The Enclave

Cellar

As you descend the creaking wooden stairs into the dimly lit cellar, the scent of damp earth and old wood thickens in the air. A soft, eerie glow emanates from a collapsed portion of the southern wall, where cracked crates and spilled contents hint at something having recently forced its way in—or out. To your left, a tattered rug lies partially rolled and moth-eaten amid a clutter of broken barrels, woven baskets, and rotting sacks. The flickering light of wall-mounted lanterns dances across the stone floor, revealing signs of neglect and hasty rummaging. Along the eastern wall, shelves sag under the weight of forgotten provisions and shattered jars, suggesting this room was once a storeroom, long abandoned but now recently disturbed.

Searching this area will reveal nothing particularly useful. It is clear that something was down here and rummaging in the old packages stored here. But the only thing that really stands out is the hole in the wall and the blue light.

Tunnel

You squeeze through the jagged hole in the cellar wall and step into a narrow, earthen tunnel, the scent of damp soil clinging to the air. A large, cracked rock glows with an eerie blue light, casting flickering shadows along the tunnel walls. It looks like a chunk of rubble knocked loose when the hole was torn open, but the strange, pulsing glow from within it gives you pause. The ground is uneven and littered with splintered boards and debris, as if something smashed through in haste or rage. Here and there, scattered bones speak to unknown dangers. The path stretches forward into darkness, tight and sloping, with only the strange light at your back to ward off what lies ahead.

Investigation

  • Checking the rock with Arcana DC15 will reveal that this is a light spell cast on the rock which will only last an hour. This implies that someone was here recently.
  • Checking the bones reveals that there is a black slime on them. This doesn't require a check of any kind for them to find. A Science check DC 10 will reveal that this is some kind of acid.

Entrance Hallway

You step out of the rough-hewn tunnel and into a long, narrow corridor of ancient stone, the air here unnaturally still. The floor beneath your boots is smooth and worn, bearing the scuffs of many who came before—though none seem recent. Faint traces of blue-green light from the tunnel behind you spill into the hallway, quickly swallowed by the gloom ahead. Alcoves line the walls in eerie symmetry, each one cloaked in darkness like open mouths waiting to whisper secrets. The corridor stretches forward with unsettling precision, drawing your eye toward the vanishing point, where shadow and stone become one.

Investigation

  • The alcoves are empty, but appear that they once held some kind of machinery that is no longer present. Pipes feed into the spaces, but connect to nothing.
  • At the end of the hallway, there is a thick coat of the black slime on the wall and floor. Scratch marks mar the floor in an arc away from the wall. The stones of the wall are cracked, looking as if something struck them hard. Investigation DC 12 will reveal that there is a hidden door at the end of the hallway.
  • Note: the party has to find this hidden door to be able to proceed with the adventure. If they aren't finding this door on their own, have an Awakened scout come investigate all the noise that the party is making. When the open the door and see the party, they run away. This gives the party access to the area and introduces them to the Awakened living here. (Use Skrittle Quickfang for this)

Central Room

The air in this room is thick with the damp, metallic tang of stagnant water and mildew. Dim, greenish light reflects off the slow-moving channels that carve paths through the tiled floor, casting warped patterns on the ceiling. The faint echo of dripping water and your own careful breath are the only sounds in this dead space. Ahead, multiple branching corridors vanish into thick shadows. From this vantage, you can see flickers of light glinting off distant damp tiles, and the smell of rot is stronger to the south east. You’ve slipped into the veins of the city, unseen and forgotten. But the presence of battery powered torches on the walls suggests that someone has been here recently.

This central room is where the Black Pudding is hiding. This is the creature that has been causing all the trouble. It will not readily reveal itself to the party. However, if they approach the well and touch the wall of the well or throw anything into the well it will come out and be aggressive towards the party. If they are in this area with any of the Awakened, they will avoid the lower part of the central room. They know that this is where the pudding is hiding and are not interested in provoking it as it has already killed several of them.

Difficult Terrain

You move at half speed in difficult terrain— moving 1 foot in difficult terrain costs 2 feet of speed—so you can cover only half the normal distance in a minute, an hour, or a day.

