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  W
  elcome to the first release in Goodman Games’ 
  new Lankhmar line of supplements for Dungeon 
  Crawl Classics RPG. Through Ningauble’s Cave is 
  intended to introduce (or in many cases reacquaint) the 
  reader with the exciting world of Nehwon, the famous cre-
  ation of legendary writer Fritz Leiber. Leiber’s work was 
  and remains some of the most influential writing in mod-
  ern fantasy literature and we are proud and excited to have 
  the opportunity to merge Leiber’s fantastic tales with Dun-
  geon Crawl Classics RPG.
  Through Ningauble’s Cave, as the name suggests, details 
  the curious home of the Nehwonian wizard Ningauble of 
  the Seven Eyes—a fitting entry point into Leiber’s world. 
  In these pages, judges will learn some of Gossiper of the 
  God’s numerous secrets and discover how the Bottom-
  less Caves, in which he dwells, can be inserted into your 
  DCC RPG campaign. With the presence of Ningauble’s 
  Cave established, it becomes a simple matter to move your 
  campaign’s PCs across world boundaries to either visit Ne-
  hwon temporarily or dwell there permanently. And with 
  Ningauble’s Cave touching many worlds, it also provides 
  excellent means to connect your campaign with other far-
  flung locations across the cosmos.
  This supplement is just the first of many Lankhmar DCC 
  RPG products. Themes, places, creatures, and magic intro-
  duced here will be expanded on in future releases. For now, 
  consider this the initial sip of the heady vintage that Fritz 
  Leiber and Harry Otto Fischer created more than eighty 
  years ago.
  Part One: 
  the Wizard and his Cave
  Somewhere, there is a cave.
  There are those who claim it exists beneath a mountain in 
  the arid lands south of Ilthmar. Others believe it resides be-
  yond the Lebanon Mountains, near the shores of the Dead 
  Sea. Yet others—madmen and sages, mostly—postulate the 
  cave exists in between worlds, a cavern on the boundaries 
  of cosmoses. It is Ningauble’s Cave.
  At the heart of this mazy cavern squats something. In some 
  ways it resembles a cloaked man, one who speaks with a 
  lilting, flute-like voice, in tones rich and syrupy like a priest 
  with a collection plate in hand. No one has seen his (its?) 
  face, but those who seek the advice of this creature often 
  glimpse the seven (or is it only six?) green eyes that consid-
  er the visiting supplicant from the dark confines the crea-
  ture’s cowl. This is Ningauble of the Seven Eyes.
  NiNgauble of 
  the SeveN eyeS
  Ningauble is one of the two most powerful sorcerers on 
  Nehwon. Whether he is considered the foremost wizard 
  or a close second depends entirely on whether you’re ask-
  ing the Gossiper of the Gods, himself, or his ofttimes rival, 
  Sheelba of the Eyeless Face.
  His origins are unknown, although many legends and the-
  ories have accumulated around the wizard, gathering like 
  the potsherds he regularly sifts through in his home. Nin-
  gauble has been called a demon, a creature from another 
  world, a man twisted by sorcery, a riddle sent to confound 
  humankind, and even a lingering representative of the El-
  der Gods, themselves.
  From his general appearance, Ningauble seems humanoid, 
  but this cannot be certain as his entire form is swaddled in 
  thick, dark robes and cowled cloak. His belly (or whatever 
  his midsection holds) is rotund, edging on obesity. Ningau-
  ble handles objects with adroitness, but grips items with 
  the folded cuffs of his robes so his fingers (or other digits) 
  remain unseen.
  Ningauble’s name comes from the single (or perhaps bet-
  ter to say “multiple”) bodily features visible outside of his 
  robe-swathed form. Lurking in the depths of his cowl and 
  peering out into the world are a number of green ocular 
  orbs, each with a vertical cat-like iris and glowing with the 
  dim radiance of fireflies. It is widely held that Ningauble 
  possesses seven of these eyes, yet legend has it that only his 
  most trusted agents have ever seen all seven at once. These 
  eyes can extend some distance outside his cowl, allowing 
  him to, as Ningauble’s fond of saying, “look at a problem 
  from all sides.”
  Ningauble bears more sobriquets than perhaps any other 
  creature on Nehwon. He is known as the Gossiper of the 
  Gods, Newsmonger, Snarer of Rumors, Midwife of Secrets, 
  Schoolmaster of Falsehood, Many-Eyed One, and a hun-
  dred other names both flattering and insulting. Ningauble 
  craves news as a leech needs blood, and his cavern is situ-
  ated ideally to collect rumors and whispers as they spread 
  from mouth-to-mouth (and world-to-world). Ningauble 
  has a veritable army of spies under his command and is 
  always eager to gain more agents, trusted servants he calls 
  his “Gentles.”
  The Gossiper of the Gods is a loquacious creature, employ-
  ing seven words when a single one will do, often to the ire 
  of his sometimes ally and rival, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face. 
  His multitude of ocular extremities also causes Ningauble to 
  consider all sides to a conundrum, often causing him to de-
  lay immediate action. This tendency can unfortunately leave 
  his agents dangling between the horns of dilemma while 
  Ningauble debates on a course of action. The wizard, like 
  many of his ilk, is driven by the search for knowledge and 
  the accumulation of curiosities, and his greed for both often 
  places his own ends above those who are assisting him.
  
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  Ningauble employs a number of sigils to mark his instruc-
  tions and missives. The most common glyphs adorning his 
  messages are that of a black, seven-fingered hand with an eye 
  in the place of each digit’s fingernail, a seal depicting seven 
  entangled eyes, and a seven-armed clockwise swastika.
  iN the SePtiNocular 
  oNe'S emPloy
  Most wizards pursue their goals in solitude, eschewing 
  company for fear of their secrets being stolen or suffering 
  betrayal at the hands of their servants. In light of this com-
  mon sorcerous predilection, Ningauble of the Seven Eyes is 
  atypical from his comrades-in-magic.
  Driven by an insatiable hunger for lore, gossip, news, 
  and tales, Ningauble employs a vast network of agents in 
  countless worlds. These spies range from mighty heroes to 
  grungy guttersnipes, but each serves their own purpose in 
  Ningauble’s intelligence gathering. 
  The Gossiper utilizes his urchin, bat, and other mundane 
  operatives for the most part, but the wizard often requires 
  the assistance of his most formidable agents, those who bear 
  the heroic spark so rare in the cosmos. Ningauble refers to 
  these special individuals as his “Gentles,” addressing them 
  as “Gentle Son” or “Gentle Daughter” when speaking. 
  How one becomes one of Ningauble’s “Gentles” is debat-
  able. Some seek out his patronage with spells or by jour-
  neying to pledge their assistance in return for the wizard’s 
  favor, while others are simply adopted by Ningauble as his 
  beloved agents—much to their chagrin and dismay. These 
  unwilling Gentles soon find themselves stuck in their roles 
  as the Gossiper is well-versed about all his spies’ pasts and 
  blackmail is not beneath him.
  The Gentles are largely left to their own devices until Nin-
  gauble requires their services. At such times, the wizard 
  dispatches a missive to them bearing instructions. These 
  messages arrive via mundane but unusual means. In the 
  past, Ningauble has dispatched orders by sending white 
  doves, hawks, gale-blown pieces of papyrus, carrier bats, 
  and his beloved urchins. He even once inscribed orders in 
  black crayon on the Gray Mouser’s sword, Scalpel!
  Of course, his Gentles are often forced to seek out their “be-
  loved father” for assistance in their own matters. Ningau-
  ble is never slow to impart his own tasks upon his agents 
  in return for his aid.
  the bottomleSS cave
  Ningauble’s Cave stretches across worlds, its winding tun-
  nels connecting and debouching into countless places both 
  within Nehwon and other cosmic shores. For this reason, 
  the world-spanning grotto is also known as the Bottomless 
  Caves. With no more effort than it takes to traverse a rocky 
  tunnel, a person can step from Nehwon to stride the sands 
  of Earth or any other alien world—assuming Ningauble al-
  lows it, of course.
  Ningauble’s Cave appears to be a naturally-formed one, 
  unremarkable from any other water- or magma-created 
  subterranean network. Physically, it is only unusual in the 
  sheer number of winding passages, tunnels, and caverns 
  that comprise it. The exact number of these halls and thor-
  oughfares are unknown to all except Ningauble.
  The Bottomless Caves obey Ningauble’s whim and can 
  change as the wizard sees fit. Tunnels switch destinations 
  or terminate in dead ends, landmarks appear and disap-
  pear, and visitors may encounter one another or pass each 
  other by depending on Ning’s desire for his agents to know 
  one another. Ningauble can cause travelers to his demesne 
  to quickly become lost or alter tunnels so that they arrive 
  where and when their presence is most suitable for his 
  schemes and plots.
  Ningauble prefers his cave dark and his supplicants grop-
  ing. Those who bring candles or torches into the cave find 
  their lights often dim to unnaturally pale illumination or 
  extinguish outright, depending on the wizard’s mood. Pro-
  gressing through the dark tunnels without the benefit of 
  light is an unnerving experience. Aside from the normal 
  fear expected when groping in the dark, the traveler feels 
  the brush of gossamer wings too spectral to be those of a 
  bat and the light touch of what could be cobwebs if they 
  weren’t so coarse. These may be the Caves’ strange inhabit-
  ants (see below) or other, even weirder, forces at work.
  a glimPSe withiN the cowl
  Even Fafhrd and Gray Mouser, as reckless as they are, never dared to peer too closely inside Ningauble’s shadowy 
  hood. As literary characters, the two would never act in such a matter, but players and fictional figures are two entirely 
  different species.
  A player may decide that his character is brash, disrespectful, or stupid enough to attempt to glimpse Ningauble’s true 
  face. What’s a judge to do in this situation? The answer is simple: Let him look.
  Tell the player his PC stares into the shadowy hood and then everything goes black. Carry on with the rest of the 
  encounter as normal. Later, inform the player his character awakens from a horrible nightmare filled with monstrous 
  visions that he cannot quite recall. He wakes to find his body has aged 1d6 years and his hair has turned stark white or 
  fallen out completely. His mind refuses to dredge up the memory of what he saw in Ningauble’s cowl, so horrible or 
  inhuman was the sight. Ningauble, himself, takes no offense at the PC’s actions, but will mention the ill consequences 
  of rash action the next time to two meet.
  
