Vanrakdoom is designed for four 15th-level characters, and those who defeat the monsters on this level should gain enough XP to advance halfway to 16th level. The level is named after Vanrak Moonstar, a Waterdavian noble who turned to the worship of Shar (god of darkness and loss), descended into Undermountain, and became a death knight. To grasp what’s happening on this level and why, one needs to know the fate that befell Lord Moonstar.
The Dark Fate of Lord Vanrak Moonstar
Adherents of Shar have been active in the shadow of Mount Waterdeep ever since a disastrous expedition to the Black Jungles mounted in the Year of the Dark Dawn (1104 DR) by Lord Vanrak Moonstar, a charismatic, outgoing swashbuckler. Vanrak was but a pale shadow of his former self when he returned. A few tendays later, his father, Lord Andvarran Moonstar, the family patriarch, died of a strange wasting disease that could not be cured by healing magic.
Upon assuming leadership of House Moonstar, Vanrak publicly broke with the temple of Selûne (god of the moon), which he blamed for his father’s untimely death. Consumed with bitterness, the Dark Ranger, as Vanrak came to be known, secretly embraced Selûne’s sister: Shar, the Lady of Loss.
By the Year of the Howling Moon (1130 DR), House Moonstar was in open schism. Family members who still venerated Selûne aligned themselves with Lord Vanrak’s sister, Lady Alathene, and Selûne’s priesthood. Meanwhile, Lord Vanrak and his followers extended their dark influence over much of the city’s harbor with the aid of a small army of mercenaries bolstered by followers of Shar.
Lady Alathene appeared in open court and asked the Lords of Waterdeep to strip her brother of his title and banish him from the city. She also presented evidence of her brother’s numerous crimes, including slavery, arson, theft, and murder. The Lords ordered the immediate capture of the Dark Ranger, but by the time the City Watch had breached the gates of his villa, Vanrak and his followers had already fled through a secret portal into Undermountain. He and his followers remained there until, in the Year of the Dark Mask (1171 DR), they conquered the level of Undermountain that came to be known as Vanrakdoom.
Operating from his new base, Vanrak extended his influence throughout much of Undermountain and even periodically dispatched elite strike teams to battle followers of Selûne in the city above. He achieved his most dramatic success in the Year of the Tomb (1182 DR), when his followers infiltrated the High House of Stars through its cellars, slaughtered most of the inhabitants before they could raise an alarm, engulfed the temple in black fire, and burned it to the ground. The invaders also acquired enough treasure from the temple vaults to fund Lord Vanrak’s personal quest for immortality. Within a few years, the Dark Ranger had transformed himself into a death knight.
The Lords of Waterdeep didn’t make things easy for Vanrak Moonstar in the years that followed. They hired waves of adventurers to descend into Undermountain to bring Vanrak and his followers to justice. Although none of these adventurers succeeded, they winnowed down Vanrak’s army to the point where he could no longer threaten the city.
Halaster Blackcloak compounded Vanrak’s woes by urging other Undermountain dwellers to invade Vanrakdoom from time to time. In a desperate move, the few remaining priests of Shar performed rituals to harness the despair of Vanrak’s shadow dragon mount, Umbraxakar, and use him to transport Vanrakdoom into the Shadowfell. In the end, Halaster’s magical hold over Undermountain proved too strong to overcome, yet a small section of Vanrakdoom crossed over into the Plane of Shadow and became ensconced there.
Confronted by failure, Vanrak came to believe that Shar had deceived him and had orchestrated his downfall solely to spite her nemesis, Selûne. Vanrak had lost his family, his title, and most of his army, and he was in danger of losing hold over his domain. In the Year of Silent Shadows (1436 DR), he renounced his faith in Shar and begged Selûne’s forgiveness for the destruction of her temple and its followers. In a desperate act of redemption, the death knight destroyed his undead form using a
With the shadow of Vanrak faded from memory, House Moonstar has prospered. The Waterdavian family is currently overseen by the once shrewd but now senile Lady Wylynd Moonstar, a venerable human noblewoman who, by last estimate, is well over a century old. Although she has no children of her own, Wylynd is surrounded by distant relatives, including a savvy half-drow grandnephew named Helion Moonstar, whom she has chosen to be her heir. The family’s business interests lie in cartography and exploration, and Wylynd has been known to fund expeditions to Undermountain from time to time for reasons she prefers to keep to herself.
What Dwells Here?
This level is controlled by servants of Shar and creatures of shadow.
Keresta Delvingstone
Keresta Delvingstone grew up in the streets of Waterdeep and is no stranger to hardship. Hoping to make a better life for herself, she became an adventurer and sought fame and fortune in Undermountain. Keresta met her end in the lair of a vampire and became avampire spawn under its command.
After Vanrak destroyed the vampire and conquered its lair, he took Keresta under his wing. Consumed by darkness and loss, Keresta was drawn to Shar like a moth to a flame and rose to become a vampire cleric of the evil god. She now leads Shar’s debased cult in Vanrakdoom and intends to send the group on a mission to destroy the Spires of the Morning, the temple of Lathander (god of birth and renewal) in Waterdeep. She also has her sights set on destroying the House of the Moon—Waterdeep’s temple of Selûne, whom she blames for the destruction of Vanrak Moonstar.
Keresta is a vampire, with these changes:
- Keresta summons Giant Centipede instead of wolves.
- She gains the Spellcasting feature described below.
