Dwarven Excavation
Dwarven Excavation is balanced for characters of 1st level, though even characters of 2nd level will find certain elements of the quest challenging. Characters of 3rd level or higher should have an easy time clearing out the ruins and defeating the orcs that arrive later.
Location Overview
Dazlyn Grayshard and Norbus Ironrune are shield dwarf prospectors and business partners. While looking for gold in the mountains southwest of Phandalin, they decided to explore a nearby canyon and found evidence of an ancient dwarven settlement buried by an avalanche. They’ve spent the past several months clearing the rubble and scouring the ruins for treasure, but have found nothing of value so far. Behind the settlement, carved into the back wall of the canyon, is an old temple of Abbathor, the evil dwarven god of greed. During solar eclipses, Abbathor is appeased with sacrifices of blood and gemstones. On one occasion, the god found the sacrifices of this temple’s priests lacking, so he caused an earthquake and avalanche that collapsed parts of the temple and buried the settlement. The priests in the temple who were not killed outright were transformed into ochre jellies — debased reflections of Abbathor’s hunger and greed.Quest Goals
To complete the Dwarven Excavation Quest, the adventurers need only to warn Dazlyn and Norbus of the white dragon. The grateful dwarves then tempt the adventurers with a quest of their own, offering their pair of sending stones as a reward if the characters rid the temple of the monsters within. If they stay long enough to help Dazlyn and Norbus, the characters encounter orcs before they leave (see “When Orcs Attack”).Arrival
The dwarven excavation lies due east of Leilon, 15 miles southwest of Phandalin, at the eastern end of a canyon (area E1). When the characters reach area E1 on the map, read the following boxed text aloud:The canyon’s rocky walls rise to a height of eighty feet. At the end of the canyon, a twenty-foot-high wall of black stone has a broken gate carved into it, with one stone door hanging precariously by a hinge and the other door missing. Beyond this open gate, in the shadow of a great mountain to the east, lies a ruined settlement. All is quiet.If the characters announce their arrival, Dazlyn and Norbus come forth to greet them. Otherwise, the characters encounter the dwarves in area E3.
Excavation Locations
The following locations are keyed to the map of the dwarven excavation.E1. Canyon
The canyon floor is strewn with rubble and bereft of vegetation except for a few tough, scraggly weeds.E2. Ruined Settlement
All knowledge of this settlement, including its name, vanished along with its original inhabitants, who were killed by an avalanche. The rubble that once buried the settlement has been hauled away, leaving the outlines of stone buildings visible as collapsed walls. A stone well on the far side of the ruins is filled with rubble. The settlement has been thoroughly ransacked. Characters who search the ruins find a few crushed dwarf bones and signs of recent campfires, but nothing of value.E3. Courtyard and Temple Facade
Describe this location as follows:A partially collapsed, ten-foot-high wall separates this courtyard from the settlement west of it. Three heaps of rubble are piled high in this area. Hewn from the canyon’s back wall, a thirty-foot-high temple facade features steps rising to a stone platform. Cut into this facade is a ten-foot-high open doorway flanked by crumbling, life-sized granite statues of cloaked dwarves. Evil grins can be seen on their weatherworn faces.If they haven’t been encountered yet, Dazlyn and Norbus are eating rations behind the easternmost rubble pile while keeping an eye on the temple entrance (area E4). Each is a shield dwarf commoner who speaks Common and Dwarvish, and who has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. Dazlyn is forthright and honest to a fault. Norbus is gruff and excessively cautious. They banter like an old married couple. Each dwarf has ten days of rations, a waterskin, mining tools, and one of two matching sending stones. The dwarves offer these magic items to anyone willing to kill the ochre jellies in area E5, search the temple for other obvious threats, and make it safe. If the characters obtain these stones, give the players both Sending Stone cards or they can reference them in the Magic Items Listing. Eager to resume their excavation, the dwarves offer to split what they find with characters who help them. Sending Stones Sending Stones come in pairs, with each smooth stone carved to match the other so the pairing is easily recognized. While you touch one stone, you can use an action to cast the sending spell from it. The target is the bearer of the other stone. If no creature bears the other stone, you know that fact as soon as you use the stone and don't cast the spell. Once sending is cast through the stones, they can't be used again until the next dawn. If one of the stones in a pair is destroyed, the other one becomes nonmagical.
Temple Features The temple (areas E4 through E11) is smoothly hewn from solid rock. The following features are common throughout. Ceilings. Ceilings throughout are 10 feet high and flat. Doors. All doors are made of carved stone with stone pins for hinges. Secret doors blend in with the surrounding stonework. Finding a secret door requires a search of the wall and a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Dazlyn and Norbus have found one secret door thus far, in area E4. The others have yet to be discovered. Dust and Debris. The temple is choked with dusty rubble. Rubble-filled squares are difficult terrain (see the rulebook). Light. There are no light sources in the temple, since the dwarf priests of Abbathor relied on darkvision to see.
E4. Dusty Foyer
Spikes hammered into the floor hold open two sets of double doors. A once-secret door to the north stands open, with a room beyond it holding nothing but rubble.E5. Temple
This area contains five secret doors, including one that opens up into one of the stone pillars holding up the ceiling. A bloodstained limestone altar stands at the far end of the room. Dazlyn and Norbus got this far into the temple before an ochre jelly scared them off. It clings to the ceiling above the altar. If the party includes two or more characters (not counting sidekicks), a second ochre jelly clings to the south wall. Treasure. The secret door in the pillar conceals a cavity packed with dwarf skulls that tumble out when the door is opened. At the bottom of the cavity is an unlocked stone coffer containing 15 gemstones worth 10 gp each.E6. Partially Collapsed Room
An earthquake collapsed part of this room, which holds nothing of value.E7. Secret Tunnel
Trapped behind the secret doors, an ochre jelly lurks in the rubble at the south end of this hall.E8. Priests’ Bedchamber
Three stone bed frames stand against the east wall.E9. Vestry
An empty stone font juts out of the southwest wall. A stone wardrobe against the east wall holds the rotted remains of two suits of red leather armor (vestments worn by priests of Abbathor, now ruined and worthless).E10. Partially Collapsed Room
Half-buried in the rubble here is the skeleton of a dwarf priest wearing rotted red leather armor. The dwarf was killed when part of the room collapsed. Treasure. Around the skeleton’s neck hangs a holy symbol of Abbathor: a tiny jeweled dagger on a silver chain. The symbol is inscribed with Dwarvish runes that translate to “Greed is good,” and is worth 50 gp.E11. Hall of Greed
To reach this room, the characters must clear away the rubble that seals it off, which takes a single character 40 hours. Multiple characters working together can reduce the time proportionately. An alcove in the south wall holds the rubble of a shattered statue. An alcove to the north holds a statue of a dwarf with horns, which stares greedily at a glowing green gem in its hands. If the gem is taken, it turns to dust and the statue explodes. Any creature within 10 feet of the exploding statue must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.When Orcs Attack
Orcs arrive at area E1 as the characters conclude their business with the dwarves. The number of orcs is equal to the number of characters in the party, including sidekicks. Driven from their territory by Cryovain, the orcs are looking for a new lair and fight to the death.
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