Campaign Overview

Shadows in the Undercity

Beneath the city streets lies a realm of perpetual dusk—an immense underground metropolis hewn from basalt caverns, threaded by canals of dripping water, and ruled by the strong, the cunning, and the deceitful. In "Shadows in the Undercity," adventurers plunge into the Stygian Bazaar, a melting pot of thieves’ guilds, drow syndicates, and secret cults dedicated to dark deities. Steam-lit alleys conceal illicit markets. Bioluminescent fungi light precarious rope bridges. Poison-tipped weapons glint in half-shadows. Every corner yields a choice: betray or be betrayed, forge uneasy alliances or fight alone.

The party’s journey begins as small-time operatives, hired for night-cloaked tasks in the Bazaar’s canals and market stalls. Soon they uncover hints of something far more sinister: the Crown of Umbral Night, a legendary artifact powerful enough to shroud the entire undercity—and perhaps the surface world—in eternal darkness. To stop its resurrection, they must navigate the fractured Shattered Warrens, broker a fragile truce among ratfolk warlords, and infiltrate the bloody heart of a spider-worshipping cult. Each step reveals moral crossroads: rescue kidnapped innocents at the cost of an alliance, choose to destroy or claim forbidden magic, confront the horrors of fanatical zeal and whispered conspiracies.

In the final act, the Obsidian Court awaits—a black cathedral of glass and basalt where the Syndicate’s matron queens and thieves’ lords convene. Here, players must negotiate, fight, or deceive their way to the Obsidian Throne itself, where shadows live and breathe, and a single wrong move can doom them to eternal night. Their decisions will reshape the Undercity’s balance of power, deciding which guild emerges triumphant—or whether a new order of heroes will rise from the darkness.

Prepare for a campaign of stealth, espionage, and gut-wrenching choices. Play against the shadows—which may hide both your greatest allies and deadliest foes. In the Undercity, truth is obscured by lies, loyalty is as fleeting as torchlight, and every shadow conceals regret. Will you stand as a beacon of hope or become another whisper in the dark? The choice awaits in "Shadows in the Undercity."

Starting Location

The Stygian Bazaar

Beneath the sunlit streets of the city above lies the Stygian Bazaar: a sprawling underground market carved into natural caverns and lined with improvised stalls of dark stone, basalt pillars, and bioluminescent fungus. The ceiling arches high above, dripping with stalactites and threaded by rope bridges and rickety scaffolding. Here, merchants hawk exotic poisons, black-market spell components, and living creatures harvested from the depths. Narrow alleys branch off to secret auction rooms and hidden gambling dens, while robed figures slink through the shadows, keeping an eye on coin purses and the occasional mark. Rain drips from above as water seeps through cracks, forming algae-green pools that glow faintly, illuminating graffiti in Underdark runes and murals depicting fallen drow matriarchs. The stench of sulfur, spice, and sweat mingles in the air, punctuated by the laughter of revelers and the occasional scream echoing from a back-room duel. Light comes mostly from lanterns fueled by glowcaps and enchanted crystals that flicker in the gloom. Patrols from the thieves’ guilds enforce “protection” fees at every corner, and the syndicate of the Umbral Drow holds its secret ceremonies in hidden sanctums. This Bazaar is a nexus of power struggles, bargains sealed in whispered tones, and a ready proving ground for stealth, deception, and moral choice.

Secrets

  • A hidden ledger lists every informant in the Bazaar, including undercover city guards.
  • A network of water channels beneath the stalls leads to a sealed crypt containing a dark artifact.
  • The Bazaar’s central pillar is keyed to an ancient draconic ward—it can reveal magical surveillance nodes to those who speak the right command word.

Key Locations

Dragonspine Column

A massive basalt pillar carved like a dragon’s backbone, its ridges polished smooth by centuries of use. At its base is an open forum where bounty notices are posted on iron boards, and informants gather. The pillar is sculpted with reliefs of draconic figures in battle, their eyes inlaid with garnets that gleam when light strikes. Surrounding the column are small stalls of clandestine scribes who transcribe secret letters, forge documents, or decrypt coded messages. Above, wooden platforms strapped to the stone host lookouts with crossbows ready to fire on thieves who overreach. The column’s magical resonance allows minor scrying spells to tether onto it: it’s rumored that anyone who posts a notice here risks magical surveillance. Rumor says the dragon’s eyes are tied to an arcane warding circle that can identify forgeries. The immediate area hums with arcane energy, and faint draconic runes glow at midnight. This site is a nexus for posting job leads and bounties, making it indispensable for adventurers seeking work, but the risk of being watched is ever present.