Spellcasting
Keresta is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following cleric spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will):
guidance ,mending ,resistance ,thaumaturgy - 1st level (4 slots):
bane ,command ,inflict wounds ,ray of sickness - 2nd level (3 slots):
blindness/deafness ,ray of enfeeblement ,spiritual weapon - 3rd level (3 slots):
animate dead ,bestow curse ,dispel magic ,spirit guardians - 4th level (3 slots):
blight ,death ward ,divination - 5th level (1 slot):
antilife shell ,destructive wave
Regional Effects
Vanrakdoom is Keresta’s lair, and the following regional effects are noticeable throughout it:
- Fog creeps into areas of dim light or darkness. It vanishes when light is brought to bear on it but reappears when the light passes. A permanent fog hangs in some areas regardless of light, as noted in the descriptions of those areas.
- Rats and bats are plentiful. In areas where they are not specifically mentioned, droppings and guano betray their presence, and they can be heard constantly scuttling and shrieking in the distant darkness.
If Keresta is destroyed, the fog disperses, and the rats and bats gradually die off until only a scattered few remain.
Umbraxakar
The shadow dragon Umbraxakar used to be a lawful good bronze dragon named Glyster. Fond of assuming human form, Glyster was Vanrak Moonstar’s friend and companion, remaining by the noble’s side even after Vanrak’s fall from grace. Glyster tried to turn Vanrak away from the worship of Shar, to no avail, and the dragon sank into despair. In this forlorn state, he allowed Shar’s priests to transform him into a shadow dragon to better serve Vanrak in the battles to come. Thereafter, Glyster became known as Umbraxakar (“shadowborn” in Draconic).
The death knight and the shadow dragon fought side by side for many years, expanding their domain and then defending it against adventurers and other invaders. By this time, Umbraxakar had stopped caring about anything except his friendship with Vanrak. The friendship finally ended when Vanrak destroyed himself with a
Visions of Umbraxakar
As characters explore areas of Vanrakdoom, they experience magical visions of terrible things that the dragon experienced long ago. These visions, byproducts of Umbraxakar’s despair, provide clues that can help free the dragon from his dark curse. A character does not experience such visions within an antimagic field or while under the protection of a
Characters also encounter magical projections of Umbraxakar. These shadowy images take the form of harmless, dragon-shaped clouds of black fog. A projection that is targeted by a
Cult of Shar
The cult of Shar in Vanrakdoom consists mainly ofvampire spawn under the command of Keresta Delvingstone. Living cultists also find their way here from time to time, guided through Undermountain by the dark grace of Shar herself. Keresta turns the most promising acolytes into vampire spawn. Those deemed unworthy of Shar’s blessing nourish Keresta and her spawn with their blood, after which Umbraxakar devours the exsanguinated corpses.
Cultists are neutral evil humans who wear dusty gray robes over their armor. These robes bear the symbol of Shar: a black circle bordered in dark purple.
Into the Shadowfell
area Areas 19 through area 33 of Vanrakdoom are ensconced in the Shadowfell and remain there as long as Umbraxakar is alive. In these areas, bright light is reduced to dim light, and dim light to darkness. In addition, all color has been drained from these areas, and a deathly stench hangs in the air. The walls are severely cracked, the floor tiles are buckled and broken in numerous places, and the ceilings have begun to sag as though they won’t remain in place much longer.
Areas within the Shadowfell are no longer part of Undermountain and therefore aren’t subject to its magical restrictions (see “area Alterations to Magic").
The shadow dragon’s despair can cause other areas of Vanrakdoom to slide in and out of the Shadowfell at irregular intervals—sometimes for a few seconds or minutes, sometimes for hours. Any such shift happens at your discretion and lasts as long as you want. When an area slides into the Shadowfell, all colors and lights within the area become muted as described above.
Shadowfell Despair
Characters who linger in the Shadowfell might become fraught with despair (see “Optional Rule: Shadowfell Despair” in chapter 2 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Exploring This Level
All location descriptions for this level are keyed to map 18. Areas of Vanrakdoom that have shifted into the Shadowfell have darker shading around them on the map.
1. Entrance
Characters who descend the tunnel from level 17 come to a series of rough-hewn tunnels that open into a 10-foot-high corridor of smooth worked stone.
2. Dusty Emptiness
This room and its connected corridors have 10-foot-high ceilings and floors covered with dust.
3. Statue of Shar
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Statue. The east corner holds a black marble statue of a cloaked woman wielding two daggers. Three dust-covered human skeletons lie at the statue’s feet
Robed Figure. Kneeling before the statue is a humanoid figure in a purple and black robe.
The kneeling figure is an empty robe that collapses into a pile on the floor if it is disturbed or targeted by a dispel magic spell.
The skeletons lying at the statue’s feet are the remains of long-dead adventurers placed here as a warning not to disturb the 7-foot-tall statue. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (
4. Old Friends
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Tapestries. Shredded tapestries that once depicted coastal scenes lie in heaps near the walls. Disturbing the tapestries causes a harmless, smoky projection of Umbraxakar to appear in the middle of the room. It rushes toward intruders, hoping to scare them away.
Vision. Any character who moves more than halfway into the room experiences one of the shadow dragon’s fleeting visions.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is standing before a cloaked nobleman (Lord Vanrak Moonstar) on a windy cliff overlooking the sea. The noble asks the character to join him on a dangerous quest into the Black Jungles. Putting a hand on the character’s shoulder, the man asks, “We are the best of friends, Glyster, are we not?” With that, the vision ends.
5. Umbraxakar’s Gift
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Bas-Reliefs. The walls are covered with bas-relief carvings of jumbled human skeletons.
