Wave Echo Cave - LMoP Part 4

We made it! We rescued Gundren Rockseeker, (maybe) who started us on this adventure weeks, maybe months ago, and he has helped us find the legendary Wave Echo Cave, hoping to tap it's wealth and magic while rescuing his brothers from the evil Black Spider, who wants this place for himself. I would do a big recap before starting this final chapter, maybe laying out the important bullet points as a DM and asking each player to give their favorite moments so far. We want the players to remember the story here because it has been stretched out over several sessions and they probably don't think about it outside of the game as much as we the Dungeon Master might. Gundren is an excellent resource for doing this in character, as much as he is nearly dead and worried about his brothers, he is also excited to find the Forge of Spells and get rich. I'd have him ask the PCs what they would do with all the wealth they'll soon be sharing. Maybe they can claim and fix up Cragmaw Castle or Tresendar Manor? Even if they don't have answers right now, this will get the players' wheels turning, especially if we close a session this way.

If we took a shortcut or Gundren didn't make it, it is still good to do a big recap and get the players psyched for this final push. But we need another way to get them to Wave Echo Cave now to avenge their friend and, you know, get rich and do hero stuff. We can put the map back in play, though I think it confuses the story a bit it is the easiest way for the PCs to learn the location. Maybe Gundren had an extra copy in a secret compartment in his boot or something. Otherwise Reidoth can show up and tell them, and beg that they stop the Black Spider from harnessing the power of the spell forge. Or they can petition Agatha to tell, or maybe Hamun Kost.

One of the other Rockseeker brothers could show up in Phandalin to bring the party to Wave Echo Cave, but turns out it's actually a doppelganger, sent by the Black Spider because he's been having trouble getting to the Forge of Spells. That actually sounds pretty awesome and would do a lot of work for us, so I might do that even if Gundren is still alive. It solves a couple problems I have with the final chapter of this adventure. Because it's got some problems for me.

In this series I've kept things pretty close to by the book. Yes, I recommended that you consider cutting Thundertree and have given a few other examples of ways you could alter this adventure, but I think the Lost Mine of Phandelver is pretty fantastic as is. I encourage you to make it your own, and I'm considering making a bonus video about some potential ways to alter things, but if I thought this adventure was fundamentally broken and in need of sweeping changes, I wouldn't be recommending it for new Dungeon Masters, or for anyone really.

That being said, I think the weakest part of this book is this final push. And that's OK, because we can fix any problems with a little creativity. Plus there is some really awesome stuff going on in this final dungeon. but, the biggest problem I have with Wave Echo Cave and the whole Lost Mine of Phandelver is that as the final big bad at the end of a campaign, the Black Spider is a little... lack luster.

We've put in a little extra work to get him in the minds' of the players early and often, and maybe we'll talk about ways to do that more in a bonus post, but at level 4 Nezznar is probably going to feel a little anticlimactic. I think there are two things going on here. One, the adventure assumes that the player characters are not reaching the final battle with him at full strength. Obviously, this fight will feel different if the PCs limp in running on fumes compared to if they just took a long rest and have all their hit points, spell slots, and resources. Two, in a way the Black Spider is not the final boss here, as he has been thwarted by the guardians of the Forge of Spells. That's kind of a cool twist, the reveal that there is are even bigger big bads, but we need to make sure it hits. So, we are going to take a two pronged approach to making this ending more satisfying: we're going to be prepared to beef up the fight with the Black Spider, and we're going to telegraph that there are stronger foes down here in the mines.

But let's start at the beginning. Room one we get a dead Rockseeker brother and a little story reveal. The other brother is conspicuously not here, raising the question: where is he? If Gundren has joined the party this is a great opportunity to get rid of him, he wants to take his brother's body back to town for funeral rites while encouraging the party to find his other brother and stop the Black Spider from claiming the Forge of Spells. Quick note: these are sweet magic boots but have them off to the side, not literally on our dead NPCs feet. Especially if Gundren is here, we're not likely to feel good looting Tharden's corpse.

The entire time we are exploring the eponymous waves of Wave Echo Cave can be heard. This is a nice little detail that's creating a distinct and unusual atmosphere for the final chapter for our adventure, but it is also doing a few other things as well. It is making it hard to hear anything else, and it is pulling the characters towards room 16 if we let it or want it to. I think of it more as a geyser than oceans waves, occurring once in a while not all the time. That let's us also use it as a timer element if we want to ratchet up the tension, even rolling for wandering monsters when we describe the crashing sound echoing through the dark corridors.