From the abyssal dark, a glistening mass begins to surge upward—its surface a shifting slick of obsidian ooze, glinting faintly under the electric torchlight. It moves with disturbing fluidity, tendrils slithering along the edge like fingers tasting the air. A grotesque sloshing sound emanates from the undulating black. The air thickens with the stench of decay and burnt oil, and the faint squelch of its ascent echoes like a grotesque heartbeat from below.

Dimensions

The steps lead down 10 feet. This makes the ceiling a total of 20 feet above when standing in the lower area. When in the tunnels and the upper area of the central room, the ceiling is 10 feet tall. The pillars in the central room are about 1 foot square. The water in the lower area is 3 feet deep and counts as difficult terrain. It is not deep enough to swim in and thus having a swim speed does not help the creature.

Factors

Alone

If the party activates the fight with the pudding when they first come into the room, they will not get any assistance from the Awakened. However, killing the pudding will help them gain favor with the Enclave faction (2 renown) and will aid them in gaining more information about what has been happening in the sewer.

If the party runs away, they can come back to this fight later with Awakened allies.

With Allies

It is possible for the party to have Awakened allies when the come to fight the pudding. This requires that they have not triggered the fight before they have earned the trust of the Awakened. They need at least 1 renown with the Enclave in order for them to get allies. For every additional point of renown they have earned, they will gain an additional ally that will help them with the pudding fight.

Generator Room

The generator room hums with a deep, mechanical pulse, its walls slick with condensation and the faint scent of oil and compost. Dominating the chamber is an enormous generator, its vast metal frame webbed with thick, insulated cables and hissing steam vents. The machine thrums with life, its core glowing faintly as it processes heaps of repurposed waste—scraps, refuse, and organic matter piled in carts. The air is warm and pungent, filled with the earthy tang of decomposition and the electric bite of ozone. This behemoth engine, both grotesque and awe-inspiring, tirelessly converts the community’s garbage into vital energy, charging a series of industrial batteries stacked in reinforced bays along the far wall like silent sentinels of survival.

This is clearly the source of the humming sound that was heard in the General Store. Other then gaining this piece of information, there is nothing here of interest.

Brambletusk Ironweld

He will go about his business and continue to feed the waste into the generator, ignoring the party unless they directly approach and engage him. In which case, he will be polite, but not particularly social. He has work to get done and is more interested in that then the party.

Investigation

Starts Indifferent

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, he is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month, but he doesn't know anything about where is came from.
  • He can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • He does not know where it is hiding.
  • He will help the party if they declare that they are going to kill it. He will join them and help fight the pudding.

Training Room

You step into the room, the heavy door creaking shut behind you as the scent of sweat, oil, and aged wood meets your nose. The wide room stretches before you, clearly a place built for battle-hardened discipline and bruised knuckles. At the southern end, a row of worn targets lines the wall like silent judges, riddled with impact marks from countless sessions. The eastern wall is lined with three makeshift dummies—stitched together from scraps of cloth and metal, their battered forms frozen mid-strike. Directly ahead on the northern wall, two stout wooden dummies flank the entrance to a small, closed storage room. Another wooden sits against the western wall, with two more stationed in the northwestern corner like sentries guarding the room’s secrets. Below them, in the southwest, sturdy weapon racks bristle with blades, staves, and training gear. Just in front of the southern wall’s targets, two squat tables sit against the short walls, each drawer filled with gear meant for those willing to bleed for their improvement. The room is still, yet it hums with the echo of past sparring and the unspoken challenge that lingers in the air.

There is plenty here for the party members to steal if they are interested in doing so. All simple and martial melee weapons are represented here. There are also long and short bows. There is light, medium and heavy armor. In the storage room there is more of the same along with basic medical gear. However, if the party steals this equipment it will be obvious that they are the ones that took it and they will anger the Awakened, loosing 5 Renown. This could potentially cause the party to become the enemies of the Awakened if they have not previously done anything to earn 5 or more renown. However, if the party has 2 or more renown with the Enclave, they will allow the party to take 1 weapon or 1 armor item if they are asked.

