Apothecary's Cellar

Hidden room within the Apothecary's Cellar.

The Apothecary's Cellar is a location within the over-world in Act One. It is located underneath the Blighted Village, accessible from a hatch in the abandoned apothecary building.

Overview

Adjacent locations

• Blighted Village

Main Cellar

This section doesn't seem too out of the ordinary for an alchemy shop. It does however have a share of potions scattered around the clutter of bottles and other junk. If the lead character doesn't have Darkvision, it is recommended to light up the candles and torches or get out a light source for yourself to see in the darkness.

On the north wall there is a stack of crates were a passive DC 15 Perception check will happen. If successful, a lever will be marked behind the crates, though it can be found through normal investigation. Pulling it will open a hidden passage behind a bookcase, leading into the next chamber.

Graverobber's Cave

This natural cavern is cluttered with over half a dozen mouldering caskets. If the centremost casket is interacted with, an Agile Guardian will burst out, surprising the party. It will quickly begin running off to the other caskets, breaking them open and spawning more undead such as Robust Guardians. A smart approach would be to break the caskets, clearing away the undead beforehand along with getting extra experience and loot. Besides the undead, the casket closest to the tunnel leading in holds the Scroll of Summon Quasit along with minor valuables.

At the south end of the cave is wooden platform where the magical ornate mirror is. Although its magic is dulled, it still blocks the way forward into the hidden lab. For details on bypassing the mirror, see Ornate Mirror.

Necromancer's Lab

The lab is full of skeleton displays, mounted heads of beasts and even a stuffed bear. To the west end of the room is a store room with barrels full of alchemy supplies and potions. Most important is the Rusted Key, needed to open the vault. There is also a lever that will open a way back to the main cellar room.

In the south-west corner is a chest near the stuffed bear that is full of scrolls X: -679 Y: -370. In a gilded chest in the south-western corner of the room holds the Bracers of Defence X: -656 Y: -371.

On the east side there is a gated off area which holds the real prize of this lab, Necromancy of Thay. A DC 15 Sleight of Hand check can pick the gate lock, though it's simpler to use the key in the storeroom. The book is set on a pressure plate that can be disabled with a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check, however turn based mode can be used to take the book, than replace it with any other book or simply rush out before the fire bolt shooting gargoyle trap is turned on.

Notable characters

• Ornate Mirror
• Shovel - summoned via the Scroll of Summon Quasit

Related quests

• Search the Cellar
• Unlock the Ancient Tome
• The Wizard of Waterdeep

Notable loot

Notable items obtained in this location, whether looted, purchased, or obtained as a quest reward:

• Necromancy of Thay
• Scroll of Summon Quasit inside a mouldering casket X: -667 Y: -330
• Bracers of Defence
• Wooden chest at X: -679 Y: -369

Achievements

Rude, Crude, and Full of Attitude
Find and summon the quasit Shovel. Or is her name... Fork? Maybe Basket?