Which way to go? Expand this and talk about the direction your champaign is going.

See page
17-18 of Out of the Abyss.

Subterranean rivers, Fungus Fields, Deep gorges, Underground Cities, Yawning Chasms,
Caverns, caves, tunnels, pools of lava, lakes, stalagmites & stalactites and underground rivers.

Some glowing mushrooms in the distance show the beginning of an underground forest of big
fungi closely resembling wood, some moss and lichen grows across the sharp rocks, strange
sugarcane like plants with purple fruit and vines. The sound of crawling insects and water
dripping break the silence.
on you for miles and miles with no seeming end. It raises the hair on the back of your neck,
forcing you to be hyper aware, to hold your breath-- worried of the creatures creeping that call
this emptiness home.
Salvatore's description in Starless Night: “There are no shadows in the Underdark. There is no
room for imagination in the Underdark. It is a place for alertness, but not aliveness, a place with
no room for hopes and dreams."
put a lot of emphasis on sounds and smells, as you can't see anything. Even with darkvision,
sight is not that helpful. Textures, sounds, smells. Occasionally my PCs see things in a different
light as they walk through glowing mushrooms, or come across an acid pit, or a lava lake. They
come and go through large expanses, as well as tight tunnels. The underdark has a constant
threat of the unseen, the unheard. You cannot survive the underdark at low levels, so only the
bravest or the most curious enter this space.
The caverns that I like to build are usually pretty large. I envision them as a sort of underground
"sponge" with all the holes connected by tunnels. This is actually a real type of cave. They are
called "spongework". This means that there are tunnels that go up and tunnels that go down.
Some go straight up, and some go straight down. They twist, they turn, and they change
direction and altitude at a whim. They get narrower, wider, hotter and colder by turns. A trip
through a cavern is an exercise in patience, as there should be many, many dead ends and
places that you simply cannot get through because the opening is too small. Sometimes you
can strip your armor or leave your possessions behind to get through these cracks, and I have
had to do so more times than I can count.

Madness Pg 22

Writers Notes: Hopefully you made the smart decision to eliminate some of the PCs from this
story. If you did not, I would recommend no more than a total of ten in the party, to include PCs.
That being said if you’re like me and you went ahead and ran all ten NPCs this chapter is a
good way to pair your NPCs down to a more manageable level.
I have included in this manuscript encounters from other authors. You will need to
purchase their products to use those encounters. I thought they were well written so I included
their use. If you don’t wish to purchase those products feel free to write your own encounters
into those days. I did include the “Hook Horror Hunt” or “The Lost Tomb” from “Out of the
Abyss,” so feel free to substitute those. That being said I plan to use the “The Lost Tomb” after
Gracklstugh because I feel that it fits into the story well.

JTtCotU = Journey through the Center of the Underdark [DMs Guild]

OotA = Out of the Abyss
UST = Underdark Side Treks [DMs Guild])

Day 1: JTtCotU: “The darkness. It is everywhere. It is everything. It is overwhelming. It is never

ending. But the overwhelming darkness isn't alone. It has a companion. An insidious, ever
present accomplice. Unnerving, unending, deafening silence. You've been on the move for an
endless night. Through narrow tunnels and wide passages, across large open cathedrals and
through winding stalagmite mazes, and the one constant is the infinite silent dark. Perhaps you
can see, with torches, with lanterns, with dark vision. Perhaps, if you're lucky, your vision
extends as far as 120 feet in front of you. That's a meager 40 yards, at best, of gray and dreary
visibility beyond which is inky black. Occasionally the darkness is broken by clinging
phosphorescent fungi, or a crawling luminescent creature, and from out of the silence echo
sounds of dripping water or scurrying unseen beasts. However, that serves only as a mocking
tease - for once past that glimpse of light, the endless darkness consumes, the endless silence
engulfs, again”. Running away (probably fast travel): No encounter, decent terrain, +0 pursuit
level today. Have the players make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw vs 1 lvl Exhaustion for
lack of water when camp. (Unless they brought some with them). [Dark, No Water, No Fauna]
(No Foraging success today)