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  the laNdmarkS of 
  NiNgauble'S cave
  Ningauble’s cave is a twisting labyrinth filled with snak-
  ing passages that branch, cross, and reconnect in myriad 
  ways, often changing in layout, pattern, and contents. As 
  such, a visitor to the Bottomless Caves cannot overly rely 
  on landmarks to find his way, but there are nevertheless 
  some signposts that reappear often enough to be consid-
  ered semi-permanent features of Ningauble’s cavern. This 
  section describes these features and their properties.
  The Trembling Bridge
  A narrow arch of stone stretches through the air, connect-
  ing two distant ledges. The stone bridge is cracked in many 
  places, its faults ranging in size from hairline fractures to 
  gaping cracks large enough to insert a clenched fist into. 
  Dust and the occasional fragment of stone sift down from 
  the Bridge’s underside to fall into the Pit of Ultimate Truth 
  below.
  The bridge shudders when stepped upon, the sound of 
  creaking and cracking amplified by the high cavern ceiling 
  above. To all witnessing this phenomenon, it appears the 
  Trembling Bridge is mere moments from collapsing. Even 
  a learned engineer, experienced spelunker, or dwarf visi-
  tor from another world is confident structural failure is im-
  minent and anyone caught on the Bridge is doomed. Any 
  creature wishing to cross the span must make a DC 14 Will 
  save to force themselves across the Trembling Bridge.
  Despite the Trembling Bridge’s frail appearance, it is age-
  less and has yet to fail. Once an individual overcomes his 
  fear and crosses the bridge, he need not make a Will save on 
  subsequent trips. However, as with all parts of the Bottom-
  less Caves, it’s reasonable that Ningauble could drop the 
  Trembling Bridge at a whim. Overconfidence in a wizard’s 
  realm is never recommended.
  Pit of Ultimate Truth
  Beneath the Trembling Bridge is a massive chasm stretch-
  ing more than three hundred feet from wall-to-wall and ex-
  tending out of sight in either direction. The chasm is black 
  as pitch, filled with a darkness so vast that is seems to ab-
  sorb the light of any illumination source brought close to 
  its crumbling edges. So gloomy is the Pit that the light of a 
  thousand burning brands could not dissipate its darkness.
  Any creature foolish enough to contemplate the blackness 
  of the Pit wrestles with the abrupt comprehension of the 
  futility of its life, actions, and deeds. Utter comprehension 
  of the grim fact that Death awaits us all and Time erodes 
  accomplishments pervades their spirit. This is the Ultimate 
  Truth man strives to avoid. The gazer must make a DC 15 
  Will save or plunge into a deep depression. This state lasts 
  for 1d3 days, during which time the afflicted individual 
  suffers a -2 die penalty on all rolls.
  An individual can be affected numerous times if fool-
  ish enough to peer into the Pit of Ultimate Truth multiple 
  times. A creature succumbing to the Ultimate Truth a sec-
  ond time becomes despondent and throws himself into the 
  Pit unless prevented. This suicidal urge lasts for 1d3 days, 
  but is only triggered by being in the presence of the Pit of 
  Ultimate Truth.
  Pool of Consequences
  A still pool rests in the bend of one of Ningauble’s many 
  tunnels, a shadowy pond fed by a single dripping stalactite 
  overhead. The drops fall with excruciating delay, leaving 
  the observer to ponder exactly how long it took to create the 
  roughly 8’ diameter pool beneath it. Aside from the ripples 
  caused by the rare falling droplet, the pool does not move 
  or display evidence of creatures living within its waters.
  A traveler through the Bottomless Caves who peers into its 
  dark waters overlong witnesses a singular vision, an image 
  depicting themselves in unfortunate circumstances. The 
  judge can either roll or choose the most appropriate entry 
  for the PC from the following list:
  d10 
  Image Glimpsed in the Pool of Consequences
  1 
  The PC lies bleeding and with broken limbs in a 
  dirty city alley.
  2 
  The PC is seen blasted by his own magic turned 
  against him.
  3 
  The PC is injured by a sprung trap.
  4 
  The PC is seen caught in the midst of a burning 
  room, frantically seeking escape.
  5 
  The PC is witnessed walking into an ambush.
  6 
  The PC struggles to remain afloat in a large volume 
  of liquid.
  7 
  The PC clutches his throat as his lips turn blue from 
  asphyxiation or poison.
  8 
  The PC lies pinned beneath a heavy stone or piece 
  of statuary.
  9 
  The PC stands behind stout iron bars as if in a pris-
  on cell or cage.
  10 
  The PC is stabbed in the back by a dagger held by 
  a hand that seems vaguely familiar, but otherwise 
  remains unknown. 
  The witnessed vision is one that will come to pass as a con-
  sequence of the PC’s actions or decisions. Once glimpsed, 
  only the individual’s death before the event occurs pre-
  vents the consequence from happening. As a result of star-
  ing into the Pool, the judge can automatically cause the 
  event witnessed to occur at some point in the character’s 
  future, imposing the event regardless of die rolls or other 
  circumstances. For example, a PC who looked into the Pool 
  and rolled a “1” on the table above leaps across an alley 
  to reach a nearby rooftop. Although he makes a successful 
  ability check to clear the gap, the judge deems this to be 
  the perfect time to invoke the Pool of Consequences and 
  
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  declares the PC fails to reach the far edge of the alley and 
  falls to the cobblestones below. There he lies bleeding and 
  with broken limbs, causing the witnessed consequence to 
  come to pass. The judge should never kill a PC outright as 
  a result of staring into the Pool, but injury and discomfort 
  is expected. There is no limit to how many times a PC can 
  stare into the Pool—aside from common sense—but only 
  one consequence can be hovering over a PC at any time. 
  The judge can decide whether the first consequence or the 
  most recent consequence will come to pass in the case of 
  multiple glimpses.
  Staircase of Error
  One of the many entrances to Ningauble’s Audience Cave 
  is reached by ascending the Staircase of Error, a towering 
  flight of steps formed by a cluster of huge, rough-edged 
  stones piled on atop the other. 
  Although difficult to discern in the darkness, each of these 
  stones is a piece of ancient masonry from a long-fallen 
  kingdom of old. The sole surviving evidence of these failed 
  realms; the blocks hold inscribed images, carved messages, 
  faded graffiti, and other evidence of the grave errors that 
  led to the various realms’ demises. A PC inspecting the 
  blocks might find a bit of useful arcane knowledge, a scrap 
  of pertinent historical lore, or the answer to some great rid-
  dle that perplexes him. 
  Ningauble’s gentlings (see below) lair around the Staircase 
  of Error in large numbers, their glowing eyes observing all 
  who climb the steps to visit their master.
  The Great Gate
  At the center of Ningauble’s cave stands a massive door, 
  iron-bound and rising more than 30’ high. This grand valve 
  is found in the wizard’s Audience Cave—when it deigns to 
  appear, that is. The Great Gate is inconsistent, its presence 
  in the Audience Cave dependent on either Ningauble’s or 
  some other power’s desire. There are visitors to Ningau-
  ble’s cave who have never glimpsed the door, while oth-
  ers proclaim it is always present in the wizard’s innermost 
  sanctum. Yet others have seen it at certain times and noted 
  its absence at others.
  What resides beyond the Great Gate is the subject of much 
  debate among those who have witnessed it. One popular 
  theory is that it prohibits entrance to a world that even Nin-
  gauble cannot visit, perhaps the very highest of heavens or 
  the deepest pit in Hell. Another tale recounts that it bars 
  the way of certain eldest powers best left locked out of the 
  universe. According to the rogue, the Gray Mouser, how-
  ever, the Great Gate is simply the entrance to Ningauble’s 
  own quarters, a lavish palace the seemingly humble and 
  poverty-beset wizard takes great pains to conceal. On cer-
  tain days, the sound of muted music and the giggle of un-
  seen courtesans can be heard beyond the Gate. Whether the 
  Mouser has discerned the truth or if this is simply more 
  grandstanding on the magical dabbler’s part is known only 
  to the Gods of Necessity (and the judge).
  The Audience Cave
  Located in the heart of the twisting caves and tunnels is 
  Ningauble’s innermost sanctum and audience chamber. 
  Visitors and supplicants seeking his sage council must find 
  their way to this place to entreat the wizard for his advice 
  and assistance. Finding the Audience Cave can be either a 
  simple matter, a grueling ordeal, or utterly impossible. The 
  Gossiper can situate his Cave wherever he desires in the 
  Bottomless Caves and restrict or enable access to it as he 
  wishes.
  Ningauble’s Audience Cave is a grand, cathedral-ceilinged 
  cavern with numerous entrances. The soaring ceiling is 
  thick with stalactites, although the cave floor, polished 
  smooth by the tread of countless visitors’ feet down the 
  ages, is bare of stalagmites. Ancient spells keep the stalac-
  tites from falling (although the Gossiper warns that there 
  are no spells that can’t be broken). Ningauble’s “throne” is 
  simply a low wide stone positioned near the center of the 
  cavern, situated before his fire pit which sometimes burns 
  with emerald flames. Depending on the whims of the wiz-
  ard—or whatever ineffable forces control the Bottomless 
  Caves—the Great Gate may or may not be present.
  Ningauble is most often encountered here, sifting through 
  a mound of potsherds containing the scraps of knowledge 
  and ancient legends of long-fallen (or paradoxically, yet to 
  rise) empires or pawing through crumbling pages of parch-
  ment and papyrus brought to him by his agents. Ningauble 
  is never alone within his Audience Cave; either his urchins 
  or page-beasts (see below) stand in the shadows, ready to 
  serve their master.
  