Leatherworker's Shop

You step through the east door into a compact, dimly lit workshop thick with the scent of leather, oil, and worn canvas. To your right, a wooden bench cluttered with stitching tools, scraps of hide, and metal fittings suggests this is where the finer details of gear are crafted. The walls are lined with racks and shelves packed with carefully arranged supplies—coiled rope, spare boots, belts, and bundles of folded fabric. Rolled mats and sheets of tough material lean against the south wall, while a sturdy work table dominates the northwest corner. Standing calmly behind it is a broad-shouldered badger in a weathered leather jacket, his sharp eyes meeting yours with a mixture of curiosity and a merchant’s practiced smile.

Brumm is surprised that there are people who are not Awakened, but he will assumed that they have been invited into the Enclave. He will approach them with caution, but with a willingness to allow trust to be established.

Investigation

Starts Indifferent

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, he is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month, but he doesn't know anything about where is came from.
  • He can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • He can tell the party where the pudding hides.

Magic Shop

As you step through the eastern door, the scent of ancient parchment and faint incense washes over you, grounding you in a room steeped in quiet, arcane purpose. Wooden shelves line the walls and form narrow aisles through the center, each cluttered with peculiar artifacts, faded tomes, bottled reagents, and softly glowing trinkets whose uses whisper of long-forgotten magic. A large rug in the northwest quadrant cushions your steps, muted and threadbare from years of pacing study. The lighting is dim but warm, flickering gently from a lantern hung near the ceiling—enough to reveal the bat-like figure behind the desk in the southwest corner, her eyes calm and expectant, as though she knew you would come. This is no ordinary supply room—it feels more like a sanctum, a crossroads of secrets waiting to be unlocked.

Selra is surprised that there are people who are not Awakened, but she will assumed that they have been invited into the Enclave. She will approach them with caution, but with a willingness to allow trust to be established.

Investigation

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, she is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month. She knows that the pudding was created due to a magical mishap.
  • She can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • She can tell the party where the pudding hides.

Potion and Poison Shop

The scent hits you first—musty stone, old mushrooms, and something faintly metallic, like rusted lantern oil. You step through the western door into a square, low-ceilinged room lit by dim, flickering sconces that barely hold back the shadows. Shelves line the walls, cluttered with jars of preserved goods, dusty books, and odd tools. A wide wooden table dominates the center of the room, scattered with crumbling papers and cloudy glassware crusted with green growth. Against the northern wall stands a tall, slumped figure wrapped in a green and black cloak—motionless, yet unmistakably watching. A thick silence clings to the air, broken only by the faintest creak of old wood above and a slow, rhythmic sound beneath the floor, like something breathing... or waiting.

Morven is surprised that there are people who are not Awakened and is suspicious of them. He will watch them and wait to see what they do. He is very cautious and ready to defend himself if he must, but is willing to conduct business if they behave well. He will not sell the party any poisons until they have a renown of 5 or more.

Investigation

He starts out indifferent.

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, she is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month.
  • He was the one that created the pudding during a magical experiment gone wrong. He will explain this to the party, but only if they ask in a way that suggests they are interested in helping to kill the pudding.
  • He can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • He can tell the party where the pudding hides
  • He can tell them that it is basically living acid and he believes that it will be difficult to kill. He can tell them that it was not harmed when it was attacked with swords and cold magic.

Weapon Shop

You step through the heavy door on the western wall into a well-organized armory, the scent of oil, metal, and aged leather thick in the air. The stone floor transitions from cold tiles to a large, richly woven red and white rug that muffles your footsteps as you move deeper into the room. Racks and shelves line the walls, bristling with an arsenal of weaponry—swords, axes, spears, and even firearms, all meticulously arranged and within easy reach. A sturdy workbench along the eastern wall is cluttered with tools, half-repaired weapons, and scraps of metal, hinting at recent use. Standing alert near the bench is a well muscled—her hulking frame and red mohawk striking, her eyes tracking your every move with quiet intensity.

Grunna doesn't care where the party came from. If they are going to buy, she will sell. But she isn't interested in small talk. If they don't get right to the point, she might kick them out or get violent.

