Page 157 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Treasure. Orl's spellbook contains a drow mage's 9D. STALAGMITES
normal spells, plus animate dead, hallucinatory terrain, This 20-foot-high cavern contains a forest of stalagmites
rope trick, and seeming. and nothing else.

9. CONTESTED CAVES 10. TROLL TUNNELS
The drow of House Freth maintain a tenuous hold over The drow patrol these areas frequently, always on the
these caves. Their defenses are tested daily by troglo- lookout for the trolls that lurk here.
dytes, trolls, and infiltrators loyal to House Auvryndar.
lOA. SINKHOLE
9A. HIDDEN THREATS This 30-foot-high cave is filled with the echoes of water
Sentries. Two male drow elite warriors are hidden be- dripping from stalactites, as well as the fluttering wings
hind a natural column of rock to the north. of thirteen stirges that live in a 30-foot-deep sinkhole to
Eater of Corpses. The cave is full of rotting corpses the west. The stirges attack anyone that disturbs them.
(twenty troglodytes, nine drow, and five giant spiders).
10B. MAIN ARTERY
At the midpoint of the cavern, a fat troll rendered per-
manently invisible by Halaster's magic is feasting on A mutated troll feeds on a dismembered drow corpse in
one of the spider corpses. this 10-foot-high passage. The troll is a corpulent spec-
imen covered with green boils. Whenever it takes dam-
The drow, Eilthymmar and Zaztorrl, serve House age, roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, one of the troll's boils bursts
Freth. They have been watching the invisible troll but open, releasing a swarm of insects (wasps) that fills
aren't sure what to make of it. They retreat to area 12 a random space within 5 feet of the troll. The swarm
(through areas 9b, lOa, and lOb) if threatened. acts on its own initiative count and attacks the nearest
Zaztorrl's loyalty to House Freth is shaky, the result creature that isn't a troll. If the troll is killed, it no longer
of a series of dull assignments that have left him feel- releases any swarms.
ing underappreciated and scornful. If the characters
capture or corner him, he offers to lead them to House 11. FOREST OF STONE
Freth's fortress on level 12 in exchange for his freedom.
These 20-foot-high caverns are filled with stalagmites,
If he is treated with respect, Zaztorrl might befriend the
stalactites, and other rock formations, giving this area
characters and help them in battle.
A successful dispel magic spell (DC 18) cast on the the appearance of a dense forest of stone.
troll renders it visible for 1 minute. The troll attacks any llA. STANDING GATE TO LEVEL 8
creature it sees, but retreats to area lOa (through area
Among the rock formations is a standing gate (see
9d) the first time it takes acid or fire damage.
"Gates," page 12) formed by a pair of 10-foot-tall
stalagmites carved to create the image of giant stone
9B. DROW STAGING AREA
This 20-foot-high cavern is used as a staging area for snakes wrapped around them. The points of the stalag-
House Freth's raids into troglodyte territory. Six drow mites have been sawed off, and a lintel stone rests atop
them. Chiseled into the lintel stone are the words "DON
loyal to House Freth (four females and two males) and
four shadow demons lurk here. The drow and their THE CRYSTAL CROWN" in Dwarvish. The rules of
this gate are as follows:
demon allies are planning to soften up the troglodytes
in area 7a and are not expecting to face adventurers. If • The gate opens for 1 minute if a creature wears King
four of the drow fall, the survivors use darkness spells Melair's crystal crown (level 6, area lld) while stand-
to cover their retreat to area 13. ing within 5 feet of it.
• Characters must be 10th level or higher to pass
9c. ROPER RUSE through this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page
The drow and the troglodytes avoid this cave because 10). The first creature to pass through the gate trig-
they think a roper Jives here- but the creature is an illu- gers an elder rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12).
sion created by Halaster. • A creature that passes through the gate appears in
Characters who can see into this dark cave observe area 18b on level 8, in the closest unoccupied space
that the northernmost stalagmite has a single glaring next to the gate located there.
eye, a fang-filled mouth, and six waving tendrils. A de-
tect magic spell reveals an aura of illusion magic around llB. TROLLWARP CAVERN
the stalagmite, and a successful DC 15 Intelligence Stalagmites. This 20-foot-high cave contains ten sta-
(Investigation) check confirms that the "roper" is a silent lagmites that been twisted by Halaster's magic so that
illusion cast on an otherwise ordinary stalagmite. A suc- each bears a passing resemblance to the Mad Mage:
cessful dispel magic spell (DC 15) cast on the stalagmite an old wizard in a robe covered with lidless eyes, his
ends the illusion, which doesn't attack or react to any- visage frozen in a mad scream.
thing. Any attack or effect that targets the roper ends up Glowing Runes. Floating above each stalagmite is a
targeting the stalagmite instead. The stalagmite has AC glowing rune.
17, 120 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic
A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence
damage. A character who sees the roper take damage
(Arcana) check recognizes that the runes floating above
can repeat the Intelligence (Investigation) check to dis-
cern that it's an illusion. the stalagmites represent the school of transmutation.

LEVEL 11 I TROGLODYTE W'ARRENS