Overview
The Tower of Yintros was once one of Waterdeep's preeminent schools of wizardry, standing beyond the walls at the northern end of the plateau where the Heroes' Garden stands today. Built by the archmage Yintros in the Year of Spreading Spring (1038 DR), it passed to his apprentice, Ulthorn, in the Year of the Lord's Dilemma (1066 DR). Ulthorn dwelt in the Tower of Yintros for over two centuries, educating generation after generation of Waterdhavian wizards.
In the Year of Thunder (1306 DR), Ulthorn died in a sorcerous duel with a vastly more powerful foe, the Archmage Ahrabose. In defeat, he slew his enemy by bringing the Tower of Yintros down upon them both with a great shout. Many of Ulthorn's apprentices and other mages of Waterdeep searched the wreckage of the tower that night, seeking items of power and written spells. The blasted corpse of Ulthorn was found with his shattered staff and emerald sigil ring, but many other treasures were never found. In the wake of the tower's destruction, the Lords of Waterdeep purchased the land on which it stood from Ulthorn's apprentice and heir, the wizard Rendergallis. The ruins of the tower were cleared and the land was transformed into a public park, known today as Heroes' Garden.
Unknown to all but a few, part of the Tower of Yintros still exists. The catacombs beneath the tower, used for spell research and magical experimentation, still exist, sealed from prying eyes by wards set in place by the Watchful Order. The entrance to the catacombs lies beneath the statue of Lhestyn, which can be pushed aside with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check if one first speaks the password, "Ulthorn."
Dungeon Features
The Catacombs of Yintros consist of a series of rooms over a few levels. It was once a mage academy and contains areas of study and classrooms. A large underground garden has expanded over a few other areas and several portals function intermittently.
Ceilings
Areas have ceilings 10 feet high unless otherwise noted.
Doors
The double doors and single doors are stout wood reinforced with metal bands. Any locked doors are a DC 15 Dexterity (
Thieves' Tools) check to unlock and a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to force open unless noted.
Light
All areas are dark unless noted. Several areas still have magical light, but most of the magic has been broken during the events of the Spellplague.
Statues
All statues in the catacombs depict
Azuth, the god of mages and spells, unless otherwise noted.
Catacombs Level 1
1. Stairwell
This is the first antechamber when descending down the stairs from the statue above. This area has been explored several times in the past and some old
torches and a
lantern remain from past explorations.
The circular stairs descend roughly 20 feet to the corner of a dark 20-foot by 20-foot room containing a large statue to the
west, leaving only a 10-foot by 20-foot walking area. Doors to the north and south are closed and another door to the east ahead is cracked open slightly. Above the door to the north is a plaque saying “Apprentice Dorms”, the door to the south is labeled “Library”, and the one to the east is labeled “Classrooms”.
2. Apprentice Dorms
The dormitories were where the apprentices stayed while studying at the academy. They have all been picked over and gone through with the exception of area 3.
This long hall leads roughly 60 feet to a dark room at the end. There are four doors along the corridor, with three open doors leading to ruined rooms and a fourth closed door leading to area 3. This door has marks around it where someone has tried to force open the door at some point.
As adventurers reach the end of the hall, four suits of
animated armor will move to intercept them. The suits will reform after 24 hours and have all seen several battles over the years. They fight until destroyed.
In the open room are two large mirrors, covered by curtains, that are attached to the wall. These mirrors are actually portals to other rooms in the catacombs. The one on the west goes to the library (area 4) and is marked as such with old
chalk, written by one of the past adventuring groups searching through the catacombs. The eastern portal once connected to a room in the tower, but no longer functions. There is no writing above this portal mirror.
If the four suits of
animated armor have not been destroyed in area 4, they will come through the portal and attack adventurers as they are leaving the room.
3. Locked Dormitory
This 15-foot by 20-foot locked room is the chamber of Leshel, once a powerful mage. It is perfectly preserved despite the time that has passed. In order to enter, adventurers need to recover the magical key found in area 12.
When adventurers first enter this room, it appears to be in pristine condition, as if it did not age for the last 200 years. A pair of beds have clean blankets folded neatly and a single
candle burns magical light in a silver holder sitting on a stool. A book lays open on the bed and is being read by a
ghost.
The ghost is dressed as a mage and glares at adventures as they enter. The furnishings in the room will then begin to age rapidly, as if the air from the hall is causing the years to catch up to the furnishings. The pages on the book begin to yellow and curl, fading the words and pictures.
The ghost is what is left of Leshel and will attack intruders. It will not move out of the room, and can close the door or go ethereal if needed to keep adventurers from simply using range powers from the hall.
Adventurers can find Leshel’s
robe of stars here along with two
potions of superior healing and a
wand of polymorph. There is also a
black pearl propped up on a wire holder. It appears that it was being studied.
