Page 285 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

21. PARLOR If the characters do anything to startle the nothics,
they attack; otherwise, the nothics let characters pass
Simple yet comfortable furniture is set around this through this room unmolested.
dusty parlor, which has not seen much use in recent
years. A sideboard standing against the northwest wall 24B. PEEK-A- BOO
has a large, steel-framed mirror mounted above it. Two nothics cower beneath mounds of rotting tapes-
tries piled against the east wall. The nothics sheepishly
22. TORM'S SHRINE observe passersby and avoid combat.
Altar and Fresco. Three steps ascend to an alcove hold-
ing a stone altar. The wall behind the altar bears a 24c. ROTTING REFUSE
fresco of a large white gauntlet (the symbol of Torm). The nothics throw garbage here, including the half.
Statues. Standing in the "tips" of the crescent-shaped eaten corpses of rats, bats, and other vermin. The shred-
ded remains of a tapestry depicting the city of Water-
room, flanking the altar, are a pair of life-size stone
statues that depict human paladins clad in plate ar- deep hang on the south wall.
mor. (The statues resemble Dezmyr and Zalthar Sha-
------
dowdusk as they appeared when they were alive.) 25. ABANDONED CHAMBER
This room served as quarters for members of the Sha-
23. MEDITATION ROOMS dowdusk family until they became nothics. Nothing
remains except for splintered furniture and a shredded,
Shadowdusk family members use these rooms for silent
reflection and contemplation. unidentifiable tapestry hanging on the west wall.
26. HOARDED SECRETS
23A. OUTER SANCTUM ---------
Soft cushions and woven mats adorn the floor of this fra- The nothics steal books and store them in this chamber,
grant room. Brass censers hold cones of unlit incense. A the features of which are as follows:
secret door in the southeast wall leads to area 23b.
Tapestry. A tapestry depicting silhouetted figures stand-
ing before a starry sky covers the west wall.
23B. BLACK CRYSTAL TABLET
Towers of Books. Stacks of books are set around the
This chamber contains no light sources and is unnatu-
rally dark. Any bright light that shines into this room or room, some rising almost to the ceiling.
inside it is reduced to dim light, and dim light is reduced
to darkness. Darkvision functions normally here. TREASURE
A stone table rests against the waJI opposite the door. A search of the stacks turns up four profoundly philo-
sophical texts worth 250 gp each to an interested sage.
A tablet made of black crystal inscribed with strange Their titles are Patterns in the Tapestry of Time, The
writing rests on the table. The tablet is cold to the touch,
and its writing appears to writhe. U'keth Prophecies, Whispers of a Bygone Truth, and
Treasure. Xerrion Shadowdusk originally used the Tales of Existential Dread.
The tapestry features a stunning night sky set with
tablet to contact beings of the Far Realm. Other family pearls and diamond chips as stars, but the constella-
members have used it for similar purposes over the tions match none known in Faerfin. The tapestry is
years. It weighs 11 pounds and measures 7 inches wide,
13 inches tall, and 2 inches thick. worth 2,500 gp and weighs 30 pounds.
The black crystal tablet is a legendary magic item that 27. PRIVY
requires attunement by a creature that has proficiency
in the Arcana skill. Any creature that attunes to the This room contains several filthy latrine stalls and is
tablet must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw at the caked in waste. The Shadowdusks use chamber pots
end of its next long rest. On a failed save, the creature that the nothics empty into this area. The nothics use
becomes afflicted with a random form of long-term mad- the privy with no regard for its condition.
ness (see "Madness" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Mas-
ter's Guide). 28. LEGACY OF XERRION
-----------
As an action, a creature attuned to the black crystal Two sets of double doors lead to this hall, and opening
tablet can use it to cast eyebite or gate (the portal cre- either set alerts the creatures on guard here. The hall's
ated by this spell links to the Far Realm only). After the contents are as follows:
tablet is used to cast a spell, it cannot be used again un-
til the next dawn. Slaadi. Four invisible death slaadi stand guard next
to the northernmost pillars. The slaadi serve at the
pleasure of Dezmyr and Zalthar, and they attack in-
24. NOTHIC WARRENS
---------- truders on sight.
This wing of Shadowdusk Hold serves as the home of Fresco. Two stone benches arranged side by side in the
family members whose mad thirst for arcane knowledge middle of the hall face a colorful fresco on the north
transformed them into nothics. wall. The fresco, 30 feet long by 15 feet tall, depicts a
slender, middle-aged human wizard (Xerrion Shadow-
24A. COMMUNALAREA dusk) standing before a magic portal with tentacles
Twelve nothics gather here and glare suspiciously at
pouring out of it. The wizard is smiling, and clutched
strangers while spouting nonsense among themselves.
in his arms is a black crystal tablet.

LEVEL 22 I SHADOWOOSK HOLD