Additional Notes

This location serves as the community noticeboard. Prepare hooks tied to posted bounties. Magical effects: small detect magic aura. Guards from multiple guilds patrol.

Veil of Whispers

An ornate stone archway encrusted with black opal that leads into a network of whispering tunnels. Carved inscriptions in Undercommon run like a spiral, instructing initiates in the art of listening: every footstep and murmur echoes and intermingles until voices become a single hiss. Secret doors, disguised as rough rock, open only to those who speak the proper passwords in the right tone. Bioluminescent mushrooms cast shifting shadows that appear like faces in the walls. At the heart is an amphitheater where the Umbral Drow syndicate holds midnight trials and interrogations by candlelight. The air is thick with incense of nightshade and myrrh, dulling the senses and making all voices seem distant. Drow spies gather here to orchestrate plans, trade poison recipes, and exchange coded prophecies. The walls themselves seem to absorb information: eavesdropping is nearly impossible without a specialized ritual to unbind the echoes. It’s said that if you replicate the final whisper exactly, you can bypass any vault in the Undercity. Few outsiders venture here openly—entry requires a token of the Umbral Drow or forged credentials stamped with their black sigil.

Additional Notes

Use sound-based traps: pressure plates trigger sonic bursts. The straw-colored fungus can be used to decrypt echoes.

The Gutterforge

A massive forge hewn into basalt, continually wreathed in orange-red heat from a lava flow channeled through cast iron channels. Blackened stone walls are streaked with soot and molten slag. Dwarven smiths in soot-stained aprons hammer at an array of forges, crafting weapons spiked with osmium, daggers tipped with paralytic poison, and crossbow bolts fletched with razor-sharp shards from the far depths. Brass pipes carry noxious smoke into filtration vents. A low drone of bellows mixes with hammers on anvil, while off-duty mercenaries gamble by the smelting pits, casting dice onto hot rock. Hidden beneath the main floor is a labyrinth of smuggler’s tunnels used to export contraband to the surface. Only the foreman, a grizzled veteran named Kagrah Ironvein, knows their full layout. Rumor claims that beneath the furnace hearth lies the buried skeleton of an ancient creche wyrm whose bloodline gave birth to the obsidian-flaked ore that makes the forge’s steel nearly unbreakable. Drow dealers pay extra for weapons stamped with the draconic insignia.

Additional Notes

Kagrah Ironvein can be recruited for custom weapons. Lava flow can be diverted to trap intruders.

The Shadowline Canal

A half-submerged canal lit by phosphorescent moss and lanterns hung from stone arches. Slow current carries leaking water from the surface cisterns, its surface broken by occasional iron grates—entry points to deeper tunnels. Narrow walkways of slick stone meander along the edges, where smugglers load crates of illicit goods onto waiting barges. Along the canal are secret sliding doors at water level that open to staterooms used by cutthroats, poison-brewers, and informants. Covered docks hold pilfered statues, crates of enchanted gemstones, and cages of exotic spiders. Drow patrollers make rounds on skiffs, armed with nets and crossbows to catch stowaways. Underneath one of the larger docks lies a flooded crypt said to contain the sealed remains of a dark priest, his tomb held closed by a ritual ward. Anyone daring enough to break it risks awakening his servitors.

Additional Notes

Water is waist-deep and cold; stealth checks at disadvantage if players fail to secure footing. Underwater tunnel leads deeper.

The Umbral Auction House

A three-story cavern hall ringed by balconies and supported by obsidian pillars carved in spider-motif patterns. On the ground floor, glittering magical items—cursed daggers, bound homunculi, and memory-draining amulets—are displayed on velvet-lined pedestals. Hooded auctioneers preside over bidding, their voices echoing off the walls. The air smells of brimstone and expensive wine. Elite criminals and syndicate leaders watch from private boxes. Silent drow clerics of a hidden cult of Lolth observe with quartz eyes, offering silent prayers and exchanging coded nods. Moving crates shadowed in the back contain living goods—young apprentices sold into clandestine servitude. A pair of iron gates guard the rear vault where the most dangerous artifacts are stored. It’s said that the gates only open for those bearing keys from each of the major thieves’ guilds, or for someone who has brokered peace between them.

Additional Notes

Use high-society intrigue mechanics. Auction can be interrupted by stealth assault or social deception.

