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  INTO THE 
  UNDERWORLD 
  PART 1 
  A 1st level 13TH AGE adventure in four two-hour sessions 
  By ASH LAW 
  
   
   
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  Author: ASH LAW 
  Editors & Developers: Rob Heinsoo & Jeremy ‘JV’ Virden 
  Cartography: ASH LAW 
  Layout: ASH LAW 
  Cover: ASH LAW, John Martin, and Gustave Doré 
  Illustration: Rich Longmore and ASH LAW 
  ©2015 Fire Opal Media, Inc. Produced by arrangement Pelgrane Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Product Identity: The following 
  items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open 
  Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, icons, place names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, banter 
  and comments from Jonathan and Rob or ASH, plots, story elements, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that 
  have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material 
  designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Fire Opal Media game product are Open Game Content, as 
  defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open 
  Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. 13th Age is published by Pelgrane Press Ltd. under the 
  Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 13th Age is a trademark of Fire Opal Media, Inc. ©2015 
  Fire Opal Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 
   
   
   
  INTO THE 
  UNDERWORLD 
  PART 1 
  
   
   
  3 
   
  Contents 
  INTO THE UNDERWORLD ...................... 2 
  PART 1 ............................................................. 2 
  Session 1: The Ruins of Eldwold ........... 5 
  Background & Overview ........................ 5 
  Running this adventure ........................ 5 
  About the NPCs ........................................ 5 
  NPC—Jakob Arlwood ............................. 6 
  To Eldwold ................................................ 6 
  Navigating the Ruins ............................. 6 
  Icon Option: The Priestess ......................... 6 
  Icon Option: The Crusader or the Orc Lord 7 
  Injured Owlbears .................................... 7 
  Icon Option: The High Druid ...................... 7 
  Icon Option: The Archmage ....................... 7 
  Into the Dark .......................................... 10 
  Icon Option: The Dwarf King .................... 10 
  Icon Option: The Lich King ....................... 10 
  Star-Mask Cultists ............................... 10 
  Icon Option: The Priestess ....................... 10 
  Icon Option: The Dwarf King .................... 10 
  End of Session......................................... 11 
  Session 2: The Deepening Dark ............. 13 
  Running this adventure ...................... 13 
  About the NPCs ...................................... 13 
  New Characters ..................................... 13 
  NPC—Aragatha Stonebeard ............... 13 
  Subterranean Navigation ................... 14 
  Collapsing Tunnels .............................. 14 
  Icon Option: Diabolist .............................. 14 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen ............................. 14 
  The Shark-bat ......................................... 14 
  Icon Option: Crusader .............................. 15 
  Icon Option: Emperor .............................. 15 
  Icon Option: High Druid ........................... 15 
  Let Sleeping Bulettes Lie ................... 18 
  Icon Option: Great Gold Wyrm or the 
  Three ........................................................ 18 
  Icon Option: Lich King .............................. 18 
  Icon Option: Prince of Shadows ............... 18 
  The Winding Stair ................................ 20 
  Icon Option: Emperor .............................. 20 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King ........................... 20 
  Star-Masks ............................................... 20 
  Icon Option: Archmage ............................ 20 
  Icon Option: Orc Lord .............................. 20 
  End of Session ........................................ 21 
  Session 3: The Ink Mines of Ix .............. 23 
  Running this adventure ...................... 23 
  About the NPCs ..................................... 23 
  New Characters ..................................... 23 
  NPC—Durden Dradour ....................... 23 
  To Search in Darkness ......................... 24 
  Ixian Priests ............................................ 24 
  Icon Option: Priestess .............................. 25 
  Icon Option: Crusader .............................. 25 
  Deep Squid ............................................... 25 
  Icon Option: Priestess or Crusader .......... 25 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King or Elf Queen ..... 25 
  The Lake of Ink ...................................... 28 
  Icon Option: Archmage ............................ 28 
  Icon Option: Diabolist .............................. 28 
  The Hand of Ix ....................................... 28 
  Icon Option: Archmage or the Priestess .. 29 
  
   
   
  4 
   
  Icon Option: Archmage or Diabolist ......... 29 
  End of Session......................................... 30 
  Session 4: The Web of Fear .................... 32 
  Running this adventure ...................... 32 
  About the NPCs ...................................... 32 
  New Characters ..................................... 32 
  NPC—Ag-Bag the Deep One ............... 32 
  The Drow Tunnels ................................. 33 
  Drow Traps .............................................. 33 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King ........................... 33 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen ............................. 33 
  Driders ...................................................... 33 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King ........................... 33 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen ............................. 34 
  The Web Bridges .................................... 36 
  Icon Option: High Druid ........................... 36 
  Icon Option: Lich King .............................. 36 
  Star-Mask Spiders ................................. 36 
  Icon Option: Archmage or Elf Queen ....... 36 
  Icon Option: Prince of Shadows ............... 36 
  End of Session......................................... 37 
  Random Encounters ................................. 39 
  Adventurer’s corpse ............................. 39 
  Bridge over troubled waters ............ 39 
  Collapsed mine ....................................... 39 
  Dead bulette ........................................... 39 
  Dead dwarves .......................................... 40 
  Deep moths ............................................... 40 
  Injured citizen ....................................... 40 
  Lost tomb ................................................. 40 
  Meteorite fragments ........................... 40 
  Shark-bat eggs ........................................ 40 
  Bats ............................................................ 41 
  Dungeon-Abomination ....................... 42 
  Drow patrol ............................................ 43 
  Fungaloids ............................................... 44 
  Khavlings ................................................. 46 
  Star-mask bulette ................................. 47 
  Star-mask drow ...................................... 47 
  Star-mask cultists ................................ 49 
  Star-mask dwarves ................................ 50 
  Star-masks ................................................ 51 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  5 
   
  Session 1: The 
  Ruins of 
  Eldwold 
  Background & 
  Overview 
  GMs: relay to the players the following information: 
  The adventurers are told by an icon that they 
  are associated with that a magical meteorite has 
  fallen near the city of Eldwold. Eldwold doesn’t 
  appear on the maps of the Dragon Empire. The Dragon 
  Empire is slightly larger than Western Europe, so only 
  the biggest cities are shown on the map, the so-called 
  Seven Cities. Eldwold is a relatively unimportant city 
  right on the edge of the empire. 
  The adventurers are tasked by their icon to 
  locate a gem in the heart of the meteorite and 
  bring it back to the icon. According to the icon’s 
  divinations, prophecies, or magical sources, the 
  gem is named the ‘Heart of the Sky’ and may 
  have the power to banish living dungeons to the 
  void beyond the stars. 
  What the adventurers won’t know until they 
  arrive on the scene is that the meteorite holding 
  the Heart of the Sky didn’t just fall near the city of 
  Eldwold, it scored a direct hit on the now-ruined 
  city 
  and 
  has 
  penetrated 
  deep 
  into 
  the 
  underworld. 
  If the party members are working for different 
  icons, then the icons are aware of that. Each 
  involved icon has sent a trusted agent (the 
  adventurers) to see that their interests are looked 
  after. Even normally antagonistic icons are 
  working together (for now at least). Of course, 
  once the Heart of the Sky is back in civilization, 
  the icons will doubtless fight against each other, 
  form alliances, and engage in intrigue… but that 
  isn’t the adventurers’ problem. 
  Running this adventure 
  This session is designed for 1st level characters. At 
  the end of the session, each character should gain 
  an incremental advance. 
  At the start of the session, remember to ask 
  each player to roll their adventurer’s Icon 
  relationships. Generally speaking, a 6 can be 
  traded in for a clear benefit while a 5 can be 
  traded-in  to benefit the adventurer or party but 
  with an associated complication, obligation, or 
  drawback. 
  Each session should take approximately two 
  hours to run. If you have time for other 
  encounters in the session before its end, you can 
  pick from the following encounters or roll a d6 
  for a random encounter (you can find these 
  encounters at the back of the adventure). For a 
  longer game I’d suggest adding between one and 
  three random encounters scattered throughout 
  the adventure, I’d suggest adding between two 
  and six random encounters (with half coming 
  from the d20 table in the random encounters 
  section at the back of the adventure). 
  1. Collapsed mine 
  2. Dead dwarves 
  3. Injured citizen 
  4. Star-mask dwarves 
  5. Star-masks 
  6. Roll twice and combine the results 
  About the NPCs 
  Each session includes an NPC you can add to the 
  story if your players appreciate interactions with 
  people who need or can provide help. None of 
  the NPCs have full stats because they’re not the 
  type of people who could provide opposition or 
  serious long-term support to an adventuring 
  party, they’re characters who can appear briefly 
  to help motivate PCs who are temporarily at a 
  loss. If the PCs take a liking to an NPCs, feel free 
  to expand their role.  
  
   
   
  6 
   
  NPC—Jakob Arlwood 
  The following NPC can be introduced at any point in 
  this session of the adventure: 
  Jakob is one of the citizens of Eldwold who 
  survived the meteorite strike. He is searching for 
  other survivors among the ruins. His floppy hat 
  is covered in dust, and his beard is streaked with 
  blood from when his eardrums burst during the 
  explosion. As a result of his injury, he shouts 
  instead of speaks, and needs others to do the 
  same so he can hear them. 
  Jakob has found nearly a dozen other 
  survivors, but still hasn’t found his family. Jakob 
  wants the adventurers to help with the search. 
  This NPC can meet the adventurers in the 
  following ways: 
   
  While they are navigating the ruins. 
   
  Jakob can show up to throw rocks at the 
  owlbears to scare them off (he does 1d4 
  damage each round to the toughest owlbear 
  in the fight). 
   
  Jakob can appear as the adventurers are 
  descending onto the crater itself. 
   
  …or wherever you as the GM deem 
  dramatically appropriate. 
  To Eldwold 
  To get to Eldwold, the adventurers must cross the 
  Owl Barrens, a mountainous region known for its 
  monstrous humanoids and owlbears. 
  This is a montage scene. The point of this 
  montage is to cooperatively tell the story of the 
  party’s journey through the wilds. Turn to the 
  first player and ask them to describe a problem 
  that the party faced on their journey, then turn to 
  the player to their right and ask them how their 
  character solved the problem. Go around the 
  group until everybody has had a chance to 
  describe a problem they faced in the wilds and 
  everybody has had a chance to have their 
  character heroically solve a problem.  Begin 
  foreshadowing  upcoming parts of the adventure 
  as you go around the table ( mention owlbears or 
  a sighting of strange masked creatures for 
  example). 
   
   
  With a montage scene, you don’t 
  need to roll any dice—this is purely 
  narrative play.  A montage scene 
  serves 3 distinct purposes. The first 
  is to skip over parts of the story 
  that are less exciting than what comes later, but 
  still acknowledge that  an event happened or a 
  location has been established (just like in a movie 
  where a long journey is shown as a series of brief 
  images, or a location is introduced in a few 
  seconds by showing its most flavorful parts). The 
  second point is to introduce new characters by 
  having them join the party’s adventures in an 
  exciting way rather than a flat ‘you meet in a 
  tavern’. The third purpose of the montage is to 
  re-introduce existing characters, reminding 
  everybody of their abilities,  personalities, and 
  relationships. 
  Navigating the Ruins 
  Eldwold is a smoking ruin! The meteorite didn’t 
  just crash near Eldwold, it crashed into the city!  
  The adventurers must cross the burning ruins 
  of the outer city to discover exactly where the 
  meteorite fell. 
  Navigating the burning ruins: DC 15. If 
  an adventurer fails the skill check make 
  the 
  following 
  attack 
  against 
  that 
  adventurer: 
  Out of control fire +5 vs PD—2d6 fire 
  damage 
  OR 
  Falling rubble +5 vs AC—1d6 damage 
  and the player nominates another 
  adventurer to be the target of a 
  secondary attack: 
  More rubble +5 vs AC—1d4 
  damage 
  Icon Option: The Priestess 
  If the Priestess is an important icon in 
  this campaign, then there are survivors 
  of the meteorite crash that wiped 
  Eldwold off the map.  
  
   
   
  7 
   
  If an adventurer wants to rescue 
  survivors, the difficulty of navigating the 
  ruins is DC 20 instead of DC 15. If the 
  skill check is passed then the difficulty of 
  all further skill rolls this session are 
  lowered by 5 due to the help the grateful 
  survivors give the adventurers.  
  The player of the heroic Priestess-
  aligned adventurer is free to (and 
  encouraged to) invent any details about 
  those they have rescued that they like. 
  Icon Option: The Crusader 
  or the Orc Lord 
  If the Crusader or Orc Lord are 
  important icons in your game, then the 
  ruins of Eldwold make easy pickings for 
  a looter.  
  If an adventurer wants to loot the 
  ruins, roll a d6. On a 1-3, they find a 
  mundane item that gives them a +4 
  bonus to their next skill roll—they get to 
  reveal what the item that they found was 
  and how it comes in useful when they 
  make the skill roll with the bonus. On a 
  4, the adventurer finds jewelry worth 500 
  gp. On a 5-6, the adventurer discovers a 
  magic item. 
  Injured Owlbears 
  The Owl Barrens are known for their owlbears, 
  and some have wandered into the shattered 
  remains of  Eldwold; it has been a lean winter, 
  and the owlbears are desperate enough to head 
  into the still-smoking ruins of the city looking for 
  carrion to eat. 
  Unfortunately for the party, these owlbears 
  have been injured by the fires that swept through 
  the city and  are looking for a fight. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Owlbear 
  (cub) 
  Owlbear 
  (injured) 
  3 
  3 
  0 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  5 
  2 
  1 
  6 
  0 
  2 
  Icon Option: The High 
  Druid 
  If the High Druid is important in your 
  game then the owlbears can be reasoned 
  with, (if the adventurer is a druid or has 
  the 
  ability 
  to 
  speak 
  to 
  animals), 
  bargained with, or scared away. 
  Adventurers with a relationship with 
  the High Druid can attempt a DC 25 skill 
  check before the fight starts:  if 
  successful, one owlbear leaves the fight. 
  The player in question may describe their 
  interaction with the beast and the 
  ensuing 
  negotiation, 
  bargaining, 
  or 
  intimidation however they like. 
  Icon Option: The 
  Archmage 
  If the Archmage is an important icon in 
  your campaign then those who are allied 
  with him know of a secret weakness that 
  this breed of owlbears has. The secret 
  weakness isn’t enough to turn a fight, but 
  can give a minor benefit in this particular 
  situation. 
  Adventurers with a relationship with 
  the Archmage may attempt a DC 25 skill 
  check before the fight starts:  if  
  successful, the adventurer gets +4 to 
  initiative. 
  
