Page 110 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

LITHERSWAMP IS OESICNED FOR FOUR IOTH- has the special ability to increase the duration of the
level characters, and characters who defeat charm effect to 12 hours. Humanoid thralls that resist
the monsters on this level should gain the rod's magic often choose to maintain the appearance
enough XP to reach halfway to 11th level. of being charmed for the sake of their own survival,
This level consists of muck-filled caverns because the nagas kill or chain up those they can't magi-
and decaying temples dedicated to evil de- cally enslave.
ities of the yuan-ti. The serpent folk lived Shortly after the Ssethian Scourges defeated their
here until they were defeated by nagas known as the yuan-ti foes, a tribe of bullywugs led by a death slaad
Ssethian Scourges. Afterward, Halaster replaced the appeared in the S litherswamp. Frustrated by this new
yuan-ti with a bullywug tribe governed by a cruel death obstacle to their dominance of the level, the nagas now
slaad overlord. seek allies to slay the bullywugs and their leader. The
nagas know the locations of all the magic gates on this
WHAT DWELLS HERE? level, as well as how to activate them. They share that
information with creatures that willingly serve them.
Adventurers might find themselves caught up in the
war of Slitherswamp by encountering the thralls of the
THE BLACKTONGUES
Ssethian Scourges, the Blacktongue bullywug tribe, the ~~~~~~~~~
meddling ghost of a yuan-ti priest (see area 9), or watch- A year ago, Halaster used his magic to transport the
ful agents of the Dweomercore mages of level 9. Blacktongue tribe of bullywugs, along with its small
army of giant frogs and giant toads, from a remote
THE SSETHIAN SCOURGES marshland to this level of Undermountain. He seeded
~~~~~~~~~
them into those parts of Slitherswamp once controlled
The Ssethian Scourges were three spirit nagas that
by the yuan-ti. The bullywugs were quick to capture and
fought the yuan-ti of the Slitherswamp, eventually claim-
domesticate four carrion crawlers and a hydra.
ing victory. Only two spirit nagas remain, Excrutha and
Halaster also summoned a death slaad named Kuketh
Serakath, along with their thralls and the remnants of
to Slitherswamp. The Mad Mage keeps the slaad's con-
the third spirit naga, Hexacali, who was destroyed and
trol gem in his sanctuary on level 9 and forces Kuketh to
transformed into a bone naga by the yuan-ti.
serve as the bullywugs' king. The Blacktongues live in
The spirit nagas maintain a stable of thralls and use
fear of their new king, whom they call Yurk Y'blorkflug
a rod of rulership to insure their obedience. Every day
("lord of fetid obliteration" in their language). The slaad
at dawn, the nagas gather their thralls in area 15a and
hates being under Halaster's control and takes out its
target them again with the recharged rod, and each naga
frustration on its subjects.
LEVEL 8 I SLITHERSWAMP
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