The Shattered Warrens

A broken network of caverns slashed by deep fissures and bridged by fallen columns, the Shattered Warrens are home to rival thieves’ guild enclaves, rat-faced Skaven refugees, and primitive cultists worshipping dark spiders. The air is stale and dusty, lit by flickering torchlight, and filled with the clatter of pickaxes and whispered deals. Shattered statues of forgotten gods lie toppled near settlements built from scrap wood and salvaged iron. Narrow rock ledges require careful navigation; echoes can betray every footfall. Ancient draconic runes hint that this was once the lair of a wyrmlord. Now, petty chieftains—human, goblinoid, and drow—vie for control of crumbling smugglers’ routes. Secret tunnels lead to flooded alcoves, while watch-out posts offer vantage over the chasm floor, where giant roaches roam under the clamor of mining operations. At the heart stands the Iron Spire, a rusted metal column serving as the meeting point for the region’s criminal councils.

Secrets

  • The Iron Spire’s foundation rests on draconic eggs, still viable.
  • The Rat King holds the key to an ancient dragon hoard in the fissure floor.
  • A secret cult of deep gnomes trades with the Screaming Widow for preserved memories.

Key Locations

Iron Spire Council

Atop a rusted column of black iron, a circular platform hosts the criminal council of the Warrens. Representatives from the Skavari Rat Lords, the Ember Forgers, and the Screaming Widow cult sit around a cracked onyx table. Tapestries of scavenged cloth decorate the outer railings, and torches in iron sconces cast sharp shadows. Each councilor carries a token of authority: a rat skull, a glowing emberstone, a spider-silk banner. The Spire’s central post is rumored to be hollow, holding secret letters and poison caches. Negotiations end in duels, trials by combat, or bribery auctions. Loudspeakers carved from husks of giant beetles amplify announcements. Below, spies record every word. It’s said that anyone who can stand at the center of the table and speak a decree in draconic will command obedience from the Skaven rat tribes. But the hollow inside is trapped: a misstep might trigger a barrage of poisoned gas.

Additional Notes

Use social checks to influence council members. The Draconic trigger is a potential turning point.

Rat King’s Den

A massive chamber overrun by feral ratfolk whose chieftain—known as the Rat King—sits regally on a throne woven from bones and scrap metal. High ledges host nests of collected shiny trinkets, while a maze of tunnels beneath his seat hides captives taken for ritual sacrifice. The ground is littered with bones and the walls slick with the secretions of giant roaches. The Rat King wears a crown of golden rings taken from merchants, and his cloak is a patchwork of ceremonial fabrics. His minions bring offerings of stolen food and small weapons. He demands tribute from any who cross the Warrens. Outsiders might be offered a chance to earn his favor by navigating the labyrinthine underforums or retrieving a kidnapped ratfolk child. The Rat King’s second-in-command is a gnoll war-priestess named Shagra, who guards his secrets with ruthless zeal.

Additional Notes

The tunnels form a Dungeon beneath—map required. Ratfolk ambushes on any failed stealth.

Screaming Widow Shrine

A subterranean cavern choked with webs that glitter in torchlight. Statues of eight-limbed spiders brood over sacrificial altars stained with old blood. Whispering chants echo in the distance, calling worshippers deeper into the mazelike cavern. The cult of the Screaming Widow sacrifices addicts, slaves, and the unfaithful to glean visions of the future from spider-borne oracles. The shrine’s high priestess, Zyrrineth, presides from an elevated dais woven from silk ropes. She wears a mask of ebony carved to resemble a spider’s face. Cult acolytes crawl on all fours, their limbs dripping venom. Deep within is a sealed crypt where the original priest of Lolth lies trapped in spidery stone—breaching it releases maddened silk horrors.

Additional Notes

Use horror elements. Psychic webs impose disadvantage on perception.

The Obsidian Court

At the deepest point of the Undercity lies the Obsidian Court: a grand temple complex hewn from black glass and basalt, illuminated by red-veined crystal spires. This is where the drow syndicate and high thieves’ guilds converge to shape the fate of the entire underrealm. Vast halls lined with sculpted spider motifs open onto an acid-proof canal ring. Rich chambers host war councils; secret catacombs burrow beneath, holding cursed tombs and eldritch laboratories. The Court’s centerpiece is the Obsidian Throne: a seat carved from a single massive glass shard rumored to have come from a fallen astral entity. Its reflective surface can trap the soul of anyone who sits without the proper warding, granting the wielder dreadful power. The high table around the Throne hosts representatives of the major factions—the Crimson Vipers, the Umbral Drow, and the Silent Scales—and they jockey for supremacy. The palace is protected by spell-forged constructs, lethal trap corridors, and a cadre of elite shadow knights. Beyond lies an ancient vault sealed by draconic wards: inside rests the Crown of Umbral Night, an artifact of unimaginable power that can shroud entire cities in magical darkness. The final confrontation will test the party’s stealth, diplomacy, and willingness to compromise moral codes.

