Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

20


DUNGEON OF THE


DEAD THREE


Before running this part of the adventure, read the infor-


mation on the Dead Three in appendix D. Stat blocks for


the Dead Three's followers can be found there as well.


The Dungeon of the Dead Three is hidden below a


bathhouse that's secretly owned and operated by the

Vantbampur family. One member of the family, Mortlock


Vanthampur, is in the dungeon helping to coordinate the

Dead Three cultists' attacks in the city. These attacks


are meant to demonstrate to the citizens of Baldur's


Gate that the Flaming Fist can't protect them.

ARRIVAL AT THE BATHHOUSE


When the characters arrive at the bathhouse, read the


following boxed text aloud to the players:

The bathhouse is a one-story stuccoed building with
stained-glass windows and clay roof tiles. Ten-foot-tall
walls enclose a large courtyard outside the southeast
corner of the building. The closed wooden doors to the
courtyard are engraved with images of smiling nymphs
dancing and frolicking in water.

There's nothing outwardly suspicious about the bath-


house, which features one of the most sophisticated

plumbing systems in the city. The doors leading to the


courtyard (area Dl) are unlocked and unguarded. The


bathhouse closes at midnight and reopens at dawn, and


city residents come and go here throughout the day and
into the evening.

BATHHOUSE LOCATIONS


The following area descriptions are keyed to map 1.3.


Dl. COURTYARD


Describe this location to the players as follows:


This L-shaped courtyard features a trimmed lawn and
nicely manicured shrubbery. The yard is decorated with
white marble benches and stone fountains, each in the
form of a smiling nymph tipping a jug that spills water
into a circular stone basin.

An invisible imp is perched on the southeast fountain. If


the characters look as though they intend to cause trou-


ble, the imp observes them quietly until they enter the
bathhouse, then flies to Vanthampur Villa in the Upper

City to alert Thurstwell Vanthampur, the oldest of Duke


Thalamra Vanthampur's sons. Thurstwell instructs the


imp to return to its post but takes no further action, hop-


ing that the characters dispose of his brother, Mortlock.

D2. BATHS


From dawn to midn'ight, characters can expect to find


ld6 human commoners bathing here at any given time.


CHAPTJ;'.R I I A TALE OF TWO CITIES

From midnight to dawn, three female human night


bla des (see page 233 for their stat block) stand guard
near the pools and attack trespassers on sight. If a l:i,ght

breaks out here, the necromite ofMyrkul in area D4


joins the fray in the second round of combat.

Describe this location to the players as follows:


The walls of this twenty-foot-high pillared chamber are
adorned with frescoes of bathing royalty. Natural light
streams through stained-glass windows, creating colorful
patterns on the tiles of polished blue marble that cover
the Acor. Three shallow, sunken pools contain scintillat-
ing perfume-scented water. White marble benches bear-
ing stacks of dry towels are situated near the pools, each
of which comes equipped with a pair of brass faucets.

The faucets draw warm and cold water from pipes that


run underneath the floor. A tight-fitting stone plug at the

bottom of each pool keeps its water from draining out.


Numerous tiny drain holes near the tops of the sunken


pools prevent them from overflowing.


  1. SOUTH MASSAGE ROOM


This room contains a massage table draped in clean


towels. Bottles of perfume stored under the table are


used to scent the pools in area D2. Natural light enters


through a stained-glass window set into the south wall.


During the hours in which the bathhouse is open,

an androgynous human masseuse (neutral good com-


moner) named Jabaz works here. Jabaz knows that the


bathhouse is owned by Duke Thalamra Vanthampur


and run by her brutish son, Mortlock.

Mortlock has givenjabaz strict orders not to hang


around the bathhouse after hours. Jabaz suspects that


Mortlock is running some sort of shady business on the


side, and that he's using the establishment as a front to


conceal his dark dealings without the duke's knowledge.


Jabaz knows the location of the secret door in area D4


but won't volunteer that information, fearing Mortlock's


retaliation.Jabaz doesn't know what lies beyond the


secret door.



  1. NORTH MASSAGE ROOM
    From midnight to dawn, a male human necromite of


Myrkul (see page 234 for his stat block) guards this


room unless he's drawn to area D2 by sounds of battle


there. During the hours in which the bathhouse is open,


a female human masseuse (neutral good common er)


named Qurmilab works here. She knows the same in-


formation asjabaz in area D3 and behaves similarly.


This room is furnished in the same fashion as area


03, with the additional feature of a secret door in the


north wall. A character who searches the north wall and


succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check finds

the secret door, which swings inward when pushed. A


foul, sewer-like stench greets anyone who opens the


secret door. Behind the door, a staircase descends 20


feet to area DS, featuring smooth stone steps and brick


walls. Two sputtering torches in wall sconces illuminate

the staircase, but the dungeon below is dark.

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