Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Shadowdusk Expedition

An expeditionary force has been sent from Shadowdusk Hold (level 22) to collect Runestone fragments. The force consists of a chaotic evil human archmage named Akarrth Shadowdusk, a beholder named Gz'zarp, two grells, and two nothics. The grells and nothics are Akarrth's servants, the beholder his tenuous ally.

The characters can easily strike up an alliance with Akarrth, but any such pact is doomed to crumble in short order because the archmage is insane.

Treasure

Any character who searches the interior of the forge and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check finds the soot-covered tinderbox, which contains a single bead of force.

4a. Melding Cave

Most of the myconids live in this cave, the ceiling of which is uneven and ranges in height from 15 to 30 feet. The cave's other features are as follows:

The centipedes and the fire beetles share this delicate ecosystem with the myconids, serving to help control the growth of fungi in the caverns. The light from the fire beetles' carapaces is the cave's only illumination. These creatures are not under the myconids' control and fight only in self-defense.

The myconid sprouts form an inner ring 6 feet in diameter, and the adults are in a protective ring 10 feet in diameter around them. The myconids use their Rapport Spores action option to peacefully meld with one another. Creatures that approach within 10 feet of the outer ring are subject to the spores' effect.

Characters who make telepathic contact with the myconids are greeted warmly. The myconids offer to take visitors to their sovereign (x) or escort them to the edge of their domain. The friendly fungus folk are blissfully unaware of the conflict happening outside their caverns, but they're afraid of the "rock giants" (Halaster's stone golems) and "rock demons" (gargoyles) that dwell in the caves around them.

4b. Friendly Sovereign

When not melding with its subjects, the myconid sovereign—named Floot—spends its time cultivating exotic mushrooms and crafting potions. Using its Rapport Spores action option to facilitate telepathic communication, Floot welcomes characters to its domain and offers them two potions as gifts (see "Treasure" below). Floot expects nothing in return, but if the characters are of a mind to reciprocate, the sovereign urges them to destroy any "rock demons" (gargoyles) they encounter, for the good of the myconid colony.

4c. Quaggoth Spore Servants

The animating spores of the myconid sovereign have given the dead quaggoths a semblance of life. While in the presence of one or more myconids, the quaggoth spore servants regard all creatures with detached indifference and refrain from attacking. But they turn hostile if there are no myconids around to pacify them.

6a. Toothy Maw

This 20-foot-high cavern resembles a tooth-filled maw because of its numerous stalactites and stalagmites. The plentiful rock formations make it difficult for large and cumbersome creatures to pass through the cavern, so the Stonecloaks avoid this area.

Casting a spell of 1st level or higher in this cavern has a chance of waking the mummy lord equal to the spell's level × 10 percent. If the mummy lord awakens, the duergar mummies in x rise out of their mass grave and emerge from that area, moving to attack all creatures in the mummy lord's lair.

6b. Mass Grave

The floor of packed earth in this 10-foot-high cave is a shallow grave for eight duergar mummies (Gorka Tharn's former disciples). The mummies burst out of the ground and attack any creatures that enter this area. If intruders flee, the mummies pursue. If the mummies awaken, so too does Gorka Tharn.

6c. Mummy Lord's Crypt

Stealing any of the treasure around the altar or touching the stalagmite automatically awakens Gorka Tharn. In addition, casting a spell of 1st level or higher in this cavern has a chance of waking the mummy lord equal to the spell's level × 10 percent.

Gorka Tharn was a duergar priest of Laduguer, now transformed into a mummy lord, with these changes:

• The mummy lord speaks Dwarvish and Undercommon.
• It has the stone shape spell prepared instead of divination.
• It has the Enlarge and Invisibility action options described below.

8a. Gargoyles and Golems

The gargoyles serve Halaster. They remain motionless unless they are attacked or combat erupts in this area, whereupon they fight as allies of the stone golems.

The golems are hostile toward any creature that doesn't look like Halaster or a gargoyle. A character disguised as Halaster can make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the golems' Wisdom (Insight) check, with advantage on the check if the portrayal is particularly convincing. On a successful check, the golem won't attack that character unless the character attacks it.

8b. Natural Frieze

Rivulets of water trickling down the back wall of this damp 15-foot-high cave have eroded the stone in a spectacular way, creating a natural frieze that resembles a hunched male human leaning down to pick up a staff while a great blue dragon sneaks up behind him. Halaster's contribution to the natural carving is the staff, which he formed out of the rock.

