Contents
Part 2: The Wizard's Barrow
When the adventurers arrive, the barrow has already been entered (twice) and partly plundered. The barrow's three levels, and a side view, are presented in the included maps (See Appendix).
Entryway
The main entryway to the barrow was the only entrance into the site until Tyreus arrived. Located at the western end of the structure and marked by two large standing stones etched with faded spiral sigils, the entrance is a weather-worn set of stairs interrupted by an upright stone slab. It was never a door, but a seal.
Morwena and Malivar forced the seal open when they arrived. Now the barrow stands open to the winds and gathering rains of the High Moors. Anyone can descend the steep, worn steps and enter.
General Features
After its origins as a barrow grave in ancient times, the interior of the Wizard's Barrow has been refashioned with magic and more modern crafting techniques. The top level remains the oldest in fashion, combining original stone slabs with mortar and stones from about a century ago.
The second and third levels of the site consist of gray, cut stones slowly giving way after decades without maintenance—made all the worse by side effects of the sinkhole opening up outside. Cracks and gaps now reach into the second level of the site. Some areas are in danger of collapsing into the library below. Clever adventurers may find a way to take advantage of these dangers; others may succumb to them.
Ceilings
Each level features rough, uneven ceilings about 8 feet high, left unfinished for cosmetic effect by the wizards of old.
Doors
On the first level, doors are ramshackle, rotten things, lightweight and easily opened or broken. Except where otherwise noted, doors of the lower two levels are sturdy but small for their frames, unlikely to stick in place even after all these years.
Light
The first level has no usable, surviving light sources. The second and third levels feature periodic wall sconces housing glassy stones magically enchanted to give off dim light. Most of them still work.
Sound
The barrow would be silent if not for intruders. Since the sinkhole damaged the site, sound now carries from the second level to the third where the floors are cracked and giving way.
1. Guard Chamber
The wizards meant for this chamber to be a guard post, but rather than bring people out here who weren't wizards in their little sect, they later opted to trap the chamber with an experimental magic glyph. (The wizards mostly came and went by teleportation circles in the library anyway.)
The stele is marked with a glyph akin to a glyph of warding, but it differs in important ways. Several of these trapped steles can be found throughout the barrow.
Wooden scraps or detritus in this chamber catch fire if the trap goes off, but the fire has nowhere to spread.
The medallion was set on the stele long ago to prevent its trap from going off. The trap cannot see around the medallion. Removing the medallion makes the stele's trap active again, though whoever wears or carries the medallion does not trigger the trap.
Morwena and Malivar ignored the stele and the medallion in their rush to reach the library.
Trapped Steles
The barrow's trapped steles were crafted with effects not unlike a glyph of warding. However, the steles' glyphs are plain to see even in dim light. Each trapped stele can be activated multiple times; exactly how many depends on the individual stele. When the stele detects a trespasser in front of its glyph it immediately emits a stroke of lightning at the trespasser. If a targeted trespasser does not leave the area, the stele emits lightning again on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties).
Anyone not named when the stele was crafted is considered a trespasser unless they wear or carry a medallion of safe passage.
Guard Chamber Trapped Stele
This trapped stele detects trespassers in a 30-foot cone in front of its glyph. It has a passive Perception score of 18. To disarm or dispel the trap requires a successful DC 18 check. Any creature that triggers the trap and fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage, or half as much damage with a successful save.
The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. This stele can emit lightning a total of five times before becoming nothing more than inert stone.
Medallion of Safe Passage
The medallion is silver-plated copper engraved with the same glyph as the stele, so the medallion appears coppery. Any creature wearing or visibly carrying one of these medallions does not trigger a trapped stele. The medallion is not magical. It is simply recognized by the steles, throughout the barrow, granting safe passage past their traps.
2. Moldering Supplies
The floor angles down here before leveling off in the passage and chambers. This room was once the supply cache and pantry for the site. Most of what was left here has rotted to waste.
Treasure
The closed crate contains five golden oil lamps, porcelain wares, and three copper ingots altogether worth 140 gp.
3. Rotten Common Room
This chamber was once a common room and dining area for the site. The furnishings that once made it comfortable are still here, caked with dust, damp, and debris.
