Page 167 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Web Cables. Both tunnels leading to the cavern are 17D. SOUTH PERCH
strung with web cables. The vrock here pays close attention to the entrance
Crates. Dispersed throughout the cavern are ten large to the minotaur caves south of it. The main cavern
zurkhwood crates with mesh screens covering their is strung with web cables, with the tunnels beyond
open tops. descending to area 7b. The vrock is too large to move
Secret Door. A secret door is set into the floor. through the cables.
Each crate contains hundreds of harmless, chirping
17E. SOUTHEAST PERCH
cave crickets, feeding from a 1-foot-deep bed of bat
The vrock stationed here keeps a close eye out for
guano mixed with maggot-ridden offal. The cave crickets
intruders moving west from area 11. Slumped against
are used by the drow to feed the bats in area 11.
the back wall of a small cave behind it are the skeletal
The secret door in the floor is an 8-foot-square, 1-foot-
remains of an ettin that was killed by adventurers long
thick slab of stone that pivots on a central axis. Opening
before the drow fortress was built. Six gnome skulls
it requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
hang from the skeletal ettin's loincloth.
check. Applying 150 pounds of weight to either side of
the door also causes it to swing open. Any creature that
18. DROW F ORTRESS
accidentally opens the door by standing on it can avoid
a fall by making a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving House Freth built its dark fortress in a 100-foot-high
throw. A creature that falls through the open door drops cavern, the roof of which is dotted with stalactites. Out-
10 feet and lands on the claw-shaped rock formation in side the fortress walls, the cavern floor is hidden under
area 14, taking 3 (l d6) bludgeoning damage. a 2-foot-thick layer of fog. The fog is absent inside the
walls and around Spiderwatch Keep, the great edifice at
16. WEB- FILLED CAVE the heart of the fortress (area 19).
There are no light sources in or around the fortress.
This 10-foot-high cave is filled with web cables. Tucked
Anyone approaching with light draws the attention of
in the northernmost alcove, not visible from either cave
the drow in the guard towers and the vrocks in area 17.
entrance, is a rotting quaggoth that choked to death on
The north end of the fortress grounds is where the
a vrock demon's poison spores (see area 17). The dead
drow cultivate food using the labor of prisoners and
quaggoth has no treasure.
thralls. The spacious area southeast of the keep is used
for military drills, weapon practice, and assembling be-
17. DEMONS' LEDGE
fore expeditions.
Two ramps lead up to a 40-foot-high ledge that mostly
encircles the walls of an immense, dark cavern. The 18A. GATE T OWER
ledge nearly surrounds the drow fortress. There are no This tower serves as the primary entrance to the for-
gaps in the stone where the walls of the ledge meet the tress. A male drow mage named Llaxdorl Freth (Ere-
walls of the fortress. lal's cousin) stands watch on the roof, and eight male
Five vrocks are perched on the ledge, one each at drow are on guard inside.
locations 17a through 17e. These demons were sum- Characters brought to the fortress as prisoners are
moned by Drivvin Freth, and they obey only his com- stripped of their weapons and spellcasting implements
mands. The vrocks use their darkvision to scan the as they pass through the tower. They are then detained
cavern for intruders. in the courtyard until Riina Freth (see area 19c) decides
When a vrock sees something suspicious, it emits their fate. Prisoners with no obvious value to the drow
a loud screech that can be heard throughout areas 10 are sent to the slave pens (areas 18g and 18h). Everyone
through 19, alerting all creatures in those locations. The else is brought to Erelal Freth in area 19k for further
demons then eagerly join any battle that erupts. questioning.
Treasure. Llaxdorl carries a spellbook bound in spi-
17A. NORTHEAST PERCH
der chitin that contains all the spells he has prepared,
The vrock perched here focuses its attention on the plus color spray, haste, and spider climb. Fastened to his
ramp leading up to this area. robes is an obsidian scarab engraved with the insignia
of House Freth (25 gp) and a spider silk pouch contain-
17B. NORTH PERCH
ing two blue spinels (500 gp each).
In addition to guarding this section of the ledge, the
vrock here watches for trouble in the east moss garden 18B. NORTHEAST TOWER
of area 18i, and listens for intruders in areas 15 and 16. This tower has a mjlle drow mage named Ulvir Bar-
Web cables in the tunnels leading to those two locations rek'zorn on the rabf and eight male drow inside. In addi-
prevent the vrock from exploring them. tion to defending the tower, these drow are responsible
for quelling uprisings in the nearby slave pen {area 18g).
17C. NORTHWEST PERCH
Treasure. Ulvir carries a black, leather-bound spell-
The vrock perched here is gnawing on a dead troglo-
book adorned with silver web filigree. It contains all
dyte. It has fashioned a nest for itself from the bones of
the spells he has prepared, plus gaseous form, magic
troglodyte children snatched from the fungi gardens 30
weapon, and Tasha's hideous laughter.
feet below (area 18i).

LEVEL 12 I MAZ.£ LEVEL