vicinity of the chasm to snuff out torches and other open
flames of a nonmagical nature.
The chasm has abundant handholds and is easily
climbed. Characters who descend to the floor find it jag-
ged, uneven, and littered with the broken pieces of stone
golems (tossed into the chasm by the mad golem in area
2), four dead gargoyles in pieces, and the bones of a
dwarf (a miner who slipped and fell into the chasm over
a century ago). The miner's pick lies near the bones.
- THE RUNESTONE
The tip of the giant stalagmite at the center of area
13a is pierced by a large hole. Set within this hole is a
10-foot-diameter, circular lozenge of translucent white
crystal called the Runestone. The crystal radiates bright
blue-white light in a 120-foot radius and dim light for an
additional 120 feet. Halaster's red-glowing rune floats
inside it.
The Runestone is a Large object with AC 10; 90 hit
points; immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't adaman-
tine; and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Pro-
vided it has at least 1 hit point, the crystal can magically
repair itself, regaining 10 (3d6) hit points each hour.
As an action, Halaster can establish a magical link
with the Runestone from anywhere inside Undermoun-
tain, provided the crystal hasn't been destroyed. This
link allows him to see, speak, and cast spells through
the Runestone as though he were standing in its space.
Spells he casts through the Runestone appear to origi-
nate from the rune lodged inside it. Halaster can end the
link at any time (no action required).
While Halaster is linked to the Runestone, its light
changes from blue-white to red-orange, and Halaster's
rune turns from bright red to fluorescent purple. The
brightness and extent of the light doesn't change.
CAPTURING I PSES
Characters who lurk outside the stalagmite tower long
enough might see Ezzat open the outer door to release his
pseudodragon, l pses (see area 17). The lich st ands in the
open doorway while lpses hunt s vermin and gathers up
any Runestone fragments it finds in the surrounding cav-
ern. Once t he pseudodragon has eaten and taken care of
business, it returns to the tower. The outer door then shuts
and locks as Ezzat and l pses retreat i nside.
lpses has long been denied the taste of good food and
simply can't resist an offering of fruit, candy, cheese, or
some other delicacy. If the pseudodragon goes missing in
the cavern, Ezzat locks up the tower and searches for it.
Characters who capture lpses can hold the pseudodragon
hostage and use it to wring information from Ezzat, as you
determine. (See " Roleplaying Ezzat," page 262 , for more
information.)
In exchange for the pseudodragon's safe return, the l ich
also offers to t rade the potions in area 20. If the charact ers
demand more, Ezzat throws in what he claims is a staff of
frost. If that deal is done, the sentient staff (see area 16)
reveals its true nature and attacks lpses's abductors as
soon as the pseudodragon is safe.RUNESTONE FRAGMENTS
The surface of the Runestone is rough and splintered.
Every 12 hours, a pebble-sized fragment of the Rune-
stone breaks off and falls to the cavern floor, though the
Runestone shows no signs of ever being diminished
by shedding these fragments. A broken-off fragment is
magical but no longer glows. It comes to rest ld4 x 10
feet from the base of the stalagmite.
Ezzat's pseudodragon companion, lpses, gathers up
Runestone fragments as it hunts for food around the sta-
lagmite, but a few occasionally escape its notice. A char-
acter who examines the cavern floor around the spire
with a detect magic spell finds l d4 fragments. Without
such magical aid, a character can find one fragment
with a 1-hour search and a successful DC 20 Wisdom
(Perception) check.
Halaster has discovered a process for implanting
Runestone fragments in constructs to imbue them with
more intelligence and personality. These fragments
might also have other magical properties, at your
discretion.
Delivering a Runestone fragment to Jalester Silver-
mane in Waterdeep completes a quest (see "Retrieve a
Runestone Fragment," page 9).Stalagmite Tower
The stalagmite tower at the center of the main cavern is
120 feet tall and has chambers hollowed out of the lower
two-thirds of its height. Those hollowed-out areas have
3-foot-thick outer walls, 2-foot-thick inner walls, and
3-foot-thick floors, all hewn from solid rock. All ceilings
in the tower are 20 feet high. The outer surface of the
stalagmite has numerous footholds and ledges, and can
be climbed with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athlet-
ics) check.
The stalagmite tower is impervious to damage, as well
as to magic that would alter its form (such as a stone
shape spell) or create openings through it (such as a
passwafl spell or a portable hole). A creature can exit
the tower by using magic, but the tower prevents any
creature from entering it in similar fashion. Spells such
as dimension door or teleport thus can't be used to get
inside the tower, nor can creatures be magically sum-
moned inside it by anyone except Ezzat.
No constructs can approach within 10 feet of the sta-
lagmite. Such creatures encounter what feels like an
unbreakable wall of force surrounding the entire stalag-
mite and extending under the cavern floor.15. OUTER DOOR AND FOYER
The tower entrance is on the eastern side of the stalag-
mite and offers the only access to Ezzat's lair.OUTER DOOR
Bas-Relief. The outward-facing side of the door bears a
bas-relief sculpture of a humanoid skull with a black
sapphire embedded in each eye socket.
Words of Unwelcome. Carved into the frame above the
door are the words "GO AWAY!" written in Common.
Alarm. An alarm spell silently warns Ezzat if any other
creature opens the door.LEVEL 20 I RUN.ESTONE CAVERNS 261