Page 102 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Pedestals. Four white marble pedestals stand near the
THE CASTLE
west and east walls. Atop each pedestal is a corked
Halaster constructed this castle to serve as a temporary flask made of opaque green glass.
residence for guests, then abandoned it when he decided Servants. Four living unseen servants (see appendix
he didn't really want the company. Maddgoth's claim A) are dusting the pedestals and flasks, using dusters
to the castle has so far gone unchallenged by Halaster, made of cockatrice feathers.
and it's not clear whether the two wizards have ever
crossed paths. GREEN FLASKS
Characters who approach the castle can examine it for Uncorking or breaking a green flask releases a cloud of
points of entry. The main entrance is a door at the base invisible poison gas called essence of ether. The gas fills
of the south tower (area 17). The castle also features an a 10-foot-radius sphere and dissipates within seconds.
open courtyard (area 23) with doors leading to areas Any creature in the cloud when it forms must succeed
on the first level. The faerie dragon's preferred route is on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poi-
through a secret trapdoor on the roof (area 47). In addi- soned for 8 hours. Creatures poisoned in this way fall
tion, the corner towers have arrow slits that Small char- unconscious, but they wake up if they take damage or if
acters can squeeze through, and the central structure another creature uses an action to shake them awake.
has windows fitted with crystal bars as strong as steel
that are spaced 6 inches apart. LIVING UNSEEN SERVANTS
Maddgoth's castle is now controlled by Otto the faerie Attacking a servant, snatching its feather duster, or
dragon, whose right to ownership is predicated on the otherwise disturbing the contents of this room triggers
argument "I found it and it's mine and you can't have combat. On their first turn after rolling initiative, the
it." The castle is a beautiful structure. Its walls, floors, living unseen servants knock the green flasks off their
and 20-foot-high ceilings of smooth gray stone can't be pedestals, causing the containers to shatter on the floor
damaged or magically altered except with wish spells. and release their poison gas (which has no effect on the
The interior walls have colored glass blocks embedded unseen servants). The servants have no weapons but
in them. The blocks are not lit when the characters first can arm themselves with weapons dropped by creatures
arrive, but pulling a lever in area 37 causes each block rendered unconscious by the poison gas.
to shed colorful light as bright as that created by a con- The living unseen servants are bound to this room
tinual flame spell. Maddgoth's magic keeps the tempera- and can't leave of their own volition.
ture inside the castle steady at 70 degrees Fahrenheit,
but characters can shut off the heat by pulling another OTTO'S GAME
lever in area 37. Otto the faerie dragon spends much of its time stalking
Exterior doors are made of stone with adamantine the castle hallways (areas 18, 28, and 38) and takes regular
hinges, and, like the castle walls, are impervious to naps in area 43a. While awake, the faerie dragon prefers to
damage. Interior doors look like fancy stained glass remain invisible and likes to play pranks on guests.
windows with iron hinges on one side. Each one is fitted Otto's favorite prank is to sneak up on a guest, engulf it
with panes of colored glass set in an iron framework. in a cloud of euphoria gas, and sneak away while remain·
The door handles are likewise fashioned from iron. A ing invisible the whole time. Its second favorite prank is
to cast mage hand and use the spectral appendage to tap
locked interior door can be forced open with a success- guests on the shoulder. Any time it performs such a prank,
ful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Its lock can also the faerie dragon has a 25 percent chance of betraying
be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 its location with a giggle or a snicker. The faerie dragon
Dexterity check. Shattering a door's glass panes creates must then relocate itself on its next turn to keep from be·
an opening large enough for a creature to fit through. ing caught.
Characters near the castle and inside it are shrunk Casting a spell that requires concentration causes the
to one-twelfth their normal size along with their gear. faerie dragon to become visible-after which it can move,
Almost everything they encounter inside the castle is cast a spell that doesn't require concentration (such as
similarly reduced in size, creating a sense of normalcy. color spray or hallucinatory terrain), and use its bonus ac·
Maddgoth's homunculus and Otto the faerie dragon are tion to turn invisible again. Otto is careful about casting
spells that require concentration, because it can't con-
noteworthy exceptions; use their modified statistics for centrate on the spell and stay invisible at the same time.
encounters in the castle. It normally casts mirror image before casting a spell that
requires concentration, trusting that its images will protect
17. M AIN E NTRANCE it while it maintains concentration on the spell. If Otto
There isn't a stoop or other surface to stand on outside succeeds in incapacitating a guest, it tries to remove the
this castle entrance, but hanging on the front door is guest's weapons and gear, then spends the next hour hid-
ing these items throughout the castle.
a crude wooden sign inscribed with the words "Otto's Otto reserves its polymorph spell for a truly dangerous
Castle" in Draconic. The exterior door is not Jocked, but adversary, turning that enemy into a frog before making a
opening it triggers a permanent alarm spell that rings hasty escape.
throughout areas 18, 28, and 38. This alarm warns the If the characters get rid of Maddgoth's homunculus, the
faerie dragon and Maddgoth's homunculus that visitors faerie dragon takes a shine to them and offers to pay them
have arrived, though neither creature makes any effort 50 gp for each trinket they deliver to it. Otto collects trin·
to greet them. kets and has a secret stash of coins (see area 43b).
The room contains the following:

LEVEL 7 I MADDGOTH'S C,\STt.E