quasit (Vorax)

If the characters ask a question or asks to be granted knowledge, Vorax summons a displacer beast which immediately attacks the speaker to the exclusion of all others. Vorax does not involve himself in the combat unless targeted with an attack. If attacked, he tries to scare those who assault him and then flies out of reach so he can turn invisible again.

Scare: One creature of Vorax's choice within 20 feet of it must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if Vorax is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative.

Very Weak Party: Decrease the displacer beast's hit points by 35, its melee weapon attack to hit by 2 and its bludgeoning damage by 4.
Weak Party: Decrease the displacer beast's hit points by 20, its melee weapon attack to hit by 1 and its bludgeoning damage by 2.
Strong Party: Increase the displacer beast's hit points by 15, and its bludgeoning damage by 2.
Very Strong Party: Increase the displacer beast's hit points by 30, its melee weapon attack to hit by 1 and its bludgeoning and piercing damages by 2.

If the characters defeat the displacer beast, Vorax grants their wish. This happens only once (characters do not each get a turn) and what they receive depends on the request:

Knowledge related to the adventure: Vorax answers as truthfully based upon what he has seen, but if forced to predict the future or give information on something he couldn't know, he lies. He saw the Hooded figure's party and can describe them and he knows all about the dungeon and Tempest Mage as detailed in the Background and throughout the adventure.

Knowledge of a Skill: Vorax grants the character proficiency in the skill. Sadly, it ends once the character leaves the dungeon and does not return, even if they do.

Knowledge of a Feat: Vorax grants the character the ability to use the feat. That knowledge ends once the character leaves the dungeon and does not return, even if they do.

Knowledge of a Spell: If it is a spell of 3rd.level or lower, Vorax grants the ability to cast the spell, once at the lowest level possible. This ability ends once the character leaves the dungeon and does not return, even if they do.

Unclear: If the character's request doesn't fit an above category, Vorax is unsure how to proceed and instead the character is blessed as long as they are in the dungeon. This effect ends once the character leaves the dungeon and does not return, even if they do.

Blessed: Whenever the character makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll or saving throw.

Development

If the characters capture Vorax, he begs for mercy. He has been trapped in this room for several hundred years so if possible he tries to trick the characters to taking him from the room by vowing to serve them. While he can't leave the room, if he is forcibly removed, he is freed! If this happens, the shrine tarnishes.

Area 8. The Clockwork Vault

When the characters approach, they see a locked vault door.

The hallway ends in a brass door, covered in knobs, handles, clockwork gears, blades, and threatening looking tubes. It appears to be a vault door of some sort; one that is clearly trapped. The clockworks on the vault door are clearly in motion, turning on, disabling and resetting various traps.

Disabling one trap just results in a second being activated or the door enabling the same trap. Even damaging the door just delays the inevitable as it regenerates 20 points of damage every round.

However, the lock can be defeated with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. Unlocking the door disables all the traps.

Table 2: Clockwork Trap

1d6 Trap Save Damage

1 Acid Dex DC15 1d6 acid

2 Blade Dex DC15 1d8 slashing

3 Deafening Con DC15 1d6

4 Fire Dex DC20 2d6

5 Creeping Con DC15 1d6

6 Fire Dex DC20 2d6

Each failed attempt increases the DC by 2, to a maximum of DC 20, as the door fights the intrusion. The DC resets after 1 minute passes. Each attempt failed attempt to open the door triggers a random trap.

If the characters manage to open the door:

Beyond the entrance is a small room filled with a bright light. Coins lie in piles amongst tomes, art objects, a sword, a staff, a dagger and various bottles. A strange dull grey door is set into the opposite wall.

The room holds no more dangers and the characters are welcome to claim the treasure.

Door: The door opposite the entrance has two hard to see grey symbols floating upon it, slowly moving clockwise. One symbol is a clockwork gear with a bottle inside it and the other is a skull wearing a crown. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes the later as the holy symbol of the god Velsharoon, Archmage of Necromancy and Lord of the Forsaken Crypt. Velsharoon is believed to be dead. It appears the ability to open this door is related to some sort of magical timing and there is no way to open it at this time.

Look for Part 2 and Part 3 of this series The Clockwork Laboratory and The Desolate Undercroft which can be can eventually be accessed via this door.

Treasure

In the vault are coins worth 175gp, a +1 longsword, tooled with flaming tentacles, a +1 Dagger it is also tooled with flaming tentacles, a +1 Wooden Quarterstaff made of interwoven sticks ending in a pattern that resembles tentacles at the top, a +1 Longbow also tooled with flaming tentacles, a +1 Morningstar also tooled with flaming tentacles, a portrait of the Tempest Mage worth 20gp showing him as a serious looking but thin human male with a receding hairline, a Potion of Healing, and the Conjurer's Spellbook.