Investigation

She starts out indifferent

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, she is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month.
  • She is willing to go with the party to kill the pudding.
  • She can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • She can tell the party where the pudding hides

Barracks

As you step through the sturdy, metal-banded door, the scent of old linen and oiled wood greets you. The room is dim but clean, its stone-tiled floor cool beneath your boots. Three narrow beds are arranged against the far walls—each one simply made, though the rumpled sheets on the one nearest you suggest a recent occupant. To your left stands a small wooden desk with a mirror mounted above it, flanked by a modest chest, its latch rusted with age. The air is still, heavy with the quiet hush of shared living quarters, and you sense this space has seen long nights, whispered plans, and perhaps the occasional secret kept under the thin wool blankets.

Any of these rooms with multiple beds in them are a good place for the party to encounter a member of the Enclave. This will give them the opportunity to continue their investigation and to establish some trust with the group. Use any of the NPCs that are given a specific location for this purpose. They can tell the party that the pudding has been killing the Awakened and where it is hiding, but nothing else.

Morven's Room

You step into the small room from the eastern door, the scent of old leather and pipe smoke lingering faintly in the still air. A modest bed with a woolen blanket sits against the western wall, its frame worn but well-kept, a low chest tucked neatly at its foot. A circular rug softens the otherwise cold tile floor, catching the light from the small electric torch above the desk to your left. The desk is cluttered with quills, parchment, and a cracked lantern, while the eastern wall holds a rack of tools and old weaponry—well-oiled but long unused. Everything here feels lived-in, steady, and solitary, as if the room belongs to someone who values quiet routine and keeps their memories close.

There is nothing here of interest.

Professor Thistledown's Room

As you enter from the eastern door, you find yourself in a compact but tidy bedroom. A modest bed sits against the far wall, its simple brown blanket neatly pulled tight. A round rug softens the cold tile floor at the foot of the bed, and a writing desk is tucked against the southern wall, scattered with tools, parchment, and a pair of gloves—perhaps belonging to someone who works with their hands. A small dresser stands to your right, and a full length mirror stands on the left. Though plainly furnished, the room feels lived-in and comfortable, with everything in its place.

There is nothing here of interest.

Conference Room

As you step into the room, the scent of polished wood and old metal greets you. A long, elegant table dominates the center, surrounded by six high-backed chairs cushioned in deep red. On either side of the west wall, two imposing suits of full plate armor stand guard in the corners, their blank visors staring silently ahead. Between them, a stately painting of a large building hangs above eye level, framed in gold and catching the room’s light just right. Beneath the table, a red rug defines the dining area, adding warmth to the otherwise stone-cold floor. Against the north wall, a bare buffet hutch suggests formal gatherings or carefully orchestrated meals. A modest red couch in the southeast corner offers a more relaxed spot, contrasting with the room’s otherwise formal tone.

There is nothing here of interest.

Treasure Room

As you step through the heavy door on the western wall, a cool, unnaturally still air greets you, carrying the faint scent of parchment and alchemical reagents. The wide stone chamber ahead is dimly lit by a soft, magical glow emanating from a glass-like panel embedded in the floor, running like a vein of energy from west to east. To your right, shelves and a cluttered workbench are covered with scrolls, tools, and arcane components, while bolts of fabric, maps, and strange instruments lie scattered across crates to the left. But your focus is pulled toward the far side of the room, where a swirling air elemental hovers menacingly, its form a restless vortex stirring loose scrolls and dust in its wake. Just behind it, piles of treasure—barrels, coins, and glittering gems—line the eastern wall, suggesting this chamber once served as a vault or arcane sanctum. Whatever its purpose, the presence of the elemental makes it clear: this room's secrets are not left unguarded.

If the party has forced their way into the room or attempts to take any of the treasure being stored here, the air elemental will attack them. Otherwise it will simply watch them as they move through the room.

