Wyllowwood is designed for four 8th-level characters. Those who defeat the monsters on this level should gain enough XP to reach 9th level. In some cases, defeating a monster can be accomplished without slaying it. If the characters strike a truce with a creature, award them XP as if they had defeated it in combat.
The characters will most likely arrive here by way of the River of the Depths, which they first encounter on level 4. Characters who follow the river must navigate rapids and small waterfalls to reach Wyllowwood. Beyond this level, the River of the Depths begins its lengthy, tumultuous descent into the Underdark—a voyage no ordinary boat or raft can survive.
Magic of Wyllowwood
In addition to dark caverns, this level contains forests of trees like those that grow on the surface. These temperate forests were magically created by Halaster, and the sky high above can fool adventurers into thinking they have escaped Undermountain and found their way back to the surface. Birds, insects, and tree-dwelling mammals live here alongside Wyllowwood’s fiercer denizens.
The forests are real and nourished by magic, and Halaster regularly repopulates them with birds, insects, rodents, and larger mammals. The main caverns have 100-foot-high ceilings hidden by illusions that can’t be dispelled. These illusions begin 30 feet above ground and create the impression of open sky where high walls and ceilings should be. The illusions flawlessly duplicate the sun, the moon, the stars, and clouds, though there is no wind or breeze to speak of. During the day, the warmth of the sun can be felt, and at night the temperature drops as one would expect. Despite appearances, the walls and ceilings are still very much in place, and a
A magic calendar stone in area area 6k allows one to change the time of day, the weather, and the season in Wyllowwood’s forests. Wyllow the archdruid (see “What Dwells Here?” below) is the only one permitted to use the calendar stone. When the characters first arrive, Wyllowwood is enjoying a warm autumn—Wyllow’s favorite season.
What Dwells Here?
An archdruid named Wyllow lives in a tower on this level of the dungeon (in area area 6), though she frequently wanders the woods. Her neighbors include a green dragon suffering from an identity crisis and a village of goblin werebats.
Wyllow
Wyllow is a moon elf druid with eyes as green as emeralds. Butterflies nest in her tangled black hair, and small critters gather around her feet.
Over two hundred years ago, Wyllow fell in love with Yinark, a wizard in league with Halaster, and returned with him to Undermountain. Her happiness faded quickly when the dungeon proved to be a far cry from the woods she called home. Determined to keep Wyllow in Undermountain, Halaster used several
Undermountain is Wyllow’s home now, and all memory of the surface world has faded from her mind. She is distant but kind toward those who pass harmlessly through her domain, but turns violent whenever her forest or its peaceful denizens are threatened. Before setting out to destroy interlopers, she rallies the green dragon and the werebats, using them to soften up her adversaries. She can also summon six awakened trees from the forest with a whistle.
Wyllow’s displacer beast companion, Crissann, is named after a human mercenary whom the elf befriended many years ago. Before this friendship could blossom into a romance, Halaster intervened and used his magic to turn Wyllow’s new friend against her. The heartbroken druid slew Crissann in the woods with the help of several forest creatures and vowed never to let another mortal touch her heart so deeply.
Wyllow has conflicted feelings about Halaster. She is grateful to him for providing her a home and keeping Wyllowwood alive with his magic, but she blames him for Yinark’s death. She also pities him, for the Mad Mage too appears to be trapped in a prison of his own making. Wyllow believes he is no longer human, but an immortal entity composed of pure magic. Thus, she has given up any hope of being rid of him.
Wyllow’s Statistics
Wyllow is a moon elf archdruid (see appendix A), with these changes:
- Wyllow is chaotic neutral.
- She has these racial traits: Her walking speed is 35 feet. She has
darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. She has advantage on saving throws against beingcharmed , and magic can’t put her to sleep. She speaks Common, Druidic, and Elvish.
Valdemar (Tearulai)
This young green dragon, once a lawful evil creature, experienced a change in alignment and personality when an adventurer impaled it through the skull with a sentient, emerald-bladed
Wyllow once set adventurers against Valdemar, hoping to destroy the evil dragon, but the dragon’s change of alignment caused Wyllow to reconsider their relationship. Now that Valdemar and Tearulai are one, the archdruid considers the dragon part of Wyllowwood’s ecosystem. The two currently enjoy a peaceful coexistence.
Goblin Werebats
South of Wyllow’s tower stands a large complex of ornate stone buildings that used to be home to a cult of Malar, the Beast Lord. Wyllow allowed these evil humans to hunt in her forest, but they abused the privilege—so the archdruid and her green dragon ally eradicated the cultists.
The village and its environs stood empty for years until a congregation of goblin werebats took residence in the caves around the buildings. The werebats prefer the dank caves to the structures, which have largely remained abandoned. Wyllow allows the werebats to feed on stray vermin and adventurers. They wisely acknowledge the archdruid as master of the forest and leave her animals and her dragon ally alone.
Wandering Monsters
Wyllowwood is a thriving ecosystem. The woods support awakened shrubs, awakened trees, bats, bears, blink dogs, boars, deer, elk, rodents, small birds, and other denizens of temperate forests. Carrion crawlers, ettercaps, giant spiders, and owlbears make occasional forays into the woods as well.
If your game session needs a jolt, try using one of the following encounters or an encounter of your own design.
Bear with Us
A timid black bear shadows the characters, hoping to scavenge a tasty offering. If they feed the bear, it follows them like a companion and expects to be fed regularly.
