Tomb of Annihilation
Tomb of Annihilation
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Introduction
Introduction
Story Overview
Running the Adventure
Starting the Adventure
Welcome to Chult
Appendix C: Discoveries
Flora and Fauna
Magic Items
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Credits
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Introduction ↑
Something evil is trapping the souls of the dead and draining life from all who have been raised from death by magic. This worldwide “death curse”
not only prevents the raising of the dead but also causes creatures that were previously raised from the dead to wither and die. The source of this
death curse lies in a trap-riddled tomb hidden beneath a lost city in the depths of a vast jungle.
Tomb of Annihilation is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure that takes place on the peninsula of Chult in the Forgotten Realms. Chult is a tropical
wilderness composed mostly of jungles, plateaus, impassable mountains, and belching volcanoes. You can substitute a different jungle setting,
changing location names as needed. Alternative D&D settings include the Amedio Jungle of Oerth, the Savage Coast of Mystara, the jungles of
Xen’drik on Eberron, or a comparable setting on your home campaign world.
This adventure is designed to begin with a party of four to six 1st-level characters, who should advance to 11th level or higher by the adventure’s
conclusion.
Story Overview ↑
The characters are drawn into the story by Syndra Silvane, a retired adventurer and merchant who, years ago, was raised from the dead. Now, she’s
withering away. When she consulted priests, Syndra learned that the affliction was widespread and that no spell could cure it. She spoke to her
friends among the Harpers, who determined the source of the affliction: an ungodly necromantic device called the Soulmonger. The Harpers received
their intelligence from a lich, but they don’t know much about the Soulmonger other than its name and general whereabouts. Adventurers willing to
help Syndra must travel to Chult, a land of jungles and monsters, to find the Soulmonger and destroy it.
Unknown to Syndra and her allies, the Soulmonger is trapping the souls of the dead and depriving liches of the means to trap souls in their
phylacteries. (The Soulmonger snatches up the souls before they can be trapped elsewhere.) Szass Tam, the most powerful lich among the Red
Wizards of Thay, has sent operatives to Chult to steal the Soulmonger or, failing that, destroy it. Leading the Thayan expedition is Szass Tam’s
devoted lieutenant, Valindra Shadowmantle. Valindra has been warned that adventurers might cross her path, so she’s prepared for them.
Also lurking in the heart of Chult is Ras Nsi, a mythic, villainous figure among Chultans. Ras Nsi was a human paladin and a sworn protector of the
city of Mezro. He betrayed his oaths and was banished. Rather than redeem himself, he raised an undead army to conquer Mezro. The would-be
tyrant was defeated and banished once more. Mezro was later destroyed by the Spellplague (or so it seemed), during which Ras Nsi lost his power to
create and command undead. He withdrew to the city of Omu, leaving the vestiges of his undead army to roam unchecked throughout the jungle.
That was not the end of Ras Nsi, however. Bitter over his loss of power, he forged an alliance with the yuan-ti lurking in the ruins of Omu and
underwent a ritual of transformation, becoming a yuan-ti malison. As a yuan-ti, Ras Nsi imposed his terrible will on the evil snake people and became
their leader.
Beneath the cracked and broken streets of Omu lies a secret yuan-ti temple called the Fane of the Night Serpent, where Ras Nsi holds sway and plots
to bring about the end of the world. Omu is also home to the Tomb of the Nine Gods. As the characters explore this multilevel dungeon, they
encounter the spirits of Omu’s trickster gods and are potentially inhabited by them. Each god embodies a different alignment, and any character
inhabited by one gains a special power as well as a flaw. The nine trickster gods don’t get along, and they try to push one another out of the
characters’ bodies. As the gods fight over their living hosts, the characters must deal with the deadly traps and monsters that guard the Soulmonger.
Venturing deeper into the tomb, they uncover clues about the dungeon’s evil architect — the archlich Acererak — and learn that the Soulmonger is
feeding souls to an undead horror called an atropal. Once it consumes enough souls, the atropal will transform into an evil god.
Destroying the Soulmonger ends the death curse affecting the world, while killing the atropal incurs the wrath of Acererak. Under normal
circumstances, the enraged archlich would be far too great a foe for mortal adventurers to overcome, but with the trickster gods of Omu on their side,
the heroes have a fighting chance.
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a
location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text.
The Monster Manual and Volo’s Guide to Monsters contain stat blocks for most of the creatures found in this adventure. You don’t need the latter
reference to run Tomb of Annihilation, as all the necessary stat blocks from Volo’s Guide to Monsters are included with the new monsters in appendix
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D.