Research Library

In the dim amber glow of an ancient electric desk lamp, the scholar goat sits poised at her cluttered desk, her tailored suit rumpled from long hours of study. Her sharp eyes, magnified by round glasses, scan the scattered notes and yellowing maps that chart long-forgotten territories and speculative theories. Behind her, two cages rest in each corner of the small, worn library—each home to a watchful pet rat, their soft rustlings a rhythmic backdrop to the silence. The walls are lined with leaning shelves, thick with dust-laden tomes and oddities, but the most striking feature is the enormous mural dominating the rear wall—a sprawling, hyper-detailed painting of a crumbling cyberpunk metropolis, glowing faintly with artificial neon light. Though static, the city seems to pulse with memory and myth, blurring the line between past speculation and present obsession.

Professor Thistledown will welcome the party. She is hopeful that these new strangers will become allies and attempts to begin the relationship with that goal in mind.

Investigation

She starts out friendly

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, she is surprised and doesn't know anything about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, she will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month.
  • She is willing to go with the party to kill the pudding. She informs them that she is a healer and can aid them in that role.
  • She can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed.
  • She can tell the party where the pudding hides.

Garru's Chambers

As you step through the northern door, you're greeted by the warm, modest elegance of a well-kept bedroom. A plush rug stretches across the center of the stone-tiled floor, flanked by sturdy, worn-but-clean furniture that speaks of care rather than wealth. The bed, neatly made with layered blankets, dominates the east wall, while directly in front of you, an ape sits calmly on a cushioned couch, watching you with thoughtful eyes. The scent of lavender and old wood hangs faintly in the air. Everything here is tidy, lived-in, and quietly dignified.

Garru will welcome the party. He is hopeful that these new strangers will become allies and attempts to begin the relationship with that goal in mind.

Investigation

He starts out friendly

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, he is surprised and doesn't know anything about it. He assumes that it is related to the pudding though.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month.
  • He can tell the party that the pudding has killed several Awakened and that it is desired by the community for the pudding to be killed. He will offer the party a quest to kill the pudding, indicating that he will reward them well. If the party kills the pudding after talking with him, he will pay them 200$ each and they will each gain 2 renown with the Enclave.
  • He can tell the party where the pudding hides

Library

You step into a quiet, dimly lit chamber that smells faintly of old parchment and waxed wood. The stone floor beneath your boots shifts slightly from the worn tiles of the hallway into a polished ceramic tile. A geometric rug that frames a sturdy wooden table and four high-backed chairs at the room’s center. Lining the walls are tall, dusty bookshelves crammed with faded tomes, curious scrolls, and the occasional trinket tucked between volumes. The atmosphere is hushed but not unfriendly, as if the room itself is waiting to be studied.

Research

The tomes here contain magical knowledge. If a character chooses to spend a week of down time here, they can learn a Path of Dark without paying the asset cost for it. If they do not already know the Synergy Path, they must roll a Sanity saving throw. Failure means they will become inflicted with indefinite insanity.

The Veiled Coin

You step into a lively, smoky room filled with the clatter of dice, the shuffle of cards, and the low hum of conversation. The scent of ale, sweat, and wood polish mingles thickly in the air. To your left stretches a long, well-worn bar with barrels stacked behind it and stools scattered about, some occupied, some tipped over in drunken haste. The heart of the room hosts a variety of gaming tables—roulette, dice, and cards—surrounded by mismatched chairs and patrons nursing drinks or watching games unfold. Along the far wall, a plush green-felted blackjack table glows under soft lamplight, the dealer's spot ominously empty. A small raised area to your right holds two stools where performer's can sit themselves. This is a gambler's haven, buzzing with tension and opportunity, where fortunes are made or lost with every breath.

This area is the Enclave tavern. The primary game that they play here is Fate's Edge. The party is welcome to play with the rest of the tavern patrons. This is also a location that the party can get some food and drink. How much the party spends here will be noticed by the Awakened around them. If they spend more then 1-2 credits, they will get attention. That being said, the Awakened are honest folk and stealing is not tolerated in the Enclave. However, they are more likely to provide information and services when they know that the party has money, but they will also ask for s credit or two for that information.

Investigation

In general, the Awakened here are indifferent. If the party as spent more then 1-2 credits, they will become friendly.

