Netherworld — Exploration

The Netherworld is a gray, obsidian realm where the dead are harvested for their souls. Travel is tracked on hexagonal maps — one hex equals roughly one day of travel.

Only Expert-level characters (Level 6+) should enter the Netherworld. Basic-tier adventurers risk almost certain death.

Before You Enter

Roll d6 on the Netherworld Objective Table to determine the adventure's purpose — subtract 1 if the party includes a paladin, add +1 per demonologist. Completing the primary objective earns 500 gp upon returning to the mortal world; completing a secondary objective also adds a random magic item.

| d6 (mod) | Objective | |---|---| | 0 | Heroic Rescue — return 10 living captives | | 1 | Purification — kill a Blasphemous One | | 2 | Exploration — locate and spend a day at a specific site | | 3 | Grey Haven — retrieve an Epic Reward from a Grey Custodial | | 4 | Forbidden Treasure — collect 3 different Netherworld Magic Items | | 5 | Conversion — at least one character returns as a Salamandrine | | 6 | Soul Harvest — retrieve 10 soul cubes | | 7 | Apotheosis — receive an Abominable Gift from a Blasphemous One |

Planar Gates

The party arrives from a temporary gate in a random starting hex (d6 on the map). When the adventure is over:

• Return to the gateway hex (1-in-6 chance of a wandering monster encounter).
• Make a single save at your highest exploding die type (d8 for expert) against the highest Madness score in the party (+1 per demonologist).
• Zero Madness = automatic success. Spending 3 Clues allows a re-roll.
• Success: gate is open; return safely.
• Failure: gate has closed. Each subsequent unexplored hex entered: roll d6; gate found on a 6. If all hexes are explored, a new gate appears 2d6 hexes away in a random direction.

Hex Exploration — Step by Step

Each time the party enters a hex, resolve these steps in order:

1. Encounter check — roll d6 against the terrain's encounter threshold (see table below). On a hit, roll on that terrain's encounter table.
2. Stealth save (optional) — use highest exploding die type; target = total characters + captives in the party, adjusted by terrain. Add +1 per rogue or halfling; −2 per paladin, elf, or holy relic (they glow). On success, avoid the monster encounter.
3. Foraging — roll vs terrain target; success = 1 day's rations per character per point by which the roll was made. Failure = spend 1 ration per character or lose 1 Life. Add +1 per demonologist; +1 in mountains per dwarf. −1 penalty per continuous day in the same hex.
4. Rest (optional) — spend the next day camping in that hex. On a successful rest save, all fed characters and captives recover 1 Life. Unfed characters cannot rest.
5. Orientation save (leaving the hex) — add +1 per demonologist and +1 per prior day explored here. On failure, the party is lost and must remain in the hex another day.

Terrain Challenges

| Terrain | Encounter | Stealth mod | Foraging | Rest | Orientation | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Dust Sea | 6 | +2 | No | 6 | 6 | | Windswept Plateau | 5 | +1 | 5 | No | 5 | | Mountains | 5 | −1 | No | 5 | 5 | | Caverns | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | Canyons | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | Chasm | Impassable | — | — | — | — | | Shrine | Always | No | No | No | Always | | Stronghold | Always | No | Special | Special | Always | | Quagmire of Distress | No encounter roll | No | No | No | Always |

Stealth save die is d8 for an expert-level party.

Terrain Notes

Dust Sea: Fleeing from combat is impossible.

Windswept Plateau: Ranged weapons suffer −d3 attack; characters gain +d3 defense vs. ranged attacks. Flying spells and items are ineffective.

Mountains: Crossing requires a level 8 climbing save (+1 per barbarian/dwarf; −1 per captive, up to −3). On failure: lose 1 Life each, captives die on d6 roll of 1–2; the day is lost.

Caverns / Canyons: Can be searched like corridors. Any gold found is replaced by food rations (caverns) or sorcerer trinkets (canyons) worth 1 necros each.

Special Locations

Shrines — Enter to generate a random dungeon using Netherworld tables. Final boss is always a Blasphemous One.

Strongholds — Pay 1 necros per character to enter; −3 to all reaction rolls inside. Can seek food/rest, buy/sell, hire retainers, free captives, or pay homage to the Lord.

Numbered Hexes (I–VII) — Unique named locations. Read entries only when reached.

Beyond the Map

The boldest adventurers can explore off-map. Terrain type for new hexes is rolled randomly on the Netherworld Random Terrain table (d66): 11–33 = same as the hex just left; 34–66 = plateau, mountains, dust sea, canyons, caverns, chasm, shrine, or stronghold.

Magic Restrictions

• The dead cannot be revived in the Netherworld. Retrieve corpses to the mortal world first.
• Animals (including conjured ones) refuse to enter the Netherworld, going mad and feral if forced.
• Undead and demonic beasts have no such restriction.