Day 2: “The glowing cave stretches out away from you, at first it’s a small cavern no more than
10ft wide and 10ft tall, that glows with its own earie light. It’s filled with clusters of crystals but
you can’t tell if the light is coming from the crystals or reflecting off of them. The light seems to
distresses Shuushar. You walk for a short time in this smaller space, but then it opens up into a
series of expansive caverns, the floor is rough with jumbled stones and crystals. The caves
stretch for miles. As you traverse the caverns, Prince Derendil speaks of his great elven
kingdom of Nelrindenvane in the High Forest. He speaks of how his crown was taken from him
by the evil wizard Terrestor, who trapped him in your current form and exiled him from his
people. He speaks of his father the great even king who was famous for his generosity and his
great curly mustache. He speaks of his two brothers and how he was the oldest. His youngest
brother was well on his way to being a noble knight some day and his middle brother was a
great scholar who was starting to expand the kingdoms library” Late in the day, as the Party is
reaching the far side of a particularly large cavern (rear PC) notices movement far across the
cave. As he/she stops to look, they realize that it is a pair of Drow following them. Depending
on what the PCs decide either have this a chase, a running fight or a full encounter. If the PCs
stop to fight, add 2 Drow in round 3, 2 Quiggoth in round 6, and the drow Priestess (Asha
Vandree) with 2 more Quiggoth in round 9. The PCs should run, if it seems better some of the
NPCs could be recaptured at this time. “You facing 5 separate tunnels leading off of this
cavern.” “You pick your tunnel and dash down it, after many twists and turns you find an
underground stream which you wade into hoping avoid pursuit. A while you emerge from the
stream, cold and wet and keep running. After what seems like hours you believe you have
finally evaded pursuit.” After they get away allow them to find a camp. Rough terrain, +1
pursuit level, the Drow catch up today, and this is the first inkling of pursuit. [Faerzress, Water,
Trillimac, Torchstalk] (DC 15 Forage)

Day 3: “Today is filled with dark winding tunnels. There are many elevation changes, and the
tunnels twist and turn back and forth like some deranged snake, but thankfully the ground it’s
fairly even. The silence is deafening and you can hear every scuff of your boots on the rock.
It’s dry, so dry, you didn’t realize until now that the underdark was filled with the perpetual drip
of water, but today that noise is gone. You can tell Stool is scared because he clings to (his
favorite PC). After what seem miles of endless tunnels you finally find a suitable place to make
camp.” Smooth terrain, -1 pursuit level. After the party makes camp, an Ochre Jelly (MM pg
243) attacks. [Dark, No water, Ripplebark, Barrlestalk] (DC 15 Forage)

Day 4: “It’s dark today. But unlike yesterday, today is dominated by vast cavers and the
constant sound of dripping water. The caverns are filled with a forest, but not one of trees. This
forest is made up of stone spikes and vast columns. This is a land dominated by dripping water
filled with minerals creating thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. Some are so large that
they have connected into pillars and columns. Some are so tiny that they break off under your
feet. After a long, but mile eating trek, you find a suitable place to make your camp for the
evening.” “Jimjar bets (a PC) that he can find more food today than you. He offers 2 lbs. of food
and 2 gallons of water as a bet.” (+5 to Survival checks to forage for water. Water is easy to
find, water with few enough minerals to actually drink is a little bit harder). Terrain is passable
and the party makes acceptable time, +0 pursuit level. No encounter today. [Dark, Water,
Bluecap, Trillmac] (DC 15 Forage for food, DC 10 for water)

Day 5: Named Encounter: The Gorge of The Drow (JTtCotU pg 3) Use the initial 4 Drow and
then add 2-4 Quaggoth and maybe add Asha Vandree or a Drow Elite warrior. Allow the PCs
top escape. [Dark, no food, no water (see encounter]

Day 6: “Today the tunnels you are traveling through get narrower and narrower, until the tunnel
you are in becomes so narrow that the group must travel single file. The walls are lined with a
bioluminescent moss. (Ormu) that sheds dim green light. It’s warm and damp here with the
occasional stray burst of steam. Ront can't stand the close quarters and begins berating (the
group leader) for bringing them this way. You make it through the day without getting stuck and
find a suitable place to camp.” (DC 10 Acrobatics or take 1D4 steam damage today) “During
the night, (a PC) wakes up to the sound of Topsy and Turvy nervously whispering to each
other.” Smooth terrain today, -1 pursuit level. [Light, no water, Orum, Fire Lichen] (DC 25?
Forage check reveals 1 Barrelstalk). Topsy and Turvy sneak away in the night.

