Page 171 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Auvryndar and the conquest of Undermountain. A string Shrine of Lo/th. This shrine resembles a 6-foot-tall
of military defeats has left Erelal in no mood to enter- cage of polished silver webbing with delicate hinged
tain visitors, and her brother has yet to make good on doors. The silver cage is fused to the wall and can't be
his promise to enslave the minotaurs of the Maze Level. detached from it. Inside the cage is a 3-foot-tall obsidian
Visitors who have business or grievances with Erelal statue of Lolth in her drow form. The statue is smeared
are dealt with as quickly as possible. Those who come with sacrificial blood, and a blood-caked obsidian dag-
to her with frivolous affairs are scolded, threatened, and ger rests at the statue's feet.
sent away with a stern warning not to trouble her again. Any creature that removes the statue from the shrine
If she is threatened, Erelal tries to summon a yochlol immediately contracts a disease called slimy doom.
demon to defend her. If the shrine of Lolth in this cham- The disease lasts for 7 days or until cured with a lesser
ber is intact, the demon summoning has a 90 percent restoration spell or similar magic. A creature afflicted
chance of success. Erelal then hinders her enemies with with slimy doom begins to bleed uncontrollably, and has
a darkness spell before taking the safest exit. Giant spi- disadvantage on Constitution checks and Constitution
ders that she summons with the conjure animals spell saving throws. In addition, whenever the creature takes
use their blindsight to target enemies that are engulfed damage, it is stunned until the end of its next turn.
in magical darkness. If her defeat is inevitable and es- Treasure. Erelal wears a platinum web necklace with
cape proves impossible, Erelal makes whatever conces- tiny black crystal spiders dangling from it (2,500 gp).
sions she must to save herself and her unborn child. The statue of Lolth weighs 250 pounds and is worth
Erelal's older brother is clad in a long gray robe with 2,500 gp as an art object. The obsidian dagger at the
black, web-like tracery. Drivvin has convinced his sister shrine is worth 250 gp.
that he has the power to enslave the minotaurs, which The delicate crystal decanter in the wine cabinet is
would enable House Freth to defeat the forces of House worth 250 gp, but it shatters easily.
Auvryndar and secure its power in Undermountain. Drivvin wears an iron ring that serves as the control
But, having realized that he can't summon a goristro ring for the iron spider in area 12b.
demon alone, the archmage understands that accepting
Halaster's offer and his promise of assistance is the AFTERMATH
only way his plan will succeed. Drivvin knows that if he
If the characters fail to defeat Drivvin Freth, the drow
leaves his sister to become Halaster's apprentice- even
archmage agrees to serve Halaster as an apprentice in
though that act is ultimately for her own gain-he will
exchange for the Mad Mage's help in summoning and
be cast out from his family. Drivvin is looking for the
right time to break the news to his sister, whose recent binding a goristro. The summoning ritual takes 30 days
defeats at the hands of House Auvryndar have made her to prepare, and it is performed by Drivvin and Halaster
despondent. in the courtyard of the drow fortress.
When the demon appears, Halaster traps it in a 5,000
Drivvin is a drow archmage, with these changes:
gp ruby and gives the gemstone to Drivvin. Under the
• He is neutral evil. cloak of an invisibility spell, Drivvin takes the gem
• He has these racial traits: He speaks Abyssal, Com- to area 8a and breaks it, releasing the goristro there.
mon, Dwarvish, Elvish, Goblin, and Undercommon. Mistaking the demon for an emissary of Baphomet,
He has advantage on saving throws against being the minotaurs watch as it devours the carrion in area
charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep. He has 8a. When it has no more carrion to feed on, it begins
darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. He can innately devouring whatever it can kill. Once its hunger is satis-
cast dancing lights at will, and can cast darkness, fied, the demon sends its new minotaur lackeys to kill
faerie fire, and levitate (self only) each once per day. everything on level 11 and bring it more food to eat. The
His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC goristro considers any drow wearing the insignia of
15). While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on attack House Freth to be its ally, and orders its minotaurs to go
rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that forth and slay all other creatures.
rely on sight. If Erelal Freth survives, she gives birth to her eighth
• He has cast mind blank on himself. daughter, Amalica, and continues to wage war against
• Once per day as an action, Drivvin can summon a House Auvryndar and its allies. Amalica's birth is
demon that has a challenge rating of 6 or lower. The viewed as a sign of Lolth's favor, renewing House
summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space Freth's resolve and turning the tide in its favor. Several
within 60 feet of him, acts as his ally, and can't sum- houses formerly allied with House Auvryndar switch
mon other demons. The summoned demon remains sides and send emissaries to Erelal with gifts for her
until Drivvin dismisses it as an action or until the de- blessed newborn.
mon is reduced to 0 hit points. If Erelal and Drivvin perish, House Freth's allies aban-
If a fight breaks out here, Drivvin uses his first action don the house out of fear that Lolth has forsaken them.
in combat to cast time stop. He uses the extra time Without these allies, House Freth becomes too weak
granted by the spell to summon a barlgura and cast fire to defend itself against even its minotaur neighbors.
shield on himself, as well as mage armor and stoneskin The survivors hole up in the fortress while envoys are
if he hasn't done so already. Drivvin fights to the finish dispatched to the Underdark to secure reinforcements.
to defend his sister. Those reinforcements won't arrive in time if Vlonwelv
Auvryndar (see level 10) has her way.

LEVEL 12 I MAZE LEV.EL
170