Area 9. Dry Stores

This dark room is filled with free standing shelves covered in decaying goods. Cloth, rope, lanterns, bags of what might once have been flour, and other lost causes block your line of sight from seeing the back of the room.

Some of the hooded figure’s companions (1 acolyte, 2 cultist, and 2 scout) broke off to inspect the side rooms and are currently hiding here when the characters arrive. One each is in the third, fourth, and fifth aisle from the door. They know that no one else should be down here and assume that the characters are enemies. Realizing they are corned, they fight to the death with crazed look in their eyes.

Once the characters enter the room roll initiative.

1 acolyte

2 cultist

2 scouts

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative.

Very Weak Party: Remove the scout.
Weak Party: Replace the scout with a second cultist.
Strong Party: Add a second scout and a second cultist.
Very Strong Party: Add a spy and a second scout and a second cultist.

Development

If the party skips past area 9 and proceeds through to area 10 and 11, the hooded figure's followers wait to see if the characters trigger the trap before following and attacking them from behind when the characters open the door to area 12.

If any of the cultists are captured, they rave about how their master will soon sacrifice the girl and summon Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) the Grasping Flame who will crush and burn the world in his endless coils. They are insane and cannot be reasoned with.

Area 10. The Whispering Chasm

Opening the doors you are greeted by a strong wind carrying a thousand incomprehensible whispers. Unlike the previous chamber, there is no light here, but the few rays from the room behind you illuminate the edge of a natural cavern with a thin rock bridge riddled with small holes crossing over a dark chasm. The wind blows violently and treatens to blow you of into the chasm. In the center of the bridge is a large pillar made of odd purple stone. It is covered in a pattern of whirls, eyes, and fire. Written on the pillar over and over in Abyssal, Deep Speech, Draconic and Primordial is the phrase "Praise be to Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) the Grasping Flame. Embrace the crushing end within his endless coils."

There is no light in the cavern and the dim light from area 7 extends only 10 feet into the room. A giant rat and 5 rats live in the network of holes inside the bridge, strangely mutated and sustained by the magic of the pillar in the center of the bridge. They attack anyone that tries to cross once they approach the pillar. If the characters leave the bridge, they retreat into the holes in the bridge so they cannot be seen.

Once the characters get near the pillar roll initiative.

1 giant rat

5 rats

1 Pillar

Illumination: There is no light in this room unless brought by the characters.

Bridge: The bridge is pierced with a network of holes, creating the strange whispering sounds as the winds flows through it. It is narrow and crossing it in the strong, cold wind should a harrowing experience for any adventure. The DM should stress the danger of falling if the characters rush, or perhaps get damaged, but in the end, there is no saving throw or skill check required. The goal is to frighten the characters.

Chasm: The chasm is 40 feet deep and its sides can be climbed with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

Pillar: At the end of each round, the pillar targets one character within 10 feet of it, forcing that character to succeed in a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned for one round, mumbling the phrase written upon the pillar in their native language. The pillar looks as it grew out of the bridge, though it is made of a different stone. As such it cannot be knocked over without destroying the bridge.

Rats: The rats are strangely large, with prominently enlarged foreheads and a set of tentacles protruding from their sides between their front and rear legs. This has no specific effect other than to be disturbing.

Area 11. Throne of the Grasping Flame

This floor of this room continues the flaming tentacle motif that you have witnessed elsewhere in the vault with a mosaic that looks as if tentacles sprout from a burning depiction of Toril. Six columns support the ceiling and a throne sits atop the desolate map at the north end of the room, itself a replica of tentacles and flames with a giant unblinking eye embedded in the top.

This room was a rarely used throne room that has been constructed to hide the sacrificial chamber behind the throne.

Columns: Each column looks like a mass of grasping, flaming tentacles wrapped around screaming humans, their faces frozen in pain. Each column has a small button hidden in the mouth of one victims which can be found with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once one is found, all of the all of them are in the same place on each column and no further rolls are needed. The middle column on the eastern side. Depressing the button hidden in this column, and only this button, unlocks the secret door and deactivates the trap. Depressing any button creates an audible click from the secret door. Pushing a button, a second time causes it to return to its original raised position.

Mosaic: The mosaic is not dangerous, but close inspection and a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check realizes that only one of the mosaic's tentacles wrap around the middle column on the eastern side.

Secret Door: The secret door can be found with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check by it is locked (DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools)) and magically trapped (detect DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)). The trap cannot be deactivated without a dispel magic or similar effect (which automatically succeeds). Unlocking the door does not deactivate the trap without depressing the correct button. If a character attempts to open the door with no button depressed, multiple buttons depressed, or the wrong button depressed, the trap is sprung. When set off, the trap fills the room with a nauseating scream that does 5 (1d10) psychic damage to anyone in the room. The scream can be heard in all rooms on this level of the dungeon. The trap resets after three rounds.

