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  At Death’s Door 
  A dangerous delve into the depths of the dwelling of the deity of death. 
   
   
   
  Episode 10 of Convergence Manifesto 
   
  An Across Eberron Adventure 
   
  CREDITS 
   
  Writer: Patrick Dunning 
   
  Editors: Will Brolley, Wayne Chang, Laura Hirsbrunner 
  Executive Producer: Keith Baker 
   
  Cover Art & Design: Kristóf Köteles, Laura Hirsbrunner 
  Interior Art: Kristóf Köteles 
  Maps: Patrick Dunning 
  Layout: Laura Hirsbrunner, Wayne Chang 
   
  Playtesters: Will Brolley, Laura Hirsbrunner, Jessie LeTarte, Colin Marriott, Jarrod Taylor 
   
  Special thanks to Keith for creating this world, Laura for convincing me to join this 
  journey Across Eberron, and Joseph Meehan for lending me The Broker. 
   
  Published by Across Eberron, an Eberron community project. 
   
   
   
  Disclaimer: The Across Eberron editors are not responsible for lethargy, loss of appetite, ennui, loss of self, apathy, existential crises, depression, loss of soul, or death that might occur 
  during or due to this adventure. At Death's Door is not for everyone, so consult your preferred higher power to see if At Death's Door is right for you. 
   
  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 by Across Eberron and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
   
   
  
   
  2 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
  Welcome to At Death’s Door, episode 10 of Convergence 
  Manifesto, an Across Eberron adventure path. This adventure is 
  the sequel to AE01-09: Weathering the Storm, available on the 
  Dungeon Masters Guild, using characters and story elements 
  introduced in the previous adventure. This adventure plays best 
  when used in conjunction with either Eberron: Rising from the 
  Last War or the Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron by Keith Baker. 
  DMs and players may also enjoy the easy reference materials 
  provided in Across Eberron’s Eberronicon: A Pocket Guide to 
  the World. 
   At Death’s Door is an adventure designed for five 6th level 
  characters to explore the diversity and themes of the Eberron 
  campaign setting. Players will have a chance to explore the Lair 
  of the Keeper, a location out of legend, said to be the location of 
  that dark god’s well of souls. The heroes are charged with 
  finding an item said to grow only in the manifest zone of 
  Dolurrh there. 
  SUMMARY 
  At Death’s Door is a dungeon crawl that takes place almost 
  entirely in the upper chambers of the Lair of the Keeper. This 
  lair belongs to an ancient dracolich that perhaps styles 
  themselves after the legends of the Keeper, or perhaps even 
  inspired them. This adventure is split into several sections. 
   Stormhome.  The player characters are called to the home 
  city of House Lyrandar to meet with Guild Handler Lhara 
  regarding their quest for an artifact tethered to Dolurrh, the 
  Realm of the Dead.  
   The Descent. Traveling by airship over the horrors of the 
  Demon Wastes, the party descends into a vast canyon to find 
  the Lair of the Keeper.  After agreeing on a pickup point, the 
  party skydives into the hellish landscape and hides to avoid the 
  notice of a would-be god, then explores the surrounding area. 
   The Lair of the Keeper. The bulk of the adventure takes place 
  in the upper chambers of a dracolich’s lair in a manifest zone 
  tied to Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead.  Surviving the horrors of 
  this place is the main challenge of the adventure.  
   The Ghaash’kala. There is one last challenge standing 
  between the players and their escape to the airship.  The orc 
  tribes called the Ghaash’kala consider it their holy duty to 
  protect the rest of the world from the horrors of the Demon 
  Wastes. They will attempt to stop anything from escaping the 
  Wastes, unfortunately including our heroes.  
   
  RUNNING THE ADVENTURE 
  At Death’s Door is an action-packed dungeon crawl intended for 
  five 6th-level characters and designed to take approximately 3-4 
  hours of game time. As the adventure is a dungeon crawl, there 
  are branching paths within the dungeon, so the adventure can 
  either be shortened or extended by the DM if you wish to close 
  off paths within the dungeon to channel the party toward or 
  away from the goal. 
   
  All monster stat blocks needed for encounters in this adventure 
  are contained in Appendix A: Bestiary. A map of the dungeon 
  can be found in Appendix B: Maps. 
   While running the adventure, look out for the following 
  formatting: 
   
  Text like this is intended to be read aloud or paraphrased for your 
  players. 
   
  Sidebars like this contain rules reminders, reveal background 
  Eberron lore, or point you to sources to learn more. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  3 
   
  CAST OF CHARACTERS  
  In At Death's Door, the player characters travel to one of the 
  most desolate places on Khorvaire. These are among the deadly 
  creatures that they may meet. 
  MAJOR CHARACTERS 
  Rabanu (RA-ban-oo). A rakshasa who has plotted for many ages 
  to free the demon Overlord Katashka, the Gatekeeper. He 
  believes that the souls contained in the Lair of the Keeper can 
  be put to better use under his command, bringing him one step 
  closer to ushering in a new Age of Demons. 
   Personality: I don’t let little things like imprisonment and 
  torture get me down, all things are temporary.  
   Ideal: I am pragmatic, mortals dealt with fairly make better 
  catspaws than those dealt with cruelty. 
   Bond:  Fiends are the natural masters of this world, and the 
  natural order must be restored. 
   Flaw: Having all of eternity to enact my plans has made me 
  sloppy.   
   
  Bhrax (BRAX). An imp and familiar to the rakshasa 
  Rabanu.  Since Rabanu’s capture, he has been acting as his 
  master’s eyes on the outside.  Too weak to free him, Bhrax 
  keeps in telepathic contact, watching and waiting. When the 
  party appears he reports to his master about it.  
   Personality: This one is a coward, would rather run or beg 
  than fight. 
   Ideal: This one lives to serve.  
   Bond: The master’s will is stronger than this one, it must obey. 
   Flaw: This one has no pride and will not hesitate to humiliate 
  itself to survive. 
   
  Nora Bawn (NOR-uh BAWN). The ghost of a middle-aged 
  human woman, her residual image appears well dressed in 
  modern Aundarian style.  Trapped within the Lair of the Keeper, 
  she has somehow managed to keep her mind against the 
  entrapping effect of Dolurrh. In life, she was a priestess of the 
  Keeper, and will try to lie to the party to get them to rescue her 
  soul. 
   Personality: I do not let little things like honor, the truth, or 
  basic human decency get in the way of what I want. 
   Ideal: There are two kinds of people, those who exist to be 
  manipulated, and me. 
   Bond: I am the only one who matters. 
   Flaw: I might have chronic backstabbing disorder.  
  Anuul (ah-NEWL). A demon of decay who acts as a physical 
  servant of the dracolich.  Anuul believes that the dracolich is 
  an avatar of the Keeper and literally worships the dracolich.   
   Personality: What I lack in smarts I make up for in 
  enthusiasm.  Mostly for dead rotten things. 
   Ideal: There is beauty in rot. 
   Bond: I am decay, the Keeper is the god of decay, so the 
  Keeper is god of me. 
   Flaw: I am not a smart demon.  
  Sorma (SOR-mah). A twisted, undead abomination that the 
  dracolich created when a foolish mortal found his way to the 
  Lair to swear his undying loyalty to the dracolich.  His mind has 
  been twisted, but he has been commanded to do no harm to 
  those who worship the Keeper. 
   Personality: I do as I am told.  I am only a tool. 
   Ideal: I was a man once, a man! 
   Bond: Literally bound into servitude. 
   Flaw: The only emotion I can feel is hate. 
   
  Devent (DEV-ehnt). An orc paladin of the Ghaash’kala.  He has 
  spent decades protecting the world from the horrors of the 
  Demon Wastes.  Recently, he has had visions of evil flying from 
  the Wastes in a ship in the sky. He will stop that from 
  happening—or die trying.  
  Personality: I am weary, and the decades of hunting evil have 
  taken their toll.  My resolve is firm, but I’m slipping.   
  Ideal: I don’t like killing ignorant fools who made it past us into 
  the Wastes.  It is sad, but necessary. 
  Bond: Kalok Shash and the Ghaash'kala are the only thing 
  standing between the world and destruction.  
  Flaw: I am never swayed by extenuating circumstances.  I 
  cannot be, for the world would suffer if I were. 
   
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
  ACROSS EBERRON CHARACTERS 
  The following characters are recurring characters in the Across 
  Eberron series, though Faurious does not appear directly in this 
  adventure. 
   
  Guild Handler Lhara (LAHR-ah). Lhara is a shifter with white 
  hair streaked with black. Her skin is pale, she has blue eyes, and 
  wears an eyepatch over the left. She holds a middling position 
  of authority within the Clifftop Guild. Lhara is the characters’ 
  handler inside Clifftop and is trying to increase the guild’s 
  coffers and reputation. 
   Personality: I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I 
  never raise my voice or let my emotions control me. 
   Ideal: Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild. The Guild is my home and 
  its members are my family. 
   Bond: I will prove that Clifftop is the best group of skilled 
  troubleshooters and that we can get any job done. 
   Flaw: I am very sarcastic, and it can be difficult for people to 
  tell when I am being serious. 
   
  Provost Nigel Faurious (NIGH-jel FAR-ee-us). The Provost is 
  very focused on his work and is often lost in thought. He seeks 
  to prove his theories on planar bodies and is willing to spend the 
  money required to build his strange device. 
   Personality: I am horribly, horribly awkward in social 
  situations and have little patience for any conversation that 
  doesn’t have to do with my work. 
   Ideal: No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility 
  inherent in all existence. 
   Bond: My life’s work is the study of planar bodies and their 
  effects on Eberron. I must complete my work and be given the 
  recognition I deserve. 
   Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth every coin of my 
  family fortune. 
   