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  travelerS aNd viSitorS iN NiNgauble'S cave
  The PCs are not the only ones to visit the Arch-eavesdropper. A party traveling the winding tunnels of the Bottomless 
  Caves sometimes meets or hears others venturing through the rocky arteries. These fellow visitors might be returning 
  from conference with the wizard or engaged in tasks assigned by Ningauble. There is a 10% chance of encountering fellow 
  visitors each time the party travels through the Bottomless Caves. This probability is reduced to 0% if Ningauble prefers 
  to keep his agents from meeting one another.
  d20 
  Creature encountered
  1 
  A solitary Mingol (or perhaps Mongol?) witch-doctor accompanied by his spotted dog.
  2 
  A pair of silent Ghouls bearing lidded jars.
  3 
  A nervous-looking Egyptian mummy-smuggler.
  4 
  A well-dressed envoy from the King of Kings accompanied by six armed and armored soldiers.
  5 
  A beady-eyed Ilthmart priest of the Rat God with a rat riding on his shoulder and whispering in his ear.
  6 
  A Greek scholar dressed in a toga and bearing a bundle of scrolls under one arm.
  7 
  Three hairless travelers from the distant empire of Eevamarensee.
  8 
  A hulking Mayan shaman dressed in feathers and obsidian.
  9 
  A slovenly-dressed mendicant from Tovilyis with hat in hand.
  10 
  A leather-skinned witch from the Land of the Eight Cities, her hair and clothes reeking of pungent smokes.
  11 
  A woad-painted Celt druid bearing staff and sword.
  12 
  A white-garbed Snow Woman with a pinched face and angry eyes.
  13 
  The rush of air and the sound of tinkling laughter (unseen visitors from Stardock?).
  14 
  A one-eyed Viking seer carrying a pouch of rattling runes.
  15 
  A pale fleshed sorcerer of Quarmall accompanied by curiously disfigured slave servants.
  16 
  An ebony-skinned warlord from Klesh dressed in serpent-skin armor studded with rare jewels.
  17 
  A quartet of silvery-skinned and -haired envoys from sunken Simorgya.
  18 
  Fafhrd, alone and looking grim.
  19 
  Fafhrd and Gray Mouser, engaged in a philosophical debate
  20 
  Vagabond visitors hailing from even odder worlds. Suggestions include travelers from the Purple Planet, Shud-
  folk who wandered in from the Shudder Mountains, lost post-apocalyptic mutants, and other strangeness. 
  alterNate meaNS of traveliNg to NehwoN
  Although the Bottomless Caves is an ideal means to venture to and from Nehwon, not all judges might desire the party 
  to travel via the Septinocular One’s home. Those judges need only consult other of Leiber’s Fafhrd and Gray Mouser 
  tales for inspiration.
  Readers of The Swords of Lankhmar undoubtedly recall Karl Treuherz, the German explorer who visited Nehwon from 
  a world simply known as Tomorrow. Treuherz traveled via his own time-space ship, indicating such means of trans-
  world journeying is possible in Nehwon. If the party knows of a similar device in their home world and manages to 
  take command of that craft, they can visit Nehwon by that method. Frix, the refugee Queen of Arilia, also arrived in 
  Nehwon aboard some form of vessel and became stranded when it wrecked. PCs hailing from Nehwon might salvage 
  Frix’s wreck, refurbish the craft, and depart for other worlds aboard it.
  Gray Mouser and Fafhrd reportedly glimpsed ships in Salthaven’s harbor on Rime Isle that appeared to hail from no 
  known port on Nehwon. An inspection of the currency that changes hands in the harbor town also indicates that oth-
  erworldly visitors to the island are not unknown. A wise (or unlucky) captain could conceivably plot a course through 
  strange waters or accidentally sail across world boundaries to arrive or depart Nehwon.
  
  Page 7
  occuPaNtS of the cave
  Aside from the Godfather of Mystification, himself, there 
  are other entities dwelling in the Caves. Most are there to 
  serve Ningauble, but some are less welcome denizens.
  PCs are most likely to encounter Ningauble’s urchins, ei-
  ther in the Audience Cave or as intermediaries when acting 
  on the Multi-Eyed One’s instructions. These servants are 
  young human children dressed in rags and smeared with 
  the dirt of street living. Easily overlooked and ignored, the 
  urchins excel at accumulating the news and gossip Nin-
  gauble so dearly craves. Some skeptics have gone so far 
  as to suggest Ningauble possesses no supernatural ability 
  at divination or clairvoyance and his gathered intelligence 
  comes entirely from the childish lips of these urchins. 
  Urchins have stats as Peasants (DCC RPG p. 434) plus 
  the ability to appear and disappear when necessary. Nin-
  gauble’s urchins often turn up in the most unlikely places 
  bearing instructions for the wizard’s Gentles—in the midst 
  of pitched battle, atop lonely mountains, onboard ships in 
  storm-wracked waters, etc. It’s likely they utilize either the 
  tunnels of the Bottomless Caves or Ning’s sorcery to appear 
  and disappear, but given the Gossiper’s access to multiple 
  worlds, one must consider the possibility that Ningauble’s 
  urchins are not actually children at all but something from 
  an alien world with the power to duplicate the appearance 
  of guttersnipes.
  Also present in the Caves and less mundane to a visitor’s 
  eyes are Ningauble’s gentlings. These strange creatures oc-
  cupy the ecological niche normally reserved for rats and 
  other rodents. Gentlings are small creatures resembling 
  1’ long animated scraps of dark cloth—perhaps torn rags 
  from Ningauble’s cloak—that scurry about on unseen 
  feet. They have yellow, intensely curious eyes that watch 
  visitors from cavities, crevices, and ledges throughout the 
  Caves, often in great numbers. They seem to especially 
  congregate near the Staircase of Error. Although far more 
  inquisitive than dangerous, if the PCs aggravate the gen-
  tlings or Ningauble desires, they can attack in a swarm. Use 
  the Rat Swarm stats (DCC RPG p. 424), ignoring the dis-
  ease special property in such instances. It is speculated that 
  gentlings were once wizards themselves who pledged their 
  services to Ningauble. Over time, magical corruption trans-
  formed them into gentlings and now they cannot leave the 
  Bottomless Caves (see Part Three for more information on 
  this possibility).
  The Bottomless Caves are unsurprisingly home to swarms 
  of bats, but these are no ordinary animals. Each creature is 
  absolutely loyal to Ningauble and act as his carrier pigeons, 
  far-ranging eyes, warning system, and pets. The Gossiper 
  often contacts his Gentles by means of message-bearing 
  bat when his urchins are unsuited for the task or he merely 
  needs to impart information without the need for reply. 
  Ningauble’s most loyal bats dwell amongst the folds of his 
  voluminous cloak and nest in the darkness of his cowl. 
  Situated in the Caves ecosystem below the urchins but 
  above the gentlings are the page-beasts. These lemur-like 
  creatures act as lesser servants to Ningauble, feeding his 
  fire, collecting his papers and potsherds, and otherwise 
  fulfilling mundane chores. Page-beasts are non-aggressive 
  and possess semi-human intelligence. They cannot speak, 
  but can purr and bark to express alarm or pleasure.
  Lastly, some travelers in Ningauble’s Cave simply go miss-
  ing. Rather than banished by the whim of Ningauble, these 
  vanished visitors fell afoul of things lurking in the dark. 
  These creatures may be exiles from other worlds who wan-
  dered into the wrong cave or terrible watch creatures em-
  ployed by the Gossiper to protect certain tunnels or cav-
  erns. A lucky sojourner through the Bottomless Caves will 
  never encounter these unknown creatures, but if they do, 
  their identity is left to the judge’s imagination.
  bibliograPhy of StorieS
  While the entire Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series of sto-
  ries contains information of vital importance and useful-
  ness to the judge embarking on a Dungeon Crawl Classics 
  Lankhmar campaign, the following tales specifically have 
  details regarding Ningauble’s Cave and its weird master.
  Adept’s Gambit (1947)
  Bazaar of the Bizarre (1963)
  The Swords of Lankhmar (1968)
  The Wrong Branch (1968)
  The Price of Pain Ease (1970)
  The Circle Curse (1970)
  The Curse of the Smalls and the Stars (1983)
  
