TEXT: A
  TARTARUS
  TARTARUS
  journey into the underworld
  journey into the underworld
  a 12th level adventure 
  by elise cretel
  a 12th level adventure 
  by elise cretel
  
  1
  Credits
  Producer and Project Lead
  Elise Cretel
  Writer
  Elise Cretel
  Editors
  Scott Blake
  Justyn Johnston
  Cartography
  Fernando Salvaterra
  Cover Artist
  Lessie Nieves-Paugh
  Interior Artists
  Jacob E Blackmon, Griffin Ess, Shiah IrgangLaden, 
  Sandy Jacobs-Tolle, Tom Perkins, Dean Spencer,  
  Kim WR, additional art by Jacob E Blackmon
  Layout
  Chris Hopper
  Playtesters
  Tristan Archambault, Juno Baker, Matej Budimir, 
  Joshua Graves, Griffin Ess, Azra Hawthorne, 
  Allison Huffman, Justyn Johnston, Anthony Paul
  Legal
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon 
  ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are 
  trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.
  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material 
  is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other 
  original material in this work is copyright 2020-2021 by Elise Cretel and published under the Community 
  Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  TARTARUS
  TARTARUS
  journey into the underworld
  journey into the underworld
  A Note from the Author
  Some of my earliest memories were sitting in 
  our family library going through my mom’s large 
  books featuring antiques and history. Each book 
  was full of glossy pictures of unusual and beautiful 
  treasures that once belonged to people of 
  another time. These books took me on a journey 
  to a world beyond the creaking old farmhouse of 
  my childhood.  
      Since then I have enjoyed reading history to 
  uncover the mysteries of humankind. I am thrilled 
  to have the freedom to mix mythology and 
  Dungeons & Dragons on the same page and to 
  write new mythologies for some of humankind’s 
  most legendary deities. These characters have 
  been kept alive over time through books, theater, 
  and even older editions of D&D allowing newer 
  generations to enjoy their ancient mysteries. 
  Elise Cretel
  Producer and Project Lead
  @DNDElise on Twitter
  
  2
  Introduction
  Strands of Persephone’s long, dark hair dance near 
  her face as she looks out toward the setting sun. 
  Tall grasses glow as the sun sinks into the earth’s 
  horizon. Demeter places a hand on her daughter’s 
  shoulder as she approaches. “Your time here is 
  quickly coming to an end this season.” Persephone 
  runs her hand over the new life within. She takes in 
  a deep breath filled with late summer jasmine as her 
  mother continues. “The goddesses have sent you a 
  celestial blessing. What will you do about...Hades?”
  Running this Adventure
  Tartarus is a Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition 
  one-shot adventure set in the Greek underworld of 
  Hades and Tartarus. This adventure is optimized 
  for four to six players at level 12. 
      This adventure has been written for the Dungeon 
  Master. You will need the following D&D 5th edition 
  titles in order to play this adventure: Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, Monster Manual, Mordenkainen’s 
  Tome of Foes, and Player’s Handbook. Monsters 
  printed in bold in the text can be found in the 
  Monster Manual or Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. 
  All other monsters can be found in Appendix A of 
  this adventure. 
      Spells or magic items referenced in 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster 
  Manual, or the Player’s Handbook will 
  be written in italics. All other magic 
  items can be found in Appendix 
  B of this adventure. 
  Text appearing in a box text 
  like this should be read 
  aloud or paraphrased when 
  players enter that area unless 
  directed to read it after a 
  different cue.
  Tartarus
  E
  very city has its own unique 
  mythology of Persephone. A lost 
  tale describes a virgin goddess who 
  was kidnapped and taken to the 
  underworld (Hades). She took the 
  crown of the underworld for herself 
  in reparation for the misdeed against her. Her captor 
  was devoured and all of the children of Persephone 
  were blessings from the goddesses themselves. 
  Prisoner of Hades
  Like a perfect day in Elysium, insects hum as the 
  warm breeze sends waves through oceans of grass 
  and wildflowers. Persephone peacefully enjoys the 
  sun on her skin as the butterflies move through the 
  wildflowers. Persephone, daughter of a powerful 
  goddess, is the symbol of spring’s flourishing flora.
      Persephone sits in the grass reading. The oceans 
  of tall grasses gently rustle as the story fills her 
  imagination. A branch snaps nearby and a grey hand 
  forcefully grabs her by the arm. With a snap of the 
  intruder’s fingers, the earth trembles and rips open 
  below them. Stones and debris rain down into the 
  crevice and the intruder jumps into the darkness 
  below, pulling Persephone down into the 
  bottomless void. Within moments, the earth 
  closes up without a trace of the portal opening. 
  The field of perfect grasses and fond memories, 
  now completely empty.
  Plan for Escape
  Persephone’s repeated rejections of 
  Hades left him with no alternative but to 
  abduct her to be his bride. Coercing her 
  into eating the seeds of the pomegranate, 
  Hades forever bound her to the plane of 
  the dead. Persephone’s sudden absence 
  from the Material Plane caused the plants 
  there to wither and die. Many in the Material 
  Plane went hungry and protested in great 
  numbers at temples for the return of the 
  
