33 . ROPER'S CAVERN • ne rock stairs climb steeply, turn north, and then descend toward the east into a cavern very much like the one you just left, but smaller. A ledge along the river continues east to a door on the north wall, and the rushing river separates you from a ledge on the southern side. A large, strange-looking stalagmite stands in the middle of the southern ledge. A cave fish flops helplessly on the bank nearby. Creature. The southern ledge is the home of a ravenous roper that has been feeding on fish from the stream. Unsatisfied with this diet, the roper is eager for larger prey. Even characters who look closely at the roper can't tell that it's anything other than a stalagmite unless it moves. The roper is difficult to sneak up on. If a character manages to approach without alerting it, continue: A strand extends from the stalagmite, with the thrashing cave fish in its grasp. It pulls the fish toward the rock formation-and then, suddenly, a fang-filled maw gapes open in the stalagmite and devours the fish in one bite. The roper attacks when any character gets at least 20 feet into the cave, gaining surprise if its presence hasn't been revealed. It can target up to four characters with its tendrils, possibly pulling those it has grappled into the rushing river. Characters in the water have advantage on checks to escape the grapple due to the force of the current. The river poses a severe hazard in itself, though; see "Fast-Flowing Water," page 51. Development. The roper is satisfied, ending the attack, after it devours one Small or larger creature. It can't speak or understand languages, but it has a bestial intelligence and might be persuaded to accept a substitute meal. As long as the food is alive, the roper isn't picky. Treasure. Cutting open the roper's stony gizzard reveals a ring of spell storing and six gemstones: a ruby worth 1,000 gp, two emeralds worth 400 gp each, and three serpentines worth 60 gp apiece. 34. PRISON If the characters get past the roper in area 33, they can explore an area that was used as a prison in Durgeddin's day. A sturdy door of iron plate stands open in the north wall of the cavern. Inside you see a short passageway with three small iron doors set into the west wall. The first two are open, but the door at the end of the hall is closed . The door to the northern cell is locked. With a search of the grimy floor and a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perep-
tion) check, a character discovers an old jailer·s ·ey that fits the lock. Otherwise, the lock can be pie ·ed b_ · omeone who succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity chec · using thieves' tools. The first two cells are empty. The locked cell hold the keletal remains of a dwarf in rusted plate armor. This individual was one of Durgeddin's chief lieutenants: the ores captured her during the final battle and threw her in this cell for interrogation later. Afterward, the unfortunate warrior was forgotten and left to starve. Treasure. The suit of plate is too corroded to be of any use, but a search of the corpse produces a small silk purse containing 8 pp and a key that opens the iron door in area 27. · THE FOUNDRY Durgeddin's followers lived and worked in a series of carved halls and chambers beyond the Glitterhame . . lost of this part of the complex was thoroughly ransacked when the dwarven citadel fell. Unlike the Mountain Door or the Glitterhame, which offer exits to the surface world, the Foundry isn't readily accessible. The area isn't abandoned, though. Undead orrors wait in its darkest recesses, and dwarf-crafted raps still work perfectly well despite their age. In addition, a small number of duergar have come here to breathe life into Durgeddin's old forges and decipher the :ecrets of the master smith's work. If the characters come to this part of the complex ·rom the Black Lake (see the "Dark Mere" subsection of cout the Area," page 35), they begin in area 38. The following locations are identified on map 2.5. 35. CHAMBER OF STATUES :n the corridor behind the iron door in area 27, a flight of steep stone stairs climbs 30 feet northward. The stairs end at the entrance to an octagonal chamber. ~he floor is inlaid with cracked, dusty blue tiles, and the Nalls are dressed with polished marble. Large doors of ron-bound oak exit to the northwest and northeast. Three cast bronze statues, almost ten feet tall, stand oy the west, north, and east walls. Each depicts an armed e1warf. The eastern and western ones carry axes and shields. The center statue is armed with two axes. The ceiling rises in a dome almost thirty feet above the floor. From somewhere in the distance, you can hear the raint ringing of hammer on anvil. he sound of the hammering comes from beyond the ast wall, as can be determined with a successful DC 13 ·isdom (Perception) check. Anyone who examines the "oor notices that the dust is somewhat disturbed. A sucessful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals an infreuently used trail that leads from the entrance stairs to · e stone wall behind the east statue. Statue Trap. The obvious exits to the northeast and orthwest are false doors that open onto blank stone. ?ulling on either door releases a catch that causes the axe-wielding hands of the two closest statues to drop. Any creature within 5 feet of a door when it is opened is subjected to two melee attacks: +5 to hit; 9 (2d8) slashing damage on a hit. With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character can discern small scorings on the floor in front of a door, left by earlier axe strokes. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check enables a character to deduce that the doors aren't what they seem, through small clues showing that they are unused. The same check focused on a statue can reveal a small line on the arm that holds an axe, indicating the arm's ability to move. FAST-FLOWING WATER The underground river that cuts through this level of the dungeon presents a serious hazard. Those who fall in risk being swept away by the current. A creature that falls in the river and is within 5 feet of the water's edge must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw to catch itself on the rocky bank. On a failed save, or if the creature is too far away from the bank, it is drawn into the main current. A creature in the main current that takes no other action is swept 60 feet downstream (to the south or to the west, depending on location) each round. If it spends its action to make a DC l O Strength (Athletics) check and the check is a success, it can reduce the distance traveled by the amount of its walking speed and move toward a bank. On a failed check, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. Creatures that have a swim speed can take the Dash action and use their full swim speed without making a Strength check. A creature within 5 feet of a bank can pull itself out of the current as part of its move. CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY 51
52 MAP 2.5 : THE FouNORY A character who makes a successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves' tools can jam a statue's arm so that the axe can't swing. Destroying a statue (AC 18, 60 hit points, immunity to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage) also disables its attack. Once a statue has attacked, the trap must be reset manually. If any duergar survive and remain here, they reset the trap within a day after it has been triggered. Secret Stairwell. The secret door behind the east statue is well hidden, requiring a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot. If the characters detected the faint trail that leads there, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check locates the door. Beyond is a flight of stone stairs that leads upward. The stairs have been warded with a magical alarm. When a creature ascends past the halfway point of the staircase, a magic mouth spell calls out in Dwarvish, "Alert! Alert! Intruders approach!" This sound warns the duergar guards in area 36. 36. THE GREAT HALL At the top of the stairs from area 35 is a stone door carved with a glowering dwarf's face. It opens easily. This enormous hall is lined with ten great pillars, carved into the forms of giants and dragons, that support the vaulted ceiling high above . Guttering orange torches set in sconces along the walls illuminate the room, and a mighty throne sits on a dais at the opposite end. The walls were once covered with tile mosaics, but they have been smashed and defiled by graffiti. Tiny fragments of tile litter the floor. You can see five other exits. CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY A small fire smolders on the floor before the dais, where six sleeping pal lets lie empty, surrounded by packs and supplies. The sound of hammers ringing on iron comes from beyond the doors to the south. Suddenly a harsh voice calls from the shadows of the pillars, "Go back the way you came! This is the only warning you'll get!" The cavern was formerly Durgeddin's throne room, banquet hall, and center of authority. Its ceiling is 30 feet high, and the sconces are 10 feet above the floor. The throne is unremarkable: a short bench of stone that might have been decorated at some point in the past. The graffiti consists of crude epithets in the Ore language insulting dwarves and their ancestry. Creatures. Two duergar guards and Ghared, a duergar spy (see appendix B), stand watch here. Unless the party climbed the stairs from area 35 without triggering the magic mouth, the duergar are invisible. Negotiation. The duergar start hostile but wait to see if the characters attack. Ghared shouts the initial warning and speaks for the group; she's suspicious, greedy, and arrogant, but not stupid. She is willing to give information to the party if a character succeeds on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. The characters can change her attitude to indifferent, reducing the check DC to 10, with a suitable bribe (at least 100 gp). Ghared can share any of the following information if the party succeeds in getting her to converse: • The doors to the north lead to halls infested with undead and cursed magic.
The door to the southwest leads into the old kitchens. guarded by more cursed magic. A dragon lives in a large lake cavern deep below. The subterranean river flows from the lake through other parts of the complex below the Glitterhame. It"s fed from a lake on the surface. . • negotiations are successful, the duergar are willing to et the party enter the rooms to the north. With a suffi- -1ently high Charisma (Persuasion) check and an indif- :erent attitude from Ghared, the characters can get the uergar to escort them to the entrance to the dragon's ·erritory (the chasm in area 38). The duergar will not allow the party into the bladeworks (area 37) without an e cort, and they prohibit entry into area 39. If the characters don't negotiate, or if talks go badly, combat ensues. Tactics. If combat occurs, the duerger guards first attack with their javelins. They use their Enlarge ability m the next round, taking cover behind two of the pillars before wading into melee. Meanwhile, Ghared remains invisible and maneuvers ·o make a sneak attack, then enlarges herself after she becomes visible. She has a potion of healing, which she es if her current hit points drop to half her hit point !llaximum or lower. If two duergar fall in battle, the survivor tries to re- ·reat to area 37 or 39. 37. THE BLADEWORKS :n what was Durgeddin's smithy and workplace, the duergar are currently engaged in a secret project, hoping ·o capture a spark of the master smith's vengeful magic. Double stone doors lead into a barrel-vaulted area containing several furnaces. The eastern end of the chamber continues into a large, dark cave, from which a cold wind moans. A stream of water rushes from west to east through the center of the room, crossed by two stone bridges. On the other side of the stream, three bald, gray dwarves work at a roaring forge, beating a white-hot blade into shape on an old anvil. Creatures. Two duergar smiths are forging a blade at the forge in the center of the south wall. The work is overseen by Snurrevin, a duergar with the following changes, which increase his challenge rating to 2 (450 XP): He has 45 (7d8 + 14) hit points. • His Intelligence is 14 (+2). • He has an additional trait: Spellcasting. Snurrevin is a 3rd-level spellcaster. His spellcastng ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will):.fire bolt, mage hand, minor illusion, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): color spray, shield, silent image 2nd level (2 slots): hold person, shatter Snurrevin has a familiar, a rat named Browngnaw, that hides in the shadows near the unlit forge to the east. The duergar are preoccupied with their task and don't notice the party's entrance unless the characters make themselves known. They object violently to intruders who aren't escorted by duergar. If a threat becomes apparent, the two smiths grab their weapons, use Enlarge, and move to guard the two bridges. If the fight goes against them, they turn invisible and try to slip out to area 36, then join the other duergar in area 39. In combat, Snurrevin might cast shocking grasp through his hidden familiar, and he might use silent image to confound enemies with realistic-seeming threats. Treasure. In the cold forge in the northwest corner of the room, Snurrevin has stashed 320 gp, 1,100 sp, a gold necklace set with ruby stones worth 900 gp, and a potion of hill giant strength. 38. THE CHASM The stream running through the old dwarven bladeworks meanders through a natural cavern before tumbling into a great chasm. You can see nothing but darkness below, although the splashing of waters deep below is barely audible over the roar of the waterfall. To the north of the chasm, a small ledge is partially hidden by a spur of rock. The chasm is 120 feet deep. Anyone who falls in takes 42 (12d6) bludgeoning damage and ends up in area 50 of the Black Lake level. Climbing down the slippery stone next to the waterfall requires several successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) checks, or DC 5 checks for a character who uses a rope. 38A. CHAIN LADDER The rock spur on the northern ledge partially conceals an old chain ladder that leads down to area 51 of the Black Lake. The ladder isn't immediately obvious from the southern ledge, but a character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check can spot it. 39. COUNCIL CHAMBER The duergar have set up a guard post in what was once the council room of Khundrukar. The door behind the throne leads into a small audience chamber. A large table made of a single stone slab dominates the room's center, and old tapestries cling to the walls. A stone door in the far wall is carved with the dwarf's visage that you've seen elsewhere. One gray-skinned dwarf in scale mail and shield stands watch by the far door. He shouts and raises a javelin. Creatures. Unless the party is under Ghared's protection (see area 36), the lone duergar on duty fights to the death to protect his leader, who is in area 40. CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY 53
54 ARUNDIL1 S ANIMATED OBJECTS A century ago, the dwarf mage Arundil animated a number of objects to defend the Foundry against intruders other than dwarves. Many of these creations remain in place today (in areas 41, 47, and 48). These animated objects never attack dwarves or duergar. In addition, a dwarf (including a duergar) can order an object to cease its attack. If so commanded, the object becomes immobile for 10 minutes, or until the one commanding it leaves the area . If the characters engage the duergar guard, the sounds of battle alert the leader, Nimira. She is a duergar with the following changes, which increase her challenge rating to 3 (700 XP): • Her AC is 17 (splint armor). • She has 52 (8d8 + 16) hit points. , She has additional traits: Multiattack. Nimira makes two greatsword attacks. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage, or 16 (4d6 + 2) slashing damage while enlarged. Nimira uses Enlarge and comes out to join the fight in the next round. If her guard falls or she faces at least three enemies, and negotiation isn't an option, she turns invisible and tries to escape into area 36 or through the secret door that leads east out of area 40. Negotiation. Nimira is an excellent fighter, but she is pragmatic and willing to negotiate in the right circ*mstances. She knows the same information as the duergar in area 36 and might be convinced to guide the party to the chasm that leads to the dragon's lair (area 38). 40. DuRGEDDIN's QUARTERS Durgeddin led a spartan lifestyle, eschewing rich decorations and treasures in his personal quarters. Nimira has appropriated the room for her own use. This room appears to be a bedchamber. In one corner to the south stands a large wooden sleeping platform, badly gouged by axe blows and partially burned . A table, a bench, and a writing desk have been similarly treated. in the middle of the southern wall, a space has been cleared for a simple sleeping pallet and a pair of large satchels. Two doors exit the room to the north. If the party enters the room through the secret door in the closet (see below), or if the characters avoided or quietly dealt with the guard in area 39, Nimira is here, resting on the pallet. Otherwise, the room is empty. The satchels contain mundane supplies: extra clothes, food, lamp oil, and similar stuff. The door in the northwest corner leads to a bathing area, fitted with two small clay tanks to hold wash water. The northeast door opens into a closet containing the mildewed remnants of several cloaks. Secret Door. The east wall of the closet conceals a secret door. The door isn't well hidden, requiring a CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY successful DC 10 \n dom (Perception) check to find. Nimira knows abour the secret passage and escapes through it if pressed. 41. KITCHENS The stairs leading south from the pillared hall end at a wooden door. Beyond is a corridor that opens up into a large room lined with hearths. This room must once have served as the kitchen: pots, pans, cauldrons, and kettles lie scattered on the floor and strewn across several tables. An archway to the west leads into a pantry filled with rotted foodstuffs. Suddenly, you hear a scraping sound, and a big wooden table shudders and begins to move, heading right for you! Creature. An animated table (see appendix B) activates when someone enters the main part of the room. It fights until destroyed but won't attack a dwarf. See the "Arundil's Animated Objects" sidebar. The room is full of old, rusty iron pots, pans, cutlery, and cooking utensils, none of which are worth much. 42. DESECRATED SHRINE Durgeddin made his last stand in Khundrukar's shrine, laying enemies low until the ores finally overwhelmed him. Ore shamans pronounced dire curses over his remains to ensure that their terrible foe would never return. Then they entombed a fierce ore warrior to defend it forever in undeath. The door leading from area 36 bears an inscription in Ore: "Beyond this door the Maker of Death is chained. May he gnaw on his own hate until the sun dies and all things end." This room was once a shrine to the gods of the dwarves. The walls are carved with their dour images, and a low stone altar stands at the western end of the room. Stone benches have been smashed and thrown askew, and the icons of the gods have been defaced. Atop the altar, arms folded over his chest, lies the ancient corpse of a dwarf warrior in plate armor. Bones lie heaped around the altar's base, and at its foot crouches the desiccated body of an ore in studded leather. Creatures. The ore champion is now a wight, an undead monster that thirsts for life essence. Two of the piles of bones are ogre skeletons (use the ogre stat block; give it the undead creature type, vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, immunity to poison damage, and immunity to the exhaustion and poisoned conditions; and remove its ability to speak). The ogres were slain during the final battle and later animated to join the ore warrior in his watch. The wight and skeletons lie immobile until someone enters. They can't pursue characters outside room.
Some of the bones at the foot of the altar stir and form nto a pair of towering skeletons clutching greatclubs. The dead ore warrior looks up at you and grins evilly, green fire burning in its hate-filled eyes as it stands. Treasure. The ores looted the shrine after the fall of ~ undrukar, but two members of the previous expedion fell to the undead defenders with valuables in their :x>ssession. Under a scattering of bones near the altar a n be found a sack that holds 280 gp and a bone case tlat contains a spell scroll of web and a spell scroll of pider climb. --::-3 . ENTRANCE TO THE DWARF-HALLS ~he dwarves of Khundrukar once resided in private -ooms to the north of the great hall. When the ores ame through, they cut down all the dwarves they found and stripped the treasure out of the place. .,.he door opens into a large chamber with a dark pool in ;tie center. Bits of smashed furniture and other debris are scattered about the floor. Hallways lead off to the east and the west. A weird moaning fills the area, slowly becoming recogn zable as Dwarvish curses. The sound rises to angry shouting and grows closer. Then the translucent form of an armored dwarf appears through a wall and attacks! Creature. Area 43, area 46, and all the rooms marked 44 are now the demesne of the dwarf mage Arundil, who lingers as an insane ghost. The ghost relentlessly attacks anyone who enters its territory (most likely in either area 43 or area 46) but can't pursue characters who retreat beyond its domain. If the ghost is turned, it flees to one of the empty rooms labeled as area 44. Development. Arundil's ghost is tormented by grief and shame over abandoning his kin to die (see area 47). The spirit might be laid to rest if the characters can convince it that they have cleansed Khundrukar. 44. LOOTED ROOMS Severak chambers in the Foundry were once living quarters, drawing rooms, barracks, armories, storerooms, and so on. Now they contain only smashed furniture and debris from the final battle, graffiti in the Ore language, and skeletal remains of dwarves and ores. Treasure. Here and there a remnant of something valuable can be salvaged from the trash. Roll a dlO the first time a character searches a given room; on a result of 10, the character uncovers a semiprecious stone (see the 10 gp Gemstones table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). 45. SKELETON ROOM One of the smaller chambers once served as a small barracks. Half a dozen dwarves perished here and were later animated by Arundil (see area 47). He ordered them to defend their post against all intruders. CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY 55
This chamber might once have been a barracks. The remains of six wooden bunks lean against the walls, burned and hacked by pillagers, and half a dozen skeletal dwarves lie here and there on the floor. With clicking and scraping sounds, the skeletons rise and advance on you. Creatures. The six skeletons attack any non-undead creature that enters. They don't pursue anyone beyond this chamber. Treasure. The rogue from the failed expedition lies in this room, her desiccated corpse half-buried under wrecked furniture. A pouch on her belt contains 670 sp. 46. COMMON AREA The open courtyard in the east end of the residential area was the site of a pitched battle between dwarves and ores. The hallway leads to a large open chamber. Three doors open into it, and a dark pool fills a low stone basin in its center. The chamber is littered with the remains of old warriors. Seven dwarf corpses lie where they fell a hundred years ago, surrounded by the remains of at least a dozen ore warriors. The dead have been stripped of their arms and armor; only a handful of broken weapons and shattered shields remain . Creature. If the characters approach this area from the secret door to the south before entering area 43, Arundil the ghost confronts them here; refer to the encounter in area 43. Otherwise, there is nothing dangerous or valuable in the area. 47. ARUNDIL's CHAMBERS Arundil, the leading mage of Khundrukar and Durgeddin's trusted advisor, lived in a spacious room close to the great hall. During the final assault of the ores, Arundil used his magic to escape the slaughter. He returned to find all his kinfolk dead. Driven insane with grief, he tried to repair some of the complex's defenses, animating dead warriors and various objects to kill any intruders that returned. In his madness, he even summoned a fiend (see area 49), and he perished at its hands not long after. This chamber must once have been the personal quarters of an important dwarf. It is decorated with tapestries and furnished comfortably, although age has taken its toll on the contents. Apparently, the room has not been looted. A beautiful rug covers the center of the floor, and a simple bed and writing desk stand in the southwest corner. Creature. The rug, 20 feet square, is actually a Gargantuan rug of smothering that activates when any nonCHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY dwarf sets foot on ir. le fights until destroyed but doesn't attack a dwarf under any circ*mstances. See "Arundil's Animated Objects.- page 54. Treasure. Beneath the bed is a small wooden chest containing 1,200 sp. 3,000 cp, and a square of silk in which are wrapped a star sapphire worth 500 gp and a pair of matched blue topazes worth 90 gp each. 48. LOOTED ARMORY Khundrukar's armory was looted long ago. Its door is made of iron plates, but the lock was broken during the pillaging- it can be forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength check. Rows of empty weapon racks and a dozen or more armor stands indicate that this room was once an armory. Some debris litters the floor, but nothing of value is readily apparent. Creature. One of the armor stands is actually an animated object (use the animated armor stat block), which activates when a non-dwarf enters the room. It fights until destroyed. See "Arundil's Animated Objects," page 54. 49. lDALLA'S DEN The mad dwarf Arundil used every magical tool at his disposal to protect the complex. He not only animated objects and the bones of the dead but called upon more dangerous magic in his futile attempt to make the place safe. In the former chambers of a dwarf scholar, tucked away in the eastern end of Khundrukar, he found a scroll that he tried to use to bind a fiend to his service. This room was once a library or a study. Bookshelves stand against the walls. Piles of books rest on a reading table in the middle of the room. The air reeks of moldy paper. Doors exit to the north, east, and south . A beautiful, slender woman with long black hair sits in a chair at the table, looking extremely sad . Her clothing, though well worn, does little to detract from her appearance. Creature. Arundil summoned a succubus and commanded it to guard the area that is now the domain of Arundil's ghost (see area 43). But the fiend easily overpowered Arundil's will, then toyed with him cruelly until it finally drained his life force. The succubus, which calls itself Idalia, claimed the scholar's library for its own and spends much time here reading through the collected lore. It learned of Khundrukar's history from the scholar's records and realized that the legends of wondrous treasure would lure greedy souls. It consumed the wizard from the previous expedition, who took refuge in this library after his companions were killed. Since that time, it has spread rumors to draw more adventurers to its lair.
