Fantastic Locations: Dragondown Grotto
Encyclopedia
Fantastic Locations: Dragondown Grotto is a generic setting adventure module
for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game. The adventure is designed for 10th level characters
. It contains a 16 page adventure as well as two poster sized double-sided maps for use in miniatures
play.
. The adventure is broken into four chapters designed to make use of the four poster sized maps included with the product and features many antagonists drawn from the War of the Dragon Queen miniatures set.
The adventure concerns the recovery of two magical dragon eggs which, when hatched, produce Aspects of the fictional Dragon gods Bahamut
and Tiamat
. These are to be used to prevent the wizard Targan Klem from resurrecting a fallen Dracolich
.
allies who have retaken the complex in order to restore it to its original purpose as a temple to the evil dragon-god Tiamat. After overcoming the occupation force of monsters, the players may either fight Meepo and two of his young dragon charges, or they may elect to negotiate with him--leading them to discover the dark nature of Targan Klem (who they may or may not be working for) who intends to sacrifice the unborn dragons within the eggs as a sacrifice to appease the resurrected dracolich he intends to raise. They are informed that two magical eggs may be retrieved to aid in the defeat of the wizard, which when hatched will birth Aspects of the Five-headed evil Tiamat and the benevolent platinum dragon god Bahamut. Though the two dragon-gods hate one another, they will both fight against a threat to dragonkind as that posed by Klem. They are given a map to find the two eggs.
The second chapter, Forest Cliff Lair, begins as the characters follow a nearby stream for a day's travel to make their way to the location of the first egg, the Egg of Bahamut, held in the lair of the female green dragon Sekkatrix. She has enslaved ogres
and basilisks
to defend her lair. They must obtain the egg and move on to the second objective, the Egg of Tiamat.
In chapter three, Dragon Graveyard, the hunt for the Egg of Tiamat takes them to the edge of the forest, where the land flattens into an ashen waste. It is reputed that here a great lord of the dragons once ruled over the entire region. Other dragons have migrated to this place, either to die alongside the revered wyrm or to plunder the graveyard. The egg is located at the center of the waste, on a dais built within the upward jutting ribs of the old dragon king. It is protected by the bound spectres
of those who have before tried to rob the treasure. As well, the area is patrolled by cadaver collectors and dragon skeletons.
Having taken both eggs, the characters proceed to the last chapter, Dragondown Grotto, a grotto formed from a cave collapse where a cabal of wizards hunted down the dracolich centuries ago after having destroyed its phylactery
. Targan Klem and his black dragon cohort Blackbone are in the midst of raising the dracolich, a former blue dragon named Tsaggest Darkweld, when the characters arrive. Blackbone, as well as a group of dragonnes try to keep the adventurers at bay until the spell is finished and the Dracolich is awakened. Klem attempts to continue the ritual until it is absolutely impossible to avoid combat.
.
Adventure (role-playing games)
An adventure is either a published or otherwise written collection of plot, character, and location details used by a gamemaster to manage the plot or story in a role-playing game. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming...
for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
roleplaying game. The adventure is designed for 10th level characters
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
. It contains a 16 page adventure as well as two poster sized double-sided maps for use in miniatures
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
play.
Plot summary
Created as a supplement to the War of the Dragon Queen series of Dungeons and Dragons MiniaturesDungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game
The Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game is a collectible miniatures game played with pre-painted, plastic miniature figures based on characters and monsters from the Dungeons & Dragons game. The figures are 30mm in scale...
. The adventure is broken into four chapters designed to make use of the four poster sized maps included with the product and features many antagonists drawn from the War of the Dragon Queen miniatures set.
The adventure concerns the recovery of two magical dragon eggs which, when hatched, produce Aspects of the fictional Dragon gods Bahamut
Bahamut
Bahamut is a vast fish that supports the earth in Arabian mythology. In some sources, Bahamut is described as having a head resembling a hippopotamus or elephant.-Overview:...
and Tiamat
Tiamat
In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a chaos monster, a primordial goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû to produce younger gods. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is 'creatrix', through a "Sacred marriage" between salt and fresh water,...