  • If asked about the disturbances in the General Store, they deny having ever disturbed the store and claim to know nothing about it.
  • If asked about the black slime coating on things or about the pudding itself, he will inform the party that the pudding has been a problem for the past month.
  • They will offer "helpful" stories of events that have happened over the past month involving the pudding. Much of this is gossip and hear say; exaggerated.

Kitchen

In a dim, cluttered kitchen lit by the muted glow of an electric torch flickering by the door, a horse woman stands focused at a worn countertop. Clad in a stained apron over a rugged shirt, she stirs a steaming pot of stew, her strong equine features calm and determined. Cast iron cookware hangs from rusted hooks beside her, and a thick loaf of bread, a battered mug, and a single onion rest nearby. The kitchen is clean, but clearly has been hobbled together with second hand and discarded appliances. Despite the rust and dents dominating the room, the space has been kept clean.

Kindly take your chatter and boots elsewhere—this kitchen’s too small for distractions, and I’ve a meal to finish before the world ends again.
— Juniper Trotwell

She is busy and not interested in being social with the party. If they try to interview her for their investigation, she will dismiss them again. However, if they can present her with an interesting or exotic ingredient to cook with she will spend some time with them. Anything freshly harvested will be well received and by them a small amount of her time and favor. But fresh meat, bee goods or something magical in nature would win her favor completely. With that kind of gift she would entertain however many questions they had as long as they allowed her to continue to work as they were speaking with her.

Isolation Ward

You step into a cold, stone-tiled room, dimly lit by flickering electric troches that cast long shadows down its central corridor. Cells on line the central hallway. On one side, a hulking bear crouches low, its muscles coiled with tension and it growls at you, swiping a paw against the bars that contain it. On the other side a hyena stands up on its hind legs and walks towards you, growling and drooling. You can hear other creatures stirring in the cells ahead of you.

This is where the Awakened keep animals that have become infected. They wait out the infection to see if the individual will become an Awakened or if they will become a mindless zombie beast. If they become Awakened, they are freed and welcomed to remain within the Enclave or to leave as they choose. If they become a zombie they are killed, used as a means for the Awakened to train themselves.

Fighting Pit

You edge into a large, grim chamber where the stench of dried blood clings to the air. A massive pit dominates the center, lined with jagged wooden spikes that gleam with menace, some still stained dark red. The sandy bottom is marred with old blood spatters and the scattered remains of the unlucky—most notably, a half-buried skeleton clutching rusted gear in the far corner. A narrow, rotting plank bridge stretches precariously from the western ledge, only partially spanning the deathtrap below, while drag marks suggest someone—or something—tried, and failed, to cross.

The planks are attached to the frame standing in the pit which allows the planks to tip like a see saw. When an Awakened has won their fight, the planks are lowered to allow the to scramble out of the pit. On lookers stand on the walk way around the top of the pit. If the Awakened in the pit is in trouble they will join the fray or attack from above, ensuring that those in the pit learn fighting skills while minimizing the amount of real danger the face.

Demographics and Mission

There is about 50 Awakened living in the Enclave at any one time. There is an additional 50 that are part of the community that are out in sewers or in the upper world. All of these Awakened are adults. At this point, the Enclave is a community of resistance rather then one looking to create a home for themselves. Their primary goal is to undermine Camp Hope's ability to experiment on, capture or kill their kind.

Skrittle Quickfang
Character | May 31, 2025

Black Pudding
Character | May 9, 2025

Secret Doors

When ever a player passes the passive perception check DC 15 or the Investigation check DC 12, you can use the following description to let them know what they've found.

As you walk down the hallway, one section of the wall shows faint scuff marks near the baseboard, as if it has been swung open or disturbed repeatedly. The lines between the panels there are slightly uneven, hinting at a seam where a door might be hidden.