   
   
  8 
   
  Exactly what the secret weakness is 
  we leave up to you: maybe they are 
  afraid of mirrors or hate a certain food-
  stuff or are lulled by music. This is one 
  time that trivia comes in handy. 
   
  OWLBEAR (cub) 
  1st level spoiler [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +8 
   
  Scratch and peck +6 vs. AC—5 damage 
  Natural even hit: Until the end of the owlbear’s 
  next turn, the target is hampered (makes only 
  basic attacks) while engaged with the 
  owlbear  
   
  Protect the cubs: When an owlbear cub is attacked 
  any 
  nearby 
  unengaged 
  owlbears 
  may 
  immediately move into engagement with the 
  attacker. If no owlbears are unengaged an adult 
  owlbear pops free and moves. 
   
  AC 17 
  PD 15 
  HP 30 
  MD 11 
   
  OWLBEAR (injured) 
  Large 2nd level wrecker [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +8 
   
  Rip and peck +7 vs. AC—8 damage, and until the 
  end of the owlbear’s next turn, the target is 
  hampered (makes only basic attacks) while 
  engaged with the owlbear  
  Vicious hybrid: If the escalation die is even, make 
  another rip and peck attack. 
   
  Feed the cubs: An owlbear that scores a critical hit 
  against a hampered enemy tears a piece of the 
  creature off (GM chooses a limb) and will 
  subsequently attempt to retreat with the prize 
  to feed its cubs. The torn-up enemy is stunned 
  until the end of its next turn. 
   
  Silent hunter: Owlbears are nearly silent until they 
  strike. Checks to hear them approaching take a 
  –5 penalty. 
   
  Nastier Specials: 
  Surge of vitality: For one round treat the owlbear’s 
  attacks and defenses as though it were the 4th 
  level version. 
   
  AC 17 
  PD 15 HP 70 
  MD 11 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  9 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  10 
   
  Into the Dark 
  The meteorite has punched a hole  through the 
  center of Eldwold and down into the earth below.  
  The adventurers must lower themselves into 
  the hole in order to follow the meteorite and 
  potentially recover the gem known as the Heart 
  of the Sky. 
  Descent into the dark: DC 15. If an 
  adventurer fails the skill check make the 
  following attack against that adventurer: 
  Falling (automatic hit)—1d6 damage 
  OR 
  Rubble falls from above +5 vs AC—2d6 
  damage 
  Icon Option: The Dwarf 
  King 
  If the Dwarf King is important in your 
  game then dwarves gain a +4 bonus to 
  this climb, as dwarves are naturally 
  adept at stonecunning and climbing 
  rocky walls.  
  If the dwarf king is not important in 
  your game then maybe any dwarves in 
  the party never learned the inner secrets 
  of stonecunning. 
  Icon Option: The Lich 
  King 
  If the Lich King is important in your 
  game then any agents of the Lich King in 
  the party gain aid from the undead to the 
  tune of a +4 bonus to this skill check.  
  The player(s) of the Lich King’s 
  agents can describe this aid in any way 
  that they like, but personally I like the 
  idea of the dead of Eldwold reaching out 
  of the shaft’s walls and providing 
  gruesome perches for the adventurer’s 
  hands and feet. 
  Star-Mask Cultists 
  The adventurers follow the shaft down into the 
  yawning darkness and into a honeycomb of 
  tunnels a hundred  yards beneath the surface. 
  The meteorite crashed through here for certain, 
  but a cave-in in the tunnels means that a direct 
  path down is blocked. Fortunately, many of these 
  tunnels lead downwards. 
  Unfortunately, the adventurers are not 
  alone… 
  The meteorite that crashed through Eldwold 
  and into the darkness below contained Star-
  Masks, strange parasitic organisms that possess 
  the living and the dead alike. Rumors have been 
  circulating the Dragon Empire for months about 
  these strange entities and now the adventurers 
  are going to get   a chance to see if the rumors are 
  true. 
  Number 
  of PCs 
  Meteorite 
  Xombie 
  Star-
  Mask 
  Cultist 
  Star-
  Mask 
  Cult 
  Leader 
  3 
  7 
  2 
  0 
  4 
  7 
  0 
  1 
  5 
  7 
  1 
  1 
  6 
  7 
  2 
  1 
  Icon Option: The Priestess 
  If the Priestess is important in your game 
  then these cultists were originally 
  inhabitants of Eldwold above and may 
  yet be rescued and returned to the 
  surface if they are defeated and the star-
  masks removed from their faces. Of 
  course, this means that the party must 
  choose to knock out the cultists  instead 
  of killing them. 
  Icon Option: The Dwarf 
  King 
  If the Dwarf King is an important icon in 
  your 
  game 
  then 
  these 
  possessed 
  individuals are dwarves. Characters 
  with a relationship of 6 with the Dwarf 
  King can spend that here to appeal to the 
  dwarves’ 
  inner 
  dwarvishness 
  and 
  encourage the possessed individuals to 
  fight the Star-Masks for control. If the 
  player of the adventurer chooses to 
  spend a 6 like this,  then the cultist’s 
  defenses are lowered by 1 while they are 
  not staggered. 
   
  
   
   
  11 
   
  METEORITE XOMBIE  
  1st level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Decaying fists +6 vs. AC—3 damage  
  Natural 16+ hit: The attack does double damage, 
  but the xombie takes 1d6 damage.  
   
  [Group ability] C: Vomit tentacles +6 vs. PD (1d3 
  nearby enemies in a group)—4 damage  
   
  Group ability: For every four meteorite xombies in 
  the battle (round up), one of them can use 
  vomit tentacles once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 11  
  HP 7 (mook)  
  MD 15  
  Mook: Kill one meteorite xombie mook for every 
  7 damage you do to the mob. 
   
  STAR-MASK CULTIST  
  This hapless humanoid has become host to a mask, and 
  is in thrall to the group mind.  
   
  1st level archer [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +6  
   
  Club +5 vs. AC—4 damage  
   
  R: Bow +5 vs. AC—5 damage  
   
  [Group ability] Coordinated attack: Until the start 
  of its next turn the star-mask cultist gets a +2 to 
  bonus to attack enemies that are 
  engaged with allied star masks, 
  star mask cultists, xombies, 
  etc.  
   
  Group ability: For every two 
  star-mask cultists in the 
  battle (round up), one of 
  them can use coordinated 
  attack once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 13  
  HP 27  
  MD 15  
   
  STAR-MASK CULT LEADER  
  This cultist is more in tune with the group mind than 
  others, and issues orders to its underlings.  
   
  Double-strength 2nd level leader [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +7  
   
  Iron-shod staff +7 vs. AC—14 damage  
   
  [Group ability] R: Psychic domination +7 vs. 
  MD—7 damage and 7 ongoing damage  
  Natural even hit or miss: One dead (or 
  unconscious or otherwise out of the fight) 
  star-mask cultist, dead star-mask cult leader, 
  or dead star-mask brute becomes a living 
  star-mask.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star mask-cult 
  leaders in the battle (round up), one of them 
  can use psychic dominion once during the battle 
  as a quick action.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 13  
  HP 72  
  MD 15 
   
  End of Session 
  Having defeated the Star-Masks, the adventurers 
  have a chance to rest in the natural tunnels under 
  Eldwold 
  before 
  proceeding 
  further. 
  The 
  meteorite’s path downwards is obvious (for now) 
  so it is just a case of resting before what should be 
  a short trip (hint: their quest will be both long and 
  difficult). 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  12 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  13 
   
  Session 2: The 
  Deepening 
  Dark 
  Running this adventure 
  This session is designed for 1st level characters. At 
  the end of the session each character should gain 
  an incremental advance.  
  At the start of the session, remember to ask 
  each player to roll their adventurer’s icon 
  relationships. Generally speaking a 6 can be 
  traded in for a clear benefit, a 5 when traded in 
  will benefit the adventurer or party but there will 
  be an associated complication, obligation, or 
  drawback. 
  The 
  session, 
  as 
  written, 
  should 
  take 
  approximately two hours. If you have time for 
  other encounters in the session before its end, you 
  can pick from the following or roll a d6 for a 
  random 
  encounter 
  (you 
  can 
  find 
  these 
  encounters at the back of the adventure). For a 
  three to four hour game, I’d suggest adding 
  between one and three random encounters 
  scattered throughout the adventure. For a longer 
  hour game, I’d suggest adding between two and 
  six random encounters (with half coming from 
  the d20 table in the random encounters section at 
  the back of the adventure). 
  1. Dead bulette 
  2. Meteorite fragments 
  3. Shark-bat eggs 
  4. Star-mask bulette 
  5. Star-mask cultists 
  6. Roll twice and combine the results 
  About the NPCs 
  Each session includes an NPC you can add to the 
  story if your players appreciate interactions with 
  people who need or can provide help. None of 
  the NPCs have full stats because they’re not the 
  type of people who could provide opposition or 
  serious long-term support to an adventuring 
  party, they’re characters who can appear briefly 
  to help motivate PCs who are temporarily at a 
  loss. If the PCs take a liking to an NPCs, feel free 
  to expand their role.  
  New Characters 
  Here are some ideas for introducing new 
  characters: 
   
  The party  is not the only group looking for 
  the Heart of the Sky. The icons sent several 
  groups of adventurers into the underworld. 
  The new character is the lone survivor of 
  another adventuring group. 
   
  When the meteorite crashed down into the 
  dark, it destroyed underworld settlements. If 
  the new character is a dwarf or a drow, it is 
  conceivable that they are the lone survivor of 
  such a settlement, or are looking for others 
  who were dragged off by star-masks into the 
  deeper underworld. 
   
  The new adventurer was on a different quest 
  in 
  the 
  underworld, 
  unrelated 
  to 
  the 
  meteorite. When the meteorite crashed 
  through, it destroyed the location the 
  adventurer was heading to, and the quest 
  object fell down into the deeper underworld 
  with the meteorite. 
  NPC—Aragatha 
  Stonebeard 
  The following NPC can be introduced at any 
  point in this session of the adventure: 
  Aragatha is a dwarf from Eldwold, who awoke to 
  find herself down in the underworld. She is 
  injured (a broken collar bone and concussion 
  among other things) and disoriented. Aragatha is 
  still dressed in her nightclothes and has a 
  bedsheet with her.  She is looking for a way out—
  unfortunately with her injuries, she can’t climb. 
  Aragatha has no idea what happened to 
  Eldwold since she was asleep at the time of the 
  crash. Wounded and in shock, she won’t be much 
  use in a fight, but she’s no coward.  
  This NPC can meet the adventurers as they 
  navigate the tunnels, as she wanders dazed and 
  in shock into a monster lair, as a prisoner of the 
  
   
   
  14 
   
  star-masks, or wherever you as the GM deem 
  dramatically appropriate. 
  Subterranean 
  Navigation 
  The adventurers have followed the meteorite 
  down into the tunnels deep under the ruins of 
  Eldwold. These tunnels appear to have been dug 
  out of the rock, though not by any humanoid 
  hand. This is Bulette territory. 
  This is a montage scene. The point of this 
  montage is to cooperatively tell the story of the 
  party’s initial delve into the underworld. Turn to 
  the first player and ask them to describe a 
  problem that the party faced in descending into 
  the dark, then turn to the player to their right and 
  ask them how their character solved the problem. 
  Go around the group until everybody has had a 
  chance to describe a problem encountered in 
  their first tentative cave-delve and everybody has 
  had a chance to have their character solve a 
  problem 
  in 
  a 
  heroic 
  way. 
  Introduce 
  foreshadowing of upcoming parts of the 
  adventure as you go around the table (for 
  example, mention evidence of bulettes: shed 
  body-plating and half-eaten corpses). 
  Collapsing Tunnels 
  The tunnels that the adventurers have been 
  moving down are unstable at best. Carved out of 
  the earth by bulettes, the meteorite crashing 
  through has disturbed the compacted rock and 
  dirt that comprises the tunnel walls. 
  The adventurers’ downward exploration has 
  taken them into an unstable section of the 
  tunnels. 
  Spelunking: DC 15. If an adventurer fails 
  the skill check make the following attack 
  against that adventurer: 
  Falling rocks +5 vs AC—2d6 damage 
  OR 
  Sudden drop +5 vs PD—3d4 damage 
  Icon Option: Diabolist 
  If the Diabolist is an important icon in 
  your game, then the bulettes that made 
  these tunnels were the mounts of 
  chthonic demons. The demons have left 
  magical sigils burned into the walls that 
  reinforce the tunnels. The party no 
  longer needs to make spelunking rolls 
  and avoid the potential dangers of falling 
  rocks—these tunnels are much more 
  secure.  
  Unfortunately some of the sigils are 
  traps; those without a positive or 
  conflicted relationship with the Diabolist 
  are attacked by some of the sigils: 
  Mind-burning eye +10 vs MD—3d6 
  psychic damage 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen 
  If the Elf Queen is an important icon in 
  your game, then this section of tunnels is, 
  in fact, going through the ruins of a drow 
  city. The rocks are carved, and among the 
  compacted dirt of the tunnel walls there 
  is evidence of mosaic tiles.  
  A player with a 6 with the Elf Queen 
  on their relationship dice can spend it 
  here to find an alternate passage that 
  bypasses the underground dangers. 
  Spending a 5 means that the shortcut 
  merely lowers the skill check DC to 10 
  instead of 15. 
  The Shark-bat 
  The party reaches a partially submerged 
  chamber, where a roaring cataract fed by water 
  from the surface plunges into a deep lake. The 
  tunnel continues on the far side of the chamber, 
  which is lit from far above by the distant sun. 
  Ferns and mosses grow on the slick rocks, and 
  insects buzz lazily in the dank confines of the 
  cave. 
  The waters of the lake stir, as something large 
  lives here. This is obviously a monster’s lair. To 
  continue onward, the party must pass near (or 
  perhaps wade through) the shallower parts of the 
  water. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Shark-Bat 
  Hatchling 
  Shark-Bat 
  3 
  0 
  1 
  4 
  2 
  1 
  5 
  5 
  1 
  6 
  8 
  1 
  
