Battlemap
Xilmear's Echoing Hollows
Listen closely and the madness will whisper your name.
A sprawling subterranean elven city and mining complex carved into the obsidian heart of the Black Mountains. The air is stagnant, vibrating with a subsonic babble that chills the soul of any who linger.
The air smells of wet stone and old blood. Faint, rhythmic clicking sounds echo from the shadows, accompanied by dim bioluminescent fungi that flicker like dying stars. It is unnaturally cold, save for pockets of sulfurous heat near the deeper shafts.
☠ Threat
The Jabberwock, a legend of scales and nonsense, lurks in the lowest cavern. Its influence causes 'The Jabbering,' a psychic echo that confuses and enrages visitors, potentially turning allies against each other as they descend deeper into its territory.
History
Founded by the Xilmear elves for rare ore, this mountain colony thrived until it breached a deep abyss. The Jabberwock's presence leaked out, its nonsensical whispers driving the miners to a fratricidal frenzy. Now, the ruins serve as a tomb and a feeding ground for the terrors of the deep Feywild, forever stained by the blood of those who lost their minds.
Encounter Table
CRHollow-eyed elves wielding rusty pickaxes, screaming nonsensical verse.
Dark outlines of the victims that drain the strength of the living.
A monstrous blend of elk, lion, and dragon, twisted by Feywild energy.
Rumours & Whispers
They say the ore in the Black Mountains isn't metal, but the frozen dreams of a dying god.
The elves didn't just go mad; they started speaking a language that can set the air on fire.
A legendary blade, capable of slaying any beast that burbles, was lost in the king's vault.
The mining city doesn't have an end; it just keeps going until you reach the heart of the world.
Quest Hooks
Quest giver: Eloras Silverleaf
A merchant in a nearby port claims to be the last of the Xilmear and wants you to recover his family's crown.
A share of the gems found in Room-19.
Quest giver: Oak-Warden Thorne
Local druids fear the 'Jabbering' is spreading to the forest and want the source eliminated.
A Staff of the Woodlands or equivalent fey favor.
Corridor Notes
Hand-carved elven murals depicting the 'Bright Forest' that have been crudely scratched over with chaotic swirls.
Slowly dripping stalactites of luminescent blue fluid that sizzles when it hits the floor.
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