Page 65 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

umber hulk, an owlbear, a minotaur, and a manticore. Lolth while her consort, the drow mage Thirza, sits at
Carved into the wall inside the arch is a stylized image a zurkhwood desk reading her spellbook.
of a mountain with a full moon symbol above it. Close Furnishings. The cave contains two sleeping pallets
inspection of the moon reveals a half-inch-diameter hole and a zurkhwood chest. A skewered darkmantle
in the middle of it. cooks over a spider-shaped bronze brazier filled with
The arch is one of Halaster's magic gates (see "Gates," flaming coals.
page 12). Its rules are as follows:
If she had her way, Melith would launch a full-scale
• If the horn of the unicorn figurine is inserted into the assault on the kuo-toa, wipe them out, and then deal
hole in the moon symbol, the gate opens for 1 minute. with the aboleth. As things are, she relies on her sister,
None of the other figurines have protrusions that fit T'rissa Auvryndar (see level 3), for soldiers, and T'rissa
in the hole. does not support such a strategy. So, armed with only
• Characters must be 9th level or higher to pass through a small force, Me!ith has been forced to watch and
this gate (see "Jhesiyra Kestellharp," page 10). The wait as the aboleth and the kuo-toa plot to annihilate
first creature to pass through the gate triggers an el- one another.
der rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12). Melith is happy to let adventurers meddle in the war
• A creature that passes through the gate appears in between the aboleth and the kuo-toa. If the characters
area 27 on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space approach her peacefully, she suggests a temporary- but
next to the similar gate located there. mutually beneficial-alliance. Melith knows that the only
route between this level of Undermountain and the next
TREASURE one down is the underground river. If the characters
One drider has a set of calligrapher's tools. The other slay the aboleth or the kuo-toa archpriest and return to
drider carries a set of woodcarver's tools and three her with proof of its demise, Melith promises to furnish
carved zurkhwood statues of Lolth (1 gp each). them with a raft that they can use to navigate the under-
ground river and continue their descent through Under-
11. DROW O UTPOST mountain. Such a raft is stored in area 14, and Melith
The drow of House Auvryndar established this outpost makes good on her promise.
after discovering the arch gate in area 11c. All told, Though she has great affection for Melith, Thirza sees
this area contains a drow priestess of Lolth named any alliance with the characters as an opportunity to
Melith Auvryndar, a female drow mage named Thirza elevate herself in the eyes of Melith's mother, Vlonwelv.
Helviiryn (Melith's consort), two female drow elite war- After Melith concludes her business with the characters,
riors named Balryn and Talafaere, and four male drow Thirza prepares and casts a sending spell to contact
named Altonrel, Kalanszar, Rezz, and Tsabalin. Vlonwelv. She warns Vlonwelv that Melith has released
a group of adventurers from her custody instead of
llA. MAIN CAVERN killing them. After thanking Thirza for the information,
Vlonwelv curses her daughter's foolishness and awaits
Drow. Two male drow (Altonrel and Rezz) and a female
drow elite warrior (Balryn) stand watch atop a ridge the adventurers' arrival.
of natural rock in the middle of this 30-foot-high cave. Treasure. The drow priestess wears two silver brace-
lets set with onyx (25 gp each). She carries a flask of
Fungi. Barrelstalk and ripplebark grow in small gar-
wine and the key to the room's zurkhwood chest, which
dens around the ridge.
contains 500 gp. The lock on the chest can be picked
Provisions. Stacks of supplies and gear neatly line
with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves'
the walls, while a small iron pot sits on stones in
one alcove. tools, or opened with a knock spell or similar magic.
Melith's shrine contains a 1-pound obsidian figurine
If the characters enter in a nonthreatening manner, of the demon goddess Lolth in spider form (25 gp) and
the guards are cautious but willing to summon their eight sticks of incense (5 gp each). Each stick burns for
leaders to speak on their behalf. If greeted with hostility, up to 8 hours and emits a sickly odor.
the drow elite warrior sounds the alarm with a single Thirza carries a spell scroll of gaseous form in a wa-
whistle, bringing reinforcements from areas llb and terproof zurkhwood tube, 25 pp in a spider silk pouch,
l lc. If the battle is not going their way, a second whistle and her spellbook, which has black leather covers traced
brings the quaggoths from area 12b. with webs of gold. The book contains the following
Treasure. Balryn wears an obsidian scarab bearing spells: alter self, cloudkill, Evard's black tentacles, fly,
the insignia of House Auvryndar (25 gp). greater invisibility, lightning bolt, mage armor, magic
The supplies stored in this cave include a set of car- missile, misty step, sending, shield, sleep, spider climb,
penter's tools, a set of leatherworker's tools, five sets web, and witch bolt.
of manacles, and enough rations to feed one humanoid
for 90 days or the entire drow contingent (including the llc. ARCH GATE TO LEVEL 2
drow in area 12a) for 9 days. Drow. Two male drow (Kalanszar and Tsabalin) and a
female drow elite warrior (Talafaere) rest here.
llB. A LITTLE PRIVACY
Arch Gate. An archway is set in the back wall and
Drow. Melith, a drow priestess ofLolth and the leader carved with images of falling coins. A thin slot is
of this outpost, meditates and prays before a shrine of carved into the arch's keystone.
Pallets. Six pallets lie spread out in the room.

LEVEL 4 j TWISTED CAVERNS