Cleared Level 1, including several members of the Xanathar's Guild. Rescued the revenant Halleth Garke and agreed to aid him in his quest for revenge against the Fine Fellows of Daggerford. First encountered Halaster Blackcloak, who explained the rules of the Dungeon of the Mad Mage.
Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Record of the exploits of the DOTMM campaign.
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1494 DR
23 /10
Entered Level 1 - Dungeon Level
Expedition -
1494 DR
27 /10
Entered Level 2 - Arcane Chambers
ExpeditionEncountered Yek, the "goblin chief" who turned out to be the human bard Elend. Liberated a dwarven brewery and turned it over to Elend's goblins to run. Killed more Xanathar's Guild.
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1494 DR
1 /11
Entered Level 3 - Ruins of Stromkuhldur
ExpeditionEncountered House Auvryndar engaged in conflict with Azrok's Legion. Chose to side with the hobgoblins and eliminated the drow. Given a quest by Lurkana, wife of Azrok, to retrieve a magic dagger that allows him to see. Retrieved the dagger on Level 6 - The Lost Level. Rescued the boy, Delvin, from the clutches of the hags.
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1494 DR
3 /11
Destroyed House Auvryndar drow on Level 3
Military action -
1494 DR
6 /11
Arrived at Skullport
ExpeditionFound Skullport in the hands of the Xanathar's Guild. Met with agents of the Harpers who enlisted the party in an effort to bring back the Skulls and liberate the town. The ritual to bring back the Skulls required a Netherese tome that could only be found on Level 9 - Dweomercore. Returned Delvin to his mother, Maria Stormshore, and generously paid for her and her son to escape to Waterdeep. The pair took up residence on the Yawning Portal.
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1494 DR
12 /11
Entered Level 4 - Twisted Caverns
ExpeditionEncountered more elements of House Auvryndar. Worked with them to defeat the Lover in the Dark, an aboleth which had infected the level with a wasting sickness & madness. Did not kill Jibber-Jabber, the friendly Ettin.
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1494 DR
14 /11
Entered Level 5 - Wyllowwood
ExpeditionEncountered the druid Wyllow in her magical forest. She was served by a dragon called Tearulai, who had a sword stuck in his head. The druid demanded the party genocide a group of goblin werebats; the party refused, and pulled the sword Tearulai from the dragon Valdemar, which provoked a fight against the druid that ended in her death. Halaster Blackcloak tenderly took Wyllow's body, and Valdemar took control of the forest.
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1494 DR
14 /11
Defeated Wyllow, retrieved Tearulai, and freed dragon Valdemar
Military action -
1494 DR
15 /11
Entered Level 6 - Lost Level
ExpeditionEncountered the half-duergar Skella, whose expedition was under siege by invisible stalkers until they could open the Heart of the King. The party aided Skella, and in so doing discovered Khelmon was the lost heir of the dwarven kingdom of Melair. Retrieved Azrok's dagger from Skella.
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1494 DR
15 /11
Discovered the tomb of Melair
Discovery, Exploration -
1494 DR
16 /11
Entered Level 7 - Maddgoth's Castle
ExpeditionEncountered a family of stone giants that had lost their memory. Discovered it had been because their little brother had been murdered, orchestrated by Halaster Blackcloak. Their memories were returned, allowing the family to finally grieve for their lost brother. Entered the castle of the archmage Maddgoth, who turned out to be a serial killing wizard who killed other wizards. Maddgoth attempted to kill Beelz, but failed and the party escaped.
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1494 DR
17 /11
Defeated Maddgoth
Military action -
1494 DR
17 /11
Restored memory to stone giants
Life, Milestone -
1494 DR
22 /11
Entered Level 8 - Slitherswamp
Discovery, ExplorationEncountered two nagas who had enslaved many creatures, including Grel Momesk of the Gentleman Bastards. The nagas were in a struggle with Slaad dominated bullywugs and had captured the remaining members of the bastards. Eventually, the Slaad were destroyed and two fo the Bastards saved through the noble sacrifice of Toast, but Perlos died.
