Since the original Fiend Folio, I’ve been a fan of the dark ones – dark creepers and dark stalkers – now known as darklings in 5e. They appeared in Parsantium’s Hidden Quarter in one of the first 4e sessions I ran, so I wanted to include them in my Dungeon23 project.
The map I’ve been drawing over the past 12 days is located to the north of the Catacombs of the Monkey God, and northeast of the Haunted Halls of Hanuman. Next, I am going to draw the area to the west of this one, completing this section of Level 2.
Room Descriptions
109. Stone steps up to a dais with stone altar. Worn carvings of monkeys. DC 20 Investigation to find hidden switch. When pressed altar slides to one side revealing stairs down.
110. Ashok, a frightened halfling carpet seller, is hiding out in this chamber. He used a secret door in his basement to escape from the Golden Scimitars thugs threatening him and lost his bearings. He offers a fine rug (worth 250 gp) as a reward for escorting him home.
111. Two darklings were killed here – all that remains are two small ash silhouettes on the floor and two pairs of daggers.
112. Waterlogged tunnel. Muddy water fills the corridor to a depth of 3’. A gray ooze with psionic abilities lies on the floor below the surface.
113. Domed ceiling decorated with faded frescoes with Aqhrani geometric designs. Large hole in the centre of the floor leading down into darkness – home to a cloaker that preys on explorers that come too close.
114. Bubbling fountain carved with dolphins, overflowing into the hallway. Several gold and silver coins lie on the bottom of the pool. Drinking the water has the effect of a lesser restoration spell.
115. Domed ceiling with similar faded frescoes to 113. Three darklings are here, studying the large hole in the floor.
116. Five darklings are puzzling over a set of stone cubes, 1’ square, with animals carved on them. If these are inserted in the correct order (alphabetical, in the Aqhrani alphabet) in the slots in the west wall, the north door opens. One cube is missing.
117. A darkling covered in glowing tattoos lies on a bier in the centre of this unlit room. Four darkling elders stand on each side of the bier, chanting in Sylvan. This ritual will transform the darkling into an elder in 1 hour if uninterrupted.
118. Statue of a hooded fey or elf noble stands in the centre of the room – the legendary leader of the darklings. A darkling elder kneels in front of the statue, meditating.
119. Walls of this room are decorated with faded frescoes depicting the night sky, stars and planets. Debris litters the floor in the NW corner. The missing stone cube from 116, carved with a tiger, is here.
120. Treasure vault protected by a glyph of warding (thunder), triggers once the door is unlocked. Inside are 1737 sp, 488 gp, pink pearl (250 gp), tiger eye (75 gp), silver incense burner (100 gp), potion of water breathing, elemental gem (earth).
You can follow the project each day on Twitter and Mastodon, and I’ll post an update here each week too, so please do join my mailing list if you’re interested. There’s a sign up form on the home page and subscribers receive a free Parsantium supplement.
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Main image by Jonathan Roberts
Richard Green | Game Designer 