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  goddess and their harvests. Persephone’s mother, 
  Demeter, along with other deities, demanded her 
  safe return in order to bring back the life that once 
  flourished on the Material Plane.
      Hades struck a deal. Persephone must stay in 
  the underworld for six months and could return to 
  the Material Plane during the other half of the year. 
  Since then, the first blossoms of spring have been 
  the symbol of her return from the underworld. 
      During her most recent visit to the Material 
  Plane, the goddesses blessed the virgin Persephone 
  with a child. Persephone fears her daughter would 
  be imprisoned in the underworld upon her annual 
  return as Hades does not like anyone leaving.
      Upon her next return to the Underworld, 
  Persephone seeks the help of her friends Kampe 
  and Hekate. They plan to break free of Hades’s rule 
  and permanently trap him with the fallen Titans in 
  Tartarus. An ancient ritual requiring the blood of 
  mortals is planned so they can finally be rid of him.
      Once Hades is disposed of, Persephone seeks to 
  take his throne as ruler of the underworld, allowing 
  her daughter to enjoy the freedom of the realm of 
  the living as she once had.
  Tartarus
  Underworld, chaotic evil
  There are three planes of the underworld: Asphodel 
  Fields, Elysium, and Tartarus. Tartarus is the least 
  favorable of the underworld planes. It is latticed 
  with lava flows and a river of fire meanders through 
  the plane. Unbearable heat radiates from obsidian 
  cavern floors of the realm that houses some of the 
  most ferocious creatures of the afterlife.
  Hades
  Underworld, neutral
  Hades is the realm of the dead, ruled by Persephone 
  and Hades. No sunlight shines in Hades, only the 
  subtle glow of stones studding the caverns pierces 
  through the darkness. Strange vegetation covers the 
  landscape of the realm of the dead. 
  Persephone
  Persephone is the queen of the underworld and 
  symbol of spring. She is forced to spend part of the 
  year in the underworld after being abducted and 
  tricked by Hades. Every year she returns from the 
  underworld to usher in spring and rebirth to the world.
  Roleplaying Persephone
  Persephone spends her time in her garden sanctuary 
  in the underworld when she is not hearing petitions 
  of recently deceased mortals. She always carries 
  a book with her and can be seen sitting in her 
  garden reading. 
      She tries her best to avoid Hades unless they 
  need to communicate something important. She is 
  very compassionate, especially when compared to 
  Hades’s cruel nature. She also finds honesty a virtue. 
      When speaking to Persphone, she has a calm 
  otherworldly air about her. She takes the time to 
  kindly listen.
  
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  Kampe
  A fiery woman who is part dragon and capable of 
  shape-changing into a woman. She is close friends 
  with Persephone. Her duty in the underworld is to 
  guard the imprisoned creatures of Tartarus.
  Roleplaying Kampe
  Kampe spends her time patrolling Tartarus, ensuring 
  those imprisoned there do not escape. She likes to 
  travel to Hades to see Persephone and Hekate and 
  play cards and dice together. She is a woman of few 
  words, and she is a fierce defender of her friends.
      Kampe is a strong woman who has little patience 
  for small talk. She likes to get straight to the point 
  when she speaks with others. She is very loyal to her 
  underworld friends and has excellent follow-through 
  when given a task. 
  Hekate
  Hekate represents magic, traveling between planes, 
  ghosts, and herbalism. She is allowed to travel to 
  and from the underworld as she pleases and is 
  protective of Persephone.
  Roleplaying Hekate
  Hekate spends her time in the underworld studying 
  lost arcane tomes and practicing magic. She is an 
  expert of the arcane arts and those in the underworld 
  regularly seek her guidance on the subject. 
      Hekate is a generous teacher and has a calm, 
  soothing voice when speaking to others. She tends 
  to watch the room and is cautious when speaking 
  to strangers. 
  Hades
  Hades is considered the ruler of the underworld and 
  rarely leaves his domain. He is known to become 
  angry if anyone tries to escape the underworld or 
  cheat death.
  Roleplaying Hades
  Hades spends much of his time managing the 
  underworld and listening to the petitions of the dead. 
  He lacks empathy and can resort to cruelty. 
     Hades has the propensity to choose violence over 
  diplomacy. He is short-tempered and often verbally 
  spars with others. He believes himself to be superior 
  to all mortals, and most deities, leading him to think 
  he is always right. Hades does not care for anyone 
  who disagrees with him.
  