Development

If the characters break down the door by force or trigger the trap, the Hooded figure and his allies know the characters are coming and cannot be surprised.

Once the characters open the door, proceed to the final encounter in Part 3.

Part 3: Confrontation

The characters have made it to the sacrificial chamber designed to allow Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) the Grasping Flame entrance into this world. The Tempest Mage built the chamber before abandoning this line of research for the creation of constructs. The chamber stood un-entered for centuries until the Hooded figure and his party recently breeched the room. Now they are moments away from summoning The Grasping Flame.

Once the characters open the door to area 12, proceed with the following encounter:

Area 12. Sacrificial Chamber

A simple stone slab at the rear is the only part of the room not covered in glistening tentacles. The ceiling, floor, and walls seem to be actual tentacles. The young child is chained to the slab and your foe chants in supplication to an unseen horror.

The hooded figure, who in his madness no longer remembers his name, is a cult fanatic, and is with 1 bugbear and 2 acolytes. The young child is unconscious and is not resisting.

Once the characters enter the room roll initiative.

1 cult fanatic

1 bugbear

2 acolytes

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative.

Very Weak Party: The Traveler is an acolyte. Remove the 2 acolytes and the bugbear.
Weak Party: The cult fanatic is an acolyte Remove the bugbear.
Strong Party: Add an additional acolyte.
Very Strong Party: Add a bandit captain and an additional 2 acolytes.

Chains: The chains are held together with a single lock that can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check, or broken with a successful DC 20 Strength check or by doing 15 points of damage. The chain is immune to poison and psychic damage and resistant to all other damage types except acid.

Ritual: When the characters enter they have ten rounds to kill the Hooded figure before he finishes his ceremony and kills the young girl. If the characters short rested, decrease the time they have to seven rounds. If the young girl is prematurely killed or the Hooded figure is killed or otherwise incapacitated, a weakened version of Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) is summoned. If he is allowed to finish, or the characters took more than one short rest or a long rest, the fully empowered version is summoned. The Hooded figure does not need to make Concentration checks or use any actions to chat and can still fight normally as long as he can talk. It is he is silenced in some way (spell, grappling, etc...), he fails.

Slime and Tentacles: The ceiling, floor, and walls seem to be actual tentacles. They give like live flesh and are damaged as though they were real (though they seem to go on forever if a character tries to cut through). They are also covered in slime. The entire room is hot, moist, and difficult terrain.

Development

If there is a bugbear with the Hooded figure, it is Dank's mate Tulip who chose to betray him. If Dank is also with the characters, he attacks her to the exclusion of all others, screaming about her betrayal.

Treasure

The Hooded figure is wearing a pair of Boots of the Winterlands and carries 25gp in a pouch. They can be recovered from his corpse once Ixthiuitol is dealt with.

Part 4: The Coming of Grasping Flame

With a scream, the Hooded figure doubles over and begins to bloat hideously. Tentacles push forth from all of his orifices until his body splits into four pieces that are forcefully thrown aside. In his place, only horror remains.

If the Hooded figure was alive, he dies. In his place remains a Large-sized mass of fiery tentacles ending in jagged teeth and a large central eye in the middle.

Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) The Grasping Flame, immediately attacks all living creatures regardless of whether they claim to worship him or not. If any of the Hooded figure's minions remain, they kneel before their lord and allow him to consume them.

Other than his cosmetic description, Ixthiuitol (ikes-thow-toll) uses the statistics for a mind flayer.

Once the is defeated roll initiative.

1 Mind Flayer

Adjusting this encounter:

Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These are not cumulative and supersede the modifications above.

Very Weak Party: Decrease his AC by 3 and reduce his hit points by 40. Decrease his to hit by 3 and all of his damage by an additional 5 from the modifications in the text, minimum 1 damage. He does not have access to dominate monster or mind blast.
Weak Party: Decrease his AC by 2 and reduce his hit points by 30. Decrease his to hit by 2 and all of his damage by an additional 5 from the modifications in the text, minimum 1 damage. His mind blast only recharges on a 6 and he cannot cast dominate monster.
Strong Party: Reduce his hit points by 10. Decrease his to hit by 1 and his saving throws by 1. Increase all of his damage by 5 from the modifications in the text. His mind blast only recharges on a 6.
Very Strong Party: He is a Large mind flayer with no modifications.

Aftermath

If the young girl is rescued, she is bruised and frightened by very grateful to be freed. The payers return to the entered where they entered through the portal. They appear back in the room where they started. The girl is gone…

Experience

The minimum total award for each character participating in this adventure is 900 experience points.

The maximum total award (for a party of five 3rd-level characters) for each character participating in this adventure is 1,200 experience points.