Iseldec’s Drop – Levels 17-19

Deep into the lowest levels of Iseldec’s drop, we come across this inhabited and defended section. A small fortress in the upper levels of the underdark is situated here and is actively guarded because of the surface access it provides to fliers and those capable of levitation (like drow and mind flayers).

The only connection between level 16 and level 17 is the central shaft that reached every level in the drop. A rope hangs down from where it’s been tied to a massive iron ring in the wall on level 16 and reaches through these levels and on to those below. The falling water from level 8 is still present here, but the stream is really broken up by this point and much of the water doesn’t make it this far as it sprays against walls and particulates into mist. A massive metal “scoop” is set into the path of the stream on level 18 and collects the water for the fortress. This scoop is on chains and can be raised so it doesn’t collect water for those times where the cistern on level 19 is full and/or a massive torrent of water is overwhelming the system.

These levels are specifically uninviting to those coming down the shaft. Level 17 is the upper watch of the fortress with secured doors and arrow slits looking into the cave where the shaft descends. Level 18 is where the shaft comes through the centre of the fortress and it is very well set up for defence with a circle of arrow slits facing the shaft and a secured heavy portcullis where the water runs through to the cistern below. This level has one of the two small barracks for the fortress.

Level 19 stands out compared to the other levels of Iseldec’s Drop. This level is twice as long as the others, and the fortress here is not directly linked to the shaft. This is the main level of the fortress where it opens up on the east side into a major byway of the upper underdark and to the west where it opens to a stretch of the Darkling, an underground river of some fame.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 9,600 x 9,600 pixels (32 x 32 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the recommended 10‘ squares that make sense with the design) – so resizing the image to 2,240 x 2,240 pixels or 4,480 x 4,480 pixels, respectively.

https://dysonlogos.blog/2024/07/05/iseldecs-drop-levels-17-19/