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Note: This adventure comes from “Fortress of the Yuan-ti”, by Ari Marmell, as published by Wizards of the Coast.

Area K9) The Dungeon

The party descends the sloping stairs from the Torture Chamber to Level 1, where they encounter a Yuan-Ti Ghost named Yensurros – who serves as a prison warden (of sorts).

Yensurros leads the party on a frustrating game of cat and mouse through the walls of the prison cells. In the process, he drains vital life force from Yosi¹⁾, Líkami²⁾, and Freyrik³⁾.

Area K10) Cells

After destroying the ghost, the party finds nine prisoners scattered throughout the cells:

• Selirra (CG female elf adept 2). She lacks her holy symbol and so is unable to cast spells.
• Aldros (N male human commoner 1). He was taken from the slave community in the vale (area F).
• Rollin (LG male human expert 3).
• Thoburk (CN male orc warrior 1). In exchange for his rescue, he insists on aiding the party in combat.
• Illria (N female halfing rogue 2). Illria stumbled across Castle Serastis as a wandering adventurer, and was caught when she tried to break in.
• Daverov (LN male dwarf aristocrat 4). He insists on learning the hometowns of the party so he can send them a reward for his rescue.
• Kaleb (CN male human warrior 2). he was a hired guard in a small village north of Saltmarsh. When drunk on duty, he was taken unawares by the yuan-ti.
• Maneri (LN female human aristocrat 2). She owned the gallery Kaleb was supposed to be guarding, and was captured when he was.
• Male human corpse. (Dead before the fight with the ghost – so was not “collateral” damage)
• Ossuru (CE female yuan-ti pureblood). A former guard, she failed in her assignments once too often.

In conversation with Ossuru, the yuan-ti prisoner, she insinuates the existence of a secret passage on this level. When pressed for details, though, she puts up brief (and futile) resistance and is killed. The orc, Thoburk, insists on joining the party on their “revenge quest” against the yuan-ti – and the party (only somewhat reluctantly) agrees.

Allie consoles and feeds the remaining prisoners while the party finishes searching this level. Once this level is deemed safe, the prisoners are escorted out through the secret passage – earning the party one special action point⁴⁾

Area K11) Garbage Pit

Gophodros, a magic-infused Otyugh lives in this massive garbage pit. Despite the overpowering stench and his magical resistance, the party dives in and defeats him. Under the garbage, Ketamine finds a ring of counterspells with charm person.

Area K12) Storage Chambers

Find armor, weapons, and “adventuring” gear:

• Six suits of studded leather armor
• Six suits of leather armor
• Four chain shirts
• Two sets of scale mail
• A breastplate
• Four heavy steel shields
• Eight light sreel shields
• Three heavy wooden shields
• Four light wooden shields
• Four bucklers

• Twenty-four backpacks
• Twenty-four bedrolls
• Fifty candles
• Six crowbars
• Four hooded lanterns
• Four pints of lamp oil
• Thirty-six days' worth of trail rations
• 250 reet of hemp rope in 50-foot sections
• Two sledgehammers
• Six tents
• Six sun rods

• Twelve scimitars
• Six heavy maces
• Four longbows
• Eight shortbows
• Twelve quivers of twenty arrows each

Area K13) Hidden Exit

Find a secret door to a hidden passage that leads both outside and back up to Level 2.

Area K14) Temporary Storage

Find an impressive suit of magical scale armor (which Yosi tries on), and two magical pearls.

Escort the prisoners out and spend the night outside.

The next morning, the party returns to the fortress via the secret passage discovered the previous day. Once inside, they proceed up the passage – which leads to the Kitchen (Area K4).

From there, they cross the Great Hall and head up the sloping passage to the third level.

Area K15) The Interior Balcony

This area is mostly an extension to The Great Hall (Area K3) – and consists of a long brass railing around the edge of a balcony. Doors and stairs lead in all directions.

Area K16) Barracks

While these chambers are currently empty, a variety of yuan-ti personal effects are found – including 229 gp in coins and cheap jewelry.

Area K17) Guest Chambers

In one of these rooms, a human patrol was found (and killed). The other room is covered in dust and appears not to have been used for some time.

Area K18) The Way Forward

Through the last unlocked door on this level, the party finds a set of steep stairs leading to a door. At the top, a pair of Poison Dusk Lizardfolk stand guard. Though they manage to activate a small barrier, their ranged weapons are insufficient to stop the party from reaching the top and the party's front rank makes short work of them.

Countdown to the TPK will resume in two weeks…

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