4. Library
The library is another room that has been investigated over the last couple hundred years by adventuring groups.
The door opens to a large 30-foot by 50-foot room that is partially illuminated by magical light on the far side. Long rows of shelving stretch out on the half of the room by the door, while the far area of the room lies in rubble. On the wall amid the rubble is a large mirror that is undamaged.
As adventurers enter this room, four suits of
animated armor will move to intercept them. The suits will reform after 24 hours and have all seen several battles over the years. They fight until destroyed.
The mirror in this room is also covered by a curtain and attached to the wall. The mirror is actually a portal to area 2.
If the four suits of
animated armor have not been destroyed in area 2, they will come through the portal and attack adventurers as they are leaving the room.
All the books in the room have been gone over and are unreadable. Any books of value appear to have been taken already. Anyone who makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a hidden compartment under the end shelf. It contains a tome on demon summoning entitled
Essential Blood (400 dragons).
5. Waiting Room
The 15-foot for by 15-foot antechamber once provided security to the larger room beyond. The main doors are closed, but not locked.
The double doors open to a large 40-foot by 40-foot room that used to be a waiting room. There are two large desks on the eastern wall, with one having a few copper poles forming a line in front of it. There is broken furniture to the south that forms an area of difficult terrain. Each of the north and south walls contains another set of double doors, with the set to the north being partially open.
In the room are two
minotaur skeletons. Both are intent on attacking intruders.
Searching the desks reveals that they have been gone through a few times in the distant past.
6. Summoning Observation
The observation room is a gallery where students would witness other mages summoning
elementals and fiends. The doors to this room are locked, requiring a successful DC 15 Dexterity (
Thieves' Tools) check to open.
A 10-foot wide hall leads a short distance to a 30-foot by 30-foot square room. A 5-foot walkway around the room overlooks an open area to the room below. A few chairs are placed along the left and right walk areas.
The room drops 20 feet to an empty room that only contains a circle of magical runes carved into the center of the floor. A single door exits the room under the hall out of this room.
A
detect magic spell cast in the room show an illusionary script near the end of each hall that reads, “Illuminate”. Pale light fills the room if read aloud.
Anyone searching around the top of the room can make a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check to notice the secret door on the balcony. It was found at some point in the past and is open slightly. Anyone who finds this door automatically locates the secret door leading to area 11, but not the door leading to area 12.
7. Stairs to Level 2
A 10-foot wide stairwell leads down into darkness. Anyone who succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check hears faint sounds of talking coming from the next level.
Catacombs Level 2
8. Stairwell Midlevel
The stair landing is about 40 feet from area 9. Adventurers will be able to hear the people inside and see the light in the area before they get to the bottom of the stairs.
9. Open Room
This 20-foot by 30-foot area is open to the hall and was once a study room. Light comes out into the hall from a
lantern hanging in the hall and another one on
the large table inside. There are also a large set of shelves and a large mirror mounted to the east wall.
Inside the room are eight
bandits, a
helmed horror, and a
duergar mind master. The bandits are gathered around the table playing with a
Three-Dragon Ante set, while the helmed horror stands guard in the hallway. The duergar is invisible and also keeping an eye on the hall.
If all of the bandits are defeated, the duergar will attempt to turn invisible and retreat to area 15 to gather reinforcements, leaving the helmed horror to cover its escape.
The mirror is another portal that links to area 19 on level 3. There was once
chalk written above the door, but someone has tried to erase it. Anyone who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check can read that it once said “Lounge”.
The bandits each carry 1d10 shards and 1d8 dragons, all of which is on the table in various piles. The duergar has 2d20 dragons and carries a
potion of greater healing.
10. Summoning Lecture Hall
This room once served as a lecture hall for learning about summoning creatures from the outer planes.
This large room is roughly a 40-foot by 40-foot square. Several student lab tables are in the middle with a head table t the south wall. By the double doors to the north are a pair of statues. One is a
barlgura demon and the other is an
earth elemental. A door on the south side of the room is labeled "Observation", while the side door on the west is unlabeled.
The room has been gone through a few times in the past and contains nothing of value. Anyone searching the room can tell that there was a recent fight here. There are no dead bodies, but a fine powder can be found in a few areas suggesting that something exploded.
11. Summoning Room
This room once served to summon minor
demons and
elementals. The main door to area 10 was locked at some point but has since been broken open and the door swings loosely. The two small rooms to the west and east are a storage room and latrine respectively. The storage room still contains several old
candles used in summoning, but has mostly been gone through.