Social Interactions
Generic article | May 31, 2025

Brumm Hollowhide
Character | May 31, 2025

Selra Vintallow
Character | May 31, 2025

Morven Gravefur
Character | May 31, 2025

Grunna Ironsnout
Character | May 31, 2025

Varnik Grinjaw Korr
Character | May 31, 2025

Brambletusk Ironweld
Character | May 31, 2025

Tukka Slipback
Character | May 31, 2025

Professor Thistledown
Character | May 31, 2025

The Waywright’s Canvas
Item | May 11, 2025

Air Elemental
Character | May 11, 2025

Sanity
Generic article | May 31, 2025

Fate’s Edge
Generic article | May 12, 2025

Talon Gritwing
Character | May 31, 2025

Juniper Trotwell
Character | May 31, 2025

Pudding Stories

Old Eely Gar’s Lantern

Now I ain’t sayin’ it was the pudding—but I am sayin’ Eely Gar was last seen draggin’ that busted old lantern down Tunnel Six just before we started hearin’ the screamin’. You know the sound—wet-like, with bones in it. All we found was the lantern, melted halfway through and stickin’ to the wall like it’d grown there. No Gar, no boots, not even a squeal. Just that stink, like burnt rubber and rot.

Crate of Mushrooms

There’s a kid—Chibs, I think—swears he saw a whole crate of glowcaps move on its own. Says he was settin’ up shop near the sump tank when the puddin’ slid in real quiet, just a shimmer down the wall. It didn’t grab him or nothin’. Just wrapped around the crate like it was tuckin’ it in for bed, then slorped it all the way back down the pipe. Kid’s been twitchy ever since. Won’t eat anything squishy.

The Pipes Are Cryin’

Two weeks ago, the waterworks crew went down to fix a blown valve on Main. Heard ‘em callin’ for help not five minutes later, then nothin’. When we sent in a scout, all that was left were a pile of tools and a mess of pipes bent inward, like somethin’ had sucked ‘em through a hole that wasn’t there. Every night since, that pipe whines like a baby gettin’ its teeth pulled. Whole crew avoids it now.

Gone in the Drainshack

Jessa ran a noodle booth out by the east spillway—best synth broth this side of the surface, I swear it. She locked up one night like usual. Come mornin’? Booth still shut, lights still on, but Jessa? Gone. Tables slicked over in that black tar muck, and not a scrap of food left. Not even the rats’ll go near that drain now. They say you can still hear slurpin’ from inside the counter.

Grubhole Incident

Drek, we lost a whole grubhole to it. That’s months of tunneling, baiting, tending the wrigglers—and the puddin’ just seeps in overnight, slow and stupid-like, then bam, whole harvest gone. Boiled the feeders into paste, too. One of the kids tried to scoop some back out—lost three fingers and all his nerve. Puddle didn’t even chase him. Just... sat there, bubblin’.
Note: Grubholes

A grubhole is a colloquial, Enclave-specific term for a small, managed pit or chamber used to breed and harvest edible underground creatures—primarily grubs, worms, and other nutrient-dense invertebrates that thrive in the warm, damp conditions of the sewers beneath Camp Hope.

In the Awakened community:

  • Grubholes are often tended carefully like small farms.
  • The harvested creatures are used for protein—either roasted, ground into paste, or added to communal dishes like stew or broth.
  • Some grubs may have mild hallucinogenic or stimulating properties, depending on what they've been fed, and can be traded or bartered as mild narcotics or delicacies.
  • Maintaining a grubhole is considered honest work, and losing one to the pudding is a significant blow to both food supply and morale.

Lure Light

One of ours, Tannin, swears he saw somethin’ shimmerin’ in the sludge—like a lantern under black water. Says he followed it ‘cause he thought it was someone trapped. Got halfway down a sluice tunnel and felt the air get thick, like the world held its breath. Then the light just blinked out. He didn’t see the puddin’, but when he got back, his boots were half-dissolved and he couldn’t stop coughin’. Blood, mostly.

I saw it blink, I swear.

A wiry bat with a burned sleeve and permanent sewer stink, leans in over her mug. “I saw the thing rise up outta the drainage canal by the north sluice—just rose up like bread in a hotbox, all steam and stink. Looked like oil, but it blinked. One big eyelid. Then it flattened itself and slurped down a rat that was watchin’ it too close. Didn’t leave a bone.”

