```col-mdflexGrow=2.5===# Outline# Notes Deep under the caves of Erdea Manor lie the secret catacombs and deeper recesses of the clan's estates as well as the lair of the most powerful remaining elder of their line.## Wandering Monsters 1 in 8 chance, check each turn and roll 2d3 for type vs. table at right.# Level 4 Key ## 78. The Mists The bottom of the rough stairs leading down into this natural cave are hidden in the dark mists that fill the room and seep into [Area 79](#79) and [Area 80.](#80) The mists are an unnatural black in colour and are magical in nature - even if dispersed by wind or magic they will return within a turn. Anyone entering the mists for the first time that day must make a <u>CON saving throw (DC 10) or suffer a -2 penalty on attacks, saving throws and damage rolls for the rest of the day</u>. They will also have the feeling that proceeding beyond will make these penalties worse (although the penalties will actually remain the same). <u>NPCs and monsters attempting to traverse the mists</u> who fail their save must also make a Morale check or retreat from them.## 79. Spiders in the Mist The mists from [Area 78](78) creep along the floor of this room to a height of 2 feet. Hiding within the mists are ==3 Mist Widows== (a magical variant of the giant black widow spider) which appear to be undead skeletal spiders to first appearances. They have covered the floor of the main area of this room with their webs, and <u>anyone entering that area without first probing ahead will be trapped within their webs</u>. Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn must make a DEX saving throw (DC 12). On a failed save, the creature is restrained as long as it remains in the webs or until it breaks free.A creature restrained by the webs can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. If it succeeds, it is no longer restrained.## 80. Mausoleum Door This chamber prevents entry into the secret crypts of the Erde clan. The dark mists of [Area 78.](78) roll down the stairs to this area and covers the floor to a depth of roughly 18 inches (slightly deeper closer to the stairs, thinner by the egress to [Area 82.](82)). Unlike the rough natural caves around it, the south end of this chamber is finished in smooth high-quality masonry, as is the floor and ceiling. The doors to the crypt are massive stone doors, each 14 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Three pale white stone pillars stand out in stark contrast to their surroundings, reaching from floor to ceiling. The <u>doors are secured by an *Arcane Lock* </u>. Other than using a *Knock* spell, attempting to open the massive portals will create a loud magical din that attracts an automatic wandering monster roll.## 81. Secret Crypts The major room is the family tomb and mausoleum for the elders of the Erde clan, with two connected passages of crypts leading off to the east and west. A ==pair of rock living statues== , that look like representations of clan warriors guards the chamber against interlopers. There are a total of 12 crypts off the sides of this chamber which contain:| # | Description ||:-:|---|| a) | A plain wooden coffin with the poorly preserved corpse of Hevroth Erde IV, strapped into his coffin by metal bands. ==He is a wight== but remains still until someone comes within easy reach. || b) | A dark oak casket holding a pair of wooden logs. || c) | A rusted and locked iron casket with a plaque dedicated to Gersidi Erde, Queen of the Rats. Within the casket are ==40 skeletal rats== . <br>When attacking they are treated as four groups of ten rats each but each rat has only 1 hit point, making the rats hard to disrupt effectively. When there are only 30 rats left, break them into 3 groups, and into 2 groups for 20 rats, 1 group at 10 rats or less, and they are rendered ineffective in combat when reduced to fewer than 5 rats. <br>The rats carry a wasting disease - those injured must make a <u>DC 12 CON save become devastatingly ill</u>, losing 1d6 Strength and Constitution every day for 1d6 days. If either stat is reduced to zero or below, the victim dies and reanimates as a wight. <br>At the bottom of the casket is the gnawed skeleton of Gersidi, wearing a magical steel medallion that protects the wearer from attacks by rats and giant rats (the rat must make a Morale check in order to attack, and suffers a -4 to hit if can attack at all). || d) | Walnut casket containing a skeleton in rotten finery || e) | A wooden coffin with peeling black paint, nailed shut. Within is a weathered corpse with a stake through the heart, it's head cut off and it's mouth stuffed with garlic. || f) | This wooden coffin has nearly rotted away. || g) | This fine casket with silver hinges and handles contains the <u>skeleton of Hevroth Erde II</u> still dressed in his rottednoble finery, bearing his longsword, and wearing a massive silver necklace worth 1,300gp. || h) | This crypt is empty except for dust and rat droppings. || i) | This massive casket contains two bodies, brother princes of Erde, still strangling each other even in death. || j) | The casket doesn't contain a body, but instead a portrait of Revnan Erde the Mighty, complete with his signature black flaming battle axe.