The balance of power

Still on Niles 1986. Let's talk BATTLESYSTEM opportunities.

The drow (#28) and duergar are both based further down, and the gnomes have abandoned the upper deck entirely. The drow and duergar dispute #9, desultorily; both against the jinxkins and pech. The duergar and gnomes (#22) dispute #7/23 more intently. The pech and jinxkins seem more insistent on the upper layers, disputing #12. There are also illithids #11, and more of these plus derro #29. Many races dispute #27 (tho' not jinxkins, gnomes, or illithids).

The player-characters, if down here, could well be dragged into the #12 conflict. This will drive off the jinxkins - who'll have nowhere to go but #9. I could easily see either the drow or the duergar using the jinxkins against the pech; or all sides uniting against them.

Alternatively, suppose the party reunites the drow from #4 with those in #9. That would destabilise the cavern too. If either the pech or the jinxkins get on the wrong side of that, the losers must go to #12.

The pech could also get thrown out of #14 - or, more likely, surface heroes (the PCs) could throw out the kuo-toa, leaving the pech free to help their brethren elsewhere. If either happens, expect the jinxkins to lose #12 not to make headway in #9.