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  A
  lcyonian lake glistens in the sun 
  as reeds gently rustle in the breeze. 
  A large stone bluff juts out of the 
  earth behind the lake. Its crystal 
  clear waters invite you to its depths. 
      This lake is one of the few portals 
  leading to the underworld, Tartarus. Characters are 
  lured into the portal by Hekate who is disguised as 
  an old man in need of aid. 
  1. Alcyonian Lake
  The waters glitter in the warm sun as an elderly 
  man walks up and down the bank. A simple, 
  tattered hood is pulled over his head to protect 
  him from the sun’s scorching aura. He occasionally 
  stops and gingerly tries to step into the water, 
  poking around with his walking stick only to turn 
  around to try another spot. A small wooden boat 
  rests on the shore, gently rocking in the water.
      The old man asks the party to help retrieve his gold 
  pouch which slipped into the water while he was in his 
  boat. The water is crystal clear and a glint of gold can 
  be seen sparkling 30 feet below the ripples. 
      Development. If the gold is retrieved and handed to 
  the old man, he pulls down his hood to reveal a young 
  woman with long brown hair. She thanks the party and 
  hands the dripping leather bag to the nearest party 
  member, telling the party they need it for the journey. 
  She asks the party to come quick and follow her, the 
  goddess needs their help. Without hesitation, she 
  dives into the water and swims toward a cave opening 
  beneath the water and disappears.
      If the party decides to steal from the bag or not 
  return it, the old man approaches them and ask why 
  they took it before requesting its return. If they refuse 
  to give the old man the bag, he tells them that such 
  deeds guarantee them a long stay in his domain. The 
  old man turns into Kampe’s true form, an adult brass 
  dragon with the torso of a woman. Kampe tells them 
  their help is needed and demand they follow. If the 
  party refuses, Kampe attacks. If Kampe loses more 
  than half of her HP, she curses the party and dives 
  into the water, disappearing into the underwater cave 
  in the depths of the lake.
  Adventure Locations
  Random Encounters 
  The underworld is a dangerous place for adventures. 
  Anytime the characters take a long or short rest 
  in any area of the underworld, with the exception 
  of area 12, there is a chance they face a random 
  encounter. Check for a random encounter every 
  30 minutes while characters take a long or short 
  rest in the underworld. Also check for random 
  encounters if the party enters an unoccupied area of 
  the underworld. If Persephone’s quest is completed, 
  random encounters no longer appear.
      To determine whether or not a random encounters 
  occur, roll a d20. No random encounter occurs 
  on a result below 15. On a 15 or higher, roll a d10 
  and use the table below to determine the nature of 
  the encounter.
  Tartarus Random Encounter Table
  d10
  Encounter
  1
  Cerberus (gray render)
  2
  3 Allips
  3
  1 boneclaw 
  4
  2 deathlock masterminds
  5
  2 trinkets
  6
  Nest of three mysterious monster(couatl) eggs
  7
  1 young red shadow dragon
  8
  Loud groans and screams of hundreds of dead 
  can be heard from an unknown source. 
  9
  1 narzugon
  10
  A group of transparent commoners walk by. They 
  cannot hear you and your hand passes through 
  them like air if you attempt to touch them. 
  