The main door opens to a 30-foot by 30-foot room that contains a 5-foot balcony circling the room. Some pale blue light still emanates from the bottom of the balcony, bathing the floor in dim light. In the middle of the floor is a carving inlaid with smooth stone that was once cast with
magic circle spells for summoning.
The rest of the room is empty, save for a
bedroll in the far left corner. It sits next to a knocked-over
lantern. Both have been here for some time.
This room contains nothing of value, as it has been picked over in the past. The inlay on the floor is some sort of lava that hardened into a silver-like rock. It is impossible to remove without destroying it.
Anyone searching around the room can make a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check to notice the secret door on the east wall. It was found at some point in the past and is open slightly. Anyone who finds this door automatically locates the secret door leading to area 6, but not the door leading to area 12.
12. Secret Room
The secret room was found by the powerful mage Leshel after the tower exploded. He hide here for a few days, but never made it out, and his ghost is now in his quarters in area 3. Each secret door can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check since they are both slightly open.
This 10-foot by 15-foot room was a hidden study. A small desk and a few chairs are placed under a small shelf that contains a
lantern. A
crate appears to hold some other gear. A skeleton wearing moldy mage
robes is slumped over the table.
The skeleton of Leshel is long dead and does not rise to attack. A note on the desk reads “Seal the arboretum, it summons
elementals. –Leshel”.
The skeleton still carries 2d10 shards and 2d10 dragons. The key to area 3 is hidden behind the shelf in a hidden compartment, which can be found with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check.
13. Astrology Room
The room was once used for the study of astrology and predicting the future by other means. The metal plaque labeling the room is missing.
This 30-foot by 30-foot room has more student tables like in the other rooms and a pair of ransacked shelves on the north wall. A set of double doors on the south are slightly open with some faint light coming from inside.
The walls are painted with pictures of the planets and stars, as well as the constellations found in the sky. Hanging from the ceiling are several planets and stars. They were once able to move on wires and a track, but the mechanism has since been destroyed.
14. Temple Room
This is another classroom where students learned about the gods and their magic. A plaque from the hall reads, “Temple” in faded bronze.
The double doors open to another 30-foot by 30-foot room with double doors to the north, east, and south. Dominating the middle of the room is a 10-foot raised dais with a
human-sized statue of a woman wearing robes. In the corners of the room are two student desks to the north and two ruined desks to the south. Light comes from the open doors to the south.
Searching the room will show that the statue has been broken in the past and put back together somehow. In truth, the statue is magical and will reassemble in 1d6 hours if destroyed. Studying the statue will also reveal that it is a likeness to
Selûne, the goddess of the moon.
15. Lounge Room
This room was once a lounge for teachers and senior students. The plaque above the door is hanging slightly but still reads “Master’s Rest”.
This 20-foot by 30-foot room is dominated by a gaping hole in the floor leading into darkness. A pair of
lanterns are near the hole providing light in this room. Around the hole are sets of double doors leading to the north and east. Flanking the double doors leading to the hall is a set of wall-mounted mirrors. One still has a curtain covering it.
In the room are eight
bandits, a mage named Duncan (LE male
Tethyrian human high mage), and his henchman Cushing (LE male
Rashemi human veteran). The bandits are standing guard while Duncan and Cushing are looking into the hole and talking to each other.
If a fight breaks out, Cushing tries to protect Duncan but can move forward and attack to bolster the bandits. The bandits will try to shoot and maneuver to get behind intruders. Duncan would rather save himself if things take a turn for the worse.
The northern mirror portal connects with the outside of area 22, and the southern portal once connected to the destroyed tower but is now broken.
The hole in the floor leads to area 23. There is a 10-foot drop to reach the top of the rubble pile, and creatures that fall through the hole take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
The bandits each carry 1d10 dragons and 1d20 shards. Duncan wears
boots of levitation and a
ring of swimming, and carries a
potion of invisibility. Cushing carries 25 dragons, a
bag of holding, a
gem of seeing, a
potion of superior healing, and a
+1 longsword.
16. Graduate Study
The cross-shaped room once served as a retreat for the students and teachers who already graduated from the academy and required further training or a need for other services offered at the academy. Today much rubble fills the room and anything that remains has turned moldy and rotten.
The double doors open to a large 30-foot by 30-foot room that contains 10-foot alcoves in each of the walls giving the room its cross-like appearance. Large sections of rubble cover the right side of the room and alcove areas.
The only thing of note in the room not covered in mold are three grotesque statues standing about the room in various poses. The statues are
gargoyles and will attack if touched. The gargoyles fight until destroyed and will pursue intruders if they retreat to the hallway.
The gargoyles have no treasure, but there is a skeletal body that lays hidden in the ruins inside the left alcove. Anyone can spot the remains by making a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. It still carries 12 shards, 8 dragons, and a
potion of climbing.