IDALLA'S STORY Idalia takes delight in misleading the characters. ~e ~ end can impart the following bits of information: • The wizard lives below this area. He wants to use dalla for a study on prolonging life. (False.) • The wizard told Idalia a bit of the history of Khundrukar and the fate of Durgeddin, which she can pass on. (The information is true, but the succubus learned history from reading the books here, not from the wizard.) • A doppelganger lurks in the Glitterhame. (False.) • A dead dwarf haunts the halls, reduced to a mad, gibbering spirit. (True; this is the ghost of Arundil.) • An ancient dragon lairs below the Foundry. (Partly true; Nightscale is a young dragon.) Idalia takes the form of a human woman. When the characters enter, the fiend jumps up and begs to be re- ;eased from imprisonment. Idalia tells the characters that she is a captive of a wizard who resides below this :eve!. The succubus plays the role to the hilt, trembling and crying as it spins a tale of woe. It tries to split up the group, persuading one character to remain (using its Charm attack if necessary) while the others deal with he wizard. If they leave anyone alone with Idalia, the fiend attempts to kiss and drain the hapless dupe. The succubus is an adept liar and mixes in just enough of the truth to be convincing; see the "Idalia's Story" sidebar. If the characters attack, Idalla attempts to charm the most dangerous-looking character and turn him or her against the party while the fiend fades into the Ethereal. 49a (Bedchamber). The adjoining room was the -!eeping quarters of the dwarf scholar. It is moldy and :ery stuffy. Anyone who looks around the room finds a secret compartment in one of the walls with a success- :ul DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Treasure. The dwarf scholar amassed a small amount of treasure, which he kept in the secret compartment: 110 gp and a cat's-eye gem worth 70 gp. In the library, in addition to an extensive collection of dwarven lore, the characters can find four spell scrolls (of alarm, disguise elf, enlarge/reduce, and shield). The shelves might also include more scrolls, useful information tying in to :uture adventures, items of value to a collector, or other Jlteresting lore, as you see fit. THE BLACK LAKE ;he darkest and most remote corner of the Glitterhame's cavern system, the Black Lake is a large, wind- ;ng cavern filled with water that drains from the Dark _.fore through a submerged siphon. From the lake, the subterranean river flows west through the Sinkhole, across the bottom of the chasm in area 3 of the Mounrain Door, and onward for about 5 miles until it emerges at the surface. The dwarves of Khundrukar never settled these caverns, although Durgeddin had his followers begin work on an escape route through the depths. The Black Lake is now the domain of Nightscale, a young black dragon. Here she has built her hoard, hav- :...'lg slowly collected most of the remaining loot from Khundrukar. From the lake, Nightscale can swim to the -inkhole, climb up to the Glitterhame, or fly up to the Foundry through the chasm there. The troglodytes fear and worship the dragon. The duergar have negotiated an uneasy truce with Nightscale, paying her a modest tribute to leave them alone. The following locations are identified on map 2.6. 50. THE CASCADE The stream in area 38 flows over the edge of the chasm and pours down into a turbulent pool. A thundering spray of water fills this chamber, pooling and flowing out to join a larger river to the north. The air is damp, and the roar of the waterfall is deafening. A broad ledge heads north toward the river and then turns out of sight to the east. The muddy bank of the pool looks disturbed by tracks of some kind . A character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check identifies the tracks as those of a Large reptilian creature with four feet and a long tail. The tracks lead away from the hard stone of the ledge to the north (where they can't be seen) and into the water. 51. DWARVEN BRIDGES Durgeddin's followers built two stone bridges when they started work on the escape route through this level. The chain ladder that drops from the north ledge of area 38 ends just above the ground in the area south of the western bridge. If the characters reached this area by using the chain ladder or otherwise descending through the chasm, read or paraphrase the following text. Adjust the information as needed if they arrive here by a different route. A fast-moving underground river roars from east to west under a stone bridge. The bottom of the chain ladder is near the south bank of the river. On the north side of the bridge, a ledge continues to the east. If the characters go north and cross the bridge, read: I After a short distance, the ledge leading east bends to I the south, and a second bridge surmounts the river. The western bridge is safe, but the bridge to the east is not. It has settled considerably, some of its stone blocks leaning precariously. Also, the stone has a curiously pitted appearance (which was caused by Nightscale's acid breath). A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check can determine that the stone was affected by acid, although the source of the acid isn't apparent. Hazard. The weakened bridge can't take much weight before it collapses. If more than one Small or larger creature is on the bridge at one time, or if a character in heavy armor steps onto it, the arch fails. Any creature on the span must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY 57
MAP 2.G: THE BLACK LAKE throw to catch itself on the ledge. On a failed save, a creature falls, takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage from falling timbers and stones, and is caught in the river's current (see "Fast-Flowing Water," page 51). 52 . NIGHTSCALE'S LAIR When the characters first approach the southeastern shore of the lake, Nightscale is dozing on her hoard on the island (area 53). The dragon is immediately alerted to their presence if the characters make noise, carry light sources, or trigger the collapse of the bridge. Otherwise, the characters don't draw the dragon's attention unless they move all the way to the ledge directly south of area 53. The dilapidated bridge leads to another ledge that winds southeast alongside a very large lake, apparently the source of the underground river. The cavern is quite large; the lake's far shore is lost in shadow, and the echoes of water seem to indicate a very sizable cave. Creature. When Nightscale becomes aware of intruders, the young black dragon slips into the water, quietly swimming to a point near the three stepping stones shown on the map. Any character watching the lake can make a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the dragon's Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a successful check, the character catches a glimpse of a serpentine form moving in the darkness. The dragon takes full advantage of her aquatic environment and never offers an easy target to enemies. She begins combat at a range of 20 to 30 feet, raising only her head and part of her neck above the water (granting her three-quarters cover) and breathing acid. Then she submerges and waits for her breath weapon to recharge. Nightscale doesn't resort to melee combat unless she is confronted underwater. If the dragon is reduced to 40 CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY hit points or fewer, she tries to escape through the passage in area 54. Negotiation. Nightscale isn't inclined to parley with the characters unless they surrender, give her all of their treasure, and throw their arms and armor in the lake. If the characters seriously injure her, Nightscale might bargain to buy time so she can later move her hoard. Only when she is near death does she abandon her treasure. 53. NIGHTSCALE'S HOARD When the characters come into view of the island for the first time, read: A short distance offshore sits a small isle thirty or forty feet across. Stalagmites thrust up at the ceiling above, and the dark waters lap quietly at its shores. Several spots on its surface glimmer even in the gloom, suggesting the promise of treasure to be had. Nightscale keeps her treasure on the small island in the lake, and she spends most of her time resting here. If the characters have avoided attracting her attention so far and want to approach the island, they can do so quietly if every character's Dexterity (Stealth) check meets or exceeds the dragon's passive Perception score. Treasure. Nightscale has accumulated considerable wealth from her plunder of Khundrukar. Her hoard contains 6,200 sp, 1,430 gp, two garnets worth 20 gp each, a black pearl worth 50 gp, a wand of magic missiles, a +2 greataxe bearing Durgeddin's smith-mark, a +l shield, a potion of healing, and a potion of flying. 54. THE DRAGON'S PASSAGE Beneath the surface of a small pool is an underwater passage that links the Black Lake to the Dark Mere on the east side of the Stone Tooth. The submerged passage is about 700 feet long.
_-\.FTERMATH - e characters have overcome Khundrukar's dangerous habitants and looted the dragon's lair. What next? RESOLVING THE CHARACTER HOOKS -the characters return to Blasingdell, their fame as a venturers spreads. Townsfolk hail them on the street, and some might approach them with problems that an lead to further adventures. The characters can ontinue to use the town as a base of operations. Other evelopments depend on what got them here and how ey leave. ':""OLLOWTHE MAP :hile the characters are exploring the stronghold, they 1ght find another map, perhaps on the body of an adenturer from the previous expedition, or in the library area 49. It could lead to a different dungeon, a city in : me land far away, or an as-yet-unknown location ru- _ored to hide a fabulous treasure. ~RACK THE BROKEN BLADE the characters were sent to retrieve weapons for 3aron Althon, they can bring him the +l longsword -om area 22, the +2 greataxe in area 53, the handaxe om area 14, and the warhammer from area 23. All e ar Durgeddin's smith-mark; Baron Althon pays 500 : P above the market price for each mundane weapon, · 000 gp for the +1 longsword, and 6,000 gp for the +2 ~~eataxe, if the characters are willing to sell. VANQUISH THE 0RC RAIDERS The characters can return to Blasingdell at any time to collect the bounty for ores they kill or capture. If the characters eliminate all the ores in the stronghold, the mayor honors them with a celebration attended by the eminent citizens of the town. The characters have established valuable contacts who can aid them in their later endeavors. FURTHER ADVENTURES You can build an entire campaign around the duergar that occupy the Foundry. Perhaps they came here from a hidden city in even deeper caverns beneath the Sinkhole and the Black Lake. Your answers to the following questions form the basis for further adventures: • How did the duergar get into the complex? • What is the mysterious project they are working on? • Did Durgeddin know of the duergar's existence? • Do the duergar have some of Durgeddin's items? If so, are they guarding them or using them? You can also use this adventure to sow the seeds of the characters' next activity. Perhaps the party encounters a legend of a magical treasure from Khundrukar's fall, buried in the tomb of an evil knight. Maybe Great Ulfe's ogre clan is terrorizing a nearby area, or an ore war chief wields a legendary weapon that was crafted by Durgeddin. Whatever form they take, the repercussions of the characters' descent into Khundrukar have the potential to affect their lives for years to come. ~ CHAPTER 2 I THE FORGE OF FURY 59
THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN a, HE ANCIENT RUINED CITY OF TAMOACHA'.\ is familiar to a select few scholars and fortune seekers, who know of it but not always exactly where it is. Even more secluded, lying somewhere within or beneath the ruins, is a hidden shrine said to be dedicated to Zotzilaha, the vampire god ~ the underworld. Adventurers who catch wind of the ace are likely to find its lure irresistible. If the characters find their way to the environs of the :uined city, their next order of business might be to :et up a camp nearby. After a few hours of searching, hey can find an easily defended glade with an arte- ;,· an spring. ~fost of the city is toppled and almost completely overed in undergrowth. Intruders who enter the ruins - II discover that the ancient streets now serve as over- ,,rown "valleys" between the debris of the crumbled · ildings. The largest of these valleys all lead to the cen- -al clearing where a great pyramid stands. In the south side of that clearing is a newly collapsed rea, revealing a jagged hole with a debris-covered slide, ading down into darkness. RUNNING THE ADVENTURE :-. e adventure, which is designed for a group of four - five 5th-level player characters, gets under way the orning after the characters arrive in the vicinity of the ins and make camp. When all of them have risen and nished preparing for the day's travel, read: .!,s you head toward the pyramid temple, you tread across cracked and overgrown flagstones, stepping over fallen a'ld shattered pillars, pushing aside vines and briars. When you are nearly at the temple, the sound of crea- -ures crashing through the underbrush comes from be- ~ nd you. You turn around to see people moving through -,e woods toward the clearing around the pyramid. Then, suddenly, the earth shudders and gapes open :ieneath your feet and you are falling amid the roar of collapsing masonry. Dust fills the air and the sunlight disappears as the darkness swallows you. - e party has fallen into area 1 of the dungeon, which is ·here play begins. THE RUINS OF THE SHRINE 'ap 3.1 shows the layout of the shrine, and later _ections of this adventure describe what can be und there. THE RUINS: GENERAL FEATURES The walls inside the ruins are constructed of blocks of unmortared stone covered by stucco. The ceilings are of the same material, supported by corbel arches. Ceilings. Most of the hallways have 20-foot ceilings. Some rooms have ceilings of 20 to 40 feet in height. Doors. Doors are made of beaten bronze or slabs of stone. While heavy, they can be opened without a check. Unsafe Stonework. In some places, the corbel arches that hold up the ceiling aren't structurally sound. As a result, some spells might have disastrous effects. A spell like fireball (an explosion) or thunderwave (an area of thunder damage) has a 25 percent chance to cause a ceiling collapse within the spell's area, dealing 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage to creatures in the area. This collapse might block or bury objects or exits. Poisonous Gas. The lower levels of the ruins, including the rooms and passages of encounter areas 1 through 38, are filled with poisonous gas. The gas is an amber color, and its area is lightly obscured. Anyone can tell that the gas is irritating, but it takes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check to discern the gas's toxicity. Flames in the gas sputter and glow redly, and any attempt to use natural means to ignite a fire has only a 50 percent chance of success. Fire used as a light source has an effective radius only half normal. A creature takes 3 (ld6) poison damage every hour it spends in the gas. The gas is light, so it accumulates closer to the ceiling. Inhabitants of the dungeon have immunity to the poisonous effect of the gas. PLACING THE ADVENTURE In the original adventure, set in the world ofGreyhawk, the Hidden Shrine is part of the ancient ruined city ofTamoachan, once the northernmost capital of the Olman empire. The civilization of the Olman people covered much of the southern continent centuries before current history began. Tamoachan is located in the savage lands south of the Olman Islands and southeast of the Holds of the Sea Princes. The climate is subtropical and very damp; it rains nearly every afternoon. In other worlds, similar possibilities can be found. Dragonlance. The hidden shrine might not be part of an ancient city on Krynn, but instead an isolated temple for a weird dead cult devoted to the god Chemosh. The site could date back to the Age of Dreams, and might be on an isle or in an isolated region near the Blood Sea of I star. Eberron. On Eberron, the site might be the ancient seat of an elven cult, possibly connected to the line of Vol. Alternatively, Tamoachan could be a truly primeval location in Q'barra, and the Olman "gods" actually fiends from the Age of Demons. Forgotten Realms. Because the people of Maztica closely resemble the Olman, that region is a likely place for the ruined city and the shrine. Tamoachan might instead be a lost city in the jungles of Ch ult. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 61
Side View of Temple CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan , Square = 5 f~et Ooo, Stairs Doabk Doo, Statue Se.cnt Door Stuffed Animal fili<Doo, Bas·Rcllef, Wall Sculplurc Tr&p Door in Ceiling Divan Tnp Curtain Trigger Mechanism Water Open Pit Undcrwltcr Ledge Co•.-cf!'d Pit Smokcholc or Chute Fountain Iron Ban Well Rubble Pillar MAP 3.,: T.,E H100EN SHRINE oF TAMOACHAN CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
The gas rises up and out of the ruins if the doors to area 39 are opened. It takes one month for the lower levels to clear completely. If the doors are closed again, the lower chambers refill with gas in two weeks. Dried Potions. In some locations, characters discover the remains of a potion in the form of sediment in the bottom of a container. It is possible to mix this powder with water or wine and restore the potion. Wine creates a potion with full effect, but water shortens the potion's duration (if it has one) by half. If the powder is consumed by itself, there is a 1 in 8 chance that it acts as a potion of poison ; otherwise, the powder has no effect. Pressure Plates. S everal areas have traps that are triggered by the operation of a pressure plate, which depresses when a certain amount of weight is put on it. A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check can find a pressure plate. The plate can be blocked, preventing the trap from triggering, by wedging it in the upper position with pitons or similarly strong shims. Doing so takes one character at least 5 minutes, and the character must make a DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. If the check fails by 4 or less, the character knows the shims aren't properly placed. If the check fails by 5 or more, the character doesn't realize the shims will fail to hold up the plate. RANDOM ENCOUNTERS Each hour the party is in the ruins, roll a dl2. On a roll of 1, an encounter occurs. Then roll a dlO and see the following table to determine which monsters show up. d l O Encounter l d3 swarms of rats (diseased, as giant rats) 2 ld3 swarms of bats 3 2d4 giant fire beetles 4 ld6 zombies 5 l will-o'-wisp 6 2d4 baboons 7 l swarm of poisonous snakes 8 l d4 giant frogs 9 l d2 panthers l O l d3 giant wolf spiders • ABOUT THE ORIGINAL These wanderer are extra and aren't from any of the areas in the ruins. If an indicated monster doesn't fit the situation, check again or choose a different result. LOCATIONS IN THE LOWER CHAMBERS The following locations are identified on map 3.1. 1. THE VAULT OF CHICOMOZTOC (Chee-koh-MOZ-tok, the place of seven caves) The poisonous gas is present here, affecting fire and breathing. Relate the following information to the characters gradually as they examine their surroundings. You are in a long, narrow chamber, running east-west. In the center of this apartment is a domed shape on the floor. In the east wall is a blank-faced stone door. The west end of the room is blocked by fallen stone and rub· ble, apparently the result of a collapse. The two side walls appear to have several niches cut into them. The shape in the center of the chamber appears to be a small alcove, protected by a half-dome with the open end facing toward the door in the east wall. This alcove is set in a recessed, shallow, tiled well, one foot deep and ten feet wide. The alcove itself is four feet high . The recess contains some sort of display. The display appears to be a diorama depicting a hunt· ing party of Olman warriors, in feathers and deer-hide garments, in a mountainside scene. Some have pulled down a stag with the aid of a dog, another group is cleaning a small mule deer, and others have cornered a panther with their spears. A scout watches the panther from an outcropping above. He holds a metal staff with a loop in its end. It looks like a shepherd's crook. The three niches on both the northern and southern walls are five feet wide and about three feet off the floor. The Hidden Shrine ofTamoachan, by Harold Johnson and Jeff R. Leason, was origi nall y published in 1980 as an adventure for the first edition of the D&D game. The design of the temple draws heavily on Mayan and Aztec/Toltec mythology and society. In the orig· inal publication, Dungeon Masters were encouraged to research these real-world background elements to add depth and realism to the char· acters' experience. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
Each niche contains a diorama depicting so e ;;s:e:: of tribal life. The six-inch-tall figures in a· o' • e : s::i a s appear to be made of stucco, realistica1 ly a d ::i 5 ; painted. The scenes portrayed represent fis I g 'a•::, "g religion, warfare, the creation story, and crafting. A cave-in completely blocks the west end oft e c amber. At short intervals, small amounts of rubble and dirt come spilling into the room. Several large stones appear to have wedged themselves tightly, closing the collapse. The figures of people and animals in all of the dioramas are loose and can be picked up and manipulated. If any of the people, and some of the animals, are removed ·rom a display and placed on the floor of this vault, ·he item grows to full-size dimensions immediately, and spirits of the ancestors animate the creature and it attacks. These beings are constructs, but otherwise unction according to the statistics for a certain kind of creature, as noted below. Center Display. The diorama in the alcove holds welve tribal warriors, one scout, a mastiff, and a panther. The deer don't animate. Niche A. In a river scene, a dozen commoners gather ~ushes, fish with nets, and carve a dugout. Niche B. Twelve commoners are engaged in farming, planting maize and harvesting wheat. Five tribal warriors stand guard, and a cult fanatic (priest) in a bird ostume is blessing the fields. Niche C. The display portrays a temple upon a tiered pyramid. Seven commoners are bringing small offer- _ngs of gold and jade. Before the temple stands a cult fanatic handling a constrictor snake. Around him ·tand three costumed tribal warriors. One, dressed as a winged serpent, holds a spear; another is dressed as a bear with razor claws; the third represents a coyote holding a torch. There are also several stone statues of ·he gods. The bits of gold and jade are worth 5 gp each, and there are fifteen such items. Niche D. A scene of tribal warfare involves twenty tribal warriors in combat. The ten warriors of one side are painted black, while the ten others are done in red. '\'arriors that are animated will fight animated enemy •:arriors first, but once they vanquish their foes they ·urn on the characters. Niche E. In the display that depicts the creation of he world, all the statuettes are stylized and obviously nonhuman. These figures can be removed, but they don't animate. A god, adorned in green quetzal feathers, mixing ashes with blood to form sculptures of a man and woman, while four towering figures painted red, black, blue, and white are standing about a fire committing suicide with their daggers. Two smaller figures are ringed by the four- the modest "Pimply One" is being consumed by the fire , while the braggart "Lord of -nails" cowers in fear. Niche F. In a scene that shows various forms of craftng, twelve commoners are busy weaving rugs and bas- .·ets, carving totems, making pots, grinding stones for ,·eapons, and making clothes. Treasure. The staff held by the scout figure in the central diorama is actually a key and may be separated from the figure without affecting it. The key (worth 2 gp) is used to open the door to this room. Cave-In. Attempting to dig upward through the rubble in the west end of the room results only in more detritus falling into the area. Any further collapse deals 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage to each digger. Each digger must also succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be buried by the rubble and take another 7 (3d4) bludgeoning damage. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the rubble engulfs the digger completely, and the trapped character can't breathe until dug out. Struggling out on one's own requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, and doing so takes 1 minute. Door. When the characters investigate the door that offers an exit from the chamber, read: The door is carved with a sun symbol and appears to open into the room; there are hinges on this side and scratches on the floor. There is no visible lock or handle on it, although a slight gap stretches across the top of the door. Eight holes seem to have been bored into the door; they are about an inch in diameter, but nothing can be seen in them. The door seems to be fairly thick. The lintel is arched, with a keystone at the top. This door can be opened in a number of ways. The key found in the diorama about hunting can be used to spring the door open when it is turned in the keyhole hidden under the keystone over the door. The keyhole can be found with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOAGHAN
66 Pitons or similar tools can be driven into the door to provide handles. Driving pitons into the door takes 1 minute and requires a successful DC 10 Strength check. With such a grip, the door can be opened with some force, but with no check needed. (Objects inserted into the holes that are already bored won't stay in the door.) The two hinge pins can be broken (each has AC 12 and 20 hit points) and removed, but the door falls inward. Someone who holds the door and succeeds on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check can keep the door up and lower it to the floor. Otherwise, the door falls, and those within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the falling door. On a failed save, a creature takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. 2. THE HALL OF THRASHING CANES l The stone walls of this corridor are carved to resemble a stack of bamboo-like logs. The passage slopes down from a single door on its western leg, the lintel of which has been crafted to represent a stylized cavern entrance. It leads to double doors of beaten bronze, worked to resemble a forest of seaweed. l Pressure Plate. There is a pressure plate halfway down the hallway that triggers a trap when weight equivalent to that of three or four humanoids is on it. See "The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure for details about pressure plates. If the trap triggers, several of the logs swing out from either wall and buffet the party. Those in the plate's area when the trap triggers take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and are pushed 5 feet down the slope toward the double doors. Once they swing out, the stone logs don't swing back and thus effectively block the passage, since they bar the way from ceiling to floor with only a 6-inch gap remaining between the logs. 3. ROOST OF THE CONCH This room is constructed of large stone blocks, buttressed in the corners. The walls are wet and slimy, and mud covers most of the floor in a thin coating. To the east and west may be seen stone doors recessed in the wall, and to the north a set of stairs leads down. In the center of the chamber sits a large polished boulder amid a pile of smaller rounded rocks. The boulder is five feet tall and colored brown with dark streaks and spots. Leaning against it is what appears to be a bamboo staff. In the mud around the base of the boulder is a moving shape, looking like a crayfish. It is facing you and seems to be aware of your presence. Slippery Mud. The floor of the chamber is very slippery, counting as difficult terrain. Any sudden actions, including those necessary for combat, may result in the CHAPTER 3 I THE HI ODEN SH RINE OF TAMOAGHAN character taking a pill. A character who uses the Dash action or tries to fight within the room must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity a\·ing throw or fall prone. The saving throw should be made before attacks are made. Creatures encountered here are unaffected by the mud. Guardian. The creature at the base of the boulder is a giant crayfish see appendix B). If it is approached, it will advance waving its claws in an aggressive manner and speak. If any member of the party can understand Olman, an ancient language, the crayfish will be heard to say, "Who is this? Who dares to enter the chamber of the guardian? You had better go, or I will have to discharge my sacred duty! Be off with you before I lose my temper!" If the party retreats, the crayfish will not follow, but will take to marching back and forth in front of the boulder and will continue to threaten the party if they approach again. If the crayfish is attacked, it will immediately call forth its companion. Creature. The boulder is in reality a huge shell inhabited by Kalka-Kylla (see appendix B), a giant hermit crab. The bamboo staff is one of its legs; a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check enables a character to discern this fact and get a hint as to Kalka-Kylla's nature before the crab moves. When the characters enter the room, Kalka-Kylla is asleep and will not awaken unless the crayfish is attacked. Once it is awake, it may attack or bargain. It speaks Olman. The crab can be reasoned with, if the party doesn't attack it and can come to terms with it. The crab denies any knowledge of this place, stating that it was brought into these warrens when very young. If asked for directions, it first sends the party to the rubble-filled staircase to the east, and then, if asked a second time, it sends the party to the west. 4. Mun-FILLED DOORWAY Southern Approach. If the characters come upon the doorway from the south, read: The landing at the foot of a short flight of steps is filled with mud and silt that partially blocks the door leading north. The door is meant to open inward, for there are hinges on this side and a large grip to pull on. Any attempts to open the door will meet with failure until the blockage is removed. Probing the silt will reveal its depth to be about 18 to 24 inches and its consistency as tenacious as quicksand. The silt can be scooped out of the stairwell, but it is semi-liquid and will quickly flow back. If water is forced, in quantity, through the silt, it will wash the silt under the door jamb and down the hall beyond, alleviating the blockage. Northern Approach. If the characters come upon the doorway from the north, read: I The thin, muddy stream that trickles through the hallway I here flows out from underneath the door that lies ahead.
