Description
The Hollow is The Silver Hand's Headquarters in Wesdale. It is located underground on the southern side of the city. Here, members of the guild can meet, train and relax while under the protection of the local ringleader, Theren.
Entry to the hideout is possible in two ways, either through the secret entrance in the Wesdale sewers, which leads into the northern end of the structure, or through a hidden cove in The Morndin Ridge, which leads to the secret dock located at the bottom of the stairs in the south-east of the structure.
Features
- Ceilings. Each chamber is carved out of the stone with a ceiling which rises 10 feet. The only exceptions to this are the arena, loading room, vaults and dock areas, which extend 20 feet up.
- Doors. Most chambers are divided by either a single or set of double, wooden doors. The exceptions to this are the vault doors which are made from iron. All doors have a lock. The keys for the wooden doors are kept with the barkeep and the keys for the metal doors are kept with the ringleader. The DCs to open the wooden and metal doors when locked are 15 and 20 respectively.
- Light. All chambers are illuminated by either torches, held by sconces on the walls, or by large braziers.
- Silent Alarm. A magical alarm system is installed throughout the hideout. It takes the form of a silver wire which passes through the walls, exposed at key locations. A creature can use an action to break the wire at one of these locations. This will trigger the alarm, causing a number of glass orbs in the hideout to start flashing red for 8 hours, or until the wire is fixed (which happens first). These wires are connected directly to these glass orbs, removing them will also cause the wire to break.
Locations
Sewer Entrance
This area marks the main entrance into the hideout from the sewers. the passageway from the sewers opens out into the stairs which descend into this chamber. A pair of braziers mark a large, wooden door which leads into the tavern. Even when closed though, the sound of the tavern can usually be heard from behind it.
Tavern
The tavern is one of the largest chambers in the hideout. An L-shaped bar area fills most of the northern portion of the room, whilst the rest of the space is filled with circular, wooden tables and chairs. Behind the bar is a wooden door, which leads into a small kitchen area. A second wooden door can be found on the south wall, leading to the rest of the hideout, while a large entrance on the eastern wall leads into the arena, where the seating continues.
Silent Alarm. Behind the bar is an alarm trigger, located under the bar top. One of the silent alarm's glass orbs can also be found in the south-east corner of the room.
Arena
The single, largest space in the hideout, measuring approximately 100 feet in diameter. This roughly-circular chamber has a 20-foot-wide, wooden balcony on its western side, connecting it to the tavern, which drops 10 feet into a roughly-hewn, stone chamber. On its north-eastern and south-eastern corners are two recesses with iron portcullises and each flanked by a pair of flaming braziers. These recesses temporarily house creatures when used for training or exhibitions.
Secret Treasure Room
Theren has a secret chamber which he uses to store most of his personal wealth. The door to this room is located behind a suit of armour displayed in the corridor outside of it. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a gap in the stone behind the door which has been mostly concealed by the armour. Inside are six locked chests, a table and a chest of drawers. Below is a list of the DCs to unlock each piece of furniture and what can be found within them (the chests are labeled from left to right):
- Chest 1 (DC 17 to unlock). 756GP.
- Chest 2 (DC 15 to unlock). 2,800SP.
- Chest 3 (DC 12 to unlock). 840CP.
- Chest 4 (DC 15 to unlock). An embroidered, silk handkerchief and a gold locket with a painted portrait inside.
- Chest 5 (DC 15 to unlock). A vast amount of paperwork detailing proof of various piece of leverage the guild has over individuals. These include: a loan to Milo Barleyheart to cover the cost of: damages to The Witch's Cauldron, relocation of his bakery and lost stock from both businesses, totaling 3,000GP; the fraudulent business transactions of a number of merchants who operate out of the Dockside Market; and a number of personal loans given to members of the city guards.
- Chest 6 (DC 17 to unlock). Eyes of minute seeing and a pair of sending stone.
- Desk. 42PP and 84GP.
- Drawers (DC 15 to unlock). An empty jewelry box, containing space for Theren's Blod Stone, with a letter explaining how it works from its creator (Lady Amalica Silver), and an empty case containing a space for Theren's pistol, Viper's Kiss, with a letter from its creator (Seebo Horcusporcus).
Traps. Chests 5 and 6 are trapped. When either trap is triggered, a needle extends 3 inches straight out from the chest's lock. A creature within range takes 1 piercing damage and 2D10 poison damage, and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows a character to deduce the trap’s presence from alterations made to the lock to accommodate the needle. A successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check disarms the trap, removing the needle from the lock. Unsuccessfully attempting to pick the lock triggers the trap.