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1494 DR
11 /12
Bullywugs destroyed, Toast sacrifice
Life, MilestoneSee previous entry for details
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1494 DR
13 /12
Entered Level 9 - Dweomercore
Discovery, ExplorationBeelz joined the wizard's school of Dweomercore, led by an arcanoloth who masqueraded as Halaster Blackcloak. Beelz competed in the Wizard's tourney and won, claiming an apprenticeship with Halaster (the real one) as his prize. The party also got the Netherese ritual book needed by the Harpers in Skullport.
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1495 DR
11495 DR
16
The Wizard's Tourney
Life, Achievement/ Win -
1495 DR
171495 DR
7
Revolution in Skullport
RevolutionThe party worked with the Harpers to fashion a resistance, aiding the people with food, water, and martial prowess. The people rallied to the party's cause, singing "Do you hear the people sing" as they marched through the streets. The revolution culminated in an assault on Skull Island, which was in fact a covering action so the party could sneak underground to the secret grotto where the Skulls were formed. There they performed a ritual which returned the Skulls to power, saving the town from the oppression of the Xanathar's Guild.
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1495 DR
8 /4
Entered Level 10 - Tucker's Revenge
Discovery, ExplorationTucker's Kobolds. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. As a reward the party found the Deck of Many Things. A few people died and were brought back. Evil twins were spawned for Beelz and Toast, both of whom also lost their souls. Maladon and Khelmon became nobility, which is good because they both had to lose powerful cards to keep Beelz & Toast from dying.
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1495 DR
9 /4
Entered Level 11 - Muiral's Gauntlet
Discovery, ExplorationEncountered the minions of Muiral as well as the drow of House Auvryndar. Attempted to break the curse on Muiral; ended up just torturing him by accident. Sparked a rebellion among the troglodytes against the drow, which opened them up to undead invasion. The House was destroyed and the party escaped.
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1495 DR
12 /4
Entered Level 12 - The Maze Level
Discovery, ExplorationEntered the Maze level where they found the last remaining Drow house in Undermountain. The Matron was planning on getting married to Halaster Blackcloak. Had a bachelor party with Halaster where he pretended to be an adventurer. During the wedding the Matron attempted to coerce Halaster him into giving her Undermountain with her wedding vows, which he swore to. This turned out to be a horrible, horrible mistake. Halaster destroyed her entire House, turning them into aberrations and horrors.
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1495 DR
5 /5
Entered Level 13 - Trobriand's Graveyard
Discovery, ExplorationEntered a vast area that appeared to be outside (was actually an illusion). Mad Max themed level. The party wandered the deserts, fighting hobgoblin raiders, when they encountered Zox Clammersham. They aided the inventor in getting control of his constructs again, in so doing saving the myconid sovereign Chantarella. They fought the hobgoblin raiders in a climactic final battle against the mechanized t-rex the raiders had stolen, and Zox teleported them to the next level.
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1495 DR
9 /5
Entered Level 14 - Arcturiadoom
Discovery, ExplorationEntered Arcturiadoom. Halaster Blackcloak immediately activated the WMD, threatening to destroy the entire level. The party rushed around to disarm it, finding that Halaster was building a massive Mecha-Halaster but not having time to deal with that. They freed a Raksasha fiend Arcturia was using for his blood. The party managed to escape and was put on a three month mandatory "vacation" in interdimensional space for the mid-season break.
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1495 DR
9 /8
Fought Mecha-Halaster
Military actionFought off the giant construct Mecha-Halaster which was operated by smaller Halaster constructs.
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1495 DR
17 /8
Entered Level 16 - Crystal Labyrinth
Discovery, ExplorationThe Crystal Labyrinth was run by Githyanki. Zar'ryth wished to recruit them into her secret organization, so the party infiltrated the gith lair. They teamed up with Infernexus, one of the brood of Ashtyrranthor, to depose the leader Al'chaia and return the more sympathetic leader Urlon to power. After they were victorious (with zero gith casualties aside from the deposed ruler), they escaped to what they thought was Waterdeep.