  THE CLIFFTOP ADVENTURERS’ GUILD 
  Eberron, of course, has its share of organizations dedicated to the 
  support and employment of exceptional individuals. Professional 
  adventurers in good standing might be invited to join the Clifftop 
  Adventurers’ Guild (see chapter 1 of Eberron: Rising from the Last 
  War). The Clifftop guild, based in the Clifftop district of Upper Dura, 
  Sharn, was founded one hundred fifty years ago by a dwarf named 
  Shekkal Korranor. The current leader is Sumara Korranor, better 
  known among her charges as Summer. 
  The reputation of the Clifftop guild is well earned, and members 
  are expected to uphold their guild’s virtuous principles. Their long-
  standing rivals from the Deathsgate guild have no such inclinations. 
  
   
  5 
   
  SCENE 1: STORMHOME 
  "It is an established arcane fact that the soul can be drawn on 
  for power. Given this truth, the power contained within Dolurrh 
  must be immeasurable—if only it can be tapped." 
  -fragment of Provost Nigel Faurious’s Convergence Manifesto 
   
  At Death’s Door begins with the assumption that player 
  characters are members of the Clifftop Adventurers' Guild of 
  Sharn, and have previously completed at least one adventure in 
  the Convergence Manifesto series.  Lhara, the party’s contact 
  and handler for the guild, requests that they meet her in the city 
  of Stormhome in the nation of Aundair, the hometown of House 
  Lyrandar.  
   
  After a short respite and recuperation from your last adventure, a 
  letter finds its way to you, bearing the familiar wax seal of the Clifftop 
  Guild.  
   “Yet another job calls for your winter cloaks. If you would be so 
  kind as to meet me in Stormhome, I’ll be staying at the Fair Weather 
  Arms. Our benefactor requests our services once again to retrieve an 
  artifact from a place of myth and legend.  We’re sending you into the 
  Wastes, though I should be able to make arrangements that will let 
  us pass over the worst of it... Enjoy your cruise to Stormhome, 
  because after that it is going to get interesting. 
    — Guild Handler Lhara, Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild.” 
   
  The letter is packaged with several all-expenses paid tickets for 
  first class cabins, first on the lightning rail to Aruldusk in 
  Thrane, then on board a joint House Ghallanda/House Lyrandar 
  riverboat casino that will take the characters the rest of the way 
  up Scion’s Sound toward the island city of Stormhome.  
   
  STORMHOME, ISLAND PARADISE 
  Several hundred years ago, the dragonmarked house of Lyrandar 
  leased a northern barren, cold, rocky island from the Kingdom of 
  Galifar.  With the magic inherent in the mystical Mark of the Storm, 
  they manipulated the weather around the island to turn it into a 
  paradise. The weather is kept perfect, with rain only falling when it is 
  scheduled and given permission to. The oceanic winds are tempered 
  to suit the needs of the residents, so that there is always a fair wind 
  at hand for the massive harbor.  
   Today, the lease agreement continues with the Kingdom of 
  Aundair.  Stormhome is the headquarters of the house, the port of 
  call for the northern Lyrandar shipping fleets, and the home port for 
  their entire airship fleet.  
   The city consists of mostly sailors, longshoremen, and half-elves 
  connected to the house. With its ideal climate opposed to the rest of 
  the northern shores along the Bitter Sea, it has also become a leisure 
  destination for those who can afford the travel, with House Ghallanda 
  operating several resorts within the island city.  
   
   
   
  
   
  6 
   
  The party arrives in Stormhome to see the grand sight of House 
  Lyrandar’s fleet in the sky above. The party will have no 
  difficulty finding the hotel Lhara has booked for her stay while 
  waiting for the party to catch up.  When the party arrives, she 
  takes them aside to a private room. Read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  “I’m glad you were able to make it.  I have something special for you, 
  the stuff of legends,” Lhara smiles and seems genuinely excited 
  about the prospect she has for you.  “I don’t know if you know the 
  stories. In the frozen north of the Demon Wastes there is a scar upon 
  the land, ninety miles long, thirty wide, and no one knows how deep. 
  The Lair of the Keeper.  Legend tells us the Sovereign Lord of Death 
  and Decay himself lives there. His faithful also believe that he does, 
  or at least that his avatar does. Something does. The Keeper’s 
  strongest and most fanatic followers go there once every thirteen 
  years to make offerings to it and seek its blessings. 
   “That’s the only time we know it leaves its lair unguarded, traveling 
  to the rim of the massive canyon to hold court over its worshipers. 
  That’s our way in.  There’s an airship here in Stormhome. Light, fast, 
  uses an air elemental. At night, with no lanterns lit, it’s practically 
  invisible. We fly in. Its captain is crazy enough to take the 
  charter.  We get to avoid all the twisted horrors of the Demon 
  Wastes, the Carrion Tribes, the Ghaash'kala, monsters, and the titular 
  demons. We fly in, you dive into the Lair of the Keeper while it’s 
  out.   
   “There is supposed to be untold wealth down there, but don’t get 
  greedy, I need you focused.  In the first century, the hero Jorna Nuran 
  was said to have gone in to retrieve the soul of her love who was 
  taken by the Keeper.  One of the things she came back with was a 
  Dolurrh-infused Khyber shard shaped like a tuning fork. Said to be 
  within was the voice of the Keeper itself.  According to legend, all 
  she had to do was strike the fork and she could speak to the dead 
  any time she wanted. It was a myth, a legend.  
    “We know the artifact existed, the Provost found copies of a 
  contemporary report from the Arcane Congress about it.  The Voice 
  of the Keeper was destroyed centuries ago during Tira Miron’s 
  crusade.  But the firsthand account the Arcane Congress took from 
  Jorna Nuran herself tells us that it was but one of many in those 
  caves.  She said these fork-shaped shards grew from the walls. You 
  go in, find one, and get out. 
   “So, do you feel up to stealing from a god?” 
  WHAT LHARA KNOWS 
   What is the Keeper?  “God of Death, Decay, and Greed, of 
  course, but I assume you mean the thing that claims to be the 
  Keeper.  I’m assuming you aren’t the superstitious sort that 
  think that one of the Dark Six lives in a hole in the 
  ground.  Some say the thing down there is a dragon, others that 
  it is a demon, legends vary. Point is, we know that it won't be 
  home when we get there.” 
   What does the Voice of the Keeper do?  “According to 
  legend, if you ring it like a tuning fork, you can use it to ask 
  questions of the dead.  I know some holy men who can do that, 
  but this will let anyone do it, and often.” 
   What is the airship like? “Whisper of the Storm, one of the 
  first-generation airships.  Which means she’s smaller than the 
  ones they’re putting in the air these days.  Has an air elemental 
  powering her, so she doesn’t light up the night like the fire rings 
  that are so popular these days.  Since she isn’t much of a cargo 
  hauler, Captain Alvis d’Lyrandar has taken to using her to fly in 
  and out of places all quiet-like. Perfect for our needs. Gets us 
  over the real nasty stuff of the Demon Wastes.” 
   What are the Demon Wastes?  “Worst place on 
  Khorvaire.  Still looks like the world did in the Age of Demons, 
  when fiends ruled the world, if you believe in that sort of 
  thing.   The land is sick and twisted, full of monsters, savages, 
  and demon-hunting orc zealots.”  
   How can we be sure the Keeper won’t be home?  “The 
  Provost has wanted one of these things for a long time.  The 
  research is his. I didn’t ask how he found out about this secret 
  holiday of the Dark Six, but he is absolutely certain it’s true.” 
   What are the Carrion Tribes?  “Savages.  They say anyone 
  who has tried to settle that land has died, if they’re lucky. And if 
  they’re unlucky… well, they go mad.  Turn feral, turn into 
  cannibals.”  
   What are the Ghaash'kala? “Orc border tribes.  Live in the 
  mountains outside the Wastes.   Try to discourage anyone from 
  going in. They kill anything trying to make it out.  Which is why 
  we’re going to avoid them altogether.” 
   What exactly is the plan?  “We fly in.  We find a place 
  suitable to pick you up.  You jump off with some feather 
  tokens.  Hide, wait for the thing to leave, then explore its cave 
  looking for one of these crystal forks.  Simple.” 
   Lhara offers the characters 700 gp each for successful 
  completion of the mission. She can give the party time enough 
  in Stormhome to gather any supplies they believe they will 
  need.   As the main port of call for House Lyrandar, many tools 
  are available. Once the party is prepared for their journey, they 
  may gather at the high House Lyrandar docking tower housing 
  the Whisper of the Storm and her cocky half-elf captain.   Lhara 
  will be joining the party on the ship and will meet them at the 
  docking tower.   Once safely on board, the ship will take off 
  toward the forsaken land of the Demon Wastes. 
   
  THE DARK SIX 
  The gods of Eberron are not known to walk the face of the 
  world.  There are stories, of course, tales, legends, and faith, but there 
  is no evidence that they ever have.  Some in the world do not believe 
  that the Sovereign Host or the Dark Six even exist at all.  
   For those who believe, the Sovereign Host are the pantheon of 
  gods whose divine power can be channeled by mortals.  But not all 
  the Sovereigns are benevolent. Six were cast out of the Pantheon. 
  These Six stand apart, the Dark Six.  Gods of destructive wild forces. 
  Gods of evil. Gods of change. This adventure is primarily concerned 
  with one of them, the Keeper. He is the Sovereign of Death and 
  Decay, Greed and Gluttony, Time and Entropy. 
  
   
  7 
   
  SCENE 2: DESCENT 
  The airship makes its way northwest from 
  Stormhome, across the Eldeen Bay, toward the 
  Demon Wastes and the Lair of the Keeper. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  The altitude makes the bite of the cold northern air even 
  worse as the airship, Whisper of the Storm, dares the 
  skies of the Demon Wastes.  Now that the sun has set, 
  with all the lights on deck extinguished, it is nearly 
  invisible and silent in the sky. However, the Ring of 
  Siberys and the moons of Eberron offer enough light for 
  you to see the blasted wasteland blow.  It is a chill, 
  inhospitable expanse of badlands said to be home to 
  nothing but cannibals, monsters, and demons. 
   About an hour after sunset, the land ahead darkens, 
  looking as though the world comes to an end.  Ahead, 
  the twisted badlands drop off into nothingness, a vast 
  open hole yawning wide ahead of you.  “That canyon is 
  said to be the widest and deepest in all of Khorvaire,” 
  Guild Handler Lhara says beside you on the deck. “Within 
  its depths lies the Lair of the Keeper. Look,” she points 
  to lights and fires near the rim of the massive 
  canyon.  “The Keeper’s faithful gather to make deals with 
  their god. The ceremony is supposed to happen at 
  midnight. Could last days, but don’t count on it. That will 
  be your window to enter, just make sure you wait until 
  this would-be god leaves his Lair.”  
   
