then releases its host and shifts into the Ethereal Plane.
An oath of service binds the ghost to the temple for as
long as it stands. The ghost is unaligned and fights only
in self-defense. If reduced to 0 hit points, the ghost is
destroyed for 24 hours, then re-forms.
17C. TEMPLE OF SELVETARM
The temple of Selvetarm, drow god of warriors, contains
the following features:
Blood. Streaks of dry blood form web-like patterns on
the walls and floor.
Altar. A wrought iron altar has a bloody indentation of
a right hand atop it. A nonmagical shortsword floats a
foot above, its bloodstained blade pointed downward.
Secret Door. A secret door hidden in the south wall
requires a blood sacrifice to open (see below).
The altar refuses to budge. A detect magic spell re-
veals an aura of transmutation magic around and above
it. Any object weighing 10 pounds or less that is left
unattended atop the altar rises until it is levitating 1 foot
above the surface. This levitation field can't be dispelled
but is suppressed in an antimagic field.
If a humanoid presses its cut hand (even a superficial
wound will do) into the altar's hand-shaped indentation,
the secret door in the south wall swings open. A knock
spell or similar magic also opens the door.
17D. TEMPLE OF VHAERAUN
This temple ofVhaeraun, drow god of thieves and assas-
sins, contains the following features:
Assassin's Altar. An altar of blood-red stone stands
near the south wall. Xarann A'Daragon, a male drow
assassin, prays silently before it.
Curtains. Three black curtains hang from iron hooks
along the west, south, and east walls.
Secret Door. A secret door hidden in the wall behind
the south curtain opens only when certain conditions
are met (see below).
A character who examines a curtain and succeeds
on a DC^19 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the
slightly darker silhouette of a drow sewn into it. If the
characters find the silhouette in one curtain, they gain
advantage on checks made to spot the silhouette hidden
in each of the other two curtains. Each silhouette makes
a sign with one of its hands; drow characters recognize
these hand-signs that, collectively, spell out the Elvish
phrase oloth elgg ssussun, which translates to "darkness
slays light." If a creature makes these hand-signs in the
proper order anywhere in the room, the secret door in
the south wall swings open. A knock spell or similar
magic also opens the door.
Xarann A'Daragon. Xarann, a spy for House Freth, is
posing as a House Auvryndar assassin. He came here to
pray to Vhaeraun before setting out on two missions: the
rescue ofTazirahc Oussar (see area 19) and the assassi-
nation of Vlonwelv Auvryndar.
Xarann is initially friendly toward the characters. In
exchange for their help killing the guards in area 18b
and rescuing Tazirahc in area 19, Xarann will show
them the way to level 11. If they agree to help kill Vlon-
welv, Xarann will show them where the drow priestesskeeps her treasure (area 27b) and lead them through
back tunnels (area 24b) to get there. Once Xarann's mis-
sions are complete, he tries to eliminate the characters,
choosing a moment when they appear weakest to betray
them. Sornnozz (see area 13) and Tazirahc are loyal to
Xarann and follow his lead.
Xarann is a drow assassin , with these changes:- Xarann is neutral evil.
He has these racial traits: He speaks Elvish and
Undercommon. He has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can't put him to
sleep. He has darkvision out to a range of^120 feet. He
can innately cast dancing lights at-will, and darkness,
faerie fire, and levitate (self only) each once per day.
His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC
11). While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on attack
rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that
rely on s ight.
Treasure. Xarann wears a piwafwi, a drow-made
cloak of elvenkind. It loses its magic if exposed to sun-
light for 1 hour without interruption. Pinned to this
cloak is an obsidian scarab engraved with the insignia of
House Auvryndar. Xarann has a similar scarab, this one
engraved with the symbol of House Freth, tucked in his
belt. Each scarab is worth 25 gp.
17E. TEMPLE OF EILISTRAEE
This temple of Eilistraee, god of beauty, dance, and the
hunt, features the following:
Mus ic. A hymn magically plays throughout the temple.
Secret Door. A secret door in the south wall opens only
when the name of the hymn is spoken aloud.
Altar. A beautifully carved stone altar supports a harp-
shaped sculpture. Worked into the harp's design is a
female elf carved to look like she is leaping into the
air, carefree, with her head and arms thrown back.
Examination of the altar reveals Elvish runes worked
into the harp. Any character who understands Elvish
can translate the words as "The hymn is the key."
A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence
(Religion) check recognizes the hymn as "Bwaelan Dro,"
or "It's Good to Be Alive," an elven song of celebration.
Elves and half-elves have advantage on this check. If the
hymn's name is spoken aloud anywhere in the temple,
in either Common or Elvish, the secret door in the south
wall swings open. A knock spell or similar magic also
opens the secret door.18. FIRST BLOOD
If the characters have forged an alliance with Xarann
A' Daragon (see area 17d), he goes on ahead of them and
distracts the drow in area 18b, allowing the characters
to gain surprise.18A. VOICES
Characters who enter this hall hear sounds of yelling
and cheering from area 18b to the east. If Vlonwelv is
still alive, the characters also hear her disembodied
voice as they make their way down this hallway for the
first time (see "Vlonwelv's Pulpit," page 138).LEVEL 10 I .MUlRAL"S GAUN'TLET