Talk To Me - Dungeon of the Mad Mage, Chapter 4

 

Etlenda had walked through an archway and had become magically invisible right before Push-ta's orcish eyes. Meanwhile, next door, the rest of the party looked around at the irregularly shaped room. There was a niche in the east wall and the west corner of the south wall, and a long niche - almost a corridor - in the east corner of the south wall.

In the southwest niche were a pile of bones that had been swept into a pile in the corner.

In the southeast niche was a door on the east wall.

In the northeast niche were the desiccated remains of the top half of a tiefling prisoner, suspended by wrist manacles. The remains were missing its legs. 

Written on the wall above the skeleton in dried blood were the words: 

TALK TO ME

CHAPTER 4

"TALK TO ME"

The Mystics of Trollskull Manor:

• Winterfrost of House Silverspear - Chaotic Good Moon Elf Noble and Fighter. The daughter of elven diplomats, raised among dwarves.
  
• Etlenda, aka "Exile" - Neutral Good Eladrin Outlander and Paladin. Exiled from the Feywild and raised by wolves. While exploring the Feydark he crossed over into the Underdark and emerged into the Mortal World.
• Tempus Vegvisir - Lawful Good Human Trade Sheriff and Cleric of Helm. Husband and Father.
• Push-ta Tok - Neutral Half-Orc Former Smuggler and Rogue, secret member of the Zhentarim.
• Kem Hearthfire - Chaotic Good Half-Orc Former Gladiator Priestess of Gond.

Talk to Me

Tempus examined the mummified corpse. He said, "Hello? Can you hear me?"

There was no answer.

He tried again in the Infernal language of demons. Again, no answer.

He shrugged, "Kem, can you by some miracle speak with the dead?"

She shook her head, "I would have to pray. Maybe tomorrow, but not right now."

They moved on.

Headless Statue

They passed through a corridor heading east and entered a rectangular room. The north wall came to a point. A hole in the wall showed evidence of tunneling into the room from outside. Debris lay piled on the floor at the foot of a headless statue of a nude woman. 

Spiritual hammers still swirled around her from their recent goblin carnage. She reckoned she had only a few minutes left so they pushed on with no further investigation.

Hall of Many Candles

They entered into a corridor lit by dozens of candles. Each candle was spaced roughly twenty feet apart within recessed niches. Each candle hovered mysteriously and burned without melting wax. 

Etlenda noticed that the corridor was scoured clean. There was no dust, no debris, not a single flake or speck. 

Three Questions with Halaster

They continued east. They came across an alcove in the north wall. At the back of the alcove was an intricately carved arch. Etched into the frame of the arch were the words, "COME HITHER". 

After some trepidation, the party decided to enter. They passed through the north wall and into a strange darkened world with an smooth grey floor that stretched into infinity. Kem's swirling vortex of spiritual hammers was gone. A short distance away was a free-standing wall decorated like the interior of a study complete with burning fireplace. In front of the study was a high-backed leather chair and end table. An elderly man wearing wizard robes sat in the chair reading a large book and smoking a pipe. He looked up as they approached and smiled. He closed the book and motioned for them to approach.

He turned as if addressed an imaginary person in the room, "Well, look who we have here! It's our newest contestants! What a lovely surprise! Come here, come here." He put the book onto the end table and stood up. He positioned the party members as if he were presenting them to his imaginary friend, "Let's give a big Halaster welcome to our latest contestants - the Mystics of Trollskull Manor."

He stood silent for a moment. The silence became awkward and the party was uncertain how to proceed.

"Well," said the old man, "don't just stand there like a boob. Three questions of this lair you can ask; twice will the answer be true, and once false. And be quick about it—the show must go on!"

The party deliberated amongst themselves. While they debated, the old man smiled at his imaginary friend and said, "While we wait, let's have a word from one of our sponsors!"

In the distance, the party heard an announcer recite: "This production of Dungeon of the Mad Mage is brought to you by Texas Beholdem, the multiverse's premiere poker tournament. Tickets are available now! Come for the cards, stay for the eye rays! Live audiences are subject to disintegration rays."

"And now, this week's dungeon profile!"

Each member of the party saw within their mind's eye the visage of a half-ogre astride a wyvern. Over a subterranean harbor they flew while a voice boomed, "Sundeth, the tyrant of Skullport. The Xanathar Guild has ordained his reign and all the Port of Shadow cries out for freedom! Will none stand boldly against this crimson king?" 

The vision ended and they once more stood on the featureless plain in front of the old man. The old man, Halaster himself apparently, reiterated the challenge, "Now for those questions?"

DM - I asked the players to give me all three questions so I could pick which one would be a lie. 

The party was still debating what to ask and Halaster was becoming frustrated. Kem finally blurted, "Whatever. What's the meaning of life?"

Halaster smiled and answered, "That's easy! It's Knowledge! Always has it been knowledge—for that which exists without my knowledge exists without my consent. Yes, Knowledge. Knowledg and bringing people together for challenge and sport, of course."

Etlenda asked a strategic question, "Where does Halaster reside or lair in this dungeon?"

The old man feigned modesty, "Who, ME? Well, in my tower, of course. You may find it on what you would consider the 23rd level of this competition."

Winterfrost finally asked, "Where is Flagon and Dragon in Skullport?"

Halaster answered, "Everywhere and nowhere. Its exactly where it needs to be."

"There, was that so hard? You'll get the hang of this yet! You've done well so far, but know this," the old man's face twists into a sneer, "Yer mine. Ye've always been mine since the day ye learnt to crawl. Yer life has led you here. I've led you here."

"The rules o' the game are simple: die, ye lose. Win, ye get yer freedom… and a wish. Anything ye can imagine. And t'win, ye have to reach my lair—twenty-three levels below this delightful madhouse o' mine."

Halaster turned to face his imaginary friend. His voice became that of a stage director's. "The game has been set, the stakes raised. Ladies, gentlemen, fiends and friends: give it up for our contestants on this season of Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Might they brave the horrors of Undermountain and emerge victorious?"

The party heard the sound of applause. A previously invisible audience appeared. The gray floor had transformed into a stage in a playhouse. Everyone in the audience was a version of Halaster. There were hundreds of Halasters clapping and smiling, some booed, some shook their fists, some stood and cheered.

Halaster said, "We'll be right back after this break. Now, a word from our sponsors…"

"Elvish Presley's new album That's the Way It Was is out now! Get your copy of the interplanar rock-sensation's newest collection now!"

Halaster snapped his fingers and the party appeared on their backs in the hallway outside the alcove. The archway was gone, leaving only a bare stone wall.

Backtracking

Since the duration of Kem's spirit hammers was no longer a consideration, the party decided to backtrack through each of the rooms and corridors they had rushed through in order to search for loot and secret doors and so that Kem could fill in the map.

DM - Although Kem's player had continued live-mapping, I ruled that they were unable to map while they were in a hurry. So she covered that area of her map with a white square. Now they could go back and fill in the map.

The Automaton Avenger

While the team was searching the room with the dead tiefling, Etlenda and Push-ta were scouting the room to the north. There they heard the sounds of heavy stamping feet approaching from the corridor to the north. They warned the others and prepared for battle.

To their surprise a massive ten-foot tall automaton wearing wizard robes appeared in the doorway. The automaton carried a crooked stick in one hand and wore a pointy hat.  

The wizard took one look at Push-ta - for Etlenda was still invisible - and declared, "Halt, foul villain! I can tell by your orcine nature that YOU must be responsible for the massacre of the small children in the chambers hence. Prepare for justice, fiend! I am the arcane defender of this realm and I shall dole out mighty judgement upon you!" The automaton wiggled its stick and shouted, "MAGIC MISSILE! Pew! Pew! Pew!"

Nothing happened.

Push-ta stared bewildered, "What?"

Tempus and Winterfrost soon joined them. Kem kept her distance in the other room.

The wizard pointed his stick at the newcomers, "Oh ho! You have summoned more foul companions to your aid! No matter! I shall defeat them post-haste and you shall know the wrath of vengeance! SLEEP! Shhhhh!"

Tempus held out his hands as a sign of peace, "Hey there. We mean you no harm. You seem to be damaged or malfunctioning. Perhaps we can assist you?"

When the sleep spell failed to work, the automaton replied, "You- you are- you are -are-are- magically resistant! I shall be forced-forced-forced to try-try-tray again! I said, SLEEP! Shhhhhh!"

Tempus, Winterfrost, and Push-ta exchanged glances of befuddlement. Tempus continued, "Look, we don't want any trouble."

