Roots of Underkeep

You come in from Underkeep Village through the village's western exit (49,12). A guard at the entrance tells you to stay alert, and a few tiles west a weathered signpost stands beside the road (42,15). The eastern arrow points back to the village; someone passing through has painted a crude skull on the one pointing to Underkeep Tower.

The region is big and splits into the northern road towards the tower and a wild south. There's a resurrection shrine in the north-west (14,3), so it's worth walking over to it early. Near it is a deep pit with a fallen monolith at the bottom (11,4) – something dug its way up from below. The entrance down into Depths of the Broken Seal sits north-east of it (17,2). On the western edge stands a portal to Duskhollow Woods (1,31); touch it as you pass so it's active for later.

Three of the four obelisks for Khelebar's quest stand here: the north-eastern one above the road to the tower (31,9), the south-eastern one far to the south (32,33) and the south-western one (11,29). Copy the runes at each. The fourth has sunk below the earth and you only reach it inside Depths of the Broken Seal, so don't go back to Khelebar with three sets of runes.

A druid keeps watch over the stones beside the road (32,11), with Witherwood Dryads around him. He gives you The Fallen Stone: report the broken north-western obelisk to him and he hands over the Amulet of Sun. One condition matters. If you killed The Source in the Mausoleum on the cemetery expedition, the druid turns hostile instead, summons the dryads and the quest fails. If you want both outcomes, keep a separate save from before the Source decision.

In the west, a snake nest keeps spawning Grassfangs (7,14) – useful if you want the fights, annoying if you just want to pass through, because they come back. An old graveyard with Boneblades and skeleton archers sits in the middle of the map (30,20). Next to it is a riddle grave that takes an item (33,21): "I fall with grace, yet never die, / A silent wing torn from the sky." We can't confirm which item the grave accepts, so note the spot and come back when you have a candidate.

An overgrown path hidden beneath the brush leads further south (19,30). Watch for a concealed hunting trap along the way (16,33). Down there you run into a bandit camp (30,34) held by a Bandit Chieftain and Armored Orc Fighters. The chieftain carries an Embersteel Amulet, the Treasure Key and 11 coins.

Strip the camp properly. There are Cryptic Orders on the table and weapon racks with a Sword, Great Axe and Battle Axe (31,35). One chest holds a Rusty Great Axe, Cloak of Striking and coins (28,33); the locked chest beside it opens with Lockpick Tools for a Ring of Gravebane, Ring of Minor Evasion, an Emerald and a Potion of Poison (30,33). The chest the chieftain's Treasure Key fits is further south (33,38) and holds Skyshot Bracers, Cloak of Dragon, Ironveil Armor and the recipe for Hearty Mushroom Stew. Crates and barrels nearby hold beer, a Hand Axe and food (30,40), and crates to the north have Solarbloom, an Empty Flask, a Rat Ration and minor potions (24,32).

The Gate of Underkeep Tower is closed (25,16) and leads to the Tower Entrance; it only opens with four Runic Segment keys. Torren Malik turns up again near the tower (32,15) selling the Fourth Runic Segment for 300 gold. A Thief can haggle him down to 250.

While you sweep the edges, pick up the loose finds: a Beastbane Ring and the Recipe: Potion of Minor Mana in garbage to the north (18,8), 6 coins hidden in a tree (19,27), Whispering Boots on the floor (11,16), a Quarterstaff +1 with a Tattered Robe (29,24), a Sapphire Coil (10,40), a Ring of Minor Health (22,39), Leather Gloves (9,9) and a Wooden Shield (21,45).