** CHAPTER 12: The Vault of the Drow **

At last--the VAULT itself. The winding, torturous
maze of underground tunnels leads finally
to this capitol, the last mighty bastion of the
drow race on Oerth. All that has gone before
was but a prelude, a series of tests; for herein,
deep amidst the realm of the dark elves,
dwells the dark Queen herself. She quietly
awaits the arrival of those who have confronted
her forces, slain her followers, foiled
her elaborate plans.. . and she patiently anticipates
the delicious moment of confrontation,
and her foes' final destruction.

But the characters have accomplished
much, facing mighty forces; perhaps a trace of
doubt has appeared in the mind of the demoness.
Only a trace, to be sure, for they will
surely be captured by the dark minions, removed
before they can approach the great
Fane. But that trace of fear is there ... as is the
route to success, and victory over the demoness
Lolth, Queen of the Spiders.

Wandering Monsters
Encounters for the area are divided into
four basic area types: open terrain, fungi crystal
forests, vault walls, and river--the latter
including the small tributary and lake areas as
well as the Pitchy Flow itself. A separate table <table=x>
is given later for random encounters in the
drow city of Erelhei-Cinlu (Location 8), for
that place is unlike any other in the vault.

Any encounter marked with an asterisk is
explained in the Encounter Details which follow
the charts. Use standard details for all
creatures encountered.

Open Terrain: Encounter occurs 1 in 12; check
each turn.

1d12	Encounter Type
1-2	Bugbears* (13-18)
3	Bugbears* (2-8) with 13-24 slaves
4	Drow..merchants (small train)
5	Drow patrol. Male.
6-7	Lizards, pack* (2-8)
8	Nightmares* (1-4)
9	Spiders, giant (2-8)
10	Troglodytes* (5-30)
11	Troglodytes* (3-12) with slaves (19-24)
12	Trolls* (1-4)

--
Fungi or Crystal Forest:
Encounter occurs 1 in 12; check each turn.

1	Drow patrol, Females
2	Drow raiding party*
3	Fungi, violet* (1-4)
4	Lizards, pack* (1-4)
5	Mold, yellow* (1 patch)
6	Shambling mounds (1-2)
7-8	Shriekers* (2-8)
9	Slaves, escaped* (21-30)
10-11	Slave harvesters* (21-30)
12	Spiders, giant (2-8)

Vault Walls: Encounter occurs 1 in 10; check each turn.

1	Drow hunting party*
2	Drow raiding party*
3	Lizards, subterranean (1-4)
4	Purple worm or umber hulks (select)
5	Ropers* (1-4)
6	Shambling mounds (1-2)
7-9	Slaves, escaped* (13-20)
10	Spiders, giant (2-8)
11	Troglodytes* (21-40)
12	Trolls* (1-4)

River or Lake (including Shore hex): Encounter
occurs 1 in 10; check each turn.

1d12	Encounter Type
1	Beetle, giant water (1)
2	Crayfish, giant (2-5)
3	Demon, Type II (1)
4	Drow hunting party*
5	Frogs, giant (2-8)
6	Frogs, giant poisonous (2-8)
7	Kuo-Toan spies* (2-5)
8	Lizards, subterranean (2)
9	Pike, giant (1)
10	Shambling mounds (1-2)
11	Spiders, giant water (2-5)
12	Turtle, giant snapping (1)

Encounter Details
No special notes apply to any creature not
listed below. Refer to the monster section for
general statistics for all.

Bugbears: These creatures are going about the
business of one of the merchant clans. One of
the group is a leader type, who carries a distinctive
brooch (see Drow notes). Each bugbear
has 2-8 gold pieces, the leader 5-30 gp.
Bugbears found in the Vault are better
equipped than others, and are described separately
in the monster reference section.

Bugbears leader (1): HD 4, hp 24, THACO 15,
 Dmg 5-11 or 3-9; XPV 256

Bugbears: hp 15 each; XPV 195 each

Bugbears and slaves: These are work parties.
The bugbears are standard Vault types, including
2 sub-leaders and 1 leader. Slaves
are a mixed lot determined at random.

Displacer Beasts: These creatures are used as
hunting hounds by the drow nobles, as well as
guard dogs. They are not normally let loose in
the Vault, as they have a distressing tendency
to kill slaves.