Tree Believers
As the heroes pass through the forest, two Awakened Tree interrogate them in Common, demanding to know the reason for their intrusion. If the characters are looking for shelter, safe passage to deeper levels of Undermountain, or information, the trees offer to escort them to Wyllow’s tower(area area 6).
Vool the Outcast
A rash of attacks against the deer of the forest threatened to turn Wyllow against her goblin werebat neighbors until it was revealed that the culprit of all the bloodletting was a single goblin werebat (see appendix A) named Vool. To appease the archdruid, the other werebats drove Vool out of their village. He found a secluded cave nearby (see area area 17) and took refuge there. He ventures out once a day to feed but avoids contact with his kin.
If Vool catches sight of the party, he tries to feed on a lone straggler. If captured or cornered, he apologizes for his uncontrollable blood lust and offers to make amends by serving as a faithful guide. He’s lonely and genuinely in search of companionship, but he is without honor or decency. In an attempt to win favor and distract the characters from his own shortcomings, Vool tries to turn them against Wyllow, painting the archdruid as a creature of pure madness and malevolence. He also shares rumors of “great treasures” that are hidden inside Wyllow’s tower.
Exploring This Level
All location descriptions for Wyllowwood are keyed to map 5.
1. River of the Depths
Large blind fish swim up and down this dark, sluggish river that flows from level 4 and meanders down to the Underdark, plunging over waterfalls every mile or so.
The river’s depth varies from a few feet to as much as 30 feet in spots. Characters who trawl the depths for treasure might find the odd bauble here and there, or possibly something more dangerous like a sleeping hydra.
At various points along the river are crude wooden signs, each one carved with the word “Underdark” in Goblin and an arrow pointing downriver.
2. Forest
Between the forest and the underground river are narrow, pebbled beaches upon which Wyllow has planted carved wooden signs that bear the following warning in Common, Draconic, and Elvish: BEHOLD WYLLOW’S WOOD. HARM NOT, LEST YE BE HARM’D.
General features of the forest are summarized in the “Forest Features” sidebar. Specific regions are described in the sections that follow.
Forests Features
Wyllowwood’s forest contains both deciduous and coniferous trees, as well as berry bushes and other shrubs. All kinds of flowers grow here, but no roses, because Wyllow doesn’t like them.
Most of the trees are mature, with heights of 30 to 50 feet. Foot trails meander between them, and any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check to search for tracks can see the slender footprints of a solitary humanoid—a female elf—among the tracks left by various other forest inhabitants.
Running through the forest are crumbling, 20-foot-high walkways atop ivy-covered, white marble archways supported by thick white marble columns. Some sections of the walkways have collapsed due to age or seismic activity.
The characters are free to pick berries, gather fallen branches, collect acorns and pinecones, and rest on moss-covered logs. Chopping down a tree, starting a fire, killing an animal, or any similar act of destruction will not be tolerated. Wyllow has many spies in the forest, which speed to her tower to communicate the party’s misdeeds. If so informed, she moves swiftly to eradicate the trespassers.
2a. Riverside Forest
The trees growing alongside the river are some of the biggest in Wyllowwood. Their gnarled boughs form a tangled canopy that overhangs the pebbled beaches. Bears come to the river’s edge to fish, and deer and elk come to drink and bathe.
2b. Ettercap Forest
The trees in this part of the forest are shrouded with thick webs, and dead animals wrapped in silken cocoons hang from the boughs. Five Ettercap and ten giant spider live in the trees and attack interlopers. Wyllow considers these creatures to be part of Wyllowwood’s natural ecosystem but keeps them from spreading beyond the marble walkways to the west and south.
2c. Moaning Forest
Characters passing through this part of the forest can see Wyllow’s tower (area area 6) through the trees and hear an eerie moan coming from the northwest. (The source of the incessant moaning is the cloaker in area area 4e.)
2d. Old Grave
Thin rays of sunlight or moonlight penetrate the dense canopy of this old forest, whose trees are covered with moss.
At night, a will-o'-wisp lures adventurers to a grave in the middle of this cavern. The grave stands amid a grove of dead, burned trees. It is marked with a headstone that reads in Common, “Here lies Crissann, human friend and companion.” The top of the gravestone is carved in the shape of a rose. A
The will-o'-wisp is Crissann’s disembodied spirit. During the day, it hovers invisibly over the grave. With a whispery voice, it says, in Common, “Take my wand. Use it to destroy Wyllow, the elf witch!” If the characters obtain the wand from the grave, the will-o'-wisp tries to lead them to Wyllow’s tower and a showdown with the archdruid. If the characters refuse to avenge Crissann, the will-o'-wisp attacks them. Otherwise, it considers the characters its allies. If Wyllow is defeated, the will-o'-wisp is overcome with despair and turns against the party, fighting until destroyed.
Treasure
Characters who dig up the grave find a human skeleton clad in tattered clothes and a fully charged
2e. Western Forest
The forest continues off the map and follows the underground river for several hundred feet. The forest floor is littered with statues of birds and mammals, creatures
3. Guardhouses
Two windowless stone guardhouses with peaked, slate-tiled rooftops stand in the middle of the forest where several elevated walkways converge. The buildings were built on higher ground than the surrounding forest, and their stone doors are unlocked.
3a. North Guardhouse
A rusty lantern hanging from a rafter has a
3b. South Guardhouse
Each door of this guardhouse is barricaded shut from within and requires a successful DC 15 Strength (
Arch. Carved into the middle of the east wall is a decorative stone arch enclosing a blank wall (see “Arch Gate to Level 2” below).