Treasure
The silver wares, tea pots, and serving trays here are collectively worth 310 gp. The landscape painting is a lost work by a beloved Waterdhavian artist named Saraque Skyhill worth 1,200 gp if properly conserved.
4. Abandoned Quarters
Each of these chambers was a private room for a member of the sect who visited or worked on site regularly. Personal effects have mostly been removed, leaving these feeling more like cells than bedrooms. Forgotten bedrolls and empty, unlocked chests are all that remain in most rooms.
4A: Hidden Shrine
This chamber hides a secret door leading to a hidden shrine.
The secret door is little more than a hatch behind this room's empty chest, hidden by dried mud and a slab meant to look like part of the wall. The door can be spotted with a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check or passive score.
The hidden shrine itself is half-buried in dirt and loam at the bottom of a once-empty chimney, meant to allow the shrine to see the stars. Whatever deity was once honored here, all that remains are melted candles, 1 sp, and a medallion of safe passage.
5. Ceremonial Entryway
The north, east, and west walls are made of plaster adorned with colorful but smoke-faded murals. Each mural depicts figures in stark robes—some red, some green, some blue—painted as if they are part of a procession carrying trays of fire, lit incense, and silver toward the doorway to area 6.
The secret door to area 7 is a narrow wooden section hidden under the plaster, decorated by a figure in green robes with one hand over his eyes. The door can be found with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check.
6. Descent Passage
The painted plaster walls continue into this area, depicting robed wizards headed toward the stairs down to area 8. But here, the wizards' robes are multi-colored.
The stairs down to the second level mark the start of the finer, more modern stonework of the site's lower two levels.
7. Observer's Chamber
Wizards used this chamber to observe newcomers to the sect as they performed rites and recited chants in the ceremonial entryway (area 5) and descended the stairs (area 6).
The walls are quite solid to the touch. Anyone in this room can focus their attention to see and hear into areas 5 and 6. The passive Perception scores of creatures in this chamber suffer a–5 penalty while observing the adjoining chambers.
8. Second-Level Passageways
These passages of fitted stone blocks are sturdy and intact throughout much of the second level—but not all of it. Between the ritual chambers (areas 10, 11, and 12), the floor has been shaken and cracked by side effects from the sinkhole collapse nearby. Everything in area 8 is capable of supporting the weight of the adventurers but can also reveal light and carry sound to Exul in the grand library below (area 14).
Creatures in area 14 have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to peer up into this area and a–5 penalty to passive Perception to idly notice things in this area.
Adventurers attempting to observe the grand library through the flooring here also have disadvantage on their checks, unless they get down on the floor to peer through gaps.
9. Component Vault
This door is locked (DC 16 to pick the lock) and well built (Strength DC 20 to break it down) but the chamber's primary defense is the trapped stele inside.
Vault Stele
This trapped stele detects trespassers it can see in a 60-foot cone in front of its glyph. It has a passive Perception score of 16. To disarm or dispel the trap requires a successful DC 16 check. Any creature that triggers the trap and fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage, or half as much damage with a successful save.
The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.
This stele can emit lightning a total of three times before becoming nothing more than inert stone. Beyond the stele, this place is a kind of arcane pantry.
Treasure
These containers once held spell components. Most have been carried off or have rotted away, but one urn still holds 440 gp worth of diamond dust and a wooden box contains a coil of gold twine almost 3 feet long, worth 290 gp. A medallion of safe passage hangs from a hook on the southern wall.
10. Ritual Casting Chamber (North)
Wizards used this chamber to cast ritual spells without distraction, to perform rites sacred to the old sect, and to observe apprentices as they practiced their work.
Any checks to sneak through this chamber without attracting the attention of creatures in area 14 are made with disadvantage.
The etchings along the wall are instructions for casting detect magic and identify as a ritual, but no power has been imbued within the words, so they are little more than mnemonics for apprentice wizards.
Ritual Casting Stele
This trapped stele detects trespassers it can see in a 60-foot cone in front of its glyph. It has a passive Perception score of 16. To disarm or dispel the trap requires a successful DC 16 check. Any creature that triggers the trap and fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage, or half as much damage with a successful save.
The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. This stele can emit lightning a total of three times before becoming inert stone.
11. Ritual Casting Chamber (South)
Like area 10, this chamber was used for rituals, rites, and practice. Unlike that chamber, this room is still adorned with precious trinkets leftover from some past rite.