. These are to be used to prevent the wizard Targan Klem from resurrecting a fallen Dracolich
Dracolich
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, a dracolich is an undead dragon that possesses certain abilities of a lich.-Publication history:The dracolich was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons...
.
Synopsis
In the first chapter, Spawnscale Nursery, the characters are told of (or discover) an underground complex used to rear abandoned dragon eggs. The self-styled dragonlord Meepo, a kobold fighter has taken charge of the hatchlings, raising them as siblings and has reputedly been selling them as mounts or guardians to various patrons. His dealings have been disrupted by the invasion of a group of hobgoblins and their mercenary blackscale lizardfolkLizardfolk
Lizardfolk are a fictional humanoid species in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
allies who have retaken the complex in order to restore it to its original purpose as a temple to the evil dragon-god Tiamat. After overcoming the occupation force of monsters, the players may either fight Meepo and two of his young dragon charges, or they may elect to negotiate with him--leading them to discover the dark nature of Targan Klem (who they may or may not be working for) who intends to sacrifice the unborn dragons within the eggs as a sacrifice to appease the resurrected dracolich he intends to raise. They are informed that two magical eggs may be retrieved to aid in the defeat of the wizard, which when hatched will birth Aspects of the Five-headed evil Tiamat and the benevolent platinum dragon god Bahamut. Though the two dragon-gods hate one another, they will both fight against a threat to dragonkind as that posed by Klem. They are given a map to find the two eggs.
The second chapter, Forest Cliff Lair, begins as the characters follow a nearby stream for a day's travel to make their way to the location of the first egg, the Egg of Bahamut, held in the lair of the female green dragon Sekkatrix. She has enslaved ogres
Ogre (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, ogres are a lesser race of giants, rather being simply large brutes with clubs. An aquatic subrace of ogres is known as "merrow." D&D ogres are also closely related to the race of ogre magi, a smarter race with blue skin and great magical abilities...
and basilisks
Basilisk (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the basilisk is a reptilian magical beast that turns creatures to stone by meeting their gaze.-Publication history:...
to defend her lair. They must obtain the egg and move on to the second objective, the Egg of Tiamat.
In chapter three, Dragon Graveyard, the hunt for the Egg of Tiamat takes them to the edge of the forest, where the land flattens into an ashen waste. It is reputed that here a great lord of the dragons once ruled over the entire region. Other dragons have migrated to this place, either to die alongside the revered wyrm or to plunder the graveyard. The egg is located at the center of the waste, on a dais built within the upward jutting ribs of the old dragon king. It is protected by the bound spectres
Spectre (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the spectre is an undead creature.-Dungeons & Dragons :The spectre was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set...
of those who have before tried to rob the treasure. As well, the area is patrolled by cadaver collectors and dragon skeletons.
Having taken both eggs, the characters proceed to the last chapter, Dragondown Grotto, a grotto formed from a cave collapse where a cabal of wizards hunted down the dracolich centuries ago after having destroyed its phylactery
Phylactery
Phylactery may refer to:* An amulet or charm.* English name for Tefillin, a pair of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers....
. Targan Klem and his black dragon cohort Blackbone are in the midst of raising the dracolich, a former blue dragon named Tsaggest Darkweld, when the characters arrive. Blackbone, as well as a group of dragonnes try to keep the adventurers at bay until the spell is finished and the Dracolich is awakened. Klem attempts to continue the ritual until it is absolutely impossible to avoid combat.
Aftermath
Targan Klem will attempt to teleport away if he is sufficiently injured or if his dragon companion is killed. Blackbone will leave if Klem is killed. If either of these is the case they will plot revenge on the party. If Darkweld is raised it will leave to build a new phylactery for itself, and then returns from the southern deserts with an army of minions to devastate the region where his enemies once lived. Meepo, if befriended, might return with his draconic wards to help the PCs in the future.Publication history
This adventure was written by Ed Stark was published in 2007 by Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
.