Silent Alarm. Theren's desk homes one of the silent alarm's glass orbs.
Storeroom 1
Located behind a pair of wooden doors, this store room hold many basic amenities in large sacks and crates, including food, drink and bedding.
Bedroom
This chamber houses a shared bedroom for members of the guild to use when staying overnight at the hideout. There are five beds, a circular table with chairs, a weapon rack and a single chest which members using the room can lock their belonging away in safely.
- Chest. A set of traveller's clothes with tailored holes in the back designed for wings, three bottles of Blazing Bramley Cider (one of which is empty), and the diary of Ignatius Blaze.
- Weapon Rack. Two short swords and a light crossbow with a case of 10 bolts.
Silent Alarm. One of the silent alarm's glass orbs can also be found in the south-east corner of the room.
Common Room
This space is used by members of the guild to quietly relax, as opposed to the typically more busy tavern. Inside is a large table with chairs, a communal oven which can be used to prepare food, and an assortment of boxes and barrels containing general supplies spilling over from the storerooms. There is also a chest and weapon rack in the north of the chamber, though these are empty.
Silent Alarm. One of the silent alarm's glass orbs can also be found in the south-west corner of the room.
Storeroom 2
This larger storeroom is home to a vast amount of crates, barrels and chests. Most of the taverns alcohol supply is kept here, but also crates of weapons and other gear for members of the guild to use.
- Chests. Each of these chests contains dark traveller's clothes for guild members. each chest has a 25% chance of also containing a set of shadowsilk clothing.
- Crates. These crates contain a variety of weapons, including simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, short swords and their related ammunition.
Theren's Bedroom
Theren's bedroom can be found to the east of storeroom 2, behind an iron door. Inside is a large bed, two chests, an L-shaped writing desk and a display cabinet (which he uses to display mementos from people he has killed in the name of the guild). Theren sleeps here most nights, unless out of the city or otherwise absent from the hideout. When the hideout's alarm is triggered, a glass orb on the desk flashes bright red to alert him.
- Chest 1. Fresh bandages, herbal ointment for treating burns and scars, a herbalism kit and 2x greater healing potions.
- Chest 2. 2x bullet cases containing 10 bullets each, 5x daggers, and multiple sets of dark, fine clothes.
- Desk. A whip, coiled and displayed in a glass case with the name 'Laucian Sylvaranth' engraved on a brass plaque at it base, a basin of fresh water, and a small mirror.
- Display Cabinet. A set of dark, leather armour marked with multiple bullet holes (taken from a former Deathstriker of The Shadowmasters), a spyglass (taken from a former pirate captain), a component pouch (taken from a former Witherbloom alumni), a signet ring (taken from a former member of the Daardendrian clan), and an abacus (taken from a former Prowler within the guild).*
Traps. The doorway into Theren's room is trapped. This trap is activated when an intruder steps on a hidden pressure plate, releasing a gout of acid from a series of six holes in the ceiling. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is needed toceilingThe trap activates when more than 20 pounds of weight is placed on the pressure plate, causing acid to be release from the ceiling in a 5-foot cylinder. Each creature in the cylinder must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2D10 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Wedging an iron spike or other object under the pressure plate prevents the trap from activating, as does filling the holes in the ceiling. A successful dispel magic (DC 13) cast on the ceiling destroys the trap.
Silent Alarm. Theren's writing desk homes one of the silent alarm's glass orbs.
* The Deathstriker attempted to assassinate Theren. The pirate captain tried to cutoff the guilds trade routes out of the city. The Witherbloom alumni discovered the hideout and threatening to report their findings to Captain Abzug. The member of the Daardendrian clan challenged Theren to a duel (and lost) after spending months attempting to expel the guild from the city. The Prowler was once the guild's accountant, but it was discovered they were taking a cut of the profits for themself.
Trophy Room
This large chamber, lit by three flaming braziers contains a number of famous trophies collected by the guild over its years of activity in Wesdale. Currently, three trophies stand in this room, magically floating in class cases above each of the braziers:
- Trophy 1. Dagger of Venom (taken from a former Deathstriker of The Shadowmasters who was sent to assassinate Theren Sylvaranth).
- Trophy 2. Ioun Stone of Protection (taken from Bishop Thiala Liadon at The Abbey of Insight).
- Trophy 3. Teleportation Tablet, leading to Ornthran, the Argent Storm's Lair in The Quassir Belt (taken from the Daardendrian clan at Highgrove Castle).
To the south of this room, a wide corridor leads towards the loading room. This corridor is flanked by a pair of suits of armour.
