- PARLOR
Simple yet comfor table furniture is set around this
dusty parlor, which has not seen much use in recent
years. A sideboard standing against the northwest wall
has a large, steel-framed mirror mounted above it.
- TORM'S SHRINE
Altar and Fresco. Three steps ascend to an alcove hold-
ing a stone altar. The wall behind the altar bears a
fresco of a large white gauntlet (the symbol of Torm).
Statues. Standing in the "tips" of the crescent-shaped
room, flanking the altar, are a pair of life-size stone
statues that depict human paladins clad in plate ar-
mor. (The statues resemble Dezmyr and Zalthar Sha-
dowdusk as they appeared when they were alive.)
23. MEDITATION ROOMS
Shadowdusk family members use these rooms for silent
reflection and contemplation.23A. OUTER SANCTUM
Soft cushions and woven mats adorn the floor of this fra-
grant room. Brass censers hold cones of unlit incense. A
secret door in the southeast wall leads to area 23b.23B. BLACK CRYSTAL TABLET
This chamber contains no light sources and is unnatu-
rally dark. Any bright light that shines into this room or
inside it is reduced to dim light, and dim light is reduced
to darkness. Darkvision functions normally here.
A stone table rests against the waJI opposite the door.
A tablet made of black crystal inscribed with strange
writing rests on the table. The tablet is cold to the touch,
and its writing appears to writhe.
Treasure. Xerrion Shadowdusk originally used the
tablet to contact beings of the Far Realm. Other family
members have used it for similar purposes over the
years. It weighs 11 pounds and measures 7 inches wide,
13 inches tall, and 2 inches thick.
The black crystal tablet is a legendary magic item that
requires attunement by a creature that has proficiency
in the Arcana s kill. Any creature that attunes to the
tablet must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw at the
end of its next long rest. On a failed save, the creature
becomes afflicted with a random form of long-term mad-
ness (see "Madness" in chapter^8 of the Dungeon Mas-
ter's Guide).
As an action, a creature attuned to the black crystal
tablet can use it to cast eyebite or gate (the portal cre-
ated by this spell links to the Far Realm only). After the
tablet is used to cast a s pell, it cannot be used again un-
til the next dawn.
NOTHIC WARRENS
This wing of Shadowdusk Hold serves as the home of
family members whose mad thirst for arcane knowledge
transformed them into nothics.
24A. COMMUNALAREA
Twelve nothics gather here and glare suspiciously at
strangers while spouting nonsense among themselves.LEVEL 22 I SHADOWOOSK HOLDIf the characters do anything to startle the nothics,
they attack; otherwise, the nothics let characters pass
through this room unmolested.24B. PEEK-A-BOO
Two nothics cower beneath mounds of rotting tapes-
tries piled against the east wall. The nothics sheepishly
observe passersby and avoid combat.24c. ROTTING REFUSE
The nothics throw garbage here, including the half.
eaten corpses of rats, bats, and other vermin. The shred-
ded remains of a tapestry depicting the city of Water-
deep hang on the south wall.
ABANDONED CHAMBER
This room served as quarters for members of the Sha-
dowdusk family until they became nothics. Nothing
remains except for splintered furniture and a shredded,
unidentifiable tapestry hanging on the west wall.
26. HOARDED SECRETS
---------
The nothics s teal books and store them in this chamber,
the features of which are as follows:
Tapestry. A tapestry depicting silhouetted figures stand-
ing before a starry sky covers the west wall.
Towers of Books. Stacks of books are set around the
room, some ris ing almost to the ceiling.TREASURE
A search of the stacks turns up four profoundly philo-
sophical texts worth 250 gp each to an interested sage.
Their titles are Patterns in the Tapestry of Time, The
U'keth Prophecies, Whispers of a Bygone Truth, and
Tales of Existential Dread.
The tapestry features a stunning night sky set with
pearls and diamond chips as stars, but the constella-
tions match none known in Faerfin. The tapestry is
worth 2,500 gp and weighs 30 pounds.- PRIVY
This room contains several filthy latrine stalls and is
caked in waste. The Shadowdusks use chamber pots
that the nothics e mpty into this area. The nothics use
the privy with no regard for its condition.
LEGACY OF XERRION
Two sets of double doors lead to this hall, and opening
either set alerts the creatures on guard here. The hall's
contents are as follows:
Slaadi. Four invisible death slaadi stand guard next
to the northernmost pillars. The slaadi serve at the
pleasure of Dezmyr and Zalthar, and they attack in-
truders on sight.
Fresco. Two stone benches arranged side by side in the
middle of the hall face a colorful fresco on the north
wall. The fresco, 30 feet long by 15 feet tall, depicts a
slender, middle-aged human wizard (Xerrion Shadow-
dusk) standing before a magic portal with tentacles
pouring out of it. The wizard is smiling, and clutched
in his arms is a black crystal tablet.