Page 240 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

20. ANY MOONSTARS IN HERE? 25. P RISONER OF D ARKNESS
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Furnishings. Along the room's perimeter are padded The characters are not the only adventurers to have re-
wooden chairs and fine tapestries that have fallen cently explored this level. One of those who came before
apart with age, leaving piles of moldy lumber and tat- them has succumbed to the Shadowfell's despair.
tered cloth. An oval rug covering much of the floor is
tattered and severely worn with age. 25A. VAMPIRIC G UARDS
Projection. The first time any creature steps into the Corroded, broken weapons litter this hall, as if a battle
room, a menacing draconic form takes shape in the had been fought here long ago. Clinging to the ceiling
fog. The draconic form looms in the middle of the above the eastern door are three vampire spawn named
room and tries to frighten away interlopers with its Darvanos, Hekella, and Tozu. They guard the prisoner
foreboding presence. Like the shadow dragon's other in area 25b and attack anyone they don't recognize.
projections, this one is harmless. Hekella carries the key that unlocks the prisoner's
shackles in area 25b.
A character who examines the rug and succeeds on a
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that it bears 25B. PANTRY
a large, faded crest of a silver crescent moon and four Mold. Black mold clings to the walls, and the air is
silver stars set against a field of royal blue. A successful heavy with the scent of rot.
DC 15 Intelligence (History) check reveals that the crest
Prisoner. A human adventurer named Portia Dzuth is
belongs to the Moonstar family of Waterdeep, presided
chained up to the north. Her armor and equipment lie
over by the venerable Lady Wylynd Moonstar.
in a heap to the south.
21. C LUTTER Portia Dzuth hails from Rashemen. She is the sole
survivor of an adventuring party hired by Lady Wylynd
This 10-foot-high room is cluttered with decaying fur- Moonstar ofWaterdeep to find Umbraxakar the shadow
nishings and the skeletal remains of adventurers and dragon and transform him back into Glyster the bronze
monsters killed long ago. Because of the detritus, the /
dragon, friend of House Moonstar. Portia thinks
floor of the room is difficult terrain.
Umbraxakar's curse can be undone by ridding the
dragon of its despair, but she has no idea how to accom-
22. UNDER B LACK SHEETS
plish this. She and her companions were captured less
Sheets and Statues. Black sheets are draped over six than a month ago, but Portia has lost track of time and
wooden statues in the northern portion of the room. believes she has been imprisoned in Vanrakdoom for
(Each statue is a painted, life-size representation of much longer. The vampire spawn feed on Portia when-
Lord Vanrak Moonstar as a death knight.) ever blood is in short supply, and she has the bite marks
Vision. Any character who lifts or pulls away a black to prove it. After each feeding, Keresta charms Portia to
drape experiences one of Umbraxakar's visions. keep her calm and under control.
A character can free Portia from her shackles using
DRAGON'S V ISION
the key in area 25a, or by picking the lock with thieves'
In this vision, the character is in the presence ofVanrak tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. A char-
Moonstar, a death knight wearing a mithral chain shirt
acter can also free Portia by snapping her chains with a
and clutching a bladeless sword hilt. "This is not the fate successful DC 30 Strength (Athletics) check.
either of us deserved," he says mournfully. "In darkness, Portia sank into madness and despair after she was
we have lost our way." With that, he causes a blade of
forced to watch Umbraxakar devour the corpses of her
light to spring from the sword hilt and drives it down his
slain companions one by one. She stays close to her res-
own throat, reducing his skeletal form to dust. The blade
cuers, serving as a loyal follower until she is safely out
is snuffed out, and all goes dark as the hilt clatters to the
of Undermountain or until Keresta asks her to betray
floor alongside the death knight's mithral chain shirt. them. While fighting on the party's side, Portia claims
The vision ends with a dragon's anguished roar.
an equal share of all XP gained. She is a champion (see
appendix A), with these changes:
23. DECREPIT D INI NG H ALL
• Portia is lawful neutral and speaks Common.
Two rusty iron chandeliers hang like giant spiders
• She is magically charmed by Keresta and regards
from the 20-foot-high ceiling, their chains attached to
the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and pro-
winches mounted to the east wall. Beneath the chan-
tected. This effect wears off in 12 hours unless Ker-
deliers stretches a long wooden table surrounded by esta charms her again.
twelve high-backed wooden chairs. The furnishings are
• She suffers from Shadowfell despair manifesting as
decrepit and draped in cobwebs.
unshakable dread. Until the despair ends, she has
disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the fol-
24. D ECREPIT KITCHEN
lowing flaw: "I'm convinced that I'm going to die in
The centerpiece of this 10-foot-high chamber is a free- Vanrakdoom." She can attempt to end her despair
standing stone oven that was once heated by magical each time she finishes a long rest, doing so with a suc-
flames but now stands dark and unused. Lining the cessful DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. A calm emotions
walls are worktables and cupboards piled with dishware spell also ends her despair, as does any spell or other
and utensils that haven't seen use in years. magical effect that removes a curse.
LEVEL 18 I V;\NRAKDOOM
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