"Trouble-trrrrrr-ooo-uble is what what you will- RRRRRR -" For a brief moment, the automaton changed stance from casting a spell to a defensive fighting posture. Its head began to vibrate and it made a mechanical noise. Then it returned to a spell-casting posture and once more brandished its "wand", "You have have forced me to call upon-on-on my most pow-pow-powerful magicks! You have been warned! POWER WORD KILL! Pwoo-woo-woo-woo!"

DM - I told Tempus' player that if he succeeded in three Persuasion checks before two failures, he would convince the automaton that it wasn't a wizard. However, the players weren't getting the hint that if that succeeded, it would revert to combat mode and they'd have to fight him. So after two successes, I flat out told the player that it's working, but he should know that if he succeeded it would lead to a fight. If that's what they wanted, fine. But I wanted the player to know that the choice was his to make. 

Tempus told the others, "Play along!" He clutched his heart and fell to the ground.

The others followed suit, hamming up their death scene. All save Etlenda, who remained invisible.

DM - I had each of the characters make a Performance skill check.

When everyone lay motionless on the floor, the automaton wizard stood straight, "Excellent. My work here is done! The children have been avenged. The city will know peace tonight!" It turned and stamped off the way it came.

The Shattered Statue

The party waited for the giant automaton to leave. Once they could no longer hear its stamping, they got up and returned to the goblin outpost with the shattered statue. Etlenda - still invisible - stood guard while the others went to work reassembling the shards of the broken statue. Tempus used minor spells to magically mend each broken shard together. After about an hour they had reassembled the statue - it depicted three male human warriors standing together on a stone mound, facing outward and clutching swords.

While their attention was elsewhere, a small creature resembling a brain with legs crawled out from the behind one of the dead bugbears and attached itself to Tempus' head! 

Etlenda spotted another one scuttling away from the other dead bugbear towards the party. Etlenda killed it quickly with his sword.

Tempus managed to throw the other brain-creature off his had onto the floor where it was quickly dispatched by the rest of the party. 

Stirges

Having rested, the party retraced their steps down the southern corridor. On the way, Winterfrost stepped through the archway and became invisible. 

As Push-ta opened the door into the room containing the tiefling skeleton, there came a sound of bat wings flapping. Small flying beasts covered with quills darted through the air towards them. 

"Stirges!" shouted Etlenda.

Kem Hearthfire reacted quickly with a prayer to Gond. She was surrounded by a votex of mystical hammers which quickly destroyed all the stirges. Unfortunately, Kem couldn't see the invisible Winterfrost and the hammers pummeled the elven fighter. 

Winterfrost fled the vortex, cursing. Kem, realizing what she had done, called after her, "Sorry! Couldn't see you!"

Return to the Headless Statue

The party returned to the chamber with the headless statue. Push-ta was elected to explore the small tunnel. It was a tight fit, requiring him to crawl on his hands and knees through the winding burrow. 

Suddenly two brain-creatures jumped out and attacked him! 

One brain creature managed to latch onto his face and began to magically feed on Push-ta's mind. Push-ta collapsed, dead.

After a beat, Push-ta came back to life with a deep inhalation. He screamed, removed the brain-things from his face, and crawled out of the tunnel on the far side. He was in a long wide corridor going north. He barely had enough time to shout a warning to his companions on the other side of the burrow before he fled as fast as he could to the north. One of the brain creatures was hot on his tail!

DM - Push-ta took a lot of damage from the surprise attack and lost his saving throw vs. the Devour Intellect attack. Luckily, my 3d6 roll was less than Push-ta's Intelligence. However, I did drop Push-ta below zero hit points. Push-ta's half-orc Relentless Endurance ability. Push-ta had 1 hit point instead, got up, and ran for his life using the Dash action, plus another Dash as a bonus action. He was hauling ass at 90 feet per round, being chased by an Intellect Devourer at 80 feet per round. 

The other creature hid itself within the burrow, waiting for new prey.

Kem, still surrounded by spiritual hammers, crawled in first, followed by Tempus and Etlenda. Winterfrost remained behind, out of range of the vortex. Etlenda's holy war-wolf, too large to fit into the small burrow, likewise waited in the statue room.

Kem was immediately attacked by the brain-beast. The others were unable to crawl past her through the narrow tunnel to help her. However, upon receiving a pummeling from Kem's spiritual hammers, the brain-beast turned and fled out the far end of the tunnel. She and the others followed it. 

Push-ta, meanwhile, had fled down the hall of mirrors and down the corridor to the south. The brain creature, unable to keep up, abandoned its chase.

Push-ta ran into the automaton wizard apprentice. The automaton turned and challenged Push-ta. Push-ta could not run past the massive machine. Push-ta said, "I don't have time for this!" He took the side corridor through the room with the goblin marionettes and emerged from another side passage on the other side of the automaton.

Kem, Tempus, and Etlenda emerged from the burrow. Tempus and Etlenda chased the fleeing brain creature to the north into the forest of pillars. Tempus followed the brain creature half-way back to the entrance shaft into Undermountain before he lost it. 

Push-ta circled all the way back around to the room with the headless statue. On his way back, he stopped off at the archway. He emerged invisible!

Etlenda could detect Push-ta's scent through the mystic bond with his war-wolf. "Push-ta is back. Let's withdraw."

The party gave up their hunt for the brain creatures and rejoined Push-ta. 

"Let's not do that again," said the panting half-orc. 

DM - the whole chase scene was just hilarious to me. I decided to play some goofy music which amped up the hilarity of the encounter. It was so much fun for me as the DM.

Map Room

The party continued east, past the alcove where they met Halaster, and down a corridor to the south. They entered through a large door into a long room. A gaping pit lay in the floor in the middle of the room. On the west wall was a large floor-to-ceiling diagram of what appeared to be the levels of Undermountain beneath Waterdeep. 

A voice called out to them from the pit. The voice asked for their help, requesting they throw down a rope. The party stood at the edge of the pit and looked down. A half-elf man dressed in tatters was trapped at the bottom, twenty feet from the lip. The walls were too smooth to climb. 

The party questioned the man. His name was Halleth Garke, a priest of Waukeen - a deity of which even Tempus knew little. The man said he had been betrayed by his companions - the Fine Fellows of Daggerford - and thrown into this pit when they refused to pay him his fair share of collected loot. He now asked for their assistance in leaving the pit so that he could seek his former colleagues and deliver righteous vengeance upon them.

The party huddled away from the pit. Etlenda shared that he could sense that the thing in the pit was undead. Tempus shared what he knew about the Fine Fellows of Daggerford - a group of villains he had been personally tasked with either apprehending dead or alive. Tempus deduced that the thing in the pit was likely a revenant, animated by the god Waukeen to seek holy vengeance. After a brief discussion on the pros and cons of assisting the revenant, they decided to leave Garke in the pit.

Kem, meanwhile, took the opportunity to copy what she could of the diagram on the wall. 

Obelisk of the Eye

The group exited the map room to the northeast. The corridor zigged to the northwest then zagged to the northeast. Push-ta, still invisible, scouted ahead while the others waited for his signal. 

Push-ta explored a complex junction of corridors with a T-shaped room to the north. Within the room was a 14-foot tall obelisk made of black stone. A lidless eye was caved onto its south face. 

To the west where several corridors joined he saw several goblins using up-turned tables as makeshift barricades against an unseen threat in a burrow along the far west wall of the corridor. 

Push-ta returned to the others and informed them of what he saw. They moved up towards the complex intersection to watch the goblins - wary for what they might be preparing.

One of the goblins heard Winterfrost in her heavy armor. It turned and saw her, calling out an alarm. It spun around and loosed an arrow at Winterfrost, followed quickly by its companions. 

DM - After last week's goblin carnage, the players this week were more circumspect in their assaults. Several of the characters had a surprise round on the goblins. Instead of a sneak attack, they chose to use their surprise round for a Dodge action. They allowed the goblins to make the first attacks before they retaliated.

The party dodged the arrows and joined the goblins in battle. One of the goblins fled the battle to gather reinforcements from other rooms. Tempus gave chase, following the goblin around a long curving corridor  to the north, east, and south. 

A moment later, a door opened in the west wall. A bugbear stood in the doorway - its face heavily scarred with acid. It took one look at the party and bellowed, "I knew it! YOU PEOPLE!"

Kem, at the rear of the party and closest to the bugbear, turned but failed to recognize the bugbear, "Excuse me? Do we know you?"

"You bloody Zhents!" He shouted, pointing at his scarred face, "You did this to me! You kidnap Ott Steeltoes, the master's fishkeeper! We stop you, but you did THIS!"

Winterfrost, on the other side of the room, turned to see what was happening, "Oh yeah! It's you!"

Kem was confused, "Did I do that? I don't remember him. Was I there for that fight?"

