A cozy one-story house halfway down Bleak Street blends in with the neighborhood. The house displays neither outward opulence nor shabbiness; it seems the home of well-off but not rich middle-class citizens. The other residents of Bleak Street mind their own business, and do not wonder why the owner of 228 rarely shows herself and never draws the curtains back.
Keyed Locations
The following features correspond to numbered areas on the map.
- Foyer: This spacious room displays fine portraits on the walls and sculpted busts atop marble plinths. An open archway leads to the north.
One of the busts is a unique magic item Vyssilthar commissioned centuries ago. An identical bust sits in area 8; by placing her claw or hand on one bust, Vyssilthar can see through the eyes of the other as if with a clairvoyance spell. - Cloakroom: This is an ordinary cloak room.
- Lounge: Bookshelves line the walls of this room, and a tiger-fur rug covers the floor. The books cover a range of subjects from astrology to marine biology to seamanship. Three comfortable chairs stand around a small fireplace, and a set of goblets and a wine decanter rest on a nearby table.
- Kitchen: Two large wardrobes fitted with shelves serve as a pantry in this well-maintained kitchen. A hidden door leads to the dining hall so that servants can tend to guests unobtrusively—not that Vyssilthar keeps many servants. Until recently, she didn’t use the kitchen at all, but now she keeps the pantry stocked for Roe’s use.
- Dining Hall: Floor-to-ceiling windows covered with silver latticework line the west wall of this magnificent chamber. Vyssilthar always keeps the full-length velvet curtains drawn. A cherrywood table and twelve chairs sit in the center of the room, but only two chairs show signs of use (Vyssilthar has taken to sitting with Roe at dinner). Glass doors lead north to the solarium (area 7).
Lately Roe has been asking to use the dining hall as a meeting place for her organization, but Vyssilthar is reluctant to let anyone else know where she lives. - Servant’s Quarters/Guest Room: These small bedchambers contain well-made furniture and thick carpets, plus several interesting but valueless paintings. One room houses Roe’s parents (human expert 6), who serve as Vyssilthar’s butler and cook. The other is reserved for the few guests who visit the dragon or her ally.
- Solarium: A curved glass wall encloses this room, covered with frosted patterns that afford guests within some privacy. Vyssilthar had the walls magically strengthened, granting the glass hardness 6. Bright tropical plants stand in boxes around the edge of the solarium, tended to by Vyssilthar’s plant growth. If the dragon is under attack, she uses the overgrowth aspect of plant growth to fill the solarium with a tropical jungle while she retreats to her private sanctum (area 8).
An ornate fountain stands in the center of the room. Red, yellow, and orange tiles cover the sculpture in a bright mosaic. One tile is actually a button that, when pressed, causes the center of the fountain to descend and form a spiral staircase. Water splashes down the center of the stairs like a miniature waterfall but leaves the outer edge dry and safe for travel. Discovering the hidden button requires a DC 25 Search check; activating the fountain stairs otherwise requires a DC 25 Disable Device check. - Private Sanctum: The fountain staircase opens into a deep pool of water. Stepping stones provide access to the rest of the room, though Vyssilthar enjoys sinking into the pool and usually sleeps there. Truly valuable artwork lines the walls in this room, including silverthreaded tapestries depicting the constellations.
Vyssilthar has warded this chamber with inscriptions of privacy (Dr 85). Any attempt to scan the area causes it to glow softly; anyone scried upon in the area can attempt an opposed caster level check to receive an immediate mental image of the scrier, along with a sense of his direction and distance. - Treasure Chamber: The door to this chamber is crafted from three inches of wood-layered adamantine (hardness 20, 60 hp). A superior lock (Open Lock DC 40) holds the door shut. A slay living trap also wards the door.
Slay Living Trap: CR 6; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (slay living, 9th-level sorcerer, Will DC 17 to avoid death but take 3d6+9 points of damage); Search DC 30; Disable Device DC 30. Cost: 22,500 gp, 1,800 XP.
Priceless treasures fill the room beyond. Chests overflow with silver, gold, and platinum. Coffers of gems sit between stacks of paintings and even a few dragonshards. On a bronzewood table Vyssilthar displays the most precious and beautiful items—presents she hopes to give to Qataakhast one day. - Roe’s Chamber: Vyssilthar converted this study to a bedchamber for Roe’s use. Roe sleeps in the cozy room, decorated with rare works of art, almost every night. During the day she’s either out on business, rambling around upstairs, or lounging with Vyssilthar in the private sanctum (area 8).
Roe’s parents have told her that she’s Lhazaar’s descendant. She often dreams of sea voyages and strange coastlines she’s never seen before. - Research Room: Blue glass lanterns fill this room with a soft light that Vyssilthar finds easier on her eyes. She keeps notes and studies Prophecy fragments in this chamber. Parchments, open books with quills stuck in to mark pages, and sketches of dragonmarks lie in piles atop the tables here