  7
  
  8
       If the party ignores the dragon and leaves, Kampe 
  is unhappy and curses the party.  
     Kampe’s Curse. During the next three long or short 
  rests, the party’s rest is interrupted with an angry 
  adult dragon encounter. They do not gain the benefits 
  of the rest. The type of adult dragon is the Dungeon 
  Master’s choice. 
     Leather Bag. This bag contains 50 gp. Each gold 
  coin bearing the profile of a woman and is labeled 
  ‘Hypatia.’ The wet leather bag also contains silver 
  rings of waterbreathing engraved with dolphins and 
  encrusted with blue aquamarine stones. (There are 
  enough rings for the whole party.)
  2. Gate to Tartarus
  If characters enter the underwater cavern by 
  swimming, read:
  Water engulfs your senses as you pass into the 
  underwater cave. Air bubbles rush past as you swim 
  into darkness. Suddenly, you feel a current and then 
  gravity take hold as you tumble down a waterfall and 
  splash into a large, underground lake.
      The room is dark, and a waterfall creates mist in the 
  hot cavern. Shards of broken clay jars litter the floor 
  around the lake. There is a large statue of Thanatos 
  towering over a massive anvil that has smashed into 
  the basalt floor. Cracks spider across the floor from 
  the fall long ago. Note: The portal leading into this 
  area is a one way passage and any attempt to travel 
  out through it causes the player to be plunged into the 
  underground lake where they first entered.
      Anyone who investigates the bottom of the lake, 
  succeeding with a DC 13 Investigation (Intelligence) 
  check, finds a large, heavy clay jar among the fish 
  skeletons, tortoise shells, stones, and mud.
       Statue of Thanatos. Anyone making a successful 
  DC 15 Religion (Intelligence) check knows that 
  Thanatos is a deity who symbolizes death. A 
  successful DC 14 Investigation (Intelligence) check 
  reveals a golden dog statue (25 gp) tucked near 
  the foot of the statue. 
      Clay Vessel. Opening the 
  seal or breaking this heavy, clay 
  vessel requires a successful DC 
  16 Strength check. The clay vessel 
  contains 10 gold coins bearing the 
  profile of a woman and labeled 
  ‘Hypatia’, a rusty dagger, and a golden 
  armband inlaid with emeralds (500 gp). 
  
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  3. Underworld Entrance
  Brittle shards of shiny, black basalt crack as 
  they are crushed underfoot. The path leads into 
  complete darkness, into the center of the world. 
  An uncomfortable silence, paired with the absence 
  of any light, gives you a sense of disorientation as 
  a woman’s voice calls to you in a whisper through 
  the darkness.
      Mythal. This cavern is completely dark and 
  protected by a powerful mythal rendering any light 
  source (chemical or magical) useless. This mythal 
  also renders characters with any form of darkvision 
  unable to see and makes them feel suffocated by the 
  void-like nature of the cavern. If characters move in 
  any direction besides following the voice, they are 
  unable to find an endpoint in the room. No matter 
  how far they wander, they don’t seem to be moving 
  farther away from the group due to the mythal. 
  Everyone must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving 
  throw or be struck with the fear condition and a 
  sense of being outside of their body for one hour. 
      A whispering voice fills the air, asking the 
  adventurers to follow it. A successful DC 13 
  Perception (Wisdom) check allows party members to 
  recognize the voice as that of the woman at the lake, 
  provided she communicated with them in either her 
  female human or dragon form. Following the voice 
  leads the party to area 4.
  4. The Phlegethon River
  A boatman appears from the river of fire and the 
  large vessel scrapes against the craggy basalt as it 
  docks. The unwashed, hooded man towers over the 
  party and silently holds out his hand. The fire twists 
  into the air off of his shabby, black robes leaving 
  the boatsman untouched.
  If Kampe is still alive, she steps out of the flames 
  of the river and asks the party to travel by boat to 
  Hades. The goddess needs to speak to them. She 
  slips back into the river of fire unscathed. 
      Development. Charan (boneclaw, neutral 
  alignment), the boatman, stands 10 feet tall and 
  guards the entrance to the wooden boat. If the players 
  hand him any type of gold coin, he allows them 
  onto the boat. 
      Once everyone has paid the boatman’s toll of 1 gp 
  each, Charan picks up a massive oar and begins to 
  navigate the river of fire until he breaches another 
  shore (area 5).
      River of Fire. The heat of the fire is overbearing and 
  causes passengers to sweat profusely unless they have 
  immunity or resistance to fire. If anyone touches the 
  magical fire, it causes intense pain, but no damage.   
       Anyone who gets into the river of fire sinks into 
  its depths and their hp immediately drops to zero 
  as the underworld pulls them in. If they die, they 
  appear before the boat as a hideous creature and 
  utilizes the hungry stat block for their character 
  unless they convince Persephone to remove the 
  curse with a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check. Successfully completing the quest given by 
  Persephone removes the curse as part of her reward. 
  Note: if the player still has the hungry stat block after 
  this adventure, the DM may craft a quest to remove 
  this curse. 
  