Vision. Any character who moves more than halfway into the room experiences one of the shadow dragon’s fleeting visions.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is camped in a jungle with a handsome nobleman (Lord Vanrak Moonstar). The character hands the knight a polished coral ring as a token of their enduring friendship. Putting the ring on his hand, the nobleman smiles and says, “I will treasure this gift forever.” With that, the vision ends.
Treasure
The first character to receive this vision steps on a ring lying on the floor. Close examination reveals that the ring is the one from the dragon’s vision: a polished coral band that glimmers with a rainbow of color. The ring is nonmagical and worth 250 gp.
6. Cultists' Quarters
Furnishings. Six empty wooden bunk beds line the north and east walls. Between the bunks are stone shelves stocked with rations, casks of water, wooden dishware, and steel utensils.
Arch. Embedded in the south wall is a stone arch, its sides carved in the form of scantily clad elves (one male and one female) holding fingers to their lips in a gesture of silence.
Secret Door. A secret door in the east wall leads to area area 5.
Arch Gate to Level 6
The stone arch is one of Halaster’s magic gates (see “area Gates"). Its rules are as follows:
- If a
silence spell is cast so that the arch falls within the spell’s area, the gate opens for 1 minute. - Characters must be 9th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “area Jhesiyra Kestellharp"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “area Elder Runes").
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area area 47a on level 6, in the closest unoccupied space next to the identical gate located there.
7. Halls of Worship
Cultists gather in this area to worship Shar and suffer Keresta’s tests of devotion.
7a. Crawling Rats
Characters hear human voices chanting as they approach this chamber, which contains the following:
Purple Flames. The walls are lined with rusty iron sconces, each holding a torch coated in black wax that burns with a purple flame.
Cult Ritual. Six human Cultist of Shar kneel on rough woven mats in the center of this area, chanting in low tones. A human cult fanatic engulfed in a swarm of rats stands quietly in their midst.
The kneeling cultists are named Caradoc, Feldar, Hong, Khafra, Serenade, and Xandeval. They are chanting the following verse over and over in Common: “Darkness quench the sun. Darkness swallow the moon. We are nothing but the night.”
Keresta Delvingstone is using the swarm of rats to test the cult fanatic, whose name is Jian. To pass the test, Jian must allow the rats to crawl over his body without fear or protest, or else they will devour him. Only by passing this test can Jian qualify to become one of Keresta’s vampire spawn.
The arrival of intruders prompts the cultists to take up arms and attack. Jian, however, does nothing while the rats swarm over him. If he takes damage, Jian panics and is swiftly devoured by the rats. If the swarm loses more than half its hit points, it scatters and flees.
7b. Ritual Preparation
Table. In the middle of the room stands a wooden trestle table bearing a small pile of treasure, along with bottles of oil and flickering candles.
Cultists. Two human Cultist of Shar are anointing the precious baubles with oil.
The cultists are named Elthimar and Zelaya. They are carefully anointing items that have been plucked from Umbraxakar’s hoard—treasures that will be used in rituals to tether the shadow dragon’s memories to specific areas of Vanrakdoom.
Treasure
The items on the table include three silver bowls (25 gp each), two ceremonial daggers with wavy obsidian blades (75 gp each), a coral figurine of a mermaid clutching a pink pearl (250 gp), a carved harp of exotic wood with ivory inlay and zircon gemstones (750 gp), and a crystal dragon mask (2,500 gp).
7c. Feeding Hall
Cultists unworthy of becomingvampire spawn are brought here to nourish Keresta’s brood.
Vampires' Feast. A dead male human lies naked on a chaise longue in the center of the room, his cast-off purple and black robe draped over a small table nearby. Two vampire spawn loom over the body, one slurping ferociously at the corpse’s wrist while the other sinks her fangs deeper into the corpse’s thigh.
Purple Flames. The walls are lined with rusty iron sconces, each holding a torch coated in black wax that burns with a purple flame. Situated between the sconces are fancy wooden chairs with red-cushioned seats and backrests.
Secret Door. A secret door in the east wall leads to area 8.
The vampire spawn, named Angelica and Yaveros, hiss at intruders and demand they leave at once, attacking those who disobey. Close examination of the dead cultist reveals no signs of a struggle, suggesting that he offered no resistance as he died from exsanguination.
8. Scintilmorn’s Rest
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Vision and Hilt. Any character who moves more than halfway into the room experiences one of the shadow dragon’s fleeting visions and notices the shiny hilt of a longsword lying on the fog-shrouded floor (see “Treasure” below).
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character confronts a man in a mithral chain shirt (Lord Vanrak Moonstar). The man’s eyes brim with madness as he levels a longsword with a radiant blade at the character and screams, “What have we to fear from darkness, you and I? Undermountain is where we belong. It calls to us—can’t you hear it?” Waving the sword in the air like a lunatic, he continues, “Together we shall see the Moonstar name elevated to glorious heights my father could never dream of! Waterdeep will shudder at the very sound of it!” With that, the vision ends.
Treasure
The hilt lying on the floor is carved to resemble a bronze dragon with its wings spread and its mouth agape. This device is a
Umbraxakar’s Projection
If the hilt of the
9. Shadow Vigil
Double Door. Carved into the double door to the north are two figures: a skeletal warrior clutching the bladeless hilt of a sword on the left door, and a handsome young man with dragon wings on the right door. Above the double door is a 3-foot-diameter disk painted black with a purple metal rim (the symbol of Shar).
