Reaching Below! Welcome yet again keen adventurers! The story continues where the brave party left off, in the mouth of the cave within The Reaching Woods. With the new knowledge of doom lurking beneath, will the adventurers delve deep into the darkness, steel themselves and bring safety to Sconrubel once more? Or will they meet their doom in the Underdark? Introduction: Remember that the party may choose to do several things at this point, so be prepared to improvise. For example they may choose to instantly press deeper into the caves to discover the terror spoke of by Invayas or they may return to town to report the news and accept their rewards. You could add extras as you see fit, for example: On the way back to town they encounter a camp of unarmed Drow escaping from below. The party may decide to take pity on them and try bargain their safety into Scornubel until the adventurers deal with the problem at hand. They may also try to kill them! Like I said, be prepared to respond to the parties decision and don't be afraid to add extras for the sake of their adventure. Most importantly, remember to have fun! Dark Elves & Darker News: If the party choose to return to town follow here: The party return to what we can is assume either the Mayor's Office or The Oaken Shield tavern. If the party enter the Mayors Office read this: As you enter the Mayors Office you find the Mayor Yren Tallow still overlooking ledgers and charting what you assume to be financial documents. Approaching his desk now grants you his attention as he looks eagerly excited and expecting good news. If the party ask the Mayor for their reward, he will ask the party what occured in the Taverns. If the party is honest, the Mayor will argue there job is not finished if "Terror" still lies below. On a DC12 Intimidation he will change his attitude and give the party what they're owed. He will then offer the party another 500g which can be brought to 1000g on a DC20 Persuation or DC15 Intimidation. Either way the Mayor will insist they investigate deeper as he worries about the economy of the town. If the party enter the Oaken Shield read this: Returning to the tavern for rest, you find it just as sparce as earlier. Morel welcomes you all with open arms, happy for potential customers and asks you of your travels. Hanna is nowhere to be seen and you notice the Elf, Tiral still drinking at a table. If the party recant the tale of their adventurs to Morel when he asks, Tiran will overhear the conversation, and it will peak his interests. After finishing talking, eating, drinking and resting, Tiran will call them over as he wishes to know what has become of the woods he once roamed. In this instance the party did not press forth into the cavern before returning, so the little infromation they have will only peak Tiran to convince them to venture deeper within and tell him off what they find. His curiosity being due to his love for the woodland. Remember be ready to improvise these discussions as the players may surprise you with what they suggesst, or discuss! If the party choose to press deeper into the Northern tunnel follow here (or if the party return here after visitng the town): Undertunnels: Credit: Kono

1. Down, Down, Down. As you press onwards down the Northern tunnel, leaving the crystal coated cavern behind you, you find yourself descending deeper into the earth. The air gradually becomes colder and full of dust and grit. 2.Drow Forward Camp. Not long walking you find yourself at an opening, again looking into another cave, this one seeming more natural than the previous. In the middle lies a camp of four tents and an open fire burns in the center. Several Drow stand around the camp, though you cannot quite make out how many. You notice a tunnel off to the West, and one through the camp North. Here the adventurers have multiple options. They can tackle the camp head on, but this would be the riskiest choice, but not impossible. There are four Drow here, lead by a Drow Elite Warrior. The party can remain hidden with a DC12 Stealth and sneak around or surprise attack the group. If they clear the camp, they find 160g, three shortswords and with a DC15 Perception a golden ring on the hand of the Drow Elite Warrior worth 200g. 3. Western Tunnels. You push West, the cave begins to narrow as you push on becoming a natural tunnel riddled with stagletites dangling far above on the ceiling. The smell of earth and damp strong in your nose. You notice that you come to a wall of earth and rock, you look up to notice a ledge above. The party will require to make a DC14 Athletics check to progress and scale the wall or a DC10 Athletics check if they use rope. Alternatively they can use magic or other experimental means to potentially progress. Be ready for the party to do so and improvise. 4. Fungul Growth. Continuing West after scaling the ledge, you notice to your left a dead end. But what you find interesting is the blue glowing light emanating from the direction. If the party choose to investigate they come to the dead end to notice many large blue glowing mushrooms, six on ivestigation. These are actually Shriekers, Human sized mushrooms that emit a piercing screech to drive off creatures that disturb it. If they do not recognize this before approaching, the Shriekers get a round of surprise attacks on the PC's. They can harvest them on death for alchemical components. 5. Mushroom Covered "Boulder". After dealing with the tunnel now behind you, you find yourself come into a more open cave yet again. Another dead end you notice, but it looks as if the Drow have been digging in this direction also. Perhaps they have stopped due to finding an exit. You notice a large boulder with more of the blue mushrooms growing rampant. This is not a simple boulder as the party are led to believe, and if they are to attack the blue mushrooms on top, it reveals itself to be a Stone Giant. This creature is at an agreement with the Drow and also looking for a way to escape what lies below. It will awaken agitated and attack the party. (This is a difficult encounter and they may want to run! If they do not, imply it as they start to struggle, or teach them my way and kill one of them off! Depending on how cruel you are!) If they manage to defeat the Stone Giant they will notice on a DC12 Perception amongst the mining equipment a burlap sack containing three potions of healing. 6. Outcropping. As you progress North after dealing with the Drow camp, you notice a small outcropping on your left. The ground in here a little more clear than the rest of the untamed cavern. You notice this would be a fine place to camp if needed, easily defensible and out of the way. As stated in the narration, advise this as a camp location for the PC's and if they choose to rest here, be less punishing with random encounters. 7. "Drow"ning in Tears. You turn the corner to see another camp, a little larger than the previous, reason to incite caution. As you get closer your nerves lessen as you notice Drow families. Women and children, all looking terrified, some of the children and mothers alike in tears. It is entirely up to the party of how they deal with this section and prepare to heavily improvise. For example they may ask them for information as they come in peace, or threaten them for provisions. They could go as far to attack them! If so use the Commoner stat page for the mothers. The party can sneak passed on a DC10 Stealth check. If they are spotted the Drow mothers will stur commotion and panic, this will attract five Drow from the North. 8. Worming Through the Depths. After passing the Drow camp you come to a wide cavern with suspicious holes bored from the walls. Proceeding deeper pushing forth, the chamber begins to shake as if an earthquake is in progress! An abrupt eruption of dirt comes from the eastern cave wall and a giant Purple Worm bursts throught the wall! On a DC14 Perception the party notice its missing pieces of its carapace, as if it has recently been in battle with a dragon which burnt away its strong outer crust. This Worm is very weak after a battle with what is to come. Reduce its HP by 1/2 and its AC down to 14 from 18. Also the Purple Worm gets disadvantage on all attacks as they are made in a panic and modify the damage of said attacks as to not result in a TPK. The creature will run after a couple of rounds, boring back into the ground.