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# Paths of Peril - Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk - Dungeons & Dragons - Sources - D&D Beyond

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CH. 4: WAVE ECHO CAVE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CH. 6: THE SHATTERED OBELISK
Chapter 5: Paths of Peril

When the characters return to Phandalin after their adventures in Wave Echo Cave, they find the town in upheaval. Thievery, vandalism, and violence plague Phandalin—all perpetrated by a band of goblins, some displaying strange psionic powers. These goblins have been pursuing their goal in the background of previous chapters (see “The Goblins’ Story” below), and their efforts have now become the adventure’s main story.

Distressed and unsure how to help the victims, let alone find and stop the criminals, townmaster Harbin Wester asks the characters to investigate these crime scenes, find the culprits, and put a stop to the incidents. This task eventually leads the characters to the goblins’ base far underground in an old duergar mining post called Zorzula’s Rest, where a goblin leader who calls himself Ruxithid the Chosen receives orders from powerful overlords.

JOHN GRELLO
WHEN THE HEROES RETURN TO PHANDALIN, A DIFFERENT
GROUP OF GOBLINS IS TERRORIZING THE TOWNSPEOPLE
Running This Chapter

This chapter can be divided into two parts: the investigations around Phandalin and the hunt for Ruxithid.

The goblins left four distinct crime scenes that the characters can investigate in any order. Each crime scene has at least one witness and one potential combat encounter. From these crime scenes, the characters should gather enough clues to point them toward Ruxithid, the goblins’ leader, without whom the goblins’ crimes would cease.

Pursuing Ruxithid takes the characters into Zorzula’s Rest. This section is a traditional dungeon crawl, filled with strange secrets to uncover and dangerous enemies to fight.

Character Advancement

The characters should be 5th level when this chapter begins. In this chapter, characters can advance to 7th level and no further. Advancement is handled as follows:

The characters gain a level when they discover the location of Zorzula’s Rest and determine that they must confront Ruxithid the Chosen and the Sawplee goblins there.
The characters gain a level when they defeat Ruxithid and learn of a larger, more sinister plan.
The Goblins’ Story

The goblins at the heart of this chapter’s adventure are part of an enclave whose ancestors have inhabited an abandoned duergar mining outpost called Zorzula’s Rest for generations. Centuries ago, the outpost was conquered by mind flayers, and the goblins there were exposed to the illithids’ strange powers, leading a subset of the goblins to develop unusual psionic powers. The mind flayers eventually left, but the goblins remained, sequestered from the rest of the world until recently when the mind flayer fanatics called on them. Some of these goblins’ descendants possess psionic powers, as evidenced by the goblin psi commanders and goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A for descriptions of both) that make up their ranks. Collectively, the goblins call themselves the Sawplees: a simplification of the word for “goblin” in the illithids’ dialect of Deep Speech.

In recent weeks, the Sawplee goblins’ leader found a mysterious gemstone. Unknown to Ruxithid the Chosen, a new group of mind flayer fanatics that draw power from the Far Realm planted it for him to find. The gemstone lets Ruxithid telepathically communicate with the mind flayers, who he believes are gods. The mind flayers demand that Ruxithid’s goblins find peculiar, black stone shards that came from an ancient obelisk once erected in the wilds outside of Phandalin. The obelisk originated in the ancient Netherese empire and is said to have transformative capabilities, although the goblins know very little about its properties or history. The goblins know only that their “gods” traced some of the obelisk’s shards to Phandalin, covet the shards for some greater purpose, and demand the Sawplees’ help.

While communing with their Far Realm patron, the mind flayers learned that four obelisk shards have been hidden around Phandalin for ages. (More about the mind flayers’ story can be found in subsequent chapters.) It is the hunt for the shards that serves as the impetus for the goblins’ crime spree. However, many of the goblins are taking the opportunity to wreak havoc across town simply for the fun of it.

Townmaster’s Plight
DOMENICO CAVA
TERRIFIED AND ANGRY, THE TOWNSPEOPLE DEMAND THAT TOWNMASTER
HARBIN WESTER TAKE ACTION TO STOP THE RECENT CRIMES

When the characters return to Phandalin following the confrontation in Wave Echo Cave, read the following aloud:

The rumbling of an agitated crowd greets your journey back into town. It takes only a moment to locate the source of this cacophony: the home of townmaster Harbin Wester. A gaggle of townsfolk has gathered, some shouting for Harbin to come outside and others decrying his leadership. A few individuals in the crowd display minor injuries, and all seem anxious and frustrated.

The crowd’s displeasure stems from the crimes happening around town. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher can pick out the following snippets of conversation from the crowd:

A halfling woman complains, “I thought the Redbrands were bad, but at least they never smashed the bar. Who does that?”
A human miner shouts, “The Exchange is falling over, and some of my friends are missin’!”
An annoyed elf man in a baker’s apron says, “If I see one more of those gremlins come near my shop, I’m hitting them with a rolling pin. I can’t take it!”
A frazzled human woman soothes the toddler in her arms. “It’ll be all right,” she says. “We just can’t play outside after sundown, okay?”
A human man holds up a sketch of an orc woman and yells, “My wife’s been missing for days! Do something, you coward! Stop this!”

When the characters near Harbin’s house, the harried townmaster yanks open the door and hurriedly pulls the characters inside. Harbin is frazzled, with flushed cheeks and dark bags heavy beneath his eyes.

Harbin tells the characters the following:

“I understand that they’re angry, but do they expect me to take care of everything? I can’t take on a gaggle of no-good ruffians by myself. I can’t stop anyone who’s determined from breaking buildings and stealing things. Absurd!”

Harbin explains that while the characters have been away, a series of crimes has plagued the town. From eyewitness accounts, the culprits are likely goblins. The crimes have caused unrest among the townsfolk, who demand that Harbin take action to protect Phandalin. Harbin, however, is neither an investigator nor a constable, and he is overwhelmed by the populace’s vitriol.

Harbin asks the characters to investigate the four crime scenes, help the victims as much as possible, and find a way to stop the culprits for good. He claims that he’s already tried himself but that he couldn’t keep up with the multitude of incidents. However, a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Harbin wants the characters to investigate because he’s too frightened to do it himself.

For the job, Harbin offers the characters 50 gp each up front and promises to pay them another 150 gp each upon completing their investigation. If a character uses Harbin’s fear as leverage and succeeds on a DC 11 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, Harbin doubles the monetary reward: 100 gp each up front, and 300 gp each upon the investigation’s completion.

Crimes and Chaos

Harbin describes the crime scenes once the characters accept his quest. The following places can be found on map 2.1 in chapter 2:

Barthen’s Well, behind Barthen’s Provisions, where the goblins smashed the well winch before fleeing underground.

The Miner’s Exchange, where the goblins stole one of the building’s cornerstones, causing the building to tilt.

The Shrine of Luck, which the goblins destroyed and desecrated, trapping people inside.

The Sleeping Giant, where goblins ransacked the bar.

The crime scenes are further detailed in the “Stolen Shards” section. The characters can investigate each of these scenes in any order.

Mischief in Progress

While the characters are investigating around Phandalin, they may encounter a group of Sawplee goblins committing mischief. Whenever the characters finish investigating one of the crime scenes listed above, roll a d20 and consult the Goblin Mischief table to see what occurs.

Goblin Mischief
d20	Mischief
1	A goblin psi commander (see appendix A) is lighting small fires around the Alderleaf Farm, and these fires threaten to set the crops ablaze.
2	Four goblins surround an older human woman and attempt to steal her purse. The woman (use the commoner stat block) aggressively fights the goblins.
3	Three goblins stole a goat and are attempting to run away with it. The goat, however, refuses to move.
4	A pair of goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A) are hiding in the trees of the Edermath Orchard. The goblins are using their telepathy to masquerade as ghosts and scare off others so they can steal apples uninterrupted.
5	Five goblins fling refuse at passers-by from the alley behind Stonehill Inn.
6	Three goblins splash paint across the side of Harbin Wester’s home
7	Shingles from the roof of the Sleeping Giant are flying toward a group of five confused miners (all commoners). Unbeknownst to them, a cackling goblin psi commander (see appendix A) on the tavern roof is the source of the mischief.
8	One goblin psi brawler and two goblins are camped at the entrance to Triboar Trail, waiting to ambush unsuspecting travelers.
9	Two goblins released two draft horses that are now running rampant across town.
10	Two goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A) have poorly disguised themselves as children and are pestering a baker for sweets near the Stonehill Inn.
11–20	No mischief occurs.
What the Goblins Know

If any of the goblins—whether from the four crime scene investigations or from the random mischief occurring around town—are captured, bribed, or charmed by the characters, the goblins may impart some helpful information to the party. A successful DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check prompts a goblin to disclose one of the following pieces of information:

Duergar Outpost. The goblins are stationed in an old duergar mining outpost somewhere near here, but underground.

