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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 9437580" data-attributes="member: 6750502">Location: The Menagerie of Dawn <img src="https://i.imgur.com/FctjYMZ.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><a href="https://markfonzen.artstation.com/projects/4NBwn" target="_blank">Spire of the Salt Flats by Mark Fonzen of Art Station.</a>The dangers of the Dungeon are self-evident, from damage to the surrounding environment and monsters getting loose. But what if one incursion of the Dungeon was more targeted, more discriminate in who and what it hunts? The recent disappearances of people bearing rare traits and obscure knowledge came to Littfeld’s attention, and the few escapees’ tales made delvers christen it the Menagerie of Dawn.The Menagerie is a flat, glass-like plain of shallow water dotted by islands of pearly white sand. Sandstone structures serve as the only buildings of note, ranging from tiny cubicle-like stations to sprawling apartment-style complexes. An artificial sky and sun that never sets keeps the place hot, which combined with the white sand and lack of shade heats the temperature to exhausting levels. The realm is virtually devoid of native life besides clusters of kelplike weeds, with numerous magical workings repairing and maintaining any damage or changes to the environment. The only permanent resident of note is a towering, shadowed figure clad in a gray hood and cloak. Spidery limbs stretch like rubber for it to walk, giving it an uneven gait and a true size that is impossible to tell. Captives and delvers refer to this creature as the Warden, for it oversees the Menagerie’s prisoners. The Warden uses magic to construct monsters out of the water and sand, sending them out into the Beast World. The monsters never take people at random, for they have particular individuals in mind the moment they step out of the Dungeon.The demographics of Menagerie captives cover all manner of species and walks of life, but the uniting factor is that each one has some unique quality or knowledge that is difficult if not outright impossible for others to replicate. Sometimes these traits are more an apparent novelty with little practical applications, other times they’re vital talents necessary for some function or breakthrough that can make the Beast World (or a small corner of it) a better place. Due to this, many people have a vested interest in tracking down the Menagerie and freeing its captives, and many organizations placed hefty rewards for their safe return.Campaign Use: The Menagerie of Dawn is the perfect dungeon to place important characters in one’s campaign; the rewards are less material in the form of treasure and more from what can be gained from freeing its prisoners. A simple search and rescue is an easy hook. But for NPCs with particularly valuable or contentious skills and knowledge, they may bring rival factions and saboteurs who want to track them down for the wrong reasons. As for the Warden, its true identity and stats are left vague, to be customized based on the level and needs of the campaign. However, something alien and unfeeling even by Dungeon standards would be quite appropriate, such as stat blocks for a mind flayer, hellfire engine, star spawn, or retriever.Sample CaptivesA priest of Yrttrus who invented his own language that hasn’t been taught to anybody else.A jackal responsible for overseeing Patrie’s magical infrastructure.A beast with a rare genetic disorder that causes their fur to frequently calcify and shed.Patient Zero of the werewolf curse.Adventure Ideas: A character the PCs grew to like or has something of value for them is kidnapped by the Caretaker. The Thieves’ Army suspect a slaving ring operating in the area due to the missing persons, and while they won’t turn down help from Delvers they have their own way of doing things that can clash with the PCs. The Ferals want to break Patient Zero out, but not for the right reasons. A scholar with little self-preservation wants to be caught, relishing the opportunity of studying a monster of the Dungeon without being killed by it.</blockquote>

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