Page 229 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

concerned with its own safety and the elimination of the Psipods. Resting in iron brackets along the curved
githyanki. The welfare of the rest of the colony comes walls are fifteen coffin-sized bronze cylinders with
second. It places no value on prisoners and gladly re- lids of transparent crystal. Each capsule is tilted at a
leases them if doing so is enough to preserve its life. 45-degree angle, connected to metal floor panels with
The scene projected on the back wall is what Extremi- thick copper wires, and coated in a thin, slimy residue.
ton sees when it looks through the eyes of the virtual Illithids. Four mind flayers carrying dark sheets of
Durnan in the alternate version of Waterdeep. The view metal resembling clipboards are inspecting the cap-
changes abruptly whenever the ulitharid switches char- sules, nine of which contain unconscious humanoids.
acters in the simulation, and the scene fades entirely The mind flayers are tasked with ensuring that the
when the ulitharid leaves its throne.
equipment in this room is functioning properly. They try
Given a chance to do so, the ulitharid is delighted
to stun intruders and trap them inside empty psipods
and eager to show off its Alterdeep simulation, which it
(see "Psipods" below). Their "clipboards" are thin sheets
is using to learn more about Waterdeep and its multi- of metal with braille-like writing (Qualith) embossed on
faceted culture. Extremiton fails to mention that once them. The mind flayers use their tentacles to interpret
it becomes an elder brain, it plans to use its newfound
the writing, which provides technical schematics for the
knowledge to enslave the entire city.
psipods. A comprehend languages spell or similar magic
reveals as much, enabling characters to discern what
12H. ETTIN THRALLS
the psipods do and how to disable them.
This curved chamber has a flat ceiling 10 feet high.
Lurking in the dark, empty alcoves to the north and
PSIPODS
south are four scrawny ettins. At full health, each ettin A psipod is a magic device that connects the mind of
has 60 hit points.
an unconscious humanoid to the mind of the ulitharid
The ettins' minds have been broken by dominate
in area 12g. The psychic residue that coats each psipod
monster spells cast on them repeatedly by the illithids
is a byproduct of this connection. The residue is sticky
over many months. These drooling, gibbering, malnour-
and foul-smelling, but harmless. It dissolves after a
ished thralls won't attack illithids or creatures in their
few hours.
company. All other creatures are attacked on sight. The Any creature that enters a psipod's bronze cylinder
starving ettins hungrily devour any kills.
must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw
or fall unconscious, lulled into that state by a soothing
13. BACK DOOR
psionic vibration that the ulitharid produces. A creature
The double doors to these rooms are airtight, sound- that succeeds on the saving throw must repeat it at the
proof, made of stone, and sealed with Qualith door locks end of each of its turns unit it exits the cylinder.
(see "Qualith Door Locks," page 222). Unless they are While in a psipod, an unconscious creature finds
held open, the doors automatically close and lock. The itself drawn into a simulated reality created by the uli-
ceiling here is 10 feet high. tharid (see the "Alterdeep" sidebar) and can survive in
The mind flayers use this back door to their fortress this state for the remainder of its natural life, its mind
as a means of escape, in case the colony is overrun by and body nourished by the psipod's psychic energy. If
githyanki or other invaders. the psipod is shut down, or if the unconscious creature
is removed from it, the creature can repeat the DC 17
13A. TREASURY Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
Two chests carved from zurkhwood sit atop low stone waking on a success. The creature also awakens if it
tables against the west wall of this room. takes damage in the real world, but not if it takes dam-
Treasure. The chests contain treasure that the mind age in the Waterdeep simulation.
flayers use to bribe creatures they can't devour or en- A psipod shuts down if it is disabled or destroyed. To
slave. Each chest contains 800 pp. Characters who dig disable a psipod, a creature must disconnect three of
through the gold also find a pair of purple-tinted crystal the eight copper wires connecting it to the metal panels
spectacles with platinum frames (2,500 gp), a potion of in the floor. The mind flayers' schematic pads identify
resistance (acid), a Quaal's feather token (tree), and a which three wires to disconnect on each psipod. (The
drow-made dagger with silver web filigree. The dagger combination of wires varies from one psipod to another.)
magically plays a fragment of a guitar solo when struck If wires are torn out at random, roll a d8 three times
or used to strike a foe. The dagger is worth 750 gp. (rerolling duplicate results) to determine which three
wires shut down that particular psipod, then roll a d8
13B. OUTER GUARD POST
for each wire that is disconnected to see if it's one of the
The north wall of this empty, unfurnished room con-
correct ones. Disconnecting a wrong wire triggers a
tains a secret door.
magical surge that targets all creatures within 5 feet of
the psipod except the one inside it. A targeted creature
must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw, taking 22
The doors to this room are made of stone and sealed (4d10) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much
with Qualith door locks (see "Qualith Door Locks," page damage on a successful one. A magical surge from one
222). Unless they are held open, the doors automati- psipod has no effect on the others.
cally close and lock. The ceiling here is 10 feet high. The All the psipods shut down if the ulitharid dies or
room contains the following features: leaves the crystal throne in area 12g. Each psipod is a

LEVEL 17 I SEADEEPS