The Queens Cave

This pack contains:

• Large version (for print) with name and grid
• Small version (for VTT) with name and grid
• Large version (for print) without name, with grid
• Small version (for VTT) without name, with grid
• Large version (for print) with name, without grid
• Small version (for VTT) with name, without grid
• Large version (for print) without name and without grid
• Small version (for VTT) without name and without grid

Topplecliff is the only noteworthy village on the Puffin Islands. It lies directly on top of a high cliff on the northside of the largest Puffin island. The people living here are mostly cut off from the rest of the world. They herd large cattle of sheep or hunt the puffins that nestle on the cliff sides around these islands.

The people in Topplecliff are a hardened people, used to the windswept environment of their village surroundings. But even they are in a constant fear of the mythical Stymphalian birds who are said to live on the most western of the Puffin islands. On very rare occasions, driven by hunger, these man eating birds come as far as Topplecliff in order to feed themselves.”

Today, we move to that most western of the Puffin islands. Passing Oghrin’s canyon (battle map also available in the shop), players will enter the rocky, low mountains of this island where the Stymphalian birds live.

“The Stymphalian Birds are man-eating birds with beaks of bronze, sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and poisonous dung.

According to a historical source, found in the Imperial Library in Uban-Urk: “These fly against those who come to hunt them, wounding and killing them with their beaks. All armor of bronze or iron that men wear is pierced by the birds; but if they weave a garment of thick cork, the beaks of the Stymphalian birds are caught in the cork garment, just as the wings of the birds stick in bird-lime. These birds are of the size of a crane, and are like the ibis, but their beaks are more powerful, and not crooked like that of the ibis.”

The largest known colony of Stymphalian birds leave on the most western of the Puffin Islands where their ‘leader’, known as the Queen, lives in the Queen’s cave.”

This map shows the Queen’s cave, where the leader of these man-eating birds lives. The blood trail and the bones make it pretty clear that this won’t be a walk in the park…

Now I don’t know how your players would possibly get their hands on cork garment, but the bird-lime…. check out Roysa’s home in Topplecliff! In her cellar secret meetings were held. There was a cauldron in that cellar with something brewing in it. Exactly!! If your players thought of taking some with them, they come prepared. How to make them aware of this, I’ll gladly leave up to you, more experienced DMs 🙂