and is used primarily for feedings. Xanathar uses its
telekinesis ray to transfer Sylgar from one fishbowl
to another.
Mirror. Carved into the mirror's frame is the word
"Xoblob." A detect magic spell reveals a n aura of divina-
tion magic around the mirror. Speaking the word "Xob-
lob" within 10 feet of the mirror causes its reflective
surface to become a scrying sensor, showing the Old
Xoblob Shop and the street in front of it, as seen through
the eyes of the stuffed beholder that hangs in the shop's
display window (see "Old Xoblob Shop," page 23).
Spores. The purple spores are infused with faerzress,
a magical radiation found in the Underdark. A creature
that ends its turn in the room must succeed on a DC 13
Constitution saving throw or suffer a random form of
short-term madness, determined by rolling on the Short-
Term Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Mas-
ter's Guide. A creature doesn't need to inhale the spores
to be affected by them. Once the madness ends, the
creature becomes immune to the spores in this room.
Treasure. The treasure chest is unlocked and con-
tains thirty 100 gp gemstones. If Xanathar has retrieved
the Stone ofGolorr, the artifact is also here.X20. DREAM NULLIFIER
This side chamber contains the following features:- A 6-foot-diameter bowl made of crystal lattice pulsates
with multicolored light as it floats 10 feet off the floor. - A mangy straw pallet lies on the Boor under the
bowl. (The fish keeper, Ott Steeltoes. uses the pallet
as a bed.)
Dream Nullifier. Xanathar hired a wizard to con-
struct a device that would prevent it from accidentally
dreaming another beholder into existence. The bowl-
shaped "dream nullifier" magically wakes Xanathar
when it starts to dream about other beholders. If the
bowl is engulfed by an antimagic field or targeted by a
dispel magic spell or similar effect, it crashes to the floor
and shatters into a million pieces.
X21. BEHOLDER ESCAPE ROUTE
Set into the floor al the north end of a tunnel that gently
slopes down to area Xl9 is a circular stone plug that
opens in the ceiling of the hallway below. Xanathar canREPLACING THE MIND FLAYER
Nihiloor the mind flayer has carved out its own lair within
Xanathar's lair (areas X23 through X26). If Nihiloor is
killed earlier in the adventure, replace it with a mind flayer
named Qrr'zarq.
Qrr'zarq comes from a colony of mind flayers in Under-
mountain that wants to implant Xanathar with an illithid
tadpole and, through a magical process called ceremorph-
osis, turn the beholder into a thrall. Qrr'zarq is waiting for
an opportunity to implant the tadpole while Xanathar is
alone and asleep. The mind flayer doesn't want adventur·
ers to complicate or ruin its brilliant plan, which it keeps to
itself. It offers to help characters who agree not to harm it
or the beholder.C HAPTER 5 I SPRINO MADNESS
lift the plug with its telekinesis ray, creating an opening
just large enough for il lo float through. A character can
lift the stone plug with a successful DC 19 Strength
(Athletics) check.X22. ARRIVAL POINT
Any creature holding the correct key that steps through
the magical portal in area Qll of the Xanathar Guild
hideout (see chapter J) appears here, between the col-
umns of rock.
A curling staircase in the southwest corner descends
20 feet to area X32.X23. ANTECHAMBER OF MADNESS
This great hall has the following features:- A kuo-toa whip and six kuo-toa guard the hall. They
gather in front of an iron portcullis in the southeast
corner and tear bits of flesh off the bones of a recently
slain dwarf. - A ghostly eyestalk protrudes from the ceiling in the
middle of the hall. - The floor is littered with bones and covered with a
thin layer of sticky, translucent slime.
Kuo-toa. These insane creatures are under the
control of the mind flayer in area X24 and obey its tele-
pathic commands to the best of their ability. When they
detect intruders, they cry out, "Ooopl Ooop!" to alert
their iUithid master, then charge into battle.
Portcullis. The portcullis between this area and area
X24 can be raised with a successful DC 22 Strength
(Athletics) check, or with a knock spell or similar magic.
The lever to raise the portcullis is in area X24.
Scrying Sensor. The ghostly eyestalk is a magical
sensor that allows one of the apprentice wizards in
area Xl6 to monitor this room. See area X2 for more
information.
Sticky Slime. The slime-covered floor is difficult
terrain for all creatures except kuo-toa, other creatures
that have the Slippery trait, and creatures that fly.
X24. EXTRACTION CHAMBER
A portcullis separates this room from area X23, and
the lever to raise and lower it is set into the north wall.
Characters who peer through the bars of the portcullis
can see the room's contents:- In the middle of the room, a blood-spattered chair
made of carved stone stands atop a 10-foot-square,
1-foot-high stone slab. Iron manacles are bolted to the
chair's armrests.
Trapped in the chair is a stunned and weaponless
male drow in a chain shirt. He is trying to free himself
of his bonds but is making no progress.
Drow Captive. The drow, Zaibon Kyszalt, was cap-
tured in Skullport and brought here for interrogation.
His superior, Raelyn Auvryndar, was also captured and
is confined in area X7. Zaibon wants to free her and
escape into Undermountain, where House Auvryndar
has outposts.
Nihiloor has a key that unlocks the chair's shackles. A
character can unlock each shackle with a successful DC