Page 286 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

29. LANDING 31. APPROACH TO MADNESS
Statue. To the north is a 10-foot-tall statue of a grimac- The Far Realm has twisted these rooms, causing the
ing man being crushed to death by stony tentacles lines where floor, walls, ceiling, and pillars meet to ap-
erupting from the floor. pear warped.
Stairs. To the south, a spiral staircase descends 50 feet
to area 30a. 31A. WARPED FOYER
This chamber is lined with twisted columns that seem
TIER 3 to change shape slightly every few minutes.

The unnatural corruption of the Far Realm pervades 31B. THRESHOLD OF INSANITY
the deepest level of Shadowdusk Hold. Any creature
Far Realm Proximity. A strange energy can be felt em-
other than a denizen of the hold that finishes a long rest
anating from the double door to the west. The closer a
in this tier must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. creature comes to the doors, the more uneasy it feels.
On a failed save, the creature gains no benefit from the Slaadi. Four invisible death slaadi stand in front of the
rest and is afflicted with a random form of long-term
double door leading to area 32. The slaadi serve at
madness (see "Madness" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon the pleasure of Dezmyr and Zalthar, and they attack
Master's Guide).
intruders on sight.
Tapestry. A tapestry on the east wall depicts a group of
30. LOWER HALLS
humans twisting, warping, and melting into one amor-
The staircase from tier 2 ends before these halls, which phous, blasphemous entity.
look older than the rest of Shadowdusk Hold.
Treasure. The tapestry weighs 50 pounds and is
worth 750 gp to one who appreciates such horrid decor.
30A. SHADOWDUSK HALL
House Crest. Set into the middle of the floor is a 32. FAR AND GONE
20-foot-diameter disk of purple stone, inscribed upon
The curving west wall of this room is a seething mass of
which is the Shadowdusk crest: a lit torch with three
color and sickly light-a partially breached portal to the
trailing embers, its orange flame pointed toward the
Far Realm. Creatures can't physically pass through the
double door to the west.
Mosaics. The 40-foot-high, vaulted ceiling bears peeling portal, but the Far Realm's influence bleeds out into the
mosaics of cloudy, dramatically lit skies. Material Plane from this place. A character can ascer-
tain the true nature of the portal with a successful DC
Scorch Marks. The walls and pillars have numerous
20 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
scorch marks.
Any creature that comes into contact with the back
Statues. Four 8-foot-tall statues of human nobles stand
wall must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw
in wide alcoves to the north and south.
or become charmed by the wall for 1 minute. While
A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (In- charmed in this way, the creature is stunned and stares
vestigation) check can ascertain that the scorch marks at the wall, absorbing the power and madness of the Far
on the walls and pillars were made by a blue dragon's Realm. The effect ends if the creature takes damage,
breath weapon. Years ago, Halaster lured a dracol- or if another creature uses an action to shake or slap it.
ich named Lynnorax to Shadowdusk Hold. Dezmyr When the effect ends, the creature that was charmed
and Zalthar pressed the dracolich into service. The
gains a random form of indefinite madness (see "Mad-
dracolich waits for intruders in area 40 and guards the
ness" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
death knights' vault (area 41).
The statues in the northern alcoves depict Arandraya 33. SHRINE
and Maelweene Shadowdusk. The statues to the south
Zalthar maintains this area as a shrine to his sister
depict their brother, Xerrion, and their other sister, Yarli-
thra. Each statue stands atop a 2-foot-high block of stone Dezmyr. Her painted likenesses- both as she was in life
that bears an inscription of the noble's name. and as a death knight-hang in frames on every wall.
Secret Door. A locked secret door is hidden in the
34. ZALTHAR'S CHAMBERS
wall next to the statue of Xerrion in the southwest
alcove. A character who examines the statue and suc- Zalthar languishes in these chambers, shunning all
ceeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check notices other creatures except his sister.
that one of the rings on Xerrion's left hand can be
twisted around his finger. Turning the ring unlocks the 34A. ZALTHAR SHADOWDUSK
secret door and causes it to swing open into area 37. Furnishings. This room is furnished with several chairs
and sofas, all covered in dust and cobwebs.
30B. FAMILY CRYPTS Easel. A wooden easel stands in the northeast corner,
This arched, 15-foot-high hall is lined with alcoves. draped in a black cloth. (Under the cloth, resting on
Each alcove contains a dusty stone casket holding the the easel, is a half-finished portrait of Dezmyr as she
remains of a dead Shadowdusk family member, but was in life, lying nude on a bed of tentacles.)
no treasure. Zalthar. Seated in a chair, facing the northern and west-
ern doors, is Zalthar Shadowdusk- a death knight in

LEVEL 22 I SHADOWDUSK HOLD