an armored male human (Muiral) in the middle. Each
figure's name is stitched into the tapestry below it. Any
character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (His-
tory) check recognizes these figures as the Seven.
If it is set on fire, the burning tapestry produces toxic
green smoke that coalesces into an efreeti and attacks
all creatures in the room. The efreeti remains in the
room thereafter, until set free by Halaster.
- HALASTER'S SECRETARY
A noth ic is chained to the floor of this otherwise empty
room. The nothic's chain is short enough to prevent the
creature from reaching the doors but long enough to let
it attack anything that enters the room. The chain can
be broken with a strike from a magic weapon or an ad-
amantine weapon, or with a successful DC 25 Strength
(Athletics) check.
Strapped to the nothic's head is a crystal helmet-like
contraption with leather straps, copper coils, and flash-
ing glass diodes attached to it that emits buzzing noises.
Hal aster cast a geas spell on the nothic to prevent it
from removing the helmet.
While the nothic wears its bizarre helmet, all send-
ing spells that would normally be received by Halaster
Blackcloak are instead received by the nothic (see
"Sending Spells," page 11). Any other creature that
dons the helmet becomes the new recipient of these
messages. Halaster gets an average of one sending
spell message per hour. Most of the messages are from
desperate, deranged mages inquiring about apprentice-
ships. Vulgar taunts from adventurers are also common.
TREASURE
If the word "xunderbrok" (Dwarvish for "secret trove")
is spoken aloud in this room, a small stone chest mate-
rializes on the floor in the northwest corner. The chest
is unlocked and contains 750 gp and three potions of
greater healing. (See level 6, area 39c, for the signifi-
cance of the word "xunderbrok.")
- STEEL-SHEATHED HALL
The walls of this 10-foot-high corridor are covered in
10-foot-square steel panels made from swords and
shields melted together by magic. The vague outlines of
these items are still visible in the shimmering steel.
- ILLUSION CLASSROOM
Powerful illusion magic has turned this unlit, 20 -foot-
high room into the courtyard of a Waterdavian villa lit by
the warm midday sun. It has the following features:
Decor. White marble benches encircle a central foun-
tain with a trident-wielding sahuagin statue as its
centerpiece.
Flora and Fauna. Ivy creeps up the walls, and birds
flutter about as they perch on the trickling fountain's
stony protrusions.
Tiefting. Standing next to the fountain is a male tiefling
wizard with long horns and golden robes. (This figure,
like its surroundings, is illusory.)
LEVEL 9 I DW£0M ERCORE
The tiefling introduces itself as Professor Figment
and invites new arrivals to sit on the benches and make
themselves comfortable. It then begins to tell lengthy
stories about famous illusionists and their art, in a
rather exhaustive and encyclopedic manner. A success-
ful dispel magic spell (DC 17) cast on Professor Figment
ends the illusion. The first creature that tries to dispel
the illusion of Professor Figment and fails is targeted
by a phantasmal killer spell (save DC 22) as the tiefling
instructor briefly and vividly transforms into the target's
worst nightmare; then it calmly continues with "Now,
where was I?"
The illusory objects and wildlife seem real to the
senses. The illusion of the villa, the fountain, the sun-
light, and the wildlife can be ended with a successful
dispel magic spell (DC 19). The first time an attempt to
dispel the illusion fails, all creatures in the room are tar-
geted by a weird spell (save DC 22) as the surroundings
transform to reflect each target's worst nightmares.
- TRANSMUTATION CLASSROOM
Ligh t. The 20 -foot-high room is lit by continual flame
spells cast on wall sconces spaced 15 feet apart. The
flames shift color every minute.
Circle. Inscribed inside a 20 -foot-diameter circle on the
floor is a triangle. In the middle of the triangle stands
a golden statue of a human boy, his arms raised in vic-
tory. (The statue is a wyvern transformed by magic.)
Iron Cage. A 10-foot-square, 15-foot-tall iron cage
stands empty, its large door hanging open. (The cage
door has no lock built into it, since the wizards use
arcane lock spells to hold it shut.)
Spite Harrowdale used a true polymorph spell to turn
a wyvern into a golden statue of himself. Characters
who have met Spite will recognize the statue's likeness.
The statue doesn't detect as magical, but removing it
from the circle causes the true polymorph effect to end,
whereupon it reverts to a wyvern and attacks.
THAUMATURGIC CIRCLE
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation
magic around the symbol on the floor. Any character
who studies the circle and succeeds on a DC 20 Intel-
ligence (Arcana) check can ascertain its properties.
The check is made with advantage if the character
is a wizard whose arcane tradition is the School of
Transmutation.
When a creature or an object under the effect of a
transmutation spell is fully contained in the circle, the
effect of that spell doesn't end until the circle is broken
or until the target is removed from inside it. A creature
under the effect of a transmutation spell is physically
trapped in the circle and can't leave on its own while the
spell remains in effect.
- NECROMANCY CLASSROOM
Gha stly Decor. Plastered to the walls and roof of
this domed, 25-foot-high room are hundreds of
humanoid skeletons, arranged in a decorative but
ghastly manner.
