Zone Guide: Shadowstone - The Fallen Heart of the Deep Gnomes
Location: Situated deep within Valeria's Underdark, historically a vibrant metropolis. Current Status: Conquered, enslaved, and largely in ruins; an active war zone. Dominant Force: Narathzul (Drow), who hold the city and its enslaved Deep Gnome populace. Primary Threats: The pervasive lycanthropic curse transforming surviving Deep Gnomes into ravenous were-rats, the tyrannical Drow occupiers, and the orchestrating presence of The Rat King.
1. Overview: A City Consumed by Tragedy
Shadowstone, once a magnificent testament to Deep Gnome ingenuity, resilience, and their unique affinity for illusion magic, now stands as a monument to profound loss. Its intricate passages and sprawling caverns, once vibrant with the quiet industry and spiritual contemplation of its inhabitants, have been shattered by conquest.
The city's fall began with the brutal invasion by the Drow of Narathzul. Their overwhelming force crushed Deep Gnome defenses, slaughtering many and driving the survivors into chains. Shadowstone transformed from a cultural center into a network of forced labor camps and desolate ruins.
But the Drow's tyranny brought a far more insidious horror: a devastating lycanthropic curse, meticulously orchestrated by The Rat King (a Level 12 Deep Gnome Necromancer and were-rat himself). This curse afflicts the few remaining Deep Gnome survivors. The horror deepens with the lunar cycle: once a month, during the full moon, these gnomes involuntarily transform into feral were-rats, driven by a primal rage directed specifically at their Drow oppressors. At other times, they revert to their gnome forms, enduring their enslavement and the chilling memory of their monthly savagery.
Shadowstone is not a static ruin; it is an active war zone. Skirmishes erupt between Drow patrols and desperate were-rat packs (or any remaining Deep Gnome resistance). The Drow maintain a tenuous, brutal grip, exploiting the surviving gnomes while fearing their monthly transformation. The city is laced with traps everywhere, a deadly mix of cunning Deep Gnome defenses, brutal Drow deterrents, improvised were-rat hazards, and the Necromancer's insidious wards. Amidst this despair, the Deep Gnomes' innate resourcefulness and mastery of illusion magic remain vital tools for their survival and any glimmer of resistance.
2. A Map of Despair: Shadowstone's Functional Zones
The "Shadowstone.jpg" map details a crucial section of the ruined city, organized into the following zones:
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Zone 1: The Shattered Threshold (Entrance)
- Description: A gaping, brutal opening where the city's main gate once stood. Littered with rubble and the stench of decay, it serves as a stark entry point into the devastation.
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Zone 2: The Heartstone Library (Cultural Center / Undead Lair)
- Description: Once the vibrant cultural and intellectual heart of Shadowstone, now a ruined bastion where knowledge decays. Roaming undead frequent its desecrated halls.
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Zone 3: The Sunken Warehouses
- Description: Storage facilities, likely used by the Drow to stockpile resources from the mines and goods received via the docks.
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Zone 4: The Whispering Docks (Docks & River Connection)
- Description: The city's primary connection to the Underdark's waterways, where goods are loaded and unloaded, and the ominous sounds of the subterranean river echo.
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Zone 5: The Deepstone Warrens (Living Quarters / Primary Were-rat Lair)
- Description: The residential district, once home to the Deep Gnomes. Now, during the full moon, it becomes the primary hunting ground and lair for the transformed were-rats.
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Zone 6: The Deepstone Mines (Elemental Lair)
- Description: Extensive mining tunnels that delve deep into the earth. Now a lair for elementals, perhaps corrupted or enslaved by the Drow.
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Zone 7: The Grinding Gears (Factory)
- Description: Industrial processing facilities, where raw materials from the mines were refined. Now likely repurposed or dilapidated.
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Zone 8: The Healer's Sanctum (Doctor's Office)
- Description: A smaller, secluded chamber that served as the city's medical facility.
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Zone 9: The Hallowed Grotto (Temple)
- Description: A spiritual center, a temple dedicated to Deep Gnome deities, now likely defiled by Lolth's influence.