Winterfrost laughed, "No, I did that with an acid spell." She addressed the bugbear, "Hey! We didn't kidnap that guy! We rescued him! We did a better job than you did! Also, we're not zhents you idiot!"

The bugbear became furious, "DON'T CARE! YOU DID THIS! I KILL YOU!" It threw a javelin at Kem and missed. Etlenda charged the bugbear, cutting him down. 

Meanwhile, Tempus emerged from the curved corridor into an L-shaped room just west of the battle. It appeared empty. He could hear fighting and shouting in the other room through the open door to the east.

Suddenly he was set upon by four goblins! The goblins cut and slashed at him before scurrying away in different directions. He cursed his judgement and followed two of the goblins around the corner of the L-shaped room, only to be jumped by a bugbear! 

He managed to dodge the bugbear's attack but the four goblins once again converged on him, attacked, then retreated in multiple directions. He staggered under the attacks.

Etlenda, having finished off the acid-scarred bugbear, charged his war-wolf into the bugbear attacking Tempus. The bugbear retreated around a corner to the corridor to the south. 

Etlenda followed, only to be caught off guard as the same bugbear burst out of hiding, crushing Etlenda with its morningstar. Etlenda staggered but was bolstered by Tempus. 

Winterfrost, Push-ta, and Kem took care of the rest of the goblins while Etlenda and Tempus defeated the bugbear in the corridor.

Etlenda saw a single goblin flee to the south, doing its best to scurry along the edge where the floor met the wall like a child-size rat. Etlenda and Tempus gave chase, following the goblin into the map room where they lost it. 

However, at the back of the map room, on the southern wall, they caught the last glimpse of a secret door closing shut. The goblin had gotten away!

They ignored the continued requests for assistance from the revenant in the pit, now threatening them with vengeance for not lending him the basic aid that he deserves, and returned to the obelisk room to rejoin the others.

The acid-scarred bugbear lay on the ground, dying. Blood and spittle bubbled weakly from its mouth as he cursed them with his dying breath, "You- have made- a terrible- mistake. No one- takes on- Xanathar's guild- and lives. You have just- made a- dangerous enemy."

As his life began to ebb. Tempus leaned near him and held out a finger. He said a prayer of healing. The bugbear's bleeding stopped. It was unconscious but it would live. 

Tempus whispered, "You're welcome."

To Be Continued...

DM - I had a lot of fun this week. My players were genuinely afraid at times and felt challenged. The intellect devourers in the tunnel was fun. 

Etlenda's player said, "He's only using the intellect devourers because he realized he forgot to use them last week. Tell me I'm wrong!"

I said, "Mebbee?"

The goblin+bugbear fight was likewise fun. I finally got to use goblins for what they're good at - hit and run, hide and ambush. It was great. The players were frustrated but felt challenged and had fun. 

We'll see where they go next week.

The Skull Hunters - Dungeon of the Mad Mage, Chapter 3

 

The mystics of Trollskull Manor spent the night sleeping on the floor in their armor. Some enjoyed the comfort of a bedroll, others were forced to lay down on the cold floor with nary a blanket or pillow. 

Push-ta was sitting by the entrance, listening to the door. He heard the sound of chittering and arguing in a strange language - goblin! The voices approached the door.

He called for the others, waking them up. They grabbed their weapons and readied themselves before the door. Push-ta took position behind the party, his crossbow ready. His adopted sister, Kem Hearthfire, at his side. The chittering outside the door stopped.

Etlenda and Winterfrost threw open the door and prepared for battle. 

The room beyond was empty. The manticore bodies had been picked clean. Only a few bones remained. Their skulls, however, were missing!

They entered the room and looked around. No goblins, no enemies.

As they left, Push-ta and Kem saw two small goblins sneak through the open doorway - watching the party in the room. The goblins were covered in skulls of all manner of creatures - rats, crows, humans, goblins - everything. They were each carrying the massive skulls of the dead manticores in both hands. The goblins carefully backed into the room and turned around.

They saw Push-ta, his crossbow ready. They froze. 

Push-ta put a crossbow bolt into the head of the goblin on the right. His eyes crossed and he fell dead.

The other goblin screamed, dropped the manticore skull, and fled through the open door. The pitter-patter of his little bare goblin feet and the clattering of his panoply of skulls disappeared into the darkness. 

CHAPTER 3

"THE SKULL HUNTERS"

The Mystics of Trollskull Manor:

• Winterfrost of House Silverspear - Chaotic Good Moon Elf Noble and Fighter. The daughter of elven diplomats, raised among dwarves.
  
• Etlenda, aka "Exile" - Neutral Good Eladrin Outlander and Paladin. Exiled from the Feywild and raised by wolves. While exploring the Feydark he crossed over into the Underdark and emerged into the Mortal World.
• Tempus Vegvisir - Lawful Good Human Trade Sheriff and Cleric of Helm. Husband and Father.
• Push-ta Tok - Neutral Half-Orc Former Smuggler and Rogue, secret member of the Zhentarim.
• Kem Hearthfire - Chaotic Good Half-Orc Former Gladiator Priestess of Gond.

Little Box of Horrors

Kem gave Push-ta a disapproving look, "Why did you kill that goblin?"

Push-ta shrugged, "It was a goblin?"

"It wasn't doing anything. It was no threat to you."

Push-ta shrugged harder, "It was a goblin?"

"Well, I hope you feel good about yourself now."

DM - this kind of became the theme of the night, as there was a lot of unprovoked murder to come under the pretense of "They were goblins. Goblins are evil. It's okay to kill evil things unprovoked."

The party regrouped and decided what to do next. They exited the manticore room and returned to the hall of heroes. They took the unexplored corridor to the right. The corridor turned several times and descended like a ramp. 

They entered a room with a domed ceiling. In the center of the room was a statue of a four-armed fish-man. The fish-man statue clutched a closed box in two of its hands. There was a keyhole on the front of the box. The statue faced the north wall. 

More importantly, the domed ceiling was filled with yellowish acid, magically suspended as if the room was upside down. 

Push-ta was ordered to inspect the statue for traps. He circled it, looking closely for wires, triggers, counterweights, gears. He found no mechanical means of trap activation.

"What about a magical trap?" asked Etlenda.

"Of course it's a magical trap!" he shouted, pointing at the ceiling, "But I'm not a wizard am I? 

Etlenda thought about it, "But you ARE a wizard! You have a spell book and can cast spells!"

"Oh, right. I have an idea."

Push-ta retreated into the hall and used his magic to try to pry the box out of the statue's grasp remotely. He was unable to budge the box. "Well, I got nothing. I'm going to open the box."

"NO!" shouted Etlenda, "ACID! There's obviously a key somewhere. Let's keep looking, maybe we'll find it."

"But I can open it!"

"NO! Come on, let's go."

The party exited the room, leaving Push-ta staring longingly at the box. Winterfrost was ultimately forced to retrieve him and drag him away.

DM - Etlenda also found the secret door in the north east corner. I told him it was empty. Etlenda's player was incredulous. I said, "Allow me to read to you verbatim the contents of 14c. Secret Room: This 10-foot-square room is empty." That got a laugh and a "Well, alright then."

Pillared Way

The party returned to the Hall of Heroes and crept past the domain of the false vampires. Winterfrost paused to listen to one of the doors. She heard one of the actors complaining to the other actor about not being able to drop a sword they found in the statue room, they had to sleep with it all night! This made Winterfrost smile.

They entered an adjoining room with several pillars covered in small concave divots. 

Rotten Corpse

In a side room they found a discarded corpse lying face down. The corpse smelled awful and was covered in flies and maggots. A quick search found his scimitar and crossbow with no bolts. His money pouch was empty and his armor was badly damaged. Etlenda deduced that he had died of venom in the fight with the giant spiders.

Etlenda searched for and found a secret door in the north wall that led to the city's sewer system.

Cubicle of Skulls

The team followed a long winding passage to the south and east. There they found a closet filled waist deep with human skulls! The skulls poured out onto the floor of the passage. They left the door open and moved along.

Room of Secrets

At the end of the long corridor they found a room. The room was bare save for a copper throne, green with the patina of age. Lying on the floor in front of the throne, as if discarded or if it had rolled off the throne, was green copper skull cap. 

Etlenda's eyes became wide, "I have to sit on it!"

Push-ta was offended, "What did you tell me just ten minutes ago?"

Etlenda defensively replied, "Yeah, well, the ceiling's not filled with acid, is it?"

Push-ta countered, "COPPER THRONE! It's got to be an electric chair or lightning something!"

