Waterdeep - Dungeon of the Mad Mage

(Jeff_L) #1
SIDE QUEST : FREE ALUSSIARR
Preet a Kreepa knows that Arcturia uses the blood of a
"magical man" named Alussiarr as a material component
in her horrid transformation rituals. She suggests that the
characters free this man to prevent Arcturia from creating
new abominations. Preeta knows that Alussiarr is a pris-
oner in Arcturiadoom, the fourteenth level of Undermoun-
tain, but she doesn't know that Alussiarr is a rakshasa.

Treasure. Preeta carries a spellbook bound in lizard
hide that contains all the spells she has prepared, plus
animate dead, animate objects, and fabricate.

21 N. AZROK'S HALL
Two hobgoblins stand guard outside this building, one
in front of each door. They allow registered visitors to
enter after checking their identification papers.
This structure once housed a dwarven smithy, and the
decor suggests as much. Its contents are as follows:
Azrok and Lurkana. In the northeast part of the room,
Azrok the hobgoblin war lor d sits on a throne of
bleached skulls , with one foot resting on an iron anvil
and one hand on the pommel of his greatsword. He
wears a helm that covers most of his face and darkens
h is eyes. Whispering in his ear is his wife Lurkana, a
formidable hobgoblin captain.
Goblinoids. Attending the warlord are two bugbears,
four hobgoblins, and six goblins. One of the bugbears
has an intellect devourer hidden in its skull and acts
as a spy for Xanathar while feigning loyalty to Azrok.
Worgs. Gnawing on humanoid bones in the south-
west part of the room are two worgs loyal to Azrok
and Lurkana.
Adventurers brought before Azrok are expected to of-
fer tribute. He is more interested in oaths of fealty than
in tangible gifts, but he accepts whatever he's offered.
Unless the characters make fools of themselves, Azrok
grants them his protection for the duration of their stay
in his settlement. Any character who interacts with him
and succeeds on a DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check real-
izes that the hobgoblin warlord is blind but is hiding that
fact, never looking directly at anyone. The characters
also see a ghastly pendant on a cord around his neck- a
severed human finger that wears a platinum signet ring
(see "Lord Rosznar's Ring" below).
When the characters are done speaking with Azrok,
Lurkana takes them aside and offers them a quest (see
"Side Quest: Retrieve Azrok's Dagger," page 44). If
they refuse, Lurkana scowls and kicks them out.
If combat breaks out, the hobgoblins stationed outside
immediately raise a general alarm, causing all forces
loyal to Azrok to converge on the area.
Lord Rosznar's Ring. The ring worn around Azrok's
neck bears the symbol of House Rosznar of Waterdeep:
a diving white falcon on a field of blue. Inscribed on the
inside of the band are the words "To Kres- F ly high and
stoop swift." The ring is worth 25 gp.
The finger upon which the ring rests once belonged
to Kressando Rosznar, who came to Azrok's Hold after
failing to make progress in dealings with the Xanathar
Guild in Skullport. The young nobleman was looking to
set up a slavery ring in Undermountain, with slaves fl.ow-


ing down from Waterdeep and money fl.owing up into
House Rosznar's coffers as well as Azrok's war chest.
Azrok was intrigued by the proposition but found
Kressando condescending. He killed the nobleman for
failing to show the proper respect. Kressando's gutted
corpse was fed to the otyugh in area 17e, but Azrok kept
the finger as a trophy. If the characters want to retrieve
the ring to complete a quest (see "Search for Kressando
Rosznar," page 8), they'll have to kill Azrok, charm
him into relinquishing it, or steal it while he's incapaci-
tated. The warlord does not give it up otherwise.
Stay a While. If the characters are looking for a safe
place to rest and are on good terms with Azrok, Lurkana
orders one of the goblins to escort them to area 2li or


  1. After showing the characters to their quarters, the
    goblin tells them where they can buy adventuring gear
    (area 21a) and rations (area 21t).

  2. GOBLIN ORPHANAGE
    The sound of screaming goblin children issues from
    small cracks in the walls of this building. Inside, two
    goblin bosses are minding twenty goblin children
    (noncombatants). The bigger children are being taught
    how to bully the smaller ones, shoving them around and
    hurling insults. The goblin bosses remain here even if
    an alarm sounds elsewhere.
    Trinket. Various broken toys lie scattered about. A
    thorough search yields an intact trinket (roll on the Trin-
    kets table in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook).


21P. ARCH GATE TO LEVEL 6
Embedded in the west wall of this otherwise empty
chamber is an arch gate to level 6 (see "Gates," page
12). The keystone of this arch is carved to look like
a gold dragon wyrmling, its mouth agape. The rules of
this gate are as follows:


  • The gate opens for 1 minute when a gemstone worth
    at least 100 gp is placed in the dragon's mouth, which
    causes the dragon head to animate and chomp down
    on the gem (destroying it).

  • 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 36c on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space
    next to the identical gate located there.


21Q.. MORGUE
Nine drow zombies stand perfectly still in the middle of
this room, which is cluttered with cobwebs, rubble, and
wreckage. The zombies obey Preeta Kreepa (see area
2lm) and attack anyone else who gets too close.

21R. AZROK AND LURKANA'S QUARTERS
Standing in front of the door to this chamber is a tired
goblin named Salt Nose, so named because he has
white freckles on his broad snout. He's suffering from
three levels of exhaustion and is trying to keep a 10-foot
pole steady with trembling hands. From the top of the
pole hangs Azrok's banner: a bloody handprint inside a
hollow red triangle on a sheet of yellow-dyed flesh.

LEVEL 3 I SARGAUTH LEVEL
57
Free download pdf