Furnishings. A wooden trestle table lies on its side in the middle of the room. An iron chandelier with melted wax candles is suspended from a rafter above it by a rope tied off to a hook near the northern door.
Dead Halfling. Tucked behind an iron stove in the northeast corner is a dead halfling in leather armor, his face twisted into a mask of horror.
The halfling adventurer, Haddon Fleetfoot, refused to serve the will-o'-wisp in area area 2d and barricaded himself in this guardhouse, believing that act would prevent the will-o'-wisp from reaching him. An examination of his corpse and a successful DC 12 Wisdom (
Arch Gate to Level 2
The stone arch is one of Halaster’s magic gates (see “area Gates"). Its stone frame has been carved to look like the trunks of trees, and close inspection reveals the image of a dead tree carved into its keystone. Its rules are as follows:
- Touching the arch with a dead twig or branch causes the gate to open for 1 minute.
- Characters must be 6th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “area Jhesiyra Kestellharp"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “area Elder Runes").
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area area 12 on level 2, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
Treasure
Haddon’s corpse wears a salvageable suit of halfling-sized leather armor. It clutches a silvered shortsword in one hand and a burnt torch stub in the other. A search of the corpse yields a dungeoneer’s pack with spoiled rations and 5 torches remaining, and a small pouch containing 4 gp.
4. Cloaker Den
A conclave of cloakers has taken over this series of caverns. Wyllow has tried to frighten off the cloakers, so far without success. A persistent, eerie moan emanates from area area 4e and can be heard throughout this complex and well into the surrounding forest.
4a. Eastern Gate
A 15-foot-high iron portcullis is embedded in the stone wall at the mouth of a long tunnel. Rough-hewn stairs just inside the tunnel climb to the top of the wall, which is enclosed by stone battlements. There are no guards stationed atop the wall or beyond the portcullis. The winch to raise the portcullis is inside the tunnel, just beyond the gate. The portcullis can also be lifted with a successful DC 25 Strength (
4b–c. Side Caves
Two Cloaker lurk here, one in each cave. They team up against intruders. If one is killed, the other retreats to area area 4e and joins the cloaker there. The caves are bereft of furnishings and treasure.
4d. Western Gate
This gate resembles the one at area area 4a, except that it looks out over area area 4e.
4e. Crystal Cavern
Crystal Decor. The walls of this 60-foot-high cavern are covered with naturally formed crystal draperies that resemble frozen waterfalls.
Moaning Fissure. A 30-foot-long, 10-foot-wide, 20-foot-deep fissure cuts across the middle of the ceiling like an open wound. The ominous moan heard throughout the complex originates from here and is made by a cloaker hiding in the crack.
Gate. An iron gate is embedded in the east wall (see area area 4a for details).
Illusory Wall. A 20-foot-square section of wall south of area area 4d is illusory and conceals a tunnel. The illusory wall has no substance, and creatures can pass right through it. A successful
dispel magic spell (DC 17) dispels the illusion.
The cloaker is using its moan to draw others of its kind to this location, hoping to form a conclave. If the cloaker detects interlopers, it creates phantasmal duplicates of itself, emerges from the crack in the ceiling, and attacks.
The crystal formations reflect and amplify nearby light. The crystals also amplify sound, allowing it to carry well beyond the cavern’s confines. The crystals otherwise have no properties or value.
5. Inner Forest
A thorough exploration of this part of the forest reveals several items of note:
Litter. The forest is strewn with rusty weapons, burnt torch stubs, empty bottles, and other worthless paraphernalia left behind by adventurers.
Druidic Totems. Eerie totems hang from the trees. Made from twigs, feathers, and tattered bits of cloth, they look like crude dolls. (Each one is modeled after a humanoid Wyllow has killed.)
General features of the forest are summarized in the “Forest Features” sidebar. Characters who engage in wanton destruction are accosted by several creatures, each of which has been the recipient of an
6. Wyllow’s Tower
Wyllow’s Tower is carved to look like a squat stone tree with twisted, stony boughs protruding from the walls. Thirteen Giant Bat hang from these crumbling limbs like ornaments, their wings wrapped tightly around their bodies. If the characters try to climb the tower, the bats attack. The bats otherwise fight only in self-defense or at Wyllow’s command.
At the base of the tower, on the south side, is a 12-foot-high arched double door made of carved stone. A rope hanging next to the door rings a bell when tugged. If the characters knock or ring before entering, Wyllow’s usher, Halastree, greets them and leads them to area area 6a. Halastree is an awakened tree whose trunk Wyllow carved in the likeness of Halaster. It speaks Common and is exceptionally polite. If the characters enter the tower unannounced, they get as far as area area 6a before encountering someone.
All rooms in the tower are brightly lit by beams of magical light, which emanate from the ceiling and shine down on the dusty, tiled floor.
All doors in the tower are made of carved stone. All ceilings are 10 feet high, except in area area 6a.
6a. Wyllow’s Throne Room
Detritus. Dead leaves and twigs cover the dusty floor.
Balcony. The room has a vaulted ceiling 20 feet high. Stone pillars carved to look like trees support a 10-foot-high stone balcony that runs along the north, east, and south walls. The trees' stone branches serve as the balcony’s railings.
Archdruid and Friends. Wyllow is here, attended by Crissann, her displacer beast companion, and Halastree, her awakened tree usher. Wyllow wears a gold key on a string around her neck (see “Treasure” below). The archdruid sits meditating in a throne of yellow crystal that stands in the western alcove. The throne has eyes carved into it.
