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The Filthy Maw

by Reverend Dungeon Master

for Levels 3-5

Welcome to The Filthy Maw, an underground hellhole that some drunk bard swears is "teeming with riches and absolutely not cursed at all." Your party of adventurous nitwits has been hired (tricked) by a shady noble to plunder the depths of this festering cave system and bring back "The Glorious Skull of Saint Garglebones." That name alone should tell you everything you need to know about how well this will go.

The Entrance: Where Hope Comes to Die

The cave mouth gapes like the last toothless grin of a dying troll. The stench of mildew and regret wafts out, welcoming you like an old friend you owe money to. Carved above the entrance are the words: "Turn Back, Fools." The script looks suspiciously recent.

As you step inside, your boots squelch into something that should not squelch. Congratulations, you’ve discovered the first trap: the Sticky Carpet of Unholy Grime. Every step forward now comes with a delightful peeling noise. If the locals don’t hear you coming, they don’t deserve to kill you.

Room 1: The Hall of Half-Hearted Traps

A narrow hallway stretches ahead, lined with what appear to be pressure plates of mild inconvenience. Some drop pebbles, others unleash dust clouds, and one sprays a fine mist of water, which, if licked, tastes vaguely of desperation and vinegar. At the end of the hall, a wight sentry leans against the wall, clearly questioning his unlife choices. If you ask nicely, he’ll inform you that "Room 3 is the real problem, boss."

Wight Sentry (CR 3)

Room 2: The Rat King's Underrated Opera House

Here lies a throne of bones, occupied by Plaguefang the Dread, a werewolf with glowing red eyes, attended by a chorus of dire rats gnawing ominously on whatever they can find. The problem? He won’t stop monologuing.

Plaguefang offers you a deal: find the wizard who cursed him (somewhere deeper in the dungeon) and end his suffering, and he'll give you a key to Room 4 and a jar of "Maybe Healing Salve."

Plaguefang the Dread (CR 4 - Werewolf Alpha)

The jar smells like burnt hair.

Room 3: The Bone Zone

This chamber is filled with minotaur skeletons, all standing around like they’re waiting for the bus. They don’t attack immediately because they are engaged in an intense philosophical debate about whether they still have free will.

If you attack, they defend themselves with terrifying efficiency. If you participate in their debate, you might convince them to fight for you in the final encounter. Either way, one of them is wearing a crown that definitely does not belong to him. (It's Saint Garglebones' Skull. That was easy.)

Minotaur Skeletons (CR 4 each)

Room 4: The Wizard, The Fool, and The Curse

Behind an unnecessarily large iron door, you find Malazar the Irritated, a necromancer who looks like he’s been living here far too long and resents every second of it. He’s still ranting about the werewolf he cursed centuries ago, complaining that nobody ever appreciates good necromantic craftsmanship anymore. He glares at you like you’re about to ask him for a favor, which, to be fair, you probably are. You can:

Malazar the Irritated (CR 5 - Necromancer)
AC:
12
HP: 66 (12d8+12)
Speed: 30 ft.

Spells:

Special: Arcane Misfire – Any spell he casts has a 10% chance of wildly malfunctioning (DM’s choice). Expect fireworks, screaming, or possibly an angry chicken.

The Exit: Profit and/or Death

Returning to Plaguefang, he sighs with relief as he finally crumbles into dust. The dire rats, freed from tyranny, celebrate by biting your ankles. The "Maybe Healing Salve" does heal, but it also induces hallucinations of dancing weasels for an hour.

If you survive and return the skull to your employer, you learn he was lying about the "great reward." Instead, he gives you a coupon for 10% off at Ye Olde Meat Pie Emporium.

Loot and XP Tally

XP Awards:

And there you have it. Another successful adventure in which you, yet again, fail to make any real money. See you next time in another miserable cave filled with existential horrors!