Day 7-8: Named Encounter: The Silken Paths (OotA pg 3). Like a lot of things in this book the
calculations are not well thought out. The book says you should roll 52 times (5 Miles worth of
chasm, roll every 500 feet). I think this is far too many, personally I rolled up some choice
encounters to happen over the course of the 2 days they will take to traverse the chasm. Keep
in mind The Silken Paths are a network of spider webs crisscrossing a 500-foot-deep. 2,000-
foot-wide chasm that stretches for nearly five miles.
“After climbing through tunnels, and caves that were mostly empty and flat you come upon a
strange and aw inspiring site. Stretching before you into the darkness is a great gash in the
earth. This chasm stretches as far as you can see with even your companion’s dark vision.
The strangest thing about it is not its size but its vast network of spider webs that stretch off into
the dark. Some of the strands of webbing are so wide that 3 people could easily walk side by
side on them, where others are no thinker than your wrist. As you explore the cavern you
realize that the chasm is at least 2000 feet wide and there is no way across except for the
network of webs. None of them are strait, all of them are at some sort of angle. Some are at a
lazy angle and others are at steep angle that you couldn’t walk on them if you tried.”

The major strands of the webs are traversable but. due to the fact that old webs disintegrate
over time and the giant spiders inhabiting the chasm arc constantly spinning new ones. the
Silken Paths are ever-changing. The chasm has numerous passages at varying heights leading
away from it. It is rare for a web strand to connect one opening with another on the same
''level.'' Characters navigating the Silken Paths need to follow sloping strands as well as climb
and cross over several strands to reach their intended destination. This is quite hazardous. but
there simply isn't any easy way around the chasm. The characters can easily get lost in the
mass of strands stretching across the chasm unless they have help.

1. Guides: Goblin webrunners Yuk Yuk and Spiderbait offer to be guides for 2 gp.
2. Large Arachnids: Giant spiders messing with a cocoon that has a still-living halfling named
Fargas Rumblefoot trapped inside.
3. Spectator: They meet a spectator who warns the group that 'demons are rising in the dark'.
4. Loot Surprise: There's a chest stuck in the webbing! It turns out to be a mimic. During the
battle, a web strand breaks under a hero's feet. DC 15 DEX save fail = fall d10 x 10 feet and
feet entangled in webs and restrained.

As characters traverse the Silken Paths, keep in mind the following features.
Difficult Terrain: Any creature with a climbing speed can walk along the webs at that speed.
For all other creatures, the webs are difficult terrain. Any creature that falls can potentially
become entangled in the webs (see "Falling"). Falling: Whenever a creature takes damage
while traversing the Silken Paths, or whenever the webs upon which it is walking break, the
creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature
manages to avoid a fall by grabbing nearby web strands. On a failure, the creature falls 1d10 x
10 feet. If the distance fallen is less than the distance to the chasm floor, the creature becomes
entangled in webs and restrained; otherwise, it hits the floor and takes damage from the fall as
normal. A restrained creature can make a DC 12 Strength saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, freeing itself and ending the restrained condition on a success. Another creature can use
its action to help a restrained creature within its reach, granting advantage on that creature's
next saving throw to end the effect. Light: The chasm is dark. Carrying a light source attracts
hostile creatures, increasing the chance of an encounter to 1-3 on a d6. Fire: Webs burn away
when exposed to any attack or effect that deals fire damage. This causes several strands to
break, and all creatures within 30 feet of the affected area must make a saving throw to avoid
falling (see "Falling").

Day 9: Shuushar speaks of pacifism and enlightenment. He rambles on a bit about

Sloobludop and someone named "Plooploopleen" (the archpriest the heroes are likely to meet
in chapter 3). The group travels on a ledge. On one side, it drops off into a void. Buppido
becomes sweaty. If he can get an NPC away from the group, he will try to shove them over the
side and claim it was an accident. Dim Light fungus, Water, Nilhogg’s Nose

Day 10: Drow Caravan (Journey through the Center of the Underdark pg 11 [DMs Guild]) Water,
Fire Lichen, Nilhogg’s Nose

Day 11: Rockfall: Toward the end of the day, there's a rockfall. DC 12 DEX save, 10 damage on
a fail. Those who are buried take d6 per turn until they are dug out. A carrion crawler or two
attacks, attracted by the commotion. Dark, No water, Bluecap, Fire Lichen

Day 12: Named Encounter: Lost Tomb of Khaem (OotA pg 37). Jump this to Day 14 if Fargas
Rumblefoot is not found in the Silken paths.