  Lhara passes out charms that should be very familiar to 
  the party by now, feather tokens.   The plan is for the 
  airship to circle well away from the camp of the Keeper’s 
  followers, go down into the canyon below the rim and have 
  the party skydive down near the Lair. The party will hide, 
  wait for the Keeper to leave, then enter. When they are 
  done, Lhara reminds them that they are to make their way 
  to a nearby promontory of rock for retrieval.   
   When the party asks about signaling for retrieval, 
  Lhara gives the party a tiny mallet, and explains, “We’re 
  working off old legends here, we don’t exactly have a 
  map.  The Song of Sir Jorna states that the entrance to 
  the Lair can be found ‘where the River of Bone and 
  Blood ends, falling below to Khyber’s depths.’ Let’s hope 
  that isn’t a bard’s metaphor.  If this waterfall exists, it 
  will be our landmark, and we’ll try to spot somewhere 
  suitable for pickup nearby. Strike that mallet against any 
  hard surface and it’ll cause a bell I have here to 
  ring.  That will be our signal to come pick you up.” 
   
  FEATHER TOKEN 
  Wondrous Item, Common 
   
  This small metal disk is inscribed with the image of a feather. When 
  you fall at least 20 feet while the token is on your person, you 
  descend 60 feet per round and take no damage from falling. The 
  token's magic is expended after you land, whereupon the disk 
  becomes nonmagical. While it’s an expensive form of insurance, 
  frequent airship travelers and citizens of Sharn often appreciate the 
  security it provides. 
  
   
  8 
   
  Once the characters have asked Lhara any remaining questions 
  they have about the mission, read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The Whisper of the Storm dives down below the rim of the canyon, 
  well away from the camp of the Keeper’s faithful.   The canyon is 
  deep and very dark, in the low light of the moons you can barely 
  make out the bottom far blow.  Your ears pop as you descend ever 
  further down, as they do you begin to hear agonized, wordless 
  whispers on the wind. 
   As the River of Bone and Blood comes into view below you, Lhara 
  sighs sarcastically, “I’m not sure what I was expecting.”  
   The metallic stink of blood rises from the dark liquid, its true color 
  unknowable in the dim moonlight. The river crashes and froths 
  against what massive skulls and ribs of immense creatures of days 
  gone by.  
   Following the path of the grizzly river, you begin to hear the rush of 
  a waterfall, then the river ends abruptly at a deep black pit.   Across 
  the hole the canyon continues, though that side is full of needle-like 
  spires.   
   
  As the party gathers their equipment and prepares to leap into 
  this dark land, Lhara reminds them to first find the entrance, 
  then hide themselves well and wait until after the Keeper leaves 
  before entering the Lair. 
   The character with the highest passive Perception can see a 
  wide flat area suitable for a jump, to the right of the river bank 
  just before the pit.  Nearby, there also appears to be a ledge that 
  should be suitable for pickup. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  As you leap over the side of the Whisper of the Storm and begin to 
  freefall, you realize that you are higher up than you thought. The 
  ground is not rushing up at you nearly as fast as you expected.  That 
  is when the true size of the place hits you. The pit, the river, the 
  bones of those titanic beasts are all so much bigger than you 
  thought.    
   
  Once the party makes landfall, the airship disappears into the 
  darkness above, and the characters are left to find the Lair.  The 
  area is devoid of most plant life, despite (or perhaps because of) 
  the rapidly flowing River of Bone and Blood. Ahead of the party, 
  they can see the river flows into an enormous pit, falling down 
  into Khyber below.  If any characters investigate the river, they 
  find that the water is red, but is not actually as thick as blood. 
  The water here is poisonous and anyone who drinks the water 
  must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution save or be poisoned for 
  ten minutes.   
   As the party moves closer to the pit, they can see the entrance 
  to the Lair of the Keeper (see area K1: Main Entrance) is a 
  massive cave opening on the far side of this pit, about fifty feet 
  down. The climb down will not be difficult; however, at the 
  entrance of the Lair, the character with the highest passive 
  Perception can see a shadowed humanoid figure, though they 
  do not seem to have noticed the party yet. 
   The characters may attempt a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) or 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check to find another way into the 
  Lair. Upon a success, they discover a crack in the cliff wall far to 
  the right of the entrance that might offer another means of entry 
  (see area K2: Side Entrance). 
   
   
  
   
  9 
   
   As Lhara warned before dropping off the party, they should 
  hide and wait for the dracolich to leave before entering 
  safely.  There are many hollows and crags, and outcropping of 
  bone they can hide below, behind, and within. Assuming that 
  the characters choose to do so, the party may attempt a DC 10 
  group stealth check, made with advantage, since they will have 
  plenty of time to hide before the Keeper emerges from his Lair. 
    If more than half the characters fail this check (or if they refuse 
  to hide before the Keeper comes out or attempt to make 
  themselves known to him), see the sidebar, “So You Were 
  Caught by the Keeper?” 
   If at least half of the characters succeed on this check, read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  Time moves slowly, but at last it nears the midnight hour.  From your 
  hidden vantage point you see something stir within the mouth of the 
  cave leading to the Lair of the Keeper, until finally it emerges. Once it 
  was a dragon, and it must have been very old when it died, for the 
  skeletal frame that remains is truly massive, easily 90 feet long. The 
  single crested skull is enormous and could crush a lightning rail cart 
  in its maw. The light of its glowing red eyes causes its long, pointed 
  teeth to glisten strangely in the light, as though the teeth are made 
  from dragonshards.   
   As it steps out onto the shelf that extends in front of the cave 
  mouth, the air temperature, already cold, drops another twenty 
  degrees. Stretching up to its full height, the undead dragon, the 
  creature some believe to be the avatar of the Sovereign of Death and 
  Decay himself, spreads it skeletal wings. The skin of its wings has 
  long since rotted away, but as the wing bones open wide to a 
  wingspan of over seventy feet, they wrap themselves in 
  a pale white ghostly mist. Something about  
  the way it moves seems unnatural,  
  animated by necromancy rather than  
  sinew and muscle. Launching itself into the air 
  and beating its spectral wings, you can feel 
  the force of the air from your hiding 
  place. The wind chills you to the 
  bone as coarse dust swirls up 
  in the wake of the self- 
  proclaimed god’s passing. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  SO YOU WERE CAUGHT BY THE KEEPER? 
  While this adventure is designed to make hiding from the dracolich 
  easy, there is always a chance of the party failing spectacularly, 
  refusing to hide at all, or even attempting to attack or make contact 
  with the dracolich as it emerges from his Lair. 
   The dracolich is entirely beyond the party’s ability to fight, and if 
  the players give any indication they plan to confront it, this should be 
  made explicitly clear.  However, if it does become aware of their 
  presence, it need not immediately come to a combat (which the 
  party has no hope of winning and will lead to their rapid demise). 
   The Keeper is a deity who, according to legend, makes bargains. 
  Whatever the true nature of the dracolich is, whether it believes itself 
  to be a god or not, the perpetuation of the common belief that it is 
  an avatar of a god suits it.   If the party is discovered, the dracolich 
  will ask them what they are after. If they tell it that they are after the 
  Voice of the Keeper, it will ask what they are offering in exchange for 
  it.  It might ask in trade for the soul of one of the characters to be 
  collected upon their natural death, or it may ask the party to 
  assassinate a specific individual with one of its fangs, which it will 
  provide. The fang is a dagger-sized Khyber dragonshard; anyone slain 
  with such a weapon has their soul taken by to the Lair of the Keeper 
  and cannot be resurrected through normal means.  If the party agrees 
  to one of these stipulations, the dracolich will tell them they are free 
  to have the Voice of the Keeper they seek, if they can find one.  It 
  confirms that they grow within the cave, and the party will have to 
  retrieve it themselves—“but take nothing else.”  Then, it goes on its 
  way, as it has an appointment to keep. The consequences of such a 
  deal are outside the bounds of this adventure, but can be explored 
  while the party is between missions with the Clifftop Guild.  
  
