LEVEL 12: MAZE LEVEL
HE MAZE LEVEL IS DESIGNED FOR FOUR 12TH-LEVEL
characte rs, and characters who defeat the
monsters on this level should gain enough XP
to advance halfway to 13th level.What Dwells Here?
This level is a battleground between drow of
House Freth and a tribe of minotaurs. The minotaurs
hold sway over a maze of tunnels riddled with magi-
cal effects and traps, while the drow occupy the caves
around an elegant fortress called Spiderwatch Keep- a
staging ground for House Freth's goal of conquering all
of Undermountain.
Hostilities between the drow and the minotaurs have
recently abated, in the wake of devastating losses on
both sides. Drivvin Freth, a drow archmage, hopes to
use this respite to his house's advantage by summoning
a goristro demon that will force the minotaurs to submit
to House Freth's control.HOUSE FRETH
From their dark bastion, the leaders of the house strive
to keep their enemies, House Auvryndar (see level 10 ),
from conquering the Troglodyte Warrens (level 11).
Leading the effort is Erelal Freth, a drow priestess of
Lolth. Her older brother Drivvin works at her side.
Erelal has communed with Lolth and believes that the
key to securing the Troglodyte Warrens begins with the
capitulation of the minotaurs on the Maze Level. Once
the minotaurs are s ubservient to House Freth, the drow
will use them to clear out and secure the warrens. To
this end, Drivvin is devising a ritual to summon and
control a goristro demon. By passing the goristro off as
Baphomet, the demon lord of minotaurs, he hopes to
win the minotaurs' obedience. But Drivvin has recently
realized that his arcane knowledge is not sufficient to
allow him to perfect the ritual-and he's afraid of admit-
ting his inadequacy to his sister.
The nature of the characters' prior association with
House Auvryndar might affect how members of House
Freth view them. If the characters collaborated with
House Auvryndar and this fact becomes known to the
leaders of House Freth, all future encounters with mem-
bers of House Freth are likely to be hostile.SHADOWDUSK EMISSARIES
Two low-ranking members of the Shadowdusk family
(see level 22) arrived at Spiderwatch Keep a few days
ago, claiming to be emissaries from Shadowdusk Hold
who were seeking an alliance with House Freth. Tendra
Nightblade and Mateen Shadowdusk have been feted
and flattered by Erelal Freth since they arrived. The
drow priestess recognizes the potential benefit of an al-
liance, although she is also trying to ascertain whether
Shadowdusk Hold has made similar overtures to House
Auvryndar.
What Erelal doesn't realize is that House Shadowdusk
has no interest in an alliance, and Tendra and Maleen
have come to the Maze Level on a secret mission. Be-
holden to Halaster Blackcloak, the Shadowdusks have
been ordered to convince Drivvin Freth to accept anLEVEL 12 I MAZE LEVEL
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