When a creature’s name appears in bold type, that’s a visual cue pointing you to its stat block in the Monster Manual. If a stat block appears in
appendix D, the adventure’s text tells you so.
Spells and equipment mentioned in the adventure are described in the Player’s Handbook. Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide,
unless the adventure’s text directs you to an item’s description in appendix C.
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used throughout this adventure:
N = Neutral
Adventure Summary
The adventure is likely to play out as follows.
The adventurers are teleported to Port Nyanzaru, the only major settlement in Chult. After exploring the city (chapter 1), they embark on an expedition
into the wilds of Chult (chapter 2), eventually finding the ruined city of Omu (chapter 3). The characters don’t know that Omu is their ultimate
destination from the outset; they must find clues or evidence pointing in that direction.
In this adventure, three creatures know that the cause of the death curse lies in Omu: Grandfather Zitembe in Port Nyanzaru, Valindra Shadowmantle
in the Heart of Ubtao, and Saja N’baza in Orolunga. Several creatures know Omu’s location: the guides Eku and Salida in Port Nyanzaru, Valindra
Shadowmantle in the Heart of Ubtao, the aarakocra of Kir Sabal, Zalkoré of Nangalore, Saja N’baza in Orolunga, and the red dragon Tzindelor in
Wyrmheart Mine. If the characters are unable to locate Omu or ascertain the source of the death curse, the following additional creatures might
possess the knowledge they seek, at your discretion: Krr’ook in Dungrunglung, Nephyr in Firefinger, Nanny Pu’pu in Mbala, Bwayes O’tamu in the
wreck of the Narwhal, the survivors of the Star Goddess shipwreck, and Red Wizards under Valindra Shadowmantle’s command.
As the adventurers explore Omu, they are either captured by yuan-ti or forced to confront them in their underground temple (chapter 4). Not far from
the yuan-ti temple is the entrance to the Tomb of the Nine Gods (chapter 5). The Soulmonger lies deep within the tomb, which is riddled with puzzles,
traps, monsters, and magical wards. Best case scenario: the adventure concludes with the destruction of the Soulmonger and the heroes’ daring
escape from the tomb. Worst case scenario: the characters succumb to the evil of Acererak, and their souls are devoured.
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WHO IS ACERERAK?
Acererak is a powerful lich known and feared throughout the multiverse. Much of his past is forgotten, but ancient texts assert that
he comes from a world called Oerth.
Acererak travels the planes in search of artifacts. When he finds something useful or interesting, he locks it away. Although he’s
powerful enough to pursue godhood as other liches have done (Vecna being a prime example), Acererak has no interest in being a
god or being worshiped. He prefers to create evil gods and unleash them on mortals and immortals who oppose him.
Despite passing up opportunities for godhood, Acererak attracts his fair share of followers and worshipers. He doesn’t grant spells,
nor does he give his devotees much of his precious time. Mostly he likes to watch them suffer and die as a result of their magical
pursuits and folly.
Although he has lived on many worlds and crafted countless demiplanes, Acererak spends most of his time building tombs. He fills
each one with treasure to attract powerful adventurers. He then kills them off in terrible fashion, using deadly traps and monsters
while baiting and ridiculing them. The terror he evokes scars their souls, which he traps in his phylactery, the location of which is
one of the multiverse’s greatest secrets.
Not too long ago by human standards, Acererak found an atropal adrift at the edge of the Negative Plane and built the Soulmonger
to nourish it to godhood. The lich chose one of his tombs — specifically the Tomb of the Nine Gods on Toril — to serve as the
atropal’s nursery.
Death Curse
Understanding how Acererak’s death curse works is vital to running the adventure smoothly.
The Soulmonger was activated 20 days ago and remains active until it is destroyed. While the Soulmonger is active, the following effects are in play:
Any humanoid on the planet that has been brought back from the dead begins to waste away. Its hit point maximum is reduced by 20 (1 for each day
the Soulmonger has been active) and decreases by 1 every midnight until the Soulmonger is destroyed. If a humanoid’s hit point maximum drops to
0, it dies. Traveling to another world or plane does nothing to halt the wasting effect once it has begun.
A humanoid whose hit point maximum is reduced can’t increase or restore it. This is true whether the creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by the
Soulmonger or by some other life-draining effect, such as the touch of a wight, wraith, or similar creature.
If a humanoid dies anywhere on the planet, its soul becomes trapped inside the Soulmonger. Only the destruction of the Soulmonger can free the
trapped soul.
