The Vault of Dragons was a hidden underground location in Waterdeep built long ago by dwarves.[2] As of the late 15th century DR, the Vault could only be accessed using the Stone of Golorr, which revealed its location as well as the keys needed to enter.[1][2]
Location[]
The exact location of the Vault of Dragons was unknown.[note 1] It was said perhaps to be in the Castle Ward beneath the Pink Flumph theater,[3][4] in the Sea Ward under either an old tower owned by Esvele Rosznar or a windmill in which the artist Kalain lived,[5] or in the City of the Dead below the Brandath family mausoleum.[6][7]
Structure[]
The Vault was located underground with walls of mortared stone and doors made of solid stone slabs with stone handles and hinges. The only entrance was a 20‑foot-high (6.1‑meter) corridor ending at a massive gate of solid adamantine inscribed with Dwarvish runes that read "THE THREE KEYS. BRING THEM FORTH". This gate had no obvious handles or hinges, and opened by sliding into the wall only when three specific keys were brought near it.[1]
Interior[]
Immediately inside the gates of the Vault was a tall foyer extending north with no sources of light. It featured three 60‑foot-tall (18‑meter) columns supporting three crumbling bridges far overhead. The ground floor had with twelve iron doors embossed with images of dwarf warriors flanking the room. Of these doors, only the two in the far northeast corner of the room were real, with the other ten being immovable distractions. Behind the real doors was a chamber containing a 20‑foot (6.1‑meter) magical fresco of a battle between dwarves and goblins that could charm any creatures who viewed it, causing them to gaze upon it until they collapsed from exhaustion.[1][8] Across from this fresco was an expertly-carved staircase leading up 70 feet (21 meters) to a long, 20‑foot-high (6.1‑meter) corridor known as the Hall of Moradin, from which the bridges above the foyer could be accessed via three archways along the eastern wall. This hall contained three pillars resembling upside-down warhammers, and the western wall was adorned with an aged mosaic of a dwarven blacksmith crafting dwarves out of metal and diamonds. This mosaic concealed a secret door leading to a dust-filled room containing copper urns filled with coins, gems, and other treasures.[8][9]
Each of the three treacherous bridges ended in an adamantine door behind which was a small stone chamber dedicated to a different member of the Dwarven pantheon:
- The northernmost of these chambers featured a 10‑foot-tall (3‑meter) statue of Gorm Gulthyn, the armored dwarf god of vigilance sometimes called "Old Fire Eyes". At its feet was a false trapdoor, and touching it triggered a trap of fire bursting from the statue's eyes.[9]
- The southernmost chamber could only be accessed by a dwarf, and contained frescoes of dwarven smiths and an iron anvil. Upon the anvil was an inscription reading, "Let the hammer fall and the anvil ring", while hidden within the fresco was a stone hammer inscribed with "Let hearts be lifted and battles won". If the anvil was struck with the hammer, all those who heard the sound were gifted with enhanced vitality for a day.[9]
- The middle chamber contained four suits of dwarven plate mail, an adamantine trapdoor in the center of the room, and a dwarven inscription reading, "A secret never before told will part Dumathoin's lips". The trapdoor opened if a secret was spoken aloud within the room, revealing a spiral staircase that descended 120 feet (37 meters) into the main vault.[9]
Despite being so far underground, the main vault was illuminated by streams of sunlight from the ceiling. Ten large alcoves were located along the outer walls and twelve ornate columns supported the 30‑foot-high (9.1‑meter) vaulted ceiling, which was decorated with carvings of dwarves being blessed by their gods.[1][9]
Defenses[]
The only entrance was sealed by the adamantine front gate, which could only be opened (from either the outside or inside) by bringing three nontraditional "keys" within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of it.[1] The exact nature of these "keys" was unknown, but they could be anything from a special object to a type of creature to a song.[10] The gate could only be closed by uttering a command word ("azaam").[1]
In addition to the gate, the Vault was was magically protected to prevent any form of communication, scrying, or teleportation into it. The properties of the Stone of Golorr also contributed to the Vault's defenses, making it exceedingly difficult to not only find and access the Vault but even to remember information about it without the Stone.[1]
History[]
Aurinax defends the Vault of Dragons.
