Twisted Rune Hideout

__NOTOC__
The Twisted Rune Hideout is a secretive chamber accessible from the House of the Elemental Lich in Athkatla's Bridge District. It serves as a base of operations for the Twisted Rune during the events of Shadows of Amn.
The entrance faces the water and is just around the corner from the door that leads to the crypt of the Elemental Lich. The trapped (80 | Disintegrate) and locked door is really a portal and cannot be passed through without having a Rogue Stone (which gets consumed by the portal) in your inventory.
Also, it's not possible to leave again without having to defeat the inhabitants first.
==Gameplay==
Stumbling into the blackness for accidentally possessing a Rogue Stone while trying to enter this building, the party will find themselves in a small circular antechamber that connects to a larger circular room with a round table that offers seats for seven persons.
Surprisingly, the entrance is not an exit, and when looking for one or trying to examine the symbol on the table, Shangalar a lich, will appear in the center of this "rune", stopping the party and interrogating them before finally summoning more members of the Twisted Rune to defeat the intruders, as follows:
*Shyressa — Vampire and fellow Runemistress 
*Layene — elven mage 
*Revanek — human fighter 
*Vaxall — Beholder 
See each rune members creature page for more details.
There are two items in the main chamber that can be examined. 
The first is a cauldron, a text message displays on the combat log:
:"The liquid in the cauldron boils and seethes as you approach. The symbol of the Twisted Rune emblazons the cauldron, and these words are written beneath it: The Orb is sight. The Eye is the way. The path yet remains..."
The second is an odd mechanical machine, and the following text displayed when its examined:
:"The huge lever is held in place by magic and, as such, is immovable. Obviously, something else needs to be triggered before the machine will work."
The clue on the cauldron will solve the how to move the lever on the machine - which seems to be the only way to leave this area. See spoiler guarded solution below if desired.
Interact with the Cauldron while in possession of the Beholder Eye, and another text message displays.
==Notable loot==
*Beholder Eye obtained from Vaxall
*Staff of the Magi, dropped by Layene
*, dropped by Shangalar
==Notes==
*In order for Shangalar to complete his plot script, the lich must detect a party member, initiate dialogue and then summon the rest of the Twisted Rune members. If a Protection From Undead scroll is used on any party members that enter the main room, Shangalar will still appear but won't be able to detect them, and therefore won't initiate dialogue, and can't summon the other members, nor teleport from the central table location. If Shangalar is somehow slain before summoning the rest of the rune members, then the item needed to leave the area won't be available, thus trapping the party in this chamber.
*In the Enhanced Edition - if Shangalar is killed without having had the opportunity to greet the party, the remaining members of the Twisted Rune will appear, afterwards.
*Revanek has no equipment or weapon, he is not that dangerous. 
*This encounter was prepared for the original release of the Shadows of Amn campaign, and the expected maximum party member XP being restricted to less than 3 million. The encounter isn't designed to deal with a party using any High-level class ability options such as Dragon's Breath (spell), Set Spike Trap, or Whirlwind Attack for example. For a better challenge, consider tackling this encounter without those high-level abilities, or it might be unbalanced too far in the party's favor. 
==Gallery==
SHANGTALK.png|Shangalar appears in the center of the roundtable. He'll greet the first party member detected. Afterwards he'll summon the other rune members, and then teleport into the fray.
==Mod content==
Sword Coast Stratagems mod revises each creature found within the Hideout. Much improved scripting and intelligent use of their abilities over the unmodded game. Revanek is now a fully armed and armored fighter. Vaxall is a spell casting Elder Orb that can also use eye stalks. Shyressa is a Fighter/Thief Vampire (Ancient) with SCS vampire abilities. Layene and Shangalar can and will use prepared Minor Sequencer, Spell Sequencer, and Spell Trigger activation. On Hardcore or Insane difficulty settings they can employ High-level class ability mage powers. Expect at least three Time Stop spells between them.
Spell Revisions mod will change all twisted rune spell casts to the SR versions.
Tactics for BG2EE mod makes a number of changes to this encounter. It is mostly compatible with SCS and SR. See SCS, Tactics and SR mod screenshots below. All three work together.
Some mods add unofficial content to allow discovery of the Rune's entrance less of an accident. They are not available for the original Shadows of Amn, however.
*Cowled Menace
*Twisting with the Rune
==Mod gallery==
TwistedRune1.png|Party transported within. Djinni companion (currently inside the lamp) warns the PC to be careful! Afaaq the Djinni Companion mod feature.
TwistedRune2.png|PC edges closer to peer into next room and triggers multiple exploding mini-skull traps - takes some damage. Tactics for BG2EE mod feature.
TwistedRune3.png|The Rune members teleport into position. Note that initial placement differs for some creatures from the unmodded. Layene is now at the rear of the party. Note Shangalar's initial spell barrage.
TwistedRune4.png| A True Seeing from Jaheria reveals four Rune Assassin assailants as part of the enemy group.
TwistedRune5.png|The Rune members apply more protections. Vaxall is untouchable with SR's Absolute Immunity. Layenne is refreshing her buffs. Every time her invisibility is removed she refreshes it with the Staff of the Magi by script (just like a player does).