   
  10 
   
  As the dracolich flies away, any character with passive 
  Perception 16 or higher notices that the dust it whips up briefly 
  outlines an invisible creature that is beside the characters in 
  their hiding place.  This is an imp by the name of Bhrax, 
  tasked with keeping an eye on the Lair for the Lords of Dust, 
  specifically Rabanu (see area K10: Imprisoned Fiend).  Bhrax 
  saw the party come down in the airship and followed them to 
  learn what they might be after.  He fears the Lair and will not 
  follow them into it. He is not much of a challenge to the party 
  and will attempt to flee if detected. If wounded and not 
  immediately killed, he will put on a display of craven cowardice 
  and beg for his life, speaking about himself in third person as 
  “this one.” 
  WHAT DOES BHRAX KNOWS? 
  If he is captured, Bhrax will freely divulge information the 
  information below, though he will constantly ask for his 
  freedom between answers.  
   Who are you?  “This one is Bhrax.  This one is eyes for the 
  watching of the Lair.” 
   What do you watch for? Who is your master? “This one 
  watches the Lair of the dead wyrm by the will of his masters, the 
  Lords of Dust in Ashtakala.” 
   Why do you watch? “The dead wyrm is powerful enemy, 
  enemies must be watched. This one watches.” 
   What can you tell us of the Lair?  “This one does not 
  enter.  The dead fill that place. The wyrm leaves rarely.  The 
  entrances are guarded.” 
   What guards the entrance?  “A champion slain stands guard 
  at the cave mouth.  The sisters protect the crack that goes 
  through, so that none may slip in unknown.  But no soul 
  watches the back way.” 
   Entrances? The back way? “Through the needle spires, there 
  is a fissure that extends down. It is where the dead worm 
  disposes of the bodies of any who dare enter.  This one knows 
  that if bodies come out, there must be a way in.” After finishing 
  their conversation with Bhrax, the party can choose to proceed 
  through the needle spires to Area K3: Back Entrance. 
   Why dispose of the bodies?  “Flesh does not interest the 
  dead wyrm.  Souls he desires.” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  NATURE OF THE KEEPER 
  The gods do not walk the face of Eberron, but this doesn’t stop some 
  beings from claiming that they are those gods.   The dracolich within 
  the Lair of the Keeper is one such being, and followers of the Keeper 
  consider it an avatar of their dark deity. 
   The true nature of the dracolich in the Lair of the Keeper is 
  unknown.  Some believe that it is Mazyralyx, the first dracolich who 
  was transformed in the age of demons. Others believe that it is a 
  mad follower of the Thir religion of Argonessen, and that it actually 
  believes he has ascended to godhood.   Others whisper that perhaps 
  it is a follower of the Demon Overlord Katashka, the Gatekeeper. 
  Some say that it is all three, that Mazyralx made a deal with Katashka 
  to gain the power to fight and help seal the other overlords from the 
  world before turning on his master and becoming the basis for the 
  myth of the Keeper.  The choice is ultimately up to you as DM or can 
  be left ambiguous. The only thing that the dracolich definitely isn’t 
  would be the Keeper himself. 
   This dracolich is the remains of a gargantuan ancient white 
  dragon.  It has divine spellcasting powers one would expect from 
  something claiming to be a god and can cast 9th level cleric spells. A 
  stat block is not provided for purposes of this adventure, as the party 
  has no chance of survival against such a creature.  
   
   
  
   
  11 
   
  SCENE 3: LAIR OF THE KEEPER 
  The Lair of the Keeper is formed out of a massive geode of 
  Khyber dragonshards that has grown around a manifest zone to 
  Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead. Souls are drawn from Dolurrh 
  and trapped within the Khyber shards. These souls may have 
  been drawn here after being traded away as a deal made with 
  one of the faithful of the Keeper, or perhaps the soul was stolen 
  by one of those same faithful when slain with a Keeper’s Fang 
  weapon. Souls trapped within the Lair of the Keeper cannot be 
  resurrected or reincarnated under normal circumstances, 
  unless their soul is retrieved from the Lair.  Throughout the 
  ages, various cultures of Khorvaire have told tales of heroes 
  managing such a feat, but they are few and far between. 
   The area that the party will be able to explore as part of this 
  adventure is only a small part of the true lair.  The dracolich has 
  encouraged the growth of the crystals to enclose his true lair in 
  the heart of the geode. Accessing it is near-impossible, requiring 
  methods such as casting passwall or mining through 20 feet of 
  solid dragonshards in area K8: Lonely Soul. 
  LAIR FEATURES 
  The entire lair can be assumed to have the following features, 
  unless otherwise noted in a particular area. 
   Ceilings. Cavern ceilings are 30 feet high, while tunnels are 
  15 feet high.  
   Light. The souls bound within the Khyber dragonshards glow 
  with a ghostly light tinged blue, providing dim illumination. 
   Dragonshards. Players familiar with the setting 
  may know that dragonshards are incredibly 
  valuable, and the contents of 
  this massive geode are likely to 
  be worth millions of 
  galifars. However, trying to 
  actually mine any of the 
  shards would be a lethal task. 
  The act of breaking off a shard worth 
  50 gp from the walls, ceiling, or floor would free 1d4+2 
  specters, hungry for the life they no longer have. These undead, 
  each of which can reduce a character’s maximum hit points, 
  should discourage the party from destroying Khorvaire’s 
  economy. However, if they wish to give it a try, breaking off a 
  Khyber shard worth 50 gp requires dealing 20 HP of damage to 
  a surface with a dragonshard with a bludgeoning weapon or 
  mining tool. 
   Effects of the Manifest Zone. The influence of Dolurrh hangs 
  heavy in this place.  Characters in the Lair will begin to feel a 
  sense of existential dread and ennui.  All senses seem slightly 
  numbed. Though it gives no mechanical penalties to perception, 
  characters will find that colors and sounds, including the sound 
  of each other’s voices, seem dull, listless, and uninteresting. 
  This apathy is the result of Dolurrh’s field of entrapment 
  bleeding over into this world.  
   Entrapment Field. A version of the apathy field that pervades 
  Dolurrh bleeds over into this manifest zone.   Upon first 
  entering any of the entrances to the Lair of the Keeper (K1, K2, 
  or K3), all players must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom save, or 
  suffer one level of exhaustion as a result of being overcome with 
  a malaise of apathy.  In addition, failing the save by 5 or more 
  results in a temporary state, lasting one hour, where the 
  character stares off into space blankly until prompted to action 
  by another character. Once prompted, the character can once 
  again act normally. 
   If the characters take a short rest within the Lair, the save 
  must be repeated.  If they take a long rest, the save must be 
  made with disadvantage. While in the manifest zone, levels of 
  exhaustion cannot be reduced with a long rest. 
   If a character reaches six levels of exhaustion while within the 
  Lair of the Keeper, instead of dying, they become a greater 
  skulk (see area K7). 
   Visions of Lives Gone.  The lost souls collected by the Keeper 
  attack as normal. However, when they hit with their attacks, their 
  target receives brief flashes of moments of that soul’s life. These 
  visions are of important moments in these lost souls’ lives, often 
  visions of how they died.  This has no mechanical effect in 
  combat, but fleshes out the stories of these specters, ghosts, and 
  wraiths to make them more than disposable monsters.  
   In each area, a brief description is provided of any significant 
  spectral antagonists.  This information should be shared in 
  flashes of visions as they attack the party, making each 
  encounter more memorable.  
   Forbiddance. The Lair is under a persistent warding similar 
  to the forbiddance spell, which prevents any creatures from 
  teleporting into or out of the bounds of the Lair, or from using 
  portals, such as those created by the gate spell, to enter or exit 
  the Lair. The spell proofs the Lair against planar travel, and 
  therefore prevents creatures from accessing the Lair by way of 
  any other planes or the plane shift spell. Teleportation abilities, 
  such as misty step, if used while in the Lair, still function when 
  moving to other locations within the Lair itself.  
   
  DOLURRH, THE REALM OF THE DEAD 
  Dolurrh is the final resting place of all mortal souls. Dolurrh is 
  not a punishment, it is not a reward, it simply is. After death, 
  mortal souls are naturally drawn to this plane, becoming shades 
  of their former selves and starting a gradual fade to nothingness. 
  Similarly, living mortals who travel there run the risk of being 
  trapped by the apathy that pervades the entire plane. 
      Many believe Dolurrh is a place of transition, and those souls 
  that fade from Dolurrh continue their journey to a celestial 
  realm where the Sovereigns dwell. Others see it as oblivion, and 
  seek ways to avoid their souls ever going there, or attempt to 
  keep the souls of the dead from fading. 
      When Dolurrh is coterminous with the Material Plane, souls 
  can slip through and manifest as ghosts, and resurrection magic 
  can pull more than was intended from the Realm of the Dead, 
  often spawning incorporeal spirits. When Dolurrh is remote, 
  resurrection magic is all but impossible. 
      More information on Dolurrh can be found in chapter 4 of 
  Eberron: Rising from the Last War. 
   
   
  
   
  12 
   
  K1: MAIN ENTRANCE 
  If the party chooses to approach the main entrance, read or 
  paraphrase the following:  
   
  Directly across from the roaring falls of crimson water, there is a 
  shelf-like cliff about fifty feet down from the pit’s edge. It slopes 
  back into a yawning cave.   
   
  This is the most obvious entrance to the Lair of the Keeper, and 
  the party can climb down to it without difficulty.  Upon entering 
  this area, characters must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving 
  throw or suffer the effects of the manifest zone’s entrapment 
  field (see Lair Features for effects).  The initial cave entrance is 
  dark, not dimly lit as further in the Lair, as the Khyber shards 
  that provide light do not extend this close to the entrance.   
   As the characters approach, they will see a dark hooded figure 
  standing just within the dark shadows of the cave 
  mouth.  Should they try to attack him from range, he will step 
  back behind cover until they try to enter. Should the party 
  approach, the figure will step out into the moonlight and pull 
  back his hood.  The light reveals a ghostly spectral creature that 
  seems to be wearing very real armor and has a very real sword. 
  But the most shocking thing is that the creature’s face looks just 
  like that of one of the player characters. 
   In life, this sword wraith commander was called the Broker, 
  a changeling paladin of the Keeper and serial killer in Sharn. He 
  would murder people, seal their souls within coins consecrated 
  to the Keeper, then have the victims replaced by criminal 
  changelings.   He killed dozens of men, women, and children 
  before he was killed in an attempt to murder a Brelish member 
  of Parliament at the Celestial Vista restaurant situated in on the 
  Skyway in Sharn.  
   A servant to the Keeper in death as he was in life, he has no 
  interest in speaking to the characters. Instead he will 
  immediately use his Call to Honor action to draw the souls of 
  his murder victims to fight on his behalf.  When these poor souls 
  strike out, the Visions of Lives Gone will be of their murders at 
  the hands of the Broker. As the Broker fights, he changes his 
  face to match that of whichever target he intends to attack that 
  round. 
   This entryway leads to K5: Pit of Flesh.  
   
   
  
   
  13 
   
  K2: SIDE ENTRANCE 
  If the party succeeds in finding the side entrance and chooses to 
  use that approach, read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  Just shy of two hundred feet to the right of the entrance, there is a 
  deep fissure in the rock wall that juts in toward the Lair of the 
  Keeper.  The jagged cliff offers plenty of handholds to make your way 
  down, dangling above the gaping black pit that seems impossibly 
  deep. 
   
