Level 9: Dweomercore - Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Level 9: Dweomercore. Dweomercore is an academy of magic designed to test, trap, and confound its students. The level is designed for four 10th-level characters, and characters who defeat its monsters and villains should gain enough XP to reach 11th level. What Dwells Here? An arcanaloth and a night hag preside over this level. Evil mages in search of arcane knowledge or Halaster's tutelage come here with their followers to train and be tested. Arcanaloth Headmaster An arcanaloth in league with the Mad Mage runs Dweomercore's academy of evil mages. The arcanaloth keeps its true name secret and uses alter self spells to appear as Halaster. The arcanaloth employs nycaloths and mezzoloths as guards, and it trades safe passage through Dweomercore for magic items or for assistance in dealing with an escaped devil (see "Bone Devil"). It also tries to tempt adventurers who are arcane spellcasters into joining its academy-with free tuition! Wormriddle the Night Hag Wormriddle is a night hag who has four flesh golems at her command. She strikes foul bargains, offering spells and secrets of magic in exchange for evil acts that allow her to claim souls. The night hag wears a mummified kitten's head around her neck as a talisman, though it has no magical properties. It testifies to her fear of cats, for Wormriddle is frightened while there's a feline creature within 30 feet of her that she can see or hear. The night hag also carries a lustrous black gem and a large black sack-her heartstone and her soul bag, respectively (see the "Hags" entry in the Monster Manual). Evil Students Dweomercore's students are described below. Encounters with them can occur anywhere at any time, though they appear most often in their favorite haunts. Spite Harrowdale Dweomercore's most apt pupil, Spite Harrowdale, is a centuries-old wizard (NE male Rashemi human archmage who speaks Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, and Giant). He appears to be a 12-year-old boy, thanks to imbibing Potion of Longevity. S...