8c. Acid Tentacles

The gargoyles and golems in x won't enter this empty cavern, the ceiling of which is a rough 15-foot-high dome. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic throughout the cave—the effect of a magic trap placed here by Halaster.

When one or more creatures reach the cavern's midpoint, 15-foot-long tentacles of acid magically erupt from the floor, walls, and ceiling. A creature that enters the tentacle-filled cavern for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) acid damage and be grappled by a tentacle (escape DC 22). A creature that starts its turn grappled by a tentacle automatically takes 10 (3d6) acid damage.

The tentacles can't be damaged, and dispel magic has no effect on them. The tentacles disappear when all creatures have left the cavern. If the words "Halaster, save us!" are spoken aloud in the cavern in Common, the tentacles disappear, and the trap can't trigger again for 1 hour.

8d. Golden Haungharassk

Halaster placed Haungharassk here, setting up the trap in x both to confine the creature and to prevent others from killing it. The giant snail is an unaligned Huge beast with AC 6, 52 (7d12 + 7) hit points, and walking and climbing speeds of 10 feet. It can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Its ability scores are as follows: Strength 20, Dexterity 3, Constitution 13, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 10, Charisma 3. It has no attacks and can't speak. A pound of salt thrown onto the snail's skin deals 1d6 acid damage to the creature.

The glowing golden hue of Haungharassk's shell is augmented by veins of real gold. That gold can be stripped from the shell, but only if the snail is dead (see "Treasure" below). Killing the snail yields no XP.

A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of abjuration magic around the snail. A creature that uses an action to touch the living snail gains 6 temporary hit points that last for 24 hours. Any creature or object that touches the living snail also gains the benefit of a remove curse spell. The snail loses these magical properties if it dies.

The characters can lead Haungharassk around by feeding it plants, fungi, or algae. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check enables a character to discern what the giant snail likes to eat.

The patch of glowing fungus magically regrows each time it is picked. It is the snail's food source. The fungus dies if taken from this area.

9a. Stonecloak Sentries

Two stone golems carved to resemble Halaster (see "x") stand east of the two columns of rock that support the 20-foot-high ceiling of this otherwise empty cave. Characters who enter the area through the northwest tunnel can't see the golems right away because the rock columns provide total cover.

The golems are hostile toward any creature that doesn't look like Halaster. A character disguised as Halaster can make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the golems' Wisdom (Insight) check, with advantage on the check if the portrayal is particularly convincing. On a successful check, the golem won't attack that character unless the character attacks it.

9b. Arch Gate to Level 15

The arch is one of Halaster's gates (see "x"). It is composed of one hundred stone jigsaw pieces, each weighing 10 pounds. The rules of this gate are as follows:

• Only one piece of the arch can be removed at any given time. A detect magic spell reveals that one of the pieces (determined randomly) is magical. When that piece is removed from the arch, it disappears, and the gate opens for 1 minute. When the gate closes, the piece removed from the arch magically reappears in its proper place, and a different piece becomes magical and must be removed to reopen the gate.
• If a wrong piece is removed from the arch, a beholder magically appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the arch and attacks any creature it can see. The beholder disappears when it is slain or after 1 minute. When the beholder disappears, the piece that was removed from the arch magically reappears in its previous place.
• Characters must be 13th level or higher to pass through this gate (see "x"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see "x").
• A creature that passes through the gate appears in x, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.

11a. Hammer Time

The hammer-handed golem is carved to resemble Halaster (see "x") and is hostile toward any creature that doesn't look like the Mad Mage. When the golem hits a creature with one of its mallets, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

A character disguised as Halaster can make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the golem's Wisdom (Insight) check, with advantage on the check if the portrayal is particularly convincing. On a successful check, the golem is indifferent toward that character.

The magical light motes are harmless but attracted to movement, and they swirl around any creatures that pass through the cave. The lights can't be dispelled, but they are suppressed in the area of an antimagic field spell or similar effect.

11b. Statue of Transformation

This dead-end cave has a domed ceiling 15 feet high. A 5-foot-tall statue stands atop a 2-foot-tall granite plinth near the east wall. The ancient-looking statue depicts a hooded woman with her hands cupped in front of her. Part of the statue's head has broken off, and spongy white toadstools are growing out from the broken stone.

The statue is a Medium object with AC 17, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around it. Whenever a nonmagical object weighing 10 pounds or less is placed in the statue's cupped hands, it turns into a different object as determined by rolling percentile dice and consulting the Object Transformation table. The statue becomes nonmagical if it loses more than half its hit points.