  A successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check is required to 
  climb down to the fissure. Upon a failure, the character loses 
  their grip and falls toward the abyss; luckily, rather than falling 
  into Khyber, they abruptly land on a rocky outcrop 30 feet down 
  and take 3d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall. 
   Once they reach the fissure, whether by climbing or falling, 
  the characters can see a dark passage that leads deeper into the 
  rock, a pale light shining from far within. Once the party climbs 
  into the fissure and begins down the tunnel, characters must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects 
  of the manifest zone’s entrapment field (see Lair Features for 
  effects). As the wave of ennui passes over the party, read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  Your steps falter briefly as you the air grows thick around you. A wave 
  of apathy seems to float across you. As it does so, two figures slowly 
  materialize in the air in front of you, translucent white forms of two 
  elven women.  Their features are gaunt and the ghostly image of their 
  skin is drawn tight over their cheek bones. They begin speaking to 
  each other in the elven tongue. 
   
  Any characters that know Elvish can understand the two elves 
  talking excitedly to each other about their unexpected guests. 
   “Look sister, unexpected guests, isn’t that delightful?” 
   “Of course, it is dear, it is just such a shame you were not able 
  to make yourself look presentable to them.”  
   “I wake up presentable, I do not require the hours or work it 
  takes to make you presentable.”  
   And so on, back and forth, sniping at each other.  
   These two banshees, Xanaphia and Antinua Liadon, were 
  sisters in life, each growing up envious of the other.  By their 
  parent’s design, they were set against one another and made to 
  compete for attention and approval. A suitor from the continent, 
  Aust Aukiir, took advantage of this environment. An elf who 
  grew up in Khorvaire then traveled to Aerenal to ‘reconnect with 
  his roots,’ Aust was devilishly handsome and wealthy. The 
  sisters’ parents encouraged both of their daughters to try to woo 
  him.  Secretly a priest of the Keeper, he manipulated the pair 
  into secretly converting to the dark faith in an effort to use the 
  power the Keeper provided to one-up the other. This escalated 
  until Aust was able to get each to swear away their souls before 
  providing them the means to kill the other. They did so, only to 
  find their souls trapped in the Lair.   
   The two will engage any character who is able to speak Elvish, 
  quizzing them on which of the two is the most brilliant and 
  charming and lovely. To pass without combat, the characters 
  can attempt to flatter each sister in turn, while assuring them 
  that any compliment paid to the other is out of pity. If the party 
  takes this approach, a successful DC 12 Charisma (Deception) 
  check prompts the narcissism of the banshees to believe the 
  party is telling the truth only to them, and lying to their sister, 
  despite hearing the same being told to the other.  If the party 
  attempts another approach to talking their way past the sisters, 
  it will require a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check.   
   These restless shades are in denial about being dead, and any 
  acknowledgment of that causes them to turn hostile. If unable to 
  placate the sisters, they will attack. If the party chooses one 
  sister over the other, only the spurned sister will attack.  In 
  death, they are slaves of the dracolich and do not know anything 
  of the interior of the Lair as they have been assigned to this 
  entrance since almost the day their souls arrived.  
   This entryway leads to K4: Camp of the Lost. 
   
   
   
  
   
  14 
   
  K3: BACK ENTRANCE 
  If the party learns about the back entrance from Bhrax and 
  chooses to use that approach, read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  Beyond the pit, you weave your way through the needle-like spires 
  that range anywhere from a handspan to as tall as an oak. You walk 
  carefully and watch your step to avoid a new and unwanted foot 
  piercing. After some time you approach a gully, and inside, you find 
  the first plant life you’ve seen in this blasted canyon.  A stunted tree 
  with bone white wood, stiff prickly gray leaves, tiny white flowers, 
  and gray berries. Down among its gnarled roots you see a number of 
  bodies, and beyond it, you see a cave entrance.  
   
  As the party approaches the tree, characters must succeed on a 
  DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects of the manifest 
  zone’s entrapment field (see Lair Features for effects).  
   The tree is a stunted and gnarled holly tree that, due to the 
  effects of the manifest zone to Dolurrh, has become a corpse 
  flower. When the party encounters the tree, it contains 6 
  corpses, remains of twisted creatures of the Demon Waste and 
  humanoids from the Carrion Tribes. If the party uses some 
  means of detecting undead in the vicinity, they will be aware of 
  the souls that lie beneath them deeper in the Lair, but none in 
  the immediate vicinity. The corpse flower is a plant that feeds 
  on corpses and necromantic energy, but it is not itself 
  undead.  If the party tries to pass the plant to enter the tunnel, 
  they will easily smell the stench of death and decay coming from 
  the rotting pile of corpses tangled in its roots, and the corpse 
  flower will animate and attempt to add the party to its collection 
  of corpses.   
   
  With a groan the tree lurches forward, uprooting itself, and as it 
  lumbers forward its roots writhe like tentacles passing corpses to its 
  bows. The stench is horrible. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TREASURE 
  After the corpse flower is defeated, any proficient character may 
  attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check. Upon a 
  success, they recognize that this holly tree has been infused 
  with the power of the manifest zone to Dolurrh. This fine-
  grained wood of imbued holly is white, appearing almost like 
  ivory or bone. The trunk of this tree, if properly fashioned, can 
  be made into an imbued wood arcane focus for channeling 
  necrotic energy. This tree can yield either 1 staff, two rods, 
  three wands, or one rod plus one wand.   
   
  IMBUED WOOD (DOLURRHAN HOLLY) 
  Wondrous Item, common (requires attunement) 
   
  Powerful manifest zones can infuse local trees with planar energies. 
  A gifted artificer can tapinto this to create a wand, staff, or rod that is 
  especially effective at channeling a particular type of energy. 
   An dolurrhan-imbued wood arcane focus provides a +1 bonus 
  when you roll damage for a spell that inflicts necrotic damage. 
   
  The back entrance leads to K6: Servitors. 
   
   
  
   
  15 
   
  K4: CAMP OF THE LOST 
  If the party is coming from K2: Side Entrance, making this the 
  first interior room of the geode that the party explores, read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  The narrow passage opens up into a breathtaking crystalline room. 
  Surrounding you are walls, ceiling, floor, all formed of interlaced 
  pillars of crystal. The crystals are deep dark blue, pulsing with inky-
  black veins, and a pale blue light, flickering, emanates from within the 
  crystal. Dragonshards—you realize this entire room is made from 
  Khyber dragonshards, worth a king’s ransom. Looking closer, you see 
  the flickers are coming from ghostly faces approaching near, then 
  receding from the crystal surface, seemingly trapped within the 
  binding crystals.  
   
  Whether or not this is the first room of the geode they enter, the 
  party will also notice: 
   
  In the center of the room on the uneven floor, there is a circle of 
  bedrolls and the remains of some old packs.  They are in the style of 
  the elves of Valenar, and seem old, as if they have been here for quite 
  some time. 
   
  The party are not the first adventurers that have walked these 
  passageways.  A group of Valenar elves attempted to retrieve 
  the soul of a fallen brother from these halls. This was their 
  camp, but the group eventually fell victim to the entrapping 
  effect of the manifest zone and became skulks (see area K7: 
  Fallen Adventurers).  There is no threat in this area save one 
  the party may creature for themselves: dragonshards are 
  valuable, so entrepreneurial players might try to find a shard to 
  break off and take for themselves.  Refer to Lair Features for the 
  effects of breaking shards within the manifest zone.    
   This room is otherwise safe and can be used f or rests without 
  fear of being interrupted.  However, resting within the manifest 
  zone results in another save versus the entrapment field.  
   The Camp of the Lost exits into area K7: Fallen Adventurers. 
  TREASURE 
  The gear of the Valenar has been laying here for at least a 
  decade, so the packs and soft materials have rotted away to an 
  unusable state.   While their weapons and other mundane gear 
  remain, none of it is magical. Feel free to select any items from 
  the weapon or adventuring gear tables in the Player’s Handbook 
  for the characters to find in the camp.  
   In addition, a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check reveals 130 gp scattered through the remains of the 
  supplies. 
   
  
   
  16 
   
  K5: PIT OF FLESH 
  If the party is coming from K1: Main Entrance, making this the 
  first interior room of the geode that the party explores, read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  The narrow passage opens up into a breathtaking crystalline room. 
  Surrounding you are walls, ceiling, floor, all formed of interlaced 
  pillars of crystal. The crystals are deep dark blue, pulsing with inky-
  black veins, and a pale blue light, flickering, emanates from within the 
  crystal. Dragonshards—you realize this entire room is made from 
  Khyber dragonshards, worth a king’s ransom.  Looking closer, you see 
  the flickers are coming from ghostly faces approaching near, then 
  receding from the crystal surface, seemingly trapped within the 
  binding crystals. 
    
  Whether or not this is the first room of the geode they enter, the 
  party will also notice: 
   
  The crystal floor of this room drops into a pit about halfway across, 
  creating a sheer plunge and a gap of 25 feet to where the tunnel 
  continues beyond.   As you near the ledge, you become aware of a 
  moaning sound below and a terrible squelching noise. 
   
  When the party looks down into this pit, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  Peering over the lip of the pit, a terrible sight awaits.  Flabby, fleshy 
  bodies of malformed creatures moan and drag themselves across the 
  floor of this pit, over and around each other.  Their wax-like flesh 
  gives them no distinct form beyond deformed heads and malformed 
  arms. Writhing, they pile on top of and intertwine with each other. 
   