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Zone 10: The Veiled Maw (Secret Door to the Necromancer's Lair)
- Description: Located within an impassable section of rock, this is a cunningly concealed passage leading to The Rat King's hidden lair. It is not a traversable room in itself, but a concealed entry point.
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Zone 11: The Sunken Bazaar (Market / Undead Lair)
- Description: The city's central marketplace, now a ruined shell. Undead frequently wander its desolate aisles.
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Zone 12: The Lumina Academy (School)
- Description: The former school for Deep Gnome youth, now quiet and desolate.
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Zone 13: The Echoing Council Chambers (Government Building)
- Description: The city's administrative and governmental hub, now a symbol of Drow conquest.
3. Navigating the Ruins: Internal Connections
Movement between zones is facilitated by winding passages and tunnels. All connections are bidirectional unless specified.
- Zone 1 (The Shattered Threshold): Connects to Zone 2.
- Zone 2 (The Heartstone Library): Connects to Zone 1, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10 (Secret Door), Zone 11, Zone 13.
- Zone 3 (The Sunken Warehouses): Connects to Zone 4, Zone 9.
- Zone 4 (The Whispering Docks): Connects to Zone 3, Zone 5, Zone 6.
- Zone 5 (The Deepstone Warrens): Connects to Zone 4, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 12.
- Zone 6 (The Deepstone Mines): Connects to Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 7.
- Zone 7 (The Grinding Gears): Connects to Zone 5, Zone 6.
- Zone 8 (The Healer's Sanctum): Connects to Zone 2, Zone 9.
- Zone 9 (The Hallowed Grotto): Connects to Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 8.
- Zone 10 (The Veiled Maw - Secret Door): Connects to Zone 2, and implicitly leads into The Necromancer's Lair Dungeon.
- Zone 11 (The Sunken Bazaar): Connects to Zone 2, Zone 13.
- Zone 12 (The Lumina Academy): Connects to Zone 5, Zone 13.
- Zone 13 (The Echoing Council Chambers): Connects to Zone 2, Zone 11, Zone 12.
4. Population of a Nightmare: Inhabitants and Threats
Shadowstone is a complex ecosystem of suffering, tyranny, and vengeance.
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The Deep Gnomes (The Victims & The Vengeful):
- Enslaved Survivors: The remaining Deep Gnomes are mostly enslaved by the Drow, forced into labor in the mines and factory, or serving the Drow in the city. They are desperate, resourceful, and constantly seek opportunities for freedom.
- The Were-Rats: These are the afflicted Deep Gnomes. During the full moon, they transform into savage beasts, their minds consumed by rage but their instincts directing them primarily towards the Drow. At other times, they are regular gnomes, haunted by their transformations, fearing the next full moon, and living with the knowledge of what they've done. They utilize their innate resourcefulness and mastery of illusion magic for survival, hiding, and subtle acts of defiance.
- Primary Lair: Zone 5: The Deepstone Warrens is their main concentration during transformation, but they can be encountered anywhere.
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The Rat King: Lord of the Were-Rats
- Identity: A Level 12 Deep Gnome Necromancer, and himself a were-rat.
- Role: He is the orchestrator of the lycanthropic curse on Shadowstone's Deep Gnomes. Driven by a twisted vengeance for his people's suffering, he uses the curse as a weapon, actively controlling the were-rats during the full moon to hunt down and attack the Drow occupiers.
- Lair: Accessed via Zone 10: The Veiled Maw.
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The Drow Occupation Force:
- Presence: Drow patrols (likely from House Mizzrym or allied houses) are active throughout the city, managing enslaved gnomes, hunting were-rats, and securing resources.
- Captain Vharn Xarann: (Drow Captain of the Guard) - Leads the main Drow encampment in the Shadowstones Shadow (perimeter) but frequently inspects Zone 1 (Shattered Threshold) and Zone 4 (Whispering Docks). He's pragmatic and efficient, focused on control and resource flow.
