The Yawning Portal
The Yawning Portal is the only publicly-known entrance to Undermountain that can be easily reached by the general public. The Portal is a rambling, dingy, wooden building that stands two doors down from The Empty Keg tavern, right next to Mother Salinka's House of Pleasure on Rainrun Street in southern Castle Ward. The inn sets squarely on the site of the long vanished tower of Halaster Blackcloak.
The entrance to the dungeon is a large open-topped dry well 40' in diameter in the taproom, between the bar and most of the dining tables. Lit torches are always placed in brackets around the outer edge of the well, and an immense block-and-tackle hangs above the well; the well drops 140 feet into the Entry Chamber of Undermountain. Those who wish to enter the dungeon pay one silver piece per head to be lowered down the well; they'd best keep one silver piece in reserve, since that's what it costs to come back up again later. The descending adventurers are usually wagered upon and toasted by the inn's patrons as they go down to glory or death. The well is lit only by the torches at the top, and adventurers must have their own light sources to see by once they are lowered more than 50' into the well. Once beyond that, they're on their own.