  Page 8
  Part tWO: the Winding Ways 
  Of ningauble's Cave
  O
  ne must be cautious when traversing the myriad 
  pathways of Ningauble’s domicile. The rocky 
  tunnels extend far beyond the boundaries of the 
  Ilthmar Mountains, leading to far-flung locales on both the 
  drifting bubble that is Nehwon and to worlds far beyond 
  the ken of its inhabitants. Only the Gossiper of the Gods 
  knows for certain where his tunnels terminate and this is 
  the one subject that the normally loquacious wizard choos-
  es not to elaborate upon.
  The uncountable passages comprising Ningauble’s cave 
  provide the judge the means of introducing the world 
  of Nehwon to his PCs. This introduction can be either 
  planned (the party learns of the Bottomless Caves in their 
  home world and seeks them out) or the result of acciden-
  tally stumbling down the wrong branch of a tunnel and 
  falling under the power of Ningauble’s sorcery. Regardless 
  of intent, the party discovers themselves on Nehwon, visi-
  tors from another world (or another bubble in the cosmic 
  seas, depending on one’s acceptance of popular Nehwo-
  nian scholarship). They stumble out of a dark tunnel and 
  emerge on Nehwon. The judge need only decide where 
  he wishes to begin his campaign in that world and choose 
  the appropriate egress. For while Ningauble’s Cave is re-
  nowned for its connections to many different worlds, it 
  also had multiple egresses within Nehwon, linking cities 
  and regions separated by thousands of miles via strangely 
  shorter subterranean tunnels. A traveler who knows the 
  correct path can stride from Quarmall to Eevamarensee 
  without ever glimpsing the sun. Ningauble’s most trusted 
  servants utilize these connections when dispatched on their 
  master’s errands.
  As noted in the previous chapter, travel through the Bot-
  tomless Caves is not always easy. Even without the wiz-
  ard’s shifting of passages, the snaking tunnels and their 
  twists and turns make becoming lost a simple occurrence. A 
  visitor seeking to speak with the Gossiper of the Gods may 
  choose the wrong tunnel and discovered himself not in the 
  Audience Cave, but in a distant city. Likewise, a traveler 
  from an alien world can emerge at a location in Nehwon 
  without ever meeting the multi-eyed wizard, missing the 
  Audience Cave entirely by choosing the wrong path or by 
  Ningauble altering the Bottomless Caves’ configuration 
  to dump a traveler someplace to best serve the wizard’s 
  schemes.
  iNtroduciNg NiNgauble 
  aNd the bottomleSS 
  caveS 
  Introducing Ningauble, the Bottomless Caves, and the 
  world of Nehwon if the PCs aren’t currently adventuring 
  in it is a simple task. All that’s needed is a cave. The loca-
  tion of the cave and the reason the PCs enter it is unimport-
  ant. They could be seeking shelter for a storm, hiding from 
  foes, or venturing inside it to drive out the monsters they 
  believe lair within. The Bottomless Caves have entrances 
  everywhere and these adits can appear and disappear as 
  Ningauble or the Caves desires.
  If the PCs enter the cave intent on exploring it, they quickly 
  discover the cave connects to the Bottomless caves. As they 
  explore its passages, they might either chance upon the Au-
  dience Cave if the judge wishes them to meet Ningauble 
  directly or bypass that location completely and ultimately 
  exits at a location of the judge’s choosing. Possible exits are 
  provided below.
  A party that has no intention of exploring, or finds them-
  selves in a small, cramped cave, might also find themselves 
  Nehwon-bound and Ningauble-employed, but it takes a bit 
  more coercing. Ningauble always has his ears (assuming 
  he has them) out for news and scraps of lore, and seeks 
  new agents in his vast network of gossip collecting. A party 
  of heroes might attract his attention, causing him and his 
  Cave to make an appearance at the party’s location.
  In this event, the Gossiper speaks from the back of the cave, 
  his eyes luminous and sinuous in the darkness. This occurs 
  even if the PCs have previously established the limits of the 
  cave and found nothing present at its far end. Ningauble 
  speaks gently, dropping platitudes and praises upon the 
  party before inquiring if they might perform a service. At-
  tempts to close with the Gossiper might cause the wizard to 
  slowly retreat further back into the cave—even exceeding 
  the limits of the small space! Those who follow him soon 
  find themselves in the Bottomless Caves and utterly depen-
  dent on Ningauble’s power to allow them to depart.
  If the party holds their ground and continues to parley with 
  the Gossiper, he entreats them to perform a small task suit-
  able only for the truest of heroes. In return he can provide 
  magical assistance, patronage, the sought-after answers to 
  questions, and similar rewards. All the party needs to do is 
  accompany him on a short trip…
  Before they know it, the PCs are standing in Nehwon with 
  a wizard’s task to perform. Possible tasks and where those 
  chores might take the party are presented below.
  
  Page 9
  eNtraNceS aNd egreSSeS
  This section enumerates many (but not all) places on Ne-
  hwon where the lesser tunnels of the Bottomless Caves 
  emerge. A judge intent on moving his DCC RPG campaign 
  to Nehwon for a while can choose one of the exits pro-
  vided below for that world. Each contains a description of 
  where the party emerges, a brief encounter to catch their 
  interest, and adventure ideas to spur the judge’s creativ-
  ity. The judge is as always free to add more entrances and 
  exits as needed, but shouldn’t make things too convenient 
  for the party. After all, heroes on Nehwon are defined by 
  their ability to overcome adversity, so a little danger and 
  difficulty is expected. For example, while it’s likely that 
  there is an egress from the Bottomless Caves located be-
  neath Lankhmar City (to judge by the sudden appearance 
  of one of Ningauble’s urchins at Fafhrd’s side during the 
  Rat Plague), Ningauble never saw fit to reveal its presence 
  to his most favored Gentle Son.
  exit 1: ilthmar aNd the 
  SiNkiNg laNd
  This entrance is the one most familiar to readers acquainted 
  with the stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. The tunnel 
  ends in a cool, shadowy cave situated in the high foothills 
  of the Ilthmar Mountains. Beyond the cave is barren brown 
  land, arid and covered only by scraggly, desiccated veg-
  etation and shimmering heat haze. A narrow track, hardly 
  more than an ill-used animal path, winds down from the 
  cave to the dry landscape below. 
  Far off towards the horizon a squat-towered city stands 
  along the shores of a vast ocean. Depending on the time of 
  the PCs’ emergence from the wizard’s cave, they may see a 
  spit of land dividing the sea into two separate bodies of wa-
  ter, one gray-green and white-capped, the other blue-green 
  and serene. This spit of land is the Sinking Land which rise 
  and subside according to strange geological forces, periodi-
  cally separating the Inner Sea and the Sea of the East. 
  From this cave, the party is in a prime location to travel 
  to Lankhmar, but—especially if this is their first time in 
  Nehwon—a trip to Ilthmar is in order to acquire mounts, 
  book passage on a ship, gather information, or for other 
  purposes.
  Adventure Ideas
  Ilthmar is the crossroads of Nehwon, being seated roughly 
  equidistant from the Land of the Eight Cities, the Eastern 
  Lands, the Steppes, Lankhmar, and Quarmall. Sooner or lat-
  er everything—people, gossip, and goods—passes through 
  the city of the Rat God. As a result, Ilthmar makes the ideal 
  launching off point for adventures taking the party to all 
  corners of Nehwon. The following are just two potential 
  adventures waiting to occur in Ilthmar:
  • The Rat Temple is sending a special envoy to Lankhmar 
  and is hiring sell-swords and bravos to protect the em-
  issary and the mysterious covered relic he carries. The 
  priest has business with certain rat-friendly nobles in 
  the city and the denizens of Lankhmar Below. Over-cu-
  rious PCs may find themselves arousing the ire of both 
  the Rat God of Ilthmar and the rodents of Lankhmar 
  Below. Adventurers who prove able to keep quiet may 
  serve to further the alliance between the two groups. 
  Ningauble may desire the relic for his own mystical 
  reasons and dispatch the PCs to claim it.
  • Perhaps because of a scuffle with the graft-seeking 
  guards at the city’s edge, the PCs run afoul of Ilthmart 
  officials and find themselves clapped in irons. For their 
  crimes, they’re sentenced to be fed to the sharks in the 
  harbor, a sacrifice to the Shark God. But as the filthy 
  waters close over them, the party is abruptly rescued 
  by another aquatic power that needs surface dwellers 
  to carry out a scheme in Ilthmar. Possible rescuers-
  cum-employers include Simorgyans and the Sea King 
  and/or his brides. 
  Sample Encounter: Welcome to 
  Ilthmar! Now Pay Up!
  The roadway reaches a 20’ wide, 20’ deep dry moat crossed by 
  a stone bridge. Beyond the bridge begins the city you saw from 
  the mountain cave. Run-down buildings of brick and stone grow 
  in number and density as one travels further towards the city 
  center. Overhead, gulls and other sea birds coast gently above the 
  squat towers that punctuate the skyline.
  The stone bridge is curiously carved, decorated with repeating 
  reliefs of a great rat or other rodent squatting on its rear legs 
  with human-like paws held out as if in eager anticipation of gifts. 
  Passage across the bridge is impeded by a sextet of soldiers clad 
  in black-iron byrnies armed with halberd, sword, and alarm horn.
  Three of the soldiers approach the party, pausing at the 
  midpoint of the bridge. Two of the armed individuals cross 
  their halberds, forming a tollgate across the bridge while 
  the third addresses the party.
  “By the Rat and the Shark and by the Princes and their Dukes, 
  NiNgauble'S cave geomorPhS
  The passages and caverns that make up the Bottomless Caves are ever changing. Only Ningauble’s whim or his uncan-
  ny foresight can make sense of this labyrinth and where and when each exit leads. On the pages that follow are several 
  sets of map sections—these are known as geomorphs. Instead of a standard map, these pieces can be interlocked like 
  a puzzle to create an almost infinite number of twisted tunnels. Several versions of the important landmarks are in-
  cluded along with a number of intermediate passageways. Judges have permission to copy or print out these sections, 
  cut out and place the pieces as they see fit, guaranteeing a different cave complex every time.
  