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  5. Gate to Hades
  The flames begin to thin as the boat breaches 
  a sandy bank, bending the reeds as it comes 
  to a halt. The dim green and blue haze of the 
  plane of Hades fills everyone’s vision. The thick, 
  humid air feels cool on the skin after stepping 
  ashore and moving away from the fiery river. A 
  verdant underground garden of strange purple 
  and colorful plants appears through the reeds. A 
  woman’s voice quietly summons.
      Persephone’s (solar) hushed voice summons the 
  group into a small meadow surrounded by dense, 
  fragrant flowering bushes blooming in purples and 
  blues. Gems studding the vaulted ceiling emanate 
  a strange, dim light that fills the area. Persephone 
  stands by her friend Hekate, and tells the group she 
  has come back to Hades early and she needs the help 
  of mortals. She tells her story of Hades abducting her 
  and forcing her to be his wife. During her last visit to 
  the Material Plane, the goddesses blessed her with a 
  child. The oracles have claimed it is a daughter, who 
  is fated to be the goddess of female empowerment. 
  Persephone wants to free herself and her future 
  daughter from their captor, Hades, by imprisoning 
  him with the fallen Titans in Tartarus. 
      She gives the party a map with three landmarks that 
  need to be touched with the blood of three different 
  mortals. She tells the party the landmarks may need to 
  be manipulated in order to trigger the ritual her friend 
  Hekate executes on the platform above the fallen 
  Titans. She says, once the blood of mortals has been 
  sacrificed in all three locations, to meet back with her 
  and stop anything from disrupting the ritual. Hekate 
  signals her to summon Hades. She tells the group she 
  plans to give Hades a cursed ring. 
      Development. If the party accepts Persephone’s 
  quest, she hands them a bag of treasure. She explains 
  they must draw blood with the ritual dagger but that 
  she must stay so as to not alert Hades that anything 
  is amiss. She hurries Hekate and the party back to 
  Charan and the boat. She hands Charan a bag of 
  gold coins to pay for everyone’s ride back to Tartarus 
  and quickly disappears into the foliage. The boat 
  leads to area 6.
      Bag of Treasure. Inside is a silver ritual dagger, three 
  vials of Persephone’s ointment (see Appendix B), 100 
  gp, and six 50 gp obsidian stones. 
  6. The Chamber of Fallen Titans
  A crumbling, jagged path winds along a vast 
  cylindrical cavern. Below lies the petrified bodies 
  of the Titans, banished eons ago. Their fallen 
  bodies, like small hills within the massive chamber.
       Charan stops the boat against the smooth 
  obsidian rock. Hekate leaves the vessel after 
  placing a steadying hand on the cavern wall. She 
  nods at Kampe who has appeared from the river of 
  fire in her half-dragon form. Kampe crawls down 
  into the massive pit full of petrified, fallen Titans in 
  preparation of the ritual. 
     Hekate grasps the ring box tightly and tells 
  the party that she climbs the stairs that lead to a 
  platform above the Titans with a gift for Hades, 
  a ring secretly blessed by Hypnos. She points to 
  a chamber (area 8) and tells the party to take the 
  knife and to start the ritual. She says they will see a 
  sign if they have completed one of the steps in the 
  ritual correctly. She directs the party to come back 
  to this area to aid them once the ritual is complete. 
      Dungeon Gate. Area 7.1 can be seen between the 
  bars of this massive gate.
  
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      The Ritual. The ritual is successfully completed 
  when the party members complete all of the 
  following tasks in unison: use a bloodied hand to 
  pick up Athena’s sword, hold Demeter’s torch, and 
  shoot the east stag tile. When the ritual is complete, 
  Hekate’s voice booms in the greeting of Hades and 
  Persephone from the Chamber of the Fallen Titans. 
      When the party enters the chamber after the cue, 
  they see Persephone open a box containing the 
  blessed ring. She offers the gift to Hades. When 
  he puts the ring on his finger, he immediately 
  falls asleep; Kampe catches the god’s falling body 
  and drags it down to the Titans. Hekate opens 
  her satchel as she and Persephone quickly set 
  up the ritual symbols, and then hold hands and 
  begin chanting. 
      A powerful wind begins to cyclone in the 
  chamber as the weave begins to open. Electricity 
  crackles through the air as one of the petrified 
  Titans begins to animate. It reaches for Hades with 
  a desire to swallow him whole as Kampe bounds 
  off. Hades is too powerful and is able to wake up 
  from the spell in a fury. 
      Hades’s roar fills the chamber and his hound, 
  Cerberus (gray render), enters and begins to 
  howl as the Titan stumbles and falls back into the 
  stone wall. Its fall breaks open the holding cell 
  of the Cyclops (stone giant) and Hecatoncheires 
  (fire giant). Both of the freed creatures smell the 
  mortals and immediately pursue the party to attack 
  them. Cerebus races towards the mortals to join 
  the fight. The wind stops as the ritual ends. The 
  deities believe the mortal heroes can handle the 
  encounter, so the three of them watch from the 
  platform above. 
      Hades attempts to remove the ring, but 
  something is wrong. Hades begins to transform 
  into a hideous monster with tentacles (balhannoth). 
  The creature begins crawling the walls, ready to 
  strike. Hekate can be seen on the platform with a 
  triumphant smile. Her outstretched finger pointing 
  at the balhannoth then reaches back into her 
  component pouch. 
      Development. If Hades is destroyed or 
  imprisoned, Persephone claims the power of the 
  underworld. She gifts the characters with a large 
  chest of treasure and removes the curse of anyone 
  who became afflicted with the hunger stat block. 
      Chest. The chest contains three potions of superior 
  healing and 500 pearls (3,000 gp).
      Hekate then leads the party to area 14. With a 
  wave of her hand and a secret command word, 
  she opens a portal deep within the drop off 
  and instructs party members to jump into the 
  bottomless pit to return to area 1. When jumping 
  into the void, each member free falls for a few 
  minutes before passing through a watery portal 
  created by Hekate. They appear in the entrance of 
  the underwater cave in Lake Alcyonian, unharmed. 
  When they swim up for air, they notice a silver coin 
  under their tongue with the symbol of Thanatos, 
  reaching the conclusion of this adventure. Note: 
  Anyone who has eaten the pomegranate seeds, 
  found in area 7.3, will not be able to enter the pit. 
  An invisible magical barrier prevents them from 
  passing through. They have to find a way to escape 
  the underworld. 
  