Etlenda picked up the crown and sat in the chair. He looked a the south wall with was decorated with a mosaic of a man wearing the skull cap. A mysterious cylinder floated over the man's head.

Etlenda put on the skull cap. There was a flash and a cylinder appeared in mid-air over Etlenda's head. It fell onto his head, which was protected by the cap,  with a "Tonk!"and rolled onto his lap. 

"Huh." said Etlenda, confused.

He opened the cylinder. Within was a magic wand. 

"Huh." he said again. 

Return of the Skull Hunter

They left the room and were backtracking up the corridor. Within the closet filled with skulls they found a goblin festooned with skulls. He was rolling in the pile of skulls, pulling them around himself, and generally ecstatic as a man swimming in treasure. It was the same goblin that survived the enounter with Push-ta earlier.

The goblin saw the intruders. He hissed and pulled his treasure of skulls closer around him protectively. The others exchanged glances and shrugged. They closed the door and moved on.

Unrest Among the Vampires

The team backtracked to the entrance of the "Vampire" hideout. Push-ta listened to the door and deduced that the room beyond was empty. They carefully moved through the throne room and out the other side. They had no wish to disturb the actor/bandits. On the door of the exit was a crude drawing of the male leader of the vampires and the name "UKTARL". The drawing had a big X drawn over it.

Back in the hall with the statues of the three kings. The bodies of the actor/bandits they killed had been dragged away.

The team explored a side passage. They could hear talking behind a door. They listened and overhead a man - the male leader of the vampire, Uktarl, was conspiring with some other vampires, "Harria has gone too far this time. What could I do? Did you see those guys? They set two of my actors ON FIRE!"

A co-conspirator replied, "It wasn't your fault. Look, maybe its time for us to join Xanathar's Guild. We'll have to turn over part of our money, but they'll provide protection!"

The team decided they wanted nothing to do with THAT drama, so they quietly moved on.

Hall of Retreat

Now that they weren't chasing fleeing "vampires", the team decided to inspect the corridor more closely. Etlenda found a secret door that led into a musty old room filled with bedrolls. 

Frescoes on the wall depicted villagers and farmers being terrorized by a giant bat. 

In the back of the room was an adjoining chamber containing a wooden coffin draped in cobwebs resting on a large stone slab. Etlenda looked into the hole drilled into its foot panel and saw that it was empty save for some dirt. The lid opened easily. He found a small vial of water - possibly water that had been blessed by a priest or priestess.

He gave the vial to Kem and the group moved on. 

Grell Hideout

The followed a long corridor to the west and entered a square room with five pillars made of mortared human bones. In the north and east walls were alcoves like large fireplaces. Winterfrost crept closer to the alcove on the east wall to peer up into the chimney-like space above it. 

Suddenly long tentacles shot out from the chimney and grabbed the elven warrior. The tentacles dragged her into the alcove and lifted her off the ground. She screamed as her feet dangled in mid-air!

The rest of the team quickly moved into the room. Push-ta positioned himself by the north wall in order to loose crossbow bolts into tentacles. Suddenly a second beast emerged from the alcove in the northwest corner! It was a massive brain the size of a human torso. The brain had a large serrated beak the size of a human face. The brain floated in mid-air, long tentacles that ended in needle-like quills writhed and dangled beneath it. The second creature reached out and tried to grab Push-ta.

Etlenda charged into the room astride his spiritual war-wolf to aid Push-ta. 

Meanwhile, Winterfrost overcame the paralysis of the poison. She planted the soles of her feet on the wall of the shaft and pushed away from the brain-monster with all her strength. She was able to walk it back onto the ground, momentarily pulling it out of the alcove and giving a better shot to Tempus who continued to pepper it with fiery magical bolts.  Kem produced a spiritual hammer to pummel the creature. Winterfrost wasn't able to keep her footing for long. The brain creature once again lifted her up and pulled her into the shaft above the alcove.

Push-ta took a powerful swing with his custom-made greatclub. His deadly blow smashed the brain-monster menacing himself and Etlenda into the floor. With the second brain creature destroyed, Push-ta and Etlenda moved over to help Winterfrost. Etlenda stood in the floor of the alcove but was unable to reach the brain creature high above. Winterfrost was able to free herself. She fell to the floor and sent a magical bolt into the creature's mind. The creature shuddered and fell to the floor like a giant leather bag filled with wet meat. 

DM - I really liked this encounter. It was very visual. It had great horror movie vibes and was quite challenging.

Hobgoblin Guards

The room with the bone pillars was a dead end so the party backtracked to the room where they found the cursed sword. They went south and descended some stairs into a diamond-shaped room filled with pillars, so many they looked like tree trunks in a forest. More stairs ascended to the east, leading to the long wide hall decorated with bas relief carvings of demons and the skeleton of a kenku. 

Winterfrost advanced through the forest of pillars. Two bugbears had been hiding behind the pillars leaped out and attacked Winterfrost with their heavy spiked maces. Winterfrost staggered from the blow. 

DM - this is the first time I, as Dungeon Master, have EVER been able to utilize the Bugbear's sneak attack ability! I was so happy! It never comes up!

Etlanda was unable to navigate his war-wolf through the pillars so he dismounted and joined Winterfrost. The pair were soon joined by Tempus while Kem kept a safe distance. 

The two bugbear guards were quickly dispatched.

Out of the crushed skull of one of the bugbears wriggled a puppy-sized creature that resembled a brain with four legs. It shuddered and promptly vanished. 

Push-ta recoiled in horror, "Ugh!" He took his greatclub and promptly smashed the skull of the other bugbear into pulp.

A search of the pillars found a secret compartment, half-open and empty. Despite the evidence of it having been long ago looted of its contents, Tempus remained certain there was something invisible or mysterious about the empty compartment.

Hall of Mirrors

A short flight of stairs led to a long hallway to the west. The long hallway contained sixteen niches, eight on each side. A burned out torch lay on the floor halfway down the hall.

Tempus and Winterfrost advanced carefully down the hall ahead of the others. Within each niche was a floor-to-ceiling mirror. 

When they reached the end of the hall, they turned around to tell the others it was safe. Suddenly, dark reflections of themselves stepped out of the two last mirrors and attacked! 

The others rushed down the hallway as quickly as they could to lend their aid. The dark reflections moved like shadowy quicksilver. They lacked form, darting around their opponents and disappearing into the shadows. 

One of the shadows struck Winterfrost. She could feel her life force draining! She felt suddenly weak and tired. 

The Mystics of Trollskull Manor found it difficult to defeat these shadows - they kept disappearing into the darkness - becoming invisible.

Kem said a prayer and was suddenly surrounded by a whirlwind of glowing mystical hammers! She charged into the fray. The tornado of hammers tore the shadowy duplicates into cloth-like tatters. 

Etlenda asked, "How long does that last!"

"Ten minutes!" replied Kem.

"Then lets move! Lets make the most of it! Go! Go!"

DM- This was another fun encounter with great visual imagery and an unusual opponent. 

Dead End

The team went to the right and found a dead end room, littered with trash from previous expeditions, the walls covered with graffiti. 

"Disgraceful," muttered Winterfrost, "You should have some respect for your dungeon!"

Push-ta began looking around the room and searching the walls for secret doors.

"There's no time for that!" shouted Etlenda, "Move! Go! Go! Back this way!"

Nimraith’s Fate

The team rushed down an unexplored corridor to the south and took a side passage to the east. They stopped in front of the first door on the right. Winterfrost stopped to listen and heard the sounds of goblins repeating the word "Nimraith! Nimraith!" followed by the sound of jingling, like a windchime made of wooden sticks, and riotous goblin laughter.

Winterfrost kicked open the door and rushed in.

Within they found two goblins standing on stone blocks manipulating a crude skeleton marionette constructed from human bones. Other goblins were arrayed on the floor watching and laughing. Everything stopped at Winterfrost's intrusion.

Etlenda, standing behind Kem, said, "Get in there!"

Kem hesitated, "Wait, what? They're just-"

Etlenda gave her a shove into the room. Her whirling tornado of spiritual hammers immediately pummeled every goblin in the room into mush.

Push-ta eyed a stack of personal effects nearby, "Loot!"

Etlenda bellowed, "No time! Go! Go!"

DM - the players loved the skeleton marionette. They also enjoyed that Kem just massacred all the goblins before they even got to act. 

The Shattered Statue

Winterfrost looked around the corner to the left. She saw two bugbears crouching near the remains of a shattered statue of black stone. They appeared to be reassembling it.

The bugbears looked up at Winterfrost with confusion, picked up their morningstars, and rushed at her. 

Winterfrost and Push-ta engaged the bugbears in brief battle before Kem drew near. The bugbears were quickly defeated.

