Sargauth Level

The Sargauth Level made up the third level of Undermountain. It connected to Skullport by way of a tunnel and the River Sargauth. It once held the ancient town of Stromkuhldur, which fell into ruins before the late 15 century. Drow and goblinoid parties sought to gain control of these ruins, previously inhabited by the Netherese and the Melairkyn dwarves.

Geography
The Sargauth Level was named after the River Sargauth that wound its way through this level of Undermountain.

Broadly, the Sargauth Level could be divided in two big areas. First, ruins that were once a Netherese enclave, as a matter of convenience called the Sargauth Enclave, which suffered a major cave-in. Second, north to the first part was the part that was excavated by Halaster Blackcloak and his apprentices. The latter part took about two-third of the entire Sargauth Level.

Exit
The following ways could be used to exit the 'Sargauth Level:
 * In the north part of this level, there was a staircase that went up to level 2, the Arcane Chambers.
 * In the west part of this level, a tunnel led to Skullport. A similar tunnel was in the south-west part of this level.
 * In the north-east part of this level, there was an abyssal circle that led to the Abyss.
 * In a cave in the southern part of this level, an archgate led to level 5, the Wyllowwood Forest.
 * In the ruins of old house in the north-west part of this level, an archgate led to level 6, the Lost Level.

History
The first people to settle the inside of Mount Waterdeep was a clan of dwarves called Melairkyn. They did so in –1288 DR. They called the mountain Melairbode and their domain the Underhalls. Among other places, they lived in what was later called the Sargauth Level.

A group of Netherese spellcasters came in –750 DR to Mealirbode and founded one of their enclaves inside the mountain. While it was not clear how the initial name of this enclave was, later historians referred to it as the Sargauth Enclave, future Skullport. The casters chose a place that was not yet excavated and lived alongside the dwarves of Clan Melairkyn in a city called Stromkuhldur. This did not mean that the two parties were on good footing. The Netherese excavated the patch of rock and magically established defenses for the newly excavated area against the dwarves so fast that the dwarves could not react fast enough to form meaningful protest.

In –339 DR, Sargauth enclave suffered the effects of Karsus's Folly in the form of partial destruction. Its surviving arcanists became the entities who were later referred to as the Skulls of Skullport.

In 1148 DR, a necromancer called Shradin Mulophor did two things. First, he founded a trading post on the ruins of the Sargauth Enclave. Second, he connected the place both by mundane means like creating canals that connected the River Sargauth with other bodies of water and by magical means like portals, thus creating links to various seas.

Inhabitants

 * Drow
 * An expedition from House Auvryndar had captured a section of Stromkuhldur—a former temple dedicated to Dumathoin— and before that one dedicated to Eilistraee turned it into a hatchery for giant spiders.


 * Azrok's Army
 * Azrok, a hobgoblin warlord, led a legion on this level. He eventually led his forces to Stromkuhldur, ridding the place of troglodytes and grimlocks. He was eventually forced to give up part of his domain when drow attacked him, making many of his subjects turn to the Xanathar's Thieves' Guild.


 * Sea Hags
 * Several sea hags dwelt in the River Sargauth.