Secrets

  • The Throne’s glass was harvested from a fallen celestial’s wing.
  • Frozen wraiths can be freed to battle the shadow guardians.
  • Journals in the alcove include a ritual to cleanse the Crown’s curse.

Key Locations

The Obsidian Throne

A single pane of flawless black glass perched atop a dais of basalt. It captures reflections with unnatural clarity. Legends say sitting upon it grants the power to command shadows as allies, but at the cost of one’s own life force. The throne room is vast—stories high—with columns shaped like spider legs. Twisted light from red crystals bathes everything in a sanguine glow. Magical wards prevent teleportation and scrying without intricate passwords carved into spider-web glyphs. Any who approach must navigate shifting floor panels that trigger razor-sharp glass shards. Shadow masks hover nearby, ready to animate if an intruder tries to steal the surface’s darkness. At the back are hidden confessionals where spies whisper dark bargains.

Additional Notes

Central battle site. Warding secrets can be uncovered via Arcana DC 20 or Thieves’ Tools DC 18.

Catacombs of Frozen Screams

Beneath the Throne room lies a labyrinthine crypt of obsidian sarcophagi, each sealed with runes that trap the souls of ancient nobles. The corridors are lined with glass prisms that pick up the microscopic shards of ice from the cult’s ritual—a chilling presence that lowers temps below freezing. Frozen wraiths drift silently, their screams trapped in the icy walls, released only by damaging the sarcophagi. A central nexus holds the key to the Draconic Vault, an obsidian door inscribed in draconic runes. Only by offering a sacrifice of cold-blooded creatures can it open. At the far end, a frost-spiral staircase descends deeper into the dripping foundations—leading to the Crown of Umbral Night.

Additional Notes

Use environmental cold effects; check for hidden icy traps.

Vault of Umbral Night

A high-security vault carved into solid obsidian, with concentric wards of dark magic. In the center rests the Crown of Umbral Night on a crystal dais. The crown is forged of black metal studded with onyx and eclipse-glass; it pulses with living shadows. Approaching triggers shadow-warded constructs that emerge from cracks in the walls. The only way to disable the protections is to solve a shadow-glyph puzzle—a magical riddle bound by moon-phase cycles. Behind the vault is a hidden alcove containing the remains of the first drow matriarch, along with her journals. These logs reveal how the Undercity was founded, offering clues to break the crown’s bond. But reading them risks cursing the reader with her restless spirit.

Additional Notes

Puzzle mechanic: Shadow-glyph sequence. Constructs: 4 shadow guardians (MM).

NPCs in The Stygian Bazaar

Marwyn Shadeweaver

A wiry half-elf information broker whose eyes never rest. He speaks softly, always calculating his next cut.

Role: Quest giver / black-market contacts Other Details: Holds a grudge against the Umbral Drow for murdering his sister.

Porra Silkstep

A charismatic halfling rogue who runs illicit gambling dens. She never carries more than a pouch of coin and a deck of marked cards.

Role: Side quest giver / fence Other Details: Rumors say she’s actually a minor drow noble in disguise.

High Curae Salanith

A cloaked drow priestess who oversees the Shrine of Whispered Secrets. Rarely speaks, but when she does, it cuts like a blade.

Role: Secret quest giver / cult recruiter Other Details: She serves a hidden Lolth cult plotting to overthrow the drow syndicate leaders.

NPCs in The Shattered Warrens

Razael Nighttooth

A drow smuggler turned ratfolk diplomat. She mediates between skaven and drow enclaves.

Role: Faction liaison Other Details: Skilled poison brewer.

Eron Emberforge

A goliath smith who oversees improvised forges on the Spire. He’s honorable but desperate.

Role: Side quest patron Other Details: Seeks a legendary draconic anvil.

Zyrrineth Webspeaker

High priestess of the Screaming Widow cult. She’s charismatic, fanatical, and utterly ruthless.

Role: Antagonist / quest giver Other Details: Believes the party is destined to serve Lolth.

NPCs in The Obsidian Court

Matron Velyria Xune

Leader of the Umbral Drow, elegant and cunning. She presides over the Court and manipulates all factions like chess pieces.