  Page 10
  
  Page 11
  
  Page 12
  welcome to the grand city of Ilthmar. All are welcome within, but 
  safety and security of our fair Ilthmar comes at cost. A toll needs 
  paying before the crossing of bridges is done.”
  The speaker is Grandol, a mere sergeant-of-arms but a gen-
  eral of graft. He and his comrades are intent on shaking 
  down the PC for as much money as they can. Grandol in-
  vents all manner of tolls and tariffs that must be paid be-
  fore entrance is allowed. Some examples of entrance fees 
  include “the weapon-bearer tariff,” “the pedestrian trav-
  eler tax,” “the failure to have the proper currency to pay 
  the tariff tax,” “the ‘making me stand out in the hot sun too 
  long debating this subject’ tax,” and anything else he (and 
  the judge) can dream up.
  PCs that pay the extortion are granted entry and allowed 
  to cross the bridge. Those that refuse are denied entry as 
  the guards clutch their weapons menacingly. If a fight 
  erupts, use Man-at-Arms stats (DCC RPG p. 434) for the 
  soldiers. They blow their alarm horns to summon 2d6 re-
  inforcements from nearby barracks. Although they have no 
  qualms killing the PCs, they do prefer to take captives if 
  possible. Money is difficult to extort from corpses after all.
  If the PCs refuses to pay and depart, but seek other means 
  of entering the city, they are approached by Yugven, a 
  dirty street urchin who asks if they want to know of a se-
  cret path into the city. He asks for a mere two copper coins 
  (any world’s or city’s currency will do) in return. PCs who 
  pay the much reduced toll are led into a brigand ambush 
  just inside the city borders where a group of eight bandits 
  (see DCC RPG p. 432) seek to slay them and steal all their 
  belonging. Yugven vanishes moments before the ambush 
  occurs. Should the party defeat the brigands, they discov-
  er the urchin’s secret route does in fact enter Ilthmar and 
  avoids the graft-inflated toll demanded by the guards.
  exit 2: the Sea of 
  moNSterS aNd the 
  city of ghoulS
  This cave emerges in the hot, dusty heights of the Parched 
  Mountains on the eastern coast of the Sea of Monsters. The 
  tunnel exits the mountains atop a high ledge littered with 
  vulture-gnawed bones and fallen scree. Below the lofty 
  and narrow shelf, the mountains spill westward, reveal-
  ing a foreboding vista. The arid mountains tumble down 
  in an array of jagged brown and ochre stones, terminating 
  at the shore of the Sea of Monsters. The titanic inland sea 
  lies still on most days, its few waves created by the wakes 
  of the great serpentine beasts that sport in its waters. Al-
  though beyond the eyesight of the recent arrivals, the City 
  of Ghouls stands on the opposite shore, home to one of Ne-
  hwon’s strangest races. Aside from the whistling mountain 
  winds and the faint cry of hunting kestrels, the land is as 
  quiet as a funeral hall.
  Adventure Ideas
  There are multiple reasons heroes might need to visit the 
  Sea of Monsters and the City of Ghouls. Some may be at 
  the behest of Ningauble, while others are related to the 
  constant need for adventurers to replenish their depleted 
  purses. Here are two possibilities:
  • Ningauble requires that a rare type of sea monster be lo-
  cated in the depths of the Sea of Monsters. Once found, 
  the beast need slaying and its mighty, nine-chambered 
  heart returned to the sorcerer for mystical purposes.
  • One of the King of King’s daughters was abducted by 
  Ghoul raiders when her caravan was attacked en route 
  to Sarheenmar. The Eastern Potentate is offering a re-
  ward beyond the reckoning of avarice to whoever res-
  cues his child. Doing so requires the would-be rescuers 
  to penetrate into the very heart of the City of Ghouls 
  and liberate the princess before she is devoured.
  Sample Encounter: 
  Cannibal Ghoul Ambush
  The sounds of clashing arms and battle cries rings through the air. 
  In a dry, dusty gulch hemmed in by dull stone walls, a most curi-
  ous battle is underway. A skeleton stands with its back to one of 
  the gully’s rocky walls, a double-bitted war axe clasped in its boney 
  hands. Facing him in a semi-circular formation are yet more skel-
  etons armed with falchions and serrated-bladed knives. The teeth 
  of the skeletons menacing the axe-wielding one are sharpened into 
  spiky, ferocious needles. Several other skeletons lie unmoving on 
  the ground, their forms arrayed as if slain by violence.
  The warring creatures are not skeletons, but members of 
  the weird Nehwon race of Ghouls. The flesh and internal 
  organs of Ghouls are completely transparent, with only 
  their bones visible to the naked eye. The PCs have stumbled 
  across an ambush in process. While all Ghouls are canni-
  bals who feast on the flesh of Men, the ones with sharpened 
  teeth are guilty of the most heinous of Ghoulish crimes: the 
  consumption of Ghoul flesh. These monsters were driven 
  from the City of Ghouls and now live as bandits and mur-
  derous villains in the Parched Mountains. They have just 
  ambushed a party of Ghouls from the City and only a sin-
  gle one of that group remains.
  Dragaashagla is the axe-wielding Ghoul facing off against 
  the six cannibal bandits before him. He fully expects to die 
  but intends to sell his life at as high a price as he can. 
  If the party intercedes on Dragaashagla’s behalf, he joins 
  their side, battling the cannibals. Assuming he survives the 
  fight, he offers his gratitude. Dragaashagla is proud, edg-
  ing on haughty, but is also honorable and acknowledges 
  that he owes the party a debt for saving his life. Dragaas-
  hagla can provide information about the surrounding area, 
  the City of Ghouls, the Sea of Monsters, and similar topics, 
  and can serve as a means to enter the City of Ghouls if the 
  party needs to venture there. However, while Dragaasha-
  gla will not eat the PCs, he cannot protect them from his 
  fellows’ appetites.
  