Goblin Leader. They are working for a goblin named Ruxithid the Chosen. Ruxithid has a “big brain,” bestowed upon him by what the goblins believe to be mighty gods.

Running Amok. Some of the goblins have been sowing chaos in town because it’s their first time away from their underground home and they’re enjoying their freedom.

Stealing Shards. The goblins have been tasked with stealing shards of an ancient obelisk. They believe this obelisk has the power to destroy Phandalin.

Scholarly Aid

During their investigation, the characters meet Gwyn Oresong, a dwarf scholar visiting Phandalin who can help piece together the goblins’ grand plan.

After the characters investigate at least one crime scene, read or paraphrase the following:

A cheery voice calls out to you, and you see a dwarven woman clad in blue robes waving to your group. Her forearms are marked with numerous tattoos of sigils drawn in white ink. Slung across her back is a leather satchel brimming with books, scrolls, and other implements.

Gwyn is new to town and is slightly lost. She requests the party’s help in directing her to the Stonehill Inn.

COUPLEOFKOOKS
GWYN ORESONG
Gwyn Oresong

Gwyn is a neutral good, dwarf acolyte who hails from the city of Neverwinter. She’s visiting Phandalin for a few months to spend time with her sister Elsa, who works as a bartender at the Stonehill Inn, and to do field research in the surrounding area.

Gwyn has heard about the various crimes from her sister and recognizes the characters as the group tasked with putting an end to the crimes. Though she admits she can’t help fight vandals, Gwyn offers to assist the party. She asks the characters to bring any clues to her so she can help them investigate the crimes.

Gwyn knows a wealth of information about the history of the wilds around Phandalin, and she specializes in knowledge about empires of the past. Dwarven history is the focus of her scholarship, but she’s also fascinated with goblin history and culture. This knowledge will help the characters later. Gwyn freely shares her knowledge with the characters when they need it (though she has a propensity to ramble), and she is a great ally to help them determine why the goblins are attacking the town.

Uncovering the Clues

As the characters’ investigation proceeds, they find clues about the goblins’ goals, base of operations, and leader. The possible clues are as follows:

Duergar Site. The goblins are coming from a place that’s duergar in origin. (This clue can be found either by examining the axe found at the Shrine of Luck or by successfully interrogating a captured goblin.)

Fragments of a Location. The characters have a fragment of the goblin outpost’s name, Zorzula’s Rest. (This clue can be found either by talking with Ander at Barthen’s Well or by examining the graffiti in the Sleeping Giant.)

Goblins’ Purpose. The goblins are specifically hunting shards of dark stone that display strange properties. (This clue can be found either by successfully interrogating a captured goblin, or by talking to Wheel-of-Fortune or Halia about the cornerstone of the Miner’s Exchange or the stones missing from the Sleeping Giant’s bar. Discussing Ander’s prior experiences with the well water can also lead to this clue.)

Leader’s Name. The goblins are operating under the command of a goblin named Ruxithid. (This clue can be found either by eavesdropping on the goblin camp near the Miner’s Exchange or by successfully interrogating a kidnapped goblin.)

The characters might piece together these clues themselves and figure out that they must confront Ruxithid in Zorzula’s Rest to stop the Sawplee goblins’ crimes. Or, if the characters find all four clues, Gwyn easily traces the goblins’ origins to the abandoned duergar mining outpost known as Zorzula’s Rest. Nervous about what the goblins intend to do with the stolen shards, Gwyn urges the characters to head to Zorzula’s Rest with haste and stop the goblins’ plans, whatever they are.

If the characters find fewer than four clues and ask for Gwyn’s help, Gwyn agrees, but her notes are in disarray. A character can make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to help Gwyn organize her research. On a successful check, Gwyn locates her notes on Zorzula’s Rest. Gwyn then suggests that the outpost might be a good place to search next. On a failed check, Gwyn can’t find the relevant research. The characters must uncover more clues to find Zorzula’s Rest. If they are stuck and return to Gwyn for help, she can then tell them the location.

When the characters are ready, they can follow Gwyn’s directions and set out for Zorzula’s Rest. The layout of outpost is detailed later in this chapter (see the “Zorzula’s Rest” section).

Stolen Shards

The goblins have committed the following crimes to retrieve the obelisk shards. All these events happened in the last few days. You can tailor the specific timeline to your campaign’s needs, but each of these crimes should have happened recently while the characters were away from town.

Barthen’s Well

The well the goblins vandalized is located behind Barthen’s Provisions. Years ago, the well was built using material scavenged from the nearby area—including an obelisk shard, which was used as the drum for the well’s winch.

Recently, goblins came during the night to retrieve the obelisk shard, destroying the well in the process. But their raid was interrupted by Ander, one of Barthen’s clerks. The goblins fled with the shard, jumping into the well and caving in a tunnel so they couldn’t be followed to Zorzula’s Rest. This escape, however, not only dammed the underground river that provided the well with its water but also awoke a grumpy otyugh that was feasting on refuse beneath the town.

Crime Scene

When the characters investigate this crime scene, read the following:

The modest red-brick well behind Barthen’s Provisions is dilapidated and crumbling. The well’s walls are toppled over. Chunks of brick and stone litter the nearby grass, and the well’s roof is splintered and caved in. The well’s winch and pulley have been smashed to pieces.

A character who inspects the well can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a successful check, the character realizes that while most of the mechanism could be reassembled from the remaining pieces, the winch’s drum is missing.

Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher also hear a low, gurgling growl coming from the well. A character who succeeds on a DC 17 Intelligence (Nature) check concludes that this growl is most likely coming from an irritated creature.

Talking to Ander

Ander is a wide-eyed, fast-talking, teenage halfling commoner who works as one of Barthen’s clerks. He was taking stock of the store when the goblins destroyed the well. Ander is waiting at Barthen’s Provisions to talk with the characters when they arrive. He reveals the following information:

HEX SHARPE
GOBLINS DESTROYED BARTHEN’S WELL
WHEN THEY STOLE AN OBELISK SHARD
FROM THE WINCH

Base of Operations. When Ander chased them off, he heard one of the vandals shout, “Hurry! Back to the Rest!” The vandals then jumped into the well to flee underground.

Description. Ander describes the vandals as “strange folk, bit bigger than me, with long flat ears, big heads, and hands that glowed with strange magic.”

Dry Well. Since the attack, the well has been dry. Ander suspects the vandals dammed the well’s water source during their escape.

Strange Behavior. The vandals arrived at sundown. Strangely, they didn’t go after any of the store’s stock; instead, they immediately began destroying the well.

The Clue. The goblins’ comment about retreating to “the Rest” is a clue that could help the characters or Gwyn Oresong determine the name of the goblins’ outpost.

Helping Ander. Ander mentions that Barthen hopes the party will restore the well’s water source, but Ander seems unenthused by the idea. If a character succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Ander reveals that every time he’s drawn water from the well, he’s also had vivid nightmares. Ander believes the well is cursed with bad luck and is happy it’s out of service.

Unbeknownst to Ander, the water’s ill effects were caused by the shard in the winch. These effects no longer plague the well now that the shard is gone.

Encounter: Well Cavern

Should the characters wish to pursue the goblins or investigate the source of the well’s blockage, a character can use rope to climb down into the well with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. If the characters don’t have rope, Ander lends them some from the store’s stock. On a successful check, a character climbs the 20 feet into the cavern below the well (map 5.1). On a failed check, a character falls, takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage, and has the prone condition.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.1: WELL CAVERN
VIEW PLAYER VERSION

When a character enters the cavern below the well, read or paraphrase the following:

The smell of damp earth, tinged with acrid rot, fills your nose. What looks like the remains of an underground river snakes through this cavern, though a pile of dark rocks blocks its headstream. In the far corner is the source of that scent: a pile of carrion and sewage being dragged by a fleshy, three-legged creature.

An otyugh lurks in the cavern, feasting on a pile of trash it has gathered from the town above. A falling character immediately attracts the otyugh’s attention; otherwise, a character must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid the otyugh’s notice. The otyugh is hostile to any creature it sees.