Once again, small puppy-sized creatures resembling brains with four short legs emerged from the shattered skulls of the fallen bugbears, only to disappear. 

Goblin Massacre

Push-ta threw open a nearby door on the south wall of a corridor to the west. She ran inside and found a den of goblins sleeping on furs, skins, and other padding. 

Kem was once again ushered into the room. Her whirlwind of death quickly dispatched nearly every sleeping goblin, mashing them into a bloody paste. 

Kem felt miserable for the way in which she just massacred sleeping goblins, "No. I don't like this. They were sleeping on the floor!"

Etlenda replied, "But they're goblins!"

"I don't care! They were no threat to us!"

A few goblins woke up and loosed some arrows at Push-ta before scurrying under the blankets and furs to hide. 

Winterfrost entered the room, spotted one of the hiding goblins, killed it with an arrow, and decided to leave. 

DM - I, too, was starting to get annoyed at the wanton murder at this point. Etlenda's player is firmly of the opinion that because it says "Alignment: Neutral Evil" in the monster manual, then it is automatically justified to kill ALL goblins and bugbears you encounter - no questions asked. 

They're not stopping to find out what's going on. They're missing all kinds of treasure. They're losing lots of story opportunity or intelligence or information - and I reminded them of this. 

I also reminded them that, regardless of what they believe, they WILL encounter creatures who act against their alignment. They can play their characters however they want, but killing a creature - evil or good - without cause is still murder, regardless of what it says on the creature's alignment. 

Archway

Etlenda urged the party to continue, "Keep going! Go!"

They charged down a long passage leading south. They entered a room with a strange archway supported by two slender columns. The archway stood at an odd angle in an empty corner of the room. The skeleton of an orc lay on the ground. 

"Keep going!"

The party was getting pretty spread out, with Push-ta and Etlenda falling behind as Tempus, Kem, and Winterfrost moved through a door on the east wall into the next room.

Push-ta examined the archway, concluded it to be bad magic, and walked away.

Etlenda stopped and thought about it for a second. Dismounted, and walked through the arch.

He disappeared!

Push-ta cried out, "Hey! Etlenda just vanished!"

Etlenda, confused, replied, "No, I'm still here. What happened?"

Push-ta looked around the room, "You're gone! You must have turned invisible!"

Etlenda smiled, "Sweet! Hey everybody! Guess what! I'm invisible!"

Dead Tiefling

Meanwhile, next door, the party looked around at the irregularly shaped room. There was a niche in the east wall and the west corner of the south wall, and a long niche - almost a corridor - in the east corner of the south wall.

In the southwest niche were a pile of bones that had been swept into a pile in the corner.

In the southeast niche was a door on the east wall.

In the northeast niche were the desiccated remains of the top half of a tiefling prisoner, suspended by wrist manacles. The remains were missing its legs. 

Written on the wall above the skeleton in dried blood were the words: 

TALK TO ME

To be Continued...

Sick Trivia - Dungeon of the Mad Mage, Chapter 2

Beyond the rune doors was a vast chamber that reeked with rot and waste. Its high vaulted ceiling held up by crumbling pillars. A sinuous voice floated out from the dark: "Ah… The newest contestants. Welcome. Welcome to Halaster's Challenge!"

Out from the dark stalked a beast with the face of a man, the body of a lion, and the wings of a drake. Its spiked tail scraped against a nearby pillar. Indistinct shadows moved on the walls and ceiling in the vaulted chamber.

"Yours is a special game," said the beast. It flashed a smile far too human for anyone's liking. "A special game indeed. The Mad Mage expects a great performance for his audience."

CHAPTER 2

"SICK TRIVIA"

The Mystics of Trollskull Manor:

• Winterfrost of House Silverspear - Chaotic Good Moon Elf Noble and Fighter. The daughter of elven diplomats, raised among dwarves.
  
• Etlenda, aka "Exile" - Neutral Good Eladrin Outlander and Paladin. Exiled from the Feywild and raised by wolves. While exploring the Feydark he crossed over into the Underdark and emerged into the Mortal World.
• Tempus Vegvisir - Lawful Good Human Trade Sheriff and Cleric of Helm. Husband and Father.
• Push-ta Tok - Neutral Half-Orc Former Smuggler and Rogue, secret member of the Zhentarim.
• Kem Hearthfire - Chaotic Good Half-Orc Former Gladiator Priestess of Gond.

Manti-Quiz

The manticore backed up as if inviting the team to enter, "Come in, come in. Introduce yourselves. Tell the audience at home a little bit about you." The Manticore gestured towards an invisible audience with its forepaw.

Each of the Mystics of Trollskull Manor entered cautiously, looking around. They could see no "audience". As far as they could tell, the Manticore was referring to a blank wall. They played along, introducing themselves as they entered.

"Excellent! That's fantastic! Okay, let's get ready for the challenge, shall we? This challenge is called 'Sick Trivia'! I'm going to ask you a series of trivia questions. If you get six correct - you win. If you get three incorrect - you lose!  If you lose, I get to EAT YOU! You answer as a team, but only one answer will be accepted. LET'S PLAY!"

The manticore danced around to inaudible music for a moment then returned to the Mystics.

"First question! Ancient is this realm. On the bones of what civilization is the Mad Mage's dungeon built?"

The team conferred. Winterfrost answered, "Drow?" 

DM- if they couldn't guess, the players had the option of rolling an appropriate skill with Advantage because they were working as a team. In this case, History. They rolled 11/12. 

The Manticore asked, "Is that your final answer?"

"Yes. The drow."

"INCORRECT! Waterdeep is built upon the bones of a dwarven realm once known as the Underhalls of Melairbode which itself was built upon the ancient elven kingdom of Illefarn. This capitol was named Aelinthaldaar."

"Dammit! I knew that!" cursed Winterfrost.

"An inauspicious beginning for our contestants. Can you  recover? Next question. Push-ta, you should know this one. How much blood is in a dwarf's body?"

Push-ta looked appalled, "Why would I know that one?"

DM- I singled out Push-ta's player because he works for the Red Cross and I thought he might know how much blood is in a human body, but he didn't know.

Instead, they went with the Medicine skill. They rolled 20/15.

Kem answered.

"CORRECT! Six liters of blood! Next question - Which mortal race makes for the gamiest meat?" The Manticore licked its lips, exposing three rows of shark-like teeth.

Etlenda noticed that the Manticore stared hungrily at Kem and Push-ta. He answered, "Half-orcs?"

The Manticore spat in frustration, "CORRECT! They are so wild and free - the meat just tastes - DIFFERENT! Okay, next question!  This one's a riddle for you: 'Always hungry am I; always I must be fed; the finger I lick will soon turn red. What am I?"

There was some deliberation. 

DM- Including the suggestion of "pizza". Really, Push-ta? "PIZZA"?

Kem Hearthfire blurted, "I know this one! It's fire!"

DM- Kem's player legit figured this one out and everyone else were super impressed.

The Manticore was becoming noticeably angry, "CORRECT!" it spat, "Next question - What fungus comes alive and shrieks when it senses other creatures nearby?"

"Easy," said Etlenda, "Shriekers."

The Manticore paced in a circle, "CORRECT! That's one incorrect and four correct. Next question - The dwarves chipped away at their precious mithral until the drow came with sword and fire. Down went their temples and up went the new. Which deity do these elves worship?"

Push-ta blurted, "The Council of Spiders!"

The others jumped on Push-ta, "No! It's Lolth you idiot!"

"The Council of Spiders is INCORRECT! That's two wrong and four right." 

Winterfrost objected, "No fair! That wasn't our final answer!"

"I didn't ask if it was. You should be more careful with your responses. Next question - Who amongst you has the juiciest thigh?"

Everyone unanimously and simultaneously answered, "Etlenda!"

The Manticore jumped in frustration, "CORRECT! He's just so pretty! Two wrong and five right." The creature grit its teeth and hissed, "It all comes down to this one question - win or lose - Which of you would scream quickest for mercy as your entrails were knitted into a scarf?"

Again, the answer was swift and simultaneous, "Oh, Tempus, for sure, obviously."

Tempus was offended, "Hey!"

The manticore smiled, "INCORRECT! And you know what that means! I GET TO EAT YOU!"

"What do you mean incorrect? We won!"

"It doesn't matter!" shouted the manticore, "This is Halaster's Challenge. Even if you win, YOU LOSE!" and lunged at them!

Manti-Combat

The Manticore attacked Winterfrost, raking and biting.

Two more Manticores appeared from the darkness. One tried tried to grab Winterfrost and fly her into the air but Winterfrost shoved it away. The other launched quills from its tail towards Push-ta. They missed and stuck harmlessly into the floor.