  Page 13
  Dragaashagla adventures with the party until he feels he 
  has repaid his debt. After such time, he returns to the City 
  of Ghouls and has no qualms about devouring the PCs 
  should they ever meet again.
  Nehwon Ghouls (6): Init +2; Atk sword +2 melee (1d8+3) 
  or dagger +2 melee (1d4+3); AC 12; HD 3d8+2; hp 16 each; 
  MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP ferocious (+1 to all melee damage), no 
  flesh (-2 to ranged attacks and +2 to melee attacks against 
  ghoul); SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; AL C.
  Dragaashagla, Defending Ghoul (1): Init +1; Atk battle-
  axe +2 melee (1d10+3) or short bow +1 ranged (1d6; range 
  50/100/150); AC 12; HD 4d8+2; hp 21; MV 30’; Act 1d20; 
  SP ferocious (+1 to all melee damage), no flesh (-2 to ranged 
  attacks and +2 to melee attacks against ghoul); SV Fort +4, 
  Ref +2, Will +2; AL N.
  Ghouls appear as skeletons, their flesh, internal organs, 
  and even blood being transparent. Their skeletal appear-
  ance makes directing damaging melee attacks against them 
  easier, but impedes ranged attacks. Ghouls are cannibals 
  and consider it their sacred duty to transform the opaque 
  flesh of other creatures into crystal clear purity by digest-
  ing it. They are ferocious fighters and greatly feared by all 
  in Nehwon.
  exit 3: ool hruSP of the 
  laNd of the eight citieS
  Situated on the northern coast of the Inner Sea and at the 
  western extent of the Land of Eight Cities is the city of 
  Ool Hrusp. Ool Hrusp is famed for its ruler, Lithquil, also 
  known by the sobriquet of “The Mad Duke.” Duke Lithquil 
  is a debase man who glories in gladiatorial combats—both 
  staged and real. Itinerant adventurers visiting Ool Hrusp 
  might easily find themselves fighting for the Mad Duke’s 
  pleasure, but whether as paid employees or enslaved gladi-
  ators depends on if they find themselves in Lithquil’s good 
  graces or not.
  The Ool Hrusp connection to Ningauble’s cave emerges in 
  a cleft in a rocky outcropping located to the northwest of 
  the city. The stony protrusion stands in the midst of a broad 
  forest clearing a short distance from the outskirts of Ool 
  Hrusp. The forest gives way to pasture land not far from the 
  cave mouth, and visitors reaching the verge of the wood-
  lands see the walled city of Ool Hrusp hugging the Inner 
  Sea shore with rustic majesty. Visible above the walls of the 
  city is the Mad Duke’s palace and arena. Ships departing 
  and arriving at Ool Hrusp’s breakwater-protected harbor 
  can be seen at sea beyond the city. The pastures to the north 
  and east of the city are dotted with herds of cattle grazing 
  in the meadows where forests once stood. The occasional 
  scrawny vineyard breaks up the meadow monotony.
  Adventure Ideas
  Ool Hrusp, while civilized, is still part of the relatively 
  young realm of the Land of the Eight Cities. It has both 
  the comforts of society and the hazards and opportunities 
  of the frontier, making it an ideal place to visit for heroes. 
  Ningauble may have a task for his Gentles in Ool Hrusp, 
  and the Gossiper is never one to eschew the opportunity to 
  acquire the latest scuttlebutt from the Forest Land. Here are 
  two possible scenarios for adventures in Ool Hrusp:
  • Ool Hrusp’s harbor patrol is stretched thin by an in-
  crease of Sea Mingol pirates plying the waters around 
  the city. The ferocious buccaneers even dared a direct 
  assault on the city and were only forced back by the 
  slimmest of margins. While the Mad Duke cares little 
  about such matters, the Harbormaster and City Gener-
  al are offering bounties on Sea Mingol heads and ships.
  • The Mad Duke possesses a curio or person of great in-
  terest to Ningauble and the wizard wants the party to 
  acquire it. He instructs the PCs to seek out employment 
  in Lithquil’s arena and find a way to gain the item or 
  individual. PCs of races unknown in Nehwon such as 
  dwarves or halflings, find themselves greatly desired 
  as gladiators by the Mad Duke, aiding in the successful 
  accomplishment of this mission.
  Sample Encounter: Behemoth!
  You cross the wide pastures on your way to the coastal city of 
  Ool Hrusp. The smell of cattle and fresh-mowed hay is thick in 
  the air and the sun warm on your skin. As you pass near a herd of 
  cattle, you are startled by a deep rumbling bellow and loud honk-
  ing. Your heads snap in the direction of the sound and your jaws 
  drop in wonder at what you see: a massive, wrinkled-skin beast 
  with long sharp tusks charges the cattle, sending them stamped-
  ing directly toward you!
  The tusked creature is a behemoth, one of the great carni-
  vores of Nehwon. This creature has wandered out of the 
  forests in search of an easy meal of beef and its attack has 
  spooked the cattle.
  The herd moves at a speed of 40’, easily outrunning the 
  party. Allow each PC to make a Luck check. If successful, 
  there is an object nearby (a fence, tree, large stone, etc.) they 
  can reach to escape the herd. Those failing their Luck check 
  must make a DC 20 Reflex save or be trampled for 3d10 
  points of damage. 
  The behemoth continues to chase the herd, bringing down 
  one of the cows a short distance from the party. Any sud-
  den move by the PCs attracts its attention and there is a 
  50% chance it decides to dine on the characters instead of 
  the cow. If that’s the case, it rushes to attack.
  If the PCs successfully slay the behemoth, their accomplish-
  ment is witnessed by ranchers attracted by the stampede. 
  Word soon spreads through Ool Hrusp of their deed and 
  the Mad Duke decides that such formidable warriors would 
  make a fitting addition to his gladiatorial stable. The Duke 
  doesn’t accept “no” as an answer. Working for the Duke 
  could be beneficial if they’re in Ool Hrusp on Ningauble’s 
  orders, but less so if other purposes bring them here.
  Behemoth (1): Init -2; Atk bite +3 melee (2d10+5) or tusks 
  +5 melee (1d8+5); AC 15; HD 10d10+10; hp 60; MV 40’; Act 
  2d20; SP none; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +2; AL N.
  
  Page 14
  exit 4: rime iSle
  Located in the Frozen Sea some days’ sailing to the west of 
  the jagged peninsulas known as “The Claws” sits a secret 
  land. Birthed from the sea floor by the twin volcanos that 
  dominate its landscape, this hidden port is the fabled Rime 
  Isle, the one spot of civilization in the frigid sea. Rime Isle is 
  a barren island bearing two settlements, Salthaven and Cold 
  Harbor, vast moors holding little besides heather, gorse, and 
  ancient, lichen-covered standing stones, and the active vol-
  canic peaks of Mount Darkfire and Mount Hellfire.
  Despite its lonely location and penchant for secrecy, Rime 
  Isle does not lack for visitors. Sea Mingols come to purchase 
  fish, junks from Klesh purchase salt to bring back to their 
  jungle homeland, and even weirder traders from strange 
  shores moor in Salthaven harbor to conduct business. 
  Rime Isle is inhabited by a sober and mercantile-minded 
  people, a race long removed from their piratical ancestors. 
  Gods are not worshiped on Rime Isle, not from a lack of 
  belief in them, but rather eschewed as having an undue in-
  fluence over the important task of making money. 
  The entrance to Ningauble’s Cave on Rime Isle is located 
  beneath Mount Darkfire, the volcanic peak situated nearest 
  to Salthaven. The tunnel snakes through the hot bowels of 
  the mountain, the air thick with mephitic stink of molten 
  rock and sulfur. The tunnel debouches upon the gleaming 
  glacier that clings to Darkfire’s side, revealing a shining 
  field of ice that fades to a moor of heather and grass run-
  ning southeast to the borders of Salthaven. 
  Adventure Ideas
  Few captains can plot a course to Rime Isle. Despite their 
  mercantile ambitions, the Rime Islanders cherish their pri-
  vacy and security, and prefer to remain a fable to most of 
  Nehwon’s inhabitants. Those who do locate Rime Isle dis-
  cover it to be a drab, money-minded place, but that doesn’t 
  preclude it from possessing mysteries worth investigating.
  Rime Island becomes the home to Fafhrd and the Gray 
  Mouser following the events of “The Frost Monstreme.” 
  From that point on, the Twain can be found in Salthaven 
  cohabiting with their lady-loves, Afreyt and Cif, and com-
  manding their cadre of loyal fighter-thieves and Northern 
  berserkers. It is also the brief home of the two exiled Norse 
  deities Odin and Loki. The judge must decide if the PCs 
  arrive on Rime Isle prior to the events of “The Frost Mon-
  streme” and “Rime Isle,” as the timeline could impact the 
  adventure ideas provided here:
  • There are ship captains who would pay great sums to 
  learn the location of Rime Isle. A party that successfully 
  sails back to civilized lands could plot their course and 
  sell the route to interested parties. Accomplishing this is 
  easier said than done, however. Besides explaining their 
  sudden appearance to the suspicious Rime Islanders, 
  they’d have to acquire a ship and find their way to the 
  eastern continent of Nehwon, dodging Sea Mingol pi-
  rates, angry Simorgyans, northern raiders, sea monsters, 
  storms, and other challenges along the way.
  • Ningauble is angry with his strayed Gentle Son, Fafhrd, 
  and seeks to know what the great northern lout is up to. 
  He tasks his most recent agents (the PCs) with journey-
  ing to Rime Isle, locating Fafhrd, and spying upon him. 
  And, should the opportunity arise, kidnapping the bar-
  barian and bringing him back to Ningauble for a stern 
  talking to. This adventure plot allows the party to rub 
  shoulders with one of Leiber’s most famous characters 
  without him taking the spotlight away from them.
  Sample Encounter: 
  The Call of a Forgotten God
  The moors north of Salthaven bear rings of tall, lichen-cov-
  ered standing stones left untouched from the days when 
  the Rimelanders venerated their piratical gods.  Now an 
  atheistic folk, the money-minder residents of the Isle care 
  only for hard cash and fresh fish. Unknown to them, a frag-
  ment of their ecclesiastical past still lingers in the old stones.
  A ring of old tapering stones, now lichen-coated and pitted by 
  wind and ice, stands amongst the heather of the moors. As you 
  get closer to the stones, a voice no louder than a whisper, yet still 
  audible over the sound of the chill breeze, drifts through the air. 
  “Strangers,” the voice speaks, “I would have words with you. 
  Attend me.”
  If the PCs approach the stones, they glimpse the dim figure 
  of a pale woman with white hair streaked with black. She 
  stands regal, but her silvery-white robes appear as tattered 
  finery. Most unsettling is that she is translucent, the stones 
  visible through her form.
  She declares herself “that which remains of Rin the Moon-
  runner, once favored by those below” while indicating 
  Salthaven with a transparent arm. The PCs feel a constant, 
  but feeble power flowing out of Rin like the heat of a dying 
  fire. 
  Rin speaks little of herself, comporting herself like a queen. 
  She requests, nearly demands, that the party perform a 
  small service for her, promising a large reward of lost trea-
  sures if they acquiesce. All that is required of them is car-
  rying a small carved stone to the harbor of Salthaven and 
  throwing the carving into the sea. The carving on the lumi-
  nous white rock depicts a strange ship with graceful, nearly 
  unearthly lines and rigging. 
  If the PCs agree and carry out the task, throwing the stone 
  into the cold waters produces a massive waterspout that 
  erupts in the harbor. Atop the spout is a white vessel identi-
  cal to that depicted on the stone. A crew of ghostly sailors, 
  the piratical ancestors of the Rime Islanders, crews the ship 
  and is eager for plunder. The pirates are comprised of semi-
  solid moonlight and are difficult to dispatch. 
  The pirates embark on a campaign of violent plunder, raid-
  ing the homes of Salthaven and slaying its inhabitants. The 
  moon-born sailors seek booty to haul to the standing stones 
  where Rin the Moonrunner’s power lingers. If successful in 
  their looting, this demonstration of veneration causes Rin 
  to become fully substantial.  Now enervated, she seeks to 
  
