Page 38 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

Table. A wooden table in the center of the room bears a 14B. WERERAT BARRACKS
map made of loose stones arranged to form walls and Eight wererats in human form sleep on dirty cots in this
doors (see "Tabletop Map" below). room. They are loyal to the Zhentarim and determined
to push the Xanathar Guild out of Skullport and Un-
Rizzeryl likes to be invisible as he engages intruders
in conversation, hoping to learn their intentions. Any dermountain.
noise here alerts the wererats in area 14b, who remain The wererats are short, unkempt humans of mixed
hidden until Rizzeryl calls for them. age with thin limbs, beady eyes, and nervous tics. They
Rizzeryl offers the adventurers a reward if they de- clad themselves in filthy, smelly, ill-fitting clothes. Their
stroy both Xanathar Guild outposts on this level (areas 9 leader is a crass, middle-aged woman named Zilitsa 11-
and 20) and return with the heads of both guild leaders, varren. She is mean-spirited but has a good rapport with
whose names, he tells them, are Nadia the Unbent and Rizzeryl, whose intelligence she admires. The others
Shunn Shurreth. Rizzeryl doesn't reveal the nature of are a degenerate bunch of inbred, light-fearing weirdos
the reward, other than to say it will make the party's who've spent too many years living underground. The
exploration of Undermountain easier. If the characters men are named Frek, Henk, and Kozrik, and the women
deliver the heads of Nadia and Shunn, Rizzeryl gives are Arreth, Elabbor, Kreena, and Sybilee.
them a stone key hidden in this room (see "Secret Treasure. An unlocked wooden chest against the
Compartment" below). If the characters attack him, south wall holds 30 gp, a copper tankard similar to
Rizzeryl calls forth the wererats to defend him while he those found in area 22a (5 gp), a battered and tarnished
summons a quasit. If the adventurers overcome these silver scepter topped with a Dwarvish rune meaning
forces, Rizzeryl trades the stone key for his life. "justice" (25 gp), and three worthless, dog-eared chap-
Rizzeryl knows the way to Skullport through level 3 books entitled Out of the Inferno, Vols. l, 2, and 3 (a
and might share this information with friendly adventur- tawdry series about a tiefling romance).
ers who have helped him. He refrains from divulging his 15. DUSTY THRONE
allegiance to House Auvryndar. He will, however, reveal
his allegiance to the Zhentarim if one or more charac- Ruins. Much of this room collapsed long ago, and what
ters identify themselves as members of that faction. If remains is covered with dust.
they need assistance, Rizzeryl urges such characters Footprints. Footprints (left by wererats in human form)
to seek out Bosskyn Gorrb, a tiefiing member of the crisscross the dusty floor.
Black Network who operates in Skullport. Rizzeryl also Throne. A plain stone throne stands against the south
informs them that servants of Xanathar will allow safe wall. Beyond it, heaps of rubble fill a collapsed tunnel.
passage to anyone who openly brandishes Xanathar's A search of the throne and the surrounding room
symbol (see below). yields nothing of value. The wererats in area 14 have
Secret Compartment. Beneath Rizzeryl's chair is already searched the area thoroughly.
a loose floor tile that conceals a hidden compartment,
which can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom 16. PARTIALLY COLLAPSED ROOM
(Perception) check. It contains three items: Rizzeryl's
leather-bound spellbook (which holds the spells he has The back of this room has collapsed, filling the chamber
prepared, plus arcane lock and sending), a 12-inch-long with dust and debris. No one has been here in ages, and
stone key, a 12-inch-long driftwood wand with the sym- nothing of value remains.
bol of Xanathar (a circle with ten equidistant spokes
radiating outward from its circumference) carved at one 17. HUNGRY RUST MONSTERS
end. Rizzeryl uses this nonmagical wand to slip past This old festival hall has an arched ceiling 30 feet high
the guardian in area 20a and to move through Skullport and contains the following:
unmolested. Rust Monsters. Two rust monsters are fighting over a
The stone key weighs 10 pounds and bears the fol- rusted steel helmet in the middle of this room, casting
lowing inscription in Dwarvish: "Meet me on the Lost it about as they knock each other around.
Level. Find my twin in S litherswamp." A detect magic Wall Decor. The walls are decorated with bas-reliefs
spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic around the of dwarves singing and drinking. A dozen empty iron
key, which opens a magic gate that connects levels 6 torch brackets are mounted to the north and south
and 8 ofUndermountain (see level 6, area 34b, and level walls at 10-foot intervals.
8, area 3, for more information on each gate). Rizzeryl
knows that levels 6 and 8 of Undermountain are called The rust monsters can't find enough ferrous metal to
the Lost Level and Slitherswamp, respectively, but he satisfy their hunger. The helm provides a momentary
hasn't explored either level. distraction that characters can use to cross the hall
Tabletop Map. The wererats have carefully arranged safely after they first arrive. The next time they come
the loose stones on the table to form an accurate map here, though, the rust monsters are waiting for them.
of this level of Undermountain; the map, however, omits The torch brackets bolted to the walls are beyond the
the chambers hidden behind secret doors (areas 5, 20c, rust monsters' reach but make irresistible snacks if fed
20d, 22e, 22f, 25h, and 26b). There's no easy way to to the creatures. Tearing loose a torch bracket requires
transport this map without knocking the stones out of an action and a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
alignment and rendering the map useless. check. One bracket is enough to distract the rust mon-
sters for ld6 minutes.

LEVl::l .. 2 I ARCANE CHAMBERS