Day 13: Named Encounter: Madness, Mushrooms and Muck (JTtCotU pg 5)

Day 14: The path opens into a large cavern with massive stalactites. The area is dotted with
timmasks (page 23). They find an uprooted timmask and a dead bandit neat it. He was stabbed
to death (uprooting the mushroom created a cloud which put the bandit under a confusion spell.
He attacked his fellow bandits and was slain). Ambush: While the group is camped for the
night, 4 bandits and their leader attack. They are also surface dwellers who are now lost in The
Underdark, trying to find Blingdenstone - they heard there's an exit there. The leader has 70 gp
in gems and is touched by madness

Day 15:
Day 16:
Day 17:Named Encounter: Orogs vs Ettins (JTtCotU pg 7)
Day 18: Mad Stone Giant, Thinks he’s a psychologist. And needs to cure everyone
Day 19: Named Encounter: Grell Alley (JTtCotU pg 12)
Day 20: Named Encounter: Xorn’s Madness (UST pg 4)
Day 21: Dim light, No water, no fungus,
Day 22:Dark, no water, Barrelstalk, Torchstalk, Creature+Terrain, Resting, 50 ft Clif and ladder,
16 Giant Fire Beatles
Day 23: Farsness, water, Fire lichen, creature and terrain, resting, sinkhole, 2 shield Dwarf
commoner slaves. Dreams makes everyone roll DC 11 Wisdom vs madness.
Day 24: Named Encounter: The Oosing Temple (OotA pg 34)
Day 25:
Day 26: Named Encounter: Duergar Outpost (UST pg 5)
Day 27:
Day 28:
To build a day :
1. Roll a D6 for light that day: (1-2) = Dim Light fungus, (3-4) = Faerzress, (5-6) = Dark
1. Roll a D6 for water that day: (1-3) = No water (4-6) = Water
3. Roll to see what type of Fauna is in the area on a successful foraging roll. Match this up with
the material on page 22-23.

Roll a d10: Roll a d20 x2:

1. Barrelstalk 1. Barrelstalk
2. Bluecap 2. None
3. Fire Lichen 3. Bluecap
4. None 4. Fire Lichen
5. Ripplebark 5. None
6. Trillimac 6. Ripplebark
7. Waterorb 7. Trillimac
8. None 8. None
9. Zurkhwood 9. Waterorb
10. Exotic Fungi (Roll D6 on table 10. None
below) 11. Zurkhwood
1. Nightlight 12. Nightlight
2. Nilhogg’s Nose 13. Nilhogg’s Nose
3. Ormu 14. None
4. Timmask 15. Ormu
5. Tongue of Madness 16. Timmask
6. Tourchstalk 17. None
18. Tongue of Madness
Or 19. None
20. Tourchstalk

4. Roll for random encounter (OotA page 25). Change to Terrain (11-13) Creature (14-16)
Creature+Terrain (17-20)
5. Roll a D6 to see if it’s a moving or resting encounter. (1-3) = Moving (4-6) = Resting

Daily Outline:
a. Roll to see if the group gets lost. (DC 10 Survival, fail = +1 Pursuit level)
b. Deal with encounter (if moving encounter)
c. Did anything happen that would cause the drow to catch up? (Drow Scout encounter,
progress each time)
d. Make Camp.
e. Make foraging rolls.
f. Starving?

Foraging: This is on page 111 of the DMG. The party can forage while traveling at a normal
pace. A foraging character makes a Wisdom (Survival) check. The DC is typically 15, but might
be as high as 20 in some parts of the Underdark. On a successful check, roll ld6 + the
character's Wisdom modifier to determine how much food in pounds) the character finds, then
repeat the roll for water (in gallons).

Food and Water needs (DMG Pg 111):

Small: 1 lb. food, 1 gal Water
Medium: 1 lb. food, 1 gal Water
Large: 4 lb. food, 4 gal Water
Food: A character can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + his or her Constitution
modifier (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically suffers
one level of exhaustion.

Water: A character who drinks only half the water they require must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. A character
with access to even less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the
day.

Drow Pursuit:
It begin at 4. If the pursuit level reaches 5, the drow forward scouts catch up to them.
The drow leaders arrive 1D6+6 rounds later.
If thepursuit level drops to 0, the party has eluded the drow until circumstances bring both
factions into contact again (sec "Eluding Pursuit").
Characters can increase or decrease the pursuit levels in the following ways:
 Decrease the pursuit level by 1 for each day the party travels at a fast pace.
 Decrease the pursuit level by 1 if a character spends time covering up the party's trail
that day, requiring a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Survival) check.
 Decrease the pursuit level by 1 each time the characters cross or travers some feature
that obscures their trail such as a subterranean river.
 Decrease the pursuit level by 1 if the party splits into two or more groups. Each group
becomes a separate party for purposes of determining random encounters and whether
or not the group becomes lost.
 Increase the pursuit level by 1 each time the party has a random encounter with one or
more creatures, unless the encounter is bypassed or avoided entirely.
 Increase the pursuit level by 1 for each day the adventurers travel at a slow pace.
 Certain terrain encounters increase or decrease the pursuit level. See the individual
descriptions in the '"Random Encounters” section.

