The Howling Pit is a Dungeon Expedition designed for up to five players, located in the Western Vinetrap Forest. It is the stronghold of the Deathless cult, where countless priests and followers gather to conduct the Sacrament of Destruction. The recommended equipment score is 15.
Setting
The Howling Pit is a subterranean complex beneath the Vinetrap Forest. The Deathless have converted natural caverns into ritual chambers, holding cells, and military barracks. The architecture mixes organic cave formations with constructed elements: altars, chains, cages, and the infrastructure of organized fanaticism. The deeper sections are more heavily corrupted by Void energy, with visual indicators of contamination increasing as players progress.
Encounter progression
The dungeon follows a linear progression through the Deathless hierarchy, with each boss representing a higher rank within the cult:
Deathless Reckoner: Cornelius
The first boss encounter. Cornelius is the cult's enforcer of internal discipline. He tests whether the party can coordinate basic combat mechanics and manage incoming damage.
Deathless Enforcer: Norleras
A military commander within the Deathless. Norleras hits harder than Cornelius and introduces more complex attack patterns that require positioning awareness from the group.
Deathless Overseer: Cidhels
A senior operational leader. Cidhels oversees the cult's activities in the Howling Pit and represents a step up in both damage output and mechanical complexity.
Cunning Follower: Sharkas
An unusual encounter that emphasizes tactical awareness over raw combat power. Sharkas uses deceptive tactics that reward observation and punish aggression.
Deathless Abomination: No. 10009
A heavily mutated Void creature, designated by number rather than name. This suggests the Deathless are mass-producing Void-twisted beings through their rituals. No. 10009 is one of the dungeon's hardest encounters, with erratic attack patterns driven by its mutated state.
Three Deathless Priests
A multi-target encounter where three priests must be dealt with simultaneously. The priests are conducting ritual mechanics that empower each other. Leaving one alive while killing the others may trigger enrage mechanics or healing effects. Coordination between party members is essential.
Deathless Cult Leader: Bleth
The final boss and leader of the Deathless operation in Howling Pit. Bleth requires coordinated movement and awareness of AoE attacks. He represents the culmination of the dungeon's challenge, combining elements from earlier encounters into a comprehensive test of the party's skills.
Notable loot
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Doomshadow Twin Axes | A weapon drop from the dungeon's encounters |
Eternal Heart | A rare drop with significant value |
Cloak of Courage | An armor piece from the dungeon's loot table |
Approximately 338 Gold in total currency rewards | -- |
Enemy types
Between bosses, the dungeon is populated with trash mob encounters featuring:
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Mutated Victims | Former followers whose contamination went too far |
Corpse Scavengers | Creatures feeding on the dead |
Deathless Zealots | Fanatical rank-and-file cultists |
The Reckoned | A distinct enemy class within the Deathless forces |