Catacombs Level 3
17. Stair Landing
The wide hall joins other areas of note. It contains a bathroom and a large statue depicting
Mystra, the goddess of magic. A
chalk arrow on the base of the statue points to area 20 and says the word, “SHHH”.
18. Combat Room
This large room once provided a safe place to practice shooting spells at targets, as well as being a place to settle duels between students.
The double doors open to a giant room 50 feet wide and 100 feet long. The doors open roughly in the middle of the room, which is divided into three subsections. The northern section is empty, the middle section contains two stone tables, and the southern section contains several old archery targets. Most have fallen apart over the years and a few contain scorch marks from fire spells.
A small fire burns in the southern section past the targets. It illuminates four
zombies, and another four
zombies and a
flameskull are in the empty section to the north. The flameskull will stay behind the zombies and cast spells at intruders, while the zombies will swarm to the closest adventurers.
19. Hall of Masters
This hall holds the statues of past masters at the academy. The four busts line the hall in small alcoves. One has been destroyed at some point in the past. At the end of the hall is a 20-foot by 30-foot lounge room that contains another portal mirror, like on the other floors. This portal joins with the functioning one in area 15 upstairs.
20. Cafeteria
This area served at the basement kitchen for late-night studying and those in magical experimentation. A secret door leads to a hall that connects a series of rooms along the side of the catacombs. A copper plaque hangs above the doors by the stairs that reads “Galley”.
The double doors open to a large room shaped like an L. The northern area contains two large dining tables with several faded paintings on the wall of coastal scenes, while the southern area contains a small kitchen with a fireplace and serving table.
Lying in the room are two sets of armor that were once a pair of helmed horrors that have recently been defeated. Fresh blood is on the ground around the armor. Faint green light can still be seen glowing around the joints of the armor.
20a. Stockroom
This stockroom contains scattered kitchen items and old foodstuffs. It has been picked over a few times in the past and has nothing of value. There is a secret door in the rear that is concealed behind some crates. It can be found with a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check.
21. Secret Hall
This secret hall winds behind areas 20, 22, and 24. It was once used by a few teachers and students that stumbled upon it. Some would use the hall to sneak into the kitchen while others practiced mixing potions in private.
22. Labratory
This room once served as a classroom and laboratory. Students learned to make potions and elixirs here in private research or under direction. It links to area 24 where much of the ingredients were collected.
The doors open to a 30-foot by 30-foot room that used to be the laboratory. Two large tables contain a scattering of broken glass and several beakers and alchemic gear. Shelving on the far wall holds similar items, but most have been picked clean or scattered over time.
In the room are four
dust mephits clawing over the desks and knocking over the glass beakers and ceramic bowls, creating trails of heavy dust in their wake.
There is a vial of
oil of sharpness hidden in the mess under the far table. This can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
22a. Storage Closet
This room is a storage closet for the supplies needed to make potions for other lab supplies. There is a hidden door leading to area 21 hidden behind the far shelves. Anyone searching this room can locate the hidden door with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. There is nothing of value in this room.
23. Death Room
This room was used as a quiet study by students looking for a place to be alone. However, its main purpose was to prepare the dead for burial in the catacombs beyond. A brass plaque still hangs above the doors reading, “Death”.
This large room measures 50 feet by 50 feet with another 20-foot by 50-foot side room off to the south where the walls have mostly collapsed in the past. A man-sized statue stands on the western wall behind a stone altar. This room contains several areas of difficult terrain that was once tables, pews, and cabinets.
In the room are four
dust mephits and four
steam mephits roving around the statue and piles of rubble. The mephits will try to swarm adventurers, trying to keep them in one area to use their breath weapons.
The side room contains several crypts. All of them have been opened and gone through.
24. Green Room
This large room was once a garden and tied to the lab for making potions. The bronze plaque is missing from above the doors.
This large room is roughly 30 feet by 60 feet and illuminated by a pale green phosphorescence. A large, overgrown pool
sits on the left far corner among giant mushrooms that dominate the whole room. Rubble has fallen from the ceiling on the right side of the room causing part of the wall to collapse leaving a gaping hole leading into area 23.
On the ceiling of this room by the doors to area 22 is a
black pudding, which will try to surprise adventurers and fall onto them. Also in this room is an
earth elemental and two
gargoyles. Combat in this room will alert the
mephits in areas 23 and 22 if they have not already been defeated.
The pool of water is 5 feet deep in the middle and acts as difficult terrain. The giant mushrooms are magically enhanced but can be destroyed with any spell such as
shatter or
fireball.
Searching the room reveals the remains of three past adventurers. These three have a combined treasure of 60 shards,
40 dragons, and 12 suns. There is also a
blue spinel and a
lightning bolt spell scroll
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