Cultists and Rats. Twelve human Cultist of Shar are chanting outside the doors. Crawling around their feet are four Swarm of Rats.
Purple Flames. Mounted on the back walls of four wide alcoves are rusty iron sconces, each holding a torch coated in black wax that burns with a purple flame. The walls of the alcoves are cracked and pitted.
The rats attack creatures not dressed as cultists of Shar. The cultists are chanting to help focus the power of the ritual taking place in area 10, and they try to kill anyone they believe is not a Shar worshiper. They chant the following verse over and over in Common: “Darkness quench the sun. Darkness swallow the moon. Darkness claim this dungeon and all that dwell within.”
Knowing that the ritual in area 10 must not be disturbed, the cultists do everything they can to prevent the doors to that area from being opened. If characters enter through the double door, the cultists assume the ritual has already been interrupted and attack immediately.
10. Ritual Chamber
Purple Flames. Black wax candles set in niches along the walls of this 20-foot-high room burn with a purple flame, filling the room with dim light.
Cult Ritual. Six Cult Fanatic are chanting in unison. Each one stands next to a black stone pillar and is focused on a roiling fog cloud, 8 feet in diameter, that floats at the center of the room 10 feet above the floor. Lines of black energy run between the pillars and the cloud.
The cult fanatics are named Abberoch, Belora, Liana, Shanzo, Torfiana, and Uzalyn. They are performing a ritual designed to anchor one of Umbraxakar’s memories to this room, which will enable the shadow dragon to pull more of Vanrakdoom into the Shadowfell. They chant the following verse over and over in Common: “Darkness quench the sun. Darkness swallow the moon. Darkness claim this dungeon and all that dwell within.” If attacked, they continue to chant while also defending themselves.
Killing a cult fanatic deactivates one of the pillars, destroying the line of energy emanating from it and weakening the ritual. When all six lines of energy are destroyed, the fog cloud vanishes.
As long as at least one column is active, characters see a faint image in the cloud of an adult bronze dragon surrounded by figures in black robes wearing the holy symbol of Shar and reading from scrolls. As the great creature writhes in pain, its bronze scales begin to darken.
The lines of black energy between the pillars and the cloud are 10 feet above the floor and easily avoided. Any creature that comes into contact with one takes 10 (
Surprise!
Each time a cult fanatic dies, a Shadow Assassin (see appendix A) rises from the fanatic’s corpse and joins the battle, acting on the same initiative count as the fanatic that “birthed” it. The shadow assassins guard the room thereafter.
Treasure
Each cult fanatic carries an obsidian holy symbol of Shar (25 gp each). The leader, Abberoch, also has a silver rod with one end formed in the shape of a key (70 gp). The rod unlocks the double door in area area 18.
11. Tunnels and Caverns
These rough-hewn tunnels are centuries old, but they offer no clues as to their origin. A tunnel to the north slopes downward and eventually leads to area level 19.
12. Candlelit Halls
The walls of these 10-foot-high corridors and chambers are lined with shallow niches holding black wax candles that burn with a purple light.
If the characters have had an easy time thus far, Keresta might send waves of vampire spawn to harangue them as they make their way through these candlelit halls. Thevampire spawn attack in packs of
12a. Bat Roosts
The bare walls and floors of these connected chambers are covered with bat guano, and the 10-foot-high ceiling is made of rough stone. Four Swarm of Bats gather here. They shriek in response to intruders and flee the area if disturbed.
Secret Door
A secret door in the north wall leads to area area 8.
12b. Magic Mouth
The first character to move past the midpoint of this area triggers a
12c. Pit of Darkness
An open 20-foot-deep pit spans the corridor in this location. The pit is filled with impenetrable darkness similar to that created by the
12d. Pit of Bones
A 20-foot-deep pit spans the corridor in this location. The bottom of the pit is filled with the bones of rats that fell in and fed on each other until they all died.
13. Vampire Dens
The stench of death pervades these filthy dens.
13a. Mad Spawn
Brek, a vampire spawn who succumbed to despair and madness after falling out of Keresta’s favor, is crouching on the ceiling in the northeast corner of this otherwise empty room, muttering to himself. He believes intruders to be figments of his imagination until they attack.
13b. Resting Spawn
The floor of this room, littered with scores of wooden coffins, is difficult terrain. Some of the coffins are intact, while others have fallen apart with age. Most are empty, but three of the coffins contain resting vampire spawn named Deviana, Ezra, and Yuri. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (
Treasure
Characters who search through all the coffins find a silver rod with one end carved in the shape of a key (70 gp). The rod unlocks the double door in area area 18.
13c. Empty Hall
Six web-draped pillars buttress the 20-foot-high ceiling of this otherwise empty hall.
14. Temple Chandlery
Torches used throughout Vanrakdoom are coated with a black wax that burns with a purple flame. The cultists of Shar know the secret process of making this wax, which they also use to fashion their candles.
This room contains all the supplies and tools needed to create black wax candles and torches, including flasks of oil, ceramic crucibles, and wooden candle molds. The supplies and tools rest on wooden tables spaced haphazardly about the room.
15. Shattered Throne
Ceiling. The vaulted ceiling soars to a height of 30 feet and is braced by ornate, crumbling stone arches.
