- Two barrels labeled ~WATER" and two labeled ~ALE"
are crammed into a comer.
E5.LABORATORY
This room contains the following features:
- Beakers, bottles, and test tubes are set on a marble ta-
ble in the middle of this room, next Lo a basin of water.
One staircase descends^10 feet to area E2. and an-
other ascends^10 feet to area E6.
Urstul Floxin. If he survived earlier encounters with
t he characters, Urstul Floxin (see appendix B) stands
at the table, dourly scrubbing lab equipment. He is
being punished for allowing the Stone ofGolorr to
slip through his fingers (during the events of chapter
3). Nevertheless, he remains loyal to Manshoon. If he
is confronted, Urstul feigns anger toward the wizard
and offers to help the characters defeat him, but this
ruse can be seen through by someone who makes a
successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check. Given the
chance, Urstul leads the characters to Manshoon, then
attacks them to prove his unwavering loyalty in front of
his master.
If the characters fall for Urstul's ruse but nevertheless
demand that he relinquish his weapons in order to
accompany them, the Zhent assassin laughs at them
and attacks.
E6. BINDING CHAMBER
A circle inscribed with runes is carved into the alabaster
Boor of this room. It radiates an aura of abjuration magic
when targeted by a detect magic spell or similar magic.
Manshoon uses the circle to bind extraplanar crea-
tures. When a celestial, an elemental, a fey, or a fiend
is summoned inside the circle, it can't voluntarily leave
that area until its summoner uses an action to suppress
the circle's magic for 1 minute. The magic is also sup-
pressed if any part of the circle falls within an antimagic
field, or if dispel magic (DC 17) is successfully cast on it.E7. MANSHOON(^1) S SIMULACRUM
This room is extremely cold and contains the follow-
ing features:
Frigid air blows into the room through small vents
in the Boor. In the middle of the room is an open sar-
cophagus carved from ice, which contains a humanoid
figure made of snow.
- The back wall is made of 5-inch-thick curved glass.
Frost covers the glass, partially blotting out the swirl-
ing purple mist of the demiplane beyond.
Simulacrum. If it hasn't been summoned elsewhere,
Manshoon's simulacrum (see appendix B) is standing
before the glass wall with its back to the door. The
simulacrum resembles a robed wizard with long black
hair, pale skin, and an articulated metal left hand and
forearm. Its face is concealed behind a steel mask that
bears a smiling visage. The simulacrum attacks anyone
it doesn't recognize.
Extreme Cold. The rules for extreme cold (see chap-
ter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) apply in this room.
Glass Wall. Each 5-foot section of glass wall has AC
13, 30 hit points, and immunity to acid, poison, and psy-
chic damage. The purple mist that fills the demiplane
doesn't enter this room even if the glass is shattered.
Simulacrum Sarcophagus. This ice-carved container
weighs 1.000 pounds and begins to melt if taken out of
the room. The snow figure in the sarcophagus is part
of the material component of a simulacrum spell. Man-
shoon can use it LO create a new simulacrum if his cur-
rent one is destroyed.E8. READING ROOM
This room contains the following features:- Delightful warmth radiates from a brazier of green
Bame encircled by eight cushioned chairs. - Unless they've been drawn elsewhere, two of Man-
shoon's lieutenants are here: Yevette Blackwater (CE
female Tethyrian human s washbuckler: see appendix
B) and Agoro Fuoco (NE male Turami human bard;
see appendix B). Yevette is relaxing in a chafr, while
Agoro strums a lyre.
An a labaster staircase ascends^10 feet to area E9.
Zhents. Yevette and Agoro are two of Manshoon's
most trusted followers. Yevette commands the wizard's
forces against the Xanathar Guild, while Agom com-
mands those who oppose the Zhents that aren't loyal to
Manshoon. At the moment, they are resting in th e sanc-
tum while awaiting orders from Manshoon.
Green Flame Brazier. A detect magic spell or si m-
ilar magic reveals an aura of evocation magic around
the brazier. The brazier casts a fireball spell (save DC
- centered on itself whenever a creature in the room
speaks the words "green ftame" aloud. Once the brazier
has cast this spell, it can't do so again for another^24
hours. Agoro knows this feature of the brazier, and he
uses it in combat if the situation is desperate.
E9. LIBRARY
Alabaster shelves line every wall and jut out into the
center of this room, all of them packed with books that
deal with subjects of interest to wizards. Manshoon has
amassed a sizable collection, including ten rare volumes
he removed from Duhlark Kolat's collection.
Treasure. Each rare book is worth^50 gp, and the en-
tire collection is worth 5,000 gp.ElO. AUDIENCE CHAMBER
High-ranking Zhents who desire an audience with
Manshoon come here. The room contains the follow-
ing features:
The area is split into two levels, with alabaster steps
climbing 3 feet to a smaller raised platform overlook-
ing the larger area. The platform is bare except for
three golden banners hanging on the back wall, each
displaying the symbol of the Zhentarim-a black,
winged snake biting a coin.- The lower part of the room contains a black marble
table surrounded by high-backed wooden chairs. The
table stands out in stark contrast against the alabaster
walls and floor. - If they haven't been drawn elsewhere, two of Man-
shoon's followers are sparring and engaged in mock
fisticuffs atop the table.
CHAPTER 8 I WINT£R WIZARDRY