Cave-In. It takes 1 hour for a character to dig out the tunnel. If more characters help, the time it takes to dig out the tunnel decreases by 10 minutes per character, to a minimum of 10 minutes total.

The cleared northern tunnel leads eastward to a mountainous outcropping near Zorzula’s Rest, though the mining outpost itself isn’t visible from the exit of the tunnel. At your discretion, the characters could enter Zorzula’s Rest from this point, though they should investigate additional crime scenes first.

Miner’s Exchange

During initial construction of the Miner’s Exchange, the miners of Phandalin embedded a sparkling shard of obsidian into the building’s ceremonial cornerstone. Unbeknownst to them, this shard is part of the obelisk the Sawplee goblins seek. A few days ago, goblins used crude mining supplies stolen from the Miner’s Exchange to hack the shard from the cornerstone, damaging the building’s integrity. Now, the Miner’s Exchange leans precariously, and members of the guild are desperate to repair it.

Crime Scene

When the characters investigate this crime scene, read the following:

You hear the snapping of wood beams and grinding of stone as you near the Miner’s Exchange, quickly followed by panicked shouts. The structure slants precariously as miners clamber around the building’s foundation. Standing to one side is Guild Master Halia, her expression tense as she barks orders.

Guild Master Halia Thornton leads the building repair efforts. If a character attempts to talk with Halia, the guild master says tersely that she’ll be happy to talk after she’s certain the building won’t collapse.

HEX SHARPE
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CORNERSTONE WEAKENED
THE FOUNDATION OF THE MINER’S EXCHANGE

Repairing the Building. Any of the characters can help repair the Miner’s Exchange. A character can help hold up the building’s bulk, pass materials to the skilled masons repairing the structure, or use the materials to repair the damage. Each character helping must make a single DC 12 Strength check or DC 12 Dexterity check, whichever is appropriate. A character who attempts either check who also has proficiency in a relevant set of artisan’s tools (such as mason’s tools) has advantage on their check.

As long as the characters make at least two successful checks, they help finish the repairs. If they don’t, Halia grows frustrated. She chides the characters for getting in the way. Halia tells them not to bother her again until the miners are finished repairing the building.

Alternatively, the characters can choose to help with the repair efforts in unconventional ways, using whatever magic or tools are at their disposal. Feel free to adjudicate these unconventional repair efforts as you see fit.

Talking to Halia

Once the Miner’s Exchange has been repaired, Halia tells the characters what occurred. She gives them the following pieces of information:

Lone Witness. One evening, a group of goblins attacked the Miner’s Exchange. Halia was the only one at the trading post at the time, as the rest of the guild members were drinking at the Sleeping Giant.

Stolen Stone. Halia fought off the goblins to the best of her ability, but she couldn’t stop them from taking a piece of the building’s cornerstone.

Swapping Blows. Halia was injured in the scuffle, so she couldn’t pursue the goblins farther. She knows she hurt a few of the goblins badly, so they couldn’t have gotten far.

Strange Magic. During the fight, Halia swears one of the goblins pushed her with some kind of magical, invisible force.

Following the Goblins. Halia has no idea why the goblins were interested in the building’s cornerstone; she knows only that a strange “lucky stone” embedded into it is now missing.

If asked where the goblins fled, Halia points the characters toward the woods south of Phandalin.

Encounter: Goblin Camp

The goblins that attacked the Miner’s Exchange are camping in a clearing about an hour’s walk from Phandalin. The uninjured goblins returned to Zorzula’s Rest with the shard in tow, while the others stayed at the camp to patch themselves up.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.2: GOBLIN CAMP

The makeshift camp, shown on map 5.2, consists of a few tents and a small fire. The camp is situated in the center of a small clearing. As the characters approach the camp, they overhear one of the goblins complaining about their leader in Common:

“Hope the others made it back, else Ruxithid’s gonna have our heads!”

Currently, three goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A) remain at the camp. A character can avoid the goblins’ notice by succeeding on a DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth) check. Otherwise, the hostile goblins detect any creature that enters their camp. If one of the goblins is killed, the others try to surrender.

The Clue. Eavesdropping on the camped goblins reveals that the goblin leader’s name is Ruxithid. This is a clue that can help the characters or Gwyn Oresong discover the truth.

Interrogating the Goblins. If any of the goblins are captured or charmed, the characters can take the goblins to Phandalin for questioning. See the “What the Goblins Know” section under “Townmaster’s Plight” for the different pieces of information the characters can glean from the goblins. What happens to captured goblins is up to you and the players. If the characters ask, Harbin Wester reluctantly holds the goblins in the jail cells at the Townmaster’s Hall until the characters can uncover what’s going on.

Shrine of Luck

Built from material scavenged from the surrounding wilds, the Shrine of Luck consists of a strange assemblage of rocks and stones. Unbeknownst to the townspeople, one such stone in the shrine originated from the obelisk. This small, obsidian shard was a centerpiece in the shrine’s archway for years until a band of goblins came in the wee hours of the morning and plucked it from its perch. This caused the entire arch to collapse atop the shrine, damaging it.

Crime Scene

When the characters investigate this crime scene, read the following:

Once a striking cairn of colorful rocks and offerings to Tymora, this shrine now looks precarious. You see two figures attempting to move some of the shrine’s larger rocks: the elf Sister Garaele and a human girl no more than ten years old.

The young girl working alongside Sister Garaele is Tamara Stonehill, the daughter of innkeeper Toblen Stonehill. Early one morning, Tamara visited the Shrine of Luck to pray with her mother, Trilena. However, as they were walking up, part of the shrine collapsed, and three small creatures—the goblins—hurried away from the rubble carrying a stone. Tamara and Trilena have since been helping Sister Garaele rebuild the shrine; Tamara is sorting through smaller chunks of rubble to find still-usable pieces, while Trilena is retrieving food and water at the Stonehill Inn.

HEX SHARPE
GOBLINS DAMAGED THE SHRINE OF LUCK
WHEN THEY REMOVED THE OBELISK SHARD
FROM THE PINNACLE OF THE ARCH

Sister Garaele. Sister Garaele returned to Phandalin from a Harper mission a few hours after the shrine was vandalized. As such, she knows little about what occurred. If asked for information, she refers the characters to Trilena and Tamara.

Regardless, Garaele is visibly upset that the shrine has been desecrated. She gladly accepts any offers of help to rebuild and rededicate the shrine. A character can try to help by making a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival), Wisdom (Religion), or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failed check, the shrine crumbles more, and the character takes 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage from falling rocks.

After three successful checks, the shrine is repaired.

Investigating the Scene. Map 5.3 shows the shrine and the surrounding area. Characters searching the shrine for clues find a broken mining pick among the rubble; small, hastily made footprints leading down a nearby alley; and the glint of an axe embedded in the wall of one of the nearby buildings.

The Clue. A character who examines the axe and succeeds on a DC 17 Intelligence (History) check recognizes the runes etched into the axe as duergar in origin. Gwyn Oresong recognizes the runes’ origin immediately, and the axe is a clue that can help her lead the characters to Zorzula’s Rest.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.3: PHANDALIN ALLEYS
VIEW PLAYER VERSION
Talking to Tamara

Tamara, a precocious ten-year-old, is focused on rebuilding the shrine. A character can convince her to answer questions while she’s working by succeeding on a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Once the shrine has been repaired, Tamara answers the characters’ questions freely.

Tamara knows the following pieces of information:

Regular Worship. Trilena and Tamara visited the shrine at dawn to make their weekly offering to Tymora, only to see the shrine suddenly cave in.

Small Shadows. Both Trilena and Tamara saw three squat shadows hurry away from the shrine after it fell. Tamara swears she also heard a gaggle of shrill voices just before it fell, though she didn’t understand the language the voices were speaking.

Stolen Centerpiece. Based on how the stones fell, Tamara figures that someone must have taken the centerpiece of the shrine’s rock archway without replacing it. She remarks that the stone was a very pretty, shimmery black color.

Being worshipers of Tymora, both Trilena and Tamara can explain the shrine’s significance and traditions to the characters if they aren’t yet aware.

Sleeping Giant
AXEL DEFOIS
GOBLINS SMASHED THE BAR AT THE SLEEPING GIANT
AND STOLE AN OBELISK SHARD

With the Redbrands’ operation curtailed by the characters, the Sleeping Giant is no longer a meeting place for criminals. Most townsfolk are still wary of the place, though a few have started coming to the tavern for cheaper drinks.

