The town of Liver trains would be adventures in the daily skills and experiences necessary to survive in all manner of adventuring environments. One such challenging environment is the cavern like recesses of the underdark. The Lair of the Shadow Baroness is one such training dungeon meant to challenge the very limits of any adventures who try their hand at it.
This is a challenging one shot adventure for four level 1 PCs but level 2s would be hard pressed as well..
Six W’s
Who are the enemies in this One Shot?
The denizens of the underdark (ie. Myconids, Drow, Kobolds, Orog, Orcs, Goblins, etc), Traps
What has happened to cause the PCs to fight?
The PCs are told about a dungeon ran by four drow sisters two days to the east in the shadow of a fallen keep. Every so often they offer a challenge to would be adventure’s to attempt to assail and survive their dungeon. Namah, Perdita, Gesa and Junko are know as the Baronesses. Despite being drow the four sisters are allowed to run this dungeon as they see fit since they are members of good standing with the guild. Today Namah and Perdita are hosting “try outs” for would be adventures to take their offer of surviving a full day of adventuring for a wealth untold. Currently, they are offering a sign up bonus of 100 GP per person. Should the PCs seek to test their hand at the dungeon either Namah or Perdita would guide them through the steps to sign up at the guild hall.
Where is this encounter happening?
This encounter is starting in the town of Liver. This is where the PCs will meet up and explore the markets, shops and massive inns in town. From there the adventure takes the PCs to the dungeon called The Lair of the Shadow Baroness. This dungeon is located at the foot of a disused keep two days east of the town itself.
This dungeon was originally created by a powerful cabal of exiled Drow who sought refuge when their house was purged by a rival clan. Eventually the original inhabitants were defeated by mysterious entities. Since then the Baronesses took up control of this particular dungeon and have turned it into an underdark training site for gold and profit as independent contractors. (DC 18 History checks to get the full amount of this information or DC 12 Persuasion to get the tourist version of it found in the PDF)
When did this happen?
The PCs find out about this dungeon three days after spending time roaming about Liver. A large attraction of new adventures are gathered in a shaded part of the square as two comely drow females hold “court” about their dungeon.
Why are the PCs here?
Liver is the capital of adventures and each dungeon challenges the PCs in different ways. This dungeon is run by independent contractors who have been given the right to operate under an older statute set up by the adventure’s guild. It is here where the PCs are offered a chance to challenge an independent dungeon, gain treasure, and learn a first hand experiences in dealing with the denizens of the underdark in a controlled environment.
How will the PCs deal with this problem?
Should the PCs take the Baronesses on their offer they will have either Namah or Perdita guide them through the sign up process right their in the square inside of a lavishly set up tent lit by dancing light. The inside is completely silent and darkened for above ground drow sensibilities. The standard contracts used by the guild are their as well as the initial stipend of 100 GP plus the extra 100 GP for sign up. From there the PCs will be given a map of the layout of the dungeon and the directions to get there.
If the PCs are skeptical about the Baronesses then they can research about them either by a DC 18 History check or DC 20 Persuasion check. History will give you what is known about their background as far as when they set up their charter, when they first came into the area, and the success rate of the dungeon. Persuasion will give you the reputation of the Baronesses, the names of the groups who successfully completed the dungeon, and even the ability to find someone in town who survived the worst parts of the dungeon.
Once the PCs gather their gear they will then head east two days from town to the disused keep to the east. Once there the PCs arrive at the location they will be entering from the western side of the map at the keep tower 9 on the map.
The Baronesses will participate in assailing the party with non lethal options such as drow poison but actively keep from delivering lethal strikes to the party. This only happens around the room 4 After two rounds of combat the Baronesses will escape via secret passage ways into room 4 and then escaping from the Dungeon.
(History Check tells you that they set up an older charter 200 years ago. This older charter allows them to keep the gear and gold of those who die in their dungeons. The owners of the dungeon are not allowed to kill adventure’s but they can assault the adventure’s if it is part of the environment’s threat challenge. The Baronesses came to this area 220 years ago. The dungeon has sigils that only fully activate when used by those of Drow blood hence why this dungeon was never used by adventure’s guild in the past. The success rate of this dungeon is 22 %.)
(Persuasion Check tells you reputation of the Baronesses. The PCs can learn about the information on each Baronesses. The group as a whole are none as mistresses of their craft when it comes to manipulation and advertising. They are known to occasionally join in on attacking parties but never to kill and even then with non lethal attacks. The groups, that are currently active, who successfully survived this dungeon are The Scattered Suns and The Silent Vipers. One of the members of The Scattered Suns named, Velma Talude, a tiefling hexblade warlock, is currently a private instructor on Arcana lore. She will tell the party of the various monsters that assault them in the dungeon, of the traps used to waylaid the party, and how when they survived clearing the dungeon they received their payment from annoyed Baronesses at their inn rooms.)
NPCs of Note
The Baronesses are four comely drow matrons of fit figures dressed in fine clothing that has drow flourishes. They are the owners and operators of The Lair of the Shadow Baroness. Each of the Baronesses are expert negotiators and manipulators using whatever techniques they need in order to get new adventure’s to sign up for their dungeon experience.
Namah- Silver hair with Red pupil-less eyes, favors dark blues in her clothing
Perdita- White hair with lavender colored eyes, enjoys darker shades of red in her clothes.
Gesa-White hair with white pupil-less eyes, aggressive attitude , enjoys grays and blacks in her clothing
Junko-Lavender tinted hair with black eyes, easily bored, enjoys purples for her style
Velma Talude- a green skinned tiefling with jade etched horns and a lively wolf styled tail. Dour in her moods with occasional bouts of carefree energy when excited.
Maps
Town Liver
The Lair of the Shadow Baroness
PC Map
Encounters & Treasure
Listed in the PDF.
Epilogue
Once the PCs defeat the last monster in the dungeon party then receive unenthusiastic claps from a tower above the entrance to the dungeon. The baronesses will proclaim the party’s achievement and have a parcels for the surviving members of the party levitated down to each member. The parcel will be one healing potion, their clearance payment, and a silver spider motif metal with spider silk lanyards.
Shout outs as always to https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/ and https://watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator for being amazing resources in creating this one shot adventure!