Any spell that breathes life into the dead (including revivify, raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection) automatically fails if cast on a humanoid
whose soul is either trapped in the Soulmonger or has been devoured by the atropal (see “Soul Devouring” below).
The Soulmonger does not affect the workings of speak with dead spells or similar magic. The death curse has no effect on preexisting ghosts or
spirits.
Meat Grinder
Tomb of Annihilation can be played as written, or you can make it even more difficult by running it as a meat grinder. This mode of play is suitable for
experienced players who have highly optimized characters and who don’t mind putting those characters in jeopardy for the sake of a good challenge.
It is less ideal for players who are inexperienced or get anxious at the thought of losing their characters.
You must choose to run the adventure as a meat grinder from the very beginning. In this mode of play, the Soulmonger gains the power to draw
characters who are close to death, and the following rule applies:
A death saving throw succeeds on a roll of 15 or higher (instead of 10 or higher). This effect ends when the Soulmonger is destroyed. Other rules
concerning death saving throws remain unchanged.
Soul Devouring
The soul of any humanoid that dies while the death curse is active becomes trapped inside the Soulmonger. The soul remains there until it is
consumed by the atropal or the Soulmonger is destroyed.
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Once a soul becomes trapped in the Soulmonger, it’s only a matter of time before the atropal devours it. You can determine the status of a trapped
soul at dawn on any given day by secretly rolling a d20. On a roll of 2 or higher, the soul remains trapped in the Soulmonger, at least until the next
dawn. A roll of 1 indicates that the soul was devoured by the atropal. A creature whose soul is devoured in this horrific manner can’t be returned to
life by any means, including divine intervention.
If the Soulmonger is destroyed and you haven’t been tracking the status of a particular soul trapped within, grab a handful of d20s — one die for each
day the soul was trapped — and roll them together. If you roll a 1 on any of the dice, the soul was devoured before it could be set free.
Spells such as commune and divination can be used to determine whether a soul has been devoured or whether it’s still trapped in the Soulmonger.
How many souls must the atropal devour to become a god? It could be thousands or millions. Ultimately it’s the DM’s call, but the default assumption
is that this apotheosis could take months or years.
Replacement Characters
The death curse means that, for the most part, dead characters stay dead. If a character dies and there’s no reasonable way for the player to continue
playing that character, you can have the player create a new character. A replacement character should be the same level as the rest of the party.
Chult attracts adventurers from all over the world, and the activation of the Soulmonger draws even more adventurers than usual to its untamed
wilderness. The player characters are among the earliest to arrive, but adventurers from across the globe begin to converge in Chult as the crisis
mounts. It should not be difficult to introduce new characters to replace those who have perished. A new character might be the last surviving
member of a doomed expedition, a guide who has lived in Chult for years, a lone explorer seeking glory or treasure, or someone racing against time to
save a loved one affected by the death curse. Work with the player to come up with a story that makes sense, given the circumstances.
Ticking Clock
Tomb of Annihilation is a time-bomb adventure. In other words, time is of the essence. The characters are under pressure to find and destroy the
Soulmonger quickly, since many lives depend on it.
Time pressure aside, Chult is a land ripe with adventure possibilities, and characters might be drawn by curiosity or circumstance to locations such
as the garden ruin of Nangalore, the dwarven forge of Hrakhamar, or the pirate haven of Jahaka Anchorage. Such locations present dangers that,
when overcome, prepare the characters for greater threats awaiting them in Omu. If the characters reach Omu too soon, they probably won’t be high
enough level to survive there for long. When the characters make inquiries about Omu, paint the lost city as a terrifying place so that players feel the
tension of wanting to get there quickly, but not too quickly.
Character Advancement
Characters begin the adventure at 1st level and gain XP by defeating monsters. After each game session, add up all the XP earned and distribute it
evenly among the party members. If the characters gain enough XP to advance a level, encourage your players to level up their characters before the
next session. Ideally, the characters should fall within the desired level range for each chapter of the adventure, as shown in the Suggested Character
Levels table.
You can slow the rate of advancement by withholding XP, “banking” it until you’re ready for the party to level up. Conversely, you can hasten level
advancement by awarding ad hoc XP for making discoveries, completing goals, roleplaying well, and surviving or avoiding deadly traps. Any such ad
hoc award should be no more than what the characters would earn for defeating a monster with a challenge rating equal to their level. For example, a
fair ad hoc award for a party of 2nd-level adventurers would be 450 XP, which is what the characters would earn for defeating a challenge rating 2
monster. As with other XP awards, the amount should be divided evenly among all party members.