   
   
  15 
   
  Icon Option: Crusader 
  If the Crusader is an important icon in 
  your game then he sometimes uses 
  ‘tame’ shark-bats as ‘trained’ guardians 
  of his camps. 
  If the party has at least one person 
  with a relationship with the Crusader, 
  they can try distracting this shark-bat, for 
  it is an escaped ‘tame’ shark-bat. Exactly 
  how the party attempts to distract the 
  shark-bat is down to the party: singing 
  soothing songs to the beast, throwing 
  meat into the water, drugging it… 
  whatever they try it is a DC 25 skill check. 
  If an adventurer succeeds at the skill 
  check they can sneak past the shark-bat. 
  However, if the party fails then the 
  shark-bat flies up out of the water and 
  gets a free attack on the adventurer who 
  failed the roll! 
  Icon Option: Emperor 
  If the Emperor is an important icon in 
  this game, then under the mosses are 
  bones. These are the remains of a party of 
  explorers sent down here a century ago. 
  Their gear is rotted and rusted away, but 
  a few pieces still glint in the light. 
  Any player with a 6 with the Emperor 
  on their icon dice can trade that in for a 
  magic item. 
  Icon Option: High Druid 
  Shark-bats 
  are 
  natural 
  creatures, 
  unrelated to either sharks or bats. If the 
  High Druid is an important icon in your 
  game, then the existence of shark-bats is 
  well known to the party, as are some of 
  their habits and tactics of this particular 
  breed of shark-bats. 
  Any player with a 6 with the High 
  Druid on their icon dice can trade that in 
  for a free attack against the beast before 
  the fight proper begins. A 5 can be traded 
  in for a +4 bonus to initiative. 
  Shark-bats sound like the sort of thing a wizard would 
  breed for fun, but the truth is that they have no 
  common heritage with either animal—they came to 
  this world from another realm.  
  For all shark-bats 
  All shark-bats have the following two abilities. 
  Supreme senses: Shark-bats have echolocation, can 
  sense tremors in the ground and walls, can 
  smell blood, sense electrical fields... in short if 
  you are there they know you are there. They can 
  spot you long before you spot them! 
  Ambush predator: Shark-bats are experts at 
  surprise attacks and ambushes. When you fight 
  them, two shark-bats get to act before initiative 
  is 
  rolled. 
  Unless 
  the 
  adventurers 
  take 
  extraordinary measures; even if the party 
  ambushes the shark-bats, two of the monsters 
  get to counter-ambush the party. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  GMs: Shark-bats are nasty! With their expanding 
  crit range and extra crit effects on top of double 
  damage they can decimate a party if the dice go 
  against the players. Shark-bats don’t get nastier 
  specials, they are nastier specials. Remind the 
  players that the adventurers can flee. Fleeing 
  from shark-bats is one of the few times you 
  might want to waive the campaign loss for 
  fleeing—if you choose to waive the campaign 
  loss let the players know. 
   
  
   
   
  16 
   
  SHARK-BAT HATCHLING 
  Also known as spider-sharks. The reason should be 
  obvious. 
   
  2nd level mook [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +8 
  Vulnerable: thunder 
   
  Savage bite +7 vs. AC—5 damage 
   
  Group attack: Instead of each hatchling engaged 
  with an enemy making a separate attack they 
  can make a single wave of teeth attack as a group. 
  Wave of teeth +7+X vs. AC (X = number of 
  engaged hatchlings)—5+X damage 
  Miss: Half damage. 
   
  Wall-crawler: 
  The 
  hatchling 
  uses 
  its 
  long 
  segmented legs (actually the phalanges of its 
  not yet developed wings) to skitter up walls 
  and over rocks. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 15 
  HP 9 (mook) 
  MD 12 
  Mook: Kill one shark-bat hatchling mook for 
  every 9 damage you deal to the mob. 
  SHARK-BAT 
  The shark-bat is strictly speaking neither, yet has 
  attributes of both. If you are imagining a huge winged 
  shark you are not far off. 
   
  Large 3rd level blocker [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +9 
  Vulnerable: thunder 
   
  Bite and sever +8 vs. AC—21 damage 
  Crit: The target is either stuck and must move 
  with the shark-bat and takes 5 ongoing 
  damage (hard save ends all) OR loses a limb 
  (target’s choice). This is in addition to the 
  normal crit double damage. 
   
  Scent of blood: The crit range for shark-bats 
  expands by 1 for every nearby enemy that is 
  stuck or staggered OR every nearby or far away 
  staggered ally (whichever is higher). 
   
  Swim/Fly: Shark-bats can fly and swim with equal 
  grace and speed, but are clumsy when forced 
  to land. 
   
  AC 19 
  PD 17 
  HP 99 
  MD 13 
   
  
   
   
  17 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  18 
   
  Let Sleeping Bulettes 
  Lie 
  The adventurers press onwards and downwards 
  into a series of rock tunnels obviously made by 
  bulettes. As the adventurers move cautiously 
  down the tunnels, they start to see large rounded 
  rock-like forms. 
  The rock-like forms are sleeping bulettes. Let 
  the players know that it is obvious to the 
  adventurers that they can’t take on all these 
  monsters by themselves—waking the bulettes 
  would be foolish. 
  Creeping past sleeping monsters: DC 20. 
  If any adventurer fails the skill roll it 
  becomes 
  a 
  chase, 
  but 
  if 
  all 
  the 
  adventurers 
  succeed 
  they 
  exit 
  the 
  tunnels into the Winding Stair 
  Getting away from the awoken 
  bulettes is a DC 15 skill check (the 
  bulettes are still sleepy). If all the 
  adventurers succeed the skill check then 
  they outrun the bulettes and exit to the 
  Winding Stair. However, if at least one 
  adventurer fails the roll, a few of the 
  bulettes corner the adventurers in a 
  tunnel, and get a free attack on the 
  adventurer(s) who failed the running 
  away roll before combat proper begins. 
  Number 
  of PCs 
  Baby 
  Bulette 
  Red 
  Bulette 
  Red 
  Bulette 
  Pride 
  Leader 
  3 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  0 
  5 
  1 
  0 
  1 
  6 
  0 
  2 
  0 
  Icon Option: Great Gold 
  Wyrm or the Three 
  If the Great Gold Wyrm or the Three are 
  important icons in this game then these 
  bulettes are afraid of dragons, one of 
  their few natural predators.  
  Spending a 6 with one of the above 
  icons when initiative is rolled allows the 
  adventurer to scare a bulette, weakening 
  that monster (save ends). Exactly how 
  the character scares the beast is up to the 
  player: imitating a dragon call, clever 
  shadow-puppetry, or maybe even a 
  draconic aura that briefly envelops the 
  adventurer. 
  Icon Option: Lich King 
  If the Lich King is an important icon in 
  this game, then there are bones down in 
  these tunnels—dwarves and drow who 
  have fallen victim to the bulettes. 
  Spending a 6 with the Lich King lets 
  the adventurer turn a failure in this skill 
  challenge into a success (or allowing 
  somebody else to reroll their failed skill 
  check). Maybe a skeleton animates to 
  point the way to run, or puts its finger to 
  its (non-existent) lips as a warning to be 
  quiet.  
  Icon Option: Prince of 
  Shadows 
  If the Prince of Shadows is an important 
  icon in this game, then there magic items 
  among the coprolite droppings of the 
  bulettes, just about the only thing that 
  survives their digestive process. 
  Spending a 6 with the Prince of 
  Shadows lets the adventurer quietly dig 
  around and find a magic item. Others can 
  try to dig—a DC 25 skill check: success 
  means that the adventurer finds a magic 
  item, failure means that they nominate 
  somebody else to be attacked by a sleeping 
  bulette: 
  Sleepy bite +5 vs AC—3d4 damage 
  
   
   
  19 
   
  BABY BULETTE 
  2nd level troop [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +7 
   
  Hungry little mouth +6 vs. AC (two attacks 
  against the same target)—4 damage 
  Once per battle, when both attacks hit and one was 
  a critical hit: the bulette has bitten off one of 
  the adventurer’s limbs. 
   
  Baby: All bulettes have their crit range expanded 
  by 4 (usually to 16-20) against enemies engaged 
  with the baby. 
   
  Follower burrower: The baby bulette can only 
  burrow when an adult is leading the way. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 16 
  HP 72 
  MD 12 
  RED BULETTE 
  Quick underworld hunters, these bulettes hunt in 
  packs. 
   
  Large 2nd level troop [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +7 
   
  Chomp +6 vs. AC (two attacks against the same 
  target)—7 damage 
  Once per battle, when both attacks hit and one was 
  a critical hit: the bulette has bitten off one of 
  the adventurer’s limbs. 
   
  Pack hunter: For each bulette also engaged with 
  the target the red bulette gains a +1 attack 
  bonus (max +4). 
   
  Nastier Specials 
  Earth surge: Whenever the red bulette takes 
  damage from an attack, it rolls a save; on a 16+ 
  it can immediately dive beneath the ground, 
  preventing further attacks against it until it 
  surfaces at the start of its next turn. Force 
  attacks and opportunity attacks don’t trigger 
  this ability.  
  Serious burrower: The red bulette can burrow 
  incredibly quickly for short distances. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 16 
  HP 72 
  MD 12 
  RED BULETTE PRIDE LEADER 
  Huge 2nd level leader [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +7 
   
  Chomp +6 vs. AC (two attacks against the same 
  target)—11 damage 
  Once per battle, when both attacks hit and one was 
  a critical hit: the bulette has bitten off one of 
  the adventurer’s limbs. 
   
  Pack leader: Other bulettes have their crit range 
  expanded by 1 (to 19+) against enemies 
  engaged with the pack leader. 
   
  Nastier Specials 
  Earth surge: Whenever the red bulette takes 
  damage from an attack, it rolls a save; on a 16+ 
  it can immediately dive beneath the ground, 
  preventing further attacks against it until it 
  surfaces at the start of its next turn. Force 
  attacks and opportunity attacks don’t trigger 
  this ability.  
  Serious burrower: The red bulette can burrow 
  incredibly quickly for short distances. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 16 
  HP 110 
  MD 12 
  
   
   
  20 
   
  The Winding Stair 
  The adventurers exit the bulette tunnels and 
  enter a natural vertical shaft in the rock; iron 
  pitons have been hammered into the edge of the 
  shaft to form a crude stairway. 
  Icon Option: Emperor 
  If the Emperor is important to this game, 
  then these spikes were set in the walls by 
  an exploratory party sent down here 
  centuries ago. The party finds an old 
  camp, a safe place to rest.  
  Each 
  adventurer 
  may 
  spend 
  a 
  recovery and maximize the recovery 
  value, or may regain a spent recovery. 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King 
  If the Dwarf King is important in this 
  game, then this vertical shaft merely 
  looks natural, in reality it is an old air 
  shaft for a mine. 
  In the next combat the escalation die 
  starts at 1 due to the adventurers having 
  a good idea of the lay of the land. 
  Star-Masks 
  The adventurers arrive at the bottom of the shaft 
  to discover that they are in an old dwarven mine. 
  It looks as if there have been people here recently, 
  there are footprints in the dust. 
  Star-mask possessed townsfolk from Eldwold 
  crawled down into the earth, following the 
  meteorite. The good news is that the adventurers 
  are on the right track to find the meteorite. The 
  bad news is that the adventurers are not alone… 
  Number 
  of PCs 
  Fast 
  Xombie 
  Meteorite 
  Xombie 
  Star-
  Mask 
  Cultist 
  3 
  1 
  4 
  2 
  4 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  5 
  3 
  8 
  2 
  6 
  6 
  4 
  2 
  GM Note—If there have already been two 
  combats this game then skip this combat if you 
  are running short on time: the party instead 
  discovers the bodies of the dead star-masks who 
  have been eaten by a shark-bat. 
  Icon Option: Archmage 
  If the Archmage is an important icon in 
  this game, then this mine was for mana 
  stones. While the mine is all played out, 
  there remains just enough residual 
  power to provide a temporary boost to a 
  magic user. 
  Players who spend a 6 with the 
  Archmage can roll to recharge one 
  expended recharge spell during the fight. 
  If there is to be no fight here, then they 
  can gather up enough sparkling mana 
  dust to allow them to roll to recharge at 
  some point in the future: 
  Mana Dust 
  Expendable magic item 
  When initiative is rolled use this item 
  to roll to recharge an expended 
  recharge magic power or spell. 
  Icon Option: Orc Lord 
  If the Orc Lord is an important icon in 
  this game, then the dwarves were driven 
  from this place by an orc attack. 
  Dwarven bodies lie strewn about the 
  place. 
  Spending a 6 with the Orc Lord 
  allows the adventurer to find a magic 
  weapon still embedded in a dwarven 
  skull. Spending a 5 means that the magic 
  weapon is still recovered, but add a 
  haunted skull to the fight if there is due 
  to be a fight in this location. 
  
   
   
  21 
   
  FAST XOMBIE  
  One of the xombie eggs inside this xombie has matured 
  into a star-mask and is directing the others like a 
  troupe of killer corpse-puppets. 
   
  0 level spoiler [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Xombie rush +5 vs. AC—4 damage and the 
  xombie pops free and moves into engagement 
  with a nearby or far away enemy.  
  Natural even miss: the xombie pops free and 
  moves into engagement with a nearby or far 
  away enemy.  
  Natural odd miss: the xombie pops free.  
   
  Strange leap: When the escalation die is 0 or 1, as 
  a move action the xombie moves into 
  engagement with a nearby or far away enemy.  
   
  AC 16  
  PD 10  
  HP 20  
  MD 14  
  METEORITE XOMBIE  
  This barely coordinated xombie is falling apart, its 
  limbs barely held on by the black tendrils of the xombie 
  eggs within. 
    