Any checks to sneak through this chamber without attracting the attention of creatures in area 14 are made with disadvantage.
Ritual Casting Stele
This trapped stele detects trespassers it can see in a 60-foot cone in front of its glyph. It has a passive Perception score of 16. To disarm or dispel the trap requires a successful DC 16 check. Any creature that triggers the trap and fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage, or half as much damage with a successful save.
The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. This stele can emit lightning a total of three times before becoming inert stone.
Treasure
The three golden plates on the southern wall were part of some rite or ritual, now forgotten. Each plate, worth 300 gp, is a thin disc of gold inset with five red garnets.
12. Laboratory Chamber
This used to be a laboratory, but aside from the heavy tables, shelves, and trapped steles, this place has been tidily cleaned out. The steles were made here; the two that remain are functional but appear unfinished.
Any checks to sneak through this chamber without attracting the attention of creatures in area 14 are made with disadvantage.
Laboratory Steles
These two trapped steles detect trespassers they can see in 60-foot cones in front of their glyphs. Each has a passive Perception score of 15. To disarm or dispel either trap requires a successful DC 15 check. Any creature that triggers the trap and fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage, or half as much damage with a successful save. The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.
Each of these steles can emit lightning twice before becoming inert stone.
13. Common Catacomb
This rough-hewn catacomb is lined with three inset shelves for the dead. Here the wizards interred the original inhabitants of the barrow above, as well as servants and some other friends and allies of the site who passed away during its years in operation. Each was wrapped in gray or white cloth and put in place without grave goods or treasures. (Wizards of the sect are in area 16.)
Malivar is here, likely unconscious, after almost being killed by Tyreus's spells. He has 1 hit point. If awakened, he tries to assess his situation rather than immediately fight or flee.
Malivar reveals the following bits of information if the adventurers talk with him. If threatened, he attempts to keep quiet.
- The wizard they pursued here is called Tyreus.
- Tyreus is a powerful archmage from another world. He's here looking for an ancient site of mystical power. "We tried to recruit him."
- He had a hefty tome bound in white leather with five sigils on the front, held close to him. "That's what he came for, whatever it is."
- Morwena's allegiance to the Red Wizards has been wavering. She felt they were holding her back from the kind of arcane power she really wanted. "I wish I wasn't surprised that she turned on me. I mean, us."
14. Grand Library
This was the heart of the site, when the wizards used it so many years ago. Many texts were gradually removed as the sect's power dwindled, but most of it remains here. The last of the wizards didn't know they were never coming back when they left for the last time.
Tyreus and Morwena left hours ago after ordering the fiery humanoid elemental, named Exul, the destroy the library's collection. (Tyreus is simply covering his tracks.) This order is part of a geas Tyreus cast upon Exul.
Tyreus left with an arcane tome in hand and Morwena at his side but didn't tell Exul where they were going. Exul's service ends with the destruction of the library.
The Fire Spirit
Exul kills time here while he can, reading what he is about to burn. He sits atop a pile of scrolls and books in the middle of the room and allows himself to be distracted by his reading unless intruders catch his attention. He thinks Malivar has died or fled and acts as if he has the barrow to himself and his elementals. While distracted by his reading, he has a–5 penalty to his passive Perception score.
If he suspects he is no longer alone, he carries on idly reading and burning texts but no longer allows himself to be distracted.
If he knows intruders are present, he summons an elemental to defend him—probably a fire elemental, as it can help him burn the library or slip into area 15 to aid the elementals there, as needed. As he can, Exul resumes his task of burning the library so he can leave without taking damage from the geas upon him.
Exul is a cunning, unfair combatant. He uses invisibility to protect himself. He hurls fire and casts wall of fire to accelerate his work. If either he or the library has fewer than 25 percent of their hit point maximum, Exul may attempt to flee by casting plane shift and traveling alone to the Elemental Plane of Fire. He might do this even if his task is incomplete, risking damage from Tyreus's geas. Exul is smart but reckless. He leaves any elementals behind to combat the adventurers.
Teleportation Circles
Two teleportation circles used to serve this chamber and the wizards who kept this collection. The northern circle has been damaged by the sinkhole's collapse. (It used to lead to a now-ruined wizard's tower overlooking the Sword Coast.) The southern circle leads to an abandoned townhouse in Waterdeep; the circle there is beneath the floorboards in the attic. (See "Part 3: What's Next?" for additional options.)