The door can be forced open only a fev.: inches enough to see it is blocked on the other side by a mass o: 5. TOMB STONE AND WET LIME • The walls of this corridor are wet and slimy. The s ucco covering has become saturated with water and ·s decomposing and sloughing off in spots on the southern wa ll, exposing the seams of one of the large stone blocks from which this structure was built. The tightly fitted stone seals off a tomb. The block is made of limestone, and the entire face of the plug is covered with wet, caustic lime. Wet Lime. Any flesh that comes in contact with the lime will take 1 acid damage per round. The lime must be removed from the skin to stop the damage, and it can either be wiped off or washed away. If cloth or soft leather is used to protect flesh from contact with the wet lime, the lime will soak through tn 2 rounds. Nonmagical leather armor won't absorb ·he lime, but each hour of contact with it reduces the a rmor's AC by 1, making the armor useless if its AC becomes 10. The lime can't be removed from the stone, since it isn't a coating. Moving the Block. After the stucco is scraped away -rom the seams, the block can be pushed inward by the combined effort of up to four characters with a total - rrength of 48 or higher. The stone is about 6 feet tall, 3 -eet wide, and 3 feet thick. It takes 1 minute to push the plug 10 feet, after which it can be circumvented. 6. RUBBLE-FILLED STAIRCASE This staircase goes up for only a few steps, and then it seems that the rest is filled in with clay and stone rubble. One or more characters can try to dig this staircase out. Any digging, however, will result in further movement of :he rubble, dealing 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage to each digger. Each digger must also succeed on a DC 13 Dex- -erity saving throw or be buried by the rubble, taking another 7 (3d4) bludgeoning damage. If the saving throw ·ails by 5 or more, the rubble engulfs the digger completely, and the trapped character can't breathe until dug out. Struggling out on one's own requires 1 minute of ef- :ort and a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. The staircase is completely blocked and leads nowhere. - . THE SEPULCHER OF TLOQUES-POPOLOCAS Tloh-kays Poh-poh-LOH-kahs, master of the outsiders) Once the stone entrance block (area 5) is pushed out of die way, the characters have enough space to get past it. Beyond the plug is a small foyer holding three sealed urns on the east and west sides. To the south are double doors of bronze with glyphs worked into their faces. The ancient glyphs are scribed in Olman. If anyone in the party can read this language, or if the message can be understood by other means, the glyphs will translate as "Here lies Tloques-Popolocas, master of the others, who is like the wind and the night!" Trapped Doors. The doors are locked (DC 15 Dexterity check to pick with thieves' tools) and trapped. Opening the lock disables the trap. Forcing the doors open can be done with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, but the act causes a glass sphere on the other side of the doors to break. This sphere is attached to the doors just above the lock, and opening the lock pushes the sphere aside, putting it out of harm's way. Someone who examines the door closely with a light source notices the glint of glass in the seam between the doors with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. Even with the lock still in place, the lever on which the sphere rests can be moved by someone who succeeds on a DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. The painstaking process in the narrow space takes 5 minutes, and if the check fails by 5 or more, the sphere breaks at the end of the attempt. Sleep Gas. If the glass sphere breaks, it releases green, swirling sleep gas throughout the area. Each time a creature ends its turn in this chamber, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 5,000 years. While poisoned in this way, a creature is also unconscious, and it is unaffected by the passage of time or by other poisons. If magic is used to cure the poisoned condition, the recipient is immune to the poison for 1 hour. A casting of dispel magic using a spell slot of 7th level or higher can CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
68 also end the effect. The vapors linger for a month unless they are cleared away by a strong wind. Treasure. The seal on the urns is made of beeswax and may be broken so that the lids can be removed. Each of the six urns contains the equivalent of twenty flasks of oil. A filled urn weighs 25 pounds. Behind the doors is a chamber cut out of the rock with a veil of calcite and stalactites covering the walls. Buttresses rise from the corners, brown shot through with black, and triangular stone pillars support the high ceiling. Occupying the center of the chamber is a colossal monument resembling a giant's table, covered on all sides with intricate carvings and glyphs. Engraved on the floor in front of the entrance is a seal that displays more glyphs. Opposite the entrance, a battleaxe is embedded in the wall, six feet above the floor. The glyphs in the floor seal are written in Olman and translate as "Ah, defilers! Now you shall join me in my eternal resting!" The monument is constructed from several parts. A great stone slab, 20 feet Jong by 10 feet wide, rests upon a 4-foot-thick monolith of rock of similar dimensions, and this, in turn, is supported by six huge blocks of dolomite. Every component has been covered with intricate carvings and glyphs. The top of the slab depicts a struggle between a dark-skinned man and a mighty, knotted serpent. Engraved alongside this illustration are glyphs identical to those found on the door. Under these sigils are etched a series of four face-glyphs in a line. At the foot of the slab is a row of eleven of these symbols, all different in form. The carved block is the resting place of Tloques-Popolocas, a servant of the shadow-loving Zotzilaha. The glyphs on the top of the slab give his name, and the date he died, 54- 3-9, is written in the face-glyphs. One glyph is a glyph of warding (save DC 17), which casts bestow curse on everyone in the tomb if the crypt is opened by those who don't serve the god Zotzilaha. The curse lasts until it is dispelled, and 4dl0 days after this tomb has been broken into, every cursed violator receives a visit from either Tloques or some other agent of Zotzilaha seeking retribution. The eleven face-glyphs at the foot of the block correspond to the numbers O through 10. The tomb is opened by pressing the glyphs that correspond to the numbers of the date carved on the top, in order. When the 9 glyph is depressed, a grating sound issues forth and the top slab slides back a bit. The tomb lid can then be opened the rest of the way by the combined effort of one or two characters with a total Strength of 20 or higher. The block beneath the slab is hollow, and inside is a crumbling skeleton decked out in decayed finery. It appears to have been a man of taller than average stature, CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN obviously of grea~ ~:iortance. Gems and other small adornments o" OD o s value lie on and around the body. Covering t es 111 s a mask of jade with cowrie-shell eyes and obsrd an puo1 s. Aoout the corpse's neck is a jade pendant car ed with the face of a humanlike bat. Creature. The corpse is the body of Tloques-Popolocas, a vampire spawn with special qualities (see below). If the characters examine the contents of the tomb, see "Treasure" for details. Any of the items can be lifted off or out if the characters so desire. If the mask and the pendant are both removed, Tloques starts to awaken. Dust is stirred up into clouds and begins to gather on the bones as they knit back together. His wasted form then sits up and gazes about. This part of the regeneration process requires 2 rounds, during which time the corpse has AC 12 and 27 hit points. (If they have not been removed, the corpse benefits from the bracers of defense and the ring of protection he is wearing; see "Treasure.") If either the mask or the pendant is forced back upon him before the 2 rounds elapse, he returns to death. If not, he then sits for 2 more rounds, while his flesh knits and swells out with the apparent vigor of the living. He gains 27 hit points in the first round and 28 hit points in the second round, and he has his normal AC of 17 but remains prone. He can use Multiattack to make two claw attacks in either of these rounds, but being prone, he does so with disadvantage. Within this period, if both the mask and the pendant are forced back on him, he can resist returning to death with a successful DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. When he is whole again, he attacks. Tloques, having gained his power from his allegiance to Zotzilaha, isn't a typical vampire and doesn't bite. He has the Shapechanger trait of a true vampire, except he can't change into mist. Tloques also has the Children of the Night action option of a true vampire, but he calls only bats. He can innately cast the hold person spell at will, requiring no components, but his target must be able to see him. When he has a chance to do so, Tloques pulls his axe from the wall and then uses it for each of his two attacks per round. He is a blood-drinker and attempts to subdue opponents, if not vastly outnumbered, so as to assure himself a constant supply of blood. To drink blood, Tloques must first drain it into a receptacle and then drink it, which can reduce the target's hit point maximum as a normal vampire spawn bite does. Tloques will not pursue fleeing grave robbers from his tomb immediately, but instead will seek to regain his bearings in the world of the Jiving for several days. He can track down cursed thieves later, or invoke the power of Zotzilaha to locate any treasure stolen from this place. In the intervening time, he might regain some of his former power. Battleaxe. The battleaxe has a blade of bronze, and the haft is wound with snakeskin wrappings. The weapon detects as magical. It casts an ominous shadow in the shape of what appears to be a withered arm.
Those who approach within reach of it feel a c _d chill run up and down their spine, and anyone who es o pull the axe from the wall finds it impos ible o do o. The weapon is a berserker axe that has a -1 bonus to attack and damage rolls instead of the normal -1. The axe can't be picked up by another as long as it current owner, Tloques, remains alive. Concealed beneath the wrappings around the handle is a parchment containing the spells pass wall, burning hands, and gust of wind. When the attuned wielder uses an action to say the correct words of power, which are engraved in Olman on the axe blade, one of these spells can be cast. The axe has 12 charges and regains ld6 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. Casting a spell from it takes a number of charges equal to the level at which the spell is cast (5th for passwall, 2nd for gust of wind, and 1st or higher for burning hands; spell save DC 15). If the parchment is removed from the axe, the axe loses the capability of casting these spells forever. Treasure. The mask has a value of 200 gp, and the pendant is worth 50 gp. Describe the other contents of the tomb if the characters examine portions of the corpse more closely: Beneath the mask are fragments of bone, as though the skull has been crushed. Within the fragments of the jaw is a spherical white onyx (15 gp). Strands of hair still remain on the skull, gathered into black obsidian and red pipestone tubes (worth 50 gp as a bunch). Above the mask, on the corpse's forehead, is a diadem of dark opals and jade discs (worth 200 gp). To either side of the mask are jade earplugs carved in several pieces to resemble budding flowers (the pair worth 30 gp). Draped over the rib cage is a breastplate made of loops of tubular jade interspersed with bone dividers (protects like studded leather, worth 200 gp). Scattered around the neck and through the rib cage of the corpse are one hundred fifty-six jade beads (each worth 1 gp) shaped like spheres, cylinders, tri-lobed beads, floral buds, open flowers, pumpkins, melons, and a snake's head. About the wrists are wide jade bead bracelets (bracers of defense). On the middle finger of each hand are carved jade rings, one in the form of a man holding the moon (a ring of resistance [fire]) and the other a panther ready to strike (a ring of animal influence). Pressed into the fingers of each hand is a large bead, a jade cube (150 gp) in the right hand and a spherical agate (50 gp) in the left hand. At the feet of the skeleton lie two small containers, apparently of glazed clay, one fitted with flower-shaped plugs in both ends (it contains the dried remains of a potion of invisibility), the other holding a 1-inch-diameter piece of mother-of-pearl (5 gp). Lying among the hip bones is a 6-inch-long statue of a faceless man with large pointed ears. Plugged at the bottom, it is a bottle that contains an elixir of health. 8. COURSES OF THE GODS This room is wet, and the walls are covered with a slimy, white buildup. There is about an inch and a half of water and mud blanketing the floor. Many overturned pedestals and pieces of broken statuary lie on the floor, partially buried in the mud. Opposite the entrance to this room is another door. Only one pedestal remains standing, in the northwest corner. On it sits a small, metallic, three-sided pyramid. Overhead in the shadow-draped ceiling are inlaid colored tiles depicting a starry sky and forming strange patterns in the areas above the pedestals. A dark, wet mass clings to the wall above the western door. Upon closer inspection, it appears to be green in color. The mass is a large colony of algae, though it resembles green slime; a successful DC 15 intelligence (Nature) check enables a character to tell the difference. Fire will have little effect on it, because the algae is oozing wet and fire doesn't burn with much vigor in the presence of the poisonous gas that fills this level. Attempts to dislodge the slime will result in slippery sections of it dropping on the characters. Caustic Lime. The walls of this room are heavily coated with caustic lime. Any flesh that comes in contact with this lime will take 1 acid damage per round. The lime must be removed from the skin to stop the damage, and can be either wiped off or washed away. Treasure. The small pyramid is made of silver (worth 5 gp). It represents the god of the moon and lightning, Apocatequil (A-poe-ka-TAY-kel). The fallen statuary was made of stucco and depicted other Olman gods. These include a coyote, a crab-headed figure , an alligator-headed god, a feathered warrior, and a jaguar. 9. STONE STATUE The walls and ceiling of this hallway are coated with slime, and the floor of the passage is covered with a layer of mud. Through this muck a steady stream of water trickles northward. The stucco on the walls is flaking off, and there are glowing silver tracks in the slime crisscrossing the walls and ceiling. Along the east wall of the passage stands a twelvefoot-tall stone statue of a man outfitted in fine clothing and holding a stone tray in his raised arms. Its eyes appear to be black gemstones; the right one droops out of its socket, balancing on the statue's cheek. From behind the left shoulder protrudes the hilt of a weapon, most likely a sword. The stone tray, as well as the forehead and the nose of the statue, are chipped and scratched. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 69
The easiest way to reach the sword or the gems is to climb up on the statue and stand on the tray. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check realizes the statue is top-heavy; proficiency with mason's tools and a dwarf's Stonecunning trait apply to this check. If a weight of more than 100 pounds is applied to the tray, or someone pushes on the statue anywhere above the tray and succeeds on a DC 10 Strength check, the statue overbalances and topples into the hall. Anyone on the statue, or under it, must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage from the falling statue. Behind the toppled statue is a narrow passage 4 feet above the floor (see area 10). Treasure. The eyes of the statue are pieces of polished obsidian worth 10 gp each. The sword is a +I longsword in fine condition, made of laminated wood, inset with jagged teeth of obsidian. It deals an extra 2d6 damage to any creature of the plant type. The sword comes free easily, if any character pulls it up and out. 10. SECRET PASSAGE Water beads collect upon the walls of this narrow passage, and the flooring is cold and damp. A low ceiling, only five feet tall, further cramps this dank place. The northern entrance to this passage is a block of stone mounted on a central pivot, which has been wedged partially open by accumulated debris. The location of the southern entrance appears to be a blank wall when initially viewed from within the passage. The portal can be opened from inside the passage by releasing a concealed catch at the intersection of the wall and the ceiling. Finding the catch requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. 11. THE COURT OF CEMANAHUAC (Say-man-AH-wok, place surrounded by water) Describe the features of this room as the characters become able to see them or examine them. The text assumes the characters are approaching from the south. The doors to this room are made of bronze and are tinted blue from oxidation. Just inside the doorway are two small alcoves. Each space contains an old fountain, cracked and crusted with lime. Around the fountain in the eastern alcove, a heap of rubbish litters the floor. The fountain in the western alcove still holds some green scummy water, in which something moves. A short hall ending in descending steps leads to the central chamber, which is flooded. A dark, foul pool covers the entire floor. A central hall, flanked by narrow aisles, is defined by two rows of massive square columns. The walls are coated with slime, and there are glowing silver lines etched across them. From what you can see
of the chamber's walls, the stone appears to e crudely worked. Two corroded bronze braziers stand in the poo . Toward the middle of the room, two broken urns, eac apparently once about four feet tall, poke up out o t e water. In the darkness on the eastern wall appears to be an enormous growth of an overall greenish hue that gives off the same silvery gleam as the slime trails. The water in the central area of the floor is 2 feet deep, and the floor is very slippery-moving across this difficult terrain costs 3 feet of speed for every 1 foot traveled). Any sudden actions, including those necessary for combat, might result in the character taking a spill. A character who takes the Dash action or tries to fight while in the room must first succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Moat. The 10-foot-wide section of floor that runs along the east, west, and north sides of the room is 10 feet ower than in the rest of the room, creating a 12-footdeep moat. Characters who don't probe ahead will be unable to detect the drop-off until it is too late. Lime. The walls are heavily coated with lime, which also pollutes the water. If a character stands in this wa- ·er for more than 30 minutes, the soaked portions of the character's clothing begin to rot away. Creature. The phosphorescent glow on the eastern ·vall is actually a giant slug named Tecuziztecatl (see appendix B), the Lord of Snails. Tecuziztecatl (TayCOO-zeez-tay-COT-el) is highly intelligent and quite the .>0aster. In ancient lore it was considered to be related to ;:he moon, a fact of which it is quite proud. During com- ::>at the slug will detail, in Olman, what it has in store for ;:he characters and how hopeless their situation is. If it begins to lose the combat, the slug will either • urrender" and after bargaining agree to help the party, or else it will flee and conceal itself in the moat. If the characters allow themselves to be helped, the slug will precede them to the north side of the moat and stretch ·t body across the gap, making it appear to be solid ground. Those who step on the slug without taking pre- -autions will plunge into the moat. The slug will lead the party toward the Tomb of Hura- .--.an (area 12) and instruct them to open the door. Once ;:he door is open, Tecuziztecatl will flee from the party and hide in the bottom of the moat. Eastern Alcove. The eastern fountain has a small amount of concentrated lime solution near the bottom dealing damage as the lime in area 5). It looks like doudy water. A small amulet lies beneath the caked jme. The amulet (worth 65 gp) is made of brass and -hrysoprase, engraved with the words "Lord of Snails." : is possible to use the amulet as a bargaining tool with · e giant slug, which will accept it in return for allowing ;:he characters passage to the Tomb of Hurakan. In the southeast corner of the eastern alcove, a swarm of rats nests in the rubbish. The swarm is made up of diseased giant rats. Western Alcove. The western fountain is filled with algae, and some bullfrogs are raising a brood of tadpoles in the water. 12. THE TOMB OF HURAKAN (Ewe-RA-kan, god of the flood) If the characters approach from the north (through the corridor marked 12A), read: This passageway is slime-covered, and a stream of water trickles away from the door. There is condensation on the walls, door, and ceiling, some of which drips down on you. A quiet sound of dripping and splashing echoes in the corridor. This door is tightly sealed and appears to be warped outward or wedged shut. The door's hinges are mounted on this side. The door requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to pull it open. The difficulty is due to the fact that the room behind the door is entirely filled with water, which has bowed the door and jammed it shut. Those who listen at the door will hear a slight splashing and gurgling, if they hear anything at all. Opening the door will release a wave of water. Those hit by the water take 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked down and washed along the passage to the north, then westward. A creature that succeeds on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check while moving around a corner can grab onto the stonework there and halt its movement. When the flood washes to area 11, the water bursts open the doors there (if they weren't open already), and anyone in the water is dumped into the moat. A character who is washed down the hall must succeed on DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to keep a hold on anything in hand. Heavy objects sink to the floor in the hall, but lighter ones are washed into the moat. 12B. TOMB, SOUTH ENTRANCE If the characters traverse the corridor from east to west, describe the area as they advance. This hall is strewn with mud and flotsam. Water accumulates in the center of the corridor and flows westward to where a stone block in the southern wall has shifted out of place. The corridor turns north, and the flow of water follows it, then goes under a door made of bronze-bound wood. The door has a handle and a keyhole . Opening the door will reveal stairs going down into a small room. A pool of water fills the entire chamber. Another door is across the way, but only the top 3 inches of it can be seen above the water. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
