Are you ready to face the savage Underdark?

Encounters in the Savage Underdark is a supplement by Jeff C. Stevens, part of the Encounters series, aimed at the terrors and hazards of subterranean exploration.

Disclaimer: We were provided with a free digital copy of this product.

This supplement invites players to explore the depths of the Underdark, as you have already guessed, providing challenging encounters and many storytelling opportunities.

The scenarios

The supplement is more than 150 pages long and features 24 detailed encounters that include not only monsters but also locations. It successfully blends combat, exploration and social challenges to cover all pillars of adventure. It is designed to be easily integrated into existing campaigns that fit the Underdark theme, with scaling options for different party levels.
One of my favourites is Annarei’s Garden, a unique demiplane where a succubus lives in her charming mushroom house, within a garden full of secrets and crystals. A perfect mix of beauty, danger and rich lore, where the party’s fate depends on their actions, making it a captivating encounter. Another standout is a mysterious breastplate that tempts players with great power but at a cost. And don’t forget Dr Plopsclopski –I think I twisted my tongue– a kuo-toa scientist with unpredicted experiments that could affect your players, adding humour and chaos to any session. I could keep going, but I won’t spoil the fun.

Layout

At the beginning of the supplement, a table lists the recommended party level for each encounter, with some suitable for any level. Colour-coded boxes help game masters distinguish the information, designating what is meant for players or the GM’s eyes only, improving navigation and narration, and ensuring smoother sessions. Additionally, visual highlights such as bold text or capitalized letters, emphasize important details about skill checks, monsters, and NPCs, making key information easy to spot during gameplay. This layout enhances the GM’s ability to run seamless and engaging sessions.

Furthermore, navigating through the supplement is easy thanks to hyperlinks on the menu, but also to a hyperlink on each page that sends you right back to the menu.

Art

The supplement features a mix of coloured and black-and-white illustrations, all of them fitting the theme of the Underdark, which gives off dark and dangerous vibes. Each encounter gets a piece of art, either it being an illustration or a map. Speaking of maps, not every encounter needs them, so they are not always present. However, every map in the supplement is well made and provides a good insight into the encounter it is tied to.

Extras

There are also new creatures specifically designed for the supplement. Their stat blocks are conveniently placed at the end of the adventures where they appear, making it easy for GMs to reference them during the game.

Final Thoughts

Encounters in the Savage Underdark is a well-designed supplement that serves as a lovely expansion for every Underdark, and not only, adventure. Whether you are looking to spice up your ongoing campaign or craft a new adventure, this supplement provides all the necessary tools for you. As a big fan of the Encounters series, I’m thrilled to see how it continues to deliver creative and engaging content for game masters and players alike. Have you used the supplement? What was your favourite encounter? Let me know in the comments!

Stay crafty and savage in your encounters,
Your new favourite author.

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