Role: Main antagonist Other Details: Hides her humanity behind a mask of Lolthian devotion.

Captain Selgris Vorne

Commander of the Silent Scales, elite drow shadow knights sworn to guard the Vault.

Role: Guardian / optional ally Other Details: Secretly wishes to overthrow Matron Xune and free the Undercity from drow rule.

Talshara Deepgleam

A surface-born wizard turned cultist, obsessed with harnessing the Crown’s power.

Role: Rival party member / antagonist Other Details: Carries forbidden spliced oozes in her satchel.

Factions

Umbral Drow Syndicate

The dominant drow organization in the Undercity, the Umbral Drow Syndicate controls illicit trade, magical contraband, and black-market auctions. They enforce strict hierarchy under Matron Velyria Xune, ruthlessly suppressing dissent and exploiting the fears of lesser guilds. Their priests worship Lolth in secret and maintain an underground network of spies and inquisitors.

Goals

  • Retain control of the Stygian Bazaar
  • Acquire the Crown of Umbral Night
  • Crush rival guilds and cults

Relationships

With Other Factions
Hostile to all except the Crimson Vipers (temporary truce). They’ve bribed the Silent Scales as mercenaries. They despise the Screaming Widow cult for interfering in their rituals.
With Players
Initially gatekeeper and quest-giver; can become deadly enemies if trust is broken, or uneasy allies if assisted against greater threats.

Crimson Vipers Guild

A coalition of human and half-elf thieves specializing in infiltration, forgery, and assassination. They operate the bazaars of the Bazaar, the Gutterforge, and the Shadowline Canal docks. Known for brutal initiation rites and venomous allegiances, they maintain a veneer of honor among thieves—but are quick to betray any who cross them.

Goals

  • Expand smuggling routes to the surface
  • Secure illithium and magical reagents
  • Undermine Umbral Drow authority

Relationships

With Other Factions
Bitter rivals of the Umbral Drow; allied with the Ratfolk under certain bargains. They tolerate the Skaven when useful but distrust them completely.
With Players
Offer side quests and support for daring infiltrations. They expect loyalty, charging high fees for protection.

Screaming Widow Cult

A fanatical spider-worshipping cult devoted to the goddess of madness and prophecy. They lurk in hidden shrines, performing sacrifices in hopes of divine visions. Their fanatics infiltrate drow and surface circles to spread contagions of fear and fanaticism. They believe the Crown of Umbral Night will open a doorway to the Demonweb.

Goals

  • Collect soulstone fragments for Lolth’s ascension
  • Spread madness in the Bazaar to weaken order
  • Awaken the ancient spider spirits in the Shattered Warrens

Relationships

With Other Factions
Feuds with Umbral Drow but sometimes shares agents. The Crimson Vipers use cultists for fearsome distractions. They are reviled by skaven communities.
With Players
Offer occult knowledge and boons—but risk madness and betrayal. Party may choose to destroy or join them.

Main Questline

Into the Stygian Bazaar

Given by: Marwyn Shadeweaver

Marwyn Shadeweaver sends the party on their first job: recover stolen contracts from a rival thieves’ guild operative hiding in the Bazaar’s canals. This mission tests their stealth and negotiation skills and introduces them to the factions vying for power underground.

Goals

• Locate the operative in the canals • Retrieve the stolen contracts • Return them to Marwyn without alerting the Umbral Drow

Reward

• 300 gp • +1d6 to Deception checks with Marwyn • Information about secret canal routes

Secrets

  • The contracts implicate a surface noble.
  • Marwyn actually wants to sow discord between guilds.

DM Notes

This quest introduces players to the Bazaar’s geography and key NPCs; encourage creative problem-solving.

Web of Shadows

Given by: High Curae Salanith

High Curae Salanith offers a pact: infiltrate the Veil of Whispers and steal a secret prophecy scroll from the Umbral Drow archives. In exchange, she grants the party minor divine boons and guidance—but her motives remain murky, and the scroll may advance her cult’s hidden agenda.

Goals

• Gain access to the Veil of Whispers • Bypass sonic traps and hidden wards • Steal the prophecy scroll • Deliver it to Salanith without alerting drow sentries

Reward

• Minor divine boon (choice) • 500 gp • Cult insider knowledge

Secrets

  • The scroll contains a plan to resurrect a fallen Lolth priestess.
  • Salanith will betray the party after acquiring the scroll.

DM Notes

Emphasize sound-based puzzle mechanics and roleplay infiltration.