Now this is the biggest place we've run so far, but I think it is easier to keep track of what's going on where by seeing it as divided into three pieces. The top left corner is where the Black Spider has control, the right side is the Forge of Spells, and that leaves the rest. The front half of this dungeon, rooms 2-10 are telling the story of what happened here centuries ago. We see the aftermath of the huge battle between the orc invaders and the dwarves, gnomes, and humans who banded together here. If your players enjoy exposition I might have a hasty journal entry in room 5 spelling things out, maybe mentioning how the final surviving mage Mormesk summoned a guardian to protect the Spell Forge and used necromancy in a desperate, final defense. On top of the history playing out with the centuries old dead orcs and dwarves, I would incorporate a fresher layer of defeated ghouls and bug bears showing they've fought it out here. We want the players to learn that the Black Spider is stuck, and he might not get a chance to explain things before the PCs attack him. Don't just count on your big bad getting a monologue, have multiple ways to get info to your players.

Another helpful change you could consider making in these early rooms is having Mormesk the wraith appear and raise the undead in rooms 4, 6, and 9. Always good to put the bad guy in front of the players before the final confrontation, and now Mormesk has an opportunity to drop some knowledge. He'll believe the PCs are with the Black Spider at first, but if he learns they are actually hunting the Drow, Mormesk may point the way to the temple where Nezznar has made his base. If we can get the idea that the Black Spider and the denizens of the Mine are in conflict and that the Black Spider is loosing, I think we make this dungeon more interesting and take some pressure off of Nezznar to be the biggest, baddest boss we encounter.

You can spend a few sessions in Wave Echo Cave depending on how your table plays, but we can streamline things a bit as well. If you want to edit out a lot of these early fights and speed things up, that's alright. Maybe just have the stirges if the players haven't seen them before, the ochre jelly because it's different and cool, and then one single battle royal with the undead in room 9 as waves of skeletons and then ghouls rise up and enter from different areas in waves, as Mormesk pops in and out, talking to the player characters at the top of each round.

Now the Black Spiders forces are in the northwest corner of the complex. We've got bugbears in 11 and 18, and Nezznar himself in 19. We've also got the Doppelganger, who's got a lot of potential, and if he survived I'd put Glasstaff in the mix here as well. As we reach 19 I like to have the PCs overhear Glasstaff or the doppleganger announcing his arrival, saying the Black Spider's name out loud and talking about how the holy water he secured might be the key to reaching the spell forge. This gives the player the tool to keep the flameskull down and maybe the knowledge to use it. It also telegraphs that things might be tough on the other side of this place. Having the Doppelganger shapeshifted into Nundro Rockseeker presents a great opportunity for some role play and betrayal. Also, rather than just fight them, I think Nezznar would much prefer to send the PCs into 12-15 to fight for him, because either way it could turn his two problems into one problem.

Depending on how your party is built and what they've gone through to get here, this battle might feel like a fitting conclusion to the campaign. Especially with Glasstaff and the Doppleganger replacing a couple giant spiders. One great bossfight move; Watch your players react as Nezznar downs a healing potion. He can still have one to loot after its over, but it's a great way to keep him alive for an extra round or two and I bet the players have a response. If you can manage, keep track of your PCs hp too, and don't be afraid to flat out ask each player what they are working with before they enter 19. If they easily finish this fight, have good hp still and it doesn't feel satisfying, I would have Lolth, the evil spider goddess of the Drow resurrect the Black Spider as a Drider. We're just going to show the image of the Drider and keep on with Nezznar's original stats. I'd bet this is more what the players had in mind anyway when they've imagined the Black Spider. Maybe have him shoot a faerie fire and a web as lair actions as he's resurrected, then have him do two attacks per round with his Spider Staff. The two phase boss fight is a popular trope for a reason, and it is likely enough to make a mediocre battle into a memorable one. Crank his HP to max if he's going to drop in that first round back, and if the PCs are beasts then maybe even throw the real drider at them, though AC 19 is a little tough.