Etlenda charged the manticore on his spiritual war-wolf. Winterfrost joined the fray. Kem made a holy prayer gesture with her hands and filled with air around them with a whirlwind of glowing spiritual hammers that continuously pummeled the manticore.

Push-ta, meanwhile, attacked the flying manticore on the left flank with his crossbow while Tempus sent bolts of magical fire at the manticore on the right flank.

The first manticore fell quickly to the onslaught. The manticore on the right flank launched its tail quills at Kem but missed. The one on the left flew down to harass Push-ta.

Push-ta threw down his crossbow and hefted his custom-made great club. He smashed the manticore's head with deadly precision and lethal force. 

The remaining manticore fled to the upper reaches of the room, taking cover behind one of the stone pillars that supported the vaulted ceiling. 

Push-ta retrieved his crossbow and took careful aim. He felled the manticore with a crossbow bolt. The the leonine creature fell to the floor in a heap.

Carrion Crawlers

After spending and hour resting and scouring the room, including the rafters 60 feet above, the Mystics of Trollskull Manor recovered a small bit of treasure - mostly the personal effects of other contestants. 

The east wall contained three sets of massive double-doors, each door ten feet wide and forty feet tall. Another massive set of double-doors were set in the south wall. 

The team formed up by the northernmost door on the east wall. They pulled the heavy door open only to discover three gigantic insect-like creatures - like giant caterpillars with long wriggly tentacles emerging from their mouths. Each creature was at least ten feet long and supported by dozens of centipede-like legs. The three creatures were piled on top of each other and were pressed up against the door so that when it swung open, they fell into the room and onto the Mystics.

Tentacles whipped out and lashed Etlenda. The eladrin paladin became paralyzed, unable to move! His war-wolf, sensing the danger, retreated from the giant insects. 

Etlenda quickly regained his senses and ordered the others to retreat, "They're carrion crawlers! All they want is the carcasses! Retreat and let them pass. Maybe they'll go for the manticores!"

The rest of the team withdrew. The carrion crawlers skittered past and began gorging themselves on the dead manticores.

"Quickly, get through the door and close it!" They moved past and closed the door behind them. 

"Hopefully they can't open doors."

As Push-ta closed the door, he thought he saw a giant disembodied eye - the size of a man's head, hovering in the room - watching. He paused to look more closely. It disappeared. One of the carrion crawlers turned towards him. He quickly finished closing the door.

The Troll Butcher

They were standing at the north end of a long hall that disappeared into darkness to the south. Two other vestibules on the west wall of the hall indicated the two other set of double doors. 

The stench of rotting meat was oppressive - even more so than that of the manticore den! They could hear the sound of someone half-grunting, half-humming from a corridor to the east, followed by the occasional sound of something chopping meat on wood. 

Push-ta told the others, "I'm going to sneak ahead. Stay back here so you don't blow my stealth."

He advanced down the corridor and peaked around the corner to the north. He could see a room and a troll wearing an apron. He turned to sneak back and report - only to run into the rest of the party standing right behind him.

"I said wait back there!" he hissed angrily. 

DM - Push-ta's player told everyone to wait, he moved his token forward, and everyone just moved their tokens with him. I laughed and the mental image.

"It's a troll," whispered Push-ta, "What do we do?"

"Is it hurting anyone?" inquired Winterfrost. Push-ta shrugged.

"It's a troll! I say we just kill it!" said Etlenda aggressively. 

DM - This was starting to lead into a whole discussion about alignments and whether all trolls were evil or some were good - and whether killing something that was universally evil was justified or not. Its a fine discussion to have, and I have opinions, but the middle of a game before an encounter was not the time. So I said, "Most trolls are evil, but not all trolls. You don't know if this one is evil or not, and you won't know until you talk to it." 

Winterfrost cautiously advanced into the room, calling out, "Hello?"

The troll was butchering humanoid meat on a big wooden table. Some chunks were piled on large metal plates, some parts were hung on hooks dangling from the ceiling. The room was covered in dried blood and entrails. The troll stopped and looked at Winterfrost. It picked up the meat cleaver, grinned and said, "Ah, FRESH meat for the masters!" It charged Winterfrost!

Winterfrost dodged the attack. Kem sent a crossbow bolt into the beast.  Etlenda, astride his war-wolf mount, charged in to attack, driving his magical longsword deep into the creature's chest with righteous wrath. Tempus sent a fiery bolt at the beast, singing its chest. Push-ta took a big swing with his great-club, smashing the troll's head into its chest like a burst pumpkin. 

The troll tried to regenerate from its wound but the burn continued to bubble and spurt and boil. The troll fell against the back wall, sliding into a sitting position, and fell over, dead.

DM - Crossbow for 7 damage, "Warhorse" charge for 12 slashing, paladin's longsword plus holy smite for 23 damage, 13 points fire damage, and a Push-ta's natural 20 for 37 points of damage. That troll was toast in less than one round! Winterfrost didn't even get to go!

Servant's Feast Hall

The party continued their exploration down the main corridor. The corridor turned east with a branch to the south. They continued east and found an old feast hall with a long table. The table was covered in discarded entrails. The stench was oppressive. A quick examination showed streaks and drag marks indicating meat had been taken off the table and dragged back to the troll's butchery behind them. 

The Green Door

Down one corridor they found a large door made of green wood.  Mounted on the front of the door is a cast-iron carving of a smiling, bearded face. They opened the door and found a long corridor that disappeared into the darkness. Muddy footprints on the floor, a small breeze, and the scent of outdoors revealed this to be a secret entrance into Undermountain. The team made a note and moved on.

Guard's Feast Hall

Further exploration of the corridor to the south found another turn towards the east. They found another old abandoned feast hall. Push-ta found a discarded silver tankard under the table. 

Noble's Feast Hall

Across the corridor from the feast hall was an old door. The door opened inward but had to be forced as a weight was pressed up against it.

The weight was the dead body a female dwarf - a fellow explorer of Undermountain. she wore the remains of tattered leather armor and a matching leather skullcap. In one skeletal hand, she clutched a dagger; in the other, an empty tin flagon. Assorted thieving equipment lay strewn from a pack on a nearby table. 

Winterfrost took care to search the body for identification - clan insignia and the like - so that the proper songs could be sung and the clan notified. 

Back to the Carrion Crawlers

Having explored every dead end, the Mystics of Trollskull Manor returned to the large room where they defeated the manticores and left the carrion crawlers. The heavy doors were still closed. 

Not wanting to confront the carrion crawlers if they didn't have to, they devised a plan. Push-ta was to sneak in and open the door on the southern wall. The others would run as fast as they could to avoid the crawlers and close the door behind them.

Push-ta entered cautiously and stealthily. The three crawlers were finishing their grisly meal of manticore leaving little remaining. Push-ta crept into the room without a sound but his body odor could not avoid the acute sense of smell possessed by the crawlers. One crawler noticed him and approached to investigate. 

Push-ta's companions entered the room in an attempt to distract the crawler. The other two crawlers took notice and skittered rapidly towards them.

Etlenda's war-wolf carried him to the door on the south wall. Etlenda sprang from his mount and pulled open the door. 

The others fought off the crawlers in a defensive retreat as they made their way to the door. Once they escaped, Etlenda and Tempus threw the doors closed. Once again, they hoped the heavy doors were enough to keep the crawlers at bay. 

DM - This was a really fun encounter. it played very much like the movie Aliens with the crew making a fighting withdrawal to the escape door. It felt desperate and nerve wracking. 

Stone Temple Pileup

Beyond they found a foyer of an ancient Dwarven temple. A few feet away was the desiccated corpse of a dead basilisk lying on its back, its shriveled tongue hanging out and all six feet sticking up in the air. Clutched in one of its clawed feet is a transparent orb.

Winterfrost was fascinated by the orb but was unwilling to touch the basilisk in order to retrieve it. 

Winterfrost said to the others, "The crystal orb is probably magic, but I don’t want to touch it. I’m afraid it will turn me to stone."

Kem, who could pray to remove a curse, asked, "Well, is that a curse?"

Pushta-Tok thought for a moment and replied, earnestly, "No. I’m pretty sure it’s a basilisk."

DM- Yeah, Push-ta's player is famous for not keeping up with the conversation. That response had us all laughing so hard. I could not stop laughing and got the point I started coughing. 

The Desecrated Temple

Two openings on either side of the foyer connected to a larger temple on the other side of a wall. The temple had a 60-foot high ceiling and niches along the east and west wall once contained six statues of the gods of the dwarven pantheon. Five of the statues now lie in ruins, smashed. One statue was black and indistinct, with smooth rounded features - very uncharacteristic for dwarven statuary. 

