Level 5: Wyllowwood - Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Level 5: Wyllowwood. Wyllowwood is designed for four 8th-level characters. Those who defeat the monsters on this level should gain enough XP to reach 9th level. In some cases, defeating a monster can be accomplished without slaying it. If the characters strike a truce with a creature, award them XP as if they had defeated it in combat. The characters will most likely arrive here by way of the River of the Depths, which they first encounter on level 4. Characters who follow the river must navigate rapids and small waterfalls to reach Wyllowwood. Beyond this level, the River of the Depths begins its lengthy, tumultuous descent into the Underdark-a voyage no ordinary boat or raft can survive. Magic of Wyllowwood In addition to dark caverns, this level contains forests of trees like those that grow on the surface. These temperate forests were magically created by Halaster, and the sky high above can fool adventurers into thinking they have escaped Undermountain and found their way back to the surface. Birds, insects, and tree-dwelling mammals live here alongside Wyllowwood's fiercer denizens. The forests are real and nourished by magic, and Halaster regularly repopulates them with birds, insects, rodents, and larger mammals. The main caverns have 100-foot-high ceilings hidden by illusions that can't be dispelled. These illusions begin 30 feet above ground and create the impression of open sky where high walls and ceilings should be. The illusions flawlessly duplicate the sun, the moon, the stars, and clouds, though there is no wind or breeze to speak of. During the day, the warmth of the sun can be felt, and at night the temperature drops as one would expect. Despite appearances, the walls and ceilings are still very much in place, and a true seeing spell or similar magic reveals them. A magic calendar stone in area 6k allows one to change the time of day, the weather, and the season in Wyllowwood's forests. Wyllow the archdruid (see "What Dwells Here?" below) is the...