I'm not telling you to use it, but there is one more tactical nuke in this room. If the fight is all but over and the PCs are doing just fine: We have an official answer for exactly how much damage is caused if the ceiling in here collapses. By the book this occurs if someone tries to pry the jewels out of the dwarven statue's eyes, but to me it feels like a final, desperate magic missile spell that hits half of these cracked marble columns lining the room could do it as well. Be careful with this one as we're looking at 24 damage average on every character that fails the save, but know it's there if this is the final battle and it's proven a cakewalk, because that could certainly provide a memorable ending.

The real Nundro, the final Rockseeker brother, is in room 20. He is your chance to influence the party's next steps. You don't want to tell them what to do, but you can send some signs. They might want to go back to town and call the campaign complete. That's fine. Especially if they already dealt with the Eastern side of Wave Echo Cave. That's it, time for an epilogue or the next phase of the campaign to come knocking. If they haven't reached the spell forge yet, and it feels right, I would have Nundro talk up a long rest and then a final push to claim the splendors of Wave Echo Cave for ourselves. Again, don't force anything, just suggest, it is the players choice. If they want to rush ahead or go back to Phandalin that's their call.

We don't know what order the party is going to encounter these rooms; there are plenty of ways to trace a path through Wave Echo Cave, the sound of the booming water is pulling the players towards the Northeast corner, Nezznar might point the party to the Forge of Spells, and Mormesk might point the party at Nezznar. But for me it feels like the trio of the flameskull, the spectator, and Mormesk the wraith make for a better series of final battles than the Black Spider, even when we jazz him up. Especially if we learn these three monsters abilities and play them to the hilt. These three encounters are built so that the party can run without the baddies really giving chase, but if the players take the time to replenish their resources, in my mind that gives the monsters the time to replenish theirs.

The flameskull drops a fireball on as much of the party as it can right away. Round 2 flaming sphere, round 3 bonus action to move the sphere around as it fires two fire rays out of it's empty eye sockets. Alternatively you could use it's concentration on blur to make it harder to hit, and keep in mind it can fly out of reach and has shield for a reaction. This thing is awesome, scary, and is probably lighting back up in an hour, so the party might face it again. Plus it just looks awesome.

The flameskull speaks common sure, but I think Spectator is a little more conversational, and is smart enough to access the party during their little chat. It can judge which characters probably have higher wisdom saves vs constitution saves for when it's flying around shooting 2 different eye beams per round. This may be the final beat of the adventure, and we've reached the Forge of Spells, so have fun roleplaying this mildly insane abberation. If and when battle begins: do what you can to get cinematic with it, narrating actions in the eerie green light and the echoing sound of the booming waves. Also, as always, don't be afraid to slide this thing's HP up to max to buy another round or two of action if it feels right.

Mormesk is likely doing the most exposition of these three, and he is willing to negotiate. As written he'll pay the party to take out the Spectator, and I'd add the Black Spider to that list too. There is a chance that's already complete by the time we meet him, so maybe this negotiation is a lot easier than the book portrays. If we do fight here: Life Drain is no joke, and max HP dropping to zero equals no death saving throws, just instant death. Add his host of damage resistances and the incorporeal movement that lets him slide through the walls to wait for his next turn and it makes him pretty tough as well. This treasure map is a great way to point the PCs to whatever is next, and as always a room full of books is always an opportunity to impart some knowledge or reveal some secret to the party. Maybe someone's family name is in one of these tomes and it turns out they are the rightful heir of Tresendar Manor or Cragmaw Castle. Maybe we get a book on the Ordening of Giants and a treasure map to the buried McGuffin in Triboar if we're heading into Storm King's Thunder. The possibilities are endless. Maybe we'll talk about what comes next in a bonus video.

However we get through it, it may be the case that not everyone who walked into Wave Echo Cave gets to walk back out. That is OK, Death is a part of D&D and is a very impactful element in storytelling. However things play out in whatever sequence, this will be the culmination of weeks or maybe months of game play. I would give your players each an opportunity to describe what their character does in the downtime after this chapter of the story closes. It's probably best if they have time to think about their answers, instead of putting them on the spot. For starters: there's wealth coming to them from their share of Wave Echo Cave, plus a ruined manor on the hill in Phandalin that could be fixed up, and also there's a castle in Neverwinter Wood that could also be a characters stronghold. Maybe there's a memorial to be built for fallen PCs or NPCs. We can even talk about what we want for our next campaign, whether we start a new story at level one or continue this one, taking these characters and/or maybe some new ones to move forward at level 5.

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