Secret Doors. Flanking the crystal throne are two secret doors. One swings open into area area 6b, the other into area area 6c.
Wyllow’s crystal throne was carved by dwarves and given to her by her late husband, Yinark. A
For information on Wyllow, see the “area Wyllow” section at the start of the chapter. The archdruid is friendly toward visitors who have done nothing to anger her. The displacer beast and the awakened tree fight to the death to defend her.
Characters who do nothing to antagonize Wyllow can secure safe passage through her demesne, though she warns them to steer clear of the goblin werebats and show the green dragon the respect it’s due. She knows the locations of Wyllowwood’s gates and how to activate them (see area areas 3b, area 6i, and area 9), as well as the passages leading down to levels 6 and 7. If the characters slay the cloakers north of her tower (in area area 4), Wyllow will share this information with them.
Treasure
The gold key in Wyllow’s possession unlocks the chest in area area 6g. The key is worth 25 gp.
6b. Hidden Armory
Frescoes. The walls bear frescoes that depict skirmishes between surface elves and drow, culminating in an epic showdown with Lolth in the Demonweb Pits.
Table. An ornately carved stone table in the middle of the room has several dust-covered objects resting on it. Leaning against the table is a wooden staff with silvered tips, draped in cobwebs.
Treasure
Characters who clear away the dust can see the objects on the table more clearly: a suit of
6c. Stairs Up
Frescoes. The walls are carved with frescoes depicting exchanges of gifts between dwarves and elves.
Staircase. A stone spiral staircase in the northwest corner curls up 10 feet to area area 6e and continues up another 10 feet to area area 6h.
6d. Hall of the Forest Kingdom
A flight of stairs connects this room to the lower floor. The room is empty except for frescoes on the walls depicting an elven forest kingdom.
6e. Hall of the Sky Chariots
Frescoes. The walls are carved with frescoes that depict elves in cloud chariots pulled by fiery horses, coursing through the starry skies.
Staircase. A stone spiral staircase in the northwest corner descends 10 feet to area area 6c and climbs 10 feet to area area 6h.
The stone door to area area 6f has an
6f. Wyllow’s Staff of Flowers
The door to this narrow room is magically locked from the outside (see area area 6e) but pulls open easily from the inside. The room contains the following features:
Debris. Broken staffs litter the dusty floor.
Table. A beam of light shines down on a narrow, rectangular stone table in the middle of the room. On the table rests a wooden staff carved with floral motifs.
Wyllow dabbles in magic item creation. The broken staffs testify to her numerous failures. The intact staff on the table represents her only success to date.
Treasure
The staff resting on the table is Wyllow’s
The staff has 10 charges and regains
6g. Secret Room
This room is hidden behind a locked secret door on which is carved a fresco depicting a satyr in a forest, dancing and playing a lute while butterflies fly around it.
One of the pegs on the satyr’s lute is a hidden switch; when it is turned, the secret door unlocks and swings inward. The secret door can also be opened with a
Treasure
A niche carved into the southeast wall holds a small wooden chest bearing painted images of worms burrowing out of the ground. Set into the chest is a magic lock whose tumblers adjust to confound burglars. A character using thieves' tools can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check, but the check is made with disadvantage. Inserting Wyllow’s gold key (see area area 6a) into the lock also opens the chest, as does a
The chest contains a pair of sapphire earrings (250 gp apiece), an armband made of overlapping gold leaves (250 gp), a random trinket (roll on the
If the crystal bulb is planted in earth or soil on this level of Undermountain, it is destroyed as Halaster Blackcloak (see appendix A) sprouts from the ground where the bulb was buried. This is the real Halaster, delivered by his own magic. The Mad Mage entrusted the bulb to Wyllow in case she needed to summon him and is annoyed if someone else uses it.
If the characters have done nothing aside from this to offend him, Halaster babbles about his current preoccupation (see “area Halaster’s Goals") and demands the characters do whatever they can to help him. He then teleports away in a huff. If the characters manage to get a word in edgewise, they might persuade him to share useful information before he leaves. He might, for example, divulge the secret to activating one of his many gates, or he might mention creatures known to dwell on one of the deeper levels of Undermountain. If the characters attack him, Halaster retaliates in kind.
6h. Statuary
The spiral staircase reaches its peak in this room, which contains the following features:
Statues. Standing in alcoves to the north and south, facing one another, are green marble statues of 6-foot-tall, proud elf warriors clutching shields and spears. The shield of the northern statue features a pine tree, while an oak tree is emblazoned on the shield of the statue to the south.
Frescoes. The walls are carved with frescoes of elves traveling through space aboard sleek wooden vessels with giant crystalline wings, visiting strange worlds and battling orcs and dragons in space.
6i. Arch Gate to Level 3
Dust and cobwebs fill this room. Set into the middle of the east wall is a stone arch enclosing a blank wall. This is one of Halaster’s magic gates (see “area Gates"). The keystone and base stones of the arch each bear the graven image of an old man clutching a staff. The rules of this gate are as follows:
- Tapping the arch three times with a staff of any kind causes the gate to open for 1 minute.
- Characters must be 7th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “area Jhesiyra Kestellharp"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “area Elder Runes").
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area area 15b on level 3, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
6j. Ossuary
Wyllow has slain scores of adventurers over the years, and she chooses to memorialize them with this ghastly ossuary, the walls and ceiling of which have humanoid skulls and bones cemented to them in decorative arrangements. A few bare patches have yet to be filled.