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Vision and Crumbled Throne. Any character who crosses the chamber’s midpoint experiences one of the shadow dragon’s fleeting visions and notices a pile of rubble at the end of the hall: the shattered remains of a stone throne.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is standing next to a skeletal warrior with red pinpricks of light in his eye sockets (Lord Vanrak Moonstar). Slumped in a stone throne, he says, “Is this to be the legacy of Vanrak Moonstar? A shadow king damned to rule these moonless halls, fending off assassins, mad wizards, and ghosts of the ancient dead? Is this all that Shar has to offer? I have drunk my fill of darkness and loss, old friend.” With that, the vision ends.
Vanrak’s Throne
Fog swirls around the pile of shattered stone near the south wall that was once Vanrak’s throne. If anyone approaches within 10 feet of the rubble, a smoky projection of Umbraxakar rises from the shattered throne and tries to frighten away interlopers, though it can do no harm. It fades away if the rubble is disturbed.
Treasure
Buried under the rubble is Vanrak Moonstar’s ancient
16. Arch Gate to Level 15
Ceiling. This chamber soars to a height of 30 feet.
Arch. A stone arch set into the south wall is decorated with gold-inlaid images of dragons in flight. Carved into the wall above the arch are the following words in Draconic: “Only a dragon can unlock this gate.”
Fountains. Alcoves to the west and east contain stone fountains, each carved to look like a perched bronze dragon spouting water into an ornate stone basin.
The fountains are fed by an underground spring and flow with clean, cool water. The living inhabitants of Vanrakdoom depend on this water for their survival.
A fountain’s 4-foot-tall dragon sculpture can be broken off with a successful DC 20 Strength (
Arch Gate
The arch is one of Halaster’s gates (see “area Gates"). Its rules are as follows:
- The gate opens for 1 minute when a real or illusory dragon touches the arch. An artistic rendering of a dragon, such as a dragon-shaped figurine or a drawing of a dragon, also opens the gate.
- Characters must be 13th level or higher to pass through this gate (see “area Jhesiyra Kestellharp"). The first creature to pass through the gate triggers an elder rune (see “area Elder Runes").
- A creature that passes through the gate appears in area area 30a on level 15, in the closest unoccupied space next to the similar gate located there.
17. Lost Dwarven Horn
Fog. The room is lightly obscured by fog.
Hooks and Horn. The walls are lined with small iron hooks upon which pictures were once hung. Hanging from a hook on the east wall is a gold horn encrusted with gems (see “Treasure” below).
Vision. Any character who spends at least 1 minute searching the room experiences one of the shadow dragon’s fleeting visions.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is in a great hall buttressed by six columns (area area 32), looming above six blindfolded adventurers bound to the columns with rope. A hollow voice (that of Lord Vanrak Moonstar) issues a terrible command: “Umbraxakar, give these fools the death they deserve!” A cone of necrotic energy erupts from the character as the shadow dragon engulfs the nearest prisoner, a male dwarf stripped of gear, with its breath weapon. As the dwarf shrivels and dies, an undead shadow rises from his corpse, and the vision ends.
Treasure
A character who studies the gem-encrusted gold horn and succeeds on a DC 25 Intelligence (
18. Shadow’s Edge
Two tunnels converge on a 20-foot-high chamber that contains the following features:
Statues. Two 12-foot-tall obsidian statues stand atop 5-foot-high blocks of stone in alcoves, facing one another. Each statue depicts a faceless robed woman holding a silver thread taut between her outstretched hands.
Shadow Curtain. A thin, translucent curtain of shadow stretches between the statues, rippling like black cloth in a light breeze.
Locked Double Door. Beyond the shadowy curtain is a 12-foot-tall arched double door with an ornate carving of a bronze dragon above it, its wings forming the door frame. Draconic letters are carved into the floor in front of the double door.
A
The rippling curtain of shadow that stretches between the two statues extends from floor to ceiling and radiates a strong aura of necromantic magic under the scrutiny of a
Any creature that moves through the curtain must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (
Locked Double Door
The Draconic inscription on the floor in front of the double door reads, “The shadow is the key.” Carved into the floor above the inscription is a small, 3-inch-deep keyhole that contains no locking mechanism. A silver rod with a key-shaped end, which can be found in area areas 10 and area 13b, fits into this keyhole perfectly. Using a light source to cast the shadow of a rod-key onto the doors causes them to swing open, allowing access to area area 19. It is this shadow, not the key itself, that unlocks the doors. Unless they are held open, the doors close and lock on their own after being open for 1 minute. The doors are not locked from the other side and can be opened from area area 19 without a rod-key.
The locked doors can also be opened with a
19. Hall of Death
Characters entering this hall for the first time feel as though they’ve crossed a planar threshold of some kind, but a successful DC 20 Intelligence (
Ceiling. The ceiling is arched and 30 feet high.
Skulls and Bones. Old skulls and bones (the remains of dead adventurers and monsters) have been swept into alcoves along the hall’s southern stretch.
Vision. Any character who opens a door leading west or east experiences one of the shadow dragon’s visions.
If the bones are disturbed, a giant spectral mouth with fangs appears, floating 10 feet in front of the double door to the south. It recites the following verse in Common before disappearing:
Welcome to Umbraxakar’s lair.
A dragon held in the grip of despair
Conjures memories of his departed friend:
Upon sunlight’s blade, he met his end.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a man wearing a mithral chain shirt (Lord Vanrak Moonstar). The brawl ends when the man is knocked to the floor, stumbles to his feet, draws the bronzed hilt of a
20. Any Moonstars in Here?
Furnishings. Along the room’s perimeter are padded wooden chairs and fine tapestries that have fallen apart with age, leaving piles of moldy lumber and tattered cloth. An oval rug covering much of the floor is tattered and severely worn with age.