During the chase, a participant can freely use the Dash action a number of times equal to 3 + its
Constitution modifier. Each additional Dash action it takes during the chase requires the
creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution check at the end of its turn or gain one level of
exhaustion. A participant drops out of the chase if its exhaustion reaches level 5, since its
speed becomes 0. A creature can remove the levels of exhaustion it gained during the chase
by finishing a short or long rest.

Escape Factors:
 Quarry has many things to hide behind = Advantage
 Quarry has few things to hide behind = Disadvantage
 The lead pursuer is a ranger or has proficiency in Survival = Disadvantage

Underdark pace: Fast: 8 miles per day -5 penaty to Pasive Perception, no foraging. Normal: 6
miles per day. Slow 4 miles per day (stealth)

(Above ground) 8 miles per day over easy terrain, 4 miles per day over rough terrain. Climbing
half speed, climbing difficult 1/3rd speed.
If you know the region of the underdark a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check will allow you to
successfully navigate. +5 Slow pace, -5 Fast pace

A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Con modifier (min 30
sec). When a creature runs out of breath, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its
Constitution modifier (min of 1 round) start of next turn, drop to 0 hp and is dying.

A foraging character makes a Wisdom (Survival) check. The DC is typically 15, but might be as
high as 20 in some parts of the Underdark.

Can kill creatures for meat. Eating spoiled meat might require a Constitution saving throw to
keep the meal down or a Wisdom saving throw to avoid acquiring a level of madness from the
awful experience, or both. Creature Size: Tiny 1 lb., Small 4lb., Medium: 16lb., Large: 32 lb.

 Areas suffused with faerzress are always filled with dim light.
 A creature in an area suffused with faerzress has advantage on saving throws against
any divination spells. If a divination spell doesn't allow a saving throw, the caster must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw to cast the spell. Failing the save means
the spell is wasted and has no effect.
 Any creature attempting to teleport into, within or out of a faerzress-suffused area must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes
1D10 force damage and the teleportation attempt fails. Even if the save succeeds the
teleportation attempt can suffer a mishap as if the destination was known only by
description, regardless of how familiar the destination actually is. See the table in the
teleport spell for more information.
Areas suffused with faerzress have become tainted by the chaos of the demon lords.
When a spell is cast in a faerzress suffused area, the caster rolls a d20. On a roll of 1
the spell has an additional effect, determined by rolling on the Wild Magic Surge table in
chapter 3, “classes” of the PHB.

Stool Bonding: The group finds some

Tongues of Madness (page 23) growing on a wall.

Day 5:
Sloping Tunnel: The tunnel the heroes are in clearly slopes downward, causing great dismay.
The tunnel is lined with patches of Nilhogg's nose (page 23).

11
You're meant to drop these in whenever you feel like running them. The Silken Path is really
great. The
Hook Horror dungeon is not much, but it has some great rules on raising hook horrors.
The Oozing Temple: This place is beyond awesome. You must use it.
The Lost Tomb of Khaem: This dungeon is OK. I think some players will completely steer clear
of the
hook. 90% of the time in D&D, when a voice calls out for aid, it's a trap. This is a higher level
dungeon,
so I would wait a while to use it.
In the back of the book, there are details on this sword called Dawnbringer (page 222). I had a
hard time finding where it was in the adventure. It's on page 38, in a sarcophagus in the Lost
Tomb of Khaem. If you decide not to run this tomb, you should place this sword somewhere
else. I think that
the authors were pretty stingy with treasure in this adventure, though some people disagree with
me
on that.
Keep Teleportation Circles in Mind: I'm going to mention this again further along, but I think you
should strongly consider the concept of the group finding a teleportation circle in each
settlement. A
wizard/bard/sorcerer can study it for a minute and memorize the sequence (see the
teleportation
circle spell in the PH, page 282).
In this adventure there is an excessive amount of walking for miles and miles and it is bound to
become tedious, especially if all of the different daily checks bog you down. Prepare in advance
so that
once your group hits level 9, they can start teleporting around a bit.