7'2. 13. CHILD OF ZOTZILAHA A faint, melodious sound comes from ahead. It is difficult to tell whether it is someone singing or the echoing of dripping water in a great cavern. If the characters burst into the room, they immediately hear a surprised squeal and a splash. The room is lit by a soft light that reveals a section of rocky beach. Beyond the beach is a pool of glowing water, filling half the room and framed by a crystal cavern. Green fronds can be seen in the pool. Light seems to flow from everywhere, the pool and walls glistening like soft moonlight. On the far side of the pool is a set of doors carved with a sun symbol. If the characters approached quietly, they might glimpse the singer. Sitting on the beach in front of the crystalline pool is a woman, young and slim, with long golden hair and pale white skin. She radiates a soft silvery light even through her shawl, white as the froth of waves. She is singing a strange melody in an unrecognizable language. After finishing her song, she enters the water in a long, arching dive. Water covers more than half of the cavern. The floor drops off sharply, creating a pool that is 12 feet deep. A ledge runs from the southern wall to a set of doors that lead east. Above the ledge, the water is only 2 feet deep, but the area counts as difficult terrain. The doors that lead east have keyholes in them but are unlocked. Creatures. The young woman is actually a nereid (see appendix B) named Dasa Zotz. Whether startled or not, eventually the nereid surfaces and a silvery laugh is heard. This creature is an agent of Zotzilaha. Unlike most other nereids, she is chaotic evil in alignment, and she speaks Olman instead of Common. She possesses an insidious and clever mind, concealed beneath her alien beauty and seeming naivete. She retreats from close combat and conceals herself in the water. The nereid has a pet named Chae, a giant lightning eel (see appendix B). If she calls to Chae for aid, she does so on her turn when she uses Water Lash. The waters begin to heave and boil, and the watery form of a human with an elephantine head, wearing an elaborate headdress and holding a trident, rises up. The eel comes near the surface and strikes when the watery "god" levels its trident at a character. Treasure. If seriously threatened, the nereid might reveal the location of her treasure. At the deepest part of the pool is a grotto hidden behind a bed of kelp. In this CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN ca\·e are six golden statuettes (worth 50 gp each) and a golden ma k worth ro gp). Also lying in the cache are two cryscal croll ca es (worth 25 gp apiece), though water has de rroyed rhe scrolls in them; a silver idol (worth 15 gp). which is actually a bottle holding a potion of clairvoyance; and a pair of gloves of missile snaring. 14. FLOODED HALL Half of the L-shaped corridor is flooded. The water is 3 feet deep and cold, and the bottom is very slippery; moving across this difficult terrain costs 3 feet of speed for every 1 foot traveled. Any sudden actions, including those necessary for combat, might result in the character taking a spill. A character who takes the Dash action or tries to fight within the room must first succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. The water becomes shallower to the east. After the corridor turns north, a set of stairs rises up out of the dampness, and the path ends at a set of bronze doors. The doors have keyholes but are unlocked. 15. THE GREAT HALL This hallway is twenty feet wide and has piles of rubble and debris scattered along its length. The walls are covered with frescoes. The south wall displays scenes of a battle between natives and invaders. The north wall depicts people questing for a new land; their experiences during the journey include crossing treacherous mountains, sailing over storm-tossed seas, and receiving the guidance of the gods in their battles to keep their homeland free from invasions. In the center of the wall is a painting of a pyramid with a temple atop it and the sun shining over the land. Double bronze doors stand in the eastern end of the south wall. Down the hall to the west is an archway carved in the form of twining serpents. Beyond it, the corridor continues on into shadow. The hallway extends only 5 feet beyond the arch. The western wall is a cleverly painted mural designed to give the illusion of depth and reality, and the obscuring effect of the poison gas contributes to this impression. If characters attempt to go in this direction, they walk straight into the wall unless someone succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The space beyond the arch immediately in front of the mural is where creatures arrive after being teleported from the south end of area 32. To either side of the arch is a 5-foot-deep niche. A character who steps into either niche triggers a pressure plate (see "The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure) that releases a set of horizontal bars-closing off the archway and trapping the interloper. The character can instead take 10 minutes to remove the plate from the floor, requiring the same sort of check as for an attempt to block the plate from moving. A failed check in this case means another 10 minutes of work is required, followed by another check.
Sun Painting. The painting of the pyramid an •· e un conceals a secret door. A character whom ·e a -uccessful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception chec · di cm·- ers that the portion of the work that depict the sun is ·eparate from the rest and can be depres ed. Pu hing it nward reveals and opens a secret door in the wall. The tloor of the passage that leads north is 8 feet above the :1oor of the great hall. Accessing this secret exit cau es any bars over the niches to retract into the wall and the pressure plates to reset. 16. SECRET DOOR This description assumes an approach from the north. The south side of the secret door is described in area 15. The wall at the end of this corridor has a bas relief sculpture of a warrior armed with a spear and shield. The shield, which rests on the floor, resembles a sundial, complete with a marker standing out from the wall. Etched on the shield's surface are runes in Olman script. The message on the shield reads, "Turn back!" Instead of being part of a solid carving, the shield has a seam that a character can discover with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Chips around the ·earn suggest that the shield can be pivoted. Experimentation thereafter reveals that the sundial marker is movable. When it's in its current position, leaning to the ,ight, the secret door is closed. If the marker is pushed o the left, the shield pivots, and the exit opens. The floor of the area beyond the door is 8 feet lower ·han the floor in the corridor. 1-. HALL OF THE GREAT SPIRITS This corridor is high-ceilinged and decorated with sculptures mounted on the walls. Two corridors branch off from the main hall, a narrow one to the east and another to the west. The statuary that adorns the walls consists of four sculpted heads of animals. Each one is six feet above the floor and two to three feet in diameter. Opposite the passage that leads east is the stylized head of a coyote, and across from the hallway going west is the head of a grinning bear. Near the south end of the corridor, the head of a bison is mounted on the east wall. At the north end of the area, on the west wall, is what appears to be the head of an eagle, with its beak open. Something shines from within the eagle's mouth. Wedged in the eagle's throat is an intricately crafted golden bracelet. To remove the item, a character must eiher reach into the mouth or attempt to push the bracelet out with another object. Snapping Trap. Disturbing the bracelet in any way will cause the beak to snap shut instantly. Whatever was inserted into the mouth will be pinned, and the hinge of the mechanism will jam. The hinge can be loosened with oil, after which the beak opens easily, or the beak (AC 16, 25 hit points) can be broken off by dealing bludgeoning damage to it that reduces it to O hit points. If a character's arm is caught in the beak when the beak is struck, that character takes one-quarter of the damage dealt to the beak and the beak takes the remainder. Treasure. The golden circlet is a bracelet of rock magic (see appendix A) that was originally a ring, an earring, or some other piece of stone giant jewelry. 18. HALLWAY OF THE ANCESTORS Along both sides of the corridor, deep in shadows, human figures appear to be floating above the floor. As you approach, you see that the figures seemingly suspended in the air are actually withered corpses standing upright on a ledge two feet above the floor. Creatures. Once the lead character in the party reaches the midway point of the east-west passage, fifteen zombies animate and attack. These corpses don't register as undead to a casting of detect evil and good until after they animate. Disease. After combat with the zombies is finished, each character who took damage from the monsters must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or contract sewer plague (see "Sample Diseases" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). Unlike the normal disease, symptoms of this disease manifest in an infected creature after 1 hour rather than ld4 days. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 73
74 19. SILVER COFFER At the end of the corridor is a small alcove holding a three-foot-tall stone pedestal on which rests a small silver coffer. Fifteen feet in front of the alcove, there is a single small step up in the stone floor. Inside the alcove, the floor is elevated an additional two feet. Hinged Floor. A character who examines the base of the 2-foot step along the edge of the raised floor and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a metallic glint coming from a hinge that runs across the full width of the floor. The hinge can be dismantled by someone who uses thieves' tools, takes 5 minutes to do so, and succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity check. On a successful check, the trap (see below) is prevented from triggering. On a failed check, the character hasn't managed to dismantle the hinge but can try again. Shifting Slab Trap. If the hinge in the floor isn't dismantled, a trap is triggered if more weight is placed on the floor of the alcove than on the space immediately in front of the step up. The floor inside the alcove sinks 10 feet. At the same time, the 15-foot slab of floor north of the alcove (as shown on the map) rises up, pivoting along its south edge. The northern side of the slab now seals off the passage to the north, while the southern side slopes down toward the alcove. Those who were on the slab when it pivoted fall prone and roll to the bottom of the slope on the alcove floor, 13 feet below where the coffer sits on its pedestal. Each creature that falls in this way takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. When the slab finishes moving, it locks into place, so the floor remains steeply sloped and the passage north remains blocked. The locking mechanism is hidden by the northern (elevated) edge of the floor, and it's in a very narrow space. The stone around it can be chipped away over several hours of tedious labor until the edge of the slab no longer holds in place. A knock spell can also defeat the locking mechanism. Treasure. The silver coffer is unlocked, but it is latched, so the lid will not come open unless the characters touch the box. Inside the coffer is a strange copper figurine, narrow, with fins, looking somewhat fish-like. Written on the side of this figurine are strange runes. On the slimmer end is a small arched square panel. The runes are in a script similar to Elvish and spell out the name Ilnedraw. Deft fingers will be able to open the small panel, revealing a hollow inside which is a wall of lighted, colored beads. Touching any of the beads will cause the panel to close. A few seconds thereafter, the figurine will rise into the air and start to fly about the alcove, hovering at times and avoiding being touched by characters or missiles. Once an exit is available, the figure will fly from the party and move randomly through the ruins, CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN stopping at doors and pausing for a minute. This floating statuette serves no purpose and is more or less a false lead. The silver coffer weighs 15 pounds and is worth 150 gp due to its fine workmanship. The copper figure is worth 50 gp and weighs 5 pounds. 20. SPIRIT GUARD OF AYOCUAN (A-YO-kwan) A massive bronze door opens into this grand chamber. The place is filled with rubble and life-sized statuary, much of it broken. Standing in ranks is an army of clay statues, in what must have once been an impressive array. Now, half of them are fallen and crumbled. Near the door are spear-wielders, perhaps twenty of them, outfitted only in scraps of leather now. At their feet lay obsidian spearheads and bits of rotted \.AJooden shafts. Behind these figures are archers, in a scattered formation. Few of them remain standing. Their arrows are gone, but they hold laminated bows, dried and worm-eaten. Farther into the room are figures of warriors with war clubs and handaxes, wearing scraps of lacquered leather, sandals, and caps. Beyond all of this in the north end of the chamber are a group of statues that must have been an honor guard. These warriors wear feathered robes and headdresses and are armed with pitted bronze spears. Each of these figures wears a breastplate of shells. They are standing near a domed structure. The stuccoed dome has no apparent openings. On the east wall of the room are two carved stone columns flanking the remains of a covered sedan or litter, with statues of attendants standing nearby. Treasure. The stuccoed dome is a cairn. It is a weak construction and can be broken into in 1 minute, using any bludgeoning instruments. If the characters work in concert, the time can be divided among multiple workers. Inside are six sets of worthless bones and six jade bead pectorals, worth 50 gp each. In a dusty corner is a pendant made of silver and turquoise, which is an amulet of protection from turning (see appendix A). In the center of the floor of this cairn is a bronze and chrysoprase lamp set into the stucco, worth 15 gp. Creature. Lifting the lamp will open a hidden door in the floor, releasing a wight called Ayocuan from the compartment in which he has been trapped. Ayocuan wears another amulet of protection from turning. Covered Sedan. Inside the curtained portion of the litter are the skeletal remains of a human, his arms are shackled to an arm of the sedan. In his rib cage can be found three arrowheads. Mixed throughout the broken clay in the immediate area are nearly five thousand beads of coral and shell worth 1 cp each. 20A. Behind the columns along the east wall is a bronze door barred shut with a pitted copper bar so that
it can't be opened from the outside. From m de room, one has merely to remove the bar. 21. STONE BLOCK • A large block of stone obstructs the corridor a eac. • doesn't seem to have been a part of the or;ginal co . struction, for its composition is more sandy than the stones that make up the walls of these ruins. Furthermore, a gap of several inches is visible along the sides of the block and between the stone and the ceiling. This block was placed by the ancient architects to prevent access into the lower chambers and deter grave-robbers. To reach its current position, the stone was slid south- ;•,ard down the gently sloping passage to the north. That passage has several rollers built into the floor o aid in moving the stone across it. The block can be pushed back up the rollers by the combined effort of up o four characters with a total Strength of 45 or higher, or moved out onto the bare stone floor by the combined effort of up to four characters with a total Strength of 50 or higher. In either case, the stone can be moved a number of feet per round equal to half the walking speed of the slowest individual among the workers. If the block is pushed up the rollers, it will roll back next round to block the corridor if not braked with a ·arge object. 22. CHAMBER OF THE NACEHUAL • 'ah-SAY-wal, the achieved ones) All the doors bordering this lozenge-shaped room are made of heavy bronze. Colorful glyphs are scribed on the western wall. There are two sideboards against the walls to the east. In the middle of the chamber are two stone divans, each with a human figure stretched out on it. Between :he divans is a low stone table holding a flask and two goblets, all made of crystal. In the bottom of the crystal flask is a quantity of silvery dust. The figures on the divans are a male and female, each about middle-aged and perfectly preserved. They are very still, dust-covered, and apparently dead. Their bodies are covered with dry snakeskin. The female wears a silver oracelet and holds what looks to be an ivory wand. The male has an amulet of electrum resting on his chest, inset with a red stone of considerable size. he glyphs, in Olman, read, "Beware ... many-eyed god .-ill bring down a fiery death." Poison Dust. Mixing the silvery powder in the flask ; th any liquid will create a special potion. A creature that drinks it must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 5,000 years. While poisoned in this way, a creature is also unconscious but semi-aware of its surroundings, and it is unaffected by the passage of time or other poisons. If magic is used to cure the poisoned condition, the recipient becomes immune to the poison's effect for 1 hour. A casting of dispel magic using a spell slot of 7th level or higher can also end the effect. Creatures. The two bodies are martial arts adepts (see appendix B) in suspended animation. The male is named Cipactonal (See-PAK-ton-al), and the female is Oxomoco (Oks-OH-mo-koh). They used the potion that the flask once contained to feign their death. If either is disturbed, they both instantly awaken and stand. Oxomoco says, first in Olman and then in an ancient dialect of Common, "You have broken our glorious sleep; for this you must atone." The two then assume fighting stances, and if either is threatened or harmed, they attack. If the party negotiates, the two demand payment of 500 gp or one uncommon or rare magic item. If they aren't paid, the monks attack. If the monks are questioned about the ruins, they know nothing to tell, except that they can translate the message on the western wall. They will not leave their chambers. Treasure. The ivory "wand" that Oxomoco holds is actually a folded fan worth 50 gp, and her platinum bracelet is worth 250 gp. Cipactonal's amulet, made of electrum and garnet, is worth 100 gp. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 75
23. LIGHT AHEAD As you peer down the corridor, a faint flickering light becomes visible. The light begins to move through the hallway away from you, sputtering and wavering just at the edge of your perception. The bobbing light is a will-o'-wisp. It will attempt to lure the party into a trap, then use Consume Life on a victim. The creature will lead parties coming from the west toward and then into the north- south corridor. Characters approaching from the north, who might already be familiar with the will-o'-wisp (see area 24), will be led on a zigzag route through the passages toward area 19. 23A. TRIANGULAR STONE If the characters approach from the south, read: You come upon a ten-foot-wide pit that stretches across the corridor. Beyond it is a wedge-shaped stone block or pillar that blocks the passage. The light ahead of you that you had been following is nowhere to be seen, as though it somehow passed through the pillar. The pit is 10 feet deep and contains several humanoid skeletons. The triangular pillar's apex points toward the pit. Scratches on the floor and ceiling, scribing short arcs on either side of it, are easy to see. Someone who examines the pillar notices that it can be pivoted to either the left or the right, which will open a passage 2 feet wide that offers access to the north. If the characters move through this opening, they once again see the light of the will-o'-wisp in the distance. If the characters approach from the north, read: I The hallway abruptly ends at a blank stone wall. I If the wall is hammered on, it will sound solid. A character who examines the floor or the ceiling finds scratches that scribe an arc from one corner to the other. Pushing on one side of the apparent dead end causes the triangular pillar to pivot as noted above. If the characters move through the opening, they discover the pit. If they proceed to the south, continue with area 23. 24. SANDBOX The two thick lines on the map mark the boundaries of a trap. A character who examines the ceiling 20 feet overhead as the party passes under one of the marked areas and makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a narrow band of copper extending from wall to wall. A gap between the copper and the surrounding stone suggests that the metal might be part CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN of a door or a porcculli . This object can be prevented from coming down by wedging it in place as if it were a pressure plate. Pressure Plate. The 10-foot-square section of floor marked on the map is the location of a pressure plate (see "The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure . If an amount of weight equivalent to that of three or four humanoids is placed on it, the trap described below is triggered. Falling Door Trap. If the characters set off the trap by activating the pressure plate in the floor, they hear a click and then a crash as both portcullises, made of timber bound in copper, come crashing down, sealing off the indicated area. These barriers are a foot thick; each has an AC of 15 and 100 hit points. Lifting a door requires a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check, and any such check is made with disadvantage, since getting a good grip is difficult. If a door can first be pried up slightly with a crowbar or similar lever, requiring a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, someone not using the lever can get a grip on the bottom of the door, eliminating the disadvantage. After 5 rounds, characters confined by the trap hear the sound of stone slowly grating on stone. Small panels near the ceiling move to expose four holes the size of a human fist on each wall. Dust trickles from the holes. After another 5 rounds passes, golden sand starts to pour rapidly through the holes. The floor is swiftly covered by the sand, which builds up at a rate of 2 feet per minute. Therefore, it takes 10 minutes for the sand to completely fill the hallway. The area becomes difficult terrain after 1 minute. After 3 minutes of accumulation, a creature that moves through the sand must make a DC 10 Strength or Dexterity saving throw, becoming restrained on a failed save. (A creature that crawls need not make the saving throw, and creatures that have more than two legs have advantage on the saving throw.) A creature can end the restrained condition on itself by using an action and succeeding on a DC 10 Strength or Dexterity check. Another creature can use an action to make the check and pull a restrained creature free. After 5 minutes of accumulation, the DC of the saving throw increases to 15. Once the sand is flowing, it must be scooped away from a closed door for someone to try to lift that door, and the sand flows through open doorways. The dust that fills the air as the sand falls causes choking. Unless it need not breathe, a creature in the dust must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the start of its turn. On a failed save, the creature spends its turn coughing, able only to move at half speed or to make a check (with disadvantage) to free itself from the restrained condition. Creature. As soon as the sand begins flowing, the will-o'wisp that frequents this part of the ruins (see area 23), if it remains alive, moves through one of the doors into the trapped area. It harries those who are having the most success at escaping the trap.
