All Hail Gek!

[All Hail Gek! GERMAN]

Hook

A powerful oracle from the local keep, let’s call it Castra Phaedra, has detected anecromantic aura from Gorrmoth’s tower, and he’s advised the local baron to have it dealt with.
Since the original adventurers have long since left the region, the baron put out the call to anyone willing to answer.

That’s where your players come in.
They accepted this quest in return for a bounty of 100 gold pieces.
Summarize this to the players before you begin the session with them already in Area 1 of the dungeon.

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Area 1. The Cave Opening

You begin the adventure here.
After summarizing the plot hook from Hooking
the Players above, read:

After fastening a rope tightly, you descended into the cave opening you spotted beneath Gorrmoth’s tower.
You clambered down the rope for 30 feet before you landed in a dark cave. You can see the area immediately around you, but not much more.
A pair of beady yellow eyes stare at you from inside the darkness.
Then you hear it yip; like a bark! A small red humanoid lizard charges out of the darkness, dagger in hand!
Roll for initiative!

Light

Unlike most of this dungeon, this
area is in Dim Light due to being open to the
outside world.

Rope

While climbing up the rope, players
move at half-speed, and must make DC 5
Athletics checks or start Falling.

name: Kobold
source: 5e SRD
size: Small
type: humanoid
subtype: kobold
alignment: lawful evil
ac: 12
hp: 5
hit_dice: 2d6 + -2
speed: 30 ft.
stats:
  - 7
  - 15
  - 9
  - 8
  - 7
  - 8
damage_vulnerabilities: ""
damage_resistances: ""
damage_immunities: ""
condition_immunities: ""
senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
languages: Common, Draconic
cr: 1/8
bestiary: true
traits:
  - name: Sunlight Sensitivity
    desc: While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
    attack_bonus: 0
  - name: Pack Tactics
    desc: The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
    attack_bonus: 0
actions:
  - name: Dagger
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage."
    attack_bonus: 4
    damage_dice: 1d4
    damage_bonus: 2
  - name: Sling
    desc: "Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage."
    attack_bonus: 4
    damage_dice: 1d4
    damage_bonus: 2
Interrogating the Kobold

If the players knock out, or interrogate the kobold, roleplay it!
Reward their clever play by having the kobold briefly explain the background of the adventure. The kobold explains, through broken Common, how he worships a “god of deadness” and the “stupid” dragon is weak and feeble compared to the might of Gek.

Years ago, the Grovetreaders, a band of powerful adventurers slayed a grand necromancer named Gorrmoth.
Some time later, a tribe of Kobolds moved into his tower’s basement and a lowly kobold runt named Gek discovered the wizard’s spellbook and is beginning to teach himself magic.
Gek violently overthrew the previous tribe’s leader, Mihiliu, and now the tribe worships him as a god over all death.

Area 2. The Fork

Since there’s a fork in the dungeon here, players might either proceed to area 3 and 4, or to area 5. You’ll have to consult the adventure accordingly.

Area 3. There’s a Secret Door

Notice the $ on the map here, that isn’t a dollar, it’s a secret door!
Most players will miss this feature of the dungeon, though if someone in your party is playing a Druid, Cleric, or Monk, they probably have high wisdom, and therefore a high perception skill.
You could point it out to those players, describe how they feel a through-draft in the cave wall, and let them investigate further.
Anyone looking for secret doors could make a DC 10 Wisdom (specifically Perception) check to find it.

Area 4. Another Fork!

There’s another fork in the dungeon here.
Forks are placed in dungeons to give your players the opportunity to decide where to go next. Describe the two paths forward and ask the players where they choose go from there.

Area 5. Dragon’s Lair

Here’s a big open cavern, it’s musty and somewhat foul smelling. You can read the following text to the players:

Entering this massive open cavern, you can smell a tinge of filth in the air.
In fact, where the caverns meet the walls, you can see small piles of what appears to be excrement belonging to some large creature.
In the middle of the cavern, you can see a somewhat small, white reptilian creature, four legs, a tail, and wings.
That’s a dragon. And it appears to be fast asleep.

Light

Unlike most of this dungeon, this area is in Dim Light due to being open to the outside world.

Dragon

There’s a sleeping white dragon wyrmling in here, right on the square marked with 5.
Anyone coming within 30 feet of it must make a DC 10 Dexerity(Stealth) check or wake the dragon.
Once awake, the dragon will attack any creature that isn’t a kobold, thinking they are food to be eaten.
This dragon is young and not particularly smart, and while it can speak draconic, it behaves more like a beast than anything else.

name: White Dragon Wyrmling
source: 5e SRD
size: Medium
type: dragon
subtype: ""
alignment: chaotic evil
ac: 16
hp: 32
hit_dice: 5d8 + 9
speed: 30 ft., burrow 15 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 30 ft.
stats:
  - 14
  - 10
  - 14
  - 5
  - 10
  - 11
saves:
  - dexterity: 2
  - constitution: 4
  - wisdom: 2
  - charisma: 2
skillsaves:
  - perception: 4
  - stealth: 2
damage_vulnerabilities: ""
damage_resistances: ""
damage_immunities: cold
condition_immunities: ""
senses: blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
languages: Draconic
cr: "2"
bestiary: true
actions:
  - name: Bite
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage."
    attack_bonus: 4
    damage_dice: 1d10 + 1d4
    damage_bonus: 2
  - name: Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6)
    desc: The dragon exhales an icy blast of hail in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
    attack_bonus: 0
    damage_dice: 5d8

Area 6. Second Cave Exit

This area is open to the outside.
Tied to a wooden post here is a wise old kobold named Mihiliu.

