Dhourn

Dhourn is a petrified drow wizard in the Underdark, west of the Selûnite Outpost.

“

Dust. On. My. Tongue!

„

— Dhourn if he is unpetrified by the player

Involvement

Act One

The battlefield west of the Selûnite Outpost is littered with  Petrified drow. Entering the area triggers the appearance of a  Spectator, who is immediately hostile to the party. The spectator can unpetrify Dhourn and the other drow, who then fight alongside the creature, unless their trance is broken by taking damage.

Dhourn carries one of the three pieces required to rebuild the  Mourning Frost. He also has a  Memory Shard containing information on ⁠The Adamantine Forge.

If Dhourn survives the spectator battle, he informs the party that he is searching for the Grymforge, and the spectator was set upon him by  Xargrim. If the party kill  Filro before speaking to Dhourn, they can avoid discussing the Adamantine Forge by informing Dhourn of Filro's death and claiming that Filro had nothing of interest. Dhourn believes the party is uninterested in the Adamantine Forge and the interaction ends peacefully. The same can be done if  Xargrim's corpse was found in Ebonlake Grotto. There is no unique interaction for finding both.

Otherwise, Dhourn can be convinced to reveal his secrets, kept in the Memory Shard under his possession:

• [LOLTH-SWORN] [PERSUASION] Every house is beholden to Lolth - as every male is beholden to their betters. (DC 5)
• [LOLTH-SWORN] [INTIMIDATION] I must have misheard you. Perhaps you'll speak louder from a rack in Menzoberranzan. (DC 5)
• [INTIMIDATION] I'm above house politics myself - but I'll still kill for what I want. (DC 5) (if not a Lolth-sworn drow)
• [BERSERKER] [INTIMIDATION] HAND IT OVER, BOY. OR ELSE. (DC 5 )
• [DECEPTION] House Ba'Tol, you said? You'll be welcomed back - all the male heirs died, I believe. (DC 5)

Convincing Dhourn to hand over the Memory Shard as a drow (or disguised as one) grants the inspiration ⁠Know Your Place to party members with the  Noble background.

Combat remains an option afterwards. Combat can also be avoided if Dhourn does not survive the spectator fight. He disappears with any other surviving unpetrified drow after a long rest, but the petrified drow still remain.

History

 Xargrim,  Filro and Dhourn were trying to find the Adamantine Forge somewhere within the Underdark. Dhourn was responsible for finding the physical location. However, after discovering information about the forge each explorer wanted the glory for himself, and the three turned on each other.

Dhourn hired a mercenary group and planned an ambush for Xargrim, who in turn planned to ambush Dhourn. The two argued until Xargrim unleashed a Spectator who petrified Dhourn and his mercenaries. Dhourn's party remained in stasis long enough for his Memory Shard to fade.

Combat

Attacks and actions

 Darkness ()

Create a cloud of magical darkness that  Heavily Obscures and inflicts  Blind to creatures within. Creatures cannot make ranged attacks into or out of it.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Recharge: Long rest

 Mage Armour ( + )

Surround an unarmoured creature in a protective magical force. Its  Armour Class increases to 13 + its Dexterity modifier.

This effect does not stack with Unarmoured Defence.

 Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft)

 Main Hand Attack ()   –  Dagger

Damage: 1~4

1d4⁠Piercing

Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft)

 Misty Step ( + )

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Scorching Ray ( + )

Damage: 6~36

2d6⁠Fire

+ 2d6⁠Fire

+ 2d6⁠Fire

Hurl 3 rays of fire. Each ray deals 2d6⁠⁠Fire damage.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Sleep ( + )

Put creatures into a magical slumber. Select targets up to a combined 24 Hit Points.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Thunderwave ( + )

Damage: 2~16

2d8⁠Thunder ( Constitution Saving Throw to halve)

Release a wave of thunderous force that pushes away all creatures and objects in an area, while also dealing ⁠Thunder damage.

 CON Save

 Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft)

 AoE: 5 m (17 ft) Cube

 Pushes: 8 m (27 ft)

Loot

• Dagger
• Icy Helve
• Memory Shard
• Polished Ring
• Potion of Healing
• Silver Necklace
• Simple Robe
• Supply Pack
• The Blast Pendant
• 47x Gold

Allies

•  Arcagh
•  Artimezt
•  Izwae
•  Moy
•  Tecothy

Tactics

The fight with the Spectator and then Dhourn can be skipped by using a Familiar. A Familiar exploring the area and attacking the petrified drow does not trigger the Spectator. It can, for example, walk down from the Selûnite Outpost waypoint and kill Dhourn while he is petrified; his body is the closest to the top right of the cragged rock.

A character can then sneak to the body, loot it, and sneak back to Selûnite Outpost, obtaining Dhourn's loot without combat. Classes without familiars can also accomplish this by using the Cheeky Quasit familiar from the Apothecary's Cellar. Looting Dhourn causes any Paladin grouped with the party to break their oath.

Speak with Dead

Dhourn can be communed with using  Speak with Dead.

• Who are you?

  • Dhourn

    Dhourn... House Ba'Tol... Gravenhollow scholar...

• How where you petrified?

  • Dhourn

    Xargim... argument... summoned spectator.

    • Why did you argue with Xargrim?

      • Dhourn

        He wanted... memory shard...

• Do you carry anything valuable?

  • Dhourn

    Memory... shard...

    • How do I use this memory shard?

      • Dhourn

        True title... activates... 'Dhourn, Lord Archmage' ...

    • What does this memory shard do?

      • Dhourn

        Show way... to Adamantine Forge...

• Where are you from?

  • Dhourn

    Menzoberranzan...

• What where you doing here?

  • Dhourn

    Searching.. forge...

    • What can you tell me about this forge?

      • Dhoun

        Adamantine... precious beyond measure...

Related quests

• ⁠The Adamantine Forge