300
STATUE OF HALASTER
A character who examines the statue and succeeds on
a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that the
dragon heads on the ends of the staff can be pushed
toward each other with a click. When this is done, the
secret trapdoor in the middle of the pentagram unlocks
and pops open.
When he is not incapacitated, Halaster can touch the
statue to teleport himself and anything he is wearing or
carrying to a space within 5 feet of the statue in area 22
or the statue in area 37 (no action required).- APPRENTICE PORTRAITS
~~~~
Seven tall, framed portraits hang on the walls of this
room. Embedded in the wall beneath each portrait is a
small bronze plaque bearing a name. A character who
examines the portraits and plaques can, with a success-
ful DC 20 Intelligence (History) check, confirm that
these are paintings of Halaster's original seven appren-
tices, showing them as they were before they descended
into Undermountain and were overcome by madness.
Each apprentice is shown wearing a horned ring on
one finger; these rings are identical and resemble the
horned r i ng worn by Halaster. The other features of
each portrait are as follows:
Rantanta r is a fat, frowning man scarred by fire. He
wears ornate purple robes and grasps what looks like
a wand of wonder in his burned right hand.
Nester is a handsome, slender man with thinning hair
and a penetrating stare. He wears a plain black robe
and many rings on his steepled fingers. Tattooed on
his forehead is a tiny black rune. A successful DC 10
Intelligence (Arcana) check confirms that the rune
represents the School of Necromancy.
Trobriand the Metal Mage is a stoic, bearded man with
black hair, black robes, and tinker's goggles. Perched
on his shoulder is a tiny iron scorpion.
Muira l the Misshapen is an ugly, powerfully built man
with messy brown hair and a cruel sneer. He wears
battered plate armor and has a steel helm with a scor-
pion motif tucked under his right arm. Clutched in his
left hand is a longsword that drips blood.
Arcturia has straw-like hair, bony features, blue-tinged
skin, and an exasperated expression. She wears a
wide-brimmed conical hat and a robe of butterflies.
She holds up a finger, above which floats a tiny, glow-
ing sigil. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana)
check confirms that the sigil represents the School of
Transmutation.
Marambra Nyghtsteel is a striking woman with long
auburn hair and an empty, distant gaze. She wears a
black robe and holds a staff topped with a rune. A suc-
cessful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check confirms
that the rune represents the School of Evocation.
Jhesiyra Kestellharp is a young, plain-looking woman
dressed in yellow and blue robes. Her face betrays
the subtlest hint of a smile. Her portrait has been
slashed in half.
The first character who steps within 5 feet of the torn
portrait of Jhesiyra Kestellharp hears a woman's voice
whisper in their head: "So close ... " If the portrait is
LEVEL 23 I MAD WIZARD'S LATRrepaired using a mending cantrip or similar magic, the
image appears to come alive momentarily. Within the
portrait,Jhesiyra removes the ring from her finger, caus-
ing the actual ring to tumble out of the painting onto the
floor, from where it can be claimed. This horned ring is
a very rare magic item that allows an attuned wearer to
ignore Undermountain's magical restrictions (see "Alter-
ations to Magic," page 10).- SCRYING ROOM
Hanging on the wall are what appear to be realistic
paintings of cityscapes in gilded wooden frames. In
truth, these "paintings" are magical scrying sensors that
are fixed on the following locations in Waterdeep:
- The city's north gate, as seen from inside the city
- The city's south gate, as seen from inside the city
- The Sword maiden, one of the walking statues of Wa-
terdeep, in the North Ward - Heroes' Garden, a park in the Sea Ward
- The exterior of the House of Wonder (temple of
Mystra) in the Sea Ward - The exterior of the Font of Knowledge (temple of
Oghma) in the Castle Ward - The exterior of Ahghairon's Tower in the Castle Ward
- The exterior of Blackstaff Tower in the Castle Ward
- The Market in the Castle Ward
- The interior of the Yawning Portal's taproom and the
entrance to Undermountain
Characters acquainted with Waterdeep can easily rec-
ognize the locations being scried upon, since they are
all prominent landmarks. Breaking a scrying device's
frame or removing it from the wall destroys its magic.
Eight living unseen servants (see appendix A) are
painting four new portraits of Halaster and carving a
statue of him in this room. Characters who enter the
room see the following features:
Painters. Brushes held by invisible hands are dabbing
paint onto rectangles of canvas propped up on four
wooden easels. At the same time, floating hammers
and chisels are nibbling away at a large block of stone.
Subject. Posing next to the stone block is a silent, illu-
sory image of Halaster Blackcloak in a seductive pose.
The illusion of Halaster has no substance and changes
its pose every minute. A successful dispel magic spell
cast on the illusion (DC 16) ends it.
The unseen servants ignore visitors, but they attack if
their work is interrupted or if the illusion of Halaster is
dispelled.~HESIYRA's WARNI_N_ G ____ _
This room is furnished identically to area 27 (ex-
cept for the presence of Rantantar's wand), perhaps
causing characters to think they have reentered that
room somehow.
As one or more characters cross this room and head
toward the door to area 33 ,jhesiyra (see ''Jhesiyra
Kestellharp," page 10) sends each of them the follow-