  1st level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Decaying fists +6 vs. AC—3 damage  
  Natural 16+ hit: The attack does double damage, 
  but the xombie takes 1d6 damage.  
   
  [Group ability] C: Vomit tentacles +6 vs. PD (1d3 
  nearby enemies in a group)—4 damage  
   
  Group ability: For every four meteorite xombies in 
  the battle (round up), one of them can use 
  vomit tentacles once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 11  
  HP 7 (mook)  
  MD 15  
  Mook: Kill one meteorite xombie mook for every 
  7 damage you do to the mob. 
  STAR-MASK CULTIST  
  This hapless humanoid has become host to a mask, and 
  is in thrall to the group mind.  
   
  1st level archer [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +6  
   
  Club +5 vs. AC—4 damage  
   
  R: Bow +5 vs. AC—5 damage  
   
  [Group ability] Coordinated attack: Until the start 
  of its next turn the star-mask cultist gets a +2 to 
  bonus to attack enemies that are engaged with 
  allied star masks, star mask cultists, xombies, 
  etc.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star-mask cultists in 
  the battle (round up), one of them can use 
  coordinated attack once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 13  
  HP 27  
  MD 15 
  End of Session 
  The adventurers stumble into a primitive 
  dwelling, a cave that has been expanded out into 
  rooms with benches or beds carved into the walls. 
  Whoever once lived here is long gone, but it 
  makes for a great resting place for the 
  adventurers as they steel themselves for delving 
  still deeper. 
   
   
  
   
   
  22 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  23 
   
  Session 3: The 
  Ink Mines of 
  Ix  
  Running this adventure 
  This session is designed for 1st level characters. At 
  the end of the session, each character should gain 
  an incremental advance.  
  At the start of the session, remember to ask 
  each player to roll their adventurer’s icon 
  relationships. Generally speaking a 6 can be 
  traded in for a clear benefit, a 5 when traded in 
  will benefit the adventurer or party but there will 
  be an associated complication, obligation, or 
  drawback. 
  The 
  session, 
  as 
  written, 
  should 
  take 
  approximately two hours. If you have time for 
  other encounters in the session before its end, you 
  can pick from the following or roll a d6 for a 
  random 
  encounter 
  (you 
  can 
  find 
  these 
  encounters at the back of the adventure). For a 
  three to four hour game, I’d suggest adding 
  between one and three random encounters 
  scattered throughout the adventure.  For a longer 
  hour game, I’d suggest adding between two and 
  six random encounters (with half coming from 
  the d20 table in the random encounters section at 
  the back of the adventure). 
  1. Adventurer’s corpse 
  2. Bat attack 
  3. Deep moths 
  4. Khavlings 
  5. Star-mask drow 
  6. Roll twice and combine the results 
  About the NPCs 
  Each session includes an NPC you can add to the 
  story if your players appreciate interactions with 
  people who need or can provide help. None of 
  the NPCs have full stats because they’re not the 
  type of people who could provide opposition or 
  serious long-term support to an adventuring 
  party, they’re characters who can appear briefly 
  to help motivate PCs who are temporarily at a 
  loss. If the PCs take a liking to an NPCs, feel free 
  to expand their role.  
  New Characters 
  Here are some ideas for introducing new 
  characters: 
   
  The party is not the only group looking for 
  the Heart of the Sky. The icons sent several 
  groups of adventurers into the underworld. 
  The new character is the lone survivor of 
  another adventuring group. 
   
  When the meteorite crashed down into the 
  dark, it destroyed underworld settlements. If 
  the new character is a dwarf or a drow, it is 
  conceivable that they are the lone survivor of 
  such a settlement, or are looking for others 
  who were dragged off by star-masks into the 
  deeper underworld. 
   
  The new adventurer was on a different quest 
  in 
  the 
  underworld, 
  unrelated 
  to 
  the 
  meteorite. When the meteorite crashed 
  through, it destroyed the location the 
  adventurer was heading to, and the quest 
  object fell down into the deeper underworld 
  with the meteorite. 
  NPC—Durden Dradour 
  The following NPC can be introduced at any point in 
  this session of the adventure: 
  This dark elf mystic is seeking the obscure 
  knowledge that the Ixian priests are said to 
  safeguard. Dressed in a simple linen robe, the 
  barefoot dark elf carries a lantern with glowing 
  spiders inside it to light his way. 
  Durden is interested in the strange outsiders 
  (the adventurers) and has a lot of questions for 
  them about the surface world. He doesn’t know 
  much about the surface and has some incorrect 
  assumptions (If the adventurers live under the 
  burning sun, how are they not burned to a blackened 
  crisp? How does water get back into the sky after rain 
  has happened? If the stars guide everybody’s destiny 
  do surface dwellers who can see the stars have free 
  will?), probably as incorrect as the adventurer’s 
  assumptions about the underworld are. 
  
   
   
  24 
   
  This NPC can meet the adventurers as they 
  enter the temple of Ix, as they row across the lake 
  of ink (his boat sank and he’s stranded on a rock), 
  as the adventurers reach the great book, or 
  wherever you as the GM deem dramatically 
  appropriate. 
  To Search in Darkness 
  Following the trail of the meteorite down into the 
  earth has led to a full-on subterranean delve. The 
  adventurers are now deep in the underworld, 
  where the normal rules of the surface world no 
  longer hold.  
  The party now has to side-track. The route of 
  the meteorite has taken it deep into the 
  underworld, but the vertical tunnel that the 
  meteorite created has now collapsed and is 
  impassable. The adventurers must look for a 
  different way downwards. 
  This is a montage scene. The point of this 
  montage is to tell the story of the adventurers 
  searching for an alternate path downwards. Turn 
  to the first player and ask them to describe a 
  problem that the party faced looking for a 
  downwards path, then turn to the player to their 
  right and ask them how their character solved the 
  problem. Go around the group until everybody 
  has had a chance to describe a danger of the 
  underworld, and everybody has had a chance to 
  have their character overcome a danger. 
  Introduce foreshadowing of upcoming parts of 
  the adventure as you go around the table (for 
  example mention seeing the symbol of Ix carved 
  into a cavern wall, or a puddle of fresh ink spilled 
  on a set of carved steps leading downwards). 
  Ixian Priests 
  The adventurers, after a fitful rest in a side-
  passage, crawl up a narrow tunnel towards a 
  light. They hear voices ahead.  
  There are cracks in the tunnel’s stone, the 
  meteorite’s passage has affected this area as it 
  crashed into the underworld. Dead star-mask 
  creatures fall out of some of the cracks as the 
  party passes by. 
  The tunnel opens out into a carved cavern, 
  each mighty stalagmite and stalactite has been 
  hollowed out and turned into ornate dwelling 
  places. Robed dwarves move about the place, 
  under the light of glowing mosses. This place is 
  the size of a small city. 
  It is impossible to avoid the dwarven priests, 
  there are simply too many of them. Fortunately 
  the priests are friendly. Initially, the priests 
  assume that the party members are pilgrims that 
  have come to seek self-knowledge in the sacred 
  book of Ix that lies in the god’s inner sanctum. 
  The party learns that these dwarves are the 
  priests of Ix, a god of knowledge. Ix’s priests are 
  ordinarily pacifists, preferring to run from fights 
  than stand and be slaughtered. Ix’s titles includes 
  “She who writes reality into existence”, “He who 
  swims in the dark”, and “The many-tentacled one”. 
  The priests use phrases like “May Ix’s beak caress 
  you” and “May Ix’s love drag you down into deeper 
  self-awareness”. 
  The priests let the adventurers know that 
  beyond the inner sanctum is a pathway down 
  deeper into the underworld. The priests are 
  willing to let the party into their inner sanctum, 
  as they do with all pilgrims.  
  The priests warn that the inner sanctum is 
  ‘protected’ by a giant squid; normally the giant 
  squid is peaceable, but a star mask creature has 
  possessed the guardian and it has become 
  aggressive to pilgrim and priest alike. 
  Since Ix is associated with tentacled things the 
  priests are loathe to attack the giant squid or the 
  star masks (the priests say that Ix is unlikely to 
  smile upon those that harm its ‘children’), but are 
  more than willing to let the adventurers dispatch 
  the beast. 
  The priests warn that the inner sanctum of Ix 
  is partly in the realm of the gods, and is different 
  for each group that visits it: some report meeting 
  Ix in the form of a telepathic squid, others say that 
  they communed with a heavily-tattooed scribe 
  who possessed divine wisdom and powers, 
  others that they visited a celestial library in a 
  crystal dome deep under an ocean. The priests of 
  Ix are not sure exactly what the party will 
  encounter, but warn that sometimes Ix tests those 
  that seek its knowledge or that use its inner 
  sanctum 
  as 
  a 
  shortcut 
  into 
  the 
  deeper 
  underworld. 
  
   
   
  25 
   
  The priests tell the party that their high 
  priestess awaits pilgrims on the far side of the 
  inner sanctum, to give aid to those who need it 
  after encountering Ix, and to record their 
  experiences with their god. 
  Icon Option: Priestess 
  If the Priestess is an important icon in 
  this game, then the adventurers know 
  that Ix is indeed a god, though not one 
  much worshiped. On the surface world 
  Ix is a god of librarians, scribes, and 
  others who deal in ink. Ix is sometimes 
  depicted as a squid, but most often is 
  depicted as a robed figure wielding a 
  quill. Obviously, the squid depiction has 
  some basis in reality. 
  Spending a 6 with the Priestess allows 
  the party to gain a small boon from the 
  priests of Ix—maybe a healing potion, or 
  a stonelung potion. 
  Stonelung Potion 
  Expendable magic item 
  You can hold your breath for up to an 
  hour; though this does not make you 
  immune to poison gasses, you can 
  stay underwater for a long time. 
  Icon Option: Crusader 
  If the Crusader is an important icon in 
  this game, then the party knows that Ix 
  straddles the line between the gods of 
  light and the gods of darkness. 
  Spending a 6 with the Crusader 
  allows the party to convince the priests 
  (perhaps through threats) to give them 
  something useful—perhaps a healing 
  potion, or a magic oil. 
  Deep Squid 
  At the far end of the cavernous temple is a set of 
  pillars, beyond which are deep pools of inky 
  black water. At the other side of the largest pool 
  is a set of large doors. It is in the largest pool that 
  the giant squid lives. The bottoms of the pools 
  cannot be seen through the inky-black water, 
  though the presence of a large creature in the 
  water is obvious due to the ominous ripples on 
  its surface. 
  If the party decides to avoid fighting the guardian 
  entirely, then opening the massive doors to the inner 
  sanctum requires 5 successful DC 20 skill checks (or 
  DC 15 if the one making the roll has help from an ally), 
  each of which takes one round and is a standard action 
  for the characters involved. The first failed skill check 
  causes the guardian to rear out of the pool to attack. If 
  the party persists in opening the door (a task that will 
  take 5 rounds minimum) they can run away from the 
  guardian and slam the doors shut behind them, ending 
  the fight. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Star-Masks 
  Deep Squid 
  3 
  1 
  1 
  4 
  5 
  1 
  5 
  8 
  1 
  6 
  12 
  1 
  Icon Option: Priestess or 
  Crusader 
  If the Priestess or the Crusader are 
  important icons in this game, then this is 
  a divine creature, so replace its poison 
  damage with holy damage. 
  Spending a 6 with either of the above 
  icons means that Ix empowers the 
  adventurer to defeat the guardian, 
  expanding their crit range by 2 for this 
  fight. 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King 
  or Elf Queen 
  If the Dwarf King or Elf Queen are 
  important icons in this game, then these 
  aquatic monsters are well known to 
  subterranean dwellers.  
  Spending a 6 with either of the above 
  icons allows the adventurer to anticipate 
  attacks and the guardian must reroll its 
  first 
  successful 
  hit 
  against 
  the 
  adventurer. 
   
  
   
   
  26 
   
  STAR-MASK  
  The white mask scuttles along the ground on barbed 
  tentacles, looking for a host to ‘wear’ it.  
   
  2nd level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Strangling tentacles +7 vs. PD—3 damage and 3 
  ongoing damage, ongoing damage ends if the 
  target is no longer engaged with the star-mask  
   
  [Group ability] Suffocating thoughts +7 vs. 
  MD—Until the end of the battle, if the target 
  drops to 0 hp; the target rejoins the fight as a 
  star-mask cultist. Converted player character 
  star-mask cultists can be freed from their masks 
  as a standard action by a character next to 
  them.  
   
  Group ability: For every four star-masks in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use 
  suffocating thoughts once during the battle.  
   
  Leap: On turns when the escalation die is odd the 
  star-mask can leap into engagement with a 
  nearby enemy as a quick action.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 12  
  HP 9 (mook)  
  MD 16  
  Mook: Kill one star-
  mask mook for 
  every 9 damage 
  you do to the 
  mob.  
  DEEP SQUID 
  The bulk of the creature is hidden within the deep pool 
  that forms its home. Venture too close and it will pull 
  you into the inky deep where it has the advantage. 
   
  Large 2nd level blocker [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +8 
   
  C: Tentacle grab +7 vs. AC (one nearby or far 
  away enemy)—14 damage and the target is 
  pulled into engagement with the monster 
   
  Home ground advantage: Enemies engaged with 
  the squid are weakened (-4 to attack and 
  defenses), until they are no longer engaged or 
  the deep squid is staggered.  
   
  Hidden body: When the deep squid is crit its body 
  rears above the surface, making it vulnerable to 
  attacks until the start of its next turn.  
   
