86
TREASURE
A spell scroll of mass cure wounds is buried under the
pile of torn-up sermons next to the desk. A character
who searches the pile finds it automatically.- GRAND VESTIBULE
Rough Walls. The walls of this area are roughly hewn
to give the room a cavern-like appearance.
Quartz Pillars. The glow from four quartz pillars re-
flects off flecks of quartz embedded in the walls.
Engraved Doors. The double doors to the south are
engraved with the image of a mountain with a gem-
shaped indentation at its core (the symbol of Du-
mathoin). The edges of the indentation serve as han-
dles that enable the doors to be pulled open.
Secret Door. A secret door in the east wall opens into a
dusty, cobweb-filled corridor that connects to area 13.
Characters inside the tunnel can spot the secret door
at either end of it without having to make a check.The first time a creature passes between the quartz
pillars to the north, a booming, disembodied voice says
in Dwarvish, "Neither secrets nor treasures shall ye
find! Turn back! Ye are not welcome here!" Characters
who have heard Halaster speak recognize the voice
as his. Once all creatures leave this area, the magical
warning resets.- TEMPLE OF DUMATHOIN
This huge chamber has been sculpted to resemble a cav-
ern with a 30-foot-high vaulted ceiling.
15A. NAVE
Monsters. Eight duergar plus their leader, a half-shield
dwarf, half-duergar named Skella Ironeye, are scat-
tered throughout the area. Two cloakers flap above
them, circling the nave at a height of^20 feet. The
cloakers consider the duergar their allies.
Quartz Pillars. Glowing quartz pillars stand around
the temple perimeter, carved to look like natural col-
umns. The glowing pillars have the appearance of but-
tresses, but only the four stone pillars in the middle of
the nave support the roof.
Da is. At the south end of the temple, stone steps climb
10 feet to a golden marble dais (area 15b).
Although her mother was a shield dwarf, Skella has
the statistics of a duergar with^40 hit points. She has
also attuned to a magic dagger that gives her blindsight
out to a range of 30 feet (see "Treasure" below).
When Skella and her duergar subordinates climbed
to the top of the dais, the altar there released a clay
golem that attacked them (see area 15b). Four duergar
were smashed to a pulp before Skella realized that their
weapons were having no effect on the golem. She or-
dered her remaining forces to fall back, whereupon the
golem withdrew to the altar once more.
Skella is prepared to let the adventurers take a crack
at defeating the golem, so that she can find out what lies
beyond the basalt doors. When the characters arrive,
she tries to forge a truce with them, promising them
safe passage through the Lost Level if they defeat theLEVEL 6 ( LOST LEVELgolem and depart the temple. Being lawful, she is in-
clined to uphold her end of the agreement as long as the
characters don't cross her.
Treasure. Skella wears a gem-studded cloak fit for a
king (worth 750 gp, and stolen from area Uc). Fastened
to her belt in plain view is a small gold figurine of a
female elf holding up a symbol of the sun (25 gp). This
figurine is the key to opening the arch gate in area 27.
Tucked in a sheath strapped to Skella's right boot is
a dagger of blindsight. The magic dagger was stolen
from the hobgoblin warlord Azrok on level 3 and is the
subject of a potential side quest (see "Legion of Azrok,"
page 43). This rare magic item requires attunement.
A creature attuned to it gains blindsight out to a range of
30 feet. The dagger has a saw-toothed edge and a black
pearl nested in its pommel.
Two other duergar carry treasures plundered from the
other areas of this level in gray, soot-stained sacks. The
sacks contain the other items stolen from area llc-an
onyx smoking pipe (75 gp), a fist-sized diamond (1,000
gp), a red crystal tankard (250 gp), an elf warrior's
golden gauntlet (250 gp), and a golden belt with an ob-
sidian buckle and studs (250 gp).15B. DAIS
Corpses. Four mutilated duergar corpses are sprawled
on the steps of the dais.
Altar and Statues. A clay altar is flanked by 10-foot-tall
statues of dwarves outfitted in ceremonial purple-
and-gold armor and eyeless helms. (The statues are
impressive-looking but harmless.)
Basalt Doors. At the back of the dais stands a set of
double doors made of carved black basalt, flanked by
two glowing quartz pillars. Above the double doors
is a bas-relief carving of a mountain with a gem at its
heart (the symbol of Dumathoin).The altar is a block of clay 7 feet long, 4 feet wide, and
3 feet high. When any creature moves within^20 feet of
it, an 8-foot-tall clay golem with dwarf-like proportions
erupts from an extradimensional space inside the altar.
The golem can exit or enter the altar as an action. The
altar is impervious to damage.
The golem can't be reasoned with. It enters the altar
again only if it perceives no threats on the dais. If it goes
berserk, the golem abandons its role as guardian and
leaves the dais in pursuit of fleeing creatures.
If the characters defeat the golem or lure it away, any
duergar in the temple seize the chance to approach the
black basalt doors and inspect them more closely.
Basalt Doors. These matte black doors are imper-
vious to damage and held shut by a power that neither
magic nor force can overcome. The doors appear to ab-
sorb all light, but a close inspection reveals Dwarvish in-
scriptions carved into them that translate as follows: "It
is the will of the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain
that only the hand of the king may open these doors.
Let all who enter gaze upon the heart of Melairbode and
know the true power of dwarvenkind." Any character
who succeeds on a DC^20 Intelligence (History) check
knows that Melairbode is the name of the ancient dwar-
ven realm beneath l.Vli;unt Waterdeep, whose Underhalls
were the foundations of Undermountain.