Page 259 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

8C. ACID TENTACLES 9. WAY TO THE GATE
The gargoyles and golems in area 8a won't enter this
These out-of-the-way caverns hold one of Ha laster's
empty cavern, the ceiling of which is a rough 15-foot-
high dome. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of conju- magic gates, the approach to which is closely watched by
his servants.
ration magic throughout the cave-the effect of a magic
trap placed here by Halaster. 9A. STONECLOAK SENTRIES
When one or more creatures reach the cavern's mid- Two stone golems carved to resemble Halaster (see
point, 15-foot-long tentacles of acid magically erupt from "Stonecloaks," page 253) stand east of the two col-
the floor, walls, and ceiling. A creature that enters the
umns of rock that support the 20-foot-high ceiling of this
tentacle-filled cavern for the first time on a turn or starts
otherwise empty cave. Characters who enter the area
its turn there must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving through the northwest tunnel can't see the golems right
throw or take 10 (3d6) acid damage and be grappled away because the rock columns provide total cover.
by a tentacle (escape DC 22). A creature that starts its
The golems are hostile toward any creature that
turn grappled by a tentacle automatically takes 10 (3d6)
doesn't look like Halaster. A character disguised as
acid damage.
Halaster can make a Charisma (Deception) check
The tentacles can't be damaged, and dispel magic
contested by the golems' Wisdom (Insight) check, with
has no effect on them. The tentacles disappear when all advantage on the check if the portrayal is particularly
creatures have left the cavern. If the words "Halaster, convincing. On a successful check, the golem won't at-
save us!" are spoken aloud in the cavern in Common,
tack that character unless the character attacks it.
the tentacles disappear, and the trap can't trigger again
for 1 hour. 9B. ARCH GATE TO LEVEL 15
Rubble. The floor of this SO-foot-high cavern is strewn
8D. GOLDEN HAUNGHARASSK
with the remains of a dozen gargoyles. (The gargoyles
Slime. A thin layer of slime covers the walls and floor of once guarded the gate in this cavern, but the Stone-
this 20-foot-high cavern. cloaks destroyed them.)
Fungus. A patch of glowing fungus sprouts from the Arch. A ramp hugs the south wall and climbs to a
east wall. 20-foot-high ledge. A stone arch is embedded in the
Giant Snail. In the northern part of the cave lurks
wall at the west end of the ledge.
Haungharassk, a magical snail as large as an ele-
phant, with a shell of gleaming gold. The arch is one of Halaster's gates (see "Gates," page
12). It is composed of one hundred stone jigsaw
Halaster placed Haungharassk here, setting up the pieces, each weighing 10 pounds. The rules of this gate
trap in area 8c both to confine the creature and to are as follows:
prevent others from killing it. The giant snail is an un-
aligned Huge beast with AC 6, 52 (7dl2 + 7) hit points, • Only one piece of the arch can be removed at any
given time. A detect magic spell reveals that one of the
and walking and climbing speeds of 10 feet. It can climb
difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, pieces (determined randomly) is magical. When that
without needing to make an ability check. Its ability piece is removed from the arch, it disappears, and the
scores are as follows: Strength 20, Dexterity 3, Consti- gate opens for 1 minute. When the gate closes, the
tution 13, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 10, Charisma 3. It has piece removed from the arch magically reappears in
no attacks and can't speak. A pound of salt thrown onto its proper place, and a different piece becomes magi-
the snail's skin deals ld6 acid damage to the creature. cal and must be removed to reopen the gate.
The glowing golden hue of Haungharassk's shell • If a wrong piece is removed from the arch, a beholder
is augmented by veins of real gold. That gold can be magically appears in an unoccupied space within 60
stripped from the shell, but only if the snail is dead (see feet of the arch and attacks any creature it can see.
"Treasure" below). Killing the snail yields no XP. The beholder disappears when it is slain or after 1
A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of ab- minute. When the beholder disappears, the piece that
juration magic around the snail. A creature that uses was removed from the arch magically reappears in its
an action to touch the living snail gains 6 temporary previous place.
hit points that last for 24 hours. Any creature or object Characters must be 13th level or higher to pass
through this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page
that touches the living snail also gains the benefit of a
10). The first creature to pass through the gate trig-
remove curse spell. The snail loses these magical prop-
erties if it dies. gers an elder rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12).
The characters can lead Haungharassk around by • A creature that passes through the gate appears in
feeding it plants, fungi, or algae. A successful DC 10 In- area 15 on level 15, in the closest unoccupied space
telligence (Nature) check enables a character to discern next to the identical gate located there.
what the giant snail likes to eat. Puzzle Piece. On the ledge near the arch, not visible
The patch of glowing fungus magically regrows each from the cavern floor, a 25-pound chunk of smooth
time it is picked. It is the snail's food source. The fungus stone is carved in the shape of a jigsaw puzzle piece and
dies if taken from this area. painted with part of an unknown image on one side.
Treasure. Characters who kill Haungharassk can This stone is the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle
strip 100 pounds of gold from the snail's shell with a few in area 10.
hours' work. The gold is worth 20,000 gp.

LEVEL 20 I RUNESTONE CAVERNS