As of the late 15th century DR, the Vault was very old and had fallen into disrepair.[1][2]
During Dagult Neverember's tenure as Open Lord of Waterdeep, he embezzled half a million gold pieces from the city—known as "dragons" within Waterdeep—and concealed the sum within the main vault of the Vault of Dragons. He then recruited the gold dragon Aurinax to protect the Vault, who agreed to allow only Neverember or his agents near the treasure in exchanged for the dragonstaff of Ahghairon. Aurinax adopted the guise of an old dwarf named Barok Clanghammer, and began his vigil within the Vault.[9] To further protect his treasure, Neverember hired a wizard to erase the memories of the Vault's location and means of access from both his own mind and the minds of his subordinates, and caused this information to become trapped within the Stone of Golorr. Neveremver then concealed the Stone in the Palace of Waterdeep and caused the wizard to disappear.[2]
When Neverember was ousted from his position as Open Lord circa 1489 DR,[note 2] he was cutoff from the Stone of Golorr—which came into the possession of Xanathar—and thus became unable to access his ill-gotten gold.[2] During the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR,[note 3] he dispatched a spy named Dalakhar to steal the Stone and to retrieve his treasure.[2][11] However, by this time the public had come to learn about his embezzled money, and a hunt had begun to find his wealth[12] involving everyone from individuals treasure hunters—such as the thief Braya[13]—to major factions including the Lords' Alliance, the Harpers, Force Grey, the Emerald Enclave, and the Order of the Gauntlet,[14] but most notably the Zhentarim, the Xanathar's Thieves' Guild, the Cassalanter family, and Bregan D'aerthe.[12] While Dalakhar succeeded in acquiring the Stone of Golorr, he would subsequently be killed by a fireball in Waterdeep's Trollskull Alley, and the Stone would fall into the hands of a Zhentarim agent named Urstul Floxin who took it to the Gralhund Villa.[11] This would lead to an event that would come to be called the "Gralhund Villa Bloodbath".[15]
Inhabitants[]
The Vault had been long abandoned by the time that Dagult Neverember made use of it in the 15th century DR.[2] By 1492 DR, in addition to Aurinax, the Vault was the home of a single black pudding that laired in the Hall of Moradin.[8]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Per the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist adventure, the Vault of Dragons has four potential canon locations.
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for when Laeral Silverhand became Open Lord of Waterdeep, although she is stated to already be Open Lord as of 1489 DR in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. She became Open Lord during the events of The Rise of Tiamat in the Tyranny of Dragons storyline, and in a forum post, Greg Marks stated that this adventure was set in 1489 DR. Ed Greenwood also identified 1489 DR as the year that she became Open Lord in a tweet. However, this date is challenged by the novel Archmage, set in 1486 DR, in which some events of the Tyranny of Dragons storyline are discussed. That said, Dagult Neverember appears to still be Open Lord during the events of Archmage's sequel, Maestro, set in 1487 DR. In sum, it can be assumed that Laeral Silverhand replaced Dagult Neverember as Open Lord sometime between 1487 DR and 1489 DR.
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, but Christopher Perkins answered a question via Twitter and stated the year was 1492 DR. Corroborating this, Dragon Heist page 20 refers to events of Death Masks (set in 1491 DR) as being "last year". Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will use 1492 DR for events related to this sourcebook and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (which is referenced on pages 5 and 98 of Dragon Heist).
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
Dragon+ Issue #20: "Fiction: Secrets of the Deep" • Dragon+ Issue #23: "Fiction: Raven's Reckoning"
Video Games
Board Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Once in Waterdeep
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 60. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 95. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon+/23/Fiction: Raven's Reckoning
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 56. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.