Treasure
To historians, sages, and collectors in a college or university, the value of the library's nonmagical collection is up to 5,500 gp. Three spell scrolls also remain in the collection: one scroll of chain lightning, one scroll of Otiluke's freezing sphere, and one scroll of wall of stone.
The Burning Library
In this library—littered with stray pages, tables, chairs, and rugs—fire spreads 5 feet in any direction on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), as sheets of fiery paper flit about on fire-hot winds. Each 5-foot square that is burning deals 3 (1d6) fire damage to the library, to a maximum of 42 (12d6) fire damage each turn.
A creature that starts its turn in a burning space takes 3 (1d6) fire damage. A creature without resistance to fire damage has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to see through the smoke and fire here.
The chamber survives the fire even if it is a charred husk billowing smoke into upper levels and into area 15 and the open air.
It is the collection that's in jeopardy. The library collection has 300 hit points and no damage threshold. Consult the Collection Damage Results table to determine what survives based on damage suffered by the collection.
Fighting the Fire
What the adventurers use to combat the flames is up to them. Water is not plentiful here, but earth and dirt are in great supply.
Presume any ability check to put out fire by nonmagical means requires a successful DC 15 check, the ability of which depends on what the characters are trying to do. Success on such a check puts out fire in a 10-foot square or equivalent area.
If cold damage caused in any 5-foot-square area exceeds the damage being dealt in that area by the blaze, that 5-foot square's fire goes out. Persistent ice or other lingering effects keep fire from spreading.
Collection Damage Results
| Damage Suffered | Result |
|---|---|
| 0–50 hp | Minor losses: Only lore and legends are burned, and the value of the collection is reduced by 500 gp. |
| 51–100 hp | Moderate losses: One spell scroll is destroyed, and the value of the collection is reduced by 1,500 gp. |
| 101–200 hp | Major losses: Two spell scrolls are destroyed, and the value of the collection is reduced by 3,000 gp. |
Otherwise, an area might burn again if fire spreads and the collection still has hit points remaining.
15. Processional Hall
This wide passage was once a memorial site of gray stone and white marble details. The arrival of Tyreus and his elementals shattered the columns, arches, and mosaics. All that remains are drab heaps of stone dotted with bits of tile and marble. The floor is essentially a pit of rubble now, gathering soil, rocks, and grasses from the sinkhole collapse all around.
This whole area is 3. The doors to area 14 are loose on their hinges and blocked by a slab of stone that keeps them from opening. Tyreus didn't want to be followed. The stone requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to move aside or a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to wiggle past.
This area is inhabited for now by two earth elementals lingering here after helping Tyreus reach this place. They are not afraid to engage in combat, but neither is willing to die here. They flee into the earth if reduced to 25 percent of their hit points, possibly to return days later for further exploring.
16. Honored Crypts
The ceremonial hall was meant to end in a fresco depicting a starry sky, the moon, and its tail. Much of that fresco has fallen away with Tyreus's arrival, revealing bare, gray stone underneath—a wall that hides a door, which was never meant to be opened. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the door amid the rubble.
The passage and crypts beyond the door are simple and spare. The sarcophagi in areas 16A through 16D are simply carved to depict the various, forgotten wizards inside. No grandeur. Each is depicted in a simple robe.
Alas, some of the dead wizards interred in these crypts, stirred by anger and unrest, rise to defend the crypts. These 1d4 + 2 mummies are not sandy, arid creatures but gaunt, gray horrors clad in gray robes, but their rotting fists remain deadly.
Each mummy moves to escape its crypt and attack trespassers, whether that means the adventurers, elementals, Malivar, or anyone else. They return to their crypts if they cannot find targets within 100 feet of the crypts' secret door, returning as necessary to drive off intruders. They do not seal themselves in and do not open the door of their own accord.
Treasure
The crypts are fairly sparely appointed, as the wizards interred here left their belongings to the library and their apprentices. Still, a few silver vases, golden urns, and goblets, altogether worth 300 gp, can be found here. Area 16C includes a small obsidian statue of a medusa with emerald eyes worth 425 gp.