|| k) | This rotten wooden coffin contains <u>the body of Hellenus Erde</u>, completely covered in yellow mold. Under the mold she is still wearing her prized silver and opal necklace (1,100gp). || l) | This rusted iron casket has a plaque dedicated to “the un-named brother”. Although the casket seems empty, within is ==an invisible wight== dressed in tattered remnants of Erde family clothes. The <u>invisibility is as per the spell and will dissipate when he attacks</u>. |## 82. The Well A strange darkness lives deep within the hole that was once a backup water supply. This ==dark water elemental== , will <u>only attack if disturbed.</u> It deals 1d8 damage to anyone touching or in water, and anyone dealt damage by it must make a <u>CHA saving throw (DC12) or be affected by a *Bane* spell</u> (whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw).## 83. Steel Remains Pinned to the west wall of this cavern by four iron spears is an odd skeleton. It appears almost typical of human remains, except that all the bones are made of steel.## 84. Rocks Fall The entrance to this chamber off the side of the complex is weakened by age. Each person entering the chamber has a <u>1 in 6 chance of triggering the collapse</u> of the entranceway and partial collapse of the chamber itself. All in the entranceway and the chamber must make saving throws versus petrification or suffer damage. Those in the room suffer 1d12, those in the entranceway suffer 3d12. The collapse will block passage from the chamber to the complex except to halfling-sized or smaller characters. Clearing the rubble will take 1d4 turns. And of course, the collapse will call forth a wandering monster.## 85. Fungal Ruins This cave is thick with foul smelling fungus, including ==5 shriekers== .## 86. The Flayer The ==spectral remains of Hevroth Erde the First== haunt this cavern, although he occasionally tours much of this level. When slain, his black teeth scatter to the ground, a full dozen 250gp obsidian gems.## 87. Secret Chamber Within this secret chamber is the remaining treasures of the flayer. The <u>secret door is raised four feet above floor level</u> of the cave outside the room, and is triggered by a catch at the top of the door. Four massive urns are inside, each sealed with wax. - The first contains wine, now long sour.- The second contains 10,000sp.- The third contains 3,000gp.- The final urn contains the decomposed and broken body of the Flayer himself, Hevroth Erde the First, along with Hevroth's Ring, a silver ring that is perpetually tarnished black, set with a ruby. The wearer of the ring can cast *Hold Monster* 2/day and *Charm Person* 1/day.## 88. Darkest Hole Here the tortured souls of those flayed and slain by Hevrorth Erde the First congregate in the deepest and darkest part of the catacombs. ==11 shadows== lurk in this cave, hiding in the darkness,## 89. Mist Widows ==Three more mist widows== have built a colony here. Within their webs at the back of the cave is the body of a dwarf still wearing his <u>Chain Mail +1</u> and carrying a <u>Battle Axe +1, +2 versus goblins</u>. His pack contains adventuring gear and 72gp.## 90. Nobles of Ancient Erde This natural cavern is the lair of ==5 powerful and ancient Erde ghouls== . They are antagonistic to the Flayer but stay out of his way because they understand his great power. Each wears a piece of jewelry denoting their ancient noble lineage:- a gold torc (1,200gp),- a silver medallion (400gp),- a jeweled ring (900gp),- a silver bracer inlayed with gold (1,200gp) and- a platinum diadem (600gp).In addition to the diadem, the strongest of the ghouls is also carrying his ancient blade, a short sword +2, +4 versus humans that glows with the light of a torch when unsheathed. In the two alcoves on the west side of the cavern are the remains of their prior meals, including 3,000cp, and 2,000ep.``````col-md![[plots/depths-of-erdea/table-of-contents|Table of Contents]]![[~attachments/dndline.png]]**<center>Wandering Monster Table</center>**| <center>2d3</center> | Result ||---|---|| <center>2.</center> | 2d4 Ghouls || <center>3.</center> | 1d6 Wererats || <center>4.</center> | 1d6 Shadows || <center>5.</center> | 1 Ochre Jelly || <center>6.</center> | 1d2 Wraiths |```
```col-mdPrevious: [[plots/depths-of-erdea/level-3|Level 3]]``````col-mdtextAlign=right===Next: [[plots/depths-of-erdea/npcs-and-monsters|NPCs and Monsters]]```