  A bigger foe… 
  If you want a bigger deep squid use multiples of 
  this monster, with each ‘individual’ representing 
  a single tentacle. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 16 
  HP 50 
  MD 12 
   
   
  
   
   
  27 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  28 
   
  The Lake of Ink 
  Beyond the doors is a short landing and then a 
  wide staircase that leads down into the darkness. 
  At the bottom of the stairs is a massive cavern 
  which contains a lake of black liquid. In the 
  distance is a light, what looks like a doorway. At 
  the very bottom of the steps is a boat tied up, 
  sitting in the still ‘water’. 
  As the adventurers approach the bottom of 
  the steps, they realize that the water is not water 
  at all, but is black ink. When the characters speak 
  or make a sound the ink ripples and words drift 
  upwards. The words are thin, and cut like razors 
  where they touch flesh. Worse, some of the 
  adventurer’s own words attempt to tattoo 
  themselves onto their brains! 
  Silent rowing: DC 20. Each adventurer 
  must roll, even if they aren’t rowing they 
  still need to stay perfectly silent. Once 
  every player has rolled the adventurers 
  reach the other end of the lake of ink. If 
  an adventurer fails the skill check make 
  the 
  following 
  attack 
  against 
  that 
  adventurer: 
  Sharp words +5 vs PD—2d6 damage 
  OR 
  Brain tattoo +5 vs MD—4 ongoing 
  psychic damage (save ends, as does 
  everybody passing or failing their skill 
  checks). 
  Icon Option: Archmage 
  If the Archmage is an important icon in 
  this game, then this inky substance is 
  known to wizards, a component in many 
  legendary spells. 
  Spending a 6 with the Archmage 
  allows the adventurer to capture some of 
  this ink. 
  Ink of Creation 
  Expendable magic item 
  Add +5 to a skill check involving 
  ritual magic. 
  Icon Option: Diabolist 
  If the Diabolist is an important icon in 
  this game, then this ink is used to seal 
  contracts in hell (and here you thought it 
  was blood). 
  The next time any adventurer rolls 
  icon dice, add one extra icon die with the 
  Diabolist. Each player gets to choose the 
  nature of the temporary relationship 
  with the Diabolist. 
  The Hand of Ix 
  The adventurers arrive at the far side of the lake, 
  where 
  another 
  stairway 
  leads 
  further 
  downwards. The ink of the lake doesn’t spill over 
  the top step, instead frothing upwards in a wave 
  of floating punctuation marks. 
  The stairs downward lead miles under the 
  earth. As the party descends, they see a white 
  plain with black marks on it. As the adventurers 
  get closer, they discover that they are descending 
  onto a book, a huge book that fills the entire 
  cavern! The words in the book are written in an 
  obscure language, the language of creation itself. 
  As the adventurers reach the book, they notice 
  a crack in the cavern wall on the far side of the 
  cave, but getting to it will require crossing the 
  book.  
  As they begin to cross the book a huge 
  glowing hand descends, holding a quill… 
  Number of PCs 
  Hand of Ix 
  3 
  1 
  4 
  1 
  5 
  1 
  6 
  1 
   
  Wait… really? Yes. Strange things 
  happen 
  in 
  the 
  underworld, 
  especially when it intersects the 
  realm of a god. To avoid this fight 
  being a TPK if the dice are against 
  the players, have the Hand of Ix withdraw once 
  one character has died. 
   
  
   
   
  29 
   
  Icon Option: Archmage or 
  the Priestess 
  If the Archmage or the Priestess is an 
  important icon in this game, then the 
  words in this book are in a language that 
  some magic users and clerics know. 
  Any wizard, cleric, paladin, or 
  character with a suitable background can 
  make a DC 20 skill check to decipher the 
  writing as they run across the page. Only 
  fragments can be made out, but it 
  appears that the book is foretelling (or 
  creating) the future. If any adventurer 
  succeeds at the skill check, then their next 
  death save automatically succeeds as 
  they have read that they will not yet die. 
  Icon Option: Archmage or 
  Diabolist 
  If the Archmage or the Diabolist is an 
  important icon in this game, then it is 
  possible to use the still wet ink in the 
  book to write on the page by smearing it 
  around by hand. Only followers of the 
  Archmage 
  or 
  Diabolist 
  would 
  be 
  arrogant enough to attempt this or 
  encourage others to do so. 
  Any character can attempt to rewrite 
  reality (a DC 20 skill check). A success 
  indicates that something about the 
  character can be changed: an icon die can 
  be permanently shifted from one icon to 
  another, a spent recovery can be 
  recovered, a power can be instantly 
  recharged or a daily spell used again. A 
  failure results in a random rewriting of 
  the character and everybody else’s 
  memories of their history (roll d8): 
  1. Age. 
  The 
  character’s 
  age 
  gets 
  rewritten, making them barely out of 
  childhood. Parents might discover 
  that they are now younger than their 
  own kids, professionals might find 
  that they hold qualifications that 
  they are too young to possess: but 
  everybody shrugs it off with vague 
  explanations that they seem to find 
  satisfactory. Nobody else in the 
  party finds it strange that they are 
  adventuring with a tween. 
  2. Appearance. 
  The 
  character’s 
  appearance is now different. Maybe 
  their hair color or skin color is 
  different, or they are shorter or taller, 
  or maybe they have had some 
  qualities switched about (blonde 
  eyes and blue hair for example). 
  3. Background. The character now has 
  an unusual background that they did 
  not have before—though everybody 
  else remembers them always being 
  that way. The player must switch 
  around some points and put them 
  into 
  the 
  new 
  background. 
  Everybody at the table gets to 
  suggest a new background for the 
  character and the GM picks the most 
  amusing one. 
  4. Dead (new) sibling. The character is 
  now one of a pair of twins. The party 
  is carrying the corpse of the dead 
  twin which died in a previous battle, 
  and are mourning them. Of course 
  the ‘surviving twin’ has no memories 
  of their now-extant extinct twin, 
  which might cause the rest of the 
  party 
  to 
  question 
  why 
  the 
  adventurer is not mourning their 
  dead sibling. 
  5. Expended power. The character 
  discovers that they have somehow 
  expended 
  their 
  most 
  powerful 
  unexpended power; everybody else 
  remembers 
  them 
  using 
  it 
  ineffectively in the last battle. 
  6. Gender. The character’s gender is 
  now different, and has always has 
  been as far as everybody else is 
  concerned. Characters who hail from 
  single-sex religious sects find that 
  they are still accepted, but are 
  somehow an exception to the usual 
  social rules that govern their sorority 
  or brotherhood. People come up 
  with explanations that fit the new 
  
   
   
  30 
   
  facts to their satisfaction (even if the 
  explanations don’t actually make 
  sense). 
  7. Icon 
  relationships. 
  One 
  of 
  the 
  character’s icon dice switch around 
  randomly. Roll d12 to discover 
  which icon it switches to. Everybody 
  else 
  remembers 
  the 
  character 
  affected always having a link to the 
  icon in question. 
  8. Unexpectedly 
  wounded. 
  The 
  character has no recoveries left and 
  appears more beaten and battered 
  than 
  they 
  remember—though 
  everybody else agrees that they got 
  pretty beaten up earlier. 
  HAND OF IX 
  A cloud forms, and a gigantic hand with a quill 
  descends out of it. 
   
  Huge 4th level spoiler [SPIRIT] 
  Initiative: +X 
   
  Rewrite +9 vs. MD—Target becomes confused 
  until the end of their next turn. 
   
  AC 17 
  PD 14 
   
  HP 200 (see dead?) 
  MD 20 
  Dead?: Well, maybe not. Maybe the adventurers 
  just chase the hand away when it reaches 0 hp. 
  Maybe it was never really there to begin with. 
   
  End of Session 
  Once out of the realm of the hand of Ix, the 
  adventurers find themselves in one of a series of 
  interconnected circular chambers. The high 
  priestess of Ix waits with food and water for 
  them, and acolytes and scribes are ready to 
  record their recounted experiences. 
  The 
  high 
  priestess 
  of 
  Ix 
  allows 
  the 
  adventurers to sleep and take care of their other 
  needs before they pass onwards. If the 
  adventurers attack the priestess and acolytes, the 
  pacifist dwarves will simply run away as fast as 
  they can. 
   
   
  
   
   
  31 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  32 
   
  Session 4: The 
  Web of Fear  
  Running this adventure 
  This session is designed for 1st level characters. At 
  the end of the session each character should level 
  up to 2nd level.  
  At the start of the session, remember to ask 
  each player to roll their adventurer’s icon 
  relationships. Generally speaking a 6 can be 
  traded in for a clear benefit, a 5 when traded in 
  will benefit the adventurer or party but there will 
  be an associated complication, obligation, or 
  drawback. 
  The 
  session, 
  as 
  written, 
  should 
  take 
  approximately two hours. If you have time for 
  other encounters in the session before its end you 
  can pick from the following or roll a d6 for a 
  random 
  encounter 
  (you 
  can 
  find 
  these 
  encounters at the back of the adventure). For a 
  three to four hour game I’d suggest adding 
  between one and three random encounters 
  scattered throughout the adventure.  For a longer 
  hour game, I’d suggest adding between two and 
  six random encounters (with half coming from 
  the d20 table in the random encounters section at 
  the back of the adventure). 
  1. Bridge over troubled waters 
  2. Dungeon-Abomination 
  3. Drow patrol 
  4. Fungaloids 
  5. Lost tomb 
  6. Roll twice and combine the results 
  About the NPCs 
  Each session includes an NPC you can add to the 
  story if your players appreciate interactions with 
  people who need or can provide help. None of 
  the NPCs have full stats because they’re not the 
  type of people who could provide opposition or 
  serious long-term support to an adventuring 
  party, they’re characters who can appear briefly 
  to help motivate PCs who are temporarily at a 
  loss. If the PCs take a liking to an NPCs, feel free 
  to expand their role.  
  New Characters 
  Here are some ideas for introducing new 
  characters: 
   
  The party is not the only group looking for 
  the Heart of the Sky. The icons sent several 
  groups of adventurers into the underworld. 
  The new character is the lone survivor of 
  another adventuring group. 
   
  When the meteorite crashed down into the 
  dark it destroyed underworld settlements. If 
  the new character is a dwarf or a drow, it is 
  conceivable that they are the lone survivor of 
  such a settlement, or are looking for others 
  who were dragged off by star-masks into the 
  deeper underworld. 
   
  The new adventurer was on a different quest 
  in 
  the 
  underworld, 
  unrelated 
  to 
  the 
  meteorite. When the meteorite crashed 
  through, it destroyed the location the 
  adventurer was heading to, and the quest 
  object fell down into the deeper underworld 
  with the meteorite. 
  NPC—Ag-Bag the Deep 
  One 
  The following NPC can be introduced at any point in 
  this session of the adventure: 
  The pale Ag-Bag is of a race that the adventurers 
  have not before now encountered, a long-limbed 
  humanoid with massive eyes that are all pupil. 
  The deep one has bound his eyes with spider-
  web gauze because the dim glow of the crystals 
  that illuminate drow cities hurt his dark-adapted 
  eyes, and he often squints while talking to others. 
  Ag-Bag has is travelling to the City of Silver 
  Webs to negotiate passage for his people through 
  the territory that the drow control. The deep ones 
  (Ag-Bag’s people) have been forced out of their 
  home caverns by the expansion of a nearby 
  fungaloid kingdom. 
  Ag-Bag has never seen the sun, and his people 
  regard the surface world as a myth, a legend 
  without substance—adventurers claiming to be 
  
   
   
  33 
   
  from the surface will be met with skepticism by 
  Ag-Bag.  
  This NPC can meet the adventurers as they try 
  to make their way past the traps, as they cross the 
  web bridges, or as a prisoner of the star-mask 
  driders, or wherever you as the GM deem 
  dramatically appropriate. 
  The Drow Tunnels 
  The adventurers are attempting to reach a 
  meteorite 
  that 
  crashed 
  down 
  into 
  the 
  underworld. After many days of tracking 
  through the layers of the underworld, they are 
  out of food and need a place to rest. 
  Compounding their problems, the shaft that the 
  meteorite punched down into the underworld 
  has collapsed and become impassible, requiring 
  the adventurers to find an alternate route 
  down—and finding a drow city is the most likely 
  way to locate a new route down and pick up the 
  trail of the meteorite again.  
  Fortunately, the adventurers start to see signs 
  of civilization: torch sconces on tunnel walls, 
  discarded detritus, and directions scratched into 
  the rock. 
  This is a montage scene. The point of this 
  montage is to cooperatively describe the journey 
  through the dark. Turn to the first player and ask 
  them to describe a problem that the party faced 
  as they get closer to the outskirts of a drow city, 
  then turn to the player to their right and ask them 
  how their character solved the problem. Go 
  around the group until everybody has had a 
  chance to describe a problem and everybody has 
  had a chance to have their character overcome a 
  problem. Introduce foreshadowing of upcoming 
  parts of the adventure as you go around the table 
  (for example mention the presence of large 
  webs). 
  Drow Traps 
  The adventurers have found signs of a 
  subterranean civilization. Tunnels with worked 
  stone, recent humanoid tracks, sconces for 
  torches, wells… all this points to the presence of 
  somebody who can be traded with or who might 
  have some food. 
  Unfortunately, nothing is ever that simple. 
  This far down in the underworld, there are 
  monsters and strange terrors that must be 
  defended against. The way ahead is trapped… 
  Trap finding: DC 15. If an adventurer 
  fails the skill check make the following 
  attack against that adventurer: 
  Spiked pit trap +5 vs AC—2d6 damage 
  OR 
  Poison dart trap +5 vs PD—3d4 poison 
  damage 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King 
  If the Dwarf King is an important icon in 
  this game, then the perfidy and cruelty of 
  the dark elves is well known among the 
  dwarves.  
  Dwarves in the party gain +2 to their 
  defenses against the drow traps. 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen 
  If the Elf Queen is an important icon in 
  this game, then the drow have left a 
  series of warning signs that can be seen 
  only by elves.  
  Elves in the party gain a +5 bonus to 
  their roll for the trap finding skill check. 
  Driders 
  Roaming the tunnels around the drow city are 
  driders, monstrous part-spider, part-elf creatures 
  that are blessed (or cursed, depending on your 
  point of view) by a dark goddess of spiders. The 
  drider patrols know that with strangers it is 
  better to attack first and ask questions later. Of 
  course if the party numbers fewer than six adventurers 
  the driders will just scuttle overhead and drop spiders 
  onto the party then continue with their patrol.  
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Weaver 
  Swarm 
  Drider 
  3 
  9 
  0 
  4 
  11 
  0 
  5 
  14 
  0 
  6 
  0 
  1 
  Icon Option: Dwarf King 
  If the Dwarf King is an important icon in 
  this game, then any dwarves in the party 
  
   
   
  34 
   
  know about the wicked dwarf-hating 
  driders.  
  Any dwarf who launches themselves 
  without warning into battle gets +1 to 
  attack with their first attack. If another 
  character is negotiating with the driders 
  at the time the bonus is +2. 
  Icon Option: Elf Queen 
  If the Elf Queen is an important icon in 
  this game, then the driders might still be 
  bargained and reasoned with. 
  Spending a 6 on an icon roll allows 
  the adventurer to attempt to parlay with 
  the driders before they attack the party. 
  Of course, the adventurer will still need 
  to convince the driders that the party 
  should be let past. 
  The difficulty of convincing the 
  driders to let the elves in the party past is 
  DC 20, and a second DC 20 roll is needed 
  to convince the driders not to attack the 
  non-elves in the party. The interference 
  of other party members might increase or 
  decrease the difficulties. 
   
