Descent into Avernus

20

DUNGEON OF THE

DEAD THREE

Before running this part of the adventure, read the infor-

mation on the Dead Three in appendix D. Stat blocks for

the Dead Three's followers can be found there as well.

The Dungeon of the Dead Three is hidden below a

bathhouse that's secretly owned and operated by the

Vantbampur family. One member of the family, Mortlock

Vanthampur, is in the dungeon helping to coordinate the

Dead Three cultists' attacks in the city. These attacks

are meant to demonstrate to the citizens of Baldur's

Gate that the Flaming Fist can't protect them.

ARRIVAL AT THE BATHHOUSE

When the characters arrive at the bathhouse, read the

following boxed text aloud to the players:

The bathhouse is a one-story stuccoed building with

stained-glass windows and clay roof tiles. Ten-foot-tall

walls enclose a large courtyard outside the southeast

corner of the building. The closed wooden doors to the

courtyard are engraved with images of smiling nymphs

dancing and frolicking in water.

There's nothing outwardly suspicious about the bath-

house, which features one of the most sophisticated

plumbing systems in the city. The doors leading to the

courtyard (area Dl) are unlocked and unguarded. The

bathhouse closes at midnight and reopens at dawn, and

city residents come and go here throughout the day and

into the evening.

BATHHOUSE LOCATIONS

The following area descriptions are keyed to map 1.3.

Dl. COURTYARD

Describe this location to the players as follows:

This L-shaped courtyard features a trimmed lawn and

nicely manicured shrubbery. The yard is decorated with

white marble benches and stone fountains, each in the

form of a smiling nymph tipping a jug that spills water

into a circular stone basin.

An invisible imp is perched on the southeast fountain. If

the characters look as though they intend to cause trou-

ble, the imp observes them quietly until they enter the

bathhouse, then flies to Vanthampur Villa in the Upper

City to alert Thurstwell Vanthampur, the oldest of Duke

Thalamra Vanthampur's sons. Thurstwell instructs the

imp to return to its post but takes no further action, hop-

ing that the characters dispose of his brother, Mortlock.

D2. BATHS

From dawn to midn'ight, characters can expect to find

ld6 human commoners bathing here at any given time.

CHAPTJ;'.R I I A TALE OF TWO CITIES

From midnight to dawn, three female human night

bla des (see page 233 for their stat block) stand guard

near the pools and attack trespassers on sight. If a l:i,ght

breaks out here, the necromite ofMyrkul in area D4

joins the fray in the second round of combat.

Describe this location to the players as follows:

The walls of this twenty-foot-high pillared chamber are

adorned with frescoes of bathing royalty. Natural light

streams through stained-glass windows, creating colorful

patterns on the tiles of polished blue marble that cover

the Acor. Three shallow, sunken pools contain scintillat-

ing perfume-scented water. White marble benches bear-

ing stacks of dry towels are situated near the pools, each

of which comes equipped with a pair of brass faucets.

The faucets draw warm and cold water from pipes that

run underneath the floor. A tight-fitting stone plug at the

bottom of each pool keeps its water from draining out.

Numerous tiny drain holes near the tops of the sunken

pools prevent them from overflowing.

3. SOUTH MASSAGE ROOM

This room contains a massage table draped in clean

towels. Bottles of perfume stored under the table are

used to scent the pools in area D2. Natural light enters

through a stained-glass window set into the south wall.

During the hours in which the bathhouse is open,

an androgynous human masseuse (neutral good com-

moner) named Jabaz works here. Jabaz knows that the

bathhouse is owned by Duke Thalamra Vanthampur

and run by her brutish son, Mortlock.

Mortlock has givenjabaz strict orders not to hang

around the bathhouse after hours. Jabaz suspects that

Mortlock is running some sort of shady business on the

side, and that he's using the establishment as a front to

conceal his dark dealings without the duke's knowledge.

Jabaz knows the location of the secret door in area D4

but won't volunteer that information, fearing Mortlock's

retaliation.Jabaz doesn't know what lies beyond the

secret door.

4. NORTH MASSAGE ROOM
   From midnight to dawn, a male human necromite of

Myrkul (see page 234 for his stat block) guards this

room unless he's drawn to area D2 by sounds of battle

there. During the hours in which the bathhouse is open,

a female human masseuse (neutral good common er)

named Qurmilab works here. She knows the same in-

formation asjabaz in area D3 and behaves similarly.

This room is furnished in the same fashion as area

03, with the additional feature of a secret door in the

north wall. A character who searches the north wall and

succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check finds

the secret door, which swings inward when pushed. A

foul, sewer-like stench greets anyone who opens the

secret door. Behind the door, a staircase descends 20

feet to area DS, featuring smooth stone steps and brick

walls. Two sputtering torches in wall sconces illuminate

the staircase, but the dungeon below is dark.