Beyond its connection to the Redbrands, the Sleeping Giant is known for its collection of curios, amassed from travelers visiting Phandalin. One such curio was embedded in the bar itself: a near-spherical piece of glittering obsidian. Local myth says it is a piece of the petrified giant that gave the tavern its name. In reality, this is an obelisk shard.

During the night, a band of goblins broke into the Sleeping Giant, smashed the bar to extract the obelisk shard, and ransacked the kitchen. The bar’s owner, a dwarf named Grista, chased the goblins away, but not before the tavern sustained significant damage.

Crime Scene

When the characters investigate this crime scene, read the following:

The taproom of the Sleeping Giant is quiet, save for the occasional thunk of tankard against table. The bar itself is in shambles, the wooden stiles smashed to splinters and the top split in half. Nevertheless, a tall purple tiefling works behind the broken counter, diligently cleaning mugs and plates under the watchful eye of the surly dwarf owner, Grista.

Grista gruffly greets the characters. The dwarf makes it clear that she despises Harbin and his attempts to govern the town, but she wants the criminals who destroyed her bar brought to justice. She gives the characters free rein to poke around the tavern as necessary.

The only other individual in the Sleeping Giant is the bartender, a nervous tiefling named Wheel-of-Fortune, who is a new arrival in Phandalin.

Investigating the Bar. The bar is in splinters, and the tavern’s lockbox has been broken open and looted. Characters who investigate the bar spot crudely carved pieces of graffiti under the counter.

The Clue. The legible parts of the graffiti read, “Zorz ws here.” This is intended to say, “Zorzula was here,” and the goblins left the graffiti in reference to Zorzula’s Rest. The graffiti is a clue that can help the characters or Gwyn Oresong pinpoint the goblins’ lair.

Investigating the Kitchen. The Sleeping Giant’s kitchen area suffered less damage than the bar, but many of the barrels and crates of foodstuffs have been ransacked. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check while scanning the kitchen notices a trail of stray copper and silver pieces on the ground. These coins, stolen from the tavern’s lockbox, spilled from the goblins’ bag as Grista chased them away.

There is a total of 5 sp and 7 cp. Following the trail of coins leads to the tavern’s fireplace, through which the goblins fled. Checking out the roof triggers the “Encounter: Rooftop Stash” section.

Talking to Wheel-of-Fortune

Wheel-of-Fortune tries their best to help the characters and offers the characters free drinks. If a character accepts a drink from Wheel-of-Fortune, read or paraphrase the following:

In a smooth motion, Wheel-of-Fortune grabs a clean mug and fills it to the brim. Before handing it to you, the tiefling moves to tap the mug against the counter, only to stop mid-motion and blush sheepishly.

Wheel-of-Fortune explains that there used to be a large shard of black stone embedded in the counter, but it’s been missing ever since the raid occurred. The stone supposedly brought good luck, and every time they served a drink, Wheel-of-Fortune would tap the mug against the stone.

A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check intuits that Wheel-of-Fortune is hiding something. When pressed, Wheel-of-Fortune explains that every drink they poured ended up being slightly “off” in some way: the ale often caused a headache, and the mead shimmered with an oil-slick iridescence. Wheel-of-Fortune doesn’t know how this keeps happening and is embarrassed by their ineptitude, believing they’re cursed. (Unbeknownst to them, close proximity to the obelisk shard in the counter caused the ill effects.)

Wheel-of-Fortune wasn’t present when the goblins raided the tavern. If asked about the raiders, the tiefling directs the characters to speak with Grista.

Talking to Grista

Grista grudgingly shares the following information:

Awakened Rudely. Grista awoke to the sound of wood being shattered. When she finally climbed downstairs, she saw a group of five small creatures destroying the bar and ransacking the kitchen.

Churlish Children. Grista initially mistook the creatures for misbehaving children due to their stature, but then she noticed their long, flat ears and sharpened teeth. They also all carried weapons.

Damaged Bar. Much to Grista’s surprise, the creatures didn’t steal much food; instead, they focused on destroying the bar.

Fled When Chased. She chased the creatures from the bar with a broom. When she did, several of the creatures fled through the fireplace and climbed up the chimney.

Grista didn’t recognize the creatures as goblins. If asked about the black stone once embedded in the counter, Grista claims it has no special properties.

Encounter: Rooftop Stash

When the goblins fled, they accidentally dropped the bag of stolen coins on the roof. Now, three of the goblins have returned to retrieve the bag. Use map 5.4 for this encounter.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.4: ROOFTOP STASH
VIEW PLAYER VERSION

If a character follows the trail of coins to the roof, or when the characters decide to finish their investigation at the Sleeping Giant, read or paraphrase the following:

A shrill shriek echoes from the roof of the Sleeping Giant. You see three goblin figures standing atop the building, muscles tensed in surprise. Green energy crackles around the fists of two of the goblins. The third wields a blade of the same energy and hefts a large cloth sack over her shoulder.

The goblin holding the sword and the sack is a goblin psi commander, and the other two goblins are goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A for both stat blocks). All three goblins attack once spotted.

During the ensuing combat, the goblins do their best to stay on the roof of the two-story tavern, using the high ground to their advantage.

Once one of the goblins has been defeated, the remaining goblins flee, ditching the bag of coins.

Treasure. The bag contains most of the tavern’s weekly profit: 10 gp, 14 sp, and 17 cp. If the characters retrieve the bag from the goblins and return it to Grista, she is grateful. She offers the characters free meals for a week for their help, though the food isn’t the greatest.

Zorzula’s Rest

Zorzula’s Rest is an ancient duergar mining outpost located in one of the Sword Mountains east of Phandalin. The meaning of its name has been lost to time, though some history books mention a powerful duergar leader named Zorzula, who commanded mining operations throughout the Sword Mountains. However, duergar control of the outpost ceased centuries ago when Zorzula’s Rest was overtaken by mind flayers.

After conquering the outpost, the illithids reigned over the area for decades, even at one point housing an elder brain within the outpost’s underground sanctum. Eventually, the mind flayer colony also abandoned the outpost when their underground empire fell, but echoes of their presence still cling there.

Zorzula’s Rest is still the home of an enclave of secretive goblins who call themselves the Sawplees. These goblins have inhabited the outpost for generations, with some of their number displaying psionic abilities that trace to the aberrant influence of the mind flayers who also once lived there. Only recently have the goblins ventured beyond the outpost and ransacked nearby areas.

This effort is helmed by a goblin named Ruxithid the Chosen, who receives orders telepathically using a special crystal from his “mighty gods”—actually the group of mind flayers at the heart of this adventure. (See the “Indigo Sanctum” section for more.) Ruxithid incorrectly believes these specific mind flayers are the source of some of the goblins’ psionic abilities, and he believes that these “gods” will reward him handsomely for his obedience.

In addition to retrieving the Netherese obelisk shards, Ruxithid and his goblins are also tasked with acquiring offerings for their gods in the form of townspeople from Phandalin. Some of these kidnap victims are in deeper parts of the Underdark (see later chapters), though a few are held within the depths of the outpost.

Approaching the Outpost

Once the characters learn the location of Zorzula’s Rest from Gwyn Oresong, the journey to the outpost is easy. Zorzula’s Rest is a day’s travel from Phandalin. When the characters near the outpost, read or paraphrase the following:

Slowly, the mountainous terrain begins to change. Gray gravel darkens to ash-black, and shrubbery becomes dry and sparse. Instead of the brisk cold of most mountain peaks, the air starts to warm.

Ahead of you rises a tall cliff face, in which is set a pair of forbidding obsidian doors: the entrance to Zorzula’s Rest.

Zorzula’s Rest, depicted on map 5.5, is housed within the massive mountain. There are three potential points of entry into Zorzula’s Rest: the front doors (area Z1), the hot spring vent (area Z6), or the pantry tunnel (area Z9). A character can discover the spring vent and pantry tunnel by scouting the area and succeeding on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. The characters also might know about the pantry tunnel entry from their investigations in Phandalin.

Features of Zorzula’s Rest

Zorzula’s Rest has the following noteworthy features.

Sulfuric Lava

The outpost is built atop a sulfuric lava spring. The sulfur colors the lava bluish-purple and fills the air with toxic fumes. A creature that breathes in the area’s fumes must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain the poisoned condition for 1 hour. Creatures with resistance or immunity to poison damage automatically succeed on this saving throw. A creature who succeeds on this saving throw is immune to the effects of the area’s toxic fumes for 24 hours. All creatures that reside in Zorzula’s Rest are immune to the fumes.

