Page 258 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Gorka Tharn was a duergar priest of Laduguer, now Having slipped past the Stonecloaks and the gargoyles
transformed into a mummy lord, with these changes: in areas 8 and 9, these duergar have just started a short
rest to recharge their Invisibility when the characters
• The mummy lord speaks Dwarvish and
happen upon them. The hateful, xenophobic duergar en-
Undercommon.
• It has the stone shape spell prepared instead of large themselves· and attack. They are too stubborn and
divination. determined to back down or surrender.
Each duergar carries a small gray sack holding 5 days
• It has the Enlarge and Invisibility action options de-
of rations, and a large, empty gray sack to carry loot
scribed below.
from the shrine.
Enlarge (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For l minute, A character who interrogates a duergar captive and
the mummy lord magically increases in size, along with any· succeeds on a DC 20 Charisma (Intimidation) check
thing it is wearing or carrying. While enlarged, the mummy lord learns the following information:
is Large, doubles its damage dice with its Rotting Fist attack,
• The duergar live in the Deep Mines (another name
and makes Strength checks and Strength saving throws with
t
advantage. If he mummy lord lacks the room to become Large, for the Terminus Level), the next level down from the
it attains the maximum size possible in the space available. Runestone Caverns.
• The Deep Mines are ruled by Fazrian, a "bald, green-
Invisibility (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The mummy skinned giant with glowing eyes and white-feathered
lord magically turns invisible for up to l hour or until it attacks,
wings." Any character who succeeds on a DC 18
it casts a spell, it uses its Enlarge, or its concentration is bro-
Intelligence (Religion) check realizes, based on this
ken (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the mummy
description, that Fazriao is a planetar.
lord wears or carries is invisible with it.
• The duergar have come to plunder a shrine of Ladu-
The stalagmite in the northwest alcove is hollow and guer on this level, then return to the Deep Mines with
serves as Gorka Tharn's sarcophagus. The mummy lord loot to earn Fazrian's favor. They know the shrine's
is lodged inside the stalagmite's funnel-shaped interior. location (area 6c) but nothing about the mummy lord
When it awakens, the mummy lord uses a stone shape that guards it.
spell to create an opening large enough for it to emerge.
It destroys any intruders in its lair, then returns to its 8. MADE OF STONE
sarcophagus and its slumber. Gargoyles and stone golems watch over these caves, and
At the bottom of the stalagmite's hollow cavity, four
Halaster has left a few other surprises here as well.
1-foot-tall clay urns contain Gorka Tharn's preserved
internal organs, including the mummy lord's shriveled 8A. GARGOYLES AND GOLEMS
heart. Only by destroying the heart can the characters Ceiling. This cavern has walls that slope inward to form
prevent the mummy lord from rejuvenating. The heart is a 30-foot-high peak.
a Tiny object with AC 5, 25 hit points, and immunity to
Gargoyles. Six gargoyles cling to ledges 20 feet up the
all damage except fire. walls, three at the north end of the cavern and three at
Stone Altar and Treasure. The altar is carved from the south end.
a single block of granite and dedicated to Laduguer, the Golems. Two stone golems carved to resemble
evil god of the duergar. The mural painted on the wall
Halaster (see "Stonecloaks," page 253) stand watch
behind the altar depicts a shadowy figure cradling a
on the cavern floor. One is positioned near the tunnel
pile of gemstones in its arms. Any character who has an
to area 9a; the other is close to the tunnel to area 6a.
appropriate background or who succeeds on a DC 15
Intelligence (Religion) check confirms that the mural is The gargoyles serve Halaster. They remain motionless
meant to depict Laduguer. unless they are attacked or combat erupts in this area,
Piled around the altar are 5,000 cp, 2,300 sp, 470 gp, whereupon they fight as allies of the stone golems.
five flawed diamonds (100 gp each), and an electrum The golems are hostile toward any creature that
teapot (25 gp). A rusty warhammer is also found among doesn't look like Halaster or a gargoyle. A character
the valuables. It disintegrates the first time it is used to disguised as Halaster can make a Charisma (Deception)
strike anything hard. check contested by the golems' Wisdom (Insight) check,
with advantage on the check if the portrayal is particu-
7. CRYPT RAIDERS larly convincing. On a successful check, the golem won't
attack that character unless the character attacks it.
This 12-foot-high cave contains six duergar, three males
and three females, who have come up from level 21 to 8B. NATURAL FRIEZE
loot the shrine of Laduguer (area 6c). The male duergar Rivulets of water trickling down the back wall of this
are Klom Xornbane, Skrac Blackskull, and Anchok damp 15-foot-high cave have eroded the stone in a
Muzgardt. The female duergar are Akith Xornbane spectacular way, creating a natural frieze that resem-
(Klom's sister), Garlynth Ironhead, and Xarta Muzgardt
bles a hunched male human leaning down to pick up a
(Anchok's sister). The duergar are hard to tell apart, staff while a great blue dragon sneaks up behind him.
since all of them wear mean-looking iron bucket helms Halaster's contribution to the natural carving is the
with visors.
staff, which he formed out of the rock.

LEVEL 20 I RUNESTONE CAVER.NS
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