Secret Door
A secret door behind one bone-layered wall swings open into area area 6k.
6k. Calendar Stone
This spacious room has been swept clean of dust and cobwebs. It contains the following:
Guards. Four Giant Toad lurk in the far corners of the room. They leap forward and attack anyone not accompanied by Wyllow.
Calendar Stone. Set into the floor is a 15-foot-diameter stone device engraved with a multitude of images.
The device has a circular center 9 feet in diameter, around which are two concentric rings of stone. The center stone is fixed in place. Its engravings depict birds, butterflies, fish, and small mammals encircling Wyllow’s smiling visage. Each ring is 3 feet wide and turns clockwise on hidden rollers. The inner ring is engraved with images of plants and animals weathering the change of seasons. The outer ring bears alternating engravings of the sun at various heights and the moon in all its phases. A fixture on the outer edge of the device is used to line up the rings and indicate the present time of day and season in Wyllowwood. The rings slowly turn on their own, tracking the natural changes that occur over time. By turning a ring manually, one can force a more sudden change from day to night or night to day, or bring the effects of a new season upon Wyllowwood.
If the characters change the time of day or the season, all the surviving werebats except Vool (see area area 17) investigate Wyllow’s tower in goblin form to find out what is amiss.
The calendar stone can’t be damaged or dismantled.
7. Alcoves of the Dead
Four deep alcoves, each roughly 10 feet wide and 15 feet tall, line the cavern wall south of Wyllow’s tower. Strewn about in them are the skeletal remains of sixty humans clad in rotting clothes and furs—the remains of Malar worshipers killed by the green dragon’s poison breath. Wyllow dragged the corpses here and left them to rot, as a dire warning to others who would betray her. A search of the bones reveals nothing of value.
8. Umber Hulk Tunnel
An umber hulk dug this tunnel, which descends hundreds of feet to area area 1 on level 6.
9. Dragon’s Platform
Stone Platform. Built atop a natural mound of earth and rock is a 70-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, 10-foot-high stone platform covered with moss and ivy. Connected to the platform are two stone walkways raised atop 20-foot-high marble columns.
Bridge. A stone bridge on the platform spans the river to the east. (See area area 10 for more information on the bridge.)
Building. A mossy staircase climbs the south wall to the top of the platform. There stands a 15-foot-high stone building with a commanding view of the river and stone doors set into its north, west, and south walls. A crumbling faux battlement surrounds the flat roof, atop which sleeps a young green dragon with iridescent scales. A sword is lodged hilt-deep in its skull.
Building Interior
The building’s outer doors are unlocked and push open to reveal a dark, dusty room strewn with treasure accumulated by the dragon (see “Treasure” below).
Arch Gate to Level 6
A door in the northeast corner leads to a smaller chamber with an arch gate set into the back wall (see “area Gates"). The arch is engraved with images of dancing dwarves. The rules of this gate are as follows:
- Standing within 5 feet of the arch and imitating the moves of the dancing dwarves causes the gate to open for 1 minute. The dance requires 1 minute to perform.
- Characters must be 9th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “area Jhesiyra Kestellharp"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “area Elder Runes").
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area area 10 on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
Treasure
The treasures inside the building are as follows:
- 3,500 gp, 6,000 sp, and 15,000 cp in loose coinage
- A 500 gp black pearl with a minor magical property (it glows faintly when undead are within 120 feet of it)
- A
potion of gaseous form - A
spell scroll ofheroes' feast
Green Dragon
While asleep, the dragon relies on its passive Wisdom (
The dragon, Valdemar, refers to itself as Tearulai and won’t willingly part with the sword stuck in its skull. Nor will it allow characters to enter the building or use the gate inside unless they have Wyllow’s permission to do so. If a character tries to deceive the dragon, it can make a Wisdom (
If the dragon is
Tearulai
The longsword,
Evil creatures can’t attune to Tearulai; any evil creature that tries to do so takes 20 psychic damage. The weapon’s emerald blade can’t be damaged or dulled, and the sword can’t be teleported anywhere without its wielder while the two are attuned to one another.
Spells
The sword has 6 charges and regains
Sentience
The sword has an Intelligence of 17, a Wisdom of 12, and a Charisma of 20. It has hearing and
Personality
Tearulai admires great beauty, music, fine art, and poetry. Vain, the weapon strives to improve its appearance. It craves gemstones and seeks out better ones with which to adorn itself. Most of all, it longs to return to the forests around Myth Drannor, where it was created. If its wielder’s goals run counter to its own, Tearulai attempts to take control of its wielder and escape Undermountain, whereupon it can use its
10. Mossy Stone Bridge
An arching bridge of moss-covered stone spans the River of the Depths at a height of 30 feet, connecting the dragon’s platform (area area 9) to a rough-hewn tunnel that eventually winds down to level 7. Obscured by the moss are carvings of trees and vines.
11. We All Float Down Here
A dead grimlock in a forlorn passageway is evidence of danger on the underground river.
11a. False Boat
Tethered to the mouth of a narrow cave at water level is what appears to be an intact wooden rowboat that can hold up to four characters and their equipment. The boat and its tether are, in fact, a Large mimic with 67 (
11b. Grimlock Skeleton
The skeleton of a one-armed grimlock lies on the floor where a narrow passage in the west wall intersects with a wider tunnel heading north and south. Close examination reveals that the grimlock’s bones have been picked clean by acid, and its eyeless skull is turned toward the narrow passage that leads west. The grimlock’s bony arm and hand also point in that direction. The skeleton was left here by the mimic and hides nothing of value.
