52
who inspects the bolts and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelli-
gence (Nature) check finds evidence of drow poison on
the bolts, but the poison has lost its potency.15B. ROTTING T'ROGS
Stench. A putrid stench fills this 10-foot-high cave,
cour tesy of three rotting troglodyte corpses riddled
with crossbow bolts. Closer examination reveals nasty
puncture wounds (from poisoned drow shortswords).
Arch Gate to Level 5. Embedded in the southeast wall
is a stone arch, its keystone and base stones each
bearing an engraving of an old man clutching a staff.
The stone arch is one of Halaster's magic gates (see
"Gates," page 12). Its rules are as follows:- The gate opens for 1 minute when the arch is tapped
three times with a staff of any kind. - Characters must be 8th 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 6i on level 5, in the closest unoccupied space
next to the identical gate located there.
- CROSSFIRE CAVES
Four drow sentries watch for river incursions from
Skullport. The drow fire crossbows at enemies as they
pass between the two caves.
16A. NORTH LEDGE
Two male drow hide on this ledge, 6 feet above the wa-
ter. They are brothers named Varaun and Veszdar. If one
is killed, the other flees and alerts the drow in area 20.16B. SOUTH LEDGE
Hidden atop this 8-foot-high ledge are two male drow
named Molkoth and Quilolvir and a female drow elite
warrior named Meridin Helvirae. Meridin commands
this guard post. She carries a 30 -foot-long coil of spider
silk rope tied to a grappling hook, which the drow use to
swing across the river.
A side cave contains the remnants of an old campfire
and the skeletal remains of a halfting adventurer who
was robbed and killed by his companions. There's no
treasure left to be found here.17. DANGEROUS PATHS
These caverns stand between the drow and goblinoid
settlements on this level.17A. C ONTESTED CAVERN
Guards. Eleven hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain
are stationed in this 20-foot-high cave.
Blood. Bloodstains on the floor hint at violent skir-
mishes that took place here in the past.
Descending Tunnel. A tunnel to the west slopes steeply
downward to level 4, area l.
House Auvryndar and the Legion of Azrok have been
fighting for control of this cave for months. The faction
that controls this cave controls access to level 4 ofLEVEL 3 I SARGAUTH LEVELUndermountain. The goblinoids under Warlord Azrok
hold it currently, and the hobgobUns' orders are to de-
fend it against drow incursions. The captain, Kliyuse
the Skull Cleaver, has further instructions to direct
adventurers northward to the goblinoid settlement (area
21), denying them access to level 4 until they have met
with Azrok and Lurkana. If the characters go where they
are directed, Kliyuse assigns two hobgoblins to see that
they reach the settlement safely and promptly.17B. BUGBEAR SENTRIES
Hunkered down near the eastern wall of this 15-foot-
high cave, gnawing on old bones, are six bugbears with
orders to attack any non-goblinoids traveling through
here without an escort.17c. KEEPERS OF THE PURPLE WORM
This 15 -foot-high side cave is mostly empty except for
two goblins huddled at the north end. The goblins,
Dribblespit and Zob, found a treasure buried in the ru-
ins of Stromkuhldur (see "Treasure" below) and brought
it here to inspect it more closely. The goblins are obliv-
ious to the danger nearby (see area 17d) and won't give
up their newfound treasure easily.
Treas ure. Each goblin has half of a 6-inch-tall purple
worm statuette carved out of a lustrous purple stone. If
the two halves are reattached using a mending cantrip,
the statuette can be sold for 125 gp. It weighs 5 pounds.17D. NEROZAR THE DEFEATED
Floating in the middle of this 30-foot-high cavern is a
beholder zombie named Nerozar and three ga s spores
that closely resemble it. Any character who can see the
gas spores can discern their true nature with a success-
ful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check.
Nerozar has the statistics of a beholder zombie, but
its Disintegration Ray is replaced with the following:
Telekinetic Ra y. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a
DC 14 Strength saving throw, or the zombie moves it up to 30
feet in any direction. It is restrained by the ray's telekinetic grip
until the start of the zombie's next turn or until the zombie is
incapacitated.
If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds o r less that
isn't being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30 feet in any di-
rection. The zombie can also exert fine control on objects with
this ray, such as manipulating a simpl e tool or opening a door
or container.Nerozar uses its Telekinetic Ray to direct the gas
spores on collision courses with intruders. The gas
spores' poison has no effect on the beholder zombie.
Nerozar challenged Xanathar for lordship of Skull-
port and lost. Skullport's mind flayer ambassador (see
area 21g) brought Nerozar's animated corpse with it to
Stromkuhldur, but Azrok wouldn't allow the beholder
zombie to remain in the settlement, so the mind flayer
left it here, where it sprouted the gas spores.17E. 0TYUGH LAIR
This 10-foot-high side cavern is piled high with refuse
and rotting corpses, under which hides an otyugh.
The otyugh is a friend to the goblins, hobgoblins, and
bugbears of Azrok's Hold (area 21), who supply it with