Projection. The first time any creature steps into the room, a menacing draconic form takes shape in the fog. The draconic form looms in the middle of the room and tries to frighten away interlopers with its foreboding presence. Like the shadow dragon’s other projections, this one is harmless.
A character who examines the rug and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (
21. Clutter
This 10-foot-high room is cluttered with decaying furnishings and the skeletal remains of adventurers and monsters killed long ago. Because of the detritus, the floor of the room is difficult terrain.
22. Under Black Sheets
Sheets and Statues. Black sheets are draped over six wooden statues in the northern portion of the room. (Each statue is a painted, life-size representation of Lord Vanrak Moonstar as a death knight.)
Vision. Any character who lifts or pulls away a black drape experiences one of Umbraxakar’s visions.
Dragon’s Vision
In this vision, the character is in the presence of Vanrak Moonstar, a death knight wearing a mithral chain shirt and clutching a bladeless sword hilt. “This is not the fate either of us deserved,” he says mournfully. “In darkness, we have lost our way.” With that, he causes a blade of light to spring from the sword hilt and drives it down his own throat, reducing his skeletal form to dust. The blade is snuffed out, and all goes dark as the hilt clatters to the floor alongside the death knight’s mithral chain shirt. The vision ends with a dragon’s anguished roar.
23. Decrepit Dining Hall
Two rusty iron chandeliers hang like giant spiders from the 20-foot-high ceiling, their chains attached to winches mounted to the east wall. Beneath the chandeliers stretches a long wooden table surrounded by twelve high-backed wooden chairs. The furnishings are decrepit and draped in cobwebs.
24. Decrepit Kitchen
The centerpiece of this 10-foot-high chamber is a freestanding stone oven that was once heated by magical flames but now stands dark and unused. Lining the walls are worktables and cupboards piled with dishware and utensils that haven’t seen use in years.
25. Prisoner of Darkness
The characters are not the only adventurers to have recently explored this level. One of those who came before them has succumbed to the Shadowfell’s despair.
25a. Vampiric Guards
Corroded, broken weapons litter this hall, as if a battle had been fought here long ago. Clinging to the ceiling above the eastern door are three vampire spawn named Darvanos, Hekella, and Tozu. They guard the prisoner in area area 25b and attack anyone they don’t recognize.
Hekella carries the key that unlocks the prisoner’s shackles in area area 25b.
25b. Pantry
Mold. Black mold clings to the walls, and the air is heavy with the scent of rot.
Prisoner. A human adventurer named Portia Dzuth is chained up to the north. Her armor and equipment lie in a heap to the south.
Portia Dzuth hails from Rashemen. She is the sole survivor of an adventuring party hired by Lady Wylynd Moonstar of Waterdeep to find Umbraxakar the shadow dragon and transform him back into Glyster the bronze dragon, friend of House Moonstar. Portia thinks Umbraxakar’s curse can be undone by ridding the dragon of its despair, but she has no idea how to accomplish this. She and her companions were captured less than a month ago, but Portia has lost track of time and believes she has been imprisoned in Vanrakdoom for much longer. Thevampire spawn feed on Portia whenever blood is in short supply, and she has the bite marks to prove it. After each feeding, Keresta charms Portia to keep her calm and under control.
A character can free Portia from her shackles using the key in area area 25a, or by picking the lock with thieves' tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. A character can also free Portia by snapping her chains with a successful DC 30 Strength (
Portia sank into madness and despair after she was forced to watch Umbraxakar devour the corpses of her slain companions one by one. She stays close to her rescuers, serving as a loyal follower until she is safely out of Undermountain or until Keresta asks her to betray them. While fighting on the party’s side, Portia claims an equal share of all XP gained. She is a champion (see appendix A), with these changes:
- Portia is lawful neutral and speaks Common.
- She is magically
charmed by Keresta and regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. This effect wears off in 12 hours unless Keresta charms her again. - She suffers from Shadowfell despair manifesting as unshakable dread. Until the despair ends, she has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I’m convinced that I’m going to die in Vanrakdoom.” She can attempt to end her despair each time she finishes a long rest, doing so with a successful DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. A
calm emotions spell also ends her despair, as does any spell or other magical effect that removes a curse.
26. Vampire Boss
If the characters haven’t already encountered and defeated Keresta Delvingstone, she’s here when they arrive (see “area Keresta Delvingstone"). The vampire is not alone. The room’s features are as follows:
Ceiling. The 30-foot-high ceiling is supported by two thick stone columns that have rusty iron torch brackets mounted to them.
Vampires in the Fog. The floor is heavily obscured by a 2-foot-deep blanket of fog. Nine vampire spawn crawl under the fog and try to remain hidden until Keresta commands them to attack.
Keresta Delvingstone. Keresta looks like a pale woman with a large dragon tattoo imprinted on her pale skin. She stands in the middle of the room, studying a large piece of parchment spread across a wooden table in front of her. Looming behind her is Thagor, an 18-foot-tall abominable yeti that serves as her protector.
The haughty Keresta welcomes the characters to their doom and promises them a swift death. If asked about Lord Vanrak Moonstar or Umbraxakar, Keresta laughs and says that Shar’s darkness consumes all things in the end.