Council at the Spire

Given by: Razael Nighttooth

Trading favors with the Rat King leads to a council summit at the Iron Spire. The party must negotiate a temporary alliance between Skaven, drow outcasts, and the Ember Forgers to disrupt a planned Umbral Drow offensive. Success hinges on delicate diplomacy, bribes, or staged threats.

Goals

• Convince each faction to sign a non-aggression pact • Expose the double-cross within the Ember Forgers • Escape assassination attempts to inform Razael

Reward

• 1000 gp divided among faction coffers • Temporary safe passage through the Warrens • A ratfolk warband ally for the final assault

Secrets

  • The Ember Forgers’ leader plans to betray the Skaven.
  • Matron Xune secretly funded the offensive to appear under assault.
  • The summit’s location is bugged with listening webs.

DM Notes

Heavy social encounter; leverage earlier side-quest relationships.

Vault of Umbral Night

Given by: Captain Selgris Vorne

Captain Vorne, secretly an ally, tasks the party with breaching the Draconic Vault in the Obsidian Court and retrieving the Crown of Umbral Night to prevent Matron Xune from unleashing eternal darkness. They must solve the shadow-glyph puzzle, avoid constructs, and decide whether to keep or destroy the crown.

Goals

• Descend to the Vault • Disable wards via puzzle • Defeat shadow guardians • Secure or destroy the Crown

Reward

• Crown (usable or destroyable) • 2000 gp • Reputation shift—enemy of Matron Xune

Secrets

  • Destroying the crown frees trapped souls for an allied army.
  • Captain Vorne plans to seize power once Xune falls.

DM Notes

Final quest pivot: players choose sides, face moral dilemma.

Twilight Reckoning

Given by: Variable

The final confrontation at the Obsidian Throne: Matron Xune summons all guilds to a war council where the party must navigate assassination attempts, open combat, or a political coup. Their allies from earlier quests intervene. The outcome reshapes the Undercity’s future.

Goals

• Survive the war council assault • Confront Matron Xune atop the Throne • Decide the Undercity’s new order

Reward

• Titles allied to chosen faction • Legendary magic item (chosen from campaign loot) • Influence over future Undercity politics

Secrets

  • Xune’s life-binding contract can be undone with the soulstone fragments.
  • The Obsidian Throne will grant dominion over shadows to the party’s leader.

DM Notes

Combine social, combat, and final roleplay; allow multiple endings.

Side Quests in The Stygian Bazaar

The Missing Shipment

Given by: Marwyn Shadeweaver

A precious crate of illithium dust bound for a surface sorcerer has gone missing in the Bazaar’s canals. Marwyn wants the party to locate and retrieve it before rival guilds can get their hands on the volatile substance. They must navigate shadowy canals, bribe smugglers, and avoid aquatic assassin lurkers.

Goals

• Interview dock workers • Track the pilfered crates via coded runes • Battle or negotiate with the canal thieves • Recover the shipment intact

Reward

  • 500 gp coins
  • 1d4 doses of purified illithium dust
  • Marwyn’s gratitude (future information at advantage)

Secrets

  • The shipment was stolen by a mole in Marwyn’s own ranks.
  • Each dose of dust is cursed—unless cleansed by an exorcism ritual.
  • The surface buyer plans to use it to power a prototype of an illithium golem.

DM Notes

Emphasize stealth in canals; reward creative approaches.

Dancing with Shadows

Given by: Porra Silkstep

Porra’s gambling ring is threatened by a series of break-ins. Hunters have stolen beast-spirits she uses for magical wagers. She hires the party to stake out her underground arcade, uncover the culprit, and recover the stolen spirits without attracting the Thieves’ Guild’s ire.

Goals

• Set a trap during the next gala • Research demon-binding seals • Unmask the culprit among Porra’s staff • Return the beast-spirits safely

Reward

  • A Deck of Illustrious Fates (magical cards)
  • 2 healing potions
  • Favor with the Halfling Underwire

Secrets

  • Porra’s best dancer is laundering Guild funds.
  • The beast-spirits are bound by a minor demon she secretly summoned.
  • The break-ins are a distraction from a bigger heist planned at the Auction House.

DM Notes

Use social skill challenges and minor illusions.

Lurkers in the Gutterforge

Given by: Kagrah Ironvein

A series of nighttime assaults have damaged smithing equipment. Kagrah suspects rival blacksmiths funded by the Umbral Drow and wants the players to guard a shipment of ore. They must patrol the lava channels, identify saboteurs, and protect the convoy.

