STAR SPAWN
Creatures from the Far Realm visit Shadowdusk Hold from
time to time. If you have a copy of Mordenkainen's Tome
of Foes, you can add one or more s tar spawn from that
book to the roster o f creatures encountered on this level o f
Undermountain.The Shadowdusk family motto used to be "No secrets
without truth." After the family's fall, its motto changed
to "We do not fear the darkness." The family's crest is
a lit torch with three embers rising from the flame, set
against a purple background. In the wake of the family's
descent into Undermountain and madness, this crest
has been literally turned upside down, so that the to rch
flame points downward.DEZMYR AND ZALTHAR
The current leaders of Shadowdusk Hold are the twins
Dezmyr and Zalthar Shadowdusk. They have remained
close throughout life and undeath, and might have led
their mortal family skillfully if circumstances had played
out differently.
The twins are devoted to each other and are obsessed
with retu rning their family to prominence and ultimately
seizing control of Waterdeep.Exploring This Level
All location descriptions for this level are keyed
to map 22.
The following features apply throughout S hadowdusk
Hold unless otherwise noted in an area's description:- The hold consists of three tiers. Ceilings in rooms and
hallways are 15 feet high unless stated otherwise. The
floors are smooth stone polished to a mirror finish. - Any humanoid that dies in Shadowdusk Hold rises
from its corpse ld4 hours later as a will-o'-wisp under
the DM's control. Casting dispel evil and good on the
corpse before the will-o'-wisp forms prevents such an
occurrence, as does bringing the body out of Shadow-
dusk Hold or into the area of a hallow spell. - Sconces throughout Shadowdusk Hold flicker with
torchlight created by continual flame spells. These
magic torches are set in upside-down sconces, and
their magical flames point downward.
Tier
The uppermost tier of Shadowdusk Hold closely resem-
bles the style and architecture of the family manor in
Waterdeep before it was destroyed. This section of the
hold resembles a mausoleum. The Far Realm's influ-
ence on this tier is faint.
Two members of the Shadowdusk family reside here:
a wizard named Melissara Shadowdusk and her mad
husband, Derrion.- GRAND FOYER
The stairs from level 21 descend to a grand entry cham-
ber that contains the following features:
LEVEL 22 I SHADOWDUSK HOLDPillars. Pillars support the 40-foot-high, vaulted ceiling.
Grells. Six grells float behind the pillars to the north.
The grells attack visitors and can use their tentacles to
open and close doors as needed.
Apparitions. Spectral images of dead servants and
adventurers occasionally fade into view, wander the
hall, then fade away. These images are harmless
regional effects created by Halaster (see "Halaster's
Lair," page 311).
Statues. Statues depicting two well-dressed humans
stand in alcoves to the south.
The statues show the Shadowdusk twins, Zalthar
and Dezmyr, as they appeared in life. Zalthar's statue
is in the west alcove and stands 6 feet 11 inches tall.
Dezmyr's statue to the east stands 6 feet 3 inches tall.
An inscription on the bottom of each statue identifies
its subject.2. TWISTED GALLERY
Bas-Reliefs. The curved walls are lined with bas-relief
carvings, and plaques mounted beneath them tell the
story of a forgotten Waterdavian family.
Statues. Two 9-foot-tall statues stand on raised plat-
forms in alcoves to the north and south.
The bas-reliefs carvings depict Arandraya, Mael-
weene, and Yarlithra Shadowdusk negotiating trade
deals in Waterdeep, exploring Undermountain in their
free time, pouring treasure into family coffers, and giv-
ing a black tablet to their brother, Xerrion. The carvings
go on to show the original Shadowdusk Hold (in Water-
deep) on fire, Xerrion Shadowdusk escaping into Un-
dermountain with the black tablet, the creation of a new
Shadowdusk Hold in the dungeon's depths, Xerrion's
marriage to Lady Margaraste, and the married couple
stepping through a gate of tentacles into the Far Realm.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check iden-
tifies the family crest in the reliefs- a lit torch with an
orange flame and three embers trailing off it-and the
two mottoes of House Shadowdusk: "No secrets with-
out truth" and "We do not fear the darkness." The crest
appears upright in earlier scenes and inverted in later
scenes. A character who recognizes the crest and the
family mottoes also knows that the Shadowdusks were
presumed destroyed.
The statue to the north depicts Lord Xerrion Shadow-
dusk, a male human of middle age with regal bearing
and sharp features. The south statue depicts Lady Mar-
garaste Shadowdusk, a middle-aged female human with
long, curly hair and a kind smile. An inscription on the
bottom of each statue identifies its subject.- WESTWING
Four nothics lurk in the northern arm of this L-shaped
gallery, poring over wall carvings and chattering to
themselves. Beyond the nothics, a staircase descends
50 feet to tier 2.
The nothics are puzzled by the carvings, which depict
various deceased members of the Shadowdusk family.
They attack intruders on sight.