Page 164 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Altar. Behind the 0ffal pile stands a crude altar made of • The gate opens for 1 minute if a creature marked with
minotaur fur stretched over a frame of sinew-lashed a bloody X stands within 5 feet of it.
minotaur bones. Two poles thrust out of the altar, • Characters must be 15th level or higher to pass
each with a minotaur skull atop it. through this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page
Secret Door. The secret door in the west wall is 10). The first creature to pass through the gate trig-
an 8-foot-square section of stone that pivots on a gers an elder rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12).
central axis. • A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area Sb on level 19, in the closest unoccupied space
The minotaurs are led by Maku, who has 117 hit
next to the identical gate located there.
points, wears a shawl made of drow entrails, and
clutches a brass horn (see "Treasure" below). The mino- Treasure. Characters who find the treasure in the
taur shaman treats all intruders as enemies to be carved north alcove discover a set of weaver's tools, fourteen
up and added to his pile of dismembered bodies. His shortswords and six hand crossbows of drow manufac-
first action in combat is to blow his brass horn while the ture, a sack of mushroom flour, a spider silk satchel con-
other minotaurs try to hack intruders to pieces. taining 8 days of rations (dry moss and mushrooms), a
Baphomet does not answer prayers, nor does the silver holy symbol of Lolth (25 gp), and a glove of missile
demon lord have any interest in Maku's tribe. As such, snaring (the matching glove can be found in area 8a). All
the minotaur shaman's ritual has no chance of working. these items are strewn atop 200 gp and 1,700 sp.
But the sacrifices performed in this area have saturated
the cave with evil power, such that any humanoid that 9. FOGGY CAVES
makes a weapon attack in this area must succeed on a The fog is thicker in these caverns, rising above the floor
DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be cursed with blood to a height of 4 feet.
lust. While cursed in this way, the creature is hostile
toward all other creatures it can see and must use its ac- 9A. AMBUSH POINT
tion each turn to attack the creature closest to it. (If mul- The fog in this otherwise empty 10-foot-high cave con-
tiple targets are equally close, the target is determined ceals a group of sentries from Spiderwatch Keep. Two
randomly.) Greater restoration, remove curse, or similar drow elite warriors, a female named Llorelve Dalambra
magic ends the blood lust on a creature. A creature that and a male named Vorljas Imphiz'zal, are on guard here
succeeds on its saving throw against this effect is im- with two incubi disguised as a pair of unarmed, scantily
mune to it for the next 24 hours. clad, supremely handsome male drow named Ezvir and
The altar is made out of two minotaurs that were Zaldo. All four are crouched down in the fog.
killed and devoured in a cannibalistic ritual. Any crea- Llorelve and Vorljas spring up at the first sounds of
ture that touches the altar experiences a ghastly vision creatures approaching this area, and they attack anyone
of being torn apart and eaten by minotaurs. they don't recognize. Any humanoids they don't know
Treasure. Maku carries a horn of the Endless Maze. are assumed to be allied with House Auvryndar.
This wondrous item functions as a brass horn of Val- When either incubus is reduced to 30 hit points or
halla, except that the warrior spirits it summons come fewer, it uses its next action to become ethereal and
from the Abyss and look like minotaurs. doesn't rejoin the battle. It might reappear later to exact
A single character can search through the pile of its revenge on those who harmed it, in a place and form
body parts in 1 hour, while multiple characters working of your choosing.
together can reduce the search time proportionally. A
detect magic spell can further expedite a specific search 9B. SHAPES IN THE Foo
for magic items. The search yields a spider silk pouch As the characters move through this 10-foot-high cave,
containing 50 gp, two obsidian scarabs engraved with the fog here rises and coalesces into threatening, mino-
the insignia of House Freth (25 gp each), a jeweled an- taur-like forms wielding greataxes. These fog minotaurs
klet (750 gp), and one of a pair of gloves of missile snar- are regional effects created by Halaster Blackcloak (see
ing worn on the severed limb of its previous drow owner. "Halaster's Lair," page 311). Each apparition takes a
(The matching glove can be found in area 8b.) harmless swing at any creatures that pass through the
area before sinking back into the fog.
8B. BEHIND THE SECRET DOOR
Fog. A 2-foot-high blanket of fog covers the floor. Hidden 9c. UNPLEASANT DESCENT
This 10-foot-high passage slopes down gently as it runs
under the fog in the northern alcove is a treasure pile
(see "Treasure" below). northward. At its final bend, the fog fills the entire pas-
sage, the last 20 feet of which are heavily obscured.
Standing Stones. At the south end of the cave are two
At the end of the tunnel, hidden beneath a breakaway
15-foot-tall standing stones hewn from black basalt.
floor, is a 30-foot-deep pit with stone spikes at the bot-
Carved into the lintel stone spanning them is a large
tom. A creature that steps on the breakaway floor falls
blood-red X.
into the pit, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage from
Standing Gate to Level 19. The standing stones form the fall and 10 (3d6) piercing damage from the spikes.
one of Ha laster's magic gates (see "Gates," page 12). The pit remains open once the breakaway floor falls
When a creature comes within 5 feet of the gate, rivulets away. A character can spot the breakaway floor with a
of blood begin to seep from the standing stones. The successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check, but only
rules of this gate are as follows: if the fog has been cleared away.

LEVEL 12 I MAZ£ LEVEL