Shepherd Cave

The Shepherd Cave is a system of caves used by the Shepherds as their headquarters in Betrayal in Antara. It is discovered at the end of Chapter 4 and visited in Chapter 6.

Geography and Attributes
The entrance to the Shepherd Cave is in the Antaran province of Ticor: a stone door in the cliff-face at the north end of Senaedrin's Head, a lake directly north of Ticoro. It is opened by means of a Shepherd Medallion. The cave system extends northeast under the mountains and exits into Ghan, just east of Torlith. The exit is in a tunnel past a barred gate; after entering this tunnel when the gate is open, the party can no longer return to the caves.

The caves themselves are extensive, rambling and meandering, with frequent dead-end passages and caverns. They can be roughly divided into three sections. The first ends at a staircase where a mosaic-puzzle door separates it from the rest of the tunnels. The latter two, a small maze of richly marbled passages and a secondary cave system full of Crabs, both lead to the large northeastern cavern where the exit is located.

Several chests can be found throughout the caves.

Mosaic Door
The mosaic door is at the top of a staircase at the eastward end of the first cave section. Lit by a candle to its left, it features a portrait of a city surrounded by magically-shining red gems which can be pressed inward.

The Glass Tube, found in a chest in the southwest area of the caves, can be placed on the candle next to the mosaic to highlight the stones that open the door. To return to the former cave section, press the stones again to close the door.

Chests

 * Southwest: Torches, Glass Tube.
 * Northwest: Locked, not trapped. 4x Senwater, Whetstone, Armorer's Hammer, +6 Hardening Fluid.
 * North mid: Locked not trapped. Malkere's Serum, Bowstrings, Beeswax, Senwater.
 * Corridors, c1: unlocked, not trapped. 10x Ale, 5x Cheese, 10x Wine.
 * Corridors, c2: locked, not trapped. +6 Herbal Pack, 5 Torches, 3 Malkere's Serum, 5 Rope.

Prospecting
If the party has a Pickaxe, two Rubies can be found in the walls of the first section of caves.

Denizens

 * The first cave system and the corridor complex are riddled with Shepherds in groups of two to five, occasionally including a Shepherd Mage. Most wear Breastplates and carry Rapiers.


 * The unfloored cave system beyond the mosaic door has several groups of Crabs.


 * Gar Warren and Maris can be found in a cul-de-sac off the northeast cavern. After encountering them, the party finds that the barred tunnel leading from the northeast cavern is now open.