  WEAVER SWARM  
  3rd level mook [BEAST]  
  Initiative: +9  
   
  A thousand needle wounds +8 vs. AC—5 
  damage  
  Natural 16+: The target is hampered until the 
  end of its next turn.  
  Natural 18+: As above, and the target is also 
  stuck until the end of its next turn.  
   
  Clinging: Enemies take a –5 penalty to disengage 
  checks against the swarm.  
   
  Wall-crawler: The swarm can climb on ceilings 
  and walls as easily as it moves on the ground.  
   
  AC 19  
  PD 17 HP 10 (mook)  
  MD 13  
  Mook: Kill one weaver swarm mook for every 10 
  damage you deal to the mob.  
  DRIDER 
  A drider is a drow transformed into a centaur-like 
  combination of elf and giant spider.  
   
  Large 6th level caster [ABERRATION] 
  Initiative: +10 
   
  Sword or mace +9 vs. AC—20 damage 
  Natural even hit: The drider can make a poison bite 
  attack as a free action. 
  [Special trigger] Poison bite +9 vs. PD—10 
  poison damage, and 10 ongoing poison damage 
   
  R: Lightning bolt spell +11 vs. PD—30 lightning 
  damage 
  Natural even hit: The drider can make a lightning 
  bolt spell attack against a second nearby enemy, 
  followed by a third and final different nearby 
  enemy if the second attack is also a natural even 
  hit. 
   
  C: Web attack +11 vs. PD (up to 2 nearby 
  enemies in a group)—the target is hampered 
  (save ends) 
  Limited use: 1/round as a quick action, if the 
  escalation die is even. 
   
  AC 21 
  PD 15  HP 170 
  MD 20 
  
   
   
  35 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  36 
   
  The Web Bridges 
  Past the tunnels patrolled by the driders is a 
  series of canyon-like caverns that protect the city 
  from invasion. 
  Across each cavern stretches many bridges 
  made of webs. Thousands of large spiders live in 
  the webs, chittering and squalling to each other. 
  Travelling across the web (and not 
  getting bitten): DC 15. If an adventurer 
  fails the skill check make the following 
  attack against that adventurer: 
  Spider bites +5 vs PD—2d6 poison 
  damage 
  OR 
  Hallucinogenic spider bites +5 vs MD—
  the target makes a basic attack against an 
  ally. 
  Icon Option: High Druid 
  If the High Druid is an important icon in 
  this game, then the adventurer knows 
  how to treat spider bites.  
  Anybody bitten by a spider who 
  starts to hallucinate can roll a save to 
  avoid attacking an ally. 
  Icon Option: Lich King 
  If the Lich King is an important icon in 
  this game, then it is well known that 
  spiders do not usually attack the undead. 
  Spending a 6 with the Lich King 
  allows the adventurer to briefly feign 
  undeath, turning a failed skill roll to 
  avoid the spiders into a success. A 5 
  allows the skill roll to be rerolled. 
  Star-Mask Spiders 
  The adventurers are past the outer caverns, 
  almost within sight of the mighty city gates of the 
  underworld city.  
  The party is now crossing over web-strewn 
  caverns. Strangely, no spiders are to be seen. 
  It looks like the adventurers are getting closer 
  to the final resting place of the meteorite. The 
  party notices dead star-masks littering the webs. 
  It is then that the star-mask possessed spiders 
  attack the party! 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Star-Mask 
  Spiders 
  Star-Masks 
  3 
  2 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  5 
  5 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  5 
  5 
  Icon Option: Archmage or 
  Elf Queen 
  If the Archmage or the Elf Queen are 
  important icons in this game, then the 
  final line of defenses of the city includes 
  runes spun into the web bridges. 
  During this combat any enemy who 
  rolls a 1 on a d20 takes 4 force damage; 
  unfortunately this goes for adventurers 
  too. Adventurers with a relationship 
  with the Archmage or Elf Queen do not 
  take the damage on a 1—they know 
  enough to avoid the web runes. 
  Icon Option: Prince of 
  Shadows 
  If the Prince of Shadows is an important 
  icon in this game, then the environment 
  may be used to the advantage of roguish 
  types. In this fight, rogues can really 
  shine, especially those who are allied 
  with the Prince. 
  Rogues with shadow walk may start 
  the combat shadow walking. Any 
  character with a positive or conflicted 
  relationship with the Prince of Shadows 
  may trade in a 6 to do maximum damage 
  on their first attack.  
  
   
   
  37 
   
  STAR-MASK SPIDERS 
  These star-mask eggs have merged with spiders to 
  produce something truly horrible. 
   
  1st level blocker [ABERRATION] 
  Initiative: +10 
   
  Claws that burrow under your skin +6 vs. PD—
  5 damage 
  Natural 16+ hit: The star-mask spider is under 
  the target’s skin. Disengaging from the 
  spider causes the target 5 damage. 
   
  [quick action] C: Chittering call +5 vs. MD (1 
  nearby or far away enemy)—The target cannot 
  willingly move into engagement with a star-
  mask spider or any other spider (save 11+ 
  ends). Creatures immune to fear are immune to 
  this effect.  
  Limited use: Once a target has saved against the 
  effect they cannot be targeted by it again. 
   
  [Group ability] Tendril web +5 vs. PD (1d3 
  engaged enemies)—The target is stuck. While 
  stuck (save ends) the star-mask spider has a +1 
  bonus to attack the target. 
    
  Group ability: For every three star-mask spiders in 
  the battle (round up), one of them can use 
  tendril web once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17 
  PD 11 
  HP 30 
  MD 15 
  STAR-MASK  
  The white mask scuttles along the ground on barbed 
  tentacles, looking for a host to ‘wear’ it.  
   
  2nd level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Strangling tentacles +7 vs. PD—3 damage and 3 
  ongoing damage, ongoing damage ends if the 
  target is no longer engaged with the star-mask  
   
  [Group ability] Suffocating thoughts +7 vs. 
  MD—Until the end of the battle, if the target 
  drops to 0 hp; the target rejoins the fight as a 
  star-mask cultist. Converted player character 
  star-mask cultists can be freed from their masks 
  as a standard action by a character next to 
  them.  
   
  Group ability: For every four star-masks in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use 
  suffocating thoughts once during the battle.  
   
  Leap: On turns when the escalation die is odd the 
  star-mask can leap into engagement with a 
  nearby enemy as a quick action.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 12  
  HP 9 (mook)  
  MD 16  
  Mook: Kill one star-mask mook for every 9 
  damage you do to the mob.  
   
  End of Session 
  The adventurers arrive outside the drow city, 
  at a camp of underworld traders waiting for the 
  city gates to be opened. 
  The traders’ temporary camp is a place of 
  truce 
  between 
  different 
  races, 
  and 
  the 
  adventurers can easily find a place to sleep and 
  somebody who has food and water to share. 
  The next session (in part 2 of INTO THE 
  UNDERWORLD) features an adventure in the drow 
  city as the player characters try to get back onto 
  the trail of the meteorite. 
  
   
   
  38 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  39 
   
  Random 
  Encounters 
  Each session of this adventure has optional random 
  encounters available to the GM. If the adventurers 
  have wandered off the beaten path into the unknown 
  and you need to create more adventure, or they have 
  cleverly circumvented the enemies and challenges of 
  the adventure as written then I’ve got your back. 
  There are 5 random encounters per session, making 
  20 random encounter in total—hey, that fits with a d20 
  roll too! 
  1. 
  Adventurer’s corpse 
  2. 
  Bridge over troubled waters 
  3. 
  Collapsed mine 
  4. 
  Dead bulette 
  5. 
  Dead dwarves 
  6. 
  Deep moths 
  7. 
  Injured citizen 
  8. 
  Lost tomb 
  9. 
  Meteorite fragments 
  10. Shark-bat eggs 
  11. Bats 
  12. Dungeon-Abomination 
  13. Drow patrol 
  14. Fungaloids 
  15. Khavlings 
  16. Star-mask bulette 
  17. Star-mask cultists 
  18. Star-mask drow 
  19. Star-mask dwarves 
  20. Star-masks 
   
  Adventurer’s corpse 
  The adventurers were not the only group to head into 
  the underworld, nor are they the only group that is 
  searching for the Heart of the Sky. Roll a d3 for the 
  gender of adventurer (1= Female, 2= Male, 3= Other or 
  too badly eaten/decomposed to tell) and a d12 for the 
  adventurer’s race: 
  1. 
  Human 
  2. 
  Human 
  3. 
  Dwarf 
  4. 
  Dark elf 
  5. 
  High elf 
  6. 
  Wood elf 
  7. 
  Gnome 
  8. 
  Half-elf 
  9. 
  Half-orc 
  10. Halfling 
  11. One of the rarer races (roll d4) 
  1. 
  Dragonic 
  2. 
  Holy one 
  3. 
  Forgeborn 
  4. 
  Tiefling 
  12. Roll again, and if you reroll a 12 then the 
  corpse is of a really rare race (roll d4) 
  1. 
  Azer 
  2. 
  Oozefolk 
  3. 
  Ophidian 
  4. 
  Twygzog 
  The dead adventurer has a magic item on him or 
  her. The magic item is under the corpse, and the corpse 
  has been nibbled on by scavengers. 
  Oh, did we not mention scavengers? They are 
  lurking at the edge of the adventurer’s lantern light, 
  chittering and scraping their claws against the rock. If 
  you have the inclination this could turn into a bat 
  attack. 
  Bridge over troubled 
  waters 
  The adventurers must cross a natural rock bridge over 
  a torrent of water. The torrent disappears into a crack 
  in the wall, but adventurers who fall in still risk serious 
  harm from being buffeted about. 
  Slippery bridge: DC 15. If an adventurer fails 
  the skill check make the following attack 
  against that adventurer: 
  Bashed and half-drowned +5 vs PD—2d6 
  damage 
  Collapsed mine 
  This area was a dwarven mine, until a meteorite came 
  crashing through. Now the tunnels are unstable, and 
  impassable in many locations. The dwarves will 
  doubtless return in a year or two. 
  Stepping carefully: DC 15. If an adventurer 
  fails the skill check make the following attack 
  against each adventurer: 
  Rocks fall +5 vs AC—1d4 damage 
  Dead bulette 
  This bulette is dead, killed by a larger bulette in a 
  territorial dispute. Roll d4: 
  1. 
  The bulette is half in and half out of the wall 
  2. 
  The bulette is a mere shell, its meat has been 
  eaten by scavenging carnivorous bats. 
  3. 
  The bulette is lying out in the open, 
  scavengers nearby watch from just beyond 
  the party’s light (perhaps this will actually be 
  a bat attack). 
  
   
   
  40 
   
  4. 
  The bulette had recently eaten an adventurer. 
  50% chance that there is a magic item jammed 
  in the bulette’s mouth.  
  Dead dwarves 
  There are dwarves here, killed by the meteorite that 
  came crashing through. Roll d4: 
  1. 
  The dwarves were crushed by a collapsing 
  tunnel ceiling. 
  2. 
  The dwarves were killed by a shockwave as 
  the meteorite flattened a series of tunnels 
  nearby.  
  3. 
  The dwarves were killed by strange radiation 
  from the meteorite. Maybe it’s a good idea not 
  to linger in this area. 
  4. 
  The dwarves were killed by star-masks that 
  the meteorite shed as it crashed through here. 
  Deep moths 
  These strange creatures can phase through solid 
  matter, and enjoy eating calcium deposits (or bones!). 
  Fortunately the moths can be warded off by light. 
  Warding off moths: DC 15. If an adventurer 
  fails the skill check they take 3 damage from 
  sudden onset osteoporosis. 
  Injured citizen 
  A citizen of Eldwold who fell into the underworld 
  when their city was wrecked by the meteorite. They are 
  lost, injured, hungry, and frightened. 
  Lost tomb 
  This tomb belonged to a past hero. Roll a d4: 
  1. 
  A dwarven tomb, beautifully carved out of 
  the living rock. 
  2. 
  A wizard’s tomb, a clear crystal grown up 
  over and around the body. 
  3. 
  An adventurer’s tomb, a corpse under a pile 
  of their enemies: some adventurers make 
  their own tombs. 
  4. 
  An adventurer’s tomb, just a simple pile of 
  stones over a body. 
  If nobody has found a magic item this session there is 
  one in the tomb, but it is trapped. 
  Tomb trap: DC 15. If an adventurer who is 
  opening the tomb fails the skill check make 
  the following attack against that adventurer: 
  Blades +5 vs AC—2d6 damage 
  OR 
  Magic rune +5 vs PD—7 force damage 
  OR 
  Vengeful spirit +5 vs MD—3d4 psychic 
  damage 
  Meteorite fragments 
  The meteorite crashed down into the underworld near 
  to here, parts of it blasting off into the tunnels and 
  caverns that its passage bisected. 
  The glittering volcanic rock is embedded in the 
  walls might be benign, or might not. Roll d6: 
  1. 
  It’s just rock, sparkly in the torch light but it 
  is just coal and scattered diamond dust. There 
  is a 50% chance that a good search of the area 
  will turn up a small uncut diamond worth 
  2d20x10 gp. 
  2. 
  The sparkling rock glows with a dull red 
  light, the heat from its violent incorporation 
  into the tunnel’s walls still not fully 
  dissipated. 
  3. 
  The rock is absorbing heat, glistening frost 
  spreading from it along the walls and ice 
  forming on the wet tunnel floor. If a fight 
  occurs here, anybody rolling a natural 1 on an 
  attack falls and takes 1d4 damage. 
  4. 
  Along with the glittering black rock star-
  mask eggs were ejected. Fortunately the force 
  of their ejection killed the tiny monsters. 
  5. 
  A light emanates from the rock, illuminating 
  the tunnel. The meteorite’s rock glitters and 
  shines like stars in the night. 
  6. 
  The magic of the meteorite’s rock is causing 
  the adventurers to become ill: 
  Warping contamination +5 vs PD—2d6 
  negative energy damage 
  Shark-bat eggs 
  A shark-bat is roosting nearby, as the egg casings 
  hanging from this passage’s roof attest to. Strong 
  spirits made from fermented shark-bat egg is 
  considered by some to be a delicacy (and by most 
  others to be disgusting). Each of these eggs is worth 100 
  gp to the dwarves of Forge. Gathering them intact 
  requires a steady hand. There are 10 eggs present. 
  Gathering shark-bat eggs: DC 15. If an 
  adventurer fails the skill check they ruin the 
  egg that they were trying to harvest. 
   