Along the south wall of the temple were eleven humanoid statues - the petrified victims of the basilisk. 

Winterfrost, with her knowledge of dwarven cultures and history, and Tempus, with his general knowledge of history and religion, examined the black statue more closely. Tempus ran his hand along the the surface.

There was a strange "pop" sound and Tempus recoiled his hand as acid began to eat through his gauntlet. A tarry black substance covering the statue became animated and poured itself onto Winterfrost. She screamed in pain as acid burned her skin and ate through her armor.

Etlenda took out his longbow and sent arrows into the amorphous black mass. It was another black pudding, similar to the one they encountered in the dwarven chambers beneath the mausoleum.

Winterfrost withdrew from the pudding and cast a spell. A bolt of lightning struck the pudding, wrapping it like a lasso and drawing it away from Tempus. This tactic was successful but to the elf''s surprise, the electricity of the lightning bolt caused the pudding to quiver and split into two! 

Now both puddings were close to her and they soon began to overwhelm her.

"Dammit, Winterfrost! You did the exact same thing LAST time!" shouted Etlenda, "What have we learned?"

"Nothing!" cried Winterfrost as she fell before the pudding. The others peppered the pudding with arrows, crossbow bolts, and magical bolts of flame while Kem's spiritual hammer pummeled it.

Kem did her best to say prayers of healing but she was having trouble keeping up. The black pudding moved towards her and soon she, too, fell before its acidic pseudopods.

Things were looking grim. Both Kem and Winterfrost lay on the floor, dying.

Etlenda called to Tempus, "Can't you say prayers of healing also?"

Tempus paused in sudden realization, "Of course!" and he began to pray to the gods for Winterfrost's salvation.

DM - Tempus knew that Healing Word was a bonus action, but he was working off the rule that you can cast only one spell per turn. He failed to remember the rest of the sentence: You can’t cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a Casting Time of 1 action.

The player exclaimed, "Holy shit! I'm so sorry! I didn't know that! I'm on it!"

Kem was revived and she scrambled away. Winterfrost, too, was saved and escaped the pudding. 

Both puddings were soon destroyed and the room was safe.

DM - The fight with the black pudding(s) was especially intense. Two player character's down making death saves - and their highest damage attacks were not available to them. That Winterfrost made the exact same mistake as last time was hilarious for me but frustrating to the other players.

Camp for the night

The team was pretty beat up. They had descended into the Undermountain nearly four hours ago and it was by now past midnight. The desecrated temple had no other exits and seemed fairly defensible. They decided to lay down and rest for the night.

To be Continued...

Into the Undermountain - Dungeon of the Mad Mage, Chapter 1

Greetings, Adventurer!

You have been selected as a member of the next 

expedition to enter the Undermountain through 

the Yawning Portal. 

Your first descent shall begin at sundown on the 

eve of the Spring Equinox. 

A fete shall be held in your honor beginning at 

mid-afternoon. Please come equipped with 

everything you need for your expedition. 

The price for your descent is one gold dragon coin. 

Only one expedition is allowed to begin each season. 

Do not squander or underestimate this unique and 

potentially profitable opportunity. 

Yours truly,

Durnan 

CHAPTER 1

"INTO THE UNDERMOUNTAIN"

The Mystics of Trollskull Manor:

• Wintergreen of House Silverspear - Chaotic Good Moon Elf Noble and Fighter. The daughter of elven diplomats, raised among dwarves.
  
• Etlenda, aka "Exile" - Neutral Good Eladrin Outlander and Paladin. Exiled from the Feywild and raised by wolves. While exploring the Feydark he crossed over into the Underdark and emerged into the Mortal World.
• Tempus Vegvisir - Lawful Good Human Trade Sheriff and Cleric of Helm. Husband and Father.
• Push-ta Tok - Neutral Half-Orc Former Smuggler and Rogue, secret member of the Zhentarim.
• Kem Hearthfire - Chaotic Good Half-Orc Former Gladiator Priestess of Gond.

Twelve Weeks of Winter into Spring

After the events of the Dragon Heist, the Mystics of Trollskull Manor spent their time tending to various endeavors.

Etlenda spent much of his time scouring the various shops and sellers of Waterdeep in search of specific magical items - both for himself and on behalf of his companions. In between, he spent his time volunteering for and assisting the Emerald Enclave in various duties. 

Push'ta learned a new language - Undercommon, and did some magic item shopping of his own.

Kem spent her time working at the forge in the House of Hands as well as going a few rounds in the arena. She won all her fights but they were close calls. In one fight, she defeated Hrabbaz, the half-orc bodyguard of Lady Yalah Gralhund. Her victory earned her the enmity of  Lady Gralhund.

Winterfrost - who changed her name to Winterfire when she drank a potion to color her heair red - changed her hair to green for the spring and changed her name to Wintergreen. She spent her time learning a new weapon proficiency. 

Tempus occupied his time with overseeing the completion of work renovating Trollskull Manor as well as learning Undercommon. 

The Yawning Portal

On the evening of the Spring Equinox, the Mystics of Trollskull Manor gathered at the Yawning Portal to begin their expedition into the Undermountain. Dozens of regulars had turned out to wish them good luck and to make wagers on their success. 

Several well-wishers offered words of advice and warning, rumors and legends of Undermountain. 

"Folks have been sayin' there's a vampire out there on the first level o' the dungeon. Expects a toll to be paid, or eternity as her thrall."

"Goblins got some sorta bazaar down there in the depths. It's worth checkin' out. Mayhaps they've got bread."

"Better bring antivenom. Those depths are crawling with them spider-loving drow."

"Watch out for signs of Tunnel Madness, friend. Starts slow, but soon it's flowerin' like a plague. Don't need any monsters down there to doom a party. Worst monster is man, just you watch."

"Far below the surface is Skullport: a subterranean port of thieves and slavers and pirates set on a sunless sea. The night life is insane."

"Trust no one. A friend on the surface would just as soon as cut your throat for lamp oil."

"Beware the wrath of Xanathar—even in the depths the guild has worked its influence."

"Legends say Halaster Blackcloak had seven apprentices, all sharing a shard of his madness. Even now, centuries later, they might still be kicking around in the dark. Watch out."

DM- Plus I drew a Secret card for each player:

"Halaster brought seven apprentices with him to Undermountain. One of them, Nester, became a lich using spells and methods of his own devising. But his process was flawed, and over time Nester’s phylactery and body disintegrated until only his floating skull and skeletal arms remained. Driven mad by his failure to achieve true lichdom, Nester continues to haunt Undermountain in this weakened form."

"Skullport overlooks the Sargauth River, a watery thoroughfare that cuts through the third level of Undermountain. Pirates once used the subterranean settlement as a trade port, but now it’s a monster-infested haunt where spies and assassins hone their craft. Beware the fortress overlooking the river! Its garrison is commanded by an evil knight with a wyvern mount."

DM- and now I can't see what cards the players drew. It does not persist in Roll20 if the players aren't logged in.

Durnin brought forth several envelopes. The party quieted to listen to him speak.

"Every day, brave adventurers submit their names into the box to be selected for Halaster's Challenge. The challenge is simple: Defeat Halaster - get your wish. And every season, only a handful of names are selected. We don't know how they're selected. All I know is, every season, a handful of envelopes are delivered to me, each addressed to one of those applicants. Here we are again. The adventurers have been chosen. Adventurers, your envelopes."

He handed each of the Mystics an envelope with their name written on it and the date of the vernal equinox of this year. They opened the envelope to find a small glass marble.

"Every adventurer chosen for Halaster's Challenge receives this marble. Put it in a pouch or your pocket. Carry it with you at all times. I know not from where they come or what they mean, but they are yours." 

Durnan leaned in close to them to offer some personal advice, "Remember. There are brave adventurers and old adventurers—but no brave, old adventurers. Be smart down there. Know when to run. Know when there's nowhere to run to."

"And now we begin! Ready the winch!"

Etlenda was lowered down into the well first, followed by his giant war-wolf mount - via harness. Etlenda removed the harness from his war-wolf and the winch was once again raised. The rest of the party was then lowered while sitting upon on a large circular ring.

The Pit

The bottom of the well was sandy and littered with debris from above. Shields adorned the wall of the well. 

A message written in Elvish was scrawled upon the wall:

Beyond the pillars the Mad Mage waits

peering from behind those arcane gates

Ever searching for one of worth

and burying all else in the tepid earth

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Knowing that their return trip would require 1 gold piece each, the party took the precaution of burying six gold pieces beneath the sand in the corner of the room.