25. THE NEST OF THE WARRIORS • A bitter stench assails the senses as you lay e) es or. ::i e room ahead. Inside, amid a pile of rubbis h, offa , a r. c bracken, ghostly lights move across the floo r. Closer observation reveals that the light is emitted t>y giant beetles. There seem to be around a dozen of these creatures in the room, each about three feet in length. They don 't appear to take notice of you. From with in the largest pile of trash, where most of the beetles are clustered, come glints of something shiny. Creatures. The garbage-infested room is home to thirreen giant fire beetles. They lack the two light-emitting glands behind the eyes that are normal for such crearures. They do give off a soft glow that emanates from their abdomens but doesn't provide significant illuminaion. The beetles are nonaggressive unless their nest is threatened. Any sudden noise will bring a beetle or two o investigate. They examine any strange object with dieir feelers, and if it is edible, they bite it. Other beetles move toward the sound of their comrades fighting. Treasure. The shiny objects in the beetles' nest are odd pieces of metal, polished rocks, broken crystal, three large turquoises (worth 20 gp each), and a +l dagger that looks like junk. When it is used, its grip frays, 1t blade chips, and it flakes rust. If a character wielding this weapon gets a natural 1 on an attack roll, the dagger breaks and becomes nonmagical. LOCATIONS ON THE FIRST TIER .-\scending either of the routes out of the lower chambers brings the characters to the first tier of the emple proper. The following locations are identified on map 3.1. 26. RAMP If the characters approach from the north, read: • A ramp slopes gently down from north to south . Set in the floor at two-foot intervals are smooth stone cylinders that apparently function as rollers. If the characters approach from the south, read: A ramp leads gently up from south to north . Set in the fl oor at two-foot intervals are smooth stone cylinders that apparently function as rollers. 27. STAIRS This corridor ascends from south to north in a series of short, gently sloped staircases. Pressure Plate. The 10-foot square indicated on the map is the location of a pressure plate (see .. The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure). If more than 30 pounds is placed on the plate, the trap described below triggers. If the characters detect the presence of this plate, they can remove it from the floor with 10 minutes of work and a successful check as for an attempt to block the plate from moving. A failed check means another 10 minutes of work is required, followed by another check. Rolling Stone Trap. A millstone, concealed in the wall behind a layer of stucco, lies at the top of the steps. No nonmagical means can detect the hidden stone. If the trap is triggered, the mechanism pushes the millstone through the wall and sends it rolling down the stairs. When this occurs, anyone who has a passive Perception score of 14 or lower is surprised. Everyone rolls initiative, including the stone, which has a +10 bonus to the roll. On its turn, the stone moves 60 feet. Anyone in its path must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage and have a 50 percent chance to drop anything carried in hand. A character whose saving throw fails by 5 or more takes maximum damage, is knocked prone, and drops anything held in hand. Dropped objects take damage from hitting the stone and end up somewhere on the stairs. The stone ultimately crashes into the doors to area 25, breaking them open and destroying them. If beetles remain in the room, some or all of them come into the stairway agitated and looking for a fight. 28. THE ARC OF NANAHUATCIN (Na-na-WA-tzen, the Pimply One) This is a spacious, vaulted hall, weathered and cracked from the ravages of time. The walls are charred and scored. Scattered around the floor are several stone statues of baboon-like creatures, chipped and tipped over. The remains of a few once-living baboons, partially eaten, lie nearby, with fungus covering their corpses. As the area is further penetrated, it is discerned that this was once a processional hall. Little remains to identify its past purpose except for a carving etched in the center of the worn floor that depicts a silver sun with a single eye. The beast that lairs here will not attack until the party sights it. Ahead, something spherical floats in the air at about chest height. The sphere has a central eye and about a dozen tentacles growing out of its top. Each appendage has a white sphere with a black pupil at its tip. Creature. The spherical creature is a gas spore that represents Nanahuatcin, the "sun." Treasure. Near the center of the south wall is a sack made of fish skin. It contains seven silver pellets, each about the size of a sling bullet and worth 1 gp. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 77
29. THE TOMB OF PELOTA As you approach a bend in the passage, you see a series of faint line drawings on the walls depicting people playing a game that uses a ball and has goals on either end of the playing field. At the place where the corridor bends is a capstone that seemingly covers a hole in the floor. Etched into the top of the slab are several glyphs obscured by a layer of dust. This writing, in Olman, reads, "Dare not open this pit unless you be willing to meet the challenge of pelota." Five feet above the capstone in the southern wall is a hemispherical depression 1 foot in diameter. Lifting the capstone requires the application of leverage and the combined effort of up to two characters with a total Strength of 25 or higher. Beneath the stone lid is a pit filled with the skeletal remains of the losers of a previous game of pelota in this area. Atop the bones rest several figurines and a plaque, all made of jade, and a glistening black ball 1 foot in diameter. Cursed Treasure. If any treasure is removed from the pit, a curse will fall upon its bearer 1 hour later. The victim must succeed on a DC 15 saving throw, or it has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity ability checks and saving throws until the curse is dispelled. The jade plaque depicts two men, wearing padding on their arms and hips, with a large ball traveling between them. The figurines are carved in the image of a sun-god in a feathered robe. There are seven jade items in all, weighing 1 pound and worth 30 gp each. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN Buried beneath he ·eletons is a chalice of beaten gold. inset with L-.;: amethysts, that weighs 1 pound and is worth 150 gp. Pelota Ball. The ball. made of rubber wound around a balsa core. is u ed in the game of pelota. It is the same size as the depression in the wall, which is one of the goals on this playing field. The ball is cool to the touch. If it is picked up. it suddenly jerks free of the holder's grasp and rebounds off the south wall, then speeds 30 feet to the north and hovers. It animates for the purpose of challenging the violators of the tomb to a game. The ball can fly up to 30 feet on its turn, and it can hover. It makes melee weapon attacks with a +5 bonus, dealing 1 (ld4 - 1) bludgeoning damage on a hit. The ball has AC 13 and 50 hit points. It is immune to all damage except for magical effects that deal acid, fire, force, piercing, or slashing damage. The ball is immune to most conditions, but it can be grappled or restrained by effects that work on objects. It makes ability checks to escape such entanglements with a +5 bonus. Start of the Game. Roll initiative. The ball uses its initial actions to bounce off the walls and strike at characters, trying to get them to strike back. When a character's attack hits the ball, it bounces off the south wall, and the depression in the wall briefly glows orange. After the second such occurrence, the ball will break off its attacks. A sound like that of a trumpet indicates that the game is about to start. The goal above the pit and another goal at the northern end of the hall 140 feet away are limned in orange light that remains until the game ends. When the characters hit the ball, it flies to the south and the southern goal flashes briefly. When the ball moves, it flies to the north, and the northern goal flashes. How to Win. The characters win the game by propelling the ball into the goal above the pit while preventing the ball from reaching the northern end of the hall. If all the characters fail to hit the ball for 1 round, the faint sound of a drum dirge will be heard. A character who attacks the ball successfully sends it flying south up to 15 feet. To knock the ball into the southern goal, the ball must be within 15 feet of the goal, and a player must declare that the character is trying to score. If the character's attack roll exceeds the ball's AC by 4 or more, the ball goes into the goal. If the ball moves to within 5 feet of the northern wall, it can bounce itself into its own goal. To do so, the ball must make a successful attack roll against AC 15. Once the ball is knocked into a goal, it sticks there for 1 round, impossible to remove without destroying it. If the ball enters the goal to the north, a number of magic missiles erupt from the goal equal to the number of conscious characters in the corridor. Each missile strikes a different character for 3 (ld4 + 1) force damage. When the ball moves out of a goal, it flies to the center of the corridor and hovers, awaiting the start of another point. The game continues until the characters die or score a goal that puts them 2 points ahead of the ball. Spoils of Victory. If the characters win, the ball becomes inert. The sound of triumphant drums erupts briefly, then the area goes silent. The southern goal goes dark, but the northern goal continues to glow orange.
Investigation reveals that a small panel has opened in me back of the depression. Within the space beyond is a pouch made of fish skin that holds ten pink pearls worth 20 gp each), a topaz and shell necklace (worth 50 gp), and a whistle made of an eagle's bone with feather decoration, which is an eagle whistle (see appendix A). 30. THE GUARDIAN BEAST This oddly shaped room is decorated in a cat motif. The center of the southeastern wall is carved to resemble the face of a snarling tiger with hollow eyes. Near the center of the room is a stuffed tiger, posed as if on the prowl. The tiger's left ear has been torn off, leaving a agged scar on the head. Also near the middle of the room stands a stone statue of a tiger-headed man holdng a spear. In several other spots on the floor are stuffed domestic cats in various poses: sitting, stalking, pouncing, and one s begging, pawing the air. One of these cats in the center of the room has been knocked over and chewed on; its stuffing is falling out. Hung on the walls are several skins of lions and leopards, tiger heads, and a cat-of-nine- tails. Along the northwest edge of the chamber a large calendar stone is mounted on the wall above a stone table or altar. The statue of the cat-man depicts a tall human male .11ith two extra sets of nipples. He seems to be wearing a tiger-faced mask and is clad only in a loincloth. A jagged scar runs across the left side of his chest, above the heart, and his chest is sunken and bony. The spear is stone-hafted, but bears a silvery head. All the items hanging on the walls are actually realistically painted stucco sculptures. If the characters investigate the calendar stone, see area 31. Creature. The statue is a petrified werejaguar (use the weretiger statistics). If the altar is molested or any of the room's contents are abused, the werejaguar becomes aware and seizes the first opportunity to attack with surprise. It can turn to flesh as a bonus action and then transform into cat shape, dropping its spear. (The magic on the creature renders it strongly related to earth and stone with regard to the curse on the bracelet of rock magic, described in appendix A.) Its first choice of targets is always the weakest member of the party. If the werejaguar is reduced to O hit points, it reverts to human form and becomes petrified again. The werejaguar's heart has been removed by magical surgery and is hidden in the head of the stuffed tiger (hinted at by the scars on man and tiger). Therefore, the cat-man might take damage or even die, but unless its heart is destroyed, it is reborn again whole in one day's time. If the lycanthrope's heart (AC 10, 2 hit points) is destroyed, the creature dies and turns to dust. Treasure. In the belly of the stuffed tiger are 500 gp. Eye of the Tiger. A secret door is concealed in the mouth of the wall carving. The catch to open it is hidden in the hollow of the right eye. The door and the catch each require a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to find. 31. CALENDAR STONE The calendar, a great wheel of stone, is carved from limestone. In the center of the calendar is a symbol of the sun surrounded with various sigils depicting seasons of the year. The stone is ten feet across and is mounted five feet above the floor over a stone altar. On the altar rests a ceremonial dagger of flint and a jade statue of a cat. At the foot of the altar is a stuffed cat, posed as if begging or attempting to catch something in the air. Secret Passage. The calendar stone covers a door and a secret passage to a hidden tomb. A character who examines the calendar and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check can see that it is held onto the wall by a smaller rod of stone behind it. The gap between the calendar and the wall is a few inches wide, so characters looking at the calendar in a specific way might notice the unusual mounting without making a check. In order to open the door, the sun symbol must be pushed into the wall. The calendar stone and the wall behind it then swing to one side on a set of hinges. Treasure. The sacrificial knife on the table is a +1 dagger. The jade statue is worth 200 gp and weighs 9 pounds. In the tail of the stuffed cat is a scroll of protection (feline beasts and feline lycanthropes). CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 79
80 32. THE PORTAL TO DEATH Behind the concealed entrance is a narrow tunnel that slants down and away. The passage is barely four feet in diameter, and the walls are carved with a profusion of ancient and weird glyphs. The floor of the tunnel is slick with a molten, glassy glaze. These nonmagical glyphs are of two types. Some are 01- man curses cautioning and cursing trespassers; others are arcane symbols of abjuration, which is apparent to anyone who has proficiency in the Arcana skill. The tunnel opens out two feet above the floor of a corridor running north and south. Three exits are visible, one at either end of the hallway and a set of double doors on the midpoint of the western wall. The door to the north is barred, though it seems to have no latch. The image of a bear holding a disk of obsidian is set in its face. The lintel of the door is carved in the form of entwined serpents. The southern door is plated in bronze. Etched on it is a symbol of two circles joined. The path leading up to it has a depression in the stone floor, as though it has been worn smooth by the passage of countless feet. The floor in front of the central doorway is sunken and glazed. Affixed across the double doors is a golden seal one foot in diameter with ancient glyphs scribed into it. To open this door, it appears that the golden seal must be broken. Ancient glyphs are scribed on the seal. To either side on the lintel of the door are barely discernible scratches, and brown stains stipple the wall and floor. Northern Door. Even after the bar is removed, the false door will not open. It appears to open outward, but when a character pushes against it, three arms spring out from the lintel and surround the character. Spotting these arms among the entwined serpents in the lintel requires a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. The arms are treated as a pressure plate (see "The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure) if a character attempts to jam them in place to keep them from moving. A character caught in the trap can wriggle free only with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Otherwise, unconfined characters can attempt to free a victim. The combined effort of two characters with a total Strength of 30 or higher is needed to pry back each arm, taking 1 round to move each one. After a victim has been trapped for 5 rounds, the cover to a 5-foot-square pit starts to drop open. The pit is lined with spikes. The cover fully opens in 2 rounds, at which point the arms swiftly spring back into the lintel, CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN releasing any victims to plummet into the 15-foot-deep pie. A fall into the pit deals 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage. The spikes are hard rubber wrapped around balsa wood. placed for artistic effect. Southern Door. The image on the southern door is the infinity symbol, representing the dual-god, the supreme god of creation. The door isn't latched, but it is stuck shut. A detect magic spell cast on it reveals that an aura of conjuration magic emanates from beyond the door. It takes a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to bash the door open. If a creature does so, the door gives way suddenly, dumping the gate-crasher into a narrow space ahead. Any creature that enters this space is teleported to the west end of area 15, just outside the painted mural on the wall. Double Doors. The message on the seal, written in Olman, reads, "Beware! Beyond this door is death!" Once the seal is broken by opening the doors, it may not be used to reseal the doors. The gold in the seal is worth 250 gp. The door is trapped, but the only evidence of this fact is concealed within the door frame and under the stucco on the ceiling, completely hidden. When the doors are pushed open, five heavy crossbows, set in the ceiling of the room beyond, fire. Two are aimed toward each door, and the last is aimed down the center of the two doors. The crossbows have a +6 bonus to hit, and each deals 5 (ldlO) piercing damage. 33. THE TOMB OF TLACAELEL (Tlah-kah-AYL-ayl) Beyond the door is a pillared porch overlooking a chamber that contains a model of a city. Arrayed on the porch are numerous clay statues of guards holding bronzeheaded spears. The face of each statue is different, as if they were modeled from different subjects. Next to each statue is a small, glazed clay pot. The walls are decorated with brightly colored frescoes depicting a royal court in ceremonial garb and a king arrayed with his armies. There is a chill in the chamber beyond, like that of a brisk winter morning. In the center of the room is an enormous, tarnished copper raft, crafted to resemble a dragon, bearing a copper coffin. The raft is afloat on a sea of silvery-white, flowing metal, fed by several rivers that trail along the floor of the room. The flowing liquid appears to be cool. Between the waterways, stepped pyramid-temples rise skyward in mute paean to the gods of ancient Olman. Three of the pyramids appear to have tops that can be removed. In the rest of the area, a royal complex sprawls across verdant fields, and courtyards and ringed marketplaces dot the miniature countryside. There is a blight on this spectacle, however, for several of the models have been smashed and melted.