  
   
   
  41 
   
  Bats 
  The bats of the underworld grow large and bold down 
  in the dark… 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Swarm of Bats 
  Dire Bat 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  4 
  3 
  1 
  5 
  4 
  1 
  6 
  5 
  1 
  SWARM OF BATS  
  What is at first a slightly painful distraction could turn 
  lethal as the bats shift and flow to evade your attacks.  
  1st level spoiler [BEAST]  
  Initiative: +5  
  Vulnerability: thunder  
   
  C: Swarming bites +7 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)—
  2 damage, and after the attack, the swarm of bats 
  engages one of the targets  
  Natural even hit: The target is hampered until the end 
  of its next turn. It can end the effect by attacking 
  the swarm, or if the swarm drops to 0 hp.  
   
  No opportunities: The swarm of bats can’t make 
  opportunity 
  attacks, 
  and 
  enemies 
  can’t 
  make 
  opportunity attacks against it.  
   
  Swarming resistance: Each turn, the swarm of bats gains 
  resist damage 18+ to all damage from attacks by 
  enemies that the swarm did NOT attack that turn.  
   
  AC 16  
  PD 16  HP 30  
  MD 11  
  DIRE BAT  
  Some people call them dire vampire bats, but that gets 
  confusing when people expect them to function like scary 
  vampires instead of just overgrown flying rodents with rabid 
  tendencies.  
  2nd level troop [BEAST]  
  Initiative: +8  
  Vulnerability: thunder  
   
  Fangs and wings +6 vs. AC—5 damage, and 5 ongoing 
  damage  
  Natural 2–5: The dire bat pops free from the target 
  and can move as a free action.  
   
  Resist ranged damage 16+: When a ranged attack 
  targets this creature while it’s flying, the attacker must 
  roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half 
  damage. (Shifty spinning bats are hard to hit unless 
  they’re grounded or stuck.)  
   
  Skittish: A dire bat engaged with a conscious enemy 
  after attacking it will attempt to disengage and fly into 
  the air if it has a move action remaining that turn.  
   
  Nastier Specials  
  Blood drinker: When the dire bat drops an enemy to 0 
  hp or below, it continues to attack that enemy (until it 
  dies) instead of attacking other enemies.  
  Dire feature: Most dire bats don’t have a dire feature 
  (13th Age core book, page 206). But this one does.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 17 HP 32 
  MD 14 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  42 
   
  Dungeon-Abomination 
  These strange creatures come from somewhere else. 
  Somewhere that doesn’t obey the same laws of physics 
  as our world. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Dungeon 
  Abomination 
  Broken 
  Dungeon 
  Abomination 
  3 
  1 
  5 
  4 
  1 
  8 
  5 
  2 
  5 
  6 
  2 
  8 
  DUNGEON-ABOMINATION 
  Hurriedly created by a newborn living dungeon to defend it, 
  these horrors know only pain and rage. 
   
  3rd level wrecker [ABERRATION] 
  Initiative: +8 
   
  Each round roll 1d6 twice to discover what attacks 
  dungeon-abominations have available: 
  1. 
  Antlers & hooves 
  2. 
  Tentacles 
  3. 
  Acid spit 
  4. 
  Beak 
  5. 
  Pick one of the above, but it is a quick action 
  instead of a standard action 
  6. 
  Pick one of the above and the abomination takes 
  1d6 damage. 
   
  Antlers and hooves +6 vs. AC—8 damage 
  Natural even hit: 2 damage to each engaged enemy. 
   
  C: Tentacles +6 vs. AC (1d3 nearby enemies)—7 
  damage 
  Natural roll above target’s Strength: Target is pulled 
  into engagement with the abomination. 
   
  C: Acid spit +6 vs. PD (one nearby or far away 
  enemy)—5 ongoing acid damage 
   
  Beak +6 vs. AC—10 damage 
  Natural even hit: Make a fire breath attack as a quick 
  action. 
   
  [quick action, special trigger] C: Fire breath +8 vs. PD 
  (1d3 nearby enemies)—3 fire damage 
  Natural even hit: the fire damage is ongoing. 
   
  Nastier Specials 
  Sporadic flight: On rounds where the abomination rolls 
  under the escalation die with one of its d6 rolls it can 
  fly, though clumsily. 
   
  AC 19 
  PD 
  17 
  HP 50 
  MD 13 
   
  BROKEN DUNGEON-ABOMINATION 
  2nd level mook [ABERRATION] 
  Initiative: +6 
   
  Each round roll 1d6 twice to discover what attacks 
  broken dungeon-abominations have available: 
  1. 
  Too many teeth 
  2. 
  Billows breath 
  3. 
  Lightning horn 
  4. 
  Gnashing maw 
  5. 
  Pick one of the above, but it is a quick action 
  instead of a standard action 
  6. 
  Pick one of the above and the abomination takes 
  1d6 damage. 
   
  Too many teeth +6 vs. AC—4 damage 
  Natural even hit: 1 damage to each engaged enemy. 
   
  C: Billows breath +6 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)—3 
  damage 
  Natural roll above target’s Strength: Target pops free. 
   
  R: Lightning horn +6 vs. PD—2 ongoing lightning 
  damage 
   
  Gnashing maw +6 vs. AC—5 damage 
  Natural even hit: Make a fire breath attack as a quick 
  action. 
   
  [quick action, special trigger] C: Fire breath +8 vs. PD 
  (1d3 nearby enemies)—2 fire damage 
  Natural even hit: the fire damage is ongoing. 
   
  Nastier Specials 
  Exploding biology: When the dungeon abomination dies 
  each creature engaged with it takes 10 damage. Yes, 
  this can set off a chain reaction of exploding 
  dungeon abominations. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 
  16 
  HP 9 (see exploding biology) 
  MD 12 
  Mook: Kill one broken dungeon abomination mook for 
  every 9 damage you deal to the mob. 
   
   
  
   
   
  43 
   
  Drow patrol 
  The drow are patrolling this section of the underworld, 
  concerned that the recent cataclysmic piercing of the 
  layers of the underworld will cause normally 
  separated dark dwellers to come into conflict. 
  The drow don’t actually care about spreading 
  peace, they just want to keep the balance of power in 
  their favor. 
  The adventurers might be able to trade with the 
  drow, might end up sharing a meal with them, or could 
  end up in a fight.  
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Drow Spider-
  Mage 
  Drow Soldier 
  3 
  1 
  2 
  4 
  1 
  4 
  5 
  1 
  6 
  6 
  1 
  8 
  DROW SPIDER-MAGE  
  She stalks silently toward you, her sharpened wand pointed 
  at your heart. A spider the size of a cat hisses malevolently 
  at you from her shoulder. Why is she smiling?  
   
  3rd level caster [HUMANOID]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Sharpened wand +8 vs. AC—10 damage  
   
  R: Shadowfire +8 vs. PD (one nearby or far away 
  enemy)—8 damage, and the target is weakened (save 
  ends)  
  Limited use: Once the spider-mage hits with shadowfire, 
  she can’t use it again until the target saves against it.  
   
  C: Malediction of webs +8 vs. PD (up to 2 nearby 
  enemies in a group)—The target is stuck (save ends), 
  and takes 5 damage each time it fails the save  
   
  Dark orison: Each time the spider-mage misses with an 
  attack, the crit range of attacks by drow and spiders in 
  the battle expands by 1.  
   
  Spider speaker: The first time each battle an enemy hits 
  the spider-mage with a melee attack, that attacker takes 
  8 ongoing poison damage from her familiar.  
   
  AC 19  
  PD 13  HP 40  
  MD 17  
  DROW SOLDIER  
  It’s easy to ignore them so you can concentrate on more 
  dangerous enemies. And then three crossbow quarrels 
  sprout from your shoulder and you shift your priorities.  
   
  4th level mook [HUMANOID]  
  Initiative: +9  
   
  Paired swords +9 vs. AC—6 damage  
   
  R: Crossbow +9 vs. AC (one nearby enemy, or a far 
  away enemy at –2 atk)—7 damage  
  With my dying breath I curse at thee: When the drow 
  soldier drops to 0 hp, one enemy engaged with it takes 
  2 poison damage before the drow soldier dies.  
   
  AC 20  
  PD 19  HP 18 (mook)  
  MD 14  
  Mook: Kill one drow soldier mook for every 18 damage 
  you deal to the mob. 
  
   
   
  44 
   
  Fungaloids 
  The strange fungus people of the underworld are using 
  the meteorite as an opportunity to expand their fungal 
  kingdom. 
  These fungaloids are not immediately hostile, and 
  if the adventurers prove to be friendly to the 
  fungaloids then they will summon a twygzog 
  (fungaloid ‘prince’ or ‘princess’) to speak verbally to 
  the adventurers—the fungaloids initially encountered 
  can only communicate via spores. 
  Of course if the adventurers are unfriendly then the 
  fungaloids will choose to attack. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Aerial Spore 
  Sporrior 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  5 
  2 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  6 
  6 
  3 
  Fungal Attacks  
  Some fungaloids can make special attacks, usually 
  triggered with a natural 16+ attack roll, though the 
  attacks can be used as a standard action too in some 
  cases. When building fungaloid battles, decide what 
  sort of attack or attacks these fungaloids have. The 
  monster entries will tell you how many attacks to pick. 
  Add the fungaloid creature’s level to attacks and 
  damage, as indicated.  
  C: Poison tentacles 5 + level vs. PD (1d3 nearby 
  enemies)—3 + level poison damage, and the target 
  is vulnerable to fungal attacks (save ends)  
  C: Brown noise 5 + level vs. PD (1d3 nearby 
  enemies)—3 + level ongoing thunder damage  
  C: Hallucinogenia 3 + level vs. MD (one nearby 
  enemy)—The target is confused (easy save ends, 6+)  
  C: Infectious spores 5 + level vs. PD (1d3 nearby 
  enemies)—3 + level ongoing poison damage  
  C: Piercing shriek 5 + level vs. PD (1d3 nearby 
  enemies)—4 + level psychic damage 
    
  AERIAL SPORE  
  It floats serene, red and deadly. The long tendrils push it 
  spasmodically as it crawl-drifts closer, flickers of 
  bioluminescence pulsing through its small, languid body.  
   
  2nd level mook [PLANT]  
  Initiative: +1  
   
  C: Stinging tendrils +6 vs. PD (one nearby enemy)—
  4 poison damage, and the target is weakened until the 
  end of its next turn  
   
  Puffball exploder: The first time each round an aerial 
  spore in the battle drops to 0 hp, it explodes and 
  1d3 nearby non-fungus non-construct creatures 
  are covered in spores and begin to choke. Until the 
  end of the battle, when a choking creature rolls a 
  natural 1–5 on an attack roll, it takes damage equal 
  to the natural roll. If a creature is affected twice by 
  this attack, the damage it takes on a natural 1–5 
  doubles; if affected three times, it triples, etc.  
   
  Spores: A creature choking from puffball exploder 
  can use a standard action to wash the spores off 
  itself and/or cough them up, preventing further 
  choking effects until it’s affected by puffball 
  exploder again.  
   
  Weightless: The aerial spore floats upon air currents, 
  but it prefers to stay within 5 to 7 feet of the 
  ground so it can use its tendrils to keep it in place 
  or propel it. A free-floating spore too far away 
  from the ground to use its tendrils can easily be 
  blown about from strong winds or similar magical 
  effects.  
   
  AC 15  
  PD 9  HP 7 (mook; puffball exploder)  
  MD 13  
  Mook: Kill one aerial spore mook for every 7 damage 
  you deal to the mob. 
  
   
   
  45 
   
  SPORRIOR  
  Fungi are not known for being fast, but this one is. A strange 
  pale ape-dog thing, with a head that hinges open to unleash 
  a high-speed spore attack. Clouds of choking fungus 
  accompany chitinous darts launched by compressed air.  
   
  2nd level wrecker [PLANT]  
  Initiative: +10  
   
  Chitinous bite +7 vs. AC—5 damage  
  Natural even hit or miss: The sporrior can make a 
  spore cloud attack this turn as a quick action.  
   
  R: Parasitic darts +6 vs. AC (1d3 nearby or far away 
  enemies in a group)—5 poison damage  
  Natural even hit or miss: The sporrior can make a 
  spore cloud attack this turn as a quick action.  
   
  C: Spore cloud +6 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)—4 
  poison damage  
   
  Sprinter: A sporrior gains an extra move action when 
  the escalation die is odd.  
   
