Area B: Dragon District
This area of the City near the Monolith District is the central enclave for the various eunshiel Clans of the Underwilds. Their reverence and servitude towards the many-headed Queen of Chaotic dragons is evident in the art and architecture of the buildings here, which have an alien beauty to them.
B1: Square
The central gathering point for the District is dominated by a fountain carved from a natural, underground spring. In the center of the pool is a cracked, restored statue of Tiama’at the Many-Headed Serpent, which once graced the Sanctum of the True Temple (Level 6, Area D.) The eunshiel rescued it piece by piece from the wall of debris surrounding the Plaza (A1,) which also serves as a refuse dump for the snake-men. The snake-men are so secure in their primacy that they humor the eunshiel’s continued reverence for their discarded deity; that is, when they pay any mind at all.
Due to the presence of the statue, the waters of the fountain now have special properties, depending on the alignment of those who may drink from it:
Chaotic – Cures whatever primary malady ails the character: hit points (2d6+2,) poison, or disease (but not curses such as lycanthropy or a mummy’s rot)
Neutral – Gain the effects of a comprehend languages spell (see entry) for one day
Lawful – The character vanishes! They are actually teleported to a random location in the City: roll 1d4 for District, and 1d8 for sub-area, with an "8" being GM’s choice
The waters lose their properties if removed from the fountain.
B2: Temple of Her Coiling Scales
This modest, but nevertheless impressive temple is made from the stone of an older structure. The domed roof is held up by columns made from stalagmites carved into dragon heads. Inside is an unholy shrine to Tiama’at, with five altars. Each has an eternal sample of Her Many Breaths: a flame, a chunk of ice, a cloud of poison gas, a pool of acid, and a floating ball of lightning. The eunshiel of the City come here regularly to prostrate themselves before their goddess and self-flagellate in ecstatic supplication.
The temple is overseen by its High Priest Tsabazair (9+1 HD, spells as an 8th-level cleric.) This wizened eunshiel appears frail; with a thin, wispy mustache and beard which is the mark of advanced age in this sub-race of deep fey. His regalia include a many-headed dragon headdress, and a many-headed staff. Despite his age, the High Priest is shrewd and highly intelligent. He has to be, since he is the de facto authority for the eunshiel Clans in the City, and heads a council made up of their representatives.
In addition to the High Priest, there are four (4) eunshiel acolytes (4+1 HD, spells as 3rd-level cleric,) and six (6) honor guards (5+1 HD, polearms) in the temple. 1d4 of these acolytes and 1d6 honor guards are with the High Priest whenever encountered.
Tsabazair and the eunshiel council have been secretly preparing for a holy war against the snake-men to take over their City. Despite the presence of eunshiel spies in the True Temple, they have not been able penetrate Khan-Ni-Tet’s inner circle or the Sanctum. The High Priest and council have most likely heard of the player characters’ (PCs) actions in the True Temple through their spy network by this point. In this case, the High Priest proposes hiring them to assassinate Khan-Ni-Tet and/or the Snake God, with a reward of 3,800 gp for the rulers’ heads, and 5,000 gp for evidence of the Snake God’s demise.
If the PCs have already slain one or both creatures before they meet the High Priest, there is no reward, but the High Priest will have an automatic, positive reaction, and will consider using them as mercenaries for other key operations as the eunshiel’s war to conquer the City begins in earnest (with commensurate rewards for service.)
Having Tsabazair’s favor will result in the PCs being able to move about the District and use their services unmolested, including access to the priests’ clerical magic (for a price.)
Below the temple is a vault than functions as a bank of sorts for the eunshiel of the City. It is kept by a young, white dragon (HP 24) and serves as its “training hoard”: 20,000 gp, a well-cut, 100 gp amethyst, and a dizzying array of jewelry of various types (12,000 gp total worth, 1/10th weight.)
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| High Priest Tsabazair is old, knowledgeable, and cunning (adapted from AI images courtesy of NightCafe.) |
B3: Faire of Pleasure and Pain
The eunshiel hold a perpetual market faire here with street entertainers, vendors, and food stalls. Unlike the seasonal festivals in the Northern Marklands above, the eunshiel idea of merriment tends to involve cruel, unusual amusements or games that typically involve unfortunate surface-dwellers or other “lesser” beings against their will; all to the tune of hauntingly beautiful music (and screams.)
A typical vendor stall (about 10 at any one time) has roughly 3d6x100 gp worth of valuable goods and/or coin (x4 weight.) One has a magic-user scroll with the following spells: ESP (x2), knock, dimension door, invisibility (10-ft. radius). Attempting to steal (and being caught) may result in a random encounter as the eunshiel vendor(s) and their guards or pets respond proportionally.
Another feature of this quarter is the Buxala Club, a tavern and traveler hospice that serves the eunshiel exclusively. It is a popular gathering spot, and the niflaja, a powerful spirit brewed from alkaline water and violet mold, flows freely here. It has mild, hallucinogenic properties.
The Buxala club flies the green dragon banner of Clan Indralas, whose area of expertise (not surprisingly) is culinary, brewing, and hospitality. Their banner can also be seen throughout this area.