12. Werebat Caves
These natural caves have uneven floors and 30-foot-high ceilings. Enough light enters to dimly illuminate each cave. In total, nine goblin werebats lurk here.
If combat breaks out anywhere in these caves, all the werebats in the three sections of area area 12 quickly join the fray. Mobar (see area area 14) remains where he is.
12a. Werebats in Bat Form
Werebats. Three goblin Werebat (see appendix A) hang from the ceiling in bat form, asleep. In this form, they are indistinguishable from giant bats. The werebats awaken if they are attacked or otherwise disturbed.
Rack. A crude weapon rack made of lashed bones stands in the middle of the cave.
If they awaken, the werebats either attack intruders in bat form or drop to the floor, assume goblin form, and arm themselves.
The rack holds three scimitars, three shortbows, and three leather quivers each containing 20 arrows.
12b. Werebats in Goblin Form
Three goblin Werebat (see appendix A) in humanoid form crouch in the middle of this cave. One of them is using a whetstone to sharpen its scimitar, while the others fashion arrows out of sticks, feathers, and flint.
12c. Werebats in Bat Form
Three goblin Werebat (see appendix A) lair here in bat form. The cave is otherwise identical to area area 12a.
13. Dining Cave
The goblin werebats have communal dining habits and prefer to eat together in this cave, the floor of which is littered with the bones and exsanguinated corpses of dead rodents, shoe-sized crickets, and blind fish.
14. Werebat Boss
Precious little light reaches this large cave, which is set aside for the werebat boss, a particularly sinister goblin named Mobar. He prefers to remain in hybrid form—his most fearsome aspect. In all three of his forms, Mobar’s left eye is
Mobar has the statistics of a werebat (see appendix A), with these changes:
- Mobar has 42 hit points.
- Due to poor depth perception, he has disadvantage on any attack roll against a target more than 30 feet away.
Mobar is smitten by Wyllow and follows her instructions without question. He spends his idle hours making gifts for her and, in bat form, leaving them in front of her tower. The lovestruck fool is otherwise bereft of conscience, and he presides over the werebat tribe with iron-fisted resolve. As a rule, he does not treat with adventurers; he’d rather rob them and feed on their blood.
If combat breaks out here, the werebats throughout area area 16 investigate, converging on this location.
Treasure
Mobar’s cave is unfurnished except for a moldy old wooden chest sitting on a natural shelf 10 feet off the floor in the room’s southwest corner. The chest is unlocked and contains 60 gp in a leather pouch, three wooden holy symbols of Malar, a
15. Bat Cave
Scores of harmless bats roost here, their guano covering the floor of the unlit cave in sticky mounds. If bright light shines into the cave or intruders enter, the bats flutter about in distress before exiting the cave and swarming above the village. The werebats in area areas 12, area 14, and area 16 investigate the disturbance, attacking any intruders they encounter on their way here.
16. Werebat Caves
These dark, rough-hewn caves have rubble-strewn floors and 30-foot-high ceilings. In total, nineteen goblin Werebat (see appendix A) dwell here.
If combat breaks out anywhere in these caves, all the werebats in the four sections of area area 16 quickly join the fray. The noise also alerts the werebat boss in area area 14, who investigates.
16a. Werebats in Bat Form
Werebats. Three goblin Werebat (see appendix A) hang from the ceiling in bat form, asleep. In this form, they are indistinguishable from giant bats. They awaken if they are attacked or otherwise disturbed.
Niches. Three niches in the south wall hold weapons.
The werebats either attack intruders in bat form or drop to the floor, assume goblin form, and arm themselves.
Each of the three niches contains a scimitar, a shortbow, and a leather quiver holding 20 arrows.
16b. Werebats in Goblin Form
Werebats. Twelve goblin werebat (see appendix A) in humanoid form congregate here. Eleven of them are seated around the twelfth, who is standing and telling a story.
Drawings. Crude chalk drawings cover the walls.
The stick-figure chalk drawings on the walls tell the story of a goblin tribe that became infected with werebat lycanthropy in the Underdark and the tribe’s subsequent ordeals. Any character who studies the chalk drawings and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (
One werebat points to specific drawings as it recalls the story of how the goblin tribe found sanctuary in Undermountain, hid from the green dragon, and made peace with the archdruid Wyllow. Story time ends as soon as intruders are detected. Six of the werebats assume hybrid form before attacking.
16c. Werebat Nursery
This cave contains two goblin Werebat (see appendix A) in humanoid form, as well as seven of their young.
The young werebats are noncombatants worth 0 XP. Each has AC 8 and 1 hit point, ability scores of 5, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from weapons that aren’t silvered. They also have the Shapechanger trait common to all werebats, but their only other form is that of a Tiny bat.
If the nursery comes under attack, the adults defend the young. If the adults are slain, the children turn into bats and flee.
16d. Werebat Treasury
Werebats. Two goblin Werebat (see appendix A) in humanoid form stand guard near the cave entrance.
Chests. At each end of the cave is a wooden chest so packed with “treasure” that its lid can’t be closed.
Treasure
The chest at the east end of the cave contains a beaten copper tankard (10 gp), a crowbar, a set of manacles, a bar of soap, five wooden holy symbols of Malar, a shoddy cloak made from a brown bear’s pelt, and ten bleached human skulls.