Walls and Floors

The walls and floors of the outpost are made of gray igneous stone. The mining tunnels carve through packed earth and rocky sediment.

Ceilings

Unless otherwise stated, room ceilings are 15 feet high and vaulted, and tunnel ceilings are 10 feet high and flat.

Lighting

Geometric grooves are carved into the outpost’s ceiling and walls. The grooves allow lava to flow through and illuminate the outpost’s interior with dim blue light. The mining tunnels are dark unless otherwise noted.

TUNNELS GALORE!

Map 5.5 and the corresponding location descriptions detail the main areas of the mining tunnels. However, several smaller, splinter tunnels branch off these areas. These tunnels were once used in the ancient duergar’s mining operations, but now lay abandoned.

The contents of these splinter tunnels is unimportant to the bulk of the adventure. If the characters want to explore these areas, feel free to fill these additional tunnels with whatever treasure or monsters you see fit.

Zorzula’s Rest Locations

The following locations are keyed to map 5.5.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.5: ZORZULA’S REST
VIEW PLAYER VERSION
Z1: Entrance

The towering stone double door before you is free of ornamentation. Two arrow slits, one on each side of the door and each about 10 feet above the ground, guard the entrance.

The entry door is unlocked but closed and is too heavy to push open except with 1 minute of effort, though a knock spell or similar magic opens it with ease. Pulling a lever in area Z2 causes the doors to swing inward, stone grinding against stone.

Arrow Slits. Two goblin psi commanders (see appendix A) are positioned at the entrance’s arrow slits. The arrow slits are 10 feet above the ground and can be reached from inside Zorzula’s Rest via the spiral staircases in area Z2. The parapet shown on map 5.5 in area Z2 connects the two arrow slits, which grant all of the creatures on the ledge three-quarters cover against attacks made from outside the outpost.

The goblins are cautious of outsiders but gullible, and they resent Ruxithid for putting them on guard duty. A character can convince the goblins to open the door with either a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check or a bribe worth at least 25 gp. If the characters threaten violence, the goblins attack. Three rounds later, reinforcements from area Z3 arrive.

Z2: Vestibule

Dim blue light bathes the outpost’s humid interior as spiral staircases rise along this area’s northern walls. Distantly, you hear the faint sound of chatter and utensils clattering on dishes.

On either side of the door stands a thin spiral staircase, which ascends to one of the arrow slits guarding the entrance, as described in area Z1. The parapet that runs underneath the arrow slits includes a lever that opens the double door. The lever is directly above the doors.

Z3: Mess Hall

Blue-tinted lava flows through geometric carvings that run along the walls’ top edges, bathing the room in eerie light. Three rectangular stone tables stretch the length of the room along with several sets of stone benches. A handful of goblins sit at these tables, shoveling gritty white porridge into their mouths.

On one side of the room, a window provides a view of the outpost kitchen.

At any time, 2d4 goblins eat in the mess hall, along with 1d6 goblin psi brawlers and 1d4 goblin psi commanders (see appendix A for both stat blocks).

If they notice an intruder in the mess hall, the goblins panic and attack. The goblins attempt to overwhelm any intruder with sheer numbers, aiming to subdue instead of kill. If all characters are reduced to 0 hit points, they wake up as prisoners inside the Indigo Sanctum’s left wing (see the “Sanctum Showdown” section) alongside Phandalin’s kidnap victims. Characters who enter the mess hall disguised as goblins can make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check, passing through unnoticed on a successful check.

A character can attempt to keep the goblins from attacking by making a DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. On a successful check, the goblins cease fighting but remain wary of the party. The goblins then attempt to broker a deal with the characters, allowing the party to traverse the outpost if they take care of the monsters haunting the outpost’s forge (area Z7).

Z4: Bunks

The door to the bunks is unlocked and ajar.

Snoring fills this room. Numerous messy bunk beds line the walls, their sheets crumpled. A dark opening in the west wall reveals an empty shaft framed with a metal truss.

At any given time, 1d6 goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A) sleep in the bunks. Characters who enter the room must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid waking the goblins.

If awoken, the goblins in the bunks flee and call for help. However, a character who succeeds on a DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check can convince the goblins to be quiet and not mention the party’s presence to others—on the condition that the characters help the goblins by defeating the monsters in the forge (area Z7).

If asked about Ruxithid, the goblins state that he’s probably in the blue room communing with the mighty gods that gave him and the other psionic goblins their powers. This refers to the Indigo Sanctum, which is across the bridge (area Z19). The goblins aren’t aware of any more details regarding Ruxithid’s grand plan.

Mine Shaft. The gap in the west wall opens into a shaft that descends 30 feet. This shaft once held a magical lift that the duergar miners used as transport into the mining tunnels, but the lift has since fallen into disrepair.

A character who inspects the lift and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers the lift’s broken mechanisms as well as its former power source: a dull and cracked shard of iridescent crystal that occasionally sparks with magical energy. Any character proficient in the Arcana skill can tell that the crystal can be recharged by touching it and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The mechanisms in turn can be repaired with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check; if the character has proficiency with tinker’s tools, this check is made with advantage.

Once repaired, the lift continuously moves between the bunks and the mining tunnels, with a 1-minute stop at each location.

Z5: Latrines

The reek of waste wafts from these latrines. The walls here are lined with long wooden benches with equidistant holes, which empty into a large trench. In the center of the room is a long trough filled with murky water.

The waste from the latrines has stagnated here.

Secret Door. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher notice a slight depression in the latrine’s northwest corner. Pushing on this depression reveals the entrance into the outpost’s hidden hot spring (area Z6).

Z6: Hot Spring

A large, natural pool brimming with turquoise water burbles at the center of this chamber. Steam coils off the water’s surface, rising to a vent in the cave ceiling. The water itself sparkles with an inviting, tranquil glow.

The hot spring has magical restorative properties that were used by the ancient duergar who inhabited the outpost. The entrance was sealed away by the mind flayers (who despised the hot spring), but the goblins have since unearthed it, though the entrance is still hidden in area Z5.

The hot spring is 15 feet deep. For every 10 minutes a creature spends submerged in the hot spring, that creature regains 3 (1d6) hit points.

Vent. Located 40 feet above the hot spring’s surface is a vent in the mountainside, which allows the steam to escape. Characters can use this vent as an alternate exit from or entrance to Zorzula’s Rest. A successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check is needed to climb toward and into the vent.

Z7: Overlook Forge
DOMENICO CAVA
IN OVERLOOK FORGE, UNDEAD ARTISANS MIMIC THE TASKS THEY
UNDERTOOK IN LIFE. THEY ARE HOSTILE TO ANY WHO DISTURB THEM

The Sawplee goblins have barricaded the entrance to the forge because they’re afraid of the monsters lurking there. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher hear a low moaning sound and shuffling footsteps right outside the door.

A character must succeed on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to remove the barricade.The three figures are feral ashenwights (see appendix A), undead spirits who perished in the mind flayers’ takeover. The ashenwights are hostile and attack immediately.

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlook a churning lava sea. Three large, blackened anvils stand in a row, and unfinished pieces of weaponry and armor litter the room. Above, a stationary conveyor of buckets casts ominous shadows across the forge floor.

Standing at each of the anvils is what appears to be an ashen husk of a gray-skinned dwarf. All three pantomime metalwork in eerie synchronization. As they turn toward you, they brandish sharp chunks of black rock. With gasping, angry cries, the figures surge forward.

Bucket Conveyor. The buckets hanging from the forge’s ceiling are part of a conveyor system built to transfer ore to the forge from the mining tunnels below. The conveyor system is currently broken.

A character who inspects the area and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers the conveyor system’s broken mechanisms as well as its dull power crystal. This crystal is the same kind as the one in area Z4, and it and the broken mechanisms can be repaired in the same ways. Any character proficient in the Arcana skill can tell that a crystal can be recharged by touching it and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher.

Once recharged, the buckets continuously move between the forge and the mining tunnels’ storage chamber (area Z18). A character attempting to climb up and ride the moving buckets must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall 20 feet to forge’s floor, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. The forge has a tall stepladder used to access the buckets’ contents.

Treasure. Numerous weapons and armor pieces are scattered about the forge. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds one of the following items. If the check succeeds by 3 or more, the character finds two items, instead of one. You can choose which item a character finds:

A longsword decorated with shimmering filigree, worth 200 gp
A bronze breastplate studded with quartz, worth 500 gp
A gold-tipped javelin of lightning
A set of delicate silver bracers of archery
Z8: Kitchen

Strips of unidentifiable dried meat and herbs dangle from the ceiling of this kitchen. A squat iron stove stands to the side, its insides glowing with still-smoldering coals. Burlap sacks filled with grain and vegetables are scattered about the floor.