  The creatures in the pit are fiends known as lemures, who have 
  formed themselves into a swarm of lemures.  These fiends are 
  native to Dolurrh, though their exact nature is unknown.  Some 
  believe that they are souls of mortals that, instead of fading in 
  that realm, unnaturally remain and become one with the plane, 
  achieving immortality of a hellish twisted form.  On occasion, 
  these pitiful creatures of Dolurrh drag themselves through the 
  walls of reality into the manifest zone here in the Lair of the 
  Keeper. Seen as little more than vermin, the dracolich has 
  instructed its servitors to toss any they find into this pit as an 
  additional barrier to any w ho would intrude upon his sanctum. 
   Crossing the pit will be difficult.  There is no ridge along the 
  sides which the characters can use to walk along the edge, and 
  the crystal walls offer few grips.  Crossing the pit requires a 
  successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check to shimmy along the walls over this pit, which is 25 feet 
  wide and 10 feet deep. Climbing requires one extra foot of 
  movement for every foot moved, so most characters will need 
  two successful checks to climb along the walls to reach the 
  other side.  If any characters fall into the pit, they take 1d6 
  bludgeoning damage and fall among the swarm of lemures. 
  Climbing out of it requires a DC 15 Strength (Acrobatics) check, 
  rolled with advantage if another party member assists; if the 
  swarm is still alive, they will take an opportunity attack as the 
  character attempts to climb out. 
   Dragonshards are valuable, so entrepreneurial characters 
  might try to find a shard to break off and take for themselves. 
  Refer to Lair Features for the effects of breaking shards within 
  the manifest zone.    
   The Pit of Flesh has exits into both K7: Fallen Adventurers 
  and K8: False Hoard.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  17 
   
  K6: SERVITORS 
  If the party is coming from K3: Back Entrance, making this the 
  first interior room of the geode that the party explores, read or 
  paraphrase the following. 
   
  You see a pale blue light coming from ahead in the cramped tunnel. 
  Abruptly the tunnel turns, and instead of jagged rough-hewn walls, 
  you see a breathtaking crystalline chamber. Surrounding you are 
  walls, ceiling, floor, all formed of pillars of crystal. The crystals are 
  deep dark blue, pulsing with inky-black veins, and the flickering light 
  seems to be coming from within the crystal.  Dragonshards—you 
  realize this entire room is made from Khyber dragonshards, worth a 
  king’s ransom. Looking closer, you see the flickers are coming from 
  ghostly faces approaching near, then receding from the crystal 
  surface, seemingly trapped within the binding crystals.  
   
  Whether or not this is the first room of the geode they enter, the 
  party will also notice: 
   
  Not all in this room is of crystal, however. A rasping whisper draws 
  your attention to the far end of the room, toward some rudimentary 
  furniture: a table, a pile of rags, and what seems to be trash and 
  debris. As you move closer, however, you see two forms among the 
  rags and debris. 
   
  This chamber contains the two physical servitors that the 
  dracolich keeps on hand for menial tasks.  The first creature is a 
  bodak, hidden under what appears to be a pile of rags, as he 
  tries to cover his malformed undead body as best he can. In life, 
  this creature was known as Sorma.  200 years ago, Sorma was 
  a faithful, if prideful, priest of the Keeper who offered himself to 
  the dracolich in the Lair of the Keeper. He expected to be 
  rewarded with incredible power, perhaps even lichdom 
  himself.   Instead, he was rewarded by being ravaged into this 
  sick, twisted, undead creature. Sorma retains very little of his 
  original personality or knowledge, and exists only to serve the 
  dracolich. As part of his condition, Sorma can only speak in 
  rasping, barely audible whispers.  Annul, his companion, may 
  have to translate for him. 
   The second creature, Annul, is a bulezau, a demon of decay 
  that believes the dracolich to be the true incarnation of the 
  Keeper, the Sovereign of Death and Decay, and serves him 
  reverently.  When the characters enter the room, Anuul can be 
  found sitting comfortably within his fetid pile of trash. Truly a 
  disgusting creature, this fiend is covered with boils and rashes 
  that look infected and rotten.  A simple creature in mind, he 
  derives pleasure from serving what he believes to be his god.  
   These creatures are both utterly evil, loyal to the dracolich, 
  cruel, and dangerous.  They are, however, both incredibly 
  stupid. When the party enters, they will be discussing between 
  themselves the ceremony the dracolich left to attend at the lip of 
  the canyon, and how glorious it is for his devout followers to be 
  graced with his presence. If they detect the party, they will not 
  initially be hostile, as they will assume that the player characters 
  are lost devouts of the Keeper and try to instruct the characters 
  that the ceremony is not here, but up on the canyon. So long as 
  they believe that the player characters are followers of the 
  Keeper, they will not turn hostile. If the party plays along with 
  the ruse, they will be able to ask questions of the pair.  
  What Annul and Sorma know. 
   Where is the dragon’s hoard?  Annul: “Within every rotten 
  wound of the world.”  Sorma: “Look around you. A god needs 
  no gold. There is no greater treasure than souls.” 
   Where is the Voice of the Keeper?  Annul: “Within his 
  throat… no, he had no throat, rotten away to bone.  In his mouth 
  then. Yes, the master speaks from his mouth.” Sorma: “The 
  Voice, yes, I remember.  A relic, a fork of crystal. There are 
  more, deeper, the chamber of spikes, some are fork-like. Is that 
  why you are not at the ceremony?” 
   Where is the Chamber of Spikes?  Annul: “The sinister path 
  leads to the spikes.”  Sorma: “He means take lefts.” 
   When will the Keeper be back?  Annul: “Is he not always 
  with us? For death is never far, nor is the delicious rot that 
  comes after.” Sorma: “The ceremony… takes time. Deals are 
  made, bargains struck. Depends if the faithful have the nerve to 
  drive hard their bargains in the face of their god’s maw.” 
   Are there any loose dragonshards we might have? Annul: 
  “No, the loose and the lost belong to the master.  We collect so 
  that none may be taken.” Sorma: “No, any broken shards are 
  taken by the master below.” 
   Below? Annul: “The true heart of the Lair, not meant for our 
  eyes.” Sorma: “Far below, only accessible by the mightiest 
  magics of the master, lies his true lair. None may enter; not even 
  the mightiest of the Lords of Dust have ever breached it.” 
   Annul and Sorma will not lead the party to the Chamber of 
  Spikes because they have not been instructed to by their 
  master.  If the party is openly carrying symbols of another faith, 
  the party must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check to convince the pair that they are of the Keeper and just 
  have the symbols for some other reason.  If that check fails or if 
  the party chooses not to go with the ruse that they are followers 
  of the Keeper, the pair will attack. 
   The chamber of the servitors leads into area K8: Lonely Soul 
  and out toward K3: Back Entrance. 
   
   
   
  
   
  18 
   
  K7: FALLEN ADVENTURERS  
  As the characters continue their exploration of the Lair, 
  they come upon an intersection in the tunnels. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  You come to another chamber where the crystal lattice has 
  expanded out, forming a natural chamber. It is an 
  intersection of sorts, with three large passages large enough 
  for the dracolich to squeeze through in those directions, and 
  one narrow crack that seems to lead off in another. 
   
  The room appears to be empty, but it is not.  Seventeen 
  years ago a party of Valenar elves came to the Lair of 
  the Keeper in an attempt to retrieve the soul of a fallen 
  brother who had been slain with a Keeper’s Fang.  They 
  made it to the Lair, but while exploring, half the party 
  was killed and their own souls siphoned into the 
  Khyber-shard walls. The survivors retreated back to the 
  Camp of the Lost (area K4) where they attempted to 
  recover before retrieving their fallen friends’ 
  souls.  Sadly, they never got that chance. Falling victim 
  to the entrapment effect of the manifest zone, they sat in 
  a daze until they faded away to near-nothing, becoming 
  skulks. Lost in limbo between life and death, they are 
  not truly either. 
   These fallen Valenar have become three greater 
  skulks and wander listlessly through this chamber. The 
  skulks will attack the party if they try to pass through 
  this room. They are invisible, but their reflections can be 
  seen faintly on the crystal surface, allowing any 
  character with a passive Perception 17 or higher to 
  make their attacks without disadvantage. As skulks are 
  not undead, they are not subject to the Visions of Lives 
  Gone effect of the Lair. 
   This chamber leads deeper to area K8: Lonely Soul 
  and K9: False Hoard. It leads out toward K5: Pit of 
  Flesh and K7: Camp of the Lost. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  19 
   
  K8: LONELY SOUL 
  In this chamber, the dracolich opens a passage to his inner 
  chambers of the geode using a power similar to the passwall 
  spell, which he always dispels after passing.  There is no natural 
  way to pass through the twenty feet of solid Khyber shards, no 
  line of sight to the chambers below, and teleporting blindly 
  through a giant dragonshard is suicidal.  The true lair of the 
  dracolich is beyond the scope of this adventure, and characters 
  are not intended to explore beyond these shards. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  One again, you come to a room where, either by design or 
  happenstance, the shard crystals open into a wide chamber. This one 
  is wider than most, with the floor smooth rather than irregular. 
  Looking around, there appears to be nothing in this room, though 
  through the crystal’s surface on the far side, there seems to be the 
  ghostly image of a woman, clearer than most of the ghostly images 
  you’ve seen passing behind the surface of the crystals. 
   
   
   Most souls that pass to Dolurrh, and even those entrapped by 
  the dracolich within the Lair of the Keeper, rapidly lose their 
  sense of self and drive.  Sometimes, however, a soul can hang 
  onto to their mind. Nora Bawn is one. Nora’s ghost is entrapped 
  within a Khyber shard in the wall of this chamber. When the 
  party passes through, she will call out to them, begging them to 
  break the shard and free her, so that she can escape the grasp 
  of this dark god. She will tell the party any stories, whether lies 
  or truth, that she believes might convince them to help her. 
   In truth, Nora was in life a priestess of the 
  Keeper who sold her soul to the Keeper. 
  She caused many failing businesspeople to 
  sign away their souls to the Keeper for 
  success and wealth. Now she seeks to 
  escape her bargain at any cost. If the party 
  frees her, she will make every effort to seem 
  helpful.  However, Nora will try to identify 
  which of the party have the weakest force of 
  personality (represented by their Charisma 
  score), and during the party’s next combat 
  encounter, she will attempt to possess them 
  and escape with their body.  
   If the party agrees to free Nora, they must 
  shatter the Khyber shard she is entrapped 
  in. While doing so will free her soul, it also 
  frees 1d4 specters who will immediately 
  attack the party.   Nora is unable to assist 
  the party against the other undead.  The 
  broken-off Khyber shard that contained 
  Nora is worth 100 gp. This chamber exits 
  into area K7: Fallen Adventurers and K10: 
  Imprisoned Fiend.  
   
