Page 239 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

DRAGON'S VISION six wraiths emerge from the curtain and attack, pursu-
In this vision, the character is in a great hall buttressed ing creatures that flee. A wraith that has nothing to at·
by six columns (area 32), looming above six blindfolded tack on its turn enters the shadow curtain and vanishes.
adventurers bound to the columns with rope. A hollow The wraiths don't appear once the curtain disappears.
voice (that of Lord Vanrak Moonstar) issues a terrible
command: "Umbraxakar, give these fools the death LOCKED DOUBLE DOOR
they deserve!" A cone of necrotic energy erupts from The Draconic inscription on the floor in front of the
the character as the shadow dragon engulfs the nearest double door reads, "The shadow is the key." Carved into
prisoner, a male dwarf stripped of gear, with its breath the floor above the inscription is a small, 3-inch-deep
weapon. As the dwarf shrivels and dies, an undead keyhole that contains no locking mechanism. A silver
shadow rises from his corpse, and the vision ends. rod with a key-shaped end, which can be found in areas
10 and 13b, fits into this keyhole perfectly. Using a light
'TREASURE source.to cast the shadow of a rod-key onto the doors
A character who studies the gem-encrusted gold horn causes them to swing open, allowing access to area
and succeeds on a DC 25 Intelligence (History) check 19. It is this shadow, not the key itself, that unlocks the
recognizes it as a one-of-a-kind warning horn entrusted doors. Unless they are held open, the doors close and
to the royal heir of the Thurumbra clan, a family of lock on their own after being open for 1 minute. The
shield dwarves thought to have been wiped out by ores doors are not locked from the other side and can be
more than a century ago in the distant Sunset Moun- opened from area 19 without a rod-key.
tains. Dwarf characters have advantage on the check. The locked doors can also be opened with a knock
The horn is worth 2,500 gp as an art object but can be spell or similar magic, or forced open with a successful
sold for 7,500 gp to a buyer who appreciates its status as DC 28 Strength (Athletics) check.
a historical relic.
19. HALL OF D EATH
18. SHADOW'S EDGE Characters entering this hall for the first time feel as
Two tunnels converge on a 20-foot-high chamber that though they've crossed a planar threshold of some kind,
contains the following features: but a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check is
needed to confirm that this part of the dungeon resides
Statues. Two 12-foot-tall obsidian statues stand in the Shadowfell. All color has been drained from this
atop 5-foot-high blocks of stone in alcoves, facing hall, which greets visitors with the stench of death (see
one another. Each statue depicts a faceless robed "Into the Shadowfell," page 233). The hall's other fea-
woman holding a silver thread taut between her out- tures are as follows:
stretched hands.
Shadow Curtain. A thin, translucent curtain of shadow Ceiling. The ceiling is arched and 30 feet high.
stretches between the statues, rippling like black cloth Skulls and Bones. Old skulls and bones (the remains of
in a light breeze. dead adventurers and monsters) have been swept into
Locked Double Door. Beyond the shadowy curtain is a alcoves along the hall's southern stretch.
12-foot-tall arched double door with an ornate carving Vision. Any character who opens a door leading west or
of a bronze dragon above it, its wings forming the door east experiences one of the shadow dragon's visions.
frame. Draconic letters are carved into the floor in If the bones are disturbed, a giant spectral mouth with
front of the double door. fangs appears, floating 10 feet in front of the double door
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration to the south. It recites the following verse in Common
magic around each strand of silver thread. The threads before disappearing:
can be cut only by a magic sword. Cutting a thread Welcome to Umbraxakar's lair.
causes it to disappear but also causes an elder rune A dragon held in the grip of despair
(see "Elder Runes," page 12) to momentarily appear Conjures memories of his departed friend:
between the statue's hands. This elder rune specifically Upon sunlight's blade, he met his end.
targets the creature that cut the thread. To determine
which rune appears, draw a card from the Elder Runes DRAGON'S V ISION
Deck (see appendix B). The shadow curtain disappears In this vision, the character is engaged in hand-to-hand
when both silver threads are cut. combat with a man wearing a mithral chain shirt (Lord
The rippling curtain of shadow that stretches between Vanrak Moonstar). The brawl ends when the man is
the two statues extends from fioor to ceiling and radi- knocked to the floor, stumbles to his feet, draws the
ates a strong aura of necromantic magic under the scru- bronzed hilt of a sun blade that suddenly burns with
tiny of a detect magic spell. The statues are flush with radiance, and says, "Remember this? Your gift to me?
the walls behind them, so circumventing the curtain is Challenge me again, and I'll carve out that big heart of
not possible. yours and eat it!" The viewer's perspective changes as
Any creature that moves through the curtain must the character transforms into a bronze dragon and says
make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 in Common, "Vanrak! I am your friend. Listen to me.
(4dl0) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much She's using the pain of your father's death to lead you
damage on a successful one. The greater danger of the down the darkest of all paths. For the love of SeJUne, do
curtain is less obvious: if the double door is forced open, not follow her!" With that, the vision ends.

LEVEL 18 I VANRAKDOOM