Goals

• Inspect ore wagons • Defend against subterranean saboteurs • Interrogate captured saboteurs for the spy’s identity • Secure the ore vault

Reward

  • Custom masterwork weapon
  • 300 gp in alloys
  • Kagrah’s referral to a dwarven enclave

Secrets

  • The ore contains trace amounts of draconic blood magic.
  • An inside man plans to siphon molten steel into a sabotage mold.
  • The Umbral Drow syndicate leader has a bounty on Kagrah’s life.

DM Notes

Include environmental hazards: lava spills, steam vents.

Echoes of Betrayal

Given by: High Curae Salanith

Salanith offers a dark ritual quest: recover fragments of a long-lost soulstone from cult caches scattered below the Bazaar. Each fragment reveals visions of past atrocities, forcing moral dilemmas. Her true goal is to reassemble the stone for a forbidden prophecy.

Goals

• Locate three cult caches • Overcome psychic wards • Decide whether to hand fragments to Salanith or destroy them

Reward

  • Minor divine boon (choose 1)
  • Access to cult secrets
  • XP for completing moral challenges

Secrets

  • High Curae plans to betray the party once the stone is whole.
  • Each vision requires a saving throw or gain a lingering madness.
  • The cultists intend to sacrifice a child above on the surface after the stone is reformed.

DM Notes

Focus on roleplay and moral conflict; use short visions.

The Lost Ledger

Given by: Marwyn Shadeweaver

A ledger containing illicit transactions between the Umbral Drow and surface nobles has gone missing. Marwyn believes it’s hidden in the abandoned sluice tunnels beneath the Bazaar. He hires the party to delve into the flooded corridors, dodge waterlogged traps, and retrieve the ledger before the syndicate recovers it.

Goals

• Navigate the waterlogged sluice • Disarm submerged traps • Battle undead cult warders • Retrieve the ledger and escape

Reward

  • 750 gp
  • Exclusive footage of Umbral Drow leadership
  • A reputation boost among surface contacts

Secrets

  • The ledger implicates a beloved city councilor.
  • One of Marwyn’s lieutenants sold the ledger to a rival.
  • The sluice tunnels are haunted by drowned cultists seeking vengeance.

DM Notes

Use underwater rules; limit light sources.

Side Quests in The Shattered Warrens

Forged in Shadow

Given by: Eron Emberforge

Eron needs a rare obsidian shard hidden in the distrusted Drow Warrens to repair his forge, or it will collapse and kill dozens.

Goals

• Enter Drow Warrens • Steal the shard without alerting guards • Return to Eron alive

Reward

  • Custom magical armor
  • 2d6 gp gemstone shards

Secrets

  • The shard is cursed unless blessed by a drow priest.
  • Eron plans to barter the finished weapon with surface craftsmen.
  • The shard was originally a fragment of a dracolich’s shell.

DM Notes

Blend stealth with negotiation if captured.

Children of the Egg

Given by: Razael Nighttooth

Razael begs the party to recover stolen draconic eggs from bandits at the chasm floor. These eggs belong to the wyrmlord’s brood and are under her protection.

Goals

• Descend to the bottom • Battle bandits and roaches • Escort eggs to a safe cache

Reward

  • Dragonshard pendant
  • 500 gp

Secrets

  • The wyrmlord plans revenge on Razael if she cannot protect the eggs.
  • Bandits are disguised drow agents.
  • Eggs can be used to hatch drakes loyal to the party.

DM Notes

Terrain is treacherous; use climbing checks.

Side Quests in The Obsidian Court

A Token of Faith

Given by: Matron Velyria Xune

Velyria tasks the party with retrieving her mother’s consecrated spider-sigil chalice from a decaying temple above the Bazaar. She promises pardon for past offenses—but her real goal is to lure the party into a trap to test their loyalty.

Goals

• Infiltrate the aboveground shrine • Steal the chalice without being detected • Return it to Velyria alive

Reward

  • Noble status within the Umbral Drow
  • Black spider-silk armor

Secrets

  • The chalice is cursed and will bind the bearer’s soul.
  • Velyria plans to sacrifice the party publicly.

DM Notes

Incorporate social deception and stealth.

Echoes of the Matriarch

Given by: Talshara Deepgleam

Talshara bribes the party to bring her the journals of the first matriarch from the alcove in the Vault. She claims she’ll use them to research a cure for a blood plague—when in fact she wants to harness the curse for herself.