If reduced to 0 hit points, Keresta turns to mist and retreats to her resting place in area area 31 (via area area 30). In mist form, she can pass through the cracks under doors and blend in with the fog to become effectively
The abominable yeti and thevampire spawn fight to the death to protect Keresta, as does Portia Dzuth (see area area 25b) if she is present and still
The parchment on the table is a map of Waterdeep, drained of color like everything else in this part of Vanrakdoom. A quill pen and several ink pots rest nearby. Two daggers stuck in the map mark the Spires of the Morning (the temple of Lathander in the Castle Ward) and the House of the Moon (the temple of Selûne in the Sea Ward). Written around them are the names of various clerics and paladins of Lathander and Selûne whom Keresta plans to assassinate.
27. Altars of Loss
This chamber contains two identical altars in alcoves. Each altar is sculpted from a single chunk of obsidian and inscribed with the following words in Common: “Memories are the shackles that bind us to the lost.”
28. Forgotten Chambers
Each of these rooms is heavily obscured by fog and has low piles of dusty gray rubble along the walls.
28a. Hall of Centipedes
The walls and floor of this 20-foot-high room bear carvings of centipedes. The room is otherwise empty.
28b. Empty Room
This 10-foot-high room is vacant.
28c. Shadow Assassins
Three Shadow Assassin (see appendix A) lurk in the far corners of this 10-foot-high room. When the door opens, they attack the first character to enter.
29. Foggy Hall
The floor of this room is heavily obscured by a 2-foot-high blanket of thick fog. It swirls lazily around the base of a 20-foot-diameter, cylindrical stone column that supports the 20-foot-high ceiling. Rusty iron torch sconces mounted to this central column stand empty.
30. Path to the Tomb
Keresta uses this hallway to reach her tomb.
30a. Secret Door
A bas-relief mural covers the southwest wall of this 20-foot-high room. The mural depicts Shar in the form of a young woman, her billowing cloak becoming one with the night sky as she descends upon unsuspecting human mourners in a graveyard. In each hand, she clutches a dagger. Characters who examine the mural closely and succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (
Secret Door
The entire southwest wall is a stone secret door that pivots on a central axis. The secret door is locked but can be opened with a
30b. Hidden Hallway
This dusty, 20-foot-high corridor is hidden behind two large secret doors. Rusty chains and manacles hang on the walls at 10-foot intervals.
31. Vampire’s Tomb
Sarcophagus. A lidless amethyst sarcophagus stands atop a 1-foot-high stone bier near the south wall of this 30-foot-high, vaulted chamber. An
antipathy/sympathy spell protects the sarcophagus and tries to repel humanoids with its antipathy effect.Mural. A 20-foot-square bas-relief mural dominates the east wall and covers a secret door.
Amethyst Sarcophagus
The sarcophagus is a Large object weighing 1,100 pounds. It has AC 17, 80 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. It contains a bed of grave dirt upon which Keresta sleeps. If reduced to 0 hit points and allowed to retreat here in mist form, Keresta returns to this sarcophagus and remains here,
Treasure
For every point of damage the sarcophagus takes, a piece of it breaks off. Each piece weighs 13 pounds and is worth 100 gp. Eighty pieces can be gathered if the sarcophagus is destroyed.
Bas-Relief Mural
The mural depicts Lord Vanrak Moonstar as a skeletal death knight, riding on the back of Umbraxakar, the shadow dragon. Lying at the dragon’s feet are piles of withered corpses with hideous shadows hovering over them. Characters who examine the mural closely and succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (
Secret Door
The mural covers a stone secret door functionally identical to the one in area area 30a.
32. Umbraxakar’s Lair
Umbraxakar the shadow dragon dwells here and cannot be surprised by the characters, whose presence he has sensed since they first stepped into the Shadowfell.
Characters who experienced the vision in area area 17 recognize this hall as the same one seen in that vision. The hall contains the following:
Shadows. The 40-foot-high vaulted ceiling is buttressed by eight stone columns, around which gather eleven Shadow and four Shadow Assassin (see appendix A) under Umbraxakar’s command. (These undead act immediately after the dragon in the initiative count.)
Dragon’s Dais. To the south, stone steps climb 10 feet to a dais, where Umbraxakar is perched.
Statues. A double door at the back of the dais is flanked by two 20-foot-tall, black marble statues, one depicting Shar as a cloaked woman wielding a dagger in each hand and the other showing Halaster Blackcloak clutching a staff. The statues glare at one another like mortal enemies.
Shadow Dragon
Umbraxakar is a Huge adult bronze dragon with the shadow dragon template, which causes the following changes to his statistics:
- Umbraxakar is neutral evil.
- He has resistance to necrotic damage. While in dim light or darkness, he has resistance to all damage that isn’t force, psychic, or radiant, and he can take the
Hide action as a bonus action. - His
Stealth skill modifier is +10. - While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (
Perception ) checks that rely on sight. - His Lightning Breath becomes Shadow Breath, dealing necrotic damage instead of lightning damage. A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by this damage dies, and an undead shadow rises from its corpse and acts immediately after Umbraxakar in the initiative count. The shadow is under Umbraxakar’s control.
Umbraxakar and the shadows under his command try to destroy intruders as quickly as possible, enabling the shadow dragon to revel in their misery rather than his own.
Umbraxakar’s Despair
The dragon has spent more than a century lamenting the fall of Vanrak Moonstar, his friend. As the dragon ages and becomes more powerful, his despair causes Vanrakdoom to sink deeper into the Shadowfell. Halaster has made no effort to prevent this from happening because it intrigues him to see part of Undermountain pulled away in such a manner. He’s happy to let adventurers kill the dragon and return Umbraxakar’s shadowy domain to Undermountain where it belongs.
