Page 281 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

4. D ECAYED QUARTERS 8. N OTHI C'S N ICHE
This suite of chambers has been destroyed by the crea- Fissure. A notltic hides in a 5-foot-wide natural fissure
tures now in residence here, all traces of the rooms' in the 20-foot-high ceiling.
previous purposes obliterated. Furnishings. A rectangular stone table with ten chairs
stands at the center of the room. The table and the
4A. GRELL NEST floor around it are strewn with debris from the crum-
A hive-like nest with multiple dark openings fills the bling ceiling.
southern half of this room. Seven grells lurk inside the Tapestry. A great tapestry covers the west wall. It de-
wet, papery nest and emerge from it to attack intruders. picts a noble wedding inside a vast chamber that has
shadowy tentacles sprouting from its dark corners.
4B. MAD CREATURE
The nothic uses the fissure in the ceiling as a private
Nothic. A nothic squats near the east wall, frantically lair. It observes intruders and uses its Weird Insight
scratching at the stone.
on interesting-looking characters so it can later report
Scrawls. Scrawled exhortations in Deep Speech and
any secrets it learns to Dezmyr Shadowdusk. It leaves
Undercommon cover the walls, floor, and ceiling.
the niche only if attacked and fights to the death to de-
The nothic used to be an apprentice mage named fend its lair.
Rhamagant, who served as Vertrand Shadowdusk's
assistant (see area 17 for more information about Ver- TREASURE
trand). The nothic remembers nothing of its previous Stashed on a shelf inside the nothic's ceiling niche
life and fights only in self-defense. A character who ques- are 15 pp and 200 gp in a leather sack, and a potion of
tions the nothic in a language it understands can glean supreme healing in a glass vial fastened to a silver neck-
the following useful information amid its mad ravings: lace (25 gp).
The tapestry depicts the ghastly wedding of Xerrion
• This level of Undermountain is called Shadowdusk and Margaraste Shadowdusk. It is worth 750 gp and
Hold, and it has three tiers.
weighs 50 pounds.
• The deeper into Shadowdusk Hold one goes, the
closer one gets to the Far Realm.
9. E AST WING
• There's a secret room on each tier.
Drifting Light. A visible wi11-o'-wisp drifts through this
The nothic knows the locations of all the secret doors long, L-shaped gallery.
leading to the secret rooms in Shadowdusk Hold (areas Carving. An alcove in the corner of the L bears a relief
11, 23b, and 37). Any character who can communicate
carving of Shadowdusk nobles being paid respect by
with the nothic can, with a successful DC 20 Charisma
the common folk.
(Intimidation or Persuasion) check, convince it to ac-
Stairs. A staircase at the end of the north arm of the gal-
company the party and point out secret doors. When it lery descends 50 feet to tier 2.
comes within 10 feet of a secret door in Shadowdusk
Hold, the nothic begins scratching at it while muttering The will-o'-wisp serves Melissara in area l Oa. It wan-
the words "secret door" in Undercommon. ders from one end of the hall to the other, waiting for her
summons, but turns invisible and flees to warn her at
5. STOREROOM the first sign of intruders.
Cold. This chamber is kept magically cold. 10. NOBLE Q UART ERS
Shelves. Shelves line every wall, all of them stacked
with wine, ale, and perishable food. This suite belongs to Melissara Shadowdusk, a distant
Casks. Several wooden casks of drinkable water stand cousin of the Shadowdusk twins, and her deranged hus-
along one wall. band, Derrion.

6. K ITCH EN lOA. MELISSARA'S CHAMBER
Melissara. A middle-aged woman (Melissara Shadow-
Furnishings. This room contains an iron stove, three
dusk) sits in an easy chair in the northeast corner,
wooden tables for preparing food, and a cupboard
holding silver utensils and dishware. reading and muttering to herself.
Other Furnishings. A canopied bed and an armoire
Unseen Servants. Four living unseen servants (see
stand against the south wall, and a silk curtain ob-
appendix A) prepare meals on command and use
scures a corridor to the north.
brooms to sweep the floor.
Secret Door. A secret door in the east wall opens into
7. D ERELICT S HRINE Melissara's study (area 11).
An incomplete statue partially hewn from marble stands Melissara has so far managed to escape the horrible
in the middle of the area. The stone is carved into the insanity that besets the rest of her family, but she can
sense that her mind is slowly being eroded by contact
rough shape of the god Torm. Someone who succeeds
on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check identifies the with the Far Realm. Fearing that her descent into mad-
statue's unfinished features as the iconography of the ness is inevitable, she lives in a state of self-imposed
exile and chooses to remain in Shadowdusk Hold de-
god of duty, loyalty, and law.
spite every instinct telling her to flee.

LEVEL 22 I SHADOWDUSK HOLD
280