2. The Abandoned Outpost
There are 9 rooms in this dungeon. It is infested with the undead, but also occupied by the Forsworn. Saga and Gilderoy are hiding inside. The Forsworn are actually looking for them, but it looks like they’re guarding them.
The “dungeon” is a long-abandoned Dwarven outpost. One of the earliest ones built by the Khuz of Derthum. Such outposts were very common in the early days of Dwarven exploration, as they ventured out of their mountains into the coasts of the Aldenaan Sea. This particular one was used by the first settlers of Port Gardan a few centuries ago. An important part of every Dwarven outpost is the Archive, where they keep track of everything that has ever happened at and around that particular outpost.
Outside the dungeon, there are 3 mercenaries, seemingly just waiting.
A – Entrance Hall
The entrance hall is empty. On the walls are old banners, belonging to the ancient Khuz Khanate. The room’s ceiling is held in place by four columns, all decorated ornately. The runes of the Khuz are carved in some of the decorations, asking for the blessing of the Kurt, the Dwarven wolfgod. A door to your right leads to a corridor.
B – Guard Post
The corridor leads to a rather small room, with a broken desk and a chair. It used to be that a guard was positioned here at all times, taking note of all who entered or left the place. If you search around you can find what seems to be a fountain pen. It could fetch a pretty penny. There are signs that a group of people recently passed by. If you listen carefully, you can hear some noises coming from the main hall.
C – Main Hall
There is another door to your left in the corridor leading up to the main hall. It’s currently locked and will need the key from the barracks to be unlocked.
This is a rather large hall. At one point, this would be where most people hung out as they visited the outpost. On your right is a bar with a few seats. It’s all run down right now. You see some bottles, but most of them are either empty or completely broken. To your right and across from you on the other wall are doors, leading to some places.
More importantly, perhaps, there are 5 mercenaries inside this room. one is a female human wielding a shield and a mac, one is a female human wielding a large axe, one is a male dwarf wielding two daggers, 1 is a male elf wielding a staff, and the last 1 is a female halfling wielding a crossbow.
[The leader of this particular group of mercs is a hulking male human named Ladash. Ladash is a barbarian. Ladash holds the key. Ladash may come down from the Barracks depending on luck, DM’s mood, and how much of a commotion is being caused.]
D – Barracks
There are four bunkbeds at the Barracks. They’ve been recently used, as evidenced by the mercs at the Main Hall. Ladash is currently there, fiddling with his bone dice. If Ladash hears a commotion in the Main Hall, he will rush into there and attack whomever is closest to the door. He will drop his bone dice on the floor.
Otherwise he’ll be very angry. Ladash doesn’t talk very much. He will be aggressive, regardless of how the group deals with the mercs in the Main Hall.
Ladash is a hulking male human barbarian. His face is painted white, with red marks adorning his scalp. He wears a leather vest and you can see that his arms are covered in scars. He wields an impossibly large axe.
Ladash has the key to the Archive and the Vault on a key ring that hangs from his belt. In addition, Ladash also has a letter in his possession. It reads:
Your sacrifice will be remembered. When It awakens, we shall all be one under Its gaze. Steel breaks, flesh is mortal. Light fades, darkness eternal!
E – Archive
A very long corridor ties the corridor from the Guard Post to the Main Hall to the Archive. The Archive is massive and is filled with rows of bookshelves. The walls themselves seem to be covered in books. Thousands of volumes of knowledge, both arcane and civil.
There’s a nothic named Gral’thaxat at the Archive. [Saga was able to pass unharmed from here. She knew the nothic was here, so she was able to repel it using her holy magic.] This nothic is particularly protective of the Archive and might attack. However, it’s curiosity might get the better of it and it might attempt to talk to the party. It speaks in short sentences, and refers to everything as “It.” It never refers to itself.
If defeated, the party can loot the Eye of the Nothic, which turns into a gem. This gem can be used to magnify the magic of any talented mage.
F – Head Archivist’s Office
The corridor to the Head Archivist’s Office has two doors. One is locked.
Dwarven head archivists never abandon their posts, under no circumstance. As such, they often end up passing away at the places they are posted. The remains of this outpost’s head archivist sits at its desk, as if he lay down his head to sleep just for a brief second, but never woke up.
The office itself is decorated very tastefully. A painting of the Derthum Mountains hangs behind the Dwarf’s desk. On the wall across the desk is a wolf’s head, carved into the stone. A globe is on the left side of the desk. The key to the vault entrance is inside the globe. [People might notice something is up at this point. How did the sword thieves lock themselves in and then put the key in the globe? They didn’t, they were locked in there by someone else.]
G – Vault Entrance
An ancient Dwarven golem protects the vault. It’s power core is the key to the vault behind. A metal door is behind the golem, a socket is in the middle of three concentric circles, each adorned with Dwarven runes.
H – Vault
Saga and Gilderoy are hiding here. When she first arrived in this region, she left some of her most valuable items here. These are: her Libram of the Dawnwardens and her Blessed Longsword. Once they entered the vault, however, someone locked them in. Now they’re trapped.
There are still some valuable items left in the vault, but none of it is gold coins. Old icons, charts, maps, bound tomes etc. You’d be able to cash these stuff in, or keep them yourselves.
Saga explains everything. This is real Saga. Real Saga is actually a very nice person, but is very depressed right now. Real Gilderoy is very scared, he doesn’t speak much, he’s very grim.
I – Hidden Armory
A secret door in the Main Hall leads to a Hidden Armory, full of old, but very valuable Dwarven weapons and armor.
A runic sword (Weapon +2)
Adamantine Armor (In dire need of repair. If you can get this repaired, it would be VERY useful.)
Bracers of Archery
A small pouch of Dust of Disappearance
Gloves of Thievery
Boomerang +2