Light

Unlike most of this dungeon, this area is in Dim Light due to being open to the outside world.

Mihiliu

Mihiliu was the leader of this tribe of kobolds before Gek took control of the tribe, he’s fiercely loyal to what he sees as his divine cause; raising the white dragon wyrmling.
Player characters who fought and killed the wyrmling would provoke a violent response from Mihiliu who will die to avenge it.
Mihiliu is a kobold with the following additional abilities:

If the players managed to avoid fighting the dragon, Mihiliu will want to escape this cavern with the dragon and never return.

Recruiting

Clever players might try to convince Mihiliu to come help them attack Gek.
Mihiliu can be convinced by a good argument and a DC 10 Charisma(Persuasion) check.

Area 7. Alchemist’s Laboratory

Loads of little bits and bobs are strewn around this room.
Reagents, ingredients, and a collection of bioluminescent slugs.
This belongs to Nork, a kobold alchemist who will not attack the players, but rather beg for mercy.

Nork

This alchemist has three Potions of Healing (see below) and is willing to offer them to the players in return for killing Gek and releasing the tribe from his political grasp.
When roleplaying Nork, get into it. Do a silly little voice, and don’t be afraid to have him be both useful and funny.
The players are likeliest to fall in love with him that way.
Nork could explain the background of the adventure, how Gek is studying necromancy, how the dragon is being left alone with Mihiliu.
You can also use Nork to engage the players in roleplay, have him complement their character’s might and strength.
Players like feeling powerful, don’t be afraid to roleplay Nork in such a way that he elevates the player characters to a mythic pedestal.

Potion of Healing

You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion as a Bonus Action.

Area 8. The Armory

In here, the players can find loads of standard equipment, all somewhat rusty.
There are three Shields, six Spears, nine Arrows and a single Longbow.
And, tucked away, is a single weapon without any rust.
This is a +1 Longsword. It’s a standard magic item!
Any attacks made with a +1 weapon have an additional +1 to hit and damage rolls.

Area 9. The Big Room!

What used to be the main chamber of Gorrmoth’s basement is now Gek’s ritual chamber!
Here, he is standing, in the middle of a ritual to animate the body of an Ogre skeleton in the middle of the room.
Three kobolds watch on in awe!

Ogre Skeleton

The skeleton of a long-dead Ogre has been dragged by the kobolds into the middle of the room. Since the spell Animate Dead doesn’t work on the Ogre, the ritual will fail.
But Gek doesn’t know that.

Gek

Gek is an evil necromancer who killed Mihiliu’s kobolds and took over the tribe, and now he plots to raise undead to continue his conquest.
Upon seeing the player characters, he and his loyal kobold followers will attack.
Gek is a kobold with 20 additional hit points and a new action:
Death Magic
Ranged SpellAttack: +4 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d12) necrotic damage.
Reinforcements
On the second round of combat, the kobolds from Area 11 enter the chamber and roll initiative. On the third round, the kobold from Area 12 enters the chamber and rolls initiative.
Loot
Players may want to loot the goblins, but they’ll find little of value.
Kobolds carry daggers and slings. Gek has an amulet of a bird’s skull he uses as his Arcane Focus, as well as a pouch with 23 gold pieces and 81 silver pieces inside.

Area 10. Kennel

There’s a dirt-covered kennel in here that Gorrmoth used for his hounds, but is now a storage for the dead skeletons Gek has failed to animate.

Area 11. Kobold Lair

Here are beddings for kobolds, including the four kobolds that reside here, and join any fighting they hear in Area 9.

Area 12. Gek’s Study

This is Gek’s personal study, in here are spell scrolls for the following spells:

They might be useful to any players playing a wizard or anyone who can use scrolls.
Though, you could always decide that anyone can use these scrolls to cast the spells listed. That’s not exactly how the rules work, but you’re the GM!

In here is a single kobold that will join any fighting it hears in Area 9.

Area 13. Wizard’s Tower

This tower is in complete disrepair, it appears like its moments from collapse.
There’s a table here that contains a few scrolls.
It’s Not Just A Table! When a player touches the table or the scrolls on top, they stick to the table firmly.
Quickly thereafter, the table morphs into a horrible mess of tendrils and mouths!
It’s a mimic! This is a scary monster, especially if the players have already fought in several fights already, but it contains the biggest treasure hoard of the night!
If slain, loads of loot spills out of the mimic:

Area 14. Tower’s Top Floor

Gek has been hoarding a large amount of coins on a table here in the event of having to bribe the dragon with a hoard. There are 51 gold pieces, 486 silver pieces, and 1450 copper pieces.