Crystal Cave terrain
Originium veins run raw and glittering through the stone here, and the ruins of an older civilization show in cracked walls and half-buried machinery. The party is traversing this deepest recorded layer of the Underdark.
The location’s inhabitants
Old guardians, remnants of the civilization that came before, and things drawn to the raw Originium dwell here. Entering their territory uninvited may provoke them to attack, otherwise they’ll flee or investigate players that seem non-threatening.
- Common: Earth Elementals (resting in the old ruins), Gray Ooze, Deactivated Warforged Prototypes (remnants of the old civilization), Mimics
- Uncommon: Dragon Swans (near Sarcophagus facilities), Xorn
- Dangerous: Umber Hulk, Beholder Zombie
The Location’s possible encounters
The crystal caves are often traversable, though raw Originium deposits and unstable ruins can slow the party down — and pose a hazard beyond the creatures here.
Roll a 1d4 to determine which encounter that follows:
- 1 - E1
- 2 - E2
- 3 - E3
- 4 - E4
E1. Difficult Terrain
Difficult terrain hinders the party, one may traverse it by overcoming a skill check. Simply going around is also an option by spending more time.
| Obstacle | Skill check |
|---|---|
| Unstable ruin debris | DC 12 Strength Check |
| Raw Originium exposure | DC 12 Constitution Check |
| Crystalline outcrops | DC 10 Dexterity Check |
E2. Common Encounter
Old guardians and remnants of the civilization before inhabit this stretch of crystal cave.
Roll a 1d4 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Common Creature | Number of creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Earth Elemental (in old ruins) | 1d2 (1–2) |
| 2. Gray Ooze | 1d2 (1–2) |
| 3. Deactivated Warforged Prototype | 1d4 (1–4) |
| 4. Mimic | 1d2 (1–2) |
E3. Uncommon Encounter
Rare and singular beings, some ancient relics and some drawn by the raw Originium in the stone.
Roll a 1d2 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Uncommon creature | Number of creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Dragon Swan | 1 |
| 2. Xorn | 1 |
E4. Dangerous Encounter
These creatures rule the deepest crystal caverns, guarding the old ruins and the raw Originium within.
Roll a 1d2 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Dangerous creature | Number of Creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Umber Hulk | 1 |
| 2. Beholder Zombie | 1 |
Aftermath
The party may loot the creature’s belongings if they have any. Parts of the creatures may be claimed as a trophy or collected as material for artisans. Warforged prototype components and raw Originium samples may be of particular value to Rhine Labs, Chrysalis Labs, or the Dwarves Union.
After overcoming the encounter the party may continue on deciding their next move.