Traps. The glass cases holding the trophies are trapped. Disturbing them causes them to be release from the magic which keeps the afloat and triggering the trap. When this happens, poison-tipped darts shoot from spring-loaded tubes cleverly embedded in the surrounding walls. Each trophy triggers a set of tubes aimed at its location. Wisdom four darts. Each dart makes a ranged attack with a +8 bonus against a random target within 10 feet of the brazier the trophy was floating above (vision is irrelevant to this attack roll). A target that is hit takes 1D4 piercing damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 2D10 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Silent Alarm. The traps protecting the trophy cases are each magically connected to the silent alarm. triggering any of the traps will also trigger the alarm.
Loading Room
This chamber acts as the junction between the main potion of the hideout and the vaults. Three sets of wooden, double doors lead into and out of this room; one leads to the trophy room, one to the common room and one to the vaults. The door to the vaults is kept locked when not in use.
The Vaults
The vaults are a system of caves located off a ring-shaped tunnel. There's office can be found at the center of this ring, behind an iron door, however there are also four large iron walls which seal off these caves to be used as storage spaces for the guild. Additionally, behind an iron door and further south into this tunnel is a separate, smaller chamber which is used as a prison cell when necessary. Each of the vaults house a vast amount of wealth which belong to the guild, the contents of each vault is detailed below (vaults labelled left to right):
- Vault 1. 2,520CP, 8,400SP, 2,520GP, 126PP, a silver ewer (25GP), a carved bone statuette (25GP), 8x azurite (10GP each), 4x banded agate (10GP each), a dimension door spell scroll, and a Quaal's feather token (Bird).
- Vault 2. 2,520CP, 8,400SP, 2,520GP, 126PP, A small, gold bracelet (25GP), cloth-of-gold vestments (25GP), 6x blue quartz (10GP each), 3x hematite (10GP each), moss agate (10GP each), a pair of engraved, bone dice (25GP), a scrying spell scroll, and a potion of mind reading.
- Vault 3. An owlbear.
- Vault 4. 2,520CP, 8,400SP, 2,520GP, 126PP, a black, velvet mask stitched with silver thread (25GP), a copper chalice with silver filigree (25GP), a small mirror set in a painted wooden frame (25GP), 7x lapis lazuli (10GP each), 8x malachite (10GP each), a bag of beans (8 beans), and a necklace of fireballs (7 beads).
Theren's Office
Behind an iron door in the vaults is Theren's main office. Inside is a writing desk, a set of shelves and a chest. In the south-eastern corner of the room is a hammock, which Theren uses when working on something through the night, as opposed to returning to his bedroom. There can be found in this office working on the grand plans for the guild most days, when it is not in use though, he is sure to lock it.
- Chest. Fresh bandages, herbal ointment for treating burns and scars, a herbalism kit, a greater healing potion and a bullet case containing 10 bullets.
- Desk. A number of books on magic gemstones with one open on a page detailing the amethyst lodestone and a letter asking for the sapphire buckler to be delivered to Blackvale Keep, signed by the Larcenist.
- Shelves. A variety of ledgers, detailing the guild's actions during Theren's tenure ringleader. These are written in a secret code and appear as a nonsensical mix of dwarven runes and elvish script to any who do not know the code.
Silent Alarm. Theren's writing desk homes one of the silent alarm's glass orbs.
Dock Entrance and Shooting Range
Located to the east of the vaults, through a large set of wooden doors, this area houses a staircase which descends into the guilds secret dock. By the staircase is a large, metal grate and crane, which is used to move heavy cargo the 20 feet distance between the dock and vault floor. To the north of this chamber are a pair of shooting ranges. These both have stairs at their halfway point and are used in both directions to allow guild members to practice shoots from high and low ground.
- Table. The table has on it a pair of short bows, hand crossbows and slings, along with 20 pieces of ammunition for each.
Dock
A set of stairs located in the most south-eastern corner of the hideout descends to a underground cave system, which the guild have repurposed into a secret dock for their ships. The dock can support three keelboats at a time, along with a number of smaller vessels. This port connects to a system of tunnels, which eventually leads to a hidden cove outside the city on the western edge of The Morndin Ridge and is used by the guild to both collect supplies and deliver supplies to the Wesdale docks which need to appear to arrive legitimately.
Silent Alarm. Around the dock are multiple alarm triggers, located in the stone pillars which hold up the caves roof at regular intervals around the edge of the water. One of the silent alarm's glass orbs can also be found by the staircase leading into the hideout.
Comments