  Page 15
  reclaim her former position of venerated goddess on Rime 
  Isle. The PCs may decide to fight to stop the moonlight 
  pirates or join forces with them, hoping to claim an even 
  larger reward from the returned goddess of old.
  Moonlight Ghost Pirates (20): Init +2; Atk cutlass +4 melee 
  (1d8); AC 13; HD 2d6+2; hp 9 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP 
  moonlight flicker (50% chance of avoiding non-magical at-
  tacks); SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3; AL C.
  exit 5: Quarmall
  Located south of the Mountains of Hunger and near the 
  eastern edge of the Outer Sea is the vast hive city known 
  as Quarmall. Quarmall is a subterranean city excavated 
  beneath Quarmall Keep, the sole portion of the city stand-
  ing above ground. Beneath the castle are numerous under-
  ground chambers, tunnels, and halls stacked one atop the 
  next. Those born into the eternal gloom of Quarmall live 
  out their lives in darkness, breathing air pumped in from 
  above by the massive ventilation fans driven by strange, 
  specially-bred slaves.
  The tunnel connecting Ningauble’s cave with Quarmall 
  ends at a man-sized door of petrified wood. The stone-like 
  portal rests on bronze hinges discolored by verdigris. Push-
  ing open the solid door reveals a black corridor, dusty and 
  still. The walls and floor are smoothly polished, but a carpet 
  of dirt and curtains of cobwebs prove it has been ages since 
  man (or other creatures) have walked the corridor’s length.
  Adventure Ideas
  Quarmall is a dangerous place, an underground world rife 
  with intrigues, odd cultural practices and taboos, and mer-
  ciless inhabitants. It is the closest thing Nehwon has to the 
  fabled “megadungeons” of other fantasy worlds. However, 
  unlike those subterranean complexes, the dangers lurking 
  in Quarmall are (mostly) human.
  Ningauble has demonstrated great curiosity about Quar-
  mall ever since meeting one of its escaped slaves. His inqui-
  ries to Eeack, the Overlord of Rats and Scaa, a Methuselah 
  of cockroach-dom, answered many of his questions, but he 
  continues to maintain an interest in the city, perhaps one 
  spurred by his own subterranean domicile. The Midwife of 
  Secrets might command his agents to visit Quarmall to dis-
  cover more information, especially investigating age-old 
  mysteries or locations hidden in its deepest recesses. Here 
  are two possibilities for adventure in Quarmall:
  • Ningauble desires an ancient treasure seized by Quarmall 
  in the distant past when their empire stretched across the 
  surface of Nehwon. This particular treasure is located in 
  a dusty, long-overlooked treasure chamber deep in the 
  Lower Levels. The party must locate the relic’s resting 
  place and obtain it all while dodging armed guards, 
  mad escaped prisoners, and other things that have been 
  breeding in the depths of the subterranean city.
  • The party stumbles upon a palace coup in the making. 
  If their visit occurs prior to “The Lords of Quarmall” 
  they might find themselves drawn into the schemes 
  of Gwaay and/or Hasjarl, the current Lord Quarmal’s 
  sons. A party arriving after the events of that story 
  might discover a band of rebellious residents who de-
  sire to oust the current noble regime. The party can 
  either work to help or to hinder this scheme, earning 
  rewards or punishment based on its success or failure.
  Sample Encounter: 
  Stalked in the Underworld
  The silence in these forgotten corridors is deafening. What little 
  sound you make seems swallowed up by the dark and dust that 
  fills every niche of the halls. So it is surprising to hear the faint 
  noise of a scuffed foot on smooth stone behind you. The noise is 
  immediately followed by what almost sounds like a hushed whis-
  per of rebuke.
  The PCs have walked into the territory of the Escaped, 
  slaves who fled bondage and managed to hide in the deep-
  est of the Lower Levels of Quarmall, hoping they’d be for-
  gotten or overlooked. Driven mad by the abuse they suf-
  fered as slaves and by the loneliness of their solitude, the 
  Escaped defend their territory with cunning violence.
  The noise alerting the party is intentional. The Escaped 
  desire to draw the PC’s attention to the rear of the group 
  while the other four murderous former slaves stealthy ap-
  proaches the group from the other direction, striking with 
  surprise and great brutality. 
  If an Escaped is captured alive and interrogated, the par-
  ty learns much about their current location, including the 
  means to ascend to higher levels or the location of forgotten 
  wonders and horrors left behind in the deepest of Quar-
  mall’s levels. 
  The Escaped (6): Init +2; Atk spear +2 melee (1d6) or shiv 
  +1 melee (1d4+1); AC 12; HD 3d6; hp 11 each; MV 30’; Act 
  1d20; SP Stealthy (+10 to rolls to avoid detection); SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +3, Will +1; AL N or C.
  The Escaped are pale, gaunt humans possessing eyes bright 
  with madness. Former slaves of Quarmall, they escaped 
  their fetters and dwell mostly forgotten in the bowels of the 
  city. The Escaped are largely madmen and skulking assas-
  sins who seek to exact revenge on the others in Quarmall 
  for the atrocities they endured during servitude. Despite 
  the occasional murder they commit, the Lord of Quarmall 
  allows the Escaped to persist, using their presence as a 
  source of entertainment. He occasionally organizes hunts 
  for Quarmall’s nobility, chasing down the Escaped as an 
  amusement. 
  