   
  K9: FALSE HOARD 
  This room, one of the two possible entrances to area K11: 
  Chamber of Spikes (which contains the tuning-fork-like 
  growths the party seeks), appears filled with unimaginable 
  treasure. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Wealth, vast and piled high, sits in this room.  Platinum bars 
  intermingle with gold coins, their various shapes and sizes speaking 
  to the age and diversity of this pile, the accumulated wealth of untold 
  centuries of sacrifice to the Keeper. All the treasure rests on a bed of 
  loose Khyber shards—a stunning dragon’s hoard. 
   
  This is, of course, not the dragon’s hoard.  There is no pile of 
  treasure in the Lair of the Keeper, as the dracolich values only 
  souls. This is merely an illusion.  
   A character searching the area for traps or illusions detects 
  the illusion with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check. Likewise, the detect magic spell reveals an aura of 
  illusion magic surrounding the hoard. Otherwise, any checks 
  (such as Perception or Arcana) suggest the treasure is entirely 
  real. Feel free to add specific pieces of loot to the pile that might 
  make it more enticing to a particular player character, such as 
  glowing swords or staves of arcane might. 
   If the party tries to take anything from the treasure pile, prods 
  it with a stick, or otherwise physically interacts with it, the 
  action will activate a glyph, which acts as an explosive glyph of 
  warding, except that it deals necrotic damage. 
    Trap: Necrotic Glyph of Warding. When triggered, the glyph 
  erupts with magical energy in 
  a 20-foot-radius sphere 
  centered on the glyph. The 
  Sphere spreads around 
  corners. Each creature in the 
  aura must make a DC 20 
  Dexterity saving throw. A 
  creature takes 5d8 necrotic 
  damage on a failed saving 
  throw, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one. 
    The False Hoard leads 
  deeper to area K11: Chamber 
  of Spikes and K10: 
  Imprisoned Fiend, and 
  outwards toward area K7: 
  Fallen Adventurers. 
   
   
   
  
   
  20 
   
  K10: IMPRISONED FIEND  
  This room, one of the two possible entrances to area K11: 
  Chamber of Spikes (which contains the tuning-fork-like 
  growths the party seeks), contains an unusual feline figure. 
   
  Another large chamber awaits ahead, but this one has a red glow at 
  the center.  Looking inside, you can see a dome of red energy over an 
  emaciated and gaunt figure with the head of a great cat, covered in 
  matted patchy fur. Wounds cover the creature and its left eye seems 
  to be missing. Then, you see the being move, and it says in a voice as 
  smooth as silk, “I know you’re there.  Don’t worry. I am not your 
  enemy. In fact, I think we can help each other.” 
   
  This creature is a rakshasa sorcerer named Rabanu, who the 
  dracolich tortured, then trapped inside a persistent magic circle 
  when Rabanu attempted to reach the inner sanctum of the Lair 
  of the Keeper. He had hoped to find the dracolich’s phylactery, 
  which has long eluded the Lords of Dust. Rabanu 
  was looking through the eyes of his familiar, 
  Bhrax the imp, when the party landed, and he 
  has been expecting their arrival ever since. 
   Rabanu is a follower of an ancient demon 
  Overlord, Katashka the Gatekeeper, and believes that 
  control of the Lair is essential to freeing his Overlord. 
  Rabanu has clashed many times with the dracolich over 
  millennia, the last time losing quite sorely. For now, he 
  merely wishes to be free, and will offer something in 
  exchange: If the party breaks the magic circle 
  entrapping Rabanu in the Lair, he will tell them the 
  location of a soul within the Lair, one that has been 
  snatched from Dolurrh by the dracolich. Rabanu 
  will make every pledge and promise that he 
  will not harm the player characters should he 
  be freed, and he will abide by his word. He is 
  glad to direct them how to disturb the runes 
  around his prison to disrupt the magic circle. He has 
  no reason to fight them, and if they free him, he will then tell 
  them the location of the soul and leave. 
   Whose soul does Rabanu offer that is trapped within the 
  Lair of the Keeper?  This is for the DM to choose. It could be 
  that of lost loved one, a PC or NPC who died during previous 
  adventures, or an important community member. Once you 
  have decided whose soul is trapped here in the Lair of the 
  Keeper, select a yet-unexplored room or a random location 
  within the dungeon, which Rabanu directs the party how to find.  
   Once the party knows which chamber the soul is trapped in, 
  they need only travel to that location, call out the name of the 
  lost loved one, and their soul will come into view in one of the 
  crystal walls.  Breaking the crystal to free the soul will result in 
  the freeing of specters, per the usual Lair Features, but the 
  party will be rewarded with a Khyber shard containing the soul 
  of the one they sought. This shard can be used as the material 
  component in a resurrection spell targeting that soul.   
  WHAT RABANU KNOWS 
   Who are you? “I am known by many names and titles, I will 
  not bore you with them all.  I am called Rabanu.” 
   Why are you here? “Because of the creature, the dragon lich 
  who has gone to see those who believe him a god.  He and I are 
  old enemies. He got the better of me while I was trying to find 
  the means to finally destroy him.  He’s kept me here and shown 
  me his displeasure since.” 
   Why not kill you? “Unlike the undead creatures, my kind are 
  truly immortal.  He could bind me, he has an ample supply of 
  shards that could be put to such an end, but he fears too 
  much...fears what a spirit such as mine could do if he locked me 
  in with his collection of souls.  He is right to fear it.” 
   What is the Keeper, the nature of the dracolich?  “That old 
  dead dragon? A very old foe. I’m not sure if he actually believes 
  to be what he claims, but if you think he is a god and 
  have yet come to steal from him, then you are even 
  bigger fools than his followers.  He’s strong, but I 
  have something he doesn’t: true immortality. It is 
  only a matter of time, perhaps decades, or 
  centuries, or millennia, before I finally send 
  him to his ultimate death. He has beaten 
  me, killed me more than once, and he can 
  do so as many times as he likes. I need 
  only destroy his phylactery and then 
  kill him once.  Time is on my side.” 
   
  How did you know we were here? 
  “I may be bound here physically, but I 
  have eyes on the outside with which I 
  can see. Once I saw you land outside, I 
  used a bit of magic to expand my sight, to 
  see if I had anything I could offer you.” 
   How did X’s soul end up here? “I 
  don’t know for certain. Were they 
  murdered? Often that is a sacrifice 
  to the Keeper, and those 
  sacrifices end up here. Or the 
  dracolich plucked it from 
  Dolurrh for some reason.  He goes there to replenish 
  sometimes. The walls between here and there are very thin. 
  Regardless, if you want them back, I can tell you where to go.” 
   How are we supposed to trust you? “I can make promises, I 
  can swear oaths, I can give you my word.  But does any of that 
  matter? I offer you a great treasure and it is up to you whether 
  you take me up on it.  I have time.” 
   How are we supposed to break the circle? “Easier than you 
  may think, it only repulses fiends. If you are mortals, you can 
  break it by merely disturbing those runes surrounding me.  You 
  can free me, and in return I will tell you the location of the soul.” 
   Do you know where the Voice of the Keeper is? “Isn’t that 
  still in the vaults of Thronehold?  No? Well, if you’re looking for 
  another you are very near the chamber where they grow.” 
   The chamber of the Imprisoned Fiend leads across to area 
  K9: False Hoard, deeper to K11: Chamber of Spikes, or back 
  outward toward K8: Lonely Soul. 
    
  
   
  21 
   
  K11: CHAMBER OF SPIKES  
  The characters finally arrive in the chamber where the crystals 
  grow into the Voice of the Keeper that they seek. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  The tunnels converge and narrow into a smaller passageway.  The 
  crystals on the wall start to become jagged and narrower than those 
  you’ve encountered up until this point.  You must take care not to 
  brush against the walls and risk snapping any of the fine protrusions 
  off. Soon the walls and ceilings seem covered with the tiny spikes, 
  which split to multiple points or kink and and twist into odd 
  angles.  None, however look like the shape of a tuning fork you are 
  looking for. Ahead, the passage widens again into a low gallery. The 
  light is dimmer here, as this room is made of both crystal and rock, 
  the spikes forming out of each. 
   
   
  This room exists on the very edge of the geode that forms the 
  Lair of the Keeper, brushing up against whatever caused the 
  needle pillars above and causing these strange growths of rock 
  and crystal together. The party’s goal is to locate a Khyber shard 
  shaped like a tuning fork. To locate it, the party will need to 
  succeed upon either a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  or a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. If the party fails these 
  checks, they will eventually find one, but the amount of time 
  spent searching requires another Wisdom save against the 
  entrapment effect of the manifest zone (see Lair Effects). 
   This is the only Voice of the Keeper that the party can find 
  fully formed in the Chamber of Spikes at this time. Once the 
  party breaks off the Voice, read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  As you break off the Khyber shards that form this new Voice of the 
  Keeper, a dark plume of spectral energy begins to leak from the 
  crystal it sprang from. The spectral mist rolls across the floor to the 
  center of the chamber, then swirls up to take on a rough shape. 
  Glowing green eyes appear in the mist as it forms the shape of a 
  thick square dwarven skull and the loosest outline of a body.  It lifts 
  arm and hand bones toward you, dragging the mist behind like a 
  cloak. As it extends a skeletal finger, the skull opens its jaw and a 
  voice declares, “This was not the reward that was promised!  You 
  think you can cheat me out of what is rightfully mine!” As it shouts, 
  two additional shapes seem to fall out of its form, briefly taking the 
  outline of forlorn souls before disappearing from view.. 
   