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| A leaping, eunshiel dancer at the Faire. Not pictured: the trampled bodies of suffering unfortunates below (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.) |
B4: Sages Quarter
This area features the living places of Clan Molcyrr, the oldest of the eunshiel clans and known for its scholars, sorcerers, and priests of Tiama’at. Their banner is a white dragon.
The most important landmark here is a sacred Library with a repository of ancient scrolls and tomes related to draconic lore, dark sorcery, and Tiama’at's teachings. Many of these books are of immense value to sages, and a typical “haul” may fetch up to 3,900 gp if sold to such individuals. At the GM’s discretion, there may also be spellbooks with unique spells of their own devising.
Attempting to leave with any of the writings causes multiple, dark tendrils to emerge from the 10-ft. wide, fungal wood entrance portal and attack up to six (6) characters as a 7HD monster. Each tendril attack deals 1d6+2 damage and wraps around the victim, holding them in place until eunshiel guards arrive to apprehend them. Struggling to escape a tendril causes it to constrict for an additional 1d6+2 damage each attempt.
B5: Artisans Quarter
This area is filled with workshops and studios flying the blue dragon banner of Clan Andryune. Their specialty is art: painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and other craftsfolk. While some eunshiel art is darkly beautiful, other works are nothing short of horrific. The main Gallery here currently features flayed, humanoid and animal bodies which have been desiccated and preserved in various activity poses as mockeries of surface life. They are enchanted with a unique version of animate dead to change poses every few minutes, which is quite disconcerting, but otherwise harmless.
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| The animated Gallery of Bodies (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.) |
B6: Musicians Quarter
Eunshiel musicians, bards, and other performers such as dancers and actors call this portion of the Dragon District home, and its many studios and conservatories fly the black dragon standard of Clan Andulath. A main feature of the area is an enclosed amphitheater carved into the rock to maximize its acoustic quality. Built into an alcove inside is a strange form of pipe organ – a joint creation of eunshiel and ennan genius. Its design evokes draconic majesty, with claw and wing-like protrusions, and pipes shaped like dragon’s heads.
The Dragon Organ is a complex instrument designed to evoke sensation in both listener and player. Only a once-in-a-generation, eunshiel virtuoso can play it properly, and so it sits silent and unused most of the time.
Attempting to play the organ without talent and proper training is a dangerous proposition. The player must succeed at both a Dexterity and Intelligence checks to play even a mediocre, but not cringe-inducing melody. Failing one or both checks has potentially deadly results (roll 1d6):
1. Darts shoot from the pipes toward the player and 1d3 random characters in the amphitheater. Victims must save against wands or be hit by 1d8 darts for 1d4 damage. The darts are coated with a drug that induces euphoria. Failing to save against poison affects the victim as a confusion spell. In both cases, the victim suffers a -1 to Constitution when the effects of the drug wear off after 12 rounds.
2. A dragon-headed pipe emits a random, dragon-type breath (cold, fire, lightning, acid, or gas) for 7d6 damage (save against breath for half.)
3. The pipes spew water, filling the amphitheater at a rate of one foot per round until the water reaches a height of 10 feet. The water drains slowly at a rate of one foot per turn.
4. A loud, discordant burst from one of the pipes has a 2-in-6 chance of triggering a random encounter.
5. Mechanical blades emerge suddenly and begin to whirl, slash, and rend at the organ player and 1d8 other characters in the amphitheater for 8d6 damage. A successful save against breath allows a victim to move out of the way of the blades for no damage.
6. Blasts from multiple pipes at the same time deafen everyone in the amphitheater for 12 turns (save against spell to avoid) and have a 3-in-6 chance of triggering a random encounter.
Rolling “1”s on both checks results in a rare, inspired performance, which produce unique emotional and physical sensations (due to the devices described above) in a controlled manner. This is shocking and uncomfortable to non-eunshiel, but cause no lasting harm. However, the organ player is now psychologically addicted to playing the bizarre instrument. The player comes under the immediate effects of a potion of heroism, as they ride high on the experience. Once the effect wears off, they suffer a loss of one level of experience until they can play the Organ again (further plays do not act as a potion of heroism.) This level restoration lasts for only one day and then the player loses it again. An addict in the presence of the Organ requires a saving throw against spells at -2 to resist the desire to play it. Only a remove curse can cure the addiction.
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| Play at your own risk! (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.) |
B7: Training Ground and Camp
This area between the eunshiel-controlled Dragon and ennan-controlled Builder’s Districts has many tents made of bone, skin, and chitin, but few permanent buildings; all under the red dragon standard of Clan Sornath. This clan’s purview is skill at arms, and eunshiel warriors from all clans train with instructors from Clan Sornath. The Clan's warriors can also be found guarding important eunshiel locations or trade caravans in the Underwilds. The best become Dragonsworn – guardians of their draconic masters’ lairs.
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| An eunshiel Dragonsworn (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.) |
There has been much activity at the camp of late due to preparations for potential military action (see B2 above,) and many young eunshiel warriors are spoiling for a fight. Reactions with outsiders are at -2. A brawl with a small group may quickly become a pitched battle as more eunshiel join in. There are currently 30 warriors in the camp, with a 4+1 HD commander.
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
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