Page 87 - Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage_Neat

TREASURE golem and depart the temple. Being lawful, she is in-
A spell scroll of mass cure wounds is buried under the clined to uphold her end of the agreement as long as the
pile of torn-up sermons next to the desk. A character characters don't cross her.
who searches the pile finds it automatically. Treasure. Skella wears a gem-studded cloak fit for a
king (worth 750 gp, and stolen from area Uc). Fastened
14. GRAND VESTIBULE to her belt in plain view is a small gold figurine of a
female elf holding up a symbol of the sun (25 gp). This
Rough Walls. The walls of this area are roughly hewn
to give the room a cavern-like appearance. figurine is the key to opening the arch gate in area 27.
Quartz Pillars. The glow from four quartz pillars re- Tucked in a sheath strapped to Skella's right boot is
flects off flecks of quartz embedded in the walls. a dagger of blindsight. The magic dagger was stolen
Engraved Doors. The double doors to the south are from the hobgoblin warlord Azrok on level 3 and is the
engraved with the image of a mountain with a gem- subject of a potential side quest (see "Legion of Azrok,"
shaped indentation at its core (the symbol of Du- page 43). This rare magic item requires attunement.
mathoin). The edges of the indentation serve as han- A creature attuned to it gains blindsight out to a range of
dles that enable the doors to be pulled open. 30 feet. The dagger has a saw-toothed edge and a black
Secret Door. A secret door in the east wall opens into a pearl nested in its pommel.
dusty, cobweb-filled corridor that connects to area 13. Two other duergar carry treasures plundered from the
Characters inside the tunnel can spot the secret door other areas of this level in gray, soot-stained sacks. The
at either end of it without having to make a check. sacks contain the other items stolen from area llc-an
onyx smoking pipe (75 gp), a fist-sized diamond (1,000
The first time a creature passes between the quartz gp), a red crystal tankard (250 gp), an elf warrior's
pillars to the north, a booming, disembodied voice says golden gauntlet (250 gp), and a golden belt with an ob-
in Dwarvish, "Neither secrets nor treasures shall ye sidian buckle and studs (250 gp).
find! Turn back! Ye are not welcome here!" Characters
who have heard Halaster speak recognize the voice 15B. DAIS
as his. Once all creatures leave this area, the magical Corpses. Four mutilated duergar corpses are sprawled
warning resets. on the steps of the dais.
Altar and Statues. A clay altar is flanked by 10-foot-tall
15. TEMPLE OF DUMATHOIN statues of dwarves outfitted in ceremonial purple-
This huge chamber has been sculpted to resemble a cav- and-gold armor and eyeless helms. (The statues are
ern with a 30-foot-high vaulted ceiling. impressive-looking but harmless.)
Basalt Doors. At the back of the dais stands a set of
15A. NAVE double doors made of carved black basalt, flanked by
Monsters. Eight duergar plus their leader, a half-shield two glowing quartz pillars. Above the double doors
dwarf, half-duergar named Skella Ironeye, are scat- is a bas-relief carving of a mountain with a gem at its
tered throughout the area. Two cloakers flap above heart (the symbol of Dumathoin).
them, circling the nave at a height of 20 feet. The The altar is a block of clay 7 feet long, 4 feet wide, and
cloakers consider the duergar their allies. 3 feet high. When any creature moves within 20 feet of
Quartz Pillars. Glowing quartz pillars stand around it, an 8-foot-tall clay golem with dwarf-like proportions
the temple perimeter, carved to look like natural col- erupts from an extradimensional space inside the altar.
umns. The glowing pillars have the appearance of but- The golem can exit or enter the altar as an action. The
tresses, but only the four stone pillars in the middle of altar is impervious to damage.
the nave support the roof. The golem can't be reasoned with. It enters the altar
Dais. At the south end of the temple, stone steps climb again only if it perceives no threats on the dais. If it goes
10 feet to a golden marble dais (area 15b). berserk, the golem abandons its role as guardian and
Although her mother was a shield dwarf, Skella has leaves the dais in pursuit of fleeing creatures.
the statistics of a duergar with 40 hit points. She has If the characters defeat the golem or lure it away, any
also attuned to a magic dagger that gives her blindsight duergar in the temple seize the chance to approach the
out to a range of 30 feet (see "Treasure" below). black basalt doors and inspect them more closely.
When Skella and her duergar subordinates climbed Basalt Doors. These matte black doors are imper-
to the top of the dais, the altar there released a clay vious to damage and held shut by a power that neither
golem that attacked them (see area 15b). Four duergar magic nor force can overcome. The doors appear to ab-
were smashed to a pulp before Skella realized that their sorb all light, but a close inspection reveals Dwarvish in-
weapons were having no effect on the golem. She or- scriptions carved into them that translate as follows: "It
dered her remaining forces to fall back, whereupon the is the will of the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain
golem withdrew to the altar once more. that only the hand of the king may open these doors.
Skella is prepared to let the adventurers take a crack Let all who enter gaze upon the heart of Melairbode and
at defeating the golem, so that she can find out what lies know the true power of dwarvenkind." Any character
beyond the basalt doors. When the characters arrive, who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (History) check
she tries to forge a truce with them, promising them knows that Melairbode is the name of the ancient dwar-
safe passage through the Lost Level if they defeat the ven realm beneath l.Vli;unt Waterdeep, whose Underhalls
were the foundations of Undermountain.

LEVEL 6 ( LOST LEVEL
86