A faint snuffling echoes from around the corner, and you see a hulking badger burrowing its face hungrily into a sack of food. The badger looks at you, snorts with happy friendliness, and returns to its meal.

A window in the west hall allows the mess hall to be viewed from the kitchen, and vice versa. The giant badger snuffling through the kitchen is the goblin enclave’s unofficial pet. A dirty rope holds a crude name tag around the giant badger’s neck; the name tag says “Bessie” in Goblin.

Bessie burrowed into the outpost through the pantry one day and has been the enclave’s “best girl” ever since. She’s friendly to all and loves belly rubs.

Z9: Pantry

The stone of the outpost gives way to a floor of cool, packed earth. Barrels and crates crowd the space, and the smell of mildew is thick in the air. A small tunnel has been dug through the back of the pantry.

Most of the food in here is stale and half-eaten.

Treasure. A character who searches the pantry and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds two potions of greater healing and one potion of psionic fortitude (see appendix A) sitting behind dusty bottles of sour wine.

Tunnel. In the back of the pantry is the tunnel Bessie the badger dug. This tunnel leads outside the outpost and can be used as an alternate entrance.

A Medium creature can crawl through the tunnel without squeezing.

Z10: Captain’s Suite

Once reserved for the captain of the mining expedition, this private bedroom now serves as Ruxithid’s personal quarters. The door to the suite is locked, but a character can use thieves’ tools to try to pick the lock, doing so with a successful a DC 15 Dexterity check. Alternatively, a character can force open the door with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Ruxithid, found in the Indigo Sanctum later in this chapter, has a key. The goblin leader doesn’t allow any others access to this room.

These personal quarters contain a large, plush, four-poster bed covered in silk sheets. Stone shelves bearing books and ornamental ceramic jars line the walls alongside dust-covered banners embroidered with Dwarven runes. In one corner stands an elegant mahogany desk, on top of which is a map and several crumpled notes.

The map on the desk is a copy of the map found in Ruxithid’s war room (see the “Sanctum Showdown” section), but it’s missing the location labels. While inspecting the room, characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher also notice a faint murmuring coming from one of the ceramic jars—a smooth, onyx-black jar with geometric engravings inlaid with blue gemstones—displayed in the bookcase.

Murmuring Jar. The murmuring jar is actually a canopic jar that holds the soul of a neutral duergar named Hjoldak Hollowhelm, the last mining captain of Zorzula’s Rest. Hjoldak’s soul was imprisoned in the jar by the mind flayers when they overtook the outpost; he has remained trapped in the jar ever since.

Hjoldak can see normally while trapped in the jar and can still speak, though his voice comes out no louder than a whisper. Upon seeing the characters enter the room, he attempts to grab their attention (he has been attempting to get Ruxithid’s attention for years now, to no avail). If the characters stop to listen to him, he desperately explains his plight and asks the characters to free him. He also claims to know the goblins’ plan and offers to aid the characters. However, a character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check intuits that while his offer of help is earnest, Hjoldak knows less than he claims.

The jar is sealed with an intricate puzzle lock, requiring the body and lid of the jar to be moved at the exact right place and angle to open. A character can open the lock by succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Characters can also attempt to break the jar open by making a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, smashing the jar on a success. Once freed, Hjoldak’s soul manifests as a peaceful psionic ashenwight (see appendix A).

BRIAN VALEZA
HJOLDAK

Hjoldak’s Help. Hjoldak knows the outpost’s layout, including the hidden rooms. If freed, he happily serves as a guide for the characters. Hjoldak also knows how to fix the elevator, bucket conveyor, and mine carts in the complex.

If asked about Ruxithid and the goblins, Hjoldak admits that he doesn’t know much about their plans. He explains that Ruxithid’s stays in this room have become increasing infrequent. Whenever Ruxithid comes, the goblin always seems distracted, poring over scraps of paper and then leaving in a manic rush. Hjoldak surmises that the goblin leader must be planning or working somewhere deeper within the outpost.

Treasure. The room has two hidden stashes of treasure: a smaller compartment in the bed frame, and a larger vault. Hjoldak knows the location of both stashes as well as how to open them.

The bed frame’s compartment was used to store weapons and other means of defense in case of an emergency. A character must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find the outline of the bed frame’s compartment. Pushing the compartment’s panel opens it; inside is a dagger of venom and an emerald elemental gem.

Secret Door. Any character who examines the north wall and succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a small section of wall engraved with four Dwarvish runes. The runes are (from left to right) “storm,” “death,” “light,” and “wind.” These runes are the key to opening the room’s hidden vault (area Z11).

The runes must be tapped in the correct order to open the vault. The correct order is the same as the runes’ order on the wall, from left to right: storm, death, light, and wind. If a creature taps the runes in the wrong order, the vault’s trap triggers, and the creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes damage that varies depending on the last rune the creature tapped:

Death. 13 (3d8) necrotic damage

Light. 13 (3d8) radiant damage

Storm. 13 (3d8) lightning damage

Wind. 13 (3d8) force damage

Once the correct sequence has been tapped, the secret door in the wall opens, revealing area Z11.

Z11: Vault

The stale air in this vault indicates it hasn’t been opened in many years. Inside is a dust-covered assortment of coins, gemstones, and cloth.

Treasure. The vault contains a multitude of ancient duergar coins—56 pp, 350 gp, 189 sp, and 304 cp—as well as four pieces of jade worth 100 gp each and one large peridot stone worth 500 gp. Additionally, folded neatly against the wall are three richly woven but dusty duergar tapestries worth 75 gp each and a velvet brocade worth 145 gp.

Z12: Mining Tunnels Entrance

This small chamber of dirt and stone holds the entrances to three tunnels, leading northeast, east, and southeast, respectively. A shaft leads to the upper level.

The mine shaft is 30 feet long and ascends to the outpost’s bunks (area Z4). If the characters fixed the elevator in the bunks, they can use it to reach the outpost level.

Z13: Mine Cart Maintenance Chamber

A rickety set of tracks runs the length of this chamber. Half a dozen rusty mine carts sit unused on these tracks, wheels bent and cobwebs blanketing the trolleys. The ground is littered with ancient refuse, and open crates filled with dust-covered tools line the cavern walls. Propped against these crates are three skeletons, their skulls shattered and caved in.

The bones are the remains of three duergar, ghastly remnants of the illithids’ invasion long ago. A character who studies the bodies and succeeds on a DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check realizes that the crushed skulls are indicative of mind flayers’ brain extractions.

Mine Carts. The mine carts are in disrepair and roll squeakily along the track. Each mine cart is meant to be self-propelled. A character who examines the mine carts and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers the carts’ main propulsion mechanism: dull pieces of the same iridescent crystal material used to power the elevator in area Z4 and the bucket conveyor in area Z7. Any character proficient in the Arcana skill can tell that a crystal can be recharged by touching it and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher.

Once the carts have been recharged, a character can pull a track switch and transfer the fixed mine carts onto the main track. The main track runs in a circle, passing through the storage chamber (area Z18), the strip mine (area Z15), and the crystal cavern (area Z14).

Treasure. The goblins have already looted the coin pouches of the skeletons. However, a character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check can recover a cobweb-covered pair of bracers of celerity (see appendix B) from one of the duergar.

Z14: Crystal Cavern

The tunnel opens to a twenty-foot-high, cylindrical chamber. The cavern looks like the inside of a geode, the walls encrusted with crystals that spark and glow. A mine cart track spirals around the cavern before plunging deeper into the mountain.

Three gricks hide among the rocks and crystals, waiting to ambush potential prey.

The first time the characters enter this cavern, every character must make a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a failed check, a character is surprised by the gricks as the creatures attack.

CRYSTAL SULLY
THE GRICKS IN THE CRYSTAL CAVERN LOOK
EERILY LIKE THEIR SURROUNDINGS

Crystals. The iridescent crystal spires that cover the cavern spark with magical energy. The crystals can be harvested to power various machinery in the outpost, such as the lift in area Z4, the bucket conveyor in area Z7, and the mine carts in area Z13.

Characters can attempt to mine the crystal spires that line the walls. Each crystal spire has AC 15, 25 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. When a character deals damage to a spire, the character must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) force damage, as the crystals’ magical energy lashes back at the character.

