Page 252 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

13A. UPPER DECK Chest 4 contains 320 gp and a silk pouch holding four
blue pellets, each of which reproduces the magical prop-
Ballistae. Three ballistae are mounted on the forward
deck, and a fourth on the aft deck. Four gray slaadi erty of a potion of healing when swallowed.
Chest 5 contains a matching set of five copper goblets
shapechanged into orogs operate the ballistae, one
per weapon. with silver filigree (25 gp each), a black coral necklace
Hatch. Not visible from the floor of the cavern is an (250 gp), and a mummified elven hand wearing two
gem-studded gold rings (250 gp each).
open hatch with a ladder that descends to area 13b.
Crates 1 through 3 contain poisoned rations. A char-
A ballista is a Large object with AC 15, 50 hit points, acter who inspects these rations and succeeds on a DC
and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Before it 10 Wisdom (Survival) check can tell that they're unfit
can be fired, a ballista must be loaded and aimed. (The to eat. Any creature that ingests a helping of poisoned
ballistae are loaded when the characters first arrive.) rations must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving
It takes one action to load the weapon, one action to throw or be poisoned for 24 hours.
aim it, and one action to fire it (+6 to hit, range 120/480 Crate 4 contains 60 days of edible dry rations.
ft., one target). On a hit, a ballista bolt deals 16 (3d10) Crate 5 is stamped with the symbol of a smiling
piercing damage. gnome face encircled with the words "KRICKENHOF'S
Each ballista comes with ten bolts stored in a rack KRAFTWERKS" in carnival letters. Packed in pea-
built into the weapon's stand. A swivel base gives each nuts are three gnome inventions: a spring-loaded pogo
ballista a firing arc of 180 degrees. stick (25 gp), a wind-up tomato masher (125 gp), and a
The slaadi have been trained to load, aim, and fire the strap-on helmet with a wooden propeller mounted to the
ballistae. They defend the deck against all boarders, re- top of it. This propeller helm is an uncommon wondrous
lying on their darkvision to keep watch. item to which only a Small humanoid can attune. While
worn, the helm allows its wearer to use an action to cast
13B. CARGO HOLD the levitate spell, requiring no components. The helm's
Ladder. A ladder bolted to a wall climbs to the upper propeller spins and whirs loudly until the spell ends.
deck (area 13a). Hanging upside down on the ladder is Each time the spell ends, there is a 50 percent chance
a dead orog in plate armor. that the helm loses its magic and becomes nonmagical.
Crates. A second dead orog in plate armor, along with
its greataxe, lies amid the wreckage of several wooden 13c. GALLEY AND MESS HALL
crates. Toward the back of the hold are five intact This room contains a dining table, six stools, and a
wooden crates and five wooden chests secured under small iron stove. Cupboards built into the walls have
heavy cargo nets. been thrown open, their contents (utensils and dish-
Dead Cook. The hallway leading toward the lower ware) scattered across the floor.
deck's forward sections contains a third dead orog, Casting a detect magic spell in this cabin reveals an
this one wearing a bloodstained apron and no armor. aura of evocation magic emanating from inside the wall
that separates this room from area 13d.
The dead orog on the ladder hangs by one of its spiked
Treasure. Characters who search the cabin and suc-
boots. A character can use an action to dislodge the dan-
ceed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) spot a tiny hole at
gling fellow. Examination of all three orogs reveals that
the base of the wall that separates this cabin from area
their skulls were cracked open and their brains sucked
out- the hallmark of a mind flayer attack. The orog in 13d. Two feet above this hole, lodged inside the wall, is
the apron lies outside the door to area 13c. a sending stone. (The matching stone can be found with
the orog first mate in area 2.)
Treasure. The crew plundered most of the food sup-
If a character removes the sending stone from the
plies before fleeing the ship, leaving behind five treasure
wall, a miniature giant space hamster scuttles out of the
chests and five intact crates (numbered below for ease
hole in the base of the wall and looks rather put out. The
of bookkeeping). The chests are unlocked, their locks
broken off. space hamster looks remarkably like a normal hamster.
Chest 1 contains 400 sp, 180 gp, and three gold brace- It has the statistics of a rat but no attacks (and is worth
lets (25 gp each). Half buried by coins is a 5-inch-diam- 0 XP). It has made a nice lair for itself in the walls of the
ship but poses no danger if it's disturbed. A character
eter miniature beholder made of enameled gold with a can befriend the hamster by offering it food.
black pearl central eye and multicolored spinels at the
ends of its eyestalks (2,500 gp). 13D. CAPTAIN'S STATEROOM
Chest 2 contains six bolts of elven silk (50 gp each)
Walls. The resin walls are sculpted and painted to look
and an engraved box containing five 3-inch-tall figu-
like glossy black tentacles entwined around one an-
rines-each one depicting a kind of metallic dragon and
made of the appropriate metal (250 gp for the set). other and the screaming elves in their grasp.
Chest 3 contains six vials of stardust that radiate an Easel and Paintings. Resting on a wooden easel in the
middle of the cabin is a half-finished canvas painting
aura of illusion magic under the scrutiny of a detect
of a colorful alien landscape. Next to the easel, several
magic spell. An identify spell or similar magic reveals
paintbrushes and jars of paint lie on a small table.
that the dust has a singular magical property. Any crea-
ture that sprinkles the dust over itself gains the ability Five finished paintings of other alien landscapes are
to cast the dream spell once as an action (spell save DC leaning against the back of the easel.
15), requiring no components.
L.EVEL 19 I CAVERNS OF OOZE