Fire Trap. On the floor just inside the doo a_ glyph of warding (save DC 17). The first chara er o tep through the door and onto the glyph cau _ a 1rnll of fire spell to spring up in the doorway. with the damaging side facing away from the character who entered. The wall remains in place for 1 minute. Creature. Within the copper coffin is a doppelganger. The creature emerges from the coffin through a hole in the side facing away from the entrance as soon a the glyph is triggered. It assumes the form of any character rapped alone in the room and tries to attack with surprise. If it succeeds in slaying the character before the ~ml/ of fire expires, then it hides the body in the coffin. The doppelganger is unfamiliar with the rest of the ru ins but tries to act like the character it has killed until t is discovered. If the doppelganger is forced to fight the party, it assumes the shape of a creature of molten metal that shrouded in flames. The fire is an illusion and doesn't burn. Liquid Fire. The first time a creature or an object en- ·ers or touches the silvery liquid metal of the sea or the rivers on a turn, or a creature starts its turn in such a place, the creature or object takes 3 (ld6) fire damage. If any of this fluid is carried out of this room, it evaporates n 1 minute. The ships and the coffin floating on the liquid deal similar fire damage if they are touched. Treasure Chests. Three of the pyramid-temples, •.-hich are fastened to the floor, conceal treasure. The •op of each temple is hinged like the lid of a chest, and ·he catch is released by pressing down on the altar at ·he top. Each of these chests holds several coin neckiaces, each made of three hundred sixty silver coins pierced and threaded on a piece of gut, and other assorted valuables. Chest 1. The lid is jammed on the first chest that the characters examine, requiring a successful DC 15 trength (Athletics) check to pry open. The chest holds ·en coin necklaces, six pairs of jade earplugs (worth 15 gp a set), an alabaster statuette (worth 50 gp), and an agate ring (worth 5 gp). Chest 2. The second chest is trapped. When hands are thrust into the treasure, a mechanical vise in the wall of the chest grabs the limbs within. A character must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or become grappled by the device (escape DC 15). A creature is :-estrained while grappled in this way. Roll initiative. -ix mechanical needles spring out from the sides of ·he chest on initiative count 0. The needles can be atacked (AC 12, 5 hit points). Each needle deals 1 piercing damage. A creature struck by one or more of the needles must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In either event, ·he creature is poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (ld6) poison damage on a failure. The poison ends when the creature makes five successful saves against it. Until the poison ends, any hit points lost to it can't be regained. The poisoned creature is feverish and occasionally trembles, gibbers, or retches. The chest holds nine coin necklaces, eight bracelets of beads (5 gp apiece), four small figurines of jade and coral (25 gp each), and three rings carved of jade and alabaster (10 gp each). Chest 3. Operating the catch of the third chest requires more force than with the other two. If the catch is pressed, the chest lid sprays perfumed oil on anyone within 5 feet of it. The nozzles that produce this spray can be discovered by someone who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The only way to disarm the "trap" is to disassemble the chest lid and remove it without pressing the catch. Doing so takes 10 minutes of work with thieves' tools. When the catch is pressed, a lever wedged in the lid pops up, triggering the launch of darts. The tubes that hold these darts are sealed with a thin layer of stucco, so they're all but impossible to discover without damaging the chest. Someone who cautiously opens the chest can feel the pressure from the lever and see it by peeking into the chest. If someone can reach the lever through the half-open lid and hold it in place, the trap doesn't function. Holding the lever in place as the lid is opened requires a successful DC 12 Strength check. This check must be repeated in every round that the lever is held down. If the trap triggers, four darts fire from each of the chest's front and back sides. Each dart flies up to 60 feet, has a +6 bonus to hit, and deals 5 (2d4) piercing damage on a hit. The third chest holds eleven coin necklaces, fifteen bracelets of obsidian, bronze, and shell (10 gp each), and two piles of gems (tourmalines, spinels, and topazes; sixty gems worth 5 gp each) lying upon two silver platters 15 gp apiece). Other Treasure. The clay pots on the porch are sealed with wax, and they hold scented oils and perfumes-there are twenty such containers, each weighing 10 pounds and with contents worth 15 gp. Several places that represent royal granaries in the modeled city are actually stone bins that hold aromatic woods and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, quince, cinchona, sandalwood, and pepper). This haul is worth a total of 250 gp and weighs 10 pounds. Inside the coffin are the bones of Tlacaelel, for the doppelganger has eaten the flesh. Scattered around the interior are the ornaments once worn by the corpse. These items include a stone box, two jade bracelets (worth 20 gp apiece), and an alabaster statuette of Coatlicue (Koh-WA-tlee-cue), the snake woman, mother of the gods (worth 25 gp). The stone box (worth 75 gp) holds five small figurines carved of coral (25 gp each), a large jade thumb ring (10 gp), and eight ceramic miniature flasks of perfumes and essences (10 gp apiece). Cradled in the crook of the elbow of the corpse's right arm is a baton of granite. The baton is a scroll case with a cleverly fashioned plug. Within the case is a piece of faded parchment-a spell scroll of stone shape, written in astrological symbols of the Olman. Upon the skull is a ferret-faced, feathered mask that functions as a hat of disguise. CHAPTER 3 1 THE HIDDEK SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 81
82 33A. SACRIFICE TO THE SUN When the characters can see the northern end of the chamber, read: I In an alcove framed by pillars stands a stone bench on which a shriveled corpse huddles. Scattered around its feet are various trinkets. This figure is the preserved body of an adolescent male, whose heart has been cut out. He was a guesa, a boy chosen at birth to be sacrificed to the sun upon his coming of age. Treasure. The items at the corpse's feet include an agate carved in the shape of a heart (worth 15 gp) that is actually a stone of ill luck (see appendix A), a miniature gold llama (worth 50 gp), a ring of polished pink granite (worth 10 gp), and a silver plaque bearing the face of the sun (15 gp). 34. GUARDIANS BAR THE WAY The passage leads toward a set of double bronze doors bearing the engraved face of the jaguar god. Both walls of the corridor are carved to represent two lines of warriors in profile, holding hatchet-headed polearms and facing the western doors. These figures are painted with vivid, lifelike colors: red, black, white, green, and yellow. Pressure Plate. Near the midpoint of this corridor is a 10-foot-square pressure plate (see "The Ruins: General Features" at the beginning of the adventure) that triggers if more than 30 pounds is placed on it. Shocking Blades. If the pressure plate is depressed, two of the carved warriors pivot out from the walls in front of the party, crossing their metal halberds before them to bar the way to the northern doors. The blades spark and hum when they are brought together. A creature that touches either of the blades takes 5 (2d4) lightning damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed while it is in contact. A paralyzed creature takes the damage again at the start of each of its turns. There is barely enough room for a Medium humanoid to crawl under the crossed polearms and between the statues. Doing so without touching the blades requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. 35. XIPE1 S AUDIENCE CHAMBER (Zee-PAY) When the door comes open, a rush of warm, fetid air greets you. The room is lit with a sanguine glow. On the wall opposite the door are tacked several human skins. A cat-o'-nine-tails hangs beside them. To the west the room widens to accommodate a statue that towers almost to the ceiling. The statue is an CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN ogre- ,ke ~ g •e, .::::ed ,n flayed skins and adorned a gap ng mouth wide enough to swallow coals, more tr. a~ :en feet in diameter. Arou nd t e statue is a pile of splintered bones, skulls with cracked pates, and broken weapons. In front of the disp lay crouches a panther, deathly still, facing away from the statue. To the east the walls are highly polished. They loosely enclose an intricately carved well that seems to be illuminated from within . Beyond the well, mounted on the wall, is a blackened mirror with a richly ornamented frame. Directly above the well, in the twenty-five-foot-high ceiling, a five-foot-wide opening can be discerned in the red light of the room. The statue represents Xipe, "Our Lord of the Flayed Skins." The chamber serves as the foyer to his lair, which lies beyond the opening in the ceiling. Statue Guardian. If the characters approach the statue, the panther will stand and pad menacingly in their direction ... and then continue on past them. The panther has a mental block that prevents it from being able to see humans, which initially applies to other humanoids as well. It likewise ignores familiars, but it attacks any beast companion or other non-humanoid present with the party. If the panther is not attacked and is unable to find a target, it takes to pacing in front of the door. If the party attacks the cat, its mental block regarding other humanoids fails, and the panther attacks any such creature it can see. If it can see no target, the bewildered panther resumes its pacing. Treasure. Almost all the weapons around the statue are useless, though the head of a +l mace attached to a broken haft can be found. Well of Light. The illumination inside the well comes from liquid light, a fluid that clings like oil if touched to a given surface and in the presence of other light eventually spreads to cover the entire surface. If a creature falls into the well and is pulled out, the liquid light clings to a small portion of its body, then spreads to cover an additional 5 percent of the body every round. Eventually the liquid covers its eyes, nose and mouth. If this happens, the character can't breathe until the liquid is removed by immersion in water. In the absence of a light source, the liquid light doesn't spread, and a darkness spell renders it inert for 1 hour. If anything is tossed into the well, brilliant light flashes upward and a bellowing voice fills the chamber. The voice belongs to Xipe, and he asks (in Giant) who has come and for what purpose. Nothing else happens, for Xipe can't be bothered to leave his lair to investigate. Ceiling Tunnel. The hole in the ceiling leads to Xipe's lair. If the characters try to climb the walls, they discover the walls are too slick to be ascended in this way. A surefire way of getting in is to tie a grappling hook to an arrow and shoot the arrow up through the hole. This
method never fails to anchor the hook on orne =-· •or Xipe grabs the rope once it is fired through · · _ · rom door. If a creature then decides to climb the rope up into ·he lair, Xipe starts to reel in the climber when i has a · ended halfway. A creature being hauled up into the tunnel can relea e jie rope and drop into the well, taking no immediate damage (other than being covered in the liquid light,. ::ir it can swing its body outward and drop onto the oor, taking falling damage. Otherwise, Xipe pulls the limber into his lair in 1 round. Creature. Beyond the hole in the ceiling is a chamber ·hat measures 30 feet in each direction. It is the lair of Xipe, an oni. Xipe can't cast cone of cold, but he can cast -feet storm and fear once per day each. When he casts •ear, he unleashes a great bellow that shakes the room. Treasure. Xipe's treasure includes a wooden cyliner that holds a spell scroll of detect magic. Also in his air are piles of rich cat furs, eight of the furs worth - gp each. Two leather bags beneath the furs hold 1.000 sp each. Lastly, an intricately carved ivory cube about 1 foot :all stands on an ornamental table. The cube (worth 100 _,,p) is a trick box. To open it, two plugs on either side of e cube must be pushed in, and then its center slides out of a frame formed by the other four sides. This inner box opens like a chest. Within it is a silver and aquama- :-ine necklace (worth 125 gp) and a parchment packet · at holds three pinches of dust of disappearance. 36. APARTMENT OF THE DUST OF AGES The floor of this room is covered with a layer of fine gray du st and ash, three inches deep. Across the room, opposite where you entered, is another set of double doors. There are two empty alcoves to the north and south. On small ledges in each corner of the room are pieces of hat appear to be broken pottery. As you move into the room, your steps send motes of du st and ash swirling into the air, and these clouds form into shapes. First, from the ash, a dusty phantom assumes the shape of a woman. Her face is forlorn and tear-streaked. She throws up her hands in despair, rushes into one of :he alcoves, and disappears. Immediately afterward, two more dusty phantoms emerge-mighty warriors armed with jagged-edged swords and bearing fierce countenances. They move to olock the doorway opposite where you entered. : the characters approach the phantom guards, they :-aise their swords threateningly. But they can cause no harm, for they are just images of the long-dead past. c::-or as long as the characters remain in the room, other phantoms-in the shapes of priests, sages, and mourning young women- briefly form out of the dust and then dissipate. Moving through any of these phantom forms causes them to collapse. 37. BED OF XILONEN (Zeel-OAN-an) In the center of this room is a withered tree that looks like a leafless willow, rooted in a terraced depression. The bottom of this hollow is filled with oily water, a few inches deep. Across the room, beyond the dead tree, is another door. Around the sides of the room, a five-footwide ledge encircles the tree . The walls of the room are beaded with condensation. The water in the bottom of the depression makes the floor in that area difficult terrain. Creature. The "tree" is Xilonen, a semisentient (Int 2), gigantic variety of polyp, similar to a sea anemone, once revered as the hairy mother goddess of corn. The polyp, which functions similarly to a roper, is very hungry. Its mouth is concealed among a nest of flailing tentacles and protected by sharp spines. Treasure. Within the polyp's gut are twelve pieces of blue jasper (worth 10 gp each) and a silvery rod, actually a copper-nickel alloy, which is a wand of lightning bolts. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
38. BARRED PIT The walls of the passage glow magenta, bathing the corridor with a ghastly hue. After fifteen feet, the floor drops away to a pit that fills the hallway ahead . The pit is twenty-five feet deep. Eight large, spidery bushes with thorny stems, white leaves, and enormous yellow blossoms grow across its bottom. Five feet beyond the nearest edge of the pit is a bronze bar, set level with the floor and embedded in the pit walls to either side. Farther out over the pit can be seen other similar bronze rungs, set at five-foot intervals. On the floor by the edge of the pit is a scattering of broken, rotting wooden planks. Bridge of Bars. A character can attempt to cross this pit by leaping from one bar to the next. There are a total of eight bars and 45 feet of pit. Moving across the bars is akin to moving across difficult terrain; moving 5 feet onto a bar, or between two bars, costs 10 feet of movement. If a creature attempts to move more than half of its base walking speed on any of its turns, it must make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a successful check, the creature can keep moving. On a failed check, the creature stops moving to regain its balance and can move no farther on that turn. If the check fails by 5 or more, the creature falls into the pit. The third and sixth bars along the way are corroded. When a character moves onto one of these bars, roll a d20. On a roll of 5 or lower, or 2 or lower for a Small character, the bar breaks. If the bar doesn't break and the roll is 10 or lower, some obvious sign of the bar's weakness becomes evident, such as chipping or bending. Hazard. The bushes growing in the pit are carnivorous thorn stingers (see appendix B). Each plant lies beneath one of the bronze bars and casts its projectiles directly upward against anyone attempting to traverse the bars. A creature balancing on a bar when it is hit by thorns must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 6 + the damage taken. If the saving throw fails by 4 or less, the creature falls prone, catching itself on the bar. (To stand up on the bar afterward, a character must make a Dexterity check as if attempting to move on the bars.) If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the character falls in the pit. Someone who falls into the pit always comes down on a bush, cushioning the impact. The fall deals only 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage, but the character lands on a plant's adhesive blossoms. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 39. CHAMBER OF THE SECOND SUN Th s e or o s c~a'TI Oer is thirty feet tall with mighty buttress1rg an.: a aulted ceiling. Parts of the ceiling and walls nave co a::ised. and raw earth has spilled down from a ga::iing nofe in the east wall. Crushed beneath a fa llen bock in the center of the room are humanoid remains. Elsewhere around the floor are the chewed and decayed corpses of baboons. Through a hole in the eastern ce iling, dayl ight and fresh air filter in. Above, through this gap, ca n be seen four baboons. They jump around the hole and and scream in agitation, and as they do, dirt begins to slide down the banks and rocks in the walls shift slightly. There is no poison gas in the room, or in any of the upper areas (40 and higher), because the gas escapes out the hole in the ceiling. The floor is strewn with rubble, so it is difficult terrain. Larger rubble piles are 1 to 4 feet high. Any loud noise (such as an explosion, shouting, or fighting) causes a minor cave-in: at the start of each creature's next turn after the noise, that creature is subjected to an attack from falling rocks and earth (+5 to hit, dealing 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage on a hit). Creatures. Hidden in a pile of rubble in the center of the room is an amphisbaena- a giant, two-headed snake. It fights as a giant constrictor snake that can make two melee attacks on each of its turns, only one of which can be a Constrict attack. This ability increases its challenge rating to 3 (700 XP). If the snake is slain, the four baboons leap through the hole in the ceiling and down upon the party. (They remained outside the room because of their fear of the snake.) Treasure. The bones crushed beneath the fallen block belonged to two humans. This block can be moved by the combined effort of up to three characters with a total Strength of 30 or higher. A pouch tied on the waist of one corpse holds 40 ep. One of the humans wore a brooch of bronze and green quartz in the shape of a lizard (worth 25 gp). A silver and beryl-emerald ring (50 gp) is worn on a bony finger. A silvery dagger, actually made of a copper-nickel alloy and worth 10 gp, is stuck in the left boot of one figure. A scroll case holds a map of the territory in which these ruins are located. Finally, a crystal sphere, cracked in the catastrophe, has rolled into the shadow of some nearby rubble. It is made of polished quartz, 3 inches in diameter, and is worth 45 gp. Crumbling Exit. If characters attempt to climb up the dirt embankments to the hole in the ceiling, they discover that the surface supports only 50 pounds. More weight than that on any space along the slope causes further collapse- each climber must succeed on a DC
13 Dexterity saving throw or be buffeted b~ di -drubble, taking 7 (3d4) bludgeoning damage. Iff e :a,e :ail by 5 or more, the rubble engulfs the digger comple ely and the trapped character can't breathe umil du!! ou . Getting out on one's own requires a succe fU: DC 1 - trength (Athletics) check, and doing so takes 1 minute. Serpent Doors. The southeast exit from thi chamber is a set of double bronze doors in the north wall at he end of a short corridor. Above them hangs a plaque inlaid with jade (worth 25 gp). The plaque depict a ~vo-headed serpent, with its second head where its tail -hould be. L OCATIONS ON THE SECOND TIER :he staircase at area 40 provides access to the second •ier of the temple. The following locations are identified on map 3.1. .;.Q . DRAGON BREATH -,·hen the party reaches the bottom of the stairs, read: ~ staircase leads upward into the gloom. It seems as hough you have found the entrance to another layer .vithin the complex. The second 10-foot square along these stairs is warded y magic like that of a glyph of warding spell (save DC · - ). If the glyph is triggered, nothing happens until a reature moves onto the uppermost 5 feet of the stairs. · .·hen that occurs, a stone statue of a dragon, hidden in he secret room at the top of the stairs (see the "Second ~ier" portion of the map), pops out and rolls forward to -he head of the steps. The statue has the statistics, de- :enses, and traits of a stone golem, but it has no action _prions. As soon as it stops after emerging, it opens its outh and breathes a gust of steam 30 feet long and 10 eet wide. Those in the area must make a DC 15 Constiution saving throw, taking 7 (2d4 + 2) fire damage on a ailed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Thereafter, the statue breathes the next three times :: meone moves into or through the warded area. After - ur breaths, the statue retreats to its room and the door loses. (The statue's resting place is connected to a hot ·ater geyser in the bedrock, through which it replen- -hes itself.) Slippery Steps. After the statue breathes for the first me, the condensing steam makes the stairs slippery fficult terrain. A character who moves on the stairs :nust while they are slippery must succeed on a DC 10 :Jexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. Secret Door. If the characters get to the top of the ;; airs without triggering the glyph, someone can disover the secret door here with a successful DC 20 Wis- -om (Perception) check. The door can't be opened from e outside, however. 41. FREE GOLD At the western end of this corridor is a pile of golden coins heaped on the floor. On top of the gold rests a skull missing its lower jaw. In the right eye socket, a black spider has made a home. Several bones are piled with the coins, and the hilt of a broken sword thrusts up from the mass. This apparent pile of gold is covered with a pale yellow dust. The entire pile of coins is actually yellow mold (see "Dungeon Hazards" in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) covered by a permanent major image spell (save DC 15). The bones, spider, and sword hilt are real. Eastern Door. Close examination reveals that the stone in the center of the corridor is smoother than the surrounding wall. Because of this clue, it takes only a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to find the secret door. The door can be opened by stepping forcibly upon an obvious cobblestone that is slightly raised from the floor. The door has two facing panels that pivot inward when it is opened. Western Door. In front of the secret door is a dark stain on the floor, which makes the door as easy to find as the eastern one. This door swings on a horizontal pivot in the middle of the slab. Pushing in at either the top or the bottom of this secret panel causes the opposite end to swing outward, providing enough space to crawl through into the secret passage beyond. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
86 42. THE CHAPEL OF KUKULKAN (Koo-KOOL-kahn, the feathered serpent) Beyond the secret door, the passage bends around to the left. At the end of a narrow corridor hangs an ornate mirror, and a door is set in the eastern wall next to it. Magic Mirror. The first creature to come within 10 feet of the mirror at the end of the corridor must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed check, the creature believes that it is in deadly combat with a feathered warrior that has emerged from the mirror. This effect is like that of a phantasmal force spell, with the character battling a warrior that has a +6 bonus to hit and deals 3 (ld6) psychic damage, as described in the spell. The effect ends if the affected creature deals the imaginary warrior a total amount of damage equal to the creature's own hit point maximum. While under the effect of this magic, the creature is actually paralyzed, appearing to others as if it were just standing there staring into the mirror. If someone disturbs the affected creature, that creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save. The Door. When anyone get close to the door, read: The door seems to be very heavy, and it has many glyphs carved upon it. In the center of the door is carved an eagle killing a serpent. Two stone warriors dressed in loincloths and wearing panther masks are sculpted into the door posts. The glyphs on the door tell a story in ancient Olman of a journey to find truth and light, which ended in failure and imprisonment in the land of the dead. The door opens outward. When the characters pass through the doorway, read: Beyond the door is a wide foyer that leads into a circular room. On the south wall of this hall is a jade death mask affixed at chest height. Taking up the middle of the chamber is a cross-shaped dais with sets of stairs leading up to it along each of the four ends. In the center of the dais rises a cylindrical structure that appears to be made of transparent walls of crystal enclosing an oddly carved, stone pillar. The stairs that face the room's entrance are carved with the heads of many gods. The steps on the north side are bloodstained, and atop the landing stands a statue of a warrior. The stairs to the east, across the room, are partly obscured by shadow. The southern staircase is luminescent, appearing to change colors in the light. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN - -c ed into each nook where the arms of the cross ::i e together is a low shelf on which are placed small dfe• 11gs: silver bracelets, earrings, neck collars, anklets, :, es of coral beads, and silver and jade statuettes. Trapped Mask. The mask (worth 25 gp) is the trigger to a trap. If the mask is taken off the wall, the lever it hangs on pivots up and three sets of iron bars drop, caging whoever is in the square in front of the mask. The bars are old, and they can be bent or lifted away from the floor with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Trapped Treasure. If any of the items on the shelves (worth a total of 450 gp) are touched, the exit door seals with an effect like that of an arcane lock spell, requiring the use of magic or a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check to force the door open. Creature. Coiled about the pillar, trapped within the magic walls of the crystal cylinder surrounding it, is a couatl. Because of its especially potent Shielded Mind trait, it is effectively invisible. If the characters disturb any of the items on the shelves, the couatl speaks to the party in Common, its voice seeming to come from everywhere in the chamber. "Interlopers, you have trespassed on my sacred chapel. For this affront, retribution has already begun, for you are now breathing a toxic gas which will kill you shortly. It is possible your actions were not from malice or greed , but just idle curiosity. Therefore, you will find the cure upon the stone in the middle of the dais, if you can solve the puzzle to reach it by the proper route. Choose your path wisely, and act quickly." There is actually no poison gas in the room, but as the characters spend time in here trying to get to the cure, describe how they seem to be getting weaker and weaker. They should feel as if time is running out. Aura. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of evocation magic emanating from inside the crystal cylinder. The Right Path. To reach the "cure," the characters must first face the challenge of ascending the northern steps, where the warrior stands. The warrior, a helmed horror, animates and attacks when it is approached. Once the construct is defeated, the characters can proceed to the center of the dais. A character who attempts to reach the dais another way has no luck: • Someone who tries climbing up the shelves takes 2 (ld4) force damage and is pushed back 10 feet. • The heads carved into the western stairs babble when a character steps on them. That character feels too weak to continue, and sits down until helped away from the stairs. • The eastern stairs are shrouded in dim light, which can't be made brighter by any means. Any character