The chest at the south end of the cave holds a rusty steel gauntlet with fingers ending in claws, a boar’s tusk set with semiprecious stones (50 gp), a priest’s pack without the rations, and a random trinket (roll on the
17. Vool’s Refuge
Two narrow tunnels above the river’s shoreline lead to a cave usually occupied by a lonely goblin werebat named Vool. The characters might encounter him prior to finding this cave (see “area Wandering Monsters").
Vool’s cave is littered with the bones of birds, rats, and fish, as well as the exsanguinated corpses of a badger and a small deer.
Treasure
A character who searches the cave for treasure and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (
18. Abandoned Priory
This long, windowless stone building contains several apartments formerly occupied by high-ranking priests of Malar, god of the hunt. Stone doors throughout are fitted with locks, though they’re unlocked at present. The building has various amenities (see the “Lighting and Plumbing"sidebar).
Heaped around the building are broken swords, dented helms, and torn metal armor. After the green dragon killed the cultists of Malar, Wyllow stripped the corpses of their metal gear, piled the offensive material here as a warning of sorts, and dragged the bodies to area area 7 to rot.
Lighting and Plumbing
All of the buildings in Wyllowwood’s village (area areas 18–area 24) are equipped with wall-mounted, glass-bottled gas lamps fueled by natural gas vents under the village, along with plumbing connected to the underground river nearby. The gas lamps are turned on and off by stone switches on the walls near the doors. Iron faucets control the flow of hot and cold water through iron pipes to sinks and bathtubs.
18a. Sacked Trophy Room
The goblin werebats have thoroughly ransacked this room, where priests of Malar once displayed trophies of their hunts and meted out punishment to those who had failed them. The room contains the following:
Wreckage. Overturned and broken shelves and tables lie on the floor along with piles of old rugs and bleached human skulls.
Stuffed Owlbear. A stuffed owlbear stands on its hind legs in the south corner, glaring ferociously.
Empty Closet. A narrow door in the eastern corner of the room leads to a small chamber, the walls of which are lined with empty hooks.
18b. Vacant Guest Quarters
Furnishings. This room contains four narrow wooden beds draped in dusty quilts and cobwebs. Next to each bed is a nightstand filled with unlit tapers.
Bathrooms. Abutting the larger chamber are two small rooms, each one equipped with a working sink, toilet, and bathtub, all carved from stone and fitted with rusty iron fixtures.
18c. Vacant Apartment
Once the lodgings of the high priest of the cult of Malar, this apartment consists of a spacious bedroom and an equally impressive bathroom accessible from within.
Bathroom and Sauna
The inner chamber is equipped with a working sink, toilet, and bathtub crafted from polished green marble, with rusty iron fixtures. A wooden bench stands against the southwest wall, with hooks above it that hold musty old towels. Vents in the floor around the bench spew hot steam when an iron valve under the bench is turned.
Bedroom
The outer chamber is a bedchamber that has the following features:
Decor. Tattered rugs woven with images of tigers battling scorpions cover the floor. The walls are painted with faded images of serpents.
Furnishings. A wooden bed carved with serpentine motifs stands against the northeast wall, draped in dusty quilts and flanked by nightstands. Atop each nightstand are nine half-melted wax candles. Under the bed are the dry, shed skins of two large snakes. (The serpents retreated into the woods and died long ago.)
Altar. Against the northwest wall stands a bloodstained wooden altar decorated with silver and bronze designs of claws, fangs, beaks, and eyes. Piled around the altar are dozens of bleached human skulls.
Treasure
A search of the altar accompanied by a successful DC 15 Wisdom (
18d. Vacant Apartment
This apartment consists of a spacious bedroom and an adjoining bathroom equipped with a working sink, toilet, and bathtub, all crafted from polished stone, with rusty iron fixtures.
19. Looted Cloisters
This windowless stone building contains apartments formerly used by rank-and-file Malar cultists. Stone doors throughout are fitted with locks, though the doors are unlocked at present. The building also has the features detailed in the “Lighting and Plumbing” sidebar.
19a. Ransacked Quarters
The walls of this room are carved to look like natural rock, giving the chamber a cave-like appearance. The room has been ransacked and contains the following:
Furnishings. Six overturned beds, six empty chests, a shattered table, and six smashed chairs are strewn about. A few bleached human skulls, wooden bowls, and wooden tankards also lie on the floor.
Canoe. An intact canoe hangs by hooks from the ceiling. It can hold up to six characters and their gear. Packed inside the canoe are four oars.
19b. Vacant Bathroom
This room contains a working sink, toilet, and bathtub, all carved from stone and fitted with rusty iron fixtures.
19c. Trashed Quarters
This room is strewn with broken furnishings. A thorough search also reveals a pair of rusted (but still functional) hunting traps.
A narrow door leads to a smaller side room, the walls of which are lined with bare hooks.
20. Malar’s Tabernacle
This building is taller than the others, with a peaked roof 30 feet high. Iron spikes line the peak, while carvings of basilisks, chimeras, dragons, and manticores snarl from where they perch on the outer walls.
The cult of Malar would gather to worship here. The building’s stone doors are fitted with locks, though they are unlocked at present. The building consists of one large, opulent room with the following features:
Decor. The floor is tiled in green marble, and the walls are painted with lifelike forest scenes that depict predators stalking prey.
Altar. In the middle of the tabernacle is a block of bloodstained white marble (see “Altar” below).