Each time an object is removed from the statue's cupped hands, there is a 20 chance that the white toadstools growing out of the statue's broken head release a cloud of milky-white spores. The cloud fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the statue and lasts for 1 minute. Any creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or contract a disease called blinding sickness, which lasts until cured with a lesser restoration spell or similar magic. Pain grips the diseased creature's mind, and its eyes turn milky white. Until the disease is cured, the creature is blinded and has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws.

Sunlight or any effect that deals fire damage or radiant damage destroys the toadstools.

11c. Unreliable Oracle

This empty, 10-foot-high cavern has a large question mark carved into the east wall. If anyone asks a question in this cave, a whispering voice replies with an answer determined by rolling percentile dice and consulting the Oracle Answers table.

12a. Bones and Stones

The behirs were smashed to a pulp by Halaster's stone golems, but their skulls and bones are mostly intact.

One of Halaster's stone golems was destroyed in the battle that took place here. Among its shattered limbs and various unrecognizable fragments, characters can find the right half of the golem's shattered head. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of illusion magic around the partial head. The first time a character approaches within 10 feet of the head, the source of the aura becomes apparent as a magic mouth spell cast on it says, in Ezzat's voice and in Common:

Down and down and down once more

Awaits the mad one's doom;

Between there and here, heaven's tears.

Evil knocking on the Far Realm's door.

12b. Treasure Cave

This cave contains a hoard left behind by the behirs.

12c. Column of Eyes

A natural column of rock stands in the entrance to this cave. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic surrounding the column. Whenever a creature comes within 10 feet of the column, dozens of eyes open on its surface, staring in all directions. The eyes follow creatures that move past the column, but they are only harmless magical effects created by Halaster. Casting dispel magic on the column removes the eyes from it permanently.

The cave once served as a larder for the behirs. It is strewn with the bones of past victims: unlucky adventurers, duergar, drow, quaggoths, cloakers, darkmantles, hook horrors, and umber hulks. Nothing of value can be found among the bones.

13a. Main Cavern

Characters see a bright blue-white light ahead as they approach this cavern. The cave's features are as follows:

Each time the characters visit this area, there is a 25 chance that Halaster links to the Runestone and uses it to spy on the main cavern. If he sees the characters and has any reason to want them dead, Halaster casts spells with a suitably long range at them through the Runestone, including Bigby's hand, chain lightning, fireball, and meteor swarm, as the opportunity presents itself. See x for information on the Runestone.

13b. Glaring Gargoyles

This side cavern has an uneven floor and ceiling 50 feet high and is adorned with a scattering of stalagmites and stalactites. Three gargoyles perch atop 10-foot-high stalagmites. These servants of Halaster watch and listen to the Runestone, waiting for new commands from their lord and master. The gargoyles attack any group of creatures they outnumber, but they avoid the Stonecloaks.

13c. Moldy Cave

Water drips from the ceiling onto a floor carpeted in thick gray mold. The mold is edible but not nutritious.

13d. Rotting Xorn Carcass

Rats and vermin nibble away at the rotting carcass of a xorn that lies at the back of this cave. Seven days ago, the xorn ran afoul of the golem in x and was mortally wounded. It retreated to this cavern and died here.

13e. Old Campsite

A ring of fire-scarred stones near the north wall of this 10-foot-high cave marks a long-abandoned campsite. Someone has used a knife to scratch the following warning, in Dwarvish, into the east wall: "The Mad Mage watches us. The Runestone is his eye!"

13f. Halaster's Head

Lying on the floor of this otherwise empty 10-foot-high cave is an oversized stone head resembling the head of Halaster Blackcloak. The stone head once belonged to a Stonecloak that was cannibalized by the renegade golem in x.

13g. Gusting Chasm

A howling, 60-mile-per-hour wind blows up and out of this 300-foot-deep chasm. A magical effect created by Halaster, the wind is strong enough in the immediate vicinity of the chasm to snuff out torches and other open flames of a nonmagical nature.

The chasm has abundant handholds and is easily climbed. Characters who descend to the floor find it jagged, uneven, and littered with the broken pieces of stone golems (tossed into the chasm by the mad golem in x), four dead gargoyles in pieces, and the bones of a dwarf (a miner who slipped and fell into the chasm over a century ago). The miner's pick lies near the bones.