  Page 16
  dCC rPg PatrOn
  N
  ingauble is unlike many of the supernatural or quasi-supernatural entities in Nehwon in that he ac-
  tively seeks out potential agents for patronage. Any individual whom the Gossiper of the Gods can 
  employ in his schemes might be considered for employment as one of his Gentles. This is especially 
  true if the person in question bears the spark of heroism. Ningauble acts as patron for not only less powerful 
  wizards but warriors and thieves as well.
  If the PC is a wizard or acts in concert with one to obtain Ningauble’s patronage, use the below table when cast-
  ing invoke patron as per the DCC RPG rules. Future installments of the Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar series 
  will include new rules for non-spellcasters seeking patronage and the benefits and consequences of doing so.
  Invoke Patron check results:
  12-13 
  Ningauble assists his servant with a modicum of useful advice. The Gossiper’s communique appears in a 
  manner appropriate for Ningauble, arriving attached to an arrow falling from the sky, affixed to an ebon 
  bat, or hand-delivered by one of his urchin underlings. The message contains a brief (for Ningauble) sug-
  gestion about the best course of action leading to beneficial results for the servant. Possibilities include the 
  location and identities of potential allies, the resting place of a useful object or knowledge, or even just a 
  reiteration of common sense (“It is perhaps best if you flee this fight and hope to reengage when factors are 
  better inclined in your favor.”).
  14-17 
  Ningauble provides his servant—and only his servant—with a mundane tool or service beneficial to the cri-
  sis at hand. The object or assistance appears suddenly, manifesting in a subtle yet mysterious way. Possible 
  wizardly assistance includes a horse kitted out for travel, a guide willing to lead the caster to safe ground, 
  or simply a coil of rope to cross a chasm or climb a cliff. The object or individual remains until it serves its 
  purpose to the caster, then vanishes.
  18-19 
  Ningauble grants the caster a brief flash of insight gleaned from the Gossiper’s massive collection of lore 
  and cosmic gossip. This knowledge grants the caster a +2d bonus on a single action attempted in the next 
  hour. The knowledge fades once applied or after the hour elapses.
  20-23 
  As above, but the caster can apply the +2d bonus to a number of actions equal to his CL over the course of 
  the next hour. He loses the benefit of this imparted knowledge after the hour elapses whether he uses it or 
  not.
  24-27 
  Ningauble loans the caster a useful magical object from his collection of oddities. The object is always ap-
  plicable to the task or problem facing the caster. It provides one magical benefit determined by the judge, 
  then disappears or is collected by one of the wizard’s agents once the caster has overcome his difficulties 
  or accomplished his task. Sample magical objects and their level of power and usefulness for this result 
  include the blindfold of true seeing and the cloak of invisibility.
  28-29 
  Ningauble extends a portion of his wizardly power to the caster. The next spell the caster invokes automati-
  cally succeeds as if the caster had rolled the third most powerful spell check result on the spell’s spell check 
  table. For example, if the caster casts lightning bolt, it manifests as if the caster rolled a spell check of 32-33, 
  the third highest spell check result for that spell. This imparted wizardly power vanishes once the caster 
  makes his next spell check or an hour passes.
  30-31 
  Ningauble assists his servant by casting a single spell useful to the caster at that moment, as determined by 
  the judge. This spell manifests anywhere the caster can see and takes effect as if Ningauble had rolled the 
  second most powerful spell check result for that spell. For example, if the caster needed to swim down to 
  the sunken land of Simorgya and successfully invoked Ningauble at this level of effect, the judge might de-
  termine Ningauble casts water breathing on his agent. The spell would manifest as if Ningauble rolled a spell 
  check of 34-35, the second highest result on the spell’s spell check table. For purposes of CL, treat Ningauble 
  as a 10th level wizard.
  32+ 
  A cave mouth appears at the caster’s location. This entrance connects to Ningauble’s cavern, but only re-
  mains in existence for two rounds. Anyone entering the cave usually arrives at the foot of the Staircase 
  of Error. However, should Ningauble have need of the caster’s services elsewhere, he might appear at an 
  entirely different location in either Nehwon or another world. The caster may soon discover he escaped one 
  problem to land square in the middle of another not of his choosing.
  
  Page 17
  PatroN taiNt
  Ningauble prefers his agents hail and hearty, but 
  there are unfortunate side effects of tying oneself 
  to the Gossiper of the Gods. Powers that even 
  he cannot comprehend enforce consequences 
  for meddling with eldritch energy. Some sorcer-
  ers of lesser rank believe Ningauble was himself 
  once a mortal man and his current form—what-
  ever it might be—is the consequence of his lust 
  for sorcerous knowledge. And as a common ad-
  age in Lankhmar goes, “Over time, a servant re-
  sembles his master.” Let Ningauble’s agents be 
  forewarned.
  When a patron taint is indicated, roll 1d6 on the 
  table below. When a caster has acquired all six 
  taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to 
  continue rolling anymore. At that judge’s discre-
  tion, a caster who accumulates all variations of 
  patron taint becomes a gentling (see above), and 
  dwells permanently in the Bottomless Caves 
  with his master.
  d6 Result
  1 
  The caster’s flesh become sensitive to sun-
  light and he must keep it covered to avoid 
  breaking out in an itchy rash. If this result is 
  rolled a second time, the caster suffers a -1d 
  penalty on all rolls whenever his skin is ex-
  posed to natural light. If the result is rolled 
  a third time, the caster suffers 1d4 points of 
  damage for each minute or part thereof his 
  flesh is exposed to sunlight.
  2 
  The caster’s eyes acquire vertical pupils like 
  those of a cat. If this result is rolled a sec-
  ond time, the caster’s irises become vivid 
  yellow in color and glow softly in darkness. 
  If rolled a third time, his eyes protrude 4” 
  from their sockets on tendril-like cords. This 
  disconcerting appearance imparts a perma-
  nent -2 loss to the caster’s Personality score.
  3 
  The caster develops a lust for news and gos-
  sip, striving to learn the latest developments 
  in whatever location he currently resides in. 
  If rolled a second time, the caster must ac-
  tively seek out details of the latest current 
  events or ribald tales each day. Failing to do 
  so imparts a -2 penalty on spell checks as the 
  caster finds it difficult to concentrate. If the 
  result is rolled a third time, the caster must 
  spend 1d3 hours every day as soon as he 
  awakens seeking out gossip and news, troll-
  ing taverns and bribing those in the know for 
  details. If the caster does not spend the indi-
  
  Page 18
  cated time acquiring gossip, he suffers a -1d penalty to 
  all spell checks until he completes his gossip-hunting.
  4 
  The caster’s connection to Nehwon (or his home world 
  if different) becomes tenuous, causing him to sprinkle 
  his speech with alien words from utterly unknown lan-
  guages (French, Spanish, Japanese, Galactic Basic, etc.). 
  If the result is rolled a second time, the caster has a 25% 
  chance of momentarily fading out of existence in his 
  home world during times of stress (judge’s discretion). 
  The caster vanishes for 1d10 minutes, reappearing at his 
  last location once that time elapses. If the result is rolled 
  a third time, the caster vanishes utterly, permanently 
  banished from his home world. Where he appears is left 
  to the judge to determine. The closest the caster can ever 
  return to his native land is Ningauble’s cave or similar 
  locations that exist on the cusp of world boundaries.
  5 
  The caster shrinks in size, losing 1’ of his height but otherwise remaining physically unchanged. If this result is rolled a 
  second time, the caster shrinks to half his original size, and permanently loses 2 points of Strength and Stamina. If the 
  result is rolled a third time, he diminishes to a mere 1’ in size and suffers an additional -4 loss to Strength and Agility. 
  6 
  The caster’s flesh acquires a sooty gray coloration. If this result is rolled a second time, his skin begins to sag and 
  droop, forming hanging wattles of flesh. These wattles impede the caster’s movement, reducing his speed by -5’. If 
  the result is rolled a third time, the caster’s flesh becomes amorphous, resembling a robe of skin covering his body, a 
  fleshy robe similar to Ningauble’s own swaddled form.
  SPellburN
  Ningauble of the Seven Eyes can be relied upon to assist those who act as his proxies—provided their efforts advance 
  the Gossiper of the God’s schemes and they’re Gentles in good standing. When a caster utilizes spellburn, roll 1d4 and 
  consult the table below or build off suggestions to create an event specific to your Lankhmar campaign.
  d4 
  Spellburn Result
  1 
  The voice of Ningauble manifests in the caster’s ear, giving him a long-winded instructional lecture on the proper 
  methods and esoteric techniques necessary to correctly amplify his spellcasting. This mind-numbing lecture physi-
  cally exhausts the caster, resulting in stat loss.
  2 
  Ningauble agrees to share his power with the caster, increasing the spellburn modifier by a random 1d7 points. 
  However, the caster must agree to give Ningauble a half-share of the next cache of useful scholarly lore, magical 
  knowledge, or curious treasure he discovers. A caster failing to honor this agreement discovers the next 1d7 spells 
  that he casts automatically misfire, thwarted by the Septinocular One’s meddling of magical fields.
  3 
  The caster’s spell goes off accompanied by the sudden eruption of 1d7 magical bats bursting from the wizard’s chest. 
  The abrupt genesis of these flittering creatures causes the caster to suffer the stat loss of the spellburn.
  4 
  The caster’s manipulation of magical forces combined with his connection to the Many-Eyed One potentially in-
  vokes the time/space shifting properties of the Bottomless Caves. Roll d% and if the result is equal to or less than the 
  number of points spellburned, the caster is suddenly whisked away and deposited in a new location. This location 
  is likely to be Ningauble’s cave, but could also potentially be anywhere on Nehwon or any alien shore the judge 
  desires. The means of returning home are left to the judge to detail and the caster to deduce.
  COnClusiOn
  W
  e hope you’ve enjoyed this initial look into the fantastic world of Fritz Leiber’s Nehwon. This is just the first 
  release in Goodman Games’ line of Lankhmar supplements for the Dungeon Crawl Classics Roleplaying Game. 
  Future releases will continue to focus on bringing Lankhmar and the world of Nehwon to life in your DCC RPG 
  campaign. Skulk down the foggy streets of Lankhmar with stolen jewels and bloodied blade in hand! Plumb the depths 
  of Quarmall while avoiding its sorcerous Lords! Set sail across the Inner Sea, dodging dragons and pirates and servants 
  of sunken Simorgya! And expect new rules for adapting DCC RPG for the fabulous world of Fritz Leiber! Look for the 
  complete Lankhmar line later this year!
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (osr)/Adventures/Lankhmar/Modules/Through Ningaubles Cave.pdf