Page 279 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

STAR SPAW N Pillars. Pillars support the 40-foot-high, vaulted ceiling.
Creatures from the Far Realm visit Shadowdusk Hold from Grells. Six grells float behind the pillars to the north.
time to time. If you have a copy of Mordenkainen's Tome The grells attack visitors and can use their tentacles to
of Foes, you can add one or more star spawn from that open and close doors as needed.
book to the roster of creatures encountered on this level of Apparitions. Spectral images of dead servants and
Undermountain. adventurers occasionally fade into view, wander the
hall, then fade away. These images are harmless
The Shadowdusk family motto used to be "No secrets regional effects created by Halaster (see "Halaster's
without truth." After the family's fall, its motto changed Lair," page 311).
to "We do not fear the darkness." The family's crest is Statues. Statues depicting two well-dressed humans
a lit torch with three embers rising from the flame, set stand in alcoves to the south.
against a purple background. In the wake of the family's
The statues show the Shadowdusk twins, Zalthar
descent into Undermountain and madness, this crest
and Dezmyr, as they appeared in life. Zalthar's statue
has been literally turned upside down, so that the torch
is in the west alcove and stands 6 feet 11 inches tall.
flame points downward.
Dezmyr's statue to the east stands 6 feet 3 inches tall.
An inscription on the bottom of each statue identifies
DEZMYR AND ZALTHAR
its subject.
The current leaders of Shadowdusk Hold are the twins
Dezmyr and Zalthar Shadowdusk. They have remained 2. TWISTED GALLERY
close throughout life and undeath, and might have led
their mortal family skillfully if circumstances had played Bas-Reliefs. The curved walls are lined with bas-relief
out differently. carvings, and plaques mounted beneath them tell the
The twins are devoted to each other and are obsessed story of a forgotten Waterdavian family.
with returning their family to prominence and ultimately Statues. Two 9-foot-tall statues stand on raised plat-
seizing control of Waterdeep. forms in alcoves to the north and south.
The bas-reliefs carvings depict Arandraya, Mael-
EXPLORING THIS LEVEL weene, and Yarlithra Shadowdusk negotiating trade
All location descriptions for this level are keyed deals in Waterdeep, exploring Undermountain in their
to map 22. free time, pouring treasure into family coffers, and giv-
ing a black tablet to their brother, Xerrion. The carvings
The following features apply throughout Shadowdusk
go on to show the original Shadowdusk Hold (in Water-
Hold unless otherwise noted in an area's description:
deep) on fire, Xerrion Shadowdusk escaping into Un-
• The hold consists of three tiers. Ceilings in rooms and
dermountain with the black tablet, the creation of a new
hallways are 15 feet high unless stated otherwise. The
Shadowdusk Hold in the dungeon's depths, Xerrion's
floors are smooth stone polished to a mirror finish.
marriage to Lady Margaraste, and the married couple
• Any humanoid that dies in Shadowdusk Hold rises stepping through a gate of tentacles into the Far Realm.
from its corpse ld4 hours later as a will-o'-wisp under A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check iden-
the DM's control. Casting dispel evil and good on the tifies the family crest in the reliefs- a lit torch with an
corpse before the will-o'-wisp forms prevents such an
orange flame and three embers trailing off it- and the
occurrence, as does bringing the body out of Shadow-
two mottoes of House Shadowdusk: "No secrets with-
dusk Hold or into the area of a hallow spell.
out truth" and "We do not fear the darkness." The crest
• Sconces throughout Shadowdusk Hold flicker with appears upright in earlier scenes and inverted in later
torchlight created by continual flame spells. These scenes. A character who recognizes the crest and the
magic torches are set in upside-down sconces, and family mottoes also knows that the Shadowdusks were
their magical flames point downward.
presumed destroyed.
The statue to the north depicts Lord Xerrion Shadow-
TIER I dusk, a male human of middle age with regal bearing
The uppermost tier of Shadowdusk Hold closely resem- and sharp features. The south statue depicts Lady Mar-
bles the style and architecture of the family manor in garaste Shadowdusk, a middle-aged female human with
Waterdeep before it was destroyed. This section of the long, curly hair and a kind smile. An inscription on the
hold resembles a mausoleum. The Far Realm's influ- bottom of each statue identifies its subject.
ence on this tier is faint.
Two members of the Shadowdusk family reside here: 3. WESTWING
a wizard named Melissara Shadowdusk and her mad Four nothics lurk in the northern arm of this L-shaped
husband, Derrion. gallery, poring over wall carvings and chattering to
themselves. Beyond the nothics, a staircase descends
1. GRA ND FOYER 50 feet to tier 2.
The stairs from level 21 descend to a grand entry cham- The nothics are puzzled by the carvings, which depict
ber that contains the following features: various deceased members of the Shadowdusk family.
They attack intruders on sight.

LEVEL 22 I SHADOWDUSK HOLD