Once a spire has been reduced to 0 hit points, it shatters into 1d6 salvageable shards. Each shard can be used as a spellcasting focus, and these shards can be used to replace the drained shards of the elevator, bucket conveyor, and mine carts in lieu of recharging them with spell slots. The shards are worth 15 gp each to a spellcaster.

Mine Carts. The mine cart track runs through the crystal cavern, entering from the cliff mine (area Z15) before spiraling downward through the cavern. When the mine carts enter the cavern, they slow but don’t stop completely, which allows materials to be loaded safely.

Z15: Cliff Strip Mine

Three levels of wooden scaffolding line this thirty-foot-tall cliff of dark stone. On the bottommost scaffolding are six figures digging at the rock face. Along the length of the cliff runs an elevated set of rickety mine cart tracks.

Three feral ashenwights and three psionic ashenwights (see appendix A) occupy the cliff’s lowest scaffolding. They mimic the mining they did in life, clawing at the rock in search of precious material.

Fixated on the rock wall, the feral ashenwights become hostile toward anyone who attacks them. The psionic ashenwights are aware of their surroundings and have seen Ruxithid and his entourage pass through the mine numerous times. A character can convince the psionic ashenwights to divulge where Ruxithid went by succeeding on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check or by offering coins or gems worth at least 50 gp total. The psionic ashenwights direct the characters to the sanctum crossing (area Z19).

Mine Carts. The mine carts run along tracks atop the upper tier of scaffolding.

Z16: Cesspit

The acrid scent of sewage bombards your senses. The tunnel opens to reveal a cavern flooded with wastewater. Dripping stalactites partially obscure a lumbering mass of black chitin and translucent pale skin, lapping up the sewage hungrily.

The creature is an otyugh mutate (see appendix A). Long ago, duergar miners captured and brought several otyughs from the Underdark to serve as a convenient way to dispose of the outpost’s waste. The otyughs survived the mind flayers’ attack, continuing to feast on the remains and waste of the illithids’ prisoners; however, the aberrant energy exuded by the mind flayers warped the otyughs and their descendants. Now this mutated otyugh gorges itself on the goblin enclave’s sewage.

A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the creature’s den habits and diet as those of an otyugh, though its physical appearance is radically altered. Any character who encountered the otyugh beneath Barthen’s well in Phandalin makes this check with advantage.

Characters who wish to avoid the otyugh mutate’s notice must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the otyugh mutate notices an intruder in its den, it becomes hostile and attacks.

Treasure. The otyugh mutate’s translucent skin provides a window into its stomach. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher notice the glint of opalescent metal swirling around in its gut; this is a luminous war pick (see appendix B) that the otyugh mutate accidentally swallowed while feasting on the corpse of a goblin. The magic item can be easily retrieved from the otyugh mutate’s body once it has been slain.

Z17: Shrine to Ilsensine

This sparse cavern contains the statue of a heroic dwarf wearing ceremonial armor, but the monument is broken into large chunks. The statue’s decapitated head is lying on the floor. Scrawled into the statue’s base is a strange symbol. Smears of a strange, dark, dripping fluid mar the iconography.

A character who succeeds on a DC 17 Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes the iconography of the defaced shrine as that of Ilsensine, the patron deity of the illithid empire. The shrine was built atop a broken duergar statue, and someone has recently defaced it.

After Ruxithid assumed leadership of the enclave, a group of goblins discovered the shrine and destroyed it. If any of the goblins are asked why they destroyed the shrine, they emphatically insist that they loathe the shrine’s presence, but they are unable to elaborate further. (Unbeknownst to them, this compulsion to destroy the shrine stems from Ruxithid’s connection to Ilvaash, a Far Realm godlet who despises Ilsensine.)

Evil Energy. This monument is now infused with evil Far Realm energy. The first time a character touches or examines the shrine, the character must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the character is plagued by a piercing headache, and whenever the character closes or opens their eyes, they briefly see a flash of shadowy, alien tendrils creeping at the edge of their vision. Additionally, the character has vulnerability to psychic damage. The effect lasts until it is ended by a spell or magical effect that lifts a curse, such as greater restoration or remove curse.

Treasure. A character who interacts with the shrine and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a ring of mind shielding in the rubble, left long ago during the mind flayers’ reign as an offering to Ilsensine.

Z18: Storage Chamber

Stacks of crates fill this chamber. Some are half-covered by dusty tarps that barely hide the ore within, while others are nailed shut. The creak of metal echoes from a conveyor of buckets that runs from the floor of the cavern to a hole near the ceiling. A set of mine cart tracks pass through the northwest end of the cavern.

A massive, conical iron drill, its insides roaring alight with blazing red fire, charges toward you with a piercing screech.

The iron drill is a fiendish auger (see appendix A), a remnant of the ancient duergar mining operation. It attacks the characters who enter the chamber.

Treasure. In total, the various open crates around the chamber hold 30 pounds of unrefined iron ore. Characters can take this ore to the smith in Phandalin, who can refine the ore into seven iron ingots worth 25 gp each.

Additionally, three smaller, sealed crates are situated around the chamber. Each crate can be pried open with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. These crates contain the following:

A translucent, light-blue crystal shard veined with indigo light (gem of brightness)
Four large chunks of blue quartz, worth 30 gp each
A fist-sized amethyst worth 250 gp

Bucket Conveyor. If the characters repaired the bucket conveyor system in the forge (area Z7), they can use the buckets to move between the mining level and the outpost level. A character attempting to ride the buckets must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall 10 feet to chamber floor, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage.

Mine Carts. The mine cart track runs through the storage chamber. The mine carts automatically slow—but do not stop completely—when they enter the chamber, allowing materials to be loaded safely.

Z19: Sanctum Crossing

The thick heat of the churning lava below washes over the stone bridge. At the far end is an obsidian pyramid. Its faces bear relief carvings of ancient dwarves feasting, celebrating, and tending to their injured. Its vertices are carved with intricate geometric patterns inlaid with silver. A recessed double door stands before the pyramid. The door’s faces are adorned with runes and circular channels glowing faintly with green energy.

The bridge and ledge before the sanctum’s entrance are both 20 feet above the lava.

Sanctum Door. The door to the sanctum elevator is sealed. The circular engravings on the door form a magical lock that can be opened only with psionic energy. A character who studies the door and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns the nature of the door’s lock; if a character can read Dwarvish, the character makes this check with advantage since the door’s magical runes are of dwarven origin.

The lock is a Small magical object that has AC 12, 30 hit points, and immunity to all damage except psychic damage. As damage is dealt to the lock, the engraving’s glowing green energy steadily becomes brighter. When the lock is reduced to 0 hit points, the door to the sanctum slides open. The lock and doors remain open for 10 minutes, after which they seal again.

If the characters can’t deal psychic damage to the lock, they can attempt to convince a goblin psi brawler or goblin psi commander to do so by succeeding on a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check (or they can bribe or charm the goblins). They can also open the lock with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools.

The lock and doors can be easily opened from the inside. The doors lead to a 15-foot-diameter circular stone platform that automatically moves between the sanctum crossing and the sanctum itself. The platform ascends and descends continuously, with a 1-minute stop at each location. It takes the platform 30 seconds to travel the 30-foot vertical drop between the crossing and the sanctum interior.

Indigo Sanctum

During the days of the duergar mining operation, the Indigo Sanctum of Zorzula’s Rest served as a sacred hall. Hidden deep within the recesses of the mountain, the Indigo Sanctum was a place of rest, rejuvenation, and safety for duergar and their allies alike.

However, when the mind flayers conquered the mining outpost, they perverted the sanctum for their own malevolent designs. What was once a blessed hall became the home for the colony’s elder brain. Long after the mind flayers left the mining outpost, the psionic remnants of their presence still cling to the sanctum like a disease.

Recently, Sawplee leader Ruxithid entered this sanctum. When he did, he came to the attention of a group of Far Realm–worshiping mind flayers, who were studying the region in search of a capital for their new mind flayer empire. Once they settled upon Phandalin as their target—and the shattered Netherese obelisk as the conduit for their scheme—the group enchanted a crystal to serve as a telepathic link between themselves and Ruxithid.

An underling of the mind flayer fanatics then left the crystal for the goblin leader to find. Once Ruxithid embedded the crystal into his brain, the goblin leader heard the mind flayer fanatics’ psychic voices in his mind and believed he was communing with gods. They instructed Ruxithid to find the lost pieces of the shattered Netherese obelisk, instigating the Sawplees’ crimes in Phandalin.