  Wall-crawler: A sporrior can climb on ceilings and 
  walls as easily as it moves on the ground.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 16  
  HP 36  
  MD 12  
   
   
  
   
   
  46 
   
  Khavlings 
  These creatures are hunch-backed scrawny menaces 
  that can be found lurking in small gangs in sewers and 
  back alleys of large cities, and sometimes in large semi-
  nomadic tribes in the underworld. 
  Khavlings have a low animal cunning, an ability to 
  use language (though they prefer to use insults), and a 
  predilection for violence and vandalism. 
  When encountering khavlings it is important to 
  dissuade them from attacking, as they love picking on 
  those they perceive as being weaker than themselves. 
  Show of strength: DC 15. If more than half the 
  party fails the skill check the khavlings 
  demand tribute or they’ll attack. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Khavling Shiv 
  Khavling 
  Filth-Speakers 
  3 
  5 
  2 
  4 
  7 
  2 
  5 
  8 
  3 
  6 
  10 
  3 
  Nastier specials for all khavlings 
  Touch of khav: Enemies that roll a natural 1 or 2 with 
  a melee attack against the khavling take poison 
  damage equal to the escalation die value. 
  Violent mind: Enemies that make an attack vs MD 
  against the khavling and miss take psychic 
  damage equal to the escalation die value. 
  KHAVLING SHIV 
  Khavlings can pass as halflings or short humans when in 
  dark alleys or with their hoods up. They lurk near the 
  dwelling places of more successful humanoids, stealing and 
  committing petty acts of vandalism and violence. 
   
  3rd level mook [HUMANOID] 
  Initiative: +3 
   
  Rusty shiv +8 vs. AC—4 damage 
  Escalating violence: Provided the target was hit by a 
  khavling last round add the escalation die to the 
  khavling’s damage. 
   
  R: Thrown rubble +8 vs. AC—6 damage 
  Parting shot: If the khavlings run away from the 
  battle each can make this attack as they leave. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 
  16 
  HP 6 
  MD 10 
  Mook: Kill one khavling shiv mook for every 6 damage 
  you deal to the mob. 
   
  KHAVLING FILTH-SPEAKER 
  The khavlings can only use the simplest and foulest of 
  magics—or perhaps they prefer it that way as it suits their 
  predilections.  
   
  Double-strength 3rd level mook [HUMANOID] 
  Initiative: +3 
   
  Diseased touch +8 vs. PD—12 poison damage 
   
  C: Debased magical chant +8 vs. MD (1 nearby or far 
  away enemy)—6 ongoing psychic damage 
   
  C: Filth hose +8 vs. PD (1d3 nearby or far away 
  enemies)—4 ongoing poison damage and the target 
  pops free and is pushed backwards and covered in 
  vomit and other filth 
  Natural even miss: The target still gets covered in 
  foulness as it splashes around the battle. No 
  damage, but yuck! 
   
  Nastier Specials 
  Disease aura: Creatures engaged with the khavling 
  filth-wizard take poison damage equal to the 
  escalation die value at the start of its turn. Creatures 
  that live in filthy conditions (khavlings, certain orcs) 
  are immune to this aura. 
   
  AC 18 
  PD 
  18 
  HP 12 
  MD 8 
  Mook: Kill one khavling filth-wizard mook for every 12 
  damage you deal to the mob. 
   
  
   
   
  47 
   
  Star-mask bulette 
  This bulette has been infested by star-masks, and the 
  white mask-like monsters cover its body like armored 
  plates. 
  Number of PCs 
  Star-Mask Bulette 
  3 
  1 
  4 
  1 
  5 
  1 
  6 
  1 
  STAR-MASK BULETTE 
  The bulette has a white mask stretched across its face, giving 
  it the appearance of a leering skull. More masks form a living 
  armor over the bulette’s swollen body. 
   
  Huge 3rd level troop [BEAST] 
  Initiative: +6 
   
  Chomp +6 vs. AC (two attacks against the same 
  target)—7 damage 
  Once per battle, when both attacks hit and one was a 
  critical hit: the bulette has bitten off one of the 
  adventurer’s limbs. 
   
  Tendrils: Disengaging from the star-mask bulette has a 
  -5 penalty. 
   
  Group mind: Though the star-mask bulette has no 
  group ability, it can count as any other type of star-
  mask when calculating the number of star-masks 
  needed to use group abilities.  
   
  Slow burrower: The star-mask bulette can burrow, but 
  only slowly. It might enter a battle by coming out of 
  the ground or a tunnel wall, but it won’t flee that 
  way. 
   
  AC 21 
  PD 
  16 
  HP 72 
  MD 12 
  Star-mask drow 
  This drow patrol were caught unawares by star-masks 
  and are now possessed. 
  Drow cruelty combined with the star-masks’ desire 
  to infect others has led these possessed drow to set up 
  an ambush for the adventurers. 
  Number 
  of PCs 
  Star-Mask 
  (elf) 
  Cultist 
  Star-Mask 
  (elf) Brute 
  Star-Mask 
  Spiders 
  3 
  2 
  0 
  1 
  4 
  2 
  0 
  2 
  5 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  6 
  2 
  1 
  2 
  STAR-MASK DROW 
  For these monsters use star-mask cultists, star-mask brutes, 
  and star-mask spiders but swap out clubs and staves for 
  swords in attack descriptions and add the following ability: 
  The cruelest cut: Drow are known for their cruelty. Once 
  per battle only, the first time any drow in the battle 
  crits the damage is ongoing OR (if that would be too 
  cruel) the attack also imposes a condition on the 
  target (roll d4: 1= stuck, 2= dazed, 3= stuck and 
  dazed, 4= weakened) save ends. 
   
  
   
   
  48 
   
  STAR-MASK (elf) CULTIST  
  This hapless humanoid has become host to a mask, and is in 
  thrall to the group mind.  
   
  1st level archer [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +6  
   
  Club +5 vs. AC—4 damage  
   
  R: Bow +5 vs. AC—5 damage  
   
  [Group ability] Coordinated attack: Until the start of its 
  next turn the star-mask cultist gets a +2 to bonus to 
  attack enemies that are engaged with allied star 
  masks, star mask cultists, xombies, etc.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star-mask cultists in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use coordinated 
  attack once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 13  
  HP 27  
  MD 15  
   
  STAR-MASK (elf) BRUTE  
  3rd level wrecker [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +9  
   
  Fist smash +8 vs. AC—10 damage  
   
  Crush +8 vs. AC—5 damage and 5 ongoing damage 
  and once per battle the star-ask brute throws the 
  target as a free action  
  [special trigger] Throw +12 vs. PD—Target is 
  thrown far away, takes 10 damage, and is 
  weakened (easy save ends)  
  Miss: Target pops free.  
   
  AC 19  
  PD 14  
  HP 45  
  MD 16  
  STAR-MASK SPIDERS 
  These star-mask eggs have merged with spiders to produce 
  something truly horrible. 
   
  1st level blocker [ABERRATION] 
  Initiative: +10 
   
  Claws that burrow under your skin +6 vs. PD—5 
  damage 
  Natural 16+ hit: The star-mask spider is under the 
  target’s skin. Disengaging from the spider causes 
  the target 5 damage. 
   
  [quick action] C: Chittering call +5 vs. MD (1 nearby 
  or far away enemy)—The target cannot willingly 
  move into engagement with a star-mask spider or 
  any other spider (save 11+ ends). Creatures immune 
  to fear are immune to this effect.  
  Limited use: Once a target has saved against the effect 
  they cannot be targeted by it again. 
   
  [Group ability] Tendril web +5 vs. PD (1d3 engaged 
  enemies)—The target is stuck. While stuck (save 
  ends) the star-mask spider has a +1 bonus to attack 
  the target. 
    
  Group ability: For every three star-mask spiders in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use tendril web 
  once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17 
  PD 
  11 
  HP 30 
  MD 15 
   
  
   
   
  49 
   
  Star-mask cultists 
  These humanoids have been possessed by star-masks 
  and made to serve their nefarious purposes. The 
  cultists 
  are 
  migrating 
  down 
  into 
  the 
  deeper 
  underworld in search of more hosts or a living 
  dungeon to serve. 
  The cultists think that the adventurers will make 
  fine hosts for the star-masks. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Star-Mask 
  Cultist 
  Star-Mask 
  Cult Leader 
  3 
  3 
  0 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  5 
  2 
  1 
  6 
  3 
  1 
  STAR-MASK CULTIST  
  This hapless humanoid has become host to a mask, and is in 
  thrall to the group mind.  
   
  1st level archer [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +6  
   
  Club +5 vs. AC—4 damage  
   
  R: Bow +5 vs. AC—5 damage  
   
  [Group ability] Coordinated attack: Until the start of its 
  next turn the star-mask cultist gets a +2 to bonus to 
  attack enemies that are engaged with allied star 
  masks, star mask cultists, xombies, etc.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star-mask cultists in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use coordinated 
  attack once during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 13  
  HP 27  
  MD 15  
  STAR-MASK CULT LEADER  
  This cultist is more in tune with the group mind than others, 
  and issues orders to its underlings.  
   
  Double-strength 2nd level leader [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +7  
   
  Iron-shod staff +7 vs. AC—14 damage  
   
  [Group ability] R: Psychic domination +7 vs. MD—7 
  damage and 7 ongoing damage  
  Natural even hit or miss: One dead (or unconscious or 
  otherwise out of the fight) star-mask cultist, dead 
  star-mask cult leader, or dead star-mask brute 
  becomes a living star-mask.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star mask-cult leaders in 
  the battle (round up), one of them can use psychic 
  dominion once during the battle as a quick action.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 13  
  HP 72  
  MD 15 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  50 
   
  Star-mask dwarves 
  A group of dwarven miners has been possessed by 
  star-masks and are busy tunneling and building—
  directed by the star-masks to create a trap for others so 
  that more humanoids can be captured and possessed. 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Star-Mask 
  (dwarf) Cultist 
  Star-Mask 
  (dwarf) Brute 
  3 
  1 
  1 
  4 
  0 
  2 
  5 
  1 
  2 
  6 
  0 
  3 
  STAR-MASK DWARVES 
  For these monsters use star-mask cultists and star-mask 
  brutes but swap out clubs and staves for axes and hammers 
  in attack descriptions and add the following ability: 
   
  Stronger than stone: Dwarves are known for their 
  resilience. Once per battle only, a staggered dwarf 
  heals to full hp as a free action. 
  STAR-MASK (dwarf) CULTIST  
  This hapless humanoid has become host to a 
  mask, and is in thrall to the group 
  mind.  
   
  1st level archer [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +6  
   
  Club +5 vs. AC—4 damage  
   
  R: 
  Bow 
  +5 
  vs. 
  AC—5 
  damage  
   
  [Group ability] Coordinated 
  attack: Until the start of its 
  next turn the star-mask cultist 
  gets a +2 to bonus to attack 
  enemies that are engaged with 
  allied star masks, star mask 
  cultists, xombies, etc.  
   
  Group ability: For every two star-mask 
  cultists in the battle (round up), one 
  of them can use coordinated attack once 
  during the battle.  
   
  AC 17  
  PD 13  
  HP 27  
  MD 15  
  STAR-MASK (dwarf) BRUTE  
  3rd level wrecker [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +9  
   
  Fist smash +8 vs. AC—10 damage  
   
  Crush +8 vs. AC—5 damage and 5 ongoing damage 
  and once per battle the star-ask brute throws the 
  target as a free action  
  [special trigger] Throw +12 vs. PD—Target is 
  thrown far away, takes 10 damage, and is 
  weakened (easy save ends)  
  Miss: Target pops free.  
   
  AC 19  
  PD 14  
  HP 45  
  MD 16  
  
   
   
  51 
   
  Star-masks 
  When 
  the 
  meteorite 
  crashed 
  down 
  into 
  the 
  underworld it shed thousands of star-masks. Most of 
  the star-masks died, some found hosts, and some like 
  these are still in search of hosts. Hosts just like the 
  adventurers… 
  Number 
  of 
  PCs 
  Star-Mask 
  Xombie 
  Egg 
  Swarm 
  3 
  8 
  4 
  4 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  6 
  12 
  6 
  6 
  16 
  STAR-MASK  
  The white mask scuttles along the ground on barbed 
  tentacles, looking for a host to ‘wear’ it.  
   
  2nd level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +8  
   
  Strangling tentacles +7 vs. PD—3 damage and 3 
  ongoing damage, ongoing damage ends if the target 
  is no longer engaged with the star-mask  
   
  [Group ability] Suffocating thoughts +7 vs. MD—
  Until the end of the battle, if the target drops to 0 hp; 
  the target rejoins the fight as a star-mask cultist. 
  Converted player character star-mask cultists can be 
  freed from their masks as a standard action by a 
  character next to them.  
   
  Group ability: For every four star-masks in the battle 
  (round up), one of them can use suffocating thoughts 
  once during the battle.  
   
  Leap: On turns when the escalation die is odd the star-
  mask can leap into engagement with a nearby 
  enemy as a quick action.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 12  
  HP 9 (mook)  
  MD 16  
  Mook: Kill one star-mask mook for every 9 damage you 
  do to the mob.  
  XOMBIE EGG SWARM  
  These tentacled white spheres roll and hop around looking 
  for a corpse to inhabit.  
   
  2nd level mook [ABERRATION]  
  Initiative: +5  
   
  Swarm +7 vs. AC—5 damage  
   
  [Group ability] C: Puppeteer tentacles +7 vs. MD (one 
  nearby enemy)—the target makes a basic ranged or 
  melee attack against a target of the xombie egg 
  swarm’s choice  
  Miss: The target is immune to puppeteer abilities for 
  the rest of this fight and the fight after.  
   
  [Once per battle] Swarm rush: As a move action the 
  swarm pops free and moves twice, but must finish 
  its move engaged with an enemy.  
   
  Group ability: For every four xombie swarms in the 
  battle (round up), one of them can use puppeteer 
  tentacles once during the battle.  
   
  Nastier specials  
  Corpse puppet: If there are intact corpses in the battle 
  (say a star-mask cultist died) then part of the xombie 
  egg swarm burrows into it and it rises as a xombie.  
   
  AC 18  
  PD 12  
  HP 9 (mook)  
  MD 16  
  Mook: Kill one xombie egg swarm mook for every 9 
  damage you do to the mob. 
   
   
  
   
   
  52 
   
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  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and 
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/13th Age/Adventure/Tales of the 13th Age - Season 2/13th Age - Into the UNDERWORLD Part 1.pdf