Characters can try to turn Umbraxakar back into a bronze dragon by ending his despair and breaking Shar’s hold over him. To accomplish this, they must present the shadow dragon with items he cherishes and succeed on three separate ability checks to lift his spirits (see below). If they fail more than one such check, they won’t have enough gifts left to turn the shadow dragon back into a bronze dragon.
As an action, a character can give Umbraxakar a gift that holds emotional significance for the dragon. Four such items can be found in Vanrakdoom:
- Vanrak’s polished coral ring in area area 5 (a symbol of friendship)
- Vanrak’s
sun blade in area area 8 (a symbol of light) - Vanrak’s
mithral armor in area area 15 (a symbol of preservation and resilience) - The gold horn in area area 17 (a symbol of guilt)
While gifting one of these items, the character must speak sympathetic words to the dragon and succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (
With each successful check, the dragon becomes visibly more conflicted as moonlight magically flickers across his scales, making them appear more solid and less translucent. A character who sees this magical moonlight can sense, with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (
Three successful checks are needed to rid the dragon of his despair, whereupon he dismisses any remaining undead under his command, causing them to vanish and never return. His spirits lifted by the characters' gifts and words, Umbraxakar changes back into an adult bronze dragon, returns the characters' gifts, and insists on being called Glyster henceforth. He offers to help the characters clear out the rest of Vanrakdoom as well as to explore deeper levels of Undermountain in the hope of finding a gate that he can use to escape from Undermountain. Glyster would like to take his collected treasures with him (see area area 33) and offers the characters a few choice items if they help him transport the hoard.
Glyster is an archetypal bronze dragon who likes to assume a variety of humanoid and beast forms. For roleplaying guidance, see the “Bronze Dragon” entry in the Monster Manual.
Out of the Shadowfell
If Umbraxakar dies or turns back into a bronze dragon, all areas of Vanrakdoom currently in the Shadowfell immediately return to the Material Plane and become subject to Undermountain’s magic-altering effects (see “area Alterations to Magic"). The light-dimming effect of the Shadowfell is also lifted, and natural colors are restored, but the stench of death lingers (see “area Into the Shadowfell"). The fog encountered throughout Vanrakdoom is not a byproduct of Umbraxakar’s despair and remains until Keresta is destroyed.
33. Dragon’s Hoard
Altar and Rift. Above an altar of black stone in the middle of this 30-foot-high vault floats a 10-foot-tall, dagger-shaped rift of wispy shadow that moans.
Statues. Steps climb to alcoves in the north, west, and south walls. At the back of each alcove is a wooden statue with coins piled around its base.
Altar and Extradimensional Rift
A
Altar
Inscriptions carved into the altar are written in a secret language known only to Shar’s faithful. A
- In darkness, act. Never wait for the darkness to pass before making your move.
- Quench the light of the moon when you can. Hide from it when you can’t.
- Keep secrets from all except Shar’s faithful.
- Only a fool believes in hope.
The altar is a Large object with AC 17, 50 hit points, vulnerability to radiant damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If the altar is destroyed, the shadowy rift collapses, and any creatures trapped in the extradimensional prison beyond are released. They appear in random unoccupied spaces throughout the room.
Extradimensional Prison
Any creature that enters the rift’s space is transported to an unoccupied space in an extradimensional prison that takes the form of a 30-foot-diameter cave with no light sources and no exits. If the cloakers haven’t been released, they attack any creature that appears in their prison.
Characters can escape the prison with a
Statues and Treasure
The statues and their treasures are as follows:
North Statue
This painted wooden statue, 8 feet tall, depicts Keresta Delvingstone with her claws outstretched and her fangs bared. Around its neck, the statue wears a large ruby pendant on a gold chain (750 gp), and draped over its shoulders is a
South Statue
This wooden statue, 10 feet tall, depicts Umbraxakar in humanoid form, appearing as a muscular man with charcoal-colored skin, bronze-colored eyes, and dragon wings. Piled around the statue are 9,300 gp.
West Statue
This stone statue stands 9 feet tall and is painted jet black. It depicts Shar as a cloaked woman with a dagger in each hand. A character who searches the statue and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (
Aftermath
Destroying Keresta Delvingstone puts one last nail in the coffin of the cult of Shar. Any remaining cultists andvampire spawn disperse like rats fleeing a sinking ship. Several months later, the characters (if they’re still alive) receive the deed to a run-down estate in Waterdeep worth 15,000 gp along with an official property transfer notice signed by a magistrate and authorized by the Lords of Waterdeep.
Accompanying the deed is a brief letter written in human blood that thanks the characters for destroying Keresta Delvingstone, whom the letter’s writer describes as a “thorn in my side for more than a century.” The letter is signed with the initials “A.M.”
Several Masked Lords of Waterdeep use every resource at their disposal to discourage and thwart investigations into the letter writer’s identity. With enough luck and patience, however, characters might come to learn that “A.M.” stands for Artor Morlin, the Baron of Blood, a powerful vampire who dwells in a dungeon complex under Waterdeep and can’t abide other vampires preying on his city. The baron’s presence is one of Waterdeep’s most closely guarded secrets.
Freeing Umbraxakar from his curse completes a quest (see “area Save the Dragon") and earns the characters the friendship of a powerful bronze dragon eager to leave Undermountain and return to his coastal lair, helping the characters as he goes.
Halaster doesn’t mourn the loss of the shadow dragon or the cult of Shar. He simply cordons off large sections of Vanrakdoom until he can restock them with new monsters and traps.