Decrepit Village
The Decrepit Village is a lakeside settlement in the Underdark where players encounter duergar slaver ambushers led by Gekh Coal. Adventurers can confront or negotiate with these slavers on behalf of the nearby Myconids, investigate a theft concerning missing boots, and board a skiff at the shoreline docks to travel to Grymforge.
- Region
- Underdark
- Levels
- 4–5
- Getting there
- South-west of Ebonlake Grotto (Underdark - Myconid Colony waypoint) along the corpse-strewn path, or north-west of the Selûnite Outpost (X: 21, Y: -212)
- Connects to
- Ebonlake Grotto, Arcane Tower, The Festering Cove, Grymforge
- Related quests
- Defeat the Duergar Intruders · Find the Missing Boots · Avenge Glut's Circle
- Services and people
- Gekh Coal · Garmor · Holvik · Lurgan · Underdark - Beach Ancient Sigil Circle
- Enemy types
- Duergar · Undead (Reanimated Corpse)
The short version
What matters
- •Defeating or resolving Gekh Coal's squad clears the beach, unblocks the skiff, and completes quest objectives for the Myconid Colony.
- •Grabbing the Shortsword of First Blood from the executed gnome and the Exterminator's Axe from Gekh Coal.
- •Obtaining the Duergar Antidote from Gekh Coal to cure Thulla back at Ebonlake Grotto.
Common mistakes
- •Bringing Sovereign Glut with your party if you want to negotiate, because the duergar attack on sight whenever a Myconid is present.
- •Shoving or knocking Gekh Coal off the cliffs or into the dark lake water, which destroys his body along with the Exterminator's Axe and Duergar Antidote.
- •Leaving the area without looting the Executed Deep Gnome near the northern entrance, permanently missing an early-game piercing weapon.
Walkthrough
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
-
1
Approach the Overlook and Claim the Blade
As you descend southwest from the Myconid Colony toward the lake, you will find the trail littered with slaughtered duergar and deep gnomes. Inspect the Executed Deep Gnome lying on the dirt path near the entrance to claim a valuable weapon before entering the village proper.
Tip: Keep a sharp eye on the dark terrain here, as the dim Underdark lighting makes small corpses easy to pass by.
-
2
Confront Gekh Coal's Ambush
Moving into the upper shanties triggers an encounter with the invisible duergar slaver Gekh Coal and his hidden allies Lurgan, Novice Garmor, and Holvik. You can reveal Gekh early with a high Perception check, talk him down if you bear the Brand of the Absolute or pass persuasion checks, or fight through his squad as he raises corpses with necromancy. Slaying Gekh allows you to recover his unique greataxe along with the antidote for Thulla.
Key fight: Defeat the Duergar Intruders (Gekh Coal's Ambush)Tip: If you have Sovereign Glut following you, leave him behind on the trail if you want to negotiate, as his mere presence triggers instant battle.
Watch out: Do not shove or blast Gekh Coal off the cliff edges or into deep water, or his body and unique loot will be permanently lost.
-
3
Handle Sovereign Glut's Ultimatum
Once the duergar are eliminated, if Sovereign Glut accompanied your party, he walks down among the fallen bodies and demands you help him usurp Sovereign Spaw. You must choose whether to ally with his rebellion or reject his treason on the spot. Refusing his demands causes Glut to turn hostile immediately alongside any spore-servant beast he raised.
Key fight: Sovereign Glut's BetrayalTip: Sovereign Glut will resurrect the strongest nearby corpse during combat, so dispatch him quickly before he can overwhelm your team.
-
4
Scour the Shoreline for Hidden Valuables
Follow the wooden walkways down past the Underdark – Beach Waypoint to the sandy lake shoreline. Succeeding on a Perception check near the water reveals a buried dirt mound containing a wooden chest, while another check under a makeshift roof uncovers a gold necklace hanging from the netting. Make sure your shovel is ready in your inventory to unearth the chest.
Tip: Having high-Wisdom companions like Shadowheart lead the walking formation ensures you do not miss either passive Perception roll.
-
5
Commandeer the Duergar Skiff
Walk out onto the wooden pier at the water's edge and interact with the operational Duergar Skiff. The vessel cannot be sailed until the slaver situation in the village is resolved either by blood or by negotiation. Boarding the skiff sets sail across the Ebonlake toward Grymforge, concluding your exploration of the Decrepit Village docks.
Tip: Finish all active business across the Underdark's upper cliffs before interacting with the skiff's rudder to embark.