who mounts the stairs falls down and roll omo the floor, taking 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. The southern stairs change color constaml: .. .\nyone who tries to ascend them makes no progre though they can be descended normally). Once the characters reach the crystal cylinder, the ·ouatl again speaks to them, still hidden from sight: • "So you have passed the first test. Perhaps you are not :he fools you first seemed. But it will take the best tool of your most clever person to breach these crystal wa lls. Your time is running out." .,.he surface of the crystal cylinder is cold to the touch and impervious to all blows. The enclosure has no ;sible gaps. A gap appears in the wall if someone who has profi. iency with thieves' tools touches the tools to the surface ,;ch the intention of finding a portal or a lock. The players might come up with other valid solutions, such as a ·izard (clever person) touching the crystal with a wand ool). It's up to you which alternative attempts work. Cure in Sight. By the time the characters reach the ;iillar inside the cylinder, they feel very weak. On the top f the pillar in front of them is a potion bottle, but an inible barrier prevents anyone from touching it. A glyph etched into the side of the pillar just below the bottle. One more time the couatl speaks, its voice now seeming :o come from the stone: • "So you have reached my altar, but your time is nearly exhausted and the cure is just beyond your reach. Trust ,our souls to the gods, foolish mortals." The top of the pillar is shielded by a wall of force that must be breached to reach the potion bottle. The wall ·an be destroyed by a disintegrate spell or by damaging the glyph inscribed below it. If someone pours holy wa- ·er on the glyph, touches it with a holy symbol, or casts a divine spell on it, the wall of force disappears. Aftermath. When the characters claim the potion bottle, the couatl becomes visible and flies out into he chamber. If the characters immediately attack it, me couatl calls them ingrates and fools, and then attacks back. If the characters don't attack, the couatl smiles and tlianks them for freeing it from its long imprisonment. Treasure. Inside the bottle is a potion of healing. The mask, if it is claimed, weighs 30 pounds and is worth 25 gp. Miscellaneous items on the shelves have a total :alue of 450 gp. Special Treasure. If the couatl and the characters are 'Jn good terms at the end of the encounter, the couatl provides them with special treasures: a balance of harmony (see appendix A) and the gems needed to operate t. a mirror of the past (see appendix A), and a periapt of :1-ound closure. In addition, if the characters ask, the couatl might be willing to use its spells to help the party. It has been imprisoned a long time and doesn't know anything about the ruins. It returns to the celestial planes after giving the characters their rewards. 43. THE SMOKING MIRRORS An amber haze drifts in this room, which is unoccupied. Strangely shaped and colored mirrors hang on the walls, and a large, oblong stone basin stands in the middle of the floor. The basin is about ten feet long, five feet wide, and three feet tall. It is filled with a steaming golden liquid . The red mirror on the eastern wall seems to be composed of fiery glass and framed in bronze. Light beams are broken by the mirror into myriad flames, and ghostly shapes seem to flicker in its depths. On the northern wall are two mirrors: a striking black one of obsidian framed in lacquered wood, and a stark white mirror with a wrought iron frame. The black mirror has a distinctive earthy odor and the blackness of subterranean caverns, but it seems of crude construction and reflects objects only when they are close to it. The white mirror has a pungent odor of nutmeg and spice, and its depths are gelid and smoky. The mirror that hangs on the western wall is in a stone frame and is blue in color. Reflections in this mirror ripple as if the viewer were looking into a pool of water. Red Mirror. A creature that looks into the red mirror sees a ghostly white form next to its own reflection. This mirror falsely predicts the viewer's death. The ghostly image takes on the appearance of a monster or a trap from this adventure. The image then assaults and kills the viewer's reflection. The mirror functions only once per character; after a character has this vision, the mirror becomes a normal mirror for that individual. A creature that touches the red mirror for the first time on a turn takes 2 (ld4) fire damage. Black Mirror. A creature that looks into the black mirror sees its reflection blur and then reappear in ancient garb as if depicting a previous incarnation. The image says, in Olman, "Command me to answer, and I shall." The image of a long-dead Olman is superimposed on the character's reflection. A command spell can cause the spirit to answer three yes-or-no questions (the oneword command is "Answer"). The spirit answers only questions spoken in Olman, and nods or shakes its head in response. Any creature that touches the black mirror must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw, or all valuable metals and gems in its possession turn into lead and glass. White Mirror. Reflections in the white mirror are blurred by what looks like a fine mist. Any creature that steps before this mirror and looks into it must make a CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
88 successful DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of the creature's next turn. If the saving throw fails, the mirror, which is really an ochre jelly of unusual color, comes out of the frame and falls upon the character. Behind this false mirror is a door, which can be opened once the jelly is removed. Blue Mirror. The mirror on the western wall is actually a window of magical glass that offers a view of a pool of water. Any character who touches the glass must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or be drawn through the glass, becoming submerged in the water. Weapons can be used to break the glass (AC 15, 20 hit points). If the glass is destroyed, the water in the pool and those trapped in it spill out into the room. Golden Liquid. Any nonmagical object immersed in the basin reacts with the fluid inside, which turns the object into gold for 1 hour. If any of the golden liquid is removed from the basin, it becomes colored water. 44. SUN OF MOTION In the center of this diamond-shaped room is a dais on which a weirdly formed altar rests. The altar is made to resemble a many-armed and beaked octopus-like creature with a large purple-red stone its forehead. The altar and floor are covered with dust. The walls of the room are decorated with paintings of the sun and moon in motion. Other images show people standing about a temple making sacrifices of flesh and blood, while the figure of a priest holds the heart of his latest victim above his head. Trapped Altar. The altar radiates an aura of transmutation magic if detect magic is cast on it. Any creature that touches the octopus figure sticks to the stone, becoming grappled (escape DC 15). Once a creature is stuck, the octopus-altar starts to spin, dragging the victim about the room. Within 1 round, the speed is too great for the victim to maintain footing, and the creature is dragged and bashed about, taking 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage at the end of each of its turns. A creature that comes free while the altar is spinning tumbles away from it and takes another 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage. The gem in the center of the altar has AC 17 and 15 hit points. If it is destroyed, the altar stops spinning and the character is released. The gem is a cursed stone, but it appears to be a jewel of value, and it can be pried from the altar. If the gem comes in contact with a creature's flesh, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by an Otto's irresistible dance spell, going into a spinning dance that lasts until the stone is released. To let go of the stone willingly, the creature must be the target of magic that removes a curse or breaks an enchantment. If the creature dances for a number of minutes equal to its Constitution score, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. The creature repeats the saving throw whenever the same number of minutes elapses again, suffering one more level of exhaustion on a failed save. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 45. ~ICTLAN (\Jeek-TLAN, Land of the Dead) - s room is decorated with a bizarre diorama depicting : eland of the dead. Small, brightly painted clay statues have been placed about the room to represent the inhabitants of this realm and the unfortunate people they have taken ,nto their care. In the center of the room, the floor rises to form a small hill. A group of small figures seem to be struggling to roll a boulder up the hill, while a devil drives them on. Above the hill in the ceiling is a glowing spot that illuminates the entire chamber with an eerie silver light. A cobblestone path leads from the western door to the foot of the hill. A similar path runs eastward and then veers south. Sections of the diorama around the perimeter of the room depict different environments in the land of the dead . In the western end of the room is a region of burning sands. There devils torture those who have been unfortunate enough to fall into their hands. Along the southern side is a grassy plain where people frolic and hunt antelope and deer. North of the grassy plain and south of the hill, the floor opens into a model of a canyon. A river of lava flows down it while flames lick the walls. East of the hill, in a side area of the room, is a counterpart to this fiery canyon-an icy waste. To the north of the hill is a putrid, bubbling marsh where figures strive to keep their heads above the surface. From out of the marsh a black, torpid river wends its way past the northern edge of the hill and flows west to pour over the lip of a steam-filled chasm in the northwest comer of the room. Within this dark chasm, worms pursue the fleeing forms of naked people. In the south comer of the room on the eastern wall is a barred door. The light in the ceiling comes from the walls of a chute that glows in the dark. The chimney can be reached by someone who climbs on the shoulders of another character, but to enter it, the character must brace back and legs against opposite walls because there are no protuberances to hold onto. The steeply inclined passage beyond is full of cobwebs and leads eventually to area 48. Each section of the diorama in this room has a magical aspect that affects any creatures that walk into the region. If the effect isn't instantaneous and isn't related to a spell, it can be dispelled with dispel magic cast as a 5th-level spell (or at a level stated in the effect). A creature on which a region's effect is dispelled is immune to the effect for 1 minute.
The two paths are free of magical effect . If cha.-a er \·eer off the paths, either unwittingly or wi h · e i ·en of exploring, apply the effects described belo \. ace ~ding o the areas they enter. Unless otherwise no ed. creaures can leave an area whenever they de ire. by either moving onto one of the paths or into an adjacen area. Hill. A magical force pushes those who climb to the op of the hill in a random direction. A creature that ends its turn on top of the hill must succeed on a DC 15 trength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet off the top of ·he hill and knocked prone. If a creature slips. roll a d4 :o see which direction it rolls off the hill. Burning Sands. Any creature that ends its turn in this region must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving ·hrow or start to bleed profusely from the nose. This hemorrhaging causes a loss of 1 hit point at the end of each of the creature's turns thereafter. If the creature .eaves the area, the bleeding stops at the end of its next turn. Grassy Plain. Any creature that enters this region must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or :-efuse to leave it. A creature affected by the magic is allowed another Wisdom saving throw every 24 hours . -bile the magic persists. A creature can repeat the saving throw every time it takes damage. If companions outside the area try to talk the creature into leaving, you can decide to allow the victim another saving throw. In any case, each time the saving throw is repeated, the DC ncreases by 1. Flames. Creatures that enter this section are affected a if by a heat metal spell cast at 3rd level (save DC 15). Jee. Creatures that enter this area are affected as if by 3rd-level heat metal spell (save DC 15), but the damage - cold instead of fire , and the creature has no chance of ropping a chilled object. M~arshes. Any creature that enters this area feels a :hortness of breath after 3 rounds and begins to suffo- :ate after 3 more rounds. River. Those who enter the river for the first time on a · .irn must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw r forget how they came to be here and why they are ere. A spellcaster also forgets how to cast one level of ~pells for each point by which the saving throw is failed, -·arting with the highest level the character knows. Forgotten spells can be prepared again. Dispel magic oesn't remove this effect, but remove curse or greater --estoration can. Pit of the Worms. Any character who enters this re- ;ion must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or e affected as if by a fear spell. -:-6.TLAZOTEOTL :laz-ohl-TAH-oh-tel, mother goddess of the earth) Beyond the door is a modest-sized room with a lumpy :,1 e of earthy material in the middle of the floor. Across 'rom the door in the southeast corner, a glazed flask ,ests on a small shelf. In the northwest and northeast corners are two more shelves on which rest a smal urn and a thin stone cylinder. Creature. When any character starts into this room the pile of earth, which is a gibbering mouther, opens one eye, and then another and another, until many eyes of different shapes and sizes stare at the party. All about the eyes are fanged, drooling mouths that begin a cacophony of babbling. The creature attacks until destroyed but doesn't leave the room. Treasure. The flask contains a dried potion of hill giant strength. The stone cylinder is a +J rod of the pact keeper. The urn holds the dried heart of a mighty yuan-ti that radiates transmutation magic if detect magic is used on it. Any character who eats the entire thing gains the permanent ability to understand the speech of snakes and yuan-ti. 47. SPIDER IN HIDING Creature. In a web-covered opening in the wall of the steeply inclined chute, 30 feet above the where the lower end meets the ceiling of area 45, lurks a giant spider. The spider's lair is 10 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. A character must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the tunnel or its occupant before the spider attacks. If the spider paralyzes its prey, it retreats into its lair with the prey to feed. In the Chute. The cramped quarters of the tunnel impose disadvantage on weapon attack rolls. Also, a creature in the chute struck by the spider must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity or Strength saving throw (player's choice). On a failed save, the creature slips down the chute 5 feet for every point by which the saving throw failed. If a creature falls 30 feet, it plummets out of the chute, taking falling damage accordingly and rollCHAPTER 3 THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF rAMOACHAN 89
90 ing in a random direction (roll a d4) after landing prone in area 45. The spider pursues prey into the chute, but is unlikely to emerge to fight in an open area. Upper End. The top of this passage is covered with a pewter basin, which requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to move. LOCATIONS ON THE THIRD TIER The tunnel that leads up from area 45 opens onto the third tier of the temple. The following locations are identified on map 3.1. 48. HOUND OF THE BAT The description below assumes that the characters entered the room by traveling through the chute and pushing aside the pewter cover. The tunnel comes out at the bottom of a stone ring that, from inside the room, resembles a well. (If they entered from the west, the pewter cover is still in place.) This room is small and plainly decorated. On the north and south sides are fountains made of bronze-inlaid marble. The southern one is cracked, and only dry limy deposits remain in it. The northern one contains about two feet of dark water, fed by a trickle that falls from the top of the fountain. In the water, the white , gauzy form of a crayfish lies on a bed of lime encrustations. To the west, stairs lead up out of the room, and to either side of the stairs along the west wall are narrow, dust covered ledges. Creature. The fouled water in the fountain contains a neutral evil water weird. It rises up and attacks characters who disturb the water. Treasure. The "crayfish" is nothing more than the shed shell of a long-expired resident of the fountain. Beneath it is a platinum key and chain (worth 20 gp). The key unlocks the portcullis that blocks the exit in area 53. 49. SACRED CHITZA-ATLAN (SHEET-zah AY-tlan) In the middle of this chamber is what appears to be the withered , preserved form of a centaur mounted on a slab of marble . Tinted green and decked out in lacquered leather, feathers, and copper wire jewelry, he faces the western entrance to this chamber. The centaur holds a bronze-hafted pike tipped with a broad, blue-gray, flameshaped spearhead. Scattered around the room are jewelry and knickknacks, made of beaten copper, cut and polished obsidian, shells, quartz, and coral. Much of this treasure is at the feet of the centaur, symbolically being trod underfoot. Two tall urns shaped like wicker baskets stand along the north wall, each one filled with river stones. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN Creature. The centaur figure is the mummified remain of a sacred offspring of Chitza-Atlan, the guardian of the gateway to the underworld. This guardian has two functions: to prevent any but the dead from entering the e ruins, and to keep those creatures in the ruins confined there. Thus, if any character tries to exit this room by any door other than the one entered from, the centaur mummy (see appendix B) animates and attacks the characters. The mummy will also defend itself if attacked. A word or a pass from Zotzilaha will gain free passage. Treasure. If all thejunkjewelry is taken (eight hundred pieces), the total value of the haul is 80 gp. The real treasure is concealed in the bottoms of the two urns. Buried beneath the stones are two crushed silver masks (worth 25 gp each), an electrum serpent bracelet (worth 50 gp), a broken marble statue of a monkey (50 gp), and four silver hairpins set with jade worth (5 gp each). 50. JADE WALL I Here a wall of green, polished stone blocks the way. This wall, which is 7 feet wide and 7 feet tall, is a trap for those attempting to break into the ruins. If any tampering is done to the wall, it falls west out into the anteroom. If the wall falls on a creature, the creature must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone under the wall, restrained. A successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check is needed to lift the stone wall off any trapped beneath it. 51. WIND TUNNEL This five-foot-diameter passage is dry and dusty, and it shows no sign of having been used for ages. Near the top of the corridor walls, about three feet from the ceiling, stone lintels run the length of the passage. The corridor abruptly widens to a cube fifteen feet on a side with a corrugated floor. In the ceiling of this area, a bronze, circular trapdoor is set. The cover is latched shut. In the four corners of this foyer are sets of metal rungs forming a ladder that leads up and across the arched ceiling to the trapdoor. The rungs are broken in several places, leaving rusty spikes. On the other side of this area, the corridor continues. Hazardous Hatch. Opening the hatch releases a whirlwind. The character who climbed up to open the hatch is hurled to the floor and takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage as the wind emerges and fills the 15-foot chamber. Thereafter, it costs 3 feet of speed to move 1 foot in the room. The hatch can't be shut, and the wind doesn't die down. Each creature that starts its turn in this area must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. (A character grasping the rungs of one of the ladders has advantage I
on the saving throw.) On a failed save, the \\i the creature 10 feet in a random direction. e c-ea· e takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage, and it i · oc ·ed prone. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, e creaure strikes one of the rusty spikes, taking an addi ·onal 3 (ld6) slashing damage. If a target thrown by the wind strikes an object. uch as a wall, the target takes another 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. If a target is thrown into another creature. hat creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity sav- 'ng throw or take 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage and be R11ocked prone. On a successful save, the creature takes alf the bludgeoning damage and isn't knocked prone. A creature that moves only by crawling on the floor, ing the corrugated surface to maintain one's grip, is safe from the wind. 52. THE HIDDEN ROOM OF NAHUAL . 'AH-wahl, alter ego) _-\ character can discover one of the secret doors to this :-oom by succeeding on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) -heck. Each door can be opened by reaching up above .·. grabbing the lintel or the molding on the wall about - feet above the floor, and pulling down. The secret oor then swings inward, but it closes 30 seconds later. These doors are counterweighted and can't be spiked pen. From the inside, either of the doors can be opened y pressing down on a stone projection to the right of it. When the characters exit one of the antechambers and pass into the room beyond, read: ~he walls of this chamber are painted flat black, while ·ri e floor is inlaid with a colorful mosaic of strange gods cavorting and leaping around a sun. An alcove in the center of the eastern wall is masked by a curtain of shells and beads. the characters push aside the curtain, read: Behind the curtain is the chalky form of a statue seated on a stone throne with its surface carved to depict feathers. The statue is wearing a feathered headdress and a reathered robe. Lying across its lap in its open palms is a scepter of gold and silver with an eagle's head crafted on one end and the talons of a bird holding a blazing sun on •ri e other. The most remarkable thing about the statue is rs face. ~he statue duplicates the face of the first person who en- ·ers this room. The scepter is worth 200 gp. It is stuck to · e palms of the statue, and only the character with the same face as the statue can lift the scepter. Once that character picks up the scepter, it provides · holder with visions of great battles of the past. The older is transfixed by the visions; others see the charter lose focus and begin to sweat. After 30 seconds, if till holding the scepter, the holder becomes petrified. At the same time, the statue becomes flesh and blood. Creature. The figure on the throne is a nahual, or alter-ego. It is essentially a doppelganger of chaotic evil alignment that is also a fiend (demon). It possesses the memories of the petrified character and tries to convince the party that it has just merged with the spirit of one of the character's earlier incarnations. Given a chance, the nahual leads the party to their deaths with false information gained from "memories" of its former life. The nahual must be slain and the scepter touched to the nahual's corpse to restore the petrified character. A greater restoration spell also works, before or after the nahual has been slain. 53. THE VALVE Before you is a foyer, ten feet wide and twenty feet long. A narrow hall connects with this area on the south side, and on the north end a five-foot-wide staircase leads up. A wheel is set horizontally half into the wall in the southwest corner. This wheel appears to be a crank. Above the wheel , a bronze lever is set in the wall, angled downward. CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SH Rf NE OF TAMOACHAN 91
