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Dungeons
Outskirts · Medium · Medium

The Scorched Hives

The air burns with the sulfurous breath of dragon-kin and the heat of the deep earth.
Rooms
6
Foes
12, CR 1/4 to 6
Traps
2
Treasure
3,975 gp
123456Entrance
Select a room on the plan to open it.

The party is in

1. The Obsidian Maw

Seen

Something wanders by

At a glance

The threat

The Cinder-Wing Wyvern, a territorial beast with ash-stained scales and wings that glow like dying embers.

Wandering monsters (1d2)

  1. 1

    1d4× Magma Mephit PatrolCR 1/2

    When: Spending more than 10 minutes in a corridor without stealth.Cackling fire elementals that emerge from cracks in the walls to harass travelers.
  2. 2

    Stray Wyvern HatchlingCR 2

    When: Making loud noises or using explosions.A smaller, more aggressive version of the boss looking for its first kill.

Rooms

6
1

The Obsidian Maw

4 foessecret

What they see

Read aloud

A jagged vertical shaft opens into the mesa floor, lined with razor-sharp glass outcroppings. The walls are stained with old soot, and a steady updraft of blistering air makes descent difficult.

Features

  • Soot-stained climbing pit
  • Heat-warped glass ledges
  • Distant sound of crackling fire

What the GM knows

Monsters

4× Ash-Wing BatCR 1/4

Leathery-winged mammals with scorched fur and glowing red eyes.Tactics. The bats dive from the ceiling to knock climbers off the walls before retreating into the dark.
Room secrets · GM only

Notes

Athletics checks to climb are at disadvantage due to the shimmering heat haze.

3 doors: E (archway), W (locked), E (secret)

The place

What it is

A network of vertical shafts and heat-warped tunnels carved into the glass-like obsidian of the Black Mesa.

Atmosphere

Intense dry heat that makes metal armor painful to touch.

The threat

The Cinder-Wing Wyvern, a territorial beast with ash-stained scales and wings that glow like dying embers.

History

Originally a vein of precious black glass mined by a local cartel, the site was abandoned when volcanic activity intensified.

Rumors

1d4
Roll a rumor

  1. 1The caravan containing the Baron's jewelry disappeared near the Black Mesa.
  2. 2The heat within the mesa is so great that normal steel weapons begin to soften.
  3. 3A strange, red-winged shadow has been seen snatching livestock from the outskirts.
  4. 4The 'glass' in the hives is actually ancient dragon blood that has cooled over centuries.

Plot hooks

2
RescueThe Merchant's RansomA wealthy merchant's daughter was in the last caravan taken by the beast; find her or her signet ring.From: Master Orryn of the GuildReward: 500 gold and a favor from the Merchant Guild.
AcquisitionThe Obsidian ForgeA local smith needs a chunk of 'Ever-Warm' obsidian from the deep hive to fuel his masterwork forge.From: Haldan the SmithReward: A masterwork weapon of the party's choice.

Corridors

2

  • Between and

    A crack in the wall that slowly oozes a thick, honey-like lava.

  • Entrance to

    A pile of charred leather boots, stripped of their owners.

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