Mission Title: Skitter's Escape - Final Break for The Lift
Here's the rewritten mission with a single, Level 1 guard at the boss fight and no other guards:
[Slave Pens / Holding Cells (1) - Starting Point] --- [Secret Scavenger's Path (2)] --- [Collapsed Mine Section (3)] | | [Underground Stream Crossing (4)] --- [Morequendi Patrol Hub (5)] --- [The Lift Control Chamber (6) - Objective]
Area 1 (Slave Pens / Holding Cells - Starting Point) Description: This grim, echoing chamber is where your day begins, and where your desperate bid for freedom must commence. The air is thick with the stench of fear and despair, and crude manacles are bolted to the cold, damp stone walls. The recent chaos of a prison break elsewhere has left this area temporarily unattended, offering a narrow window for escape. Exits/Connections: To Secret Scavenger's Path (2) (East, a discreet opening facilitated by Skitter or past scavenging).
Area 2 (Secret Scavenger's Path) Description: This narrow, seldom-used passage is a testament to the prisoners' desperation and ingenuity. It winds through tight crevices and past discarded mining debris, barely wide enough for one person. The air is still and dusty, carrying a faint scent of stale provisions. Whispers from Skitter's plan echo in your mind, urging swift, silent movement. Exits/Connections: To Slave Pens / Holding Cells (1) (West, disguised entry), To Collapsed Mine Section (3) (North). Secret Passages/Areas: A loose rock in the wall (Perception DC 17 to find) conceals a small, hidden cache of basic tools or a crude map snippet of this specific tunnel section, likely left by Skitter.
Area 3 (Collapsed Mine Section) Description: This area of the mine is a chaotic scene of recently fallen rock and splintered shoring timbers. It serves as a planned diversion, created to draw Drow attention. Dust hangs heavy in the air, and the groan of shifting rock is a constant, unnerving sound. Navigating through the unstable rubble is treacherous, demanding precision to avoid creating further noise. Exits/Connections: To Secret Scavenger's Path (2) (South), To Underground Stream Crossing (4) (East). Trap: It contains a trap (type: unstable debris pile designed to collapse loudly if stepped on incorrectly). Perception DC 15 to spot. Potential Damage: 1d8/T1, 2d8/T2, 3d8/T3, 4d8/T4 Bludgeoning/Noise (this noise will not alert guards, but might cause further localized collapses or draw the attention of creatures not explicitly guarding the path).
Area 4 (Underground Stream Crossing) Description: A cold, clear underground stream flows through this cavern, disappearing into a deep fissure. The path requires crossing a narrow, slippery natural bridge or wading through the frigid water. The sounds of rushing water offer natural cover for movement, but the slick surfaces are perilous. Spider silk glistens ominously in the scarce light near the water's edge. This area is eerily quiet, with no immediate threats, perhaps due to the recent disturbances redirecting patrols. Exits/Connections: To Collapsed Mine Section (3) (West), To Morequendi Patrol Hub (5) (North).
Area 5 (Morequendi Patrol Hub) Description: This larger cavern serves as a key junction, but it is currently deserted, a sign that the Drow forces are stretched thin or preoccupied elsewhere. Worn boot marks and discarded patrol reports suggest recent activity, but the immediate quiet is unsettling. This area represents a moment of tense calm before your objective. Exits/Connections: To Underground Stream Crossing (4) (South), To The Lift Control Chamber (6) (East).
Area 6 (The Lift Control Chamber - Objective) Description: This heavily reinforced chamber houses the crude yet vital mechanisms controlling "The Lift." Levers, gears, and thick ropes ascend into the dark, echoing shaft. The air hums with the effort of the machinery, a sound that promises freedom. Standing guard over the controls is a single, weary Drow recruit, easily startled and barely paying attention. Exits/Connections: To Morequendi Patrol Hub (5) (West). Creatures: It has creatures (type: 1x Morequendi Guard, Level 1). Encounter Type: BOSS FIGHT! Objective: This area is the culmination of your desperate escape. The objective is to reach "The Lift" and secure your freedom from the brutal Chained Depths. This final confrontation with a single, low-level guard is the critical hurdle to overcome, demanding precision and courage to finally achieve the "desperate, but real, promise of freedom."
