Hallix Mausoleum was the family tomb of the Hallix family of Neverwinter.[1]
Location[]
It was located on the west side of the Main Graveyard of Neverdeath Graveyard, in a cluster of tombs along the wall separating the Main and Pauper's Graveyards. The mausoleum itself lay in the shadow of two much grander structures to its south and west.[1]
Structure[]
The mausoleum was a plain and squat single-story building of granite that was 30 feet (9.1 meters) on a side. It was entered via metal double doors on its north side, which were kept secured by a rusty chain and padlock.[1][2]
Interior[]
The inside of the mausoleum was dark with a 10‑foot (3‑meter) ceiling. The ground level contained three stone coffins on both the east and west walls, each bearing the name, birth year, and death year of a member of the Hallix family buried within. A wide set of stairs descended to the south into a large subterranean stone chamber lined with sturdy shelves holding additional stone coffins containing long-dead members of the family. In the south wall of this chamber, a secret passage—opened via a hidden latch within a coffin in front of it—connected the mausoleum to the Waterclock Guild's Crypts.[1][2]
As of the late 15th century DR, the western wall of the underground chamber had collapsed, thus allowing access to the catacombs beneath Neverdeath.[1][2]
History[]
In the late 15th century DR, the ground level of the mausoleum held the bodies of six Hallix family members who died following the eruption of Mount Hotenow.[1]
During the 1490s DR,[note 1] the mausoleum and the catacombs beneath it came to be occupied by cultists of Vecna led by Jerot Galgin.[3][1] Soon, their ghoul minions had eaten the remains of the Hallix family, leaving only bits of bone and cloth behind. The cultists used the empty coffins for storage and treated Hallix Mausoleum as the front door of their hideout. They took care to keep the hinges of the metal doors well-oiled,[1] and for defense, they posted five wight guards in the basement and shielded the tomb from divination.[1][4]
The cultists eventually used the area to imprison a group of four Neverwintan nobles—Eldon Keyward, Indrina Lamsensettle, Sarcelle Malinosh, and Umberto Noblin—prompting Lord Dagult Neverember to send adventurers to rescue them.[4]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material provides conflicting information for the date of the events described in Vecna: Eve of Ruin and its prequel adventure, Vecna: Nest of the Eldritch Eye. Both adventures use the eruption of Mount Hotenow (in 1451 DR) as a reference: Eve of Ruin states that the eruption "nearly destroyed the city forty years ago" (p. 17), placing it circa 1491 DR, while Nest of the Eldritch Eye states the eruption to have happened "fifty years ago", placing it circa 1501 DR despite being the prequel. Unless a canon source provides clarity, this wiki will use "1490s DR" to refer to the dates of these adventures.
Appearances[]
Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
- ↑ Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
Catrgory:Year of Metropolises