Runestone Fragments

The surface of the Runestone is rough and splintered. Every 12 hours, a pebble-sized fragment of the Runestone breaks off and falls to the cavern floor, though the Runestone shows no signs of ever being diminished by shedding these fragments. A broken-off fragment is magical but no longer glows. It comes to rest 1d4 × 10 feet from the base of the stalagmite.

Ezzat's pseudodragon companion, Ipses, gathers up Runestone fragments as it hunts for food around the stalagmite, but a few occasionally escape its notice. A character who examines the cavern floor around the spire with a detect magic spell finds 1d4 fragments. Without such magical aid, a character can find one fragment with a 1-hour search and a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check.

Halaster has discovered a process for implanting Runestone fragments in constructs to imbue them with more intelligence and personality. These fragments might also have other magical properties, at your discretion.

Delivering a Runestone fragment to Jalester Silvermane in Waterdeep completes a quest (see "x").

Outer Door

A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of abjuration magic around each sapphire. Close examination reveals the image of a tiny black spider etched into each one. Two drow vampires are trapped in the gemstones and are magically released the first time a creature other than Ezzat opens the door or pries either gemstone out. Each vampire initially appears as a cloud of mist, then spends its first turn in combat reverting to its true form. The vampires' names are Sabatene Xilzzrin and Tebran Madannith. Their houses were destroyed long ago. They have spent the last fifty years imprisoned by Ezzat, thirsting for blood.

Neither Sabatene nor Tebran can enter the stalagmite without Ezzat's invitation, since the tower is his residence. Far removed from their resting places, they have nowhere to go if their physical forms are destroyed. A drow vampire reduced to 72 hit points or fewer attempts to flee rather than risk destruction. Although they have common enemies and similar needs, the two vampires are allies only by circumstance and care nothing for each other.

Foyer

A wooden coat rack stands in the north corner of this otherwise empty room.

Treasure

The game on the table is called Coroniir, more commonly known as crowns. A game of strategy like chess, it enables two players to reenact a battle of the Crown Wars between two elven coronals. The set features a varnished oak game board and painted wooden figurines, weighs 5 pounds, and is worth 250 gp intact. The game board doubles as a carrying case for the figurines.

The position of the figurines on the board suggests that a game is in progress. The staff is waiting for Ezzat to return so that they can finish their game, which the lich is presently four moves away from winning. The staff moves its own pieces.

Books

Ezzat has amassed a large collection of books written by self-proclaimed experts on Undermountain. Most of the tomes are filled with information of questionable worth and accuracy. The lich has spent years separating truth from fiction, trying to learn how Halaster's command of the dungeon has gone unchallenged and how Undermountain changes to serve its master's whims.

Treasure

Ezzat wears an amulet of proof against detection and location and carries an ebony wand (25 gp) that he uses as an arcane focus.

Treasure

Sitting on the top shelf of the cabinet are two potions of resistance (force and lightning). The other shelves are strewn with spell components, including two forked mithral rods (250 gp each). These are material components for the plane shift spell, attuned to the Astral Plane and the Shadowfell, respectively. They serve little use in Undermountain, given the dungeon's restrictions on such magic.

22a. Magic Circle

A character who examines the circle and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check can determine that it confers the same benefit as a magic circle spell that affects celestials, elementals, fey, and fiends all at once. The circle is permanent, but defacing any part of its inscribed length renders it nonmagical.

22b. Ezzat's Spellbook

The statue projects an antipathy effect like that created by an antipathy/sympathy spell (save DC 20) while the spellbook is in its grasp. The spell affects all creatures except Ezzat and is inactive whenever the spellbook is removed from the statue.

No spells or other magical effects can move or damage the statue, which is a Medium object with AC 17, 33 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If the statue is destroyed, it turns to dust. A delayed blast fireball spell (save DC 20) then immediately detonates in its space.

Phylactery

Ezzat's phylactery is a box 6 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 4 inches tall that weighs 2 pounds. It is made of adamantine with gold trim, and its interior is inscribed with tiny silver runes. A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of necromancy magic around it. Any character who examines the box and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes it as a lich's phylactery. (For more information on lich phylacteries, see the "Lich" entry in the Monster Manual.)

Destroying Ezzat's phylactery requires that it be struck by eight disintegrate spells at the same time. A legend lore spell cast on the box provides the following insight: "Seek out eight magi who possess the power of disintegration and bring them to common purpose. Their combined force can destroy the phylactery." Other reliable divination spells provide similar advice.