  The black shape is a wraith, the bitter and insane spirit of Tarn 
  Mroranon. In life, Tarn followed the Keeper’s religion, killing 
  his business rivals and binding their souls to his personal 
  servitude. He believed that upon his death, he would be able to 
  exchange these souls, escape Dolurrh, and be ushered into the 
  realm of the Sovereigns beyond death.  Tarn was wrong. After 
  his death the dracolich captured his soul and those bound to 
  him, adding all to his collection. Breaking off the Voice has 
  released Tarn and two poltergeists he had bound to his 
  service.  In death, they serve him still. 
   In combat, the invisible poltergeists will attempt to use 
  Telekinetic Thrust to push characters into the spiked walls of 
  the chamber.  If a character is pushed into the walls in this 
  manner, they take an additional 2d4 piercing damage.  
   Once combat is over, if anyone gives the Voice of the Keeper a 
  sharp tap, it will begin to vibrate. When rung outside the Lair, it 
  merely allows one to cast the speak with dead spell. However, 
  here in this manifest zone of Dolurrh, surrounded by the souls 
  of the dead, it can be used to communicate with the collective 
  consciousness of all souls within Dolurrh (see Voice of the 
  Keeper sidebar below). Read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  The Voice of the Keeper chimes like a bell, vibrating in your hand. 
  The sonorous tone seems to be backed with the whispering of 
  thousands of indistinct voices.  As you wait for the ringing to stop, it 
  does not. The tone continues and you hear the whispering grow 
  louder and more distinct, with the voices all whispering the same 
  word in many different languages, “Ask.” 
   
  What these legions of dead know is up to the DM, but they are 
  not omniscient. They have no useful knowledge of Provost Nigel 
  Faurious or his plans for the artifacts. Once the five questions 
  are asked, the Voice of the Keeper will stop ringing. 
   The party is now free to make their way out of the Lair of the 
  Keeper, either by returning the way they came without incident, 
  or by exploring additional chambers. 
   
  VOICE OF THE KEEPER 
  Wondrous Item, artifact 
  This Khyber dragonshard has formed in the shape of a crystalline tuning 
  fork. While you possess this dragonshard, you can use an action to ring 
  the tuning fork, casting speak with dead from it at will. 
    While in a manifest zone of Dolurrh, this dragonshard can be used to 
  ask any five questions, as with the speak with dead spell, to the collective 
  thousands of souls contained in Dolurrh. The souls are not omniscient. 
  They know a great deal about happenings within the last month, but 
  memories beyond that, if any, are few and vague. The DM answers each 
  question with one word, such as "yes," "no," "maybe," "never," 
  "irrelevant," or "unclear" (if the souls do not know the answer to the 
  question). If a one-word answer would be misleading, the DM might 
  instead offer a short phrase as an answer. Once used in this manner, the 
  Voice of the Keeper can’t be used to communicate with the dead in 
  Dolurrh until the next dawn. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  22 
   
  SCENE 4: THE GHAASH'KALA 
  Once the party finishes any remaining business in the Lair and 
  makes their successful exit, read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  Emerging into the canyon, dim light reflects down from the Ring of 
  Siberys and the few moons visible from the bottom of the canyon. 
  Yet the world seems sharper, the light brighter and more vibrant now 
  that you are free of the influence of Dolurrh. Everything is as you left 
  it, the roaring River of Bone and Blood, the field of needle spires 
  beyond, and the rock outcropping you spied from the air to use as a 
  point for pickup.  Only one problem—that rock outcropping is not 
  empty now. Standing upon it are several figures. 
   
  When the characters move close enough to make out details, 
  read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Four people stand on the rock outcropping, one watching in each 
  direction.  The largest figure, the one looking forward toward the 
  black pit that contains the Lair of the Keeper, is a hulking orc. Thick 
  with muscle, he stands with his hands folded in front of him.  His 
  forehead is marred by a burn scar, a brand in the shape of an 
  arrowhead pointed down. His dark hair is streaked with gray, his 
  hairline is receding, highlighting the brand. He holds his head high, 
  exposing his neck which seems to be wreathed in tattoos of 
  flames.  His expression is a troubled one, filled with deep sadness.  
   
  Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) 
  check recognize this group as being of the Ghaash'kala, a tribe 
  of orcs and demon-killers that patrol the borders of the Demon 
  Wastes, preventing others from entering or leaving. A successful 
  DC 20 check recalls that some scholars argue the Ghaash'kala 
  faith is another expression of the Church of the Silver Flame.  A 
  successful DC 25 check recalls that the Ghaash'kala kill all who 
  try to leave, and that they swear themselves to never leave 
  because they believe they carry the taint of the Wastes.  
   
  THE GHAASH’KALA 
  This confederation of tribes, comprised mostly of orcs, has dedicated 
  their entire lives to the goal of protecting the rest of the world from 
  the evils of the Demon Wastes, guarding the borders so that the 
  demonic taint of that cursed land is never allowed to escape.  They 
  consider anything that enters these lands to be touched by the evil of 
  the Demon Wastes. None who enter are ever allowed to leave, not 
  even themselves.  
   The Ghaash'kala follow Kalok Shash, the “Binding Flame.” It is of 
  the same ancient force that empowers the Church of the Silver Flame, 
  though the church is loathe to admit it.  Members of the Ghaash'kala 
  use ritualistic scarification, branding, and tattoos to bind Kalok Shash 
  into their skin so that they, for a time, may resist the taint of this dark 
  land.  The Binding Flame calls them to the sacred duty of containing 
  the Demon Wastes. 
   
   
    The leader of this group is an orc paladin, Devent, 
  accompanied by three Ghaas’kala warriors.  Every thirteen 
  years when the followers of the Keeper come here to meet with 
  the dracolich, warriors of the Ghaash'kala clan Jaasakah, “The 
  Deadly,” follow behind.  Once the dracolich returns to rest in the 
  Lair of the Keeper, they start their hunt to kill every follower 
  before they can return to the world at large. Devent is on his 
  third hunt, which he believes his last. On their journey here, he 
  dreamed of evil escaping through the sky through the actions of 
  heroes ignorant of what they do.  He is here to make sure that 
  his dream does not come to pass, and he will not allow the party 
  to leave without a fight to the death.  He does not believe they 
  are evil and does not welcome his duty, but they walked into one 
  of the evilest places in this cursed land.  He cannot believe that 
  they are without taint from such a journey, and the taint of this 
  land cannot be allowed to escape.   
   There is only one other option, though it is one the characters 
  are unlikely to agree to.   Though prepared to fight, he wants to 
  speak to the party first and offer them a choice. The 
  Ghaash'kala are sympathetic to fools who make it into the 
  Demon Wastes without knowing the danger, and while they 
  cannot ever be allowed to leave, Devent will offer them the 
  chance to join the Ghaash'kala, giving themselves over to the 
  Binding Flam and renouncing their lives in the outside 
  world.  The party must agree to never again leave the Demon 
  Wastes or see their loved ones, for the taint they now carry will 
  only ever lead to ruin. There is no other option and no room for 
  negotiation. Persuasion checks cannot change his lifelong 
  beliefs and duties in a handful of moments, and he will merely 
  promise, sadly, that their death will be quick. 
   If the party attempts to find another location and contact the 
  airship in an effort to avoid this encounter, the Ghaash'kala will 
  quickly be on their tail, hunting them before the party is able to 
  climb aboard the airship. 
   
   
  
   
  23 
   
  TREASURE 
  Once the Ghaash’kala are defeated, a successful DC 10 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check allows the party to discover 
  Devent’s simple but finely crafted +1 silvered battleaxe. He 
  carried this magical weapon for decades. In honor of his deeds, 
  it was silvered to represent the Binding Flame, then blessed by 
  the high priests of each of the four tribes of the Ghaash’kala. It 
  is functional, not decorative, though the squared blade does 
  shine brilliantly with a silvered edge.   The oaken handle has 
  leather straps wrapped around it for a grip but is otherwise 
  similarly unadorned.  
  CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE 
  Once the party defeats the Ghaash'kala, the airship sweeps 
  down from above and the deckhands throw lines over the side 
  for the party to climb back up. As the airship begins to pull away 
  from the canyon, she asks the party about whether they 
  completed their mission. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Lhara helps pull the last of you over the rail and then waves an arm 
  signaling the pilot of the airship to quickly pull away down the 
  canyon.  With a smile and evident relief, she exclaims, “You made it! I 
  mean, of course you made it. Did you get it?” 
   
  After the party presents Lhara with the Voice of the Keeper, she 
  congratulates them with genuine enthusiasm and a clear note of 
  relief at their safe return. 
   
   
   
   
   “That was the stuff of legends.” Her tone is one of sarcasm, but 
  she’s obviously pleased.  “You went into the Lair of the Keeper and 
  lived. Nine hundred years from now it’ll be your names the legends 
  speak of.”  She examines the Voice before tucking it away in an 
  enchanted bag by her side.  “One more for the collection. Soon 
  everyone will know that the Guild has the best explorers on all 
  Khorvaire, thanks to you.  When we get back to Stormhome, first 
  round is on me.” 
  As the airship crests the lip of the canyon, you can still see the place 
  on the rim where the Keeper’s death cultists trade away their souls 
  for power to that cursed dracolich, but rapidly it fades in the distance 
  as you head back to a world free from these horrors.  
  MISSION REWARDS 
  Once back in Sharn, Lhara will gladly reward the party for their 
  efforts and deeds on behalf of the Clifftop Guild, giving each 
  character 700 gp in payment for services rendered. She is also 
  happy to help recommend interested buyers for any Khyber 
  shards the party acquired along the way. 
  THE CONVERGENCE MANIFESTO 
  With the Voice in hand, Provost Faurious has nearly all the 
  planar artifacts he needs to complete his Convergence 
  Manifesto. If the players wish to complete further missions for 
  the Guild, they can do so in AE01-11: A Heart in Mourning. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  24 
   
  APPENDIX A: BESTIARY 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  32 
   
  APPENDIX B: MAPS 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/Across Eberron/Across Eberron - Convergence Manifesto - Episode 10 - At Death’s Door.pdf