Watch out: Agreeing to help Gekh Coal recover stolen boots and then attacking him unprovoked afterward breaks the Oath of Devotion for Paladins.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Confronting Gekh Coal
Upon entering the Decrepit Village and triggering dialogue with Gekh Coal
- Attack or fail checks→ Fight and kill Gekh Coal and his duergar squad, completing "Defeat the Duergar Intruders" for Spaw, allowing you to commandeer the skiff, and looting the Exterminator's Axe and Duergar Antidote
- De-escalate via dialogue or Absolute Brand→ Avoid combat, keep the duergar friendly, and receive the quest "Find the Missing Boots" to locate Thulla's stolen boots before taking the skiff
Most players pick: Attack or fail checks
If Sovereign Glut is in your active party, combat triggers immediately with no chance to talk.
Sovereign Glut's Proposal
After defeating Gekh Coal's squad in the village if Sovereign Glut is accompanying the party
- Refuse to usurp Spaw→ Glut immediately turns hostile and attacks you alone on the beach; killing him keeps your standing with Sovereign Spaw intact and lets you loot Glut's scrolls and spores
- Agree to help Glut→ Starts the quest objective to return to Ebonlake Grotto to assassinate Sovereign Spaw and install Glut as monarch
Most players pick: Refuse to usurp Spaw
Siding with Glut against Spaw turns the Myconid Colony hostile if you don't take out Spaw quietly.
Boarding the Duergar Skiff
Interacting with the boat at the Decrepit Village docks after resolving Gekh Coal
- Board the skiff and set sail→ Departs across the Ebonlake toward Grymforge, triggering mid-lake duergar patrol encounters and advancing the Underdark journey
- Stay on shore→ Freely explore the rest of the Underdark before crossing
Most players pick: Board the skiff and set sail
Checklists
Don't miss 0/3
Items
0/1
Secrets
0/2
Key fights
Enemies: Gekh Coal, Lurgan, Novice Garmor, Holvik, and Reanimated Corpses (raised Deep Gnomes and Duergar)
Threats: Gekh Coal uses Animate Dead to raise up to four corpses as minions, casts Enlarge, and deals bonus fire damage via Searing Strike; Duergar use Duergar Resilience (advantage vs. charm/paralysis/illusions), Duergar Invisibility to ambush, and Enlarge to bolster damage; Novice Garmor rages as a Wildheart barbarian
Weaknesses and resistances: Duergar resist Poison and have advantage on saves against Poison; Reanimated Corpses have low AC/HP and fall instantly if Gekh Coal is slain or breaks concentration on Animate Dead; susceptible to Radiant damage, Control Undead/Turn Undead, and crowd control spells like Hold Person
Tactics: Approach via the upper cliffs/ramps for high ground advantage rather than triggering the beach dialogue ambushed; preemptively burn, toss, or pick up dead bodies around the docks to deny Coal’s Animate Dead targets; focus down Gekh Coal immediately to dispel his undead swarm; deploy Area-of-Effect spells (e.g., Fireball, Spike Growth) on chokepoint ladders/dock entrances while bursting down the in
Rewards: Exterminator's Axe, Scroll of Ray of Sickness, Duergar armor and weapons, progression for Sovereign Spaw's quest "Defeat the Duergar Intruders" and Glut's "Avenge Glut's Circle," and access to the skiff dock leading to Grymforge.
Enemies: Sovereign Glut (plus any spore-reanimated creature accompanying him, such as an infected Bulette or Hook Horror)
Threats: Sovereign Glut uses Timeless Foresight, Spore Discharge (spore attacks causing Blinded/Poisoned), and Animating Spores to reanimate massive beasts to fight on his side; hits hard in melee with high strength
Weaknesses and resistances: Weak to Slashing, Piercing, Fire, and Acid damage; susceptible to Blinded, Incapacitated, and crowd-control spells like Hold Monster; low Dexterity saving throws
Tactics: Triggered immediately in the Decrepit Village after Coal’s squad dies when refusing Glut's demand to overthrow Spaw; maintain high ground along the cliffs, split the party away from any large Spore Servant minion he brought along, focus-fire Glut directly with Fire/Acid ranged attacks to eliminate him before he can turn dead Duergar into additional spore thralls
Rewards: Ring of Flinging (or quest reward delivery), Spaw’s gratitude (granting Title "Life-Chanter" and access to secret Colony treasure: Champion's Chain, Bliss Spores condition), and Myconid loot/materials.
Enemies
Duergar leader who employs invisible stealth tactics, casts enlarge effects, and reanimates nearby fallen bodies into undead allies.
A duergar hunter assisting Gekh Coal in the village ambush.
A duergar stationed by the shoreline docks guarding the transport boats.
A duergar combatant fighting alongside the slavers.
Undead minions raised during battle by Gekh Coal's necromantic abilities.
Tips
- Passing a passive Perception check when approaching from the north allows your party to detect the duergar ambushers before they reveal themselves from invisibility.
- Bringing Sovereign Glut along directly triggers immediate combat with the duergar, bypassing any dialogue or peaceful resolution.
Not listed for this area: shops and people.
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