92 Open and Shut. The stairs lead up to a blank wall that is the location of a secret door. This door can be opened by turning the wheel in the foyer. The wheel turns only after the lever is pushed up, and then only in one direction. Rotating the wheel opens the secret door, but it also opens the floor in front of the wheel to reveal a 10-foot-square pit, at the bottom of which can be seen a pale shimmer of bones. There is a 1-foot-wide ledge along the west edge of the pit for someone to stand on while working the wheel, and a 6-inch-wide footbridge of polished marble spans the center of the pit from west to east. Crossing this beam, which is difficult terrain, requires a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failed check, the character can't move farther during that turn. If the check fails by 5 or more, the character falls off the beam 30 feet to the bottom of the pit. If the crank is released once the secret door is open, it unwinds quickly, pulling the door shut. To prevent this, the lever can be pulled down to lock the wheel in place- but doing so causes a portcullis to fall across the entrance to the stairs. The portcullis can be lifted by a character who succeeds on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Easy Way Out. If the characters search the walls beside the portcullis, a keyhole can be discovered. The key from room 48 fits the lock, enabling the portcullis to be opened like a gate. Hard Way Out. In the ceiling directly above the pit, a thin slab that looks like ordinary stonework conceals a sloping tunnel that leads upward. The slab can't be detected or manipulated from this side. TEMPLE GROUNDS The inset on map 3.1 depicts what is left of the shrine at ground level. 54. TEMPLE RUIN This was apparently a large temple of some sort. Once a major building, all that remains are the back wall and enough of the roof to shelter the altar. All else seems closed off by fallen debris. Several pillars have fallen and they litter the floor. Sunlight filters through holes in the roof, thirty-five feet overhead, which is a maze of chips and cracks. The back wall is covered by a bas-relief of a giant bat-thing, nine feet tall, with a wingspan of twenty feet. In front of this wall is an altar stone, carved to represent a mass of squirming rats, weasels, and worms. On the front of the altar is the head of a screaming bat. Jutting above the altar on either side are a pair of sharpedged, metal bat-wings, eight feet long. The floor in front of the altar is worn smooth. Field of Rubble. The temple area is filled with debris that offers no obvious passage to the interior. In the center of the south edge is an area where rubble is heaped CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN m-er an opening that seems to lead down deeper into the debris. It i haky and can be collapsed easily-any force applied to the heap by a creature with Strength 15 or higher will bring the rocks down. This rubble can also be caused to collapse by hurting a weighty object at it or using a spell such as thunderwave to create the needed force. Those within 10 feet of the collapse must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage from falling debris. Climbing elsewhere on the debris causes a minor collapse. dealing 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage to each climber. Each climber must also succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be buried by the debris, taking 7 (3d4) more bludgeoning damage. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the debris engulfs the digger completely, and the trapped character can't breathe until dug out. Struggling out on one's own requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, and doing so takes 1 minute. Any of these sorts of collapses open no access to the inside. Fragile Roof. Each time a creature ends its turn on the portion of the roof that remains standing, there is a 20 percent chance that the roof beneath its feet gives way. The creature falls 35 feet, to the rubble below, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. Trapdoor Entrance. If the characters begin their investigations of the hidden shrine by arriving at the temple, they need to find a way in. One route is by way of a trapdoor in the floor about 10 feet in front of the altar. A character can discover the seam of the door with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Any creature that walks across the top of the door has a 1-in-12 chance of triggering it, for the mechanism is old, and long disuse has made it unreliable. Any skilled character's reasonable attempt to keep the door from opening works. Forcing the door to stay open requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. The trapdoor opens onto a slide that emerges above the pit in area 53. Anyone who slides down the tunnel to the hidden hatch at the other end is dumped into that room. Secret Entrance. The second way to enter the tombs below is through a secret door hidden behind the left wing of the giant bat-thing carved upon the wall. A character can locate the door with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. The door can be opened if a character places a limb into the mouth of the carving. If this occurs, the mouth clamps shut; the teeth puncture the limb, dealing 11 (2d10) piercing damage; and a giant batwing folds out from the wall to reveal the passage. A creature trapped in the bat's mouth is grappled (escape DC 12) but doesn't take further damage. The mechanical nature of the latch becomes apparent to any creature that examines the mouth of the bat sculpture and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If the check succeeds by 10 or more, the creature deduces that the function of the mouth can be activated by placing any object (not necessarily an extremity) into it. This information can also be obtained by a creature that examines the mouth further and then succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Once the wing has moved to reveal the secret door, : ,·eils the lower half of the carving's face and the bat's lack eyes start to glow. Any character who looks at · em must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw -r be paralyzed. A creature can repeat the saving throw the end of each minute or whenever it takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. The ::!feet ends after 1 hour, or earlier if any magical light is shone on the altar. Development. After the secret door to the shrine is pened, a giant hyena moves into this area. It makes a .air behind a fallen pillar to the east, waiting to ambush ny who emerge back through the door. Hinged Altar Trap. Close inspection of the altar reeals handholds along the front side and hinges at the ack, indicating that the altar can be lifted from the ·ront and tipped on its side. This can be accomplished 0• the combined effort of up to three characters with total Strength of 30 or higher. If the altar is lifted uickly by characters in a standing position, the metal ·ings whip through an arc from the sides of the altar ·o the front center about 4 feet off the floor. Each wing's ading edge is razor-sharp. Anyone in the path of a i ng must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw -r take 13 (3d8) slashing damage. If a wing misses its .::rst target, it sweeps past that creature with the possiility of striking another creature along the same path. If the altar is tilted by characters while they are in a kneeling position, the wings whistle harmlessly overhead. The other way to avoid the trap is by being careful in the lifting. The mechanism for the trap is inside the altar. Characters who lift the altar slowly and look underneath it can easily spot the levers and joints that connect with the bladed wings. The characters can prop the altar up, enabling someone to crawl under and disable the trap. Doing that requires 10 minutes of work and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Treasure. Beneath the altar is an 8-foot-deep pit in which are many items of value and two bodies cut in half. The treasure is very bulky. Resting on and buried in a pile of 20,000 silver pieces are the following items: fifty silver chased goblets (worth 5 gp each), twenty gold-plated statuettes (10 gp apiece), forty embossed silver chalices and servings (5 gp each), eighty pieces of jewelry (5 gp apiece), fifty mother-of-pearl pieces (1 gp each), a jade placard bearing the image of Zot - zilaha (100 gp), and a marble statue of a reclining fig. ure (50 gp). It is very likely that if large portions of this treasure are taken, Zotzilaha finds out about it and sends a vampire or a giant bat to seek retribution. 'ft CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN 93
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WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN HITE PLUME MOUNTAIN HAS ALWAYS been a subject of superstitiou awe to the neighboring villagers. People still travel many miles to gaze upon this natural wonder, though few will approach it closely, as it is reputed to be the haunt of various demons and devils. The occasional disappearance of those who stray too close to the ~.ume reinforces this belief. Thirteen hundred years ago, the wizard Keraptis was ;,ea rching for a suitable haven where he could indulge eccentricities without fear of interference. He visited "h ite Plume Mountain, going closer than most dared o. and discovered the system of old lava-tubes that :ddle the cone and the underlying strata. With a little reration, he thought, these would be perfect for his urposes. The area already had a bad reputation, and ~e could think of a few ways to make it worse. So he disppeared below White Plume Mountain and vanished om the knowledge of the surface world. Today, the once-feared name of Keraptis is not widely · own even among learned scholars. Or it was not idely known, that is, until several weeks ago, when -· ee highly valued magic weapons named Wave, , h elm, and Blackrazor disappeared from the vaults of eir owners. Rewards were posted, servants hanged, = :en the sanctuary of the thieves' guild was violated in · e frantic search for the priceless arms, but not even a ingle clue was turned up until the weapons' former ·ners each received a copy of the following note: S earch ye far or search ye near You'll find no trace of the three Unless you follow instructions clear For the weapons abide with me. . orth past forest, farm and furrow You must go to the feathered mound Then down away from the sun you'll burrow Forget life, forget light, forget sound. To rescue Wave, you must do battle With the Beast in the Boiling Bubble Crost cavern vast, where chain-links rattle Lies Whelm, past water-spouts double. Blackrazor yet remains to be won Underneath inverted ziggurat. That garnered, think not that you're done For now you'll find you are caught I care not, former owners brave What heroes you seek to hire. Though mighty, I'll make each one my slave Or send him to the fire . . -\II the notes were signed with the symbol of Kera pt is. White Plume Mountain has tentatively been identified as the "feathered mound" of the poem. The former owners of Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazor are outfitting a group of intrepid heroes to take up the challenge. If the adventurers can rescue the weapons from this false Keraptis (for who can believe it is really the magician of legend, after thirteen hundred years?), the wealthy collectors have promised to grant them whatever they desire, if it is within their power to do so. RUNNING THE ADVENTURE This version of White Plume Mountain is designed for a group of 8th-level player characters. Your players will need both brains and brawn to successfully complete their mission, as there are situations here which cannot be resolved by frontal assault. If your players are unused to hack-proof dilemmas, they may find this adventure frustrating or even boring. But if your players are used to using their wits, they should find this an intriguing balance of problems and action. Unless you are used to mastering lengthy adventures, it will probably take more than one session for a party to investigate all three branches of the dungeon. If this is the case, it would be best if the party were required to leave the dungeon and reenter upon resumption of the game. If they stay in the nearest village (several miles away) they will be relatively safe, but if they camp near White Plume Mountain it would be a good idea to roll for random encounters. ADVENTURE START The party has arrived at White Plume Mountain, which stands alone in a vast area of dismal moors and tangled thickets. They will probably arrange to leave their horses and possessions either at the nearest village (about 5 miles from the mountain) or hidden in the Dead Gnoll's Eye Socket, a small natural cave in the side of a hill about 2 miles from the Plume. There is really no PLACING TH E ADVEN T URE White Plume Mountain is located in the Greyhawk campaign setting, in the northeastern part of the Shield Lands, near the Bandit Kingdoms and the Great Rift. Here are suggestions for where you can place the moun· tain in another world. Wherever you place it, the party may be required to journey to the vicinity through the wilderness. How they get there is up to you. Forgotten Realms. The mountain can be placed near Mount Hotenow in the region of Neverwinter. Dragon/once. Found near Neraka in the Khalkist Moun· tains, the mountain might be a place of interest not only to adventurers, but also to the armies ofTakhisis. Eberron. On the continent ofXen'Drik, the mountain could stand in the range known as the Fangs of Argarak. CHAPTER 4 I WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN 95
96 other shelter available. The villagers know about the cave and may have mentioned it. If the party leaves no guard, they will just have to trust the villagers not to steal their belongings. (Dishonest villagers will have to weigh their fear of White Plume Mountain against their certain belief that the party will never be seen again.) The cave is easily barricaded to keep out unintelligent wandering monsters. White Plume Mountain is an almost perfectly conical volcanic hill formed from an ancient slow lava leakage. It is about 1,000 yards in diameter at the base, and rises about 800 feet above the surrounding land. The white plume that gives the mountain its name and fame is a continuous geyser that spouts from the very summit of the mountain another 300 feet into the air, trailing off to the east under the prevailing winds like a great white feather. The spray collects in depressions downslope and merges into a sizable stream. Steam vents are visible in various spots on the slopes of the mountain, but none of them are large enough to allow entry. Map 4.1 depicts a cross-section of the mountain, showing the lava pool and the shaft of the geyser. The numbers refer to key areas inside the mountain, showing their orientation with respect to one another. The only possible entrance into the cone is a cave on the south slope known as the Wizard's Mouth. This cave actually seems to breathe, exhaling a large cloud of steam and then slowly inhaling, like a person breathing on a cold day. Each cycle takes about 30 seconds. Approaching the cave, the party will hear a whistling noise coinciding with the wind cycle. If it were not for the continuous roaring of the Plume, this whistling could be heard for a great distance. The cave is about 8 feet in diameter and 40 feet long. At the end of the cave, near the roof, is a long, horizontal crevice about a foot wide. The air is sucked into this crack at great speed, creating the loud whistling noise and snuffing out torches. Shortly the rush of air slows down, stops for a couple of seconds, and then comes back out in a great blast of steam. This steam is not hot enough to scald anyone who keeps low and avoids the crevice, but it does make the cave very uncomfortable, like a hot sauna bath interrupted by blasts of cold air . • ABOUT THE 0RICINAL The ceiling and walls of the cave are slick with the condensed steam that runs down them. The floor is covered with several inches of fine muck. Only careful probing of the muck near the back of the cave will reveal a mall trapdoor with a rusted iron ring set in it. Once the muck has been cleared away, a successful DC 20 trength check is required to pull up the encrusted door. :\lagic such as knock or passwall can also help open or bypass the door. Directly beneath the door is a 20-foot-square vertical shaft and the beginning of a spiral staircase that leads down. DUNGEON: GENERAL FEATURES All corridors in the dungeon are 10 feet in height, and have been carved out of and, in some places, seemingly melted through solid rock. Unless otherwise noted, doors are 8 feet by 8 feet, made of oak and bound in iron. Though the doors are swollen by the dampness, and thus difficult to open (requiring a successful DC 15 Strength check), the wood is not by any means rotten. The water on the floor is about 1 foot deep, and the floor itself is covered with slippery mud. Except where flights of steps lead up out of it, this scummy water covers the floors of all rooms and corridors. The water and mud reduce average movement by one-third (speed 30 becomes 20, speed 20 becomes 15), and will necessitate continuous probing of the floor by the party as they advance. It will be very difficult to keep silent, run (without falling), or depend on invisibility (waves and foot-shaped holes in the water give one away). RANDOM ENCOUNTERS Check once every 10 minutes for random encounters by rolling a d12; an encounter occurs on a roll of l. If an encounter is indicated, roll a d6 and refer to the table below. These are monsters that Keraptis has released into the dungeon specifically for the purpose of giving the intruders a hard time. All will attack immediately. The ogres and the bugbears are magically controlled and cannot be persuaded to betray Keraptis. White Plume Mountain, by Lawrence Schick, was originally published in 1979 as an adventure for the first edition of the D&D game. Schick related in the 2013 compilation Dungeons of Dread that he wrote the adventure as a way of persuading Gary Gygax to hire him as a game designer . • CHAPTER 4 I WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN
d6 Encounter l black pudding 2 ld4 + l bugbears 3 2 gargoyles 4 l invisible stalker 5 ld3 ogres 6 ld2 wights LOCATIONS IN THE DUNGEON -:- he following locations are identified on map 4.2. 1. SPIRAL STAIRCASE -he staircase is badly rusted but appears to be sturdy. -he air inside the passageway is warm, humid, and rather :oul. You reach the bottom of the stairs with a splash- :rie floor is submerged beneath a foot of water! : he spiral staircase descends about 100 feet before »nding in area 1. Sensitive characters will feel it thrum- -ning to a continuous low vibration (this vibration from e Plume geyser will be noticeable everywhere in the ~ ngeon). In the humidity, lamps and torches will burn ..;·fully and give off a lot of smoke. THE LEGEND OF KERAPTIS in the original publication of White Plume Mountain, "The Legend of Keraptis" was presented on the inside back cover. Although these details of the wizard's former life don't play a direct part in the adventure, a DM who shares th is information with the players can deepen the characters' understanding of the situation and strengthen their motivation for delving beneath the mountain. Well over a millennium ago, the wizard Keraptis rose to power in the valleys of the northern mountains, bringing the local warlords under his thumb with gruesome th reats-threats that were fulfilled just often enough to keep the leaders in line. Under Keraptis's overlordship, the influx of rapacious monsters and raids from the wild mountains decreased markedly, dwindled, and then almost stopped. Seeing this, the populace did not put up much resistance to paying the wizard's heavy taxes and tithes, especially when stories were circulated of what happened to those who balked. Any nobles who protested disappeared in the night and were replaced by the next in the line of succession, who was usually inclined to be more tractable than the previous lord. Gradually, as dissension was stilled, the taxes and levies became even more burdensome, until eventually the wizard was taking a great piece of everything that was grown, made, or sold in the valleys, including the newborn young of livestock. Around this time, numerous reports arose in the land concerning sudden madness, demon ic possessions, and sightings of apparitions and undead. Furthermore, monstrous incursions into the settled lands began to Cutaway View (viewed from north) MAP 4.,: CUTAWAY VIEW increase as raiding parties of humanoids assaulted villages, and evil and fantastic monsters appeared from nowhere to prey upon the harried peasants. At the height of this unrest, Keraptis's tax collectors came forth with word of a new levy: one-third of all newborn children were henceforth to be turned over to the wizard. That edict turned out to be the tipping point. As one, the people rose up to overwhelm the wizard's lackeys and marched on his keep, where, led by a powerful and good cleric and his ranger acolytes, they destroyed Keraptis's final guardians. The great wizard barely managed to escape, accompanied only by his personal bodyguard company of deranged and fanatical evil gnomes. Keraptis fled to the cities of the south and west, but wherever he went, his reputation preceded him, and he was unable to stay anywhere for long. Once again moving north, he came to the shores of the Lake of Unknown Depths, where he heard tales about haunted White Plume Mountain. After investigating further, he at last found the refuge he was looking for in the tangled maze of volcanic tunnels beneath the cone. He and his gnomes vanished into the shadow of the Plume, and humankind heard no more of the evil wizard. That was almost thirteen hundred years before the present day. Now, seemingly, the hand of Keraptis is once again interfering in human affairs. If it is in truth the ancient wizard at work here, can he be thwarted before his power grows once more? What is his purpose in presenting this bizarre challenge to the world's heroes? There is only one way to find out. CHAPTER 4 I WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN 97
98 MAP 4 ,2: WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN Floating on the water are splotches of green and white subterranean algae. This algae or algae-like fungus also clings in patches to walls and ceilings. It is harmless, and can be found almost everywhere in the dungeon where there is water. 2. RIDDLING GUARDIAN A rather mangy, bedraggled gynosphinx squats in the space where the three corridors converge. A wall of force along the south side separates the gynosphinx from those who approach from that direction. This wall of force is weaker than most, and can be brought down by disintegrate, dispel magic, or passwall. The sphinx will let the characters pass (by removing the wall of force) if they can answer the following riddle: Round she is, yet flat as a board Altar of the Lupine Lords jewel on black velvet, pearl in the sea Unchanged but e'erchanging, eternally The answer is "the Moon." If the wall of force is destroyed or circumvented, the sphinx will attack. 3. HIDDEN SLIME Midway along the corridor that runs northeast, the floor is covered by a large patch of green slime (see "Dungeon CHAPTER 4 I WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN Hazards" in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). Because the slime is covered by water, it is not easily detectable, and characters might walk through it and not even notice they have done so until it has eaten through their boots and started on their feet. 4. GLASS GLOBES The door to this room appears normal on the way in: a large iron-bound oak door, swollen by dampness and difficult to open. When the characters have entered the room (or as many of them as are going in), the door will slam shut behind them. No tools, weapons, or magic available to the adventurers will open the door or prevent it from closing. Only the proper key inserted in the keyhole on the inside of the door will unlock it. In the room, suspended from the ceiling by unbreakable wires, are nine silvered glass spheres, each about 2 feet in diameter. Unless otherwise noted, magically looking inside a sphere, such as with a clairvoyance spell or a ring of x-ray vision, will show that it contains some apparent treasure and a key. (Each sphere holds a key, but only one of the keys opens the door.) A good, hard crack with a weapon will shatter any of the spheres (each has AC 13 and 3 hit points), dropping its contents (if not caught) into the muck below.
~umber the globes 1 through 9 for your own refer- ~nce. The globes contain the following items: phere 1. Three folded-up shadows, 300 worthless lead pieces, and a false key. (The shadows aren't visible to magical inspection.) phere 2. A spell scroll of fear and a false key. phere 3.Jewelry worth 12,000 gp, a false key, and an angry air elemental. phere 4. A potion of flying and a false key. phere 5. Eleven worthless glass gems and a false key. phere 6. Phony glass jewelry, a false key, and a gray ooze. (The ooze fills the entire globe and isn't visible o magical inspection.) phere 7. A spell scroll of hold person and a false key. phere 8. The actual key and a silver ring. When the ring is released from the sphere, it speaks to the characters telepathically: Stop before you put me on. I confer the following :,ewers upon my wearer: invisibility, haste, immunity to c'larms,jly once per day, detect magic, and one wish. I a so provide the benefits of protection and spell turning. -ne only drawback is that once a year I permanently eat a small part of your life. I must be worn before I can leave ;n s room; merely carrying me away is not possible. If e,er I am removed from my wearer's finger, however, all ,.,y powers are lost. So you must decide right now who II wear me forever." This situation is a basic loyalty and intelligence test. Will the party members cut each others' throats over he ring? Will they be suspicious enough to simply eave it alone? If they take time to think about it, they'll likely realize that the ring must be a hoax. Someone who puts it on can cause it to exhibit any of the powers mentioned above, except for the wish pell, as long as it remains in the room. While it is located here, the ring enables the wearer to produce the indicated spell effects at will (except for fly), and it also acts as a ring of spell turning and a ring of protection. Once the ring leaves the area, however, it has no abilities and can't talk. phere 9. Gems worth 600 gp and a false key. 5. NUMBERED GOLEMS ;: ve flesh golems are clustered against the north wall. Each has a number on its chest: 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. Num- :,er 5 says, "One of us does not belong with the others. 'you can pick it out, it will serve you, and the others will a low you passage. If you pick the wrong one, we will kill .ou. You have sixty seconds." - he correct choice is 9, because it is not a prime umber. Give the players an actual 60 seconds to fig- ~e it out. M AP 4.3: G EYSE R S AN D CHAINS If the characters give the wrong answer, roll initiative. The golems lumber forward to confront the intruders, trying to prevent anyone from moving through the door to the north. The monsters will pursue enemies that flee to the south, but they won't climb the stairs that led to area 6. If the characters answer the riddle correctly, events unfold as promised: the golem numbered 9 becomes an ally of the party, accompanying the characters if they so desire, and the other four golems become inert again. 6. TURNSTILE l A short flight of stairs leads up to a dry corridor. Just around the corner is a turnstile. The characters will discover that the turnstile rotates in only one direction (counterclockwise). They can pass through it easily when moving to the east, but it will probably have to be destroyed on the way back. A golem or a strong character could rip it out with a successful DC 24 Strength (Athletics) check. l CHAPTER 4 I WHITE PLl \IE MOUNTAIN 99
