Wesdale Sewers

Description

Wesdale's sewers are located 30 feet below the city's surface. The tunnels which make up the majority of the sewers are 15 feet wide and 15 feet tall, with a slightly arched ceiling. Along the floor is a 5-feet-deep, 5-feet-wide river for sewer water to flow, with a 5-foot walkway either side of this. The floors, walls and ceiling are all made from large, light-grey, stone blocks. Cutting through the stone floor at irregular intervals are numerous tributaries which connect to the sewer's main river, allowing for sewage and rain water to enter from nearby homes and drains. The majority of the sewers are illuminated by regular torches light by continual flame magic set 60 feet apart.

Entrances

There are a number of entrances to the sewers. Most of these come in the form of manholes with 30-foot long ladders leading beneath the street, however there are a couple of exceptions:

• A manhole in the north-west corner of The Chromabloom Gardens.
• A manhole located to the east of The Siren's Song.
• A manhole hidden by members of The Silver Hand in The Dockside Market.
• A manhole located to the west of The Temple Ward.
• A manhole located next to Mr. Barleyheart's Breads and Baked Goods.
• A secret tunnel in Highgrove Castle's crypt, which leads to The Highgrove Cistern.
• A secret tunnel located in the main campus of Faerndaar, Phrontistery of Arcana, which leads to the Faerndaar Cistern.

Risk of Illness

Due to the amount of waste and the magical nature of the city. Anyone who come into contact with too much of the sewer's waste risks contracting 'Magical Sewer Plague'. This disease is similar to its traditional variant, however it takes effect in an accelerated time frame. Most of waste contaminated with this disease can be found in the rivers which flow through the sewers, with the only clean water available in The Pentafont Cistern. As a result, people avoid directly touching the water in the rivers, or worse entering them.

• Magical Sewer Plague. When a humanoid comes into contacts with something contaminated with the disease, they must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, or become infected. Symptoms take 1 hour to manifest, which include fatigue and cramps. The infected creature suffers 1 level of exhaustion, and it only regains half the normal number of hit points from spending hit dice and no hit points from finishing a long rest. At the end of each short and long rest, an infected creature must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the character gains one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the character’s exhaustion level decreases by one level. If a successful saving throw reduces the infected creature’s level of exhaustion below 1, the creature recovers from the disease.

Architecture

The Circular Tunnel. At the center of the sewers is a vast, circular tunnel, which circumnavigates the perimeter of Faerndaar, Phrontistery of Arcana. This area is the same as the regular tunnels, with a couple of notable exceptions: The arched ceiling has been replaces with a flat one, and there are no torch sconces, leaving the whole area it complete darkness. These concessions were made to account for the huge gelatinous cube which patrol the area, keeping it completely clean.
The Faerndaar Cistern. The entrance to the Faerndar Cistern is magically protected. The 20-foot-wide semi-circular gateway is barred by an adamantine portcullis. It is sealed with a matching lock, an arcane lock spell (a successful DC 30 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check unlocks this) and an antilife shell, which extends into the water. Magical darkness also fills the space beyond the portcullis, blocking the view of the interior. Both the Antilife Shell and Darkness emanate from crystal orbs sat on plinths on either side of the river inside these effects.
The Guildwar Arena. This are was once a simple junction in the sewer tunnels. Now, it has been expanded, carved our of the rock and soil, into a 60-feet-wild, 20-feet-tall arena used by The Steel Brotherhood and The Knights of Valor to settle disputes off the city streets. The floor is covered by a wooden fighting arena, which covers the rivers running into the room while two-tiered, bench seating has been placed around the edge for spectators.
The Highgrove Cistern. The entrance to the Highgove Cistern is sealed behind a locked portcullis. A successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check will unlock it and a successful Strength (Athletics) check will lift it, but not keep it in place. On the inside, 10 feet from the portcullis, is a chain which can be pulled to raise it and lock it in place. The exit to the cistern is blocked by a similar portcullis, however a 10-foot tall, 15-foot-wide waterfall flows underneath it, joining the cistern back to the main sewer. Inside, it has a 20-foot tall roof and a water depth of 10 feet (excluding the south-western area). It is separated into three distinct sections:

