# Death House, Dungeon (Lower Level)

> From the Curse of Strahd game wiki (it covers the whole game, spoilers included): https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-lower-level.html. Unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

> [!infobox]
> ![loc death house dungeon 2 1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-death-house-dungeon-2-1.webp)
> **Region:** [Death House](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/death-house.md) · level 2
> **Resting:** no
> **Light:** dark
> **Getting here:** [Death House, Dungeon (Upper Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-upper-level.md)
> **Quests:** [Death House](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/death-house.md)

## Overview

The cult's heart: a reliquary of strange relics at the foot of the stairs, an old prison, a flooded passage to a rusted portcullis and the winch that raises it, and the ritual chamber where the cult's shades chant around the altar and Lorghoth the Decayer sleeps in a mound of refuse.

**Resting:** no The chanting never stops long enough for anyone to sleep.

![loc death house dungeon 2 overview](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-death-house-dungeon-2-overview.webp)
*The whole place from above.*

## Getting here

### Ways in

- **From [Death House, Dungeon (Upper Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-upper-level.md):** Stairs down

### Ways out

| # | Exit | Leads to | Only when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stairs up | [Death House, Dungeon (Upper Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-upper-level.md) |  |

## Map

![death house dungeon 2](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/maps/death-house-dungeon-2.svg)

**Key:** gold, people; red, containers; purple, hidden finds; teal, skill checks; white, exits; orange, traps. The numbers match the lists on this page.

### Close up

![loc death house dungeon 2 spot1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-death-house-dungeon-2-spot1.webp)
*a chest of cult robes*

![loc death house dungeon 2 spot2](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-death-house-dungeon-2-spot2.webp)
*alcoves of strange relics, a relic in the niches that isn't bone*

![loc death house dungeon 2 spot3](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-death-house-dungeon-2-spot3.webp)
*the altar*

## People

> [!note]- Who turns up at points in the story (1)
> - **[The Shades](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/the-shades.md)**, Ritual Chamber (#2): when not death house refused and not death house sacrificed

## What to find

| # | Where | What | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | a chest of cult robes | [Robe](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#robe) ×2, [Dagger](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#dagger), [Candle](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#candle) ×6 | open it |
| 4 | a skeleton in a black robe | 25 gp | open it |
| 7 | a relic in the niches that isn't bone (hidden) | [Pipes of Haunting](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#pipes-of-haunting) | Search: Investigation DC 14 |

The containers here also get random magic items and potions, rolled for a party of level 2 the first time you come ([Random Treasure](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/random-treasure.md)). Hidden finds need a Search (F) nearby; the party's best roll counts.

### Skill checks

| # | Where | Check | Try | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | alcoves of strange relics | Arcana 14 | Sense which relic still holds power | finds Pipes of Haunting |
| 6 | wall reliefs | Religion 14 | Read the rite in the reliefs | lore: The rite on the walls |

## Fights

- *Lorghoth the Decayer wakes.*, in [Death House, Dungeon (Lower Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-lower-level.md): [Shambling Mound](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shambling-mound.md).

- *Lorghoth the Decayer wakes, slowly. You saw it coming.*, in [Death House, Dungeon (Lower Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-lower-level.md): [Shambling Mound](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shambling-mound.md).

- *The shades will not let you leave so easily.*, in [Death House, Dungeon (Lower Level)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/death-house-dungeon-lower-level.md): [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md).

## Quests and lore

- [Death House](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/death-house.md): Two children begged us to save their baby brother from a monster in the basement of their house. The house had other plans.