Watch captain! Ahmaergo says the boss is happier than
a pink fiumph, whatever that is. Today, free ale! Tomor-
row, gold and glory!" This proclamation is followed by
loud cheers.
Goblins. The goblins, Luiz and Vellix, are servers who
have allowed themselves to get swept up in the reverie.
If a fight breaks out, they hide under a table and throw
themselves at the mercy of the party if the characters
emerge victorious.
Scrying Sensor. The ghostly eyestalk is a magical
sensor that allows one of the apprentice wizards in
a rea X16 to monitor this room. See area X2 for more
information.X29. TRAPDOOR
At the top of a staircase is a landing with a ladder lead-
ing up to a stone trapdoor that requires a successful DC
12 Strength (Athletics) check to be lifted. The trapdoor
opens into area X18 above.X30. XANATHAR^1 S GOURMET KITCHEN
A delightful aroma wafts down the hall from this
kitchen, blending the scents of rare spices, savory
meats, and fresh herbs. The room contains the follow-
ing features:- Seven kobolds wearing white toque hats dash be-
tween stout tables, frantically preparing meals for
Xanathar and arranging the food on silver platters. - Two gazers (see appendix B) dreamed into reality by
Xanathar oversee the kobolds and use their telekine-
sis rays to hoist and deliver food platters. - Two iron stoves stand against the east wall, with a
s lender spice rack nestled between them.
When it comes to meals. Xanathar prefers the finest
Sword Coast cuisine, including a healthy diet of mush-
rooms, as opposed to uncooked meat. All the meals pre-
pared here are for the consumption of Xanathar alone.
The gazers attack intruders on sight, while the ko-
bolds flee by the easiest route.
Spice R ack. The rack contains thirty bottles of rare
spices worth 10 gp each.
X31. TuE OTHER KITCHEN
Black smoke follows the stench of burned meat and
bread down the hallway. This magically lit kitchen has
the following features:
A haggard male halfting frantically tries to cook
meat, k nead dough, simmer sauce, and mix spices
all at once.
An iron stove stands against the south wall, and cook-
ing utensils hang from hooks just beyond the half-
ling's reach.
Halfling Cook. When the halfling spots the charac-
ters, a relieved smile crosses his face. "Finally!" he says
excitedly. "I haven't had a break in half a tenday. Make
s ure you stir the sauce once every five minutes." He then
hands the characters his apron, mistaking them for the
actual kitchen staff.
Bepis Honeymaker is a honey merchant who was kid-
napped from his Trades Ward home a month ago. The
Xanathar Guild tried to ransom him back, but seem-CHAPTER 5 I SPttll\:G MADNESS
ingly his relatives either couldn't pay or decided not to.
(Jn truth, his rotten in-laws destroyed the ransom notes
and told Bepis's wife and children that he ran away with
another family.) Ahmaergo has put him to work as a
cook but threatens to give him over lo the mind flayer
Nihiloor every so often.
Bepis is a strongheart ha!Oing commoner , with
these changes:- Bepis is lawful good.
- He is Small and has 3 (ld6) hit points.
- He has these racial traits: His walking speed is 25
feet. He can move through the space of a Medium
or larger creature. He has advantage on saving
throws against being frightened. He speaks Common
and HalHing.
X32. STAIRS AND SCRYING SENSOR
A staircase curls up to area X22, and a ghostly eyestalk
sprouts from the hallway ceiling. The eyestalk is a mag-
ical sensor that allows one of the apprentice wizards in
area X16 to monitor this corridor (see area X2 for more
information).X33. CRYPT OF XANATHARS PAST
This room contains the following features:- Suspended in floor-to-ceiling crystal cylinders are four
dead beholders preserved in embalming fluid. Magical
lights illuminate the cylinders from within.
Nine shallow alcoves have murals of beholders
painted on their walls. Standing in each alcove is a
beholder-shaped copper urn atop a green marble ped-
estal. The lid of each urn is molded with ten eyestalks.
(At the back of the westernmost alcove in the north
wall is a secret door.) - The western wall is carved to display a scowling be-
holder flanked by two hooded wizards. Beneath each
wizard's cowl, one glaring eye is visible.
Xanathar (see appendix B), if present, is gazing som-
berly at the tombs of past Xanathars.
Beholder Urns. The copper urns contain the dust
of disintegrated beholders. If the dust from an urn is
poured out, it coalesces into the vague shape of a Boat-
ing beholder for a few seconds, makes a growling noise,
then loses cohesion and falls to the floor.
Crystal Crypts. Each crystal cylinder has AC 10. 15
hit points. resistance to slashing and piercing damage,
and vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. If a cylinder is
shattered, the fluid within it washes across the floor as
the dead beholder lands with a wet plop and expels ld4
baby gas spores that grow to full size in 30 days. Any
character infected by these gas spores gains the follow-
ing Haw until the disease is cured: "I hate other behold-
ers. If I see a beholder, I must try to destroy it."
Secret Door. The secret door can be found with a suc-
cessful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. It pulls open
to reveal area X6 beyond.
Wall Carvings. Any character who studies the carv-
ings on the west wall and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom
(Perception) check notices that each wizard's eye is a
button that can be pushed. If a character pushes either
button, or uses an object or spell to do so, the beholder