Hidden for long years and wreathed in legendry, the Hidden Redoubt of Gilak Urser ever looms large in treasure-seeker’s dreams. Variously described as a pirate or adventurer in myths and folklore, Gilak Urser is universally thought to have been fabulously wealthy. His hidden lair—and his treasure hoard—has never been found…until now…

Dungeon Background

The Hidden Redoubt of Gilak Urser has long lurked at the centre of a web of legends, rumours and folklore. The Hidden Redoubt is said to contain much treasure, but no one has ever boasted about finding and plundering the place; thus, it remains a “site of special interest” to adventurers keen to burnish their own legends and fill their own hoards.

Who Was Gilak Urser?

Before using this Dungeon Backdrop, you must decide who Gilak Urser was. Whoever he was, legends of his wealth and success have endured and grown over the years; many adventurers and treasure hunters yet search for clues to the Hidden Redoubt’s location.

Pick the backstory below that best suits your campaign, or design your own.

An Adventurer

Gilak Urser was an adventurer who made too many enemies. A powerful force for good, Gilak fought and slew many evil foes in his long and storied career. He slew pirate captains, bandit lords, savage humanoid chieftains, foul necromancers and evil high priests. His success, however, grew too great, and evil’s minions conspired to bring about his doom. Learning of the plot, he fled to a remote place and built his Hidden Redoubt. Gilak was shortly thereafter slain in a cunningly-wrought ambush, and the Hidden Redoubt’s location was lost.

A Mysterious Traveller

Gilak Urser was a mysterious traveller from an impossibly distant land. Some legends say he was an exile, while others describe him as a wandering prince or sage of peerless knowledge. Whatever the truth of the matter, all the legends describe his great wealth. Gilak Unser built the Hidden Redoubt to—depending on which legend you believe—either hide from his enemies or hide his great treasures from those who would take them for their own. Inevitably, Gilak was shortly thereafter slain, and the Hidden Redoubt’s location was lost.

A Pirate

Gilak Urser was a pirate who made too many enemies. As a successful captain, he took many ships and stole much loot. However, he grew paranoid and believed many of his crew were plotting against him. Taking only those he knew were loyal, he built the Hidden Redoubt to protect his treasure. Inevitably, Gilak was shortly thereafter slain, and the Hidden Redoubt’s location was lost.

Sample Adventure Hook

Chased: The characters are aboard a ship being chased by pirates, marauders or some other enemy. The captain of the characters’ vessel eludes the pursuers by concealing their ship in a hidden cove as dusk falls. As dawn breaks, the rising sun highlights the mouth of an intriguing sea cave piercing the cove’s vertiginous cliffs.

Whispers & Rumours

A character can use Diplomacy to gather information about the Lost Eyrie of the Demon King.

Gilak Urser was a powerful champion of good. Powerful evil folk banded together to slay him. While they slew him, his treasure—secured in his Hidden Redoubt—was never found. (Potential false rumour).
Gilak Urser was a wealthy pirate lord. He was eventually slain by his perfidious crew, but not before he secured his treasure in his Hidden Redoubt. (Potential false rumour).
Gilak Urser came from a distant land. Some say he was a prince or a sage; other stories say he was an exiled prince fleeing his enemies. All the stories agree that he was fabulously wealthy and that he built a Hidden Redoubt to protect his hoard. (Potential false rumour).
Gilak Urser’s Hidden Redoubt—and the legendary treasure it is said to protect—has never been found.
Gilak Urser’s Hidden Redoubt is cursed. No one who has found the place has survived to tell of it. (False rumour).
Many folk still seek Gilak Urser’s Hidden Redoubt and his greatest treasure: a magic tapestry that worked like a crystal ball to show images of elsewhere.

Notable Locations at a Glance

The dungeon has several notable locations.

The Three Watchers: Three ship figureheads ward this debris-strewn sandy beach.
Outer Cave: This natural cave provides a good vantage point over the Three Watchers (location 1).
Inner Cave: This cave is only accessible from location 2. Unless you design otherwise, it is a dead end.
Guard Chamber: Here, the Hidden Redoubt’s guards once watched over their master’s home.
Barracks: Here dwelt the Hidden Redoubt’s guards. Only Gilak Urser’s most trusted followers were left to watch over the redoubt.
Treasury of Gilak Urser: In this chamber, Gilak kept the bulk of his fortune.
Gilak Urser’s Chamber: Herein dwelt Gilak Urser when he was at his Hidden Redoubt. The room contains his fabled tapestry of farseeing.
The Well: Here lies the Hidden Redoubt’s only source of freshwater. A cave below could lead to further caverns.
Beach Ward: The arrow slits here provide an excellent position from which to shoot at intruders. However, only one of the four overlooks the beach in location 1.

About Dungeon Backdrops

You are a GM, but you are busy. You want to write your own modules, but you just don’t have the time. And you don’t want to use commercial modules. You want to make your campaign your own. That’s where the Dungeon Backdrop line comes in! Each Dungeon Backdrop presents a fully fleshed out and lovingly detailed self-contained dungeon ready for you to use as you see fit. Stock the dungeon with your own monsters (and—perhaps—their treasure), decide their back story and you are good to go.

Every Dungeon Backdrop is carefully designed to be easily inserted into almost any fantasy campaign and is compatible with virtually any fantasy roleplaying game.

Dungeon Backdrops: we describe the dungeon, you add the monsters (and the treasure).