The Hall

A side passage led to a long corridor stretching west. The walls were covered with bas reliefs of different types of demons which no one could identify. The skeleton of a long-dead kenku bird-man lay nearly two thirds of the way down the hall. 

Etlenda examined the north wall of the corridor and found two small observation holes around shoulder height. He peered within and saw an empty room. 

Tempus prayed for a miracle and shaped the stone of the wall into a flat plane upon which they could walk.

DM- Tempus cast Mold Earth which, at the time, the player thought could re-shape a 5'x5' cube of dirt or stone. However, reading the spell now, I see it only allows him to shape loose dirt, not stone. So- FREE STONE SHAPE I guess.

The Sword in the Post

The room within was bare save for an old wooden post - a stand used for storing armor - with a glowing sword driven through it. An old severed hand, dried and withered, lay motionless on the floor beneath the sword hilt. 

"Magic sword!" exclaimed Wintergreen.

"It's obviously a trap." said Etlenda.

Wintergreen agreed. "Push'ta. Use your caravan guard magic to draw the sword without touching it!"

Push'ta waved his hands towards the sword and it magically withdrew itself from the post, hovering in mid-air. Nothing happened. 

When no trap was triggered, Wintergreen shrugged and took the sword. She tried to place it in an empty loop on her backpack but was unable to let go of the hilt. 

"What's wrong?" inquired Etlenda.

"I- I can't let go. The sword is stuck to my hand!" said Wintergreen, worriedly.

"I TOLD YOU!"

After getting some help stowing her hammer and strapping her shield to her left hand, Wintergreen was ready to go, "I guess I fight with a sword now!"

The Vampire Den

The party exited the room through a regular door on the opposite side and turned right down a corridor. They turned right again and thought for a moment they saw a figure at the end of the corridor. It turned out to be nothing more than a shadow. They turned left and entered into a door.

The room beyond contained three tall statues of ancient lords of Waterdeep. A group of nine figures  with pale faces, dark sunken eyes, fangs, and wearing tattered capes stood across the room - some bore crossbows and some torches.

"Halt! You stand in the dreaded crypts of Countess Harria herself — and our mistress shall have her due, you cattle. Choose now: gold or blood, lest you be damned like us."

"How much?" asked Tempus.

"Ten golden dragons! Pay and you  may pass. Refuse and you shall pay with your blood!"

Etlenda closed his eyes. His divine sense could detect no fiends or undead. "You're faking," he said, "We'll pay you nothing."

"Then blood it is!" and the vampires with crossbows released their quarrels into Wintergreen who stood at the front.

Tempus charged forward and cut one vampire down with a sword stroke. The vampire burst into green flame which spread to the vampire next to him. 

Wintergreen charged a third vampire but swung wildly with her new magic sword.

DM - Two 1s in a row!

"Gah!" she spat, "This thing is useless! I hate it!"

The third vampire fell to Push'ta's crossbow.

Retreat

At the sight of the three vampires dying in such short order, the other vampires fled in panic. Half retreated through the door from whence they emerged, the other half ran to the north - likely in search of reinforcements.

Etlenda, riding his armored war-wolf, ran down the fleeing leader of the vampires. The leader managed to retain his footing and he turned and ran.

DM- Etlenda forgot that the leader was fighting defensively and forgot to roll with disadvantage. I said, to make up for it the leader can flee without an attack of opportunity. Etlenda's player thought that was fair.

With the retreat of the false vampires, the room was cleared.

Kem prayed for healing for Wintergreen's wounds and used a scroll to remove the curse of the glowing sword. The sword fell to the ground and no one wanted to pick it up.

Wintergreen examined the statues. The names were defaced and scrawled with chalk writing in the language of the goblins - which no one knew.

After exploring the area and a few side corridors, the party decides to follow the fleeing "vampires" through the corridors to the north.

The Bargain

The party entered a large room. Before them was an ancient throne made of bones. In the center of the room were the long-dead remains of a dead wyvern and a large crystal sphere that has broken into several pieces. 

Two groups of people cautiously emerged from corridors on the far side of the room. One group stood behind a towering creature that seemed to be composed of various human body parts stitched together - a flesh golem! 

At the golem's side was a woman dressed as a vampire countess - "Who dares enter the domain of Countess Harria?"

The man beside her, the leader of the previous group that had fled, tugged her sleeve and said, "Hey- they know."

Tempus and Etlenda verified, "Yeah. We know you're not vampires."

She turned on the man in anger, "Dammit, Uktarl! Why didn't you tell me? I got all made up and everything!"

The party asked who they were. The woman said they were actors who had previously toured the countryside. They came to the city but soon learned that their style of acting was unappreciated. Without money, they turned to their friend, Agorn Fuoco, for advice. Agorn said they could take shelter in this underground location, pretend to be vampires, and extort naïve adventurers. 

Countess Harria asked the Mystics to not reveal their operation or kill any more of their troupe. The party agreed to a cease fire if they could pass through the room to the far door into the corridor or room beyond. Harria agreed. 

DM- I got feedback from the players that the troupe of bad actors pretending to be vampires was perhaps the greatest encounter ever.

The Hall of Statues

The next chamber was a long hall filled with dozens of statues. The high vaulted ceiling was obscured by thick cobwebs. The dead body of one the vampire actors lay nearby. The dead bodies of three giant spiders lay upside down here and there, their curled legs sticking into the air, their bodies pierced with multiple crossbow bolts. 

The Upside Down Room

Halfway down the hall of statues, a corridor led to the right. Wintergreen reconnoitered ahead of the rest of the party while searching for traps. The corridor was a dead end with a door to the right. She carefully opened the door.

She was surprised to find a comfortable study with burning fireplace, cushioned chair, side table, and a shelf of ancient books - but completely upside down! All the furniture was on the ceiling. The fire burned "downward". 

Floating in mid-air was a bronze facemask. She reached out and took it.

Etlenda shook his head, "For the love of-"

The room disappeared, revealing a bare 10 foot by 10 foot empty closet. 

After some experimentation with the mask that yielded nothing, the abandoned the empty closet and returned to the hall of statues.

The Sloping Tunnel

A little further down the hall of statues but on the north wall was a door. Wintergreen opened the door and saw an empty room. A quick investigation found another corridor on the other end of the room that sloped downward. They retreated from the room.

The Empty Armory

Slightly further down the hall on the south wall was yet another door. Within was a short corridor and an empty armory - the weapons and armor racks bare. A hand axe was embedded, as if thrown,  in the door on the south wall. Beyond the door was a small chamber with a mechanical sharpening wheel operated by foot pedals. The ancient sub-floor mechanisms needed repair. 

Wintergreen and Tempus expressed interest in spending time repairing the wheel but Etlenda saw no benefit and was anxious to keep moving. 

The Rune Doors

At the end of the long hall of statues was a pair of large bronze double-doors. A glowing rune was magically inscribed upon the doors. No one recognized the rune but it was evidently not associated with any known magical ward. 

Etlenda opened the door, breaking the seal and activating the rune.

DM - I rolled randomly to determine the target and got Etlenda. I dealt an Elder Rune card to Etlenda's player. I misread how Elder Runes worked and applied both effects to Etlenda:

Lammath

Elder Rune of Security

Bane Effect: For the next 24 hours, the target can’t gain advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws.

Boon Effect: Once within the next 24 hours, the target can use its reaction to reduce the damage it takes from one source by 10d6.

It was a mistake but I actually kind of like the idea of the Elder Runes having both a Bane AND a Boon.

The Manticore

Beyond the rune doors was a vast chamber that reeked with rot and waste. Its high vaulted ceiling held up by crumbling pillars. A sinuous voice floated out from the dark: "Ah… The newest contestants. Welcome. Welcome to Halaster's Challenge!"

Out from the dark stalked a beast with the face of a man, the body of a lion, and the wings of a drake. Its spiked tail scraped against a nearby pillar. Indistinct shadows moved on the walls and ceiling in the vaulted chamber.

"Yours is a special game," says the beast, flashing a smile far too human for your liking. "A special game indeed. The Mad Mage expects a great performance for his audience."

To be Continued...

For this campaign, I am using the Dungeon of the Mad Mage Companion - Complete Edition by Wyatt Trull. This book was strongly recommended by the DotMM online community and I have to say - they're not wrong. It's excellent.

Finally, Kem's player is an architect and she live-mapped the adventure as we played on her professional drafting software.

Hypergates of the Lost Empire

Hypergates of the Lost Empire, my latest book for Overlords of Dimension-25 (a modern retro-clone of Buck Rogers XXVc RPG) and sequel to City at the Edge of the Universe is now available for sale at drivethrurpg.com for only $3.99!