Drow hunting party: This is a group from one
of the eight noble families, enjoying the sport
of tracking and killing escaped slaves. Each
drow in the group wears the same type of
brooch, indicating their noble house. The
leader's device is the same as the others, but
she also wears a jupon showing the colors and
device of her house beneath her cloak, while
the lesser nobles do not.

The group's treasure is only what has been
captured from slave lairs. It is carried in saddle
bags by the lower level drow..fighters. Check
for treasure as follows:
 

20%	100-600	sp
25%	100-200	ep
40%	200-800	gp
50%	100-600	pp
55%	1-6	gems
45%	1-2	jewelry
25%	1	potion
10%	1	scroll

There is a 10% chance that the party is accompanied
by a demon of Type I, II, or III, or
by a mezzodaemon. If so, the amount of any
treasure is the maximum possible, with 50%
chance for 1 potion and 75 % for a scroll of
7 spells.

The hunting party consists of the following
members:

3-6	Bugbears used as trackers
2-4	Displacer beasts as hounds
5-8	Female drow fighters, each armed with a medium lance (2-7), and riding a special lizard mount
2-3	Female nobles on the Hunt
1	Lead Huntswoman, a female Drow Level 7/7 Fighter|Priest. <(Crusader: Lama|Champion, ECL 9)>

Huntswoman: Level 7/7 Cleric/Fighter;
<(Crusader: Lama|Champion ECL 9)>
hp 42; MR 64%; AC -5; THACO 14; #AT 3/2;
chain +3, buckler +3, horseman's mace +3, death
lance (see Appendix B); XPV 5,538; Spells:
1st Level: command (x2), cure light wounds (x2), sanctuary
2nd Level: find traps, hold person, slow poison (x2)
3rd Level: animate dead, speak with dead
4th Level: cure serious wounds

Female Nobles: MR 64 % ; AC -5 ; HD 7 (hp
35); THACO 14; #AT 3/2; buckler +3,
shortsword + 2, dagger +2, atlatl with 3
poisoned javelins, medium lance; XPV
1,230

Drow Raiding Party: This group is from one of
the 16 merchant clans, but the drow involved
do not wear brooches (clan identification).
The group’s purpose is to deliver death and
destruction to a rival clan’s merchant party
(though occasionally, but rarely, to an allied
clan). Such raids rarely result in more than a
few slain servants and minor property damage,
though a drow may be killed on occasion.

    The group consists of the following members:
    7-12 Bugbears
    4 Male Drow..fighters
    1 Male Drow captain (below)

Captain: Level 5 /4 Fighter/Magic-User;
<Spellblade (Swashbuckler|Theurgist)>
hp 23; MR 60%; AC -1; THACO 16; chain
+3, katzbalger +3, dagger +2; XPV
1,009; Spells:
First Level: hold portal, sleep (x2)
Second Level: phantasmal force, web

Kuo-Toan..Spies: These are always in or near
the water. If not in the water, they are clad in
black drow cloaks and make every attempt to
avoid being detected. Their party consists of
2-5 fighter|assassins of level 4/4.
(AC 4, hp 28 each, XPV 468 each) armed with dagger and
garrote, accompanied by 1 monitor.

Lizard Mounts: These are a species of subterranean
lizards bred by the dark elven nobles.
They are as large as a small horse, with longish
legs for a lizard. For purposes of mounted
lance attack, treat them as medium horses.

Lizards, Pack: These creatures are docilely
grazing upon the fungi that covers the AREA
and ignore passers-by unless they are molested.
The pack belongs to any one merchant
clan. If handled with the proper goads, they
can be led easily. (Lizard goads are long ankuslike
hooks.)

Mold, yellow: This appears to shimmer in
rainbow colors unless viewed using the special
eye cusps. It is then seen as vivid scarlet or
crimson.

Nightmares: These can only be encountered
on the N bank of the Pitchy. If this result is
determined for another AREA, roll again. If approached,
the nightmares attack viciously.

Ropers: These are encountered only along the
walls where they can lair in spur caves, crevasses,
etc. Each works with its fellows to insure
victory. They have normal treasure for
their ilk.

Shriekers: These look like other fungi except
when seen using the special eye cusps. They
then can be differentiated at 90-100 feet distance
(unless modified by surprise).