• The Eastern Section. This is the largest area in the cistern, which connects to the cistern's main entrance from the rest of the sewers. It is approximately 200 feet by 300 feet and his held open by five pairs of stone pillars. The perimeter of the chamber is framed by walkways and staircases leading into the water.
• The North-Western Section. This section is smaller than the pervious chamber, measuring 200 feet by 150 feet with two sets of stone pillars. It is connected to the eastern section by a small 60-foot, square chamber, which marks the bottom level of Highgrove Castle's crypts (the rest of which is accessible by a locked iron gate on the northern wall, DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves Tools) to unlock). The chamber has been mostly destroyed, with all of the tombs unidentifiable, by the Myconids which now inhabit it. These creatures are what remains of the creatures cultivated by the firbolg druid Nutae, who now stands among them as a spore servant, the remains of his body still in the corner of the room.
• The South-Western Section. This space is separated from the section above by a brick wall containing a single, 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall archway. While the archway once stood empty, now there is a sewage treatment machine (see sewage treatment facility below) filling most of it. While this section was once identical the the others. Nowadays, it has been hollowed out, its four pillars severed at their base to make way for a deeper floor which now reaches a depth of 60 feet. The section is filled with seaweed, growing from the floor of the cistern and reaching a height of 40 feet. It was cultivated by an former Witherbloom student, who was used the space to cultivate kelpies. The exit to the cistern is found in the section's south-western corner, where a 10-foot-deep, 15-foot wide river leads to the exit portcullis and the waterfall which connects it to the rest of the sewers. Notably, the water coming from this waterfall is clean until it meets with the next junction of sewage water. There is a 5-foot-wide walkway on each side which leads to a chain which can be used to open and lock the portcullis.

The Pentafont Cistern. This cistern marks the beginning of the sewers and the home of Hydrox, the greater water elemental which protects Wesdale from The Pentafont. It is a large 240-foot-wide, square chamber with a 20-foot tall ceiling. Continual flame torches both line the wall of the chamber and hang from its ceiling, fully illuminating the whole area. In the four corners of the room are 60-foot-wide vats filled with water, each connected to on of the smaller fountains of the pentafont above. At the center of the chamber is a 120-foot-wide, hemispherical vat affixed to the roof, which is connected to the pentafont's main fountain. These five vats are connected by suspended 10-foot-wide tubes each approximately 50 to 120 feet long. On the floor of the chamber, at its center and beneath the hemispherical vat, is a 120-foot-wide pool of water, surrounded by glowing-blue runes. These runes hold open a small portal to the elemental plane of water located in the pool which continuously supplies the sewers with the water necessary to transport the sewage deposited into it.
The Sewage Treatment Facilities. Two facilities, one in the north and one in the south of the city, intercept the sewage water before it can enter the sea. In these, the sewage water is purified in a magical device using a variation of the purify food and drink spell. The device 5 feet wide, 10 feet long and is made from metal, with a glass casing on its top to allow people to see inside. Within, a magical barrier is housed (appearing like a green film) which purifies the water as it passes through. All impure materials appear to disintegrate as soon as they touch this barrier. The devices are locked in 20-feet-wide, square chambers behind barred, adamantine doors (a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check unlocks this). A silent alarm is trigger if these facilities are broken into, alerting the archmage of Faerndaar, Phrontistery of Arcana.
The Silver Hand Headquarters. The entrance to The Silver Hand's headquarters can be found in the tunnel directly below The Singing Blades Barracks. It is protected by a drow poison dart trap (see below) as well a concealed door. It entrance is made from stone which matches the walls of the tunnel. The seams and lock are hidden by illusion magic (a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals this illusion) and the lock is enchanted with an arcane lock spell (a successful DC 25 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check unlocks this).

• Drow Poison Dart Trap. When a creature steps on one of the six hidden pressure plates, poison-tipped darts shoot from spring-loaded tubes cleverly embedded in the surrounding walls. The tiny holes in the walls are obscured by dust and cobwebs. With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, a character can deduce the presence of the pressure plate from variations in the mortar and stone used to create it, compared to the surrounding floor. Wedging an iron spike or other object under a pressure plate prevents it from activating. Stuffing the holes with cloth or wax prevents the darts contained within from launching. The trap activates when more than 20 pounds of weight is placed on a pressure plate, releasing four darts. Each dart makes a ranged attack with a +8 bonus against a random target within 10 feet of the pressure plate (vision is irrelevant to this attack roll). A target that is hit takes 1D4 piercing damage must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while Poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an Action to shake it awake.
• Opening the Door. Placing a hand on the door activates the magic puzzle which can unlock it. When a hand is place on the door, a number is magically carved into the stone (the full word, not the digit). If a creature responds to this carving with the correct password, the door opens. The correct password is determined by the number of letters carved into the stone. For example, if the word 'one' is displayed, then the password is 'three.' If the word 'eight' is displayed, then the password is 'five,' and so on. If the wrong password is given, the word fades from the wall.

Founding Date

Age of Ascension

Type

Sewer, network

Parent Location

Wesdale