Page 143 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

10.<2UEEN_ 's_P _ A _R _L _ O _R ____________ _ The statue of Lolth animates and attacks the nearest
creature if it takes damage or if any of the double doors
Muiral trashed this once opulent parlor in a fit of pique.
on the balcony are opened by a creature that isn't a
The chamber's contents are as follows:
drow. The statue can't leave area 11. If the statue has no
Hanging Lights. Beneath the 30-foot-high peaked roof targets on its turn, it returns to its alcove and becomes
is a 20-foot-high latticework of stone rafters that re- inanimate until triggered again. It also returns to its al-
sembles a giant web. Hanging from this web by silken cove if the command word, "sleep," is spoken in Abyssal.
strands are spider-shaped lanterns containing flicker- The statue is a stone golem with a challenge rating of
ing purple flames (created by continual flame spells). A 11 (7,200 XP) and these changes:
few hanging strands are without lanterns.
• The statue is Huge and has 230 (20dl2 + 100)
Furnishings. Strewn about the room are the trappings
hit points.
of a parlor: shattered crystal dishware, broken orna-
• It understands Abyssal but can't speak.
ments, divans, footstools, end tables, and lanterns torn
• It can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down
from the rafters. All the objects are carved with web
on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
patterns or shaped in the likeness of spiders.
• Those affected by the statue's Slow action option ap-
Floor. The black marble floor has silver, web-like veins
pear to be ensnared in ephemeral webs that vanish
running through it.
when the effect on them ends.
The entire room is dimly lit by the lanterns. A spider
lantern's light goes out if it's removed from this room. llc. NORTHWEST PALACE QUARTERS
The wreckage of old furniture and decor suggests that
11. LOLTH'S PALACE this room once served as a drow priestess's sanctuary.
Built into one wall is a massive, arched fireplace. The
If Muiral (see appendix A) is here, he's lurking on the
fireplace's 5-foot-wide chimney climbs vertically for 30
balcony (area llb). When he detects intruders entering
feet, then ends abruptly. The rest of it caved in long ago.
area Ha, he commands the bone pile in that area to an-
Treasure. Characters who search the room and suc-
imate and attack. He then casts spells from the balcony,
ceed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check find a se-
switching to melee combat when one or more enemies
cret compartment in the fireplace that contains a potion
move within his reach.
of greater healing.
llA. LOWER LEVEL
llD. SOUTHWEST PALACE QUARTERS
Balcony. A 30-foot-high balcony circles the room. Eight This room is like area 1 lc but contains no treasure.
stone pillars carved to resemble spider legs support
the balcony, which is enclosed by wrought iron rail- llE. VESTRY
ings shaped like webs. Mirror. Mounted on the east wall is a tall rectangular
Alcove. A deep alcove to the south contains a large pile
mirror encased in an ornate stone frame with human
of humanoid bones.
skulls "woven" into it. This mirror is one of Halaster's
Stairs. Two stone staircases rise on either side of the gates (see "Gates," page 12).
north entrance, climbing to the balcony.
Wardrobe. A tall, slender wardrobe made of purple
If any creature disturbs the bones in the alcove, or if wood stands against the south wall. (The wardrobe
Muiral commands them to rise, they coalesce into four once contained ritual vestments, but they were stolen
shambling mounds made entirely of skulls and bones, long ago. A search reveals nothing inside.)
with these changes:
Mirror Gate to Level 12. The mirror's stone frame
• The shambling mounds are undead. is carved with twisting vines, woven into which are the
• Instead of immunity to lightning damage, they have actual skulls of eleven human adventurers killed in Un-
immunity to necrotic and poison damage. They are dermountain. Carved into the bottom of the frame are
also immune to the poisoned condition. the following words in Celestial: "The dead know the
• They have Necrotic Absorption instead of Lightning secret." The rules of the gate are as follows:
Absorption. The new trait is functionally identical to
• Speaking the proper command word ("Axallian")
the old one, except that it affects necrotic damage.
while standing in front of the mirror opens the gate
for 1 minute.
llB. SPIDER QUEEN'S BALCONY
• Characters must be 12th level or higher to pass
Statue. Hanging upside down on the roof of the south through this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page
alcove is a giant statue of Lolth in her monstrous half- 10). The first creature to pass through the gate trig-
drow, half-spider form. gers an elder rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12).
Railings. The 3-foot-high iron railings that enclose the • A creature that passes through the gate appears in
balcony are sturdy and shaped to look like webs. area 6b on level 12, in the closest unoccupied space
Decor. Hanging on the walls between six sets of double next to the identical gate located there.
doors are steel shields that bear web-like and spi-
Casting speak with dead on one of the skulls forces
der-like designs.
it to reveal the gate's command word, which Halaster
changes every few days. The skulls are otherwise
hostile and refuse to answer questions put to them.

LEVEL 10 I MUIRAL'S GAUNTLET