V8. PARLOR
While entertaining visitors in this room, the duke likesto sit in an austere, high-backed chair facing a pair of
padded couches and a coffee table. A hidden compart-ment in the left armrest of the duke's chair contains a
silvered dagger. A character who examines the chair can
locate the hidden compartment with a successful DC 12
Wisdom (Perception) check.Thin drapes cover the windows to diffuse the natural
light, and the walls are lined with framed paintings of
the duke, her three dead husbands, her three sons, and
the family's winged cat, Slobberchops.Treasure. A tapestry hanging on the north wall de-
picts burning angels falling from the sky into a pit of fire.T he tapestry weighs 5 pounds and is worth 150 gp.
V9. DINING ROOM
Thalamra Vanthampur and her sons gather here once a
tenday for an always-tense family dinner. Read the fol-
lowing when the characters can see this area:
An iron·wrought chandelier hangs above a black oak din·
ing table surrounded by eight high-backed chairs carved
to look l ike devils. A fireplace dominates one wall, flanked
by red-curtained windows. A handsome, glass-doored
wine cabinet stands against one wall.Perched on the chandelier are three invisible imps
that behave like the imps in area V3. A rope-and-pulley
mechanism allows the chandelier to be lowered and
raised. The rope is tied around a hook mounted on the
east wall near the wine cabinet.
Treasure. The cabinet contains a set of eight red
crystal goblets (25 gp each) and sixteen bottles of wine.
Fifteen of the bottles contain fine wine (10 gp each). The
last bottle is laced with midnight tears, a tasteless poi-son (see "Poisons" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's
Guide). This tainted bottle is set aside for guests whom
the duke intends to eliminate.VI 0. GALLERY
Black curtains are drawn over the windows to the south,
keeping this hall dark and cool. Unless otherwise occu-
pied, Fendrick Gray, the venerable butler, paces the hallwith a lantern while the maid, Ambra Fallwater, dusts
(see "Servants," page 33). A wooden staircase at the
north end of the hall climbs 15 feet to area Vll.
This gallery contains an eclectic collection of tapes-
tries, paintings, and alabaster busts on pedestals meantto impress guests. The duke bought the pieces thinking
them to be valuable art objects, but all are knockoffs ac-
quired from dubious sources. The haphazardly assem-
bled collection is a testament to bad taste.
Wax Statue. A 6-foot-tall wax statue in one corner
depicts Duke Thalamra Vanthampur cradling the fam-
ily pet, Slobberchops, in her arms. The tressym has a
wax rat in its mouth. Visitors who enter the gallery fromthe foyer (area V3) are often startled by the statue be-
cause of its location just inside the door and its lifelike
appearance.
VIL UPSTAIRS HALL
Lanterns hang from the rafters of this d rafty hall. The
staircase to the north descends 15 feet to a rea VlO.
Five lawful evil human guards stand watch here-one
by each door. They attack anyone not accompanied by
a Vanthampur family member. I f they hear t rouble else-where, the guards can't be surprised, but they stay put
unless ordered to move by a member of the family. Com-
bat here alerts Thurstwell Vanthampur in area V13.
V12. BALCONY
A crenelated stone battlement encloses this balcony
overlooking the front yard. It's a 15-foot drop from the
balcony to the ground.Vl3. ThURSTWELL'S BEDROOM
Drab curtains cover the windows of this plain room,
which contains a bed, a padlocked iron chest, a claw-footed iron bathtub, and a fireplace. Standing in the
middle of the room is Thurstwell Vanthampur (see
the accompanying stat block), a frail and hateful forty-
two-year-old man clutching an infernal puzzle box (see
"Treasure" below). If alerted to intruders, ThurstweU
has locked the puzzle box in the iron chest and tucked
the key into his robe pocket.Thurstwell commands several imp spies who enter
and leave his room through the chimney, but only one
such creature is present when the characters arrive.
This imp is invisible, lurks in the fireplace, and attacks
anyone who threatens Thurstwell.Thurstwell greets intruders in the most uncivil fash-
ion-by casting sacred flame at the nearest one. On the
same turn, he casts sanctuary on himself as a bonus
action and uses his movement to cower behind the bed
while the imp defends him. If taken prisoner, he whines
about the failure of his guards to protect him and bides
his time, hoping his captors get in over their heads and
afford him a chance to escape. If interrogated, be offers
the following information in exchange for his release:• His mother, the duke, is in the dungeon below the villa
with Thavius Kreeg. She and the former high overseer
of Elturel are plotting to seize control of Baldur's Gate.
- He and his brothers recently stole the Shield of the
Hidden Lord from a crypt under the city. A powerful
devil named Gargauth is trapped in the shield, and has
vowed to help the Vanthampurs conquer Baldur's Gateif released. Thavius Kreeg is confident that he can de-
vise a way to release Gargauth from the shield.
- Thavius arrived in the city a few days ago with the
puzzle box. The duke insisted that Thavius let the fam-
ily safeguard the item while he studies the shield.Treasure. The infernal puzzle box is a new magic item
described on page 224. Each puzzle box is unique in
its design. This particular box belongs to Thavius Kreegand was entrusted to Duke Vanthampur for safekeeping.
Curious to know what's inside the box, the duke gave it
to Thurstwell-supposedly her smartest son-to see ifhe could open it, but he's had no luck so far. Thurstwell
can be threatened into relinquishing the box, or it can
easily be taken from him. However, opening the box is
beyond the ability of any of the characters. Falaster Fisk,CHAPTER 1 I A TALE OF TWO CITI ES
35