Goals

• Access the hidden alcove • Avoid or defeat the Vault guardians • Smuggle out the journals

Reward

  • Tome of Shadowed Vitae (rare ritual book)
  • 2d4 vials of alchemist’s blood

Secrets

  • Talshara’s “cure” is her own twisted plague.
  • The journals contain a ritual that binds spirits to mortal flesh.

DM Notes

Test player loyalties; offer partial truths.

Encounters

Canal Ambush

Medium

Suggested Level: 3–5

Ambushed by masked skulkers while crossing the Shadowline Canal at night.

Creatures

  • 4 Skulkers
  • 2 Swarm of Rats

Terrain Features

  • Narrow canal walkway at water’s edge
  • Submerged platforms cause uneven footing

Treasure

50 gp, a coded ledger page

DM Notes

Skulkers use hit-and-run tactics; map tight for stealth advantage.

Forgeside Riot

Hard

Suggested Level: 5–7

Ember Forgers and Skaven mutineers clash in the Gutterforge, with molten metal hazards.

Creatures

  • 6 Skaven Warriors
  • 3 Ember Forger Retainers
  • 1 Fire Elemental

Terrain Features

  • Flowing lava channels
  • Collapsible platforms

Treasure

Masterwork tool, emberstone worth 200 gp

DM Notes

Use environmental damage; encourage creative use of lava flow.

Webbed Hallway

Medium

Suggested Level: 4–6

Psychic webs block pursuit, patrolled by spider cult acolytes in the Screaming Widow Shrine.

Creatures

  • 3 Spider Cult Acolytes
  • 2 Phase Spiders

Terrain Features

  • Psychic web blocking corridor
  • Flickering torchlight

Treasure

Cult robes, 100 gp

DM Notes

Webs impose disadvantage on checks; show horror tone.

Shadow Guardian Gauntlet

Deadly

Suggested Level: 7–9

Shadow constructs emerge from wall cracks in the Obsidian Vault.

Creatures

  • 4 Shadow Guardians

Terrain Features

  • Obsidian hallway with rune-carved panels
  • Occult traps releasing necrotic bursts

Treasure

Crown of Umbral Night (quest item)

DM Notes

High stakes; pacing crucial to avoid player overwhelm.

Spider-Webbed Council

Hard

Suggested Level: 6–8

Assassins infiltrate the Iron Spire Council meeting.

Creatures

  • 4 Drow Shadow Assassins
  • 2 Giant Spiders

Terrain Features

  • Council chamber with balconies
  • Hanging webs that give partial cover

Treasure

Councilor’s signet ring, 300 gp

DM Notes

Blend social and combat; use ambush from above.

Magic Items

Crown of Umbral Night

Legendary
A black metal circlet that summons living shadows to obey its wearer.

Location

Vault of Umbral Night

Attunement

True—requires Will save to avoid being consumed by darkness

Deck of Illustrious Fates

Very Rare
A deck of magical playing cards that can rewrite minor events.

Location

Reward from ‘Dancing with Shadows’ quest

Attunement

False

Dragonshard Pendant

Rare
A dragonbone fragment that grants +1 to Arcana checks and resistance to fire.

Location

Reward from ‘Children of the Egg’

Attunement

True—attuned to draconic bloodline

Spider-Silk Armor

Rare
A lightweight studded leather woven from enchanted spider-silk grants advantage on Stealth.

Location

Umbral Auction House

Attunement

False

Tome of Shadowed Vitae

Very Rare
A ritual book detailing the blood-plague ritual, enabling healing at a cost.

Location

Reward from Talshara Deepgleam quest

Attunement

True—requires proficiency in Arcana

Deck of Marked Cards

Uncommon
Halfling-crafted cards that allow one re-roll of a Deception check per day.

Location

Porra Silkstep’s gambling den

Attunement

False

Obsidian Dagger of Silence

Very Rare
A dagger that silences its victim on a critical hit for one round.

Location

Gutterforge secret mold

Attunement

True—requires one hour of stealth vigil

Lantern of Echoed Truth

Rare
Illuminates illusions and reveals invisible creatures within 30 ft.

Location

Hidden vault in Veil of Whispers

Attunement

False

Marwyn’s Ledger Page

Uncommon
A single page that, when read, grants vision of any secret meeting within the Bazaar once per day.

Location

Canal Ambush treasure

Attunement

False

Ring of the Rat King

Very Rare
Grants ability to telepathically command up to 10 rats or ratfolk.

Location

Rat King’s Den

Attunement

True—must serve the Rat King for seven days

Player Characters

You need to register to create and view player characters in this campaign.

Register Now
Login to start your adventure