Silence

“It don’t make no noise unless it wants to," says a thin goat, who chews on a pipe he never lights and taps the table. “Most oozes, you hear ‘em. Slappin’ around, squelchin’. Not this one. You’ll feel heat on your back or smell ammonia, turn ‘round, and there it is—already halfway up your boots. You only hear it when it’s mad. Then it hums, low, and the stones go warm.”

Source

“It weren’t there 'til the pipe cracked.” An old-timer bear says. She swears she knows where it came from. “A week after the pressure line blew over under the church runoff? That’s when folk started losin’ pets and finding pits full of slime. I think it were bred in a vat. Maybe Engineer waste. Maybe Doctor junk. Either way, it got flushed and didn’t die proper. Now it’s feedin’ on refuse and memories.”

It Talks

A pale-faced frog with a twitch and no shirt mutters: “Gerdan was down cleanin’ his grubhole, talkin’ to himself like he does. Next thing we hear, he’s screamin’, and when we get there, he’s fine—I mean, no blood, no burns. But his brain’s all backwards. Thinks the year’s 397 and he’s married to a crow. Says the pudding told him things. 'Bout what’s coming.”

Hungry

Saw it with my own eyes, I did—slitherin’ down the old pump shaft near the water exchange. Thing didn’t make a sound, just pulsed like a lung, oozin’ through the grates. Left the walls hissing where it touched, like vinegar on limestone. Vorka threw a bottle at it, and it ate the bottle. Glass, cap, and the hooch inside—all gone in a blink.

The Rats

Hatcher's rats don't go near it. And Hatcher's rats’ll chew on live wire if it smells like grease. One of 'em got snagged by the stuff—pudding crawled up its tail like it was sniffing for a way in. Thing puffed up, then melted. Flesh first. Bone later.

Time Before

Could be a leftover Time Before weapon. Back in the Time Before, they brewed up horrors of all kinds, sent ’em to crawl through enemy bunkers to do the killing for them. What if this is something that slipped through a crack and never got recalled? Gained a mind of its own, maybe. Got smarter in the dark.

Birth

There’s a feller down the crawlshaft three bends over, swears he saw the pudding birth itself. Just rose up from a crack like a bubble in a swamp. No parent. No spell. Just a shudder in the air, and then it was. Like the sewer coughed it out.

Bits

Here’s a theory—go on, laugh if you want—but I say it's not one slime. It’s many. Little bits, scattered through the tunnels, joinin' up like thoughts in a brain. That's why it seems like it’s everywhere. 'Cause it is. Just... not all at once.

The Rat Herder’s Last Run

Old Brin used to run a whole fleet of trained sewer rats, all fitted with tiny bells and pouches, runnin’ messages and pickin’ clean the tunnels. One day, they didn’t come back. Brin went down to the Gratewalks to find them and never returned either. The next morning, someone found one of his bells, warped and half-melted, stuck to a wall near a smear of black slime that hissed like a boiling kettle when the torchlight hit it.

It Ate the Light

A scavenger named Delle swore on her boots that the pudding isn’t just slime—it’s hungry. She said she watched it slide up a pipe and wrap itself around her lantern like a snake around a mouse. Didn’t snuff it—ate it. Light just vanished, and the room went darker than shadow, like the dark had weight. She ran blind till she cracked her skull on a pipe and woke up two days later with half her haul gone and black burns on her boots.

The Enclave

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Dawn of Others © 2023 by Jacqueline Taylor is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Generic article header, background image and the home page images are photo stock from Adobe Express.

All other images have been created using Dall-E unless otherwise indicated within the specific article.

Dawn of Others is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast, Dias Ex Machina and Eventyr Games. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC., ©Dias Ex Mechina and ©Eventyr Games respectively.

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Author's Notes

The map is from Tom Cartos. I have modified it to add the generator room and the cellar to this map. The cellar is from ElocGnir, map shared on Inkarnate. This map was modified. Trimmed off the tunnel system and added blue light. The tunnel from the cellar to the rest of the sewer area is a map from Michael Fitzhywel, blue light added. The generator room was added with map assets I've purchased from various creators. The other modification that I made was I removed tunnels from the map so there was only one way leading further into the sewers.

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