Dead Cultist. Lying near the altar is an inanimate human skeleton clad in tattered hide armor. Next to it are two halves of a broken spear, as well as the charred and splintered remains of a wooden shield. (These are the remains of a cultist who was killed by a chimera.)
Altar
If fresh blood is spilled on the altar, a hostile chimera magically appears in an unoccupied space within the tabernacle and attacks all other creatures, disappearing when it is reduced to 0 hit points or after 10 minutes have elapsed. The summoned chimera is immune to the
Whoever drops the chimera to 0 hit points gains inspiration—a minor blessing from the god Malar.
21. Abandoned Barracks
Cult warriors slept and trained here. Stone doors throughout are fitted with locks, though all doors are unlocked at present. The building has both lighting and plumbing (see the “area Lighting and Plumbing” sidebar).
21a. Training Area
These rooms were set aside for cultists to spar and hone their martial skills.
North Room
A woven black mat covers the floor of this room, and dented shields hang from wall hooks.
South Room
Seven wooden mannequins decked in rusty helms and breastplates occupy this room. Three of the mannequins have rusty daggers sticking out of them.
21b. Sleeping Quarters
This apartment consists of a spacious barracks and a smaller adjoining bathroom.
Barracks
Six wooden bunk beds with moldy mattresses stand in a row. Discarded rugs, emptied chests, broken dishware, and rusty weapons lie scattered about.
Bathroom
This chamber has three sinks, a toilet, and a bathtub, crafted from polished stone with rusty iron fixtures, all in working order.
22. Mess Hall
The cultists cooked meals and ate here before a hunt. The werebats have thoroughly looted the building, leaving its stone doors ajar. This structure has lighting and plumbing (see the “area Lighting and Plumbing” sidebar).
22a. Pantry
This room smells like rotting fish and vinegar. Toppled stone shelves, smashed barrels, and broken casks fill this chamber. A thorough search yields ten empty sacks and a drained wineskin that are salvageable.
22b. Larder
Statue. This room is cold. Frost coats the walls and floors, becoming thicker around a life-size statue of a dwarf that stands against the south wall. The dwarf appears to be covered in brown fur (actually brown mold).
Hooks and Chains. Rusty meat hooks and chains dangle from the rafters.
The statue is a dwarf who was
22c. Kitchen
This kitchen is equipped with a long wooden trestle table, a pair of iron stoves, and stone shelves. The werebats have ransacked the kitchen, breaking most of the dishware in the process. The floor is covered with broken crockery and glass. Nothing of value remains.
22d. Mess Hall
Chandeliers. Four chandeliers made from old wagon wheels hang from the rafters by frayed ropes. Melted wax trails down from them like icicles.
Furnishings. Wooden tables and benches stand in rows beneath the chandeliers. Empty tankards lie scattered on the tables and the floor amid dust, mold, and cobwebs.
23. Desecrated Sanctuary
This windowless stone building was set aside for cult initiates. The building has lighting and plumbing (see the “area Lighting and Plumbing” sidebar).
23a. Hall of Prayer
Boars. Two hostile Boar have crept into this room in search of food. They attack anyone who comes within 10 feet of either of them.
Decor. The floor is strewn with frayed prayer mats. Six tapestries lie heaped in a corner.
Empty Vestry. The smaller room to the north has bare hooks on the walls. (This is where the tapestries used to hang, until the werebats tore them down.)
Treasure
Each torn tapestry depicts a wilderness battle between primitive human hunters and one or more monsters, including a unicorn, a displacer beast, an owlbear, a pack of worgs, and a griffon. Casting a
23b. Initiates' Quarters
Furnishings. Eight rows of bunk beds stacked four high run the length of this room.
Wreckage. Along the walls are piles of splintered wood, the remains of shelves where cult initiates once stored personal belongings.
Bathroom. The small room to the south contains a working sink, toilet, and bathtub, all crafted from polished stone with rusty iron fixtures.
24. Animal Cloisters
The cultists of Malar kept various beasts here under lock and key. None of the building’s stone doors is currently locked, however. The building has lighting and plumbing (see the “area Lighting and Plumbing” sidebar).
24a. Beastkeepers' Quarters
Furnishings. Six wooden beds line the walls of this room. At the foot of each bed is an empty chest.
Padded Suit. Draped over a wooden mannequin against the north wall is a suit of padded armor, a pair of thick padded mittens, and an open-faced helm fitted with a steel grill. (Cult members wore this cumbersome outfit while training beasts. It functions as padded armor but provides no Dexterity modifier to the wearer’s AC.)
Bathroom. The small room to the north contains a working sink and toilet crafted from polished stone with rusty iron fixtures.
24b. Aviary
A permanent
24c. Beast Cages
This room contains six empty iron cages, each 5 feet on a side and secured with a rusty padlock. A padlock can be picked open with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check; it can also be broken off with a successful DC 15 Strength (
Aftermath
If Wyllow is killed, the werebats notice her absence within a few days. After working up the courage to explore and loot her tower, they use the calendar stone inside to trap Wyllowwood in a state of perpetual night. Over time, this has the effect of killing off the plants that need sunlight to survive.
In the absence of the archdruid’s protection, the werebats and other predatory monsters raid the dying wood and kill most of the birds and mammals. If Tearulai is still lodged in Valdemar’s skull, the dragon holds back the encroaching monsters as best it can.
If Tearulai and Valdemar are separated and the dragon survives, it rekindles its enmity with the archdruid and anyone else who would curtail its evil predilections. Wyllow commands newly arrived adventurers to dispose of the dragon, banishing those who refuse.