Arch Gate. The arch is one of Halaster's magic gates
(see "Gates," page 12). The Xanathar Guild forces
nearby are aware of the gate but don't know how to acti-
vate it. Its rules are as follows:
- Touching the arch with a nonmagical item made
entirely of ferrous metal (such as an iron spike) re-
duces the item to powdered rus t and opens the gate
for 1 minute. - Characters must be 9th level or higher to pass through
this gate (see "jhesiyra Kestellharp," page 10). The
first creature to pass through the gate triggers an el-
der rune (see "Elder Runes," page 12). - A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area 24 on level 6 , in the closest unoccupied space
next to the identical gate located there.
20D. SECRET ARMORY
This 20-foot-high room is hidden behind a secret door
and contains the following:
Bugbears. Three bugbears have broken away from the
main group in area 20b to search this room for trea-
sure. They have worked their way to the east end of
the room and aren't expecting trouble.
Racks. Weapon and armor racks stand like library
bookshelves in the middle of the room, with dusty,
web-filled aisles between them.
Sharpening Wheel. Half embedded in the floor in the
middle of the room is a 1-foot-thick, 6-foot-diameter
stone sharpening wheel. A s tone pedal next to the
wheel causes it to turn when stepped on.
One of the bugbears is rummaging through a collec-
tion of dwarven morningstars and casting undesirable
ones onto the floor. The other two are fighting over a
r usty shield embossed with a symbol resembling a styl-
ized goblin skull.
The room contains dozens of suits of plate armor,
scale armor, and chain mail, as well as scores of shields,
battleaxes, morningstars, warhammers, war picks, and
javelins. Most of these items have deteriorated to the
point of being useless and irreparable. Rust has eaten
away the metal, and dampness has rotted the leather
straps and bindings on the shields and armor.2 1. ANIMATE D BALLISTAE
---
Light. The arched, 30-foot-high ceiling of this long hall
is studded with glowing red crystals that cast dim
light throughout the hall. (Crystals pried out of their
fixtures go dark.)
Animated Ballistae. Parked in front of the door to area
22a are two animated ballistae.
Each animated ballista is a Large wood-and-iron
construct with AC 15 , 50 hit points, a walking speed of
30 feet, immunity to poison damage, and the following
ability scores: Strength 14, Dexterity 10, Constitution
10, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 3, and Charisma 1. It has
blindsight out to a range of 120 feet and is blind beyond
this distance. It can't be blinded, charmed, deafened,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, or poisoned, and it can't
right itself if knocked prone. As an action, it can fire a
magic bolt of fire (+6 to hit) at a target it can perceive,dealing 16 (3dl0) fire damage on a hit, but it can't attack
any creature directly above it. Treat each ballista as a
monster with a challenge rating of 2 (450 XP).
The ballistae can't perceive (and thus they ignore)
creatures that keep to the easternmost 60-foot section
of the hallway. Once they detect intruders, however,
the ballistae amble forward on hinged legs to close the
distance. If a ballista has nothing to attack on its turn, it
returns to its starting pos ition.22. G ARRUX ' S BREWERY
-----
This complex was built by a dwarf named Garrux, who
served as Master of Ale and Provisions for the Me-
lairkyn dwarves.22A. ALE DISPENSER
Pillar. A stone pillar in the middle of the room has a
ring of six copper spigots jutting out of it, 3 feet above
the floor.
Bas-Reliefs. Carved into the walls are twenty bas-reliefs
depicting drunken dwarves in different poses. One
hand of each dwarf protrudes from the wall. Three of
these hands grasp copper tankards.
The stone pillar has copper pipes running through it.
These pipes connect to the vats in area 22c. When the
brewery was operationa l, dwarves could draw ale from
the pillar into tankards to quench their thirst.
Nothing happens if five of the six spigots are turned.
Turning the sixth spigot causes a patch of green s lime
(see "Dungeon Hazards" in c hapte r 5 of the Dungeon
Master's Guide) to pour out of it.
Treasure. There used to be twenty copper tankards
secured to the wall carvings, but most of them have
vanished over the years. (One can be found in area 14b.)
The three remaining tankards are worth 5 gp each.22B. "BREWERS ONLY!"
Nestled between areas 22a and 22c is a 10-foot-high,
10-foot-square room. A brass plaque bolted to the west-
e rn door has the following words stamped into it in
Dwarvish: "BREWERS ONLY! Others keep out! By or-
de r of Garrux, Master of Ale and Provisions."22c. ALE VATS
Vats. Six stone vats, arranged in two rows of three,
dominate this 20-foot-high room.
Doors and Barrels. A double door in the west wall has
stacks of old barrels on both sides of it (see "Barrels"
below). The doors are painted with images of two
dwarves in profile, facing each other while standin g
on sideways barrels.
The Melairkyn dwarves stored ale in these vats. Each
vat is a hollow, slightly bulging stone cylinder^10 feet
high and 10 feet in diameter, with 6-inch-thick walls.
A copper spigot is embedded in the vats on the side
facing the nearest wall, at a height of 3 feet. A narrow
stone staircase curls up the exterior of each vat to the
top, which is fitted with a hinged copper lid. The vats'
interiors are lined with copper and have a pipe at the
bottom that runs unde r the floor to the a le dispenser
in area 22a.LEVEL 2 I ARCANE CHAMBERS
39