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1495 DR
19 /8
Level 18 - Vanrakdoom
Discovery, ExplorationFound the level overrun by Shar worshipping vampires. Visions were experienced indicating that a dragon had been enslaved by the vampires. After an epic battle the vampires were destroyed and the dragon, Glyster, was saved (see details). They also managed to rescue Portia, who had been enthralled by the vampires.
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1495 DR
21 /8
Level 19 - Caverns of Ooze
Discovery, ExplorationExplored a Disney themed level of Undermountain; given quests by two genies to retrieve Ezzat's phylactery from the next level.
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1495 DR
24 /8
Entered Level 20 - Runestone Caverns
Discovery, ExplorationEntered the Runestone Caverns and experienced visions indicating that Halaster Blackcloak is really obsessed with Ezzat. Ultimately made it inside the tower and spoke with Ezzat, who convinced the party to work with him against Halaster. They then encountered Chanteralla the Myconid sovereign from Level 13 and led her and her people to a fungal promised land. Returned to Level 20 and made it up the tower along with the Gentleman Bastards, who wished the phylactery to get the wish from the genies, intending to save Pe
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1495 DR
25 /8
Entered Level 21 - Terminus
Life, MilestoneEntered Level 21 and was immediately escorted to the court of Fazrian the Planetar. The angel accused the party of crimes and put them on trial.
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1495 DR
26 /8
Trial of the Contestants
Life, Achievement/ WinThe Mad Mage Contestants were placed on trial by Fazrian the Just, a planetar who has taken over Level 21 of Undermountain. They were charged with murder, reckless endangerment of the public, and destruction of property. Their old nemesis Maddgoth was revealed to be the prosecutor, and brought several witnesses against them. The party drew on their history of noble deeds to demonstrate their heroic virtues and were deemed not guilty.
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1495 DR
27 /8
Level 22 - Shadowdusk Hold
Disaster / DestructionThe party entered Shadowdusk Hold to find that the portal to the Far Realms had already been opened! They encountered Skrianna, the sole living survivor of the Shadowdusks, who had a change of heart and wished to close the portal to the Far Realms. The party had to locate the crystal tablet which allowed the death knights Dezmyr & Zalthar to open the portal in the first place, destroy it, and close the portal. The catch? Whoever closed the portal had to do so from inside the Far Realms and would never return. Skrianna and her bodyguard Derrion fought bravely but were unable to overcome Zalthar. Zar'ryth nobly leapt into the portal, despite the protestations of Toast, in order to prevent an aberration invasion. Zar'ryth is trapped in the Far Realms and is presumed dead.
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1495 DR
28 /8
Final Battles of Halaster's Tower
Military actionThe Contestants arrived at the final level of the Mad Mage. After a brief interview with Halaster, they entered the final gauntlet. Round 1 took place in an interdimensional arena, fighting against Trobriand and Arcturia (who polymorphed herself into an emerald dragon). When Arcturia was defeated, Trobriand flew into an insane rage and threw himself at Lerissa, who had struck the final blow. Round 2 took place in a tropical jungle called "Tarrasic Park". The legendary Tarrasque charged out of the trees at the party, conveniently spotlighted by Halaster's magic. Through a desperate fight that involved several members of the party being swallowed alive, the party triumphed. Maladon had been swallowed but used Tearulai to cut a path from the esophagus to the heart of the beast, then tore the heart apart with her bare hands. Round 3 was against Halaster Blackcloak himself. The wizard turned the dungeon itself against them, rearranging the walls & floor at will, attacking them with spikes formed from the stones, and raining owlbears upon their heads. Things looked dire with Toast & Beelz dying and the others sorely injured, but Maladon struck the killing blow against Halaster, securing the win.
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1495 DR
29 /8
Epilogue
Life, Achievement/ WinAfter killing Halaster, each individual made their wish. The tower began to collapse as Halaster attempted to bring it down on their heads with his last breath. Beelz realized he could seize the Knot to save his friends. He did so, protecting them from danger as they fled Undermountain. See full text for wishes & endings.