The Den of Dreus

The conclusion of HS1: The Slaying Stone suggests possible future adventures the heroes might undertake. This side trek lets characters of around 2nd level who completed the quest to find and destroy the slaying stone follow up by pursuing Dreus Matrand. This arcane researcher sent the Severed Eye orcs to find the stone so she could study it in order to create deadly arcane artifacts. Now she's holed up in her underground lab, conducting research, secure behind her traps and guardians -- or so she believes.

As you reach the bottom of the spiral staircase, you see a wide stone door across the room, flanked by two stone braziers. Several suits of armor rest on posts throughout the room, and a magic circle inscribed on the ground glows faintly. Two tiny, red creatures fly about within the magic circle. Though they have roughly human features, their long claws and stinger-tipped tails give them a sinister appearance.