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  7.1 The Dungeon
  Heavy footsteps slap across the stone floor, and 
  the ground shakes as a cyclops sits on the floor. 
  Creatures within the prison grunt and mumble as 
  they move stones within their dungeon.
      This cavern is blocked by a heavy, adamantine 
  portcullis that has been permanently sealed shut 
  with molten iron by the god Hephaestus. Inside 
  are the Cyclops (stone giant) and Hecatoncheires 
  (fire giant) monsters which Kampe has been 
  tasked to guard.
      Gravel and hay is gathered in the corners 
  of the stone floor. If anyone investigates 
  the piles of hay, they discover three 
  small circles carved out of the floor. 
  The small bronze statues of the 
  Fates fit in these circles. If all 
  three statues are placed into the 
  slots on the floor, part of the 
  solid stone wall begins to lower 
  to reveal a small makeshift study 
  behind the dungeon.
  7.2 The Study
  Cobwebs hang low from the ceiling of 
  the long lost study. Crumbling books 
  and scrolls line a small bookcase. 
  A lone candle sits on the desk, 
  covered with time.
      On the desk is a Potion of 
  Diminution. A successful DC 15 
  Investigation (Intelligence) check 
  of the bookshelf of crumbling 
  books reveal an immovable rod and pipes of sewers, 
  among the debris. A successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check of the floor reveals a large, 
  removable brick at floor level. Anyone who peers 
  into the space sees a very small, dark room with a 
  shiny object about 10 feet away inside. 
  7.3 The Tiny Hideaway
  If anyone is small enough to enter this room, they 
  discover 10gp and pomegranate seeds 15 feet into 
  the room. If anyone eats these seeds, they are 
  unable to leave the underworld. Persephone can 
  remove this curse if the players complete her quest 
  and either earn the reward or make a successful DC 
  18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. 
  8. Cavern of Athena
  The statue of Athena looms as heat waves billow 
  from the cavern floors. A silver longsword lies in 
  her muscular, outstretched hands as her marble 
  robes elegantly sweep the floor, frozen in time. 
  The intense heat of a lava lake pours into the 
  cavern from a long-disintegrated basalt wall to the 
  north of the chamber.
      Sharp shards of basalt stones and boulders litter 
  the area where the wall once stood. The intense 
  heat causes thirst in the party and everyone must 
  make a successful DC 14 Constitution saving throw. 
  On a failed save, players must drink water, or any 
  non-alcoholic beverage, or take 2d12 fire damage.
      Loose Brick. Those who make a DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check near the wall 
  discover a loose brick in the wall. If the brick is 
  pulled out, players find a small bronze statue 
  of the Fate named Clotho. 
      Statue of Athena. Athena holds out a silver 
  longsword in her extended hands. If the party 
  lifts the sword with a bloodied hand, the sound 
  of an arcane mechanism being triggered echoes 
  through the chamber. 
      Pottery and Broken Pots. Anyone making a 
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check discovers a 500 gp topaz and 20 
  copper pieces. On a failed check, they find 
  3 copper pieces.
  
