Page 194 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

HE OBSTACLE COURSE IS DESICNED FOR FOUR taunts visitors as they blunder from one room to another
13th-level characters, and adventurers who (see "Halaster's Play-by-Play," page 194).
defeat the monsters on this level should gain
enough XP to advance to 14th level. Before GITHZERAI ZERTHS
running this level of Undermountain, review Four githzerai zerths have taken refuge in the Obstacle
the description of the death tyrant in the Course. They use their psychic abilities and natural
"Beholders" entry in the Monster Manual, as stealth to hide from Halaster's magical gaze and the
that information will help you roleplay the death tyrant death tyrant's watchful eyes.
that claims the Obstacle Course as its lair. The githzerai are aware that githyanki have con-
quered the Crystal Labyrinth (level 16) and are waging
WHAT DWELLS HERE? war against a mind flayer colony in Seadeeps (level 17).
Visitors to this level must contend with mechanical The githzerai wait patiently to see the outcome of the
traps left behind by the Melairkyn dwarves, magical Seadeeps conflict but stand ready to assist should the
traps crafted by the Mad Mage, and an undead beholder githyanki need help. The leader of this githzerai band,
named Netherskull. They might also encounter nui- Yrlakka, is a member of the Sha'sal Khou, a faction of
sances from the Elemental Planes of Earth and Fire, renegade githyanki and githzerai who seek to reunify
and a band of githzerai on a special mission. the gith races. By helping the githyanki defeat a com-
mon foe, Yrlakka hopes to demonstrate the merits of a
NETHERSKULL THE DEATH TYRANT single unified gith race- not only to the evil githyanki,
but also to the younger githzerai zerths who follow him.
Many years ago, a beholder floated up from the Un- Yrlakka is concerned because his most headstrong pu-
derdark and infiltrated Undermountain. After carving pil, a githzerai named Ezria, has disappeared. He fears
out a lair for itself, the beholder dreamed itself into un- (correctly) that Ezria was captured by the githyanki on
death, becoming a death tyrant called Netherskull. level 16 while trying to find weak spots in their defenses.
When Halaster and Netherskull met in battle, the wiz-
ard emerged triumphant, but he couldn't bring himself LAVA CHILDREN AND FRIENDS
to destroy such a formidable dungeon guardian. Instead,
Halaster agreed to let Netherskull remain the undis- Several lava children (see appendix A) brought to Un-
puted lord of this level on the condition that it permit dermountain by Halaster's apprentice Trobriand have
Halaster to tinker with and maintain the level's traps, migrated from level 13 to the Obstacle Course and taken
as well as add a magical, mean-spirited announcer that residence around a lava-filled chasm in the heart of the

LEVEL 15 I OBSTACLE COURSE