Slaves: Use the following table to determine
the race of each slave. Freed slaves will cooperate
fully with rescuers until a place of relative
safety is reached. Evil-aligned races will
not co-operate over an extended period with
characters of good alignment. No slave will
have more than a 10% chance to turn on rescuers
and report them, for they all know the
capricious nature of their masters, who are as
likely to feed the informants to a nearby demon
as they are to go after the escapees.
 

1d10	Race of Slave
1	bugbear
2	dwarf
3	elf
4-5	gnoll
6	goblin
7	half-elf (10% half-drow)
8	half-orc
9	hobgoblin
10-14	human
15-16	kuo-toa
17-18	orc
19	svirfneblin
20

-

Slaves, escaped: Roll 1d10 to find the general
composition of the band, using the 1st table
below, and then divide the total number according
to the racial proportions given. Use
the proportions in the 2nd table to assign
weaponry to each and every slave, rounding
each category down except for <bats>. Drow-sized
creatures will employ their chain mail,
smaller slaves will have drow bucklers, and
larger types will use any bugbear armor and
<large> shields captured (20% of the group, rounded
up). Bands of opposite (good/evil) alignment
will tend to be suspicious and not particularly
co-operative, seeking instead to gain additional
weapons, armor, and other goods from
those they encounter.

-
-

1d10	Racial Proportions
1-2	20% elf
-	20% half-elf
-	60% human
3-5	25% half-orc
-	50% human
-	25% hobgoblin
6-7	25% bugbear
-	50% gnoll
-	25% hobgoblin
8-9	20% goblin
-	60% orc
-	20% troglodyte
10	50% dwarf
-	30% gnome
-	20% svirfneblin

-
Weaponry of escaped slaves

10	Drow hand crossbow, 5 poisoned darts
10	Drow dagger +1
10	Drow shortsword +1
10	heavy morning star
10	spear (1-2 short spear, 3-4 oxtongue spear, 5-6 ash spear)
10	stone axe <tomahawk?>
20	javelin
20	+ wooden or similar <bat>

-
Slave harvesters: This is a group of 12, 14, 16,
18, or 20 slaves of mixed type (q. v. ) equipped
with crosscut saws. Each pair draws a two-wheeled
cart. After crews of workers harvest
the rapidly-growing fungi for food (the tough
outer skin being used for many other purposes),
they scatter fertilizers from the city
(taken in trade by the merchants) about the
AREA cleared. Their guards are either bugbears
(1 per 4-5 slaves) or troglodyte (1 per 3-4
slaves). Guards are normal non-leader types
(q.v.).

Troglodytes: These creatures are going about
the affairs of a noble house. Each has a stone
battle axe and one javelin. 2 of the group
are sub-leaders, and 1 is a larger leader type
who carries a special brooch of 1 of the 8
noble families (see drow notes). Each trog has
1-6 gp, each sub-leader 2-12, and the leader
5-20 gp. Trogs found in the VAULT are better
equipped than others, and are described specifically
in the monster reference section.

Troglodyte troops: hp 9 each; XPV 54 each

Trog sub-leaders (2): hp 15 each; XPV 66 each

Trog leader (1): HD 3; hp 21; XPV 143

Troglodytes and slaves: These groups are
sometimes (50%) work parties, and sometimes
(50%) the former are escorting a batch
of prisoners for games, sacrifices or some other
foul end. These latter slaves will act with ferocity
if freed, attacking their guards if weapons
are available (with + 1 to hit and
damage). The troglodytes are typical, with no
leader types.

Trolls (Vault type): These are more intelligent
and better equipped than those found elsewhere,
and are noted specially in the monster
reference section. Each has 5-8 hp per die, and
carries a bardiche or <footman's> flail, gaining bonuses of
+2/ +4 to hit and to damage (respectively)
with their weapons. They are employed by the
drow to maintain discipline among other servants.

Violet fungi: These appear identical to shriekers
(above).

Encounter Key: The Vault of the Drow
Special Note: Colors appear other than normal
under the strange light of the stony drow
heavens. Visitors with normal visual capabilities
will see only in blacks and grays with bluish
tinges. Those with infravision will see
blues and purples as well as dull reds. All yellows
appear green. With ultravision, all colors
glow, scintillate, and are breathtaking. As referee,
feel free to give any color you believe reasonable
for monsters with distinctive
coloration, i. e. indigo worm, lavender troll,
puce bugbear, and so forth.