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  9. Lava Chamber
  Heat radiates as a flow of lava pours down a 
  cavern wall into a magma pool. Giant steam 
  and magma mephits stalk the cavern around 
  large boulders.
     One giant steam mephit and giant magma 
  mephit (see Appendix A for both) find a home in 
  this cavern. They attack any creature they notice 
  entering the area. 
  10. Cavern of Artemis
  A statue of Artemis stands tall with her eye and 
  drawn bow focused on an unseen target. Steam 
  rises from the cracks of the basalt in the floors as 
  stone creaks and groans in the expanding heat.
      The heat in this room is so intense that 
  characters must make a DC 17 Constitution saving 
  throw.  On a failed save, characters take 3d6 fire 
  damage, and half damage on a success. 
      
  Stag Tiles. There is a stag tile on the north, 
  west, south, and east walls. A successful DC 13 
  Perception check reveals that Artemis’s bow is 
  pointed at the east tile.
      If a party member with a bloodied hand attacks 
  the stag tile (AC 15) with a spell or ranged attack on 
  the east wall, the chamber echoes with the sound of 
  an arcane mechanism being triggered. 
  11. Empty Chamber
  Steam rises from the cracks in the walls. The 
  remains of old pottery lies shattered across the 
  floor. The dim glow of small magma pools gently 
  illuminates a set of levers.
      Levers. There are three levers on the wall. Pulling 
  them causes the following effects:
  • Lever 1: A hostile titivilus appears.
  • Lever 2: Opens a secret door that leads to the 
  Chamber of Fallen Titans (area 6).
  • Lever 3: A hidden stone in the wall moves to 
  reveal a small shelf with a leather bag. Inside the 
  bag are the following material components: a 
  glass eye, a vial of unholy water, a sulfur stone, a 
  clay pot of grave dirt, and an onyx stone. 
  
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  12. Sanctuary of Nyx
  The ceiling swirls with an ethereal night sky full 
  of stars. Ancient stone pillars surround an altar 
  of the night. The cavern walls glow with a subtle 
  purple from the torch light. The area gives off a 
  peaceful aura.
      This is the sanctuary of the god Nyx. Her name 
  and symbols of the night are carved into a stone 
  altar. The face of the altar has three small, round 
  indentations carved into the stone. This is the only 
  place in this underworld area the party can take an 
  uninterrupted long or short rest. 
  Altar. Placing all three 
  bronze statues of the 
  Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, 
  and Atropos) on the altar 
  causes a wooden chest 
  to appear on the altar. 
  Inside the unlocked chest 
  is the Shield of Artemis 
  (see Appendix B). 
  13. Cavern of Demeter
  The air wavers from the intense heat of the 
  chamber. A marble statue of a tall, confident 
  woman carrying grain is illuminated in 
  the fiery room.
      The floor of this room is cracked and releases 
  gases that cause the floor to be on fire. Anyone 
  stepping into this area must make a DC 18 Dexterity 
  saving throw. On a failed save, the character takes 
  2d10 fire damage, and half damage on a success. 
  The saving throw must be repeated for each minute 
  they remain standing on the fiery floor. 
      Clay jars. A successful DC 12 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check of the clay jars reveals five 
  copper pieces and a small, bronze statue of the Fate 
  named Lachesis.
      Statue of Demeter. Demeter holds grain in the 
  crook of her arm and a torch with a magical fire. If 
  the torch is lifted with a bloodied hand, this triggers 
  the arcane mechanism. The sound of the trigger 
  echoes through the chamber loudly. 
  14. The Drop Off
  The deafening wailing of the dead fills your ears. A 
  cold, damp wind comes up from a bottomless pit 
  that takes up the majority of the chamber. Only 
  a small, one-foot ledge wraps around this void in 
  the ground from which the cries emanate.
      Anyone who walks along the small perimeter 
  walkway must make a successful DC 16 Wisdom 
  saving throw or be struck with the fear condition. 
     Stone Shelf. Across the room is a stone shelf on 
  the wall, 10 ft. high. On the shelf is a bronze statue 
  of the Fate Atropos.
     
