Table. A wooden table in the center of the room bears a
map made of loose stones arranged to form walls and
doors (see "Tabletop Map" below).
Rizzeryl likes to be invisible as he engages intruders
in conversation, hoping to learn their intentions. Any
noise here alerts the wererats in area 14b, who remain
hidden until Rizzeryl calls for them.
Rizzeryl offers the adventurers a reward if they de-
stroy both Xanathar Guild outposts on this level (areas^9
and 20) and return with the heads of both guild leaders,
whose names, he tells them, are Nadia the Unbent and
Shunn Shurreth. Rizzeryl doesn't reveal the nature of
the reward, other than to say it will make the party's
exploration of Undermountain easier. If the characters
deliver the heads of Nadia and Shunn, Rizzeryl gives
them a stone key hidden in this room (see "Secret
Compartment" below). If the characters attack him,
Rizzeryl calls forth the wererats to defend him while he
s ummons a quasit. If the adventurers overcome these
forces, Rizzeryl trades the stone key for his life.
Rizzeryl knows the way to Skullport through level^3
and might share this information with friendly adventur-
ers who have helped him. He refrains from divulging his
allegiance to House Auvryndar. He will, however, reveal
his allegiance to the Zhentarim if one or more charac-
ters identify themselves as members of that faction. If
they need assistance, Rizzeryl urges such characters
to seek out Bosskyn Gorrb, a tiefiing member of the
Black Network who operates in Skullport. Rizzeryl also
informs them that servants of Xanathar will allow safe
passage to anyone who openly brandishes Xanathar's
symbol (see below).
Secret Compartment. Beneath Rizzeryl's chair is
a loose floor tile that conceals a hidden compartment,
which can be found with a successful DC^15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. It contains three items: Rizzeryl's
leather-bound spellbook (which holds the spells he has
prepared, plus arcane lock and sending), a 12-inch-long
stone key, a 12-inch-long driftwood wand with the sym-
bol of Xanathar (a circle with ten equidistant spokes
radiating outward from its circumference) carved at one
end. Rizzeryl uses this nonmagical wand to slip past
the guardian in area 20a and to move through Skullport
unmolested.
The stone key weighs 10 pounds and bears the fol-
lowing inscription in Dwarvish: "Meet me on the Lost
Level. Find my twin in S litherswamp." A detect magic
s pell reveals an aura of conjuration magic around the
key, which opens a magic gate that connects levels^6
and 8 ofUndermountain (see level 6, area 34b, and level
8 , area 3, for more information on each gate). Rizzeryl
knows that levels 6 and 8 of Undermountain are called
the Lost Level and Slitherswamp, respectively, but he
hasn't explored either level.
Tabletop Map. The wererats have carefully arranged
the loose stones on the table to form an accurate map
of this level of Undermountain; the map, however, omits
the chambers hidden behind secret doors (areas 5, 20c,
20d, 22e, 22f, 25h, and 26b). There's no easy way to
transport this map without knocking the stones out of
alignment and rendering the map useless.
14B. WERERAT BARRACKS
Eight wererats in human form sleep on dirty cots in this
room. They are loyal to the Zhentarim and determined
to push the Xanathar Guild out of Skullport and Un-
dermountain.
The wererats are short, unkempt humans of mixed
age with thin limbs, beady eyes, and nervous tics. They
clad themselves in filthy, smelly, ill-fitting clothes. Their
leader is a crass, middle-aged woman named Zilitsa 11-
varren. She is mean-spirited but has a good rapport with
Rizzeryl, whose intelligence she admires. The others
are a degenerate bunch of inbred, light-fearing weirdos
who've spent too many years living underground. The
men are named Frek, Henk, and Kozrik, and the women
are Arreth, Elabbor, Kreena, and Sybilee.
Treasure. An unlocked wooden chest against the
south wall holds^30 gp, a copper tankard similar to
those found in area 22a (5 gp), a battered and tarnished
silver scepter topped with a Dwarvish rune meaning
"justice" (25 gp), and three worthless, dog-eared chap-
books entitled Out of the Inferno, Vols. l, 2, and^3 (a
tawdry series about a tiefling romance).- DUSTY THRONE
Ruins. Much of this room collapsed long ago, and what
remains is covered with dust.
Footprints. Footprints (left by wererats in human form)
crisscross the dusty floor.
Throne. A plain stone throne stands against the south
wall. Beyond it, heaps of rubble fill a collapsed tunnel.
A search of the throne and the surrounding room
yields nothing of value. The wererats in area 14 have
already searched the area thoroughly.
16. PARTIALLY COLLAPSED ROOM
The back of this room has collapsed, filling the chamber
with dust and debris. No one has been here in ages, and
nothing of value remains.
17. HUNGRY RUST MONSTERS
This old festival hall has an arched ceiling^30 feet high
and contains the following:
Rust Monsters. Two rust monste rs are fighting over a
rusted steel helmet in the middle of this room, casting
it about as they knock each other around.
Wall Decor. The walls are decorated with bas-reliefs
of dwarves singing and drinking. A dozen empty iron
torch brackets are mounted to the north and south
walls at 10-foot intervals.
The rust monsters can't find enough ferrous metal to
satisfy their hunger. The helm provides a momentary
distraction that characters can use to cross the hall
safely after they first arrive. The next time they come
here, though, the rust monsters are waiting for them.
The torch brackets bolted to the walls are beyond the
rust monsters' reach but make irresistible snacks if fed
to the creatures. Tearing loose a torch bracket requires
an action and a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
check. One bracket is enough to distract the rust mon-
sters for ld6 minutes.
LEVl::l .. 2 I ARCANE CHAMBERS