Now, Ruxithid meditates in his sanctum, communing with his mighty psychic overlords as he plans the next steps of his mission.

Entering the Sanctum

When the characters enter the sanctum, read or paraphrase the following:

The doors of the lift open to reveal a massive sanctum built of obsidian stone. Two waterfalls of lava cascade down either side of the sanctum’s entrance, casting eerie light on the vaulted ceiling. At the opposite end of the sanctum looms a towering statue of a dwarven woman. Cracks race along her arms, and half her face is smashed, but the faint image of a kindly smile remains.

The sanctum is made of polished obsidian stone, with vaulted ceilings that are 20 feet high. The interior of the sanctum is depicted on map 5.6.

MIKE SCHLEY
MAP 5.6: INDIGO SANCTUM
VIEW PLAYER VERSION

Ruxithid the Chosen stands on the mezzanine behind the statue. When the characters confront Ruxithid, read the following:

This goblinoid figure is taller and broader than the other goblins you’ve encountered, and a gnarled crystal has split his skull open to reveal his brain. He turns, eyes and veins glowing an otherworldly green, and beckons to you.

Ruxithid the Chosen

The goblin standing on the sanctum mezzanine is Ruxithid the Chosen (see the accompanying stat block). Ruxithid’s psionic abilities afford him a measure of rudimentary clairvoyance around the outpost, and thus the goblin leader is already aware of the characters’ presence before they arrive.

BRIAN VALEZA
RUXITHID THE CHOSEN

Ruxithid speaks in an unnaturally calm, sing-song voice. At first, he attempts to be cordial to the characters. Unaware that his “mighty gods” are actually mind flayers, Ruxithid explains that he is a divine harbinger and that his quest for these shards is intended to bring about a metamorphosis of the Material Plane. However, any character who succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check notices the peculiar way Ruxithid’s eyes roll back into his head as he speaks: a telling sign that the goblin is having a second conversation within his mind, and that the words he speaks aren’t entirely his own.

RUXITHID THE CHOSEN

Medium Aberration (Goblinoid), Neutral Evil

Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)

Hit Points 88 (16d8 + 16)

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR

14 (+2)

DEX

19 (+4)

CON

12 (+1)

INT

18 (+4)

WIS

15 (+2)

CHA

12 (+1)

Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +5

Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +10

Damage Resistances psychic

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Goblin, telepathy 60 ft.

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When Ruxithid fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Mental Fortitude. Ruxithid has advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions.

Actions

Multiattack. Ruxithid makes two Psi-Charged Scimitar attacks.

Psi-Charged Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) psychic damage.

Bonus Actions

Brain Tendrils (Recharge 5–6). Ruxithid unleashes a flurry of crystalline psychic tendrils from his brain, targeting one creature that he can see within 30 feet of himself. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 9 (2d8) psychic damage and have the stunned condition until the start of Ruxithid’s next turn.

Combat Command. Ruxithid commands one allied creature he can see within 60 feet of himself to strike. The creature can immediately use its reaction to make one melee weapon attack against a target within its reach.

Sanctum Showdown

If the characters show no sign of joining Ruxithid, or if any of them threaten violence, Ruxithid becomes hostile. Read or paraphrase the following:

Green light pulses from Ruxithid’s chest and races to the massive dwarven statue. Like a parasite, the light burrows into the statue’s shattered face, seeping through its cracks. The statue lurches forward, still smiling, while Ruxithid commands it to kill you.

The statue is a shield guardian under Ruxithid’s control and fights alongside its master. The shield guardian stores a phantasmal killer spell from its original duergar creator and Ruxithid can command the Construct to cast it. If this fight seems too easy for the party, add two goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A), who rush from Zorzula’s Rest to join the combat in 3 rounds.

During the fight, Ruxithid uses his psionic flight to hover above the fray, darting in to make attacks while commanding the shield guardian (and the two other goblins, if they’re also present) to take the brunt of the damage. Ruxithid fights to the death, but when he is reduced to 0 hit points, the shield guardian becomes inanimate and the other goblins, if present, surrender.

A Disturbing Truth Revealed

If Ruxithid is slain, read the following:

Ruxithid falls to the ground, and his crystalline brain splits asunder. The sanctum fills with a cacophony, like thousands of voices crying at once. Three voices emerge, speaking in discordant unison.

The voices hiss:

“So you have succeeded. Good. The four shards shall arrive here soon. Now three remain to be found. You know your task, little one. Collect the shards from Talhundereth, the Crypt of the Talhund, and Gibbet Crossing, and bring them to us. You shall be reborn greater than you can imagine, and Phandalin shall become ours.”

The mind flayer fanatics psionically charged the crystal and used it to telepathically communicate with Ruxithid as well as store important messages for him. After the message plays aloud, the crystal loses its light and becomes mundane.

The message that plays for the characters upon Ruxithid’s demise is the mind flayers’ last command to him: find and deliver the three other obelisk shards hidden within Talhundereth, the Crypt of the Talhund, and Gibbet Crossing (more information about these locations can be found in the next chapter).

Any character who hears the message can make a DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check. On a successful check, the character realizes that the message’s tone as well as the means of communication are unlike any known divine tradition—this is some other kind of powerful entity or group of entities, posing as gods to accomplish their malign ends.

Key. Ruxithid carries a key to his personal quarters (area Z10 in Zorzula’s Rest).

DEVON CADY-LEE

Hostage Room. The goblins used the west wing of the sanctum to hold their kidnap victims. Most of the victims were transported elsewhere to serve as “offerings for the gods” (or food for the mind flayers), but some victims were deemed unfit and left to starve within the sanctum’s depths.

There are three hostages here, and all use the commoner stat block. They are Dareth Grint, a human farmer who is Townmaster Harbin Wester’s second cousin; Paulina Previne, a human stablehand who occasionally works at the Stonehill Inn; and Tumblewick Rollins, a gnome apothecary,

They are sickly and barely conscious, and the goblins didn’t explain much to them. Thus, they can recall only a few things about their time as prisoners:

Stone Pillar. The goblins were fixated on reassembling some kind of stone pillar.

Victims Elsewhere. More victims were here at one point. However, those victims were taken somewhere else by the goblins for a “special purpose.”

War Room. Ruxithid used the east wing of the sanctum as his war room.

War Room. The east wing of the sanctum serves as Ruxithid’s war room, where he arranges the various expeditions to retrieve the obelisk shards.

A character who investigates this room finds a crudely drawn map of the region on the central table, with messy arrows and scrawled labels reading “Gibbet Crossing,” “Crypt of the Talhund,” and “Talhundereth.” (See the Goblins’ Map handout in chapter 6 for a representation of this map.)

A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check also discovers a rough sketch of a broken obelisk made of dark stone. Four of the broken chunks in the drawing are crossed out, while three are circled. This is a sketch of the Netherese obelisk, with the four crossed-out pieces corresponding to the shards found in Phandalin and the three circled pieces corresponding to the three pieces left to find. Ruxithid’s overlords described the obelisk to him and used powers drawn from the Far Realm to roughly locate the obelisk’s scattered pieces.

The Sawplee Goblins. Although Ruxithid was their leader, the Sawplee goblins aren’t particularly loyal to him. Ruxithid ruled through fear and put the goblins into harm’s way for his own selfish quest for power.

Without their wicked leader to push them, the goblins are peaceful and curious, if mischievous. It’s up to the characters how they want to handle the Sawplee goblins. The townspeople of Phandalin dislike the goblins, but the characters can broker an easy peace if they wish for hostilities between the Sawplees and the townspeople to end.

What’s Next?

After defeating Ruxithid and learning that there are larger, more sinister forces at play, the characters should realize Phandalin is in danger. They’ll likely wish to return to Phandalin to rest and plan their next moves. If the players need a nudge in this direction, remind them that the kidnap victims in the sanctum need food and medical attention as soon as possible. The survivors may not be strong enough to make the journey to Phandalin themselves, requiring the characters to escort them to town. Upon their return to Phandalin, Harbin pays the characters the agreed upon amount and thanks them deeply for their assistance.

Regardless of the characters’ choices during this part of the adventure, the goblins have already delivered four obelisk shards from Phandalin to the mind flayers. The adventure now becomes a race against the clock to find the remaining three shards.

JASON ENGLE
THE NEXT STEP OF THE CHARACTERS’ JOURNEY WILL TAKE THEM DEEP INTO THE CAVERNS UNDERNEATH PHANDALIN

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