  
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  Shield Mount. Placing the Shield of Artemis, found 
  in area 14, activates a portal down in the pit. When 
  activated, the portal swirls with flickering light as a 
  crackling sound fills the chamber. This portal leads 
  back to area 1. 
      Note: If anyone jumps or falls into the void 
  before Hekate opens the portal, or the portal is 
  activated by the shield mount, they land in the lake 
  at the Gate to Tartarus. They have to pay Charan 
  to return to the Cavern of the Fallen Titans. If any 
  of the removable statue items falls into this portal, 
  they reappear with the original statue and the 
  trigger needs to be reactivated. 
  Endings
  The portal in the lake remains active until the 
  characters complete Persephone’s quest. Once they 
  have exited the underworld via Hekate’s portal, an 
  earthquake strikes. The earth trembles and rocks 
  fall into the opening of the underground cave, 
  sealing the portal off entirely. 
  Hades is defeated
  If Hades is defeated, or exiled from the underworld, 
  Persephone attends a grand coronation where 
  she is crowned as the sole ruler of the entire 
  underworld. She continues to travel to the 
  Material Plane each spring, returning to the 
  underworld each fall. 
    Random encounters no longer appear in the 
  underworld. 
  Hades Prevents his 
  Overthrow
  If Hades is not defeated, the following occur: 
  • Hades remains ruler and large pools of magma 
  begin to form throughout the underworld. Every 
  10 minutes, characters need to make a successful 
  DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 2d12 fire 
  damage. 
  • With a point of his finger, Hades creates a great 
  stone prison and imprisons Hekate, Persephone, 
  and Kampe inside for a year.  Spring will not 
  return to the Material Plane, creating a year-long 
  winter and great famine. 
  • To escape the underworld, the characters must 
  use the Shield of Artemis (see Appendix B) found 
  in area 12 to activate the portal in area 14. 
  When the characters escape the underworld, they 
  may advance a level. 
  
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  Appendix A: 
  Monsters
  Tartarus contains some unique and terrifying 
  creatures. New monsters referenced in this 
  adventure are described in this appendix. 
  Giant Magma Mephit
  Large elemental, neutral evil
  Armor Class 15
  Hit points 215 (21d10+100)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4)
  20 (+5)
  20 (+5)
  10 (+0)
  16 (+3)
  18 (+4)
  Skills Stealth +9
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 13
  Languages Ignan, Terran
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Lethal Burst. When the mephit dies, it will erupt in a 
  massive cloud of steam. All creatures in a 20-ft radius 
  must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or 
  take 36(8d8) fire damage. 
  Innate Spellcasting. This mephit can cast the following 
  spells innately (spell save DC 18) and its spell casting 
  ability is Charisma: investiture of flame
  Actions
  Hurl Magma. A mass of magma can be hurled up to 
  100 feet. Target must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the target takes 71 (13d10) 
  fire damage and is paralyzed by hardened magma. On a 
  success, the target only takes half damage. 
  Magma Blast (Recharge 6). A 30-foot cone of magma 
  is exhaled by the giant magma mephit. Creatures in this 
  area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a 
  failed save the creature takes 44 (8d10) fire damage 
  and the creature is petrified and encased in cooled 
  basalt. On a successful save, the creature only takes 
  half damage. 
  Magma Geyser. A magma geyser erupts from the 
  ground and rises up to 50 ft into the air. Anyone within 
  five feet of the geyser must make a DC 16 Dexterity 
  saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 45 
  (10d8) fire damage, and half damage on a success. 
  Giant Steam Mephit
  Large elemental, neutral evil
  Armor Class 14
  Hit points 205 (21d10+90)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  12 (+1)
  22 (+6)
  20 (+5)
  16 (+3)
  16 (+3)
  18 (+4)
  Skills Stealth +10
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 13
  Languages Aquan, Ignan
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Lethal Burst. When the mephit dies, it will erupt in a 
  massive cloud of steam. All creatures in a 20-ft radius 
  must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or 
  take 36(8d8) fire damage. 
  Innate Spellcasting. This mephit can cast the following 
  spells innately (spell save DC 19) and its spell casting 
  ability is Charisma: gust
  Actions
  Steam Swipe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d8+1) slashing damage.
  Steam Blast (Recharge 6). A 40-foot cone of steam is 
  exhaled by the giant steam mephit. Creatures in this area 
  must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed 
  save the creature takes 66 (12d10) fire damage or half 
  that damage on a successful save. 
  Steam Geyser. A steam geyser erupts from the ground 
  that rises up to 50 ft into the air. Anyone within 5 feet of 
  the geyser must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On 
  a failed save, the creature takes 45 (10d8) fire damage, 
  and half damage on a success. 
  
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  Appendix B: 
  Treasures
  Deep in the underworld of Tartarus, ancient 
  treasures are hidden throughout this realm. New 
  treasures in this adventure are described below. 
  Persephone’s Ointment
  Wondrous item, rare 
  This red glittering ointment closes the deepest of 
  wounds. When applying the ointment, you regain 
  12d4+10 hit points. This ointment also grants 
  10 temporary hit points when applied. Each vial 
  contains one application. 
  Shield of Artemis
  Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)
  This silver shield is perfectly polished and bears the 
  symbol of Artemis, goddess of the hunt.
      While holding this shield, you have advantage 
  on attacks with one-handed weapons. Spell attacks 
  targeting only you are made with disadvantage. 
  ©Dean Spencer
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Tartarus.pdf