- Illyana Phaere: (Drow Wizard) - A brilliant, morally ambiguous wizard from House Phaere, tasked with studying the curse. She is often found in Zone 2 (Heartstone Library) or conducting experiments in concealed areas. She seeks knowledge and arcane advancement.
- Priestess Morwen Vi'Dra: (Drow Cleric) - A zealous Priestess of Lolth, ensuring spiritual conformity and dealing with deviant magic. She frequents Zone 9 (The Hallowed Grotto), seeking to corrupt it.
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Other Denizens:
- Undead: Roaming abominations, animated by the Necromancer's power, concentrated in Zone 2 (The Heartstone Library) and Zone 11 (The Sunken Bazaar), but can appear elsewhere.
- Elementals: Raw forces of nature, potentially corrupted, found predominantly in Zone 6 (The Deepstone Mines).
- Traps: A pervasive hazard throughout the city, remnants of Deep Gnome defenses, Drow deterrents, were-rat hazards, and Necromancer's wards.
5. Whispers in the Rubble: Investigative Clues
Clues are scattered throughout Shadowstone, offering insights into its tragic history, its current horrors, and the path to its redemption.
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Zone 1: The Shattered Threshold
- "Mizzrym's Mark": Discarded Drow supplies with House Mizzrym sigils, confirming their occupation.
- "The Untriggered Snare": A hidden, functional Deep Gnome net trap, showcasing their resourcefulness.
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Zone 2: The Heartstone Library
- "Desecrated Lore": Necromantic runes scrawled over Deep Gnome spiritual texts, hinting at The Rat King's research.
- "The Scholar's Last Moments": A journal detailing early curse symptoms and whispers of "the Master's agents."
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Zone 3: The Sunken Warehouses
- "Mizzrym's Contraband": Hidden crates of unstable alchemical agents, linking to Mizzrym's experiments.
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Zone 4: The Whispering Docks
- "The Trace of Haulage": Scrape marks and unusual residue, indicating Drow smuggling operations.
- "The River's Warning": A gnome doll with an obsidian eye, an ominous symbol of the curse or Drow influence.
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Zone 5: The Deepstone Warrens
- "The Sacrificed Sanctuary": A defiled shrine with a hidden, fresh offering, hinting at Deep Gnome survivors.
- "The Scent of the Moon": Animalistic odors and desperate scratch marks inside dwellings, direct evidence of transformations.
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Zone 6: The Deepstone Mines
- "The Corrupted Vein": A mithril/adamantine vein pulsing with dark energy, linking to abyssal corruption and the Forge of Endless Night.
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Zone 7: The Grinding Gears
- "The Alchemist's Spillage": Luminous green-black sludge, byproduct of Drow alchemical experiments.
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Zone 8: The Healer's Sanctum
- "The Desperate Remedy": A preserved vial of dark green liquid, a prototype of a lycanthropy suppressant.
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Zone 9: The Hallowed Grotto
- "The Defiled Altar": A Lolth-corrupted altar hiding a pure silver symbol of Artemis/Eilistraee, hinting at secret allies.
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Zone 10: The Veiled Maw (Secret Door)
- "The Whispering Fungi Trail": Luminescent green fungi leading into solid rock, marking The Rat King's hidden lair.
- "The Discarded Ritual Component": A Drow spell component pouch with necromantic components and Evocation Crystal shards, linking the Rat King to Bhelen's smuggling and the Forge.
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Zone 11: The Sunken Bazaar
- "The Scorched Ledger": Burnt merchant's ledger revealing Drow transactions for "living specimens."
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Zone 12: The Lumina Academy
- "The Children's Illusion": A fading illusion hiding a message: "They come from within," alluding to the curse's nature.
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Zone 13: The Echoing Council Chambers
- "The Shattered Standard": A House Mizzrym standard, evidence of conflict or Drow internal struggle, with unusual residue.
Shadowstone is a complex and dangerous environment, but one filled with profound opportunities for discovery, heroic action, and understanding the deeper machinations of the Underdark. Every corner holds a piece of its tragic past and a clue to its desperate future.