As the DM, you can dispense with XP tracking and allow characters to gain levels at whatever pace suits your campaign, using the Suggested
Character Levels table as your guide.
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Chult is loaded with fun distractions, alluring locations, and opportunities for characters to explore. Consequently, it can be hard to gauge what level
the characters will be when they arrive at adventure locations. Again, let the Suggested Character Levels table guide you. For example, if the
characters are 4th level and about to stumble into Omu (chapter 3), you might want to steer them in a different direction, throw random encounters at
them until they’ve reached 5th level, advance them to 5th level automatically, or adjust encounters in Omu to make the threats easier toovercome.
To get things rolling, read or paraphrase the following introductory text to the players:
For the past several days, the talk of the streets and taverns has all been about the so-called death curse: a wasting disease
afflicting everyone who’s ever been raised from the dead. Victims grow thinner and weaker each day, slowly but steadily sliding
toward the death they once denied. When they finally succumb, they can’t be raised — and neither can anyone else, regardless of
whether they’ve ever received that miracle in the past. Temples and scholars of divine magic are at a loss to explain a curse that has
affected the entire region, and possibly the entire world.
At this point, invite the players to explain why their characters are together, how long they’ve been together, and what they’ve been doing. If the
characters don’t know each other, you can have them meet at Syndra Silvane’s residence.
When you’re ready for the characters to meet with Syndra, read:
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You have been invited to the home of Syndra Silvane, a retired adventurer and merchant. A uniformed attendant leads you up a
grand staircase to the third floor, then ushers you into a wood-paneled room with a fireplace, comfortable chairs, and a heavy table
bearing goblets and bottles of wine. The darkly paneled walls are hung with maps and sea charts. Racks, shelves, and cabinets hold
hundreds more rolled-up maps and charts.
A person is seated in an overstuffed chair near the fire. You can’t discern a gender, because only the person’s head emerges from
under a heavy blanket draped over the chair, and an embroidered hood and silver mask conceal the wearer’s face. Even the person’s
dry, raspy voice provides no clue. “Help yourselves to wine, and seat yourselves, friends — I hope I may call you that.”
The masked speaker is Syndra Silvane. She is a Tethyrian human archmage, with these changes:
Syndra is lawful neutral and speaks Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, and Halfling.
Syndra’s hit point maximum has been reduced to 79 by the Soulmonger’s death curse, and it decreases by 1 every midnight. If her hit point maximum
drops to 0, Syndra dies and can’t be brought back from the dead until the death curse has ended (and if her soul hasn’t been devoured). Destroying
the Soulmonger is the only way to halt the attrition and restore her hit point maximum to normal.
“I was an adventurer years ago. I died once and was raised from the dead. I have since closed the door on that stage of my life.”
“The death curse you’ve heard about has struck me. I don’t know how much longer I’ll last before I perish. Clerics have no help to offer. They’re
stymied by what is happening.”
“My contacts in the Harpers have learned that the cause of the death curse is a necromantic artifact called the Soulmonger. According to their
sources, the Soulmonger is somewhere in Chult.”
“Chult is a peninsula ringed with mountains and choked with rainforests. Enormous reptiles, savage goblins, and an army of undead prowl its jungles
and ruins. Mapping the place has always been nigh impossible, and nothing is known about the region’s current geography beyond a few miles from
the coast.”
“Working from dozens of sea charts, log books, and explorers’ journals, I assembled everything known about the current state of Chult into one map.
I’ll provide it to you if you undertake my mission.”
“When you’re ready to depart, I will teleport us all to Port Nyanzaru, the only major settlement in Chult. I’ve been there several times before, so there’s
little chance of mishap. Once there, I’ll stay with a friend named Wakanga O’tamu. He’s one of seven merchant princes who rule the city.”
Syndra has misgivings about sending inexperienced adventurers on so dangerous a quest, but she isn’t taking any chances. She fails to mention that
other, more experienced parties of adventurers have been sent to Chult already. All have disappeared, and Syndra fears the worst. In truth, they fell
victim to the perils of Chult or crossed paths with Valindra Shadowmantle, and were never seen or heard from again. If the characters urge Syndra to
seek out a more experienced party of adventurers, she replies dryly, “I already have.”
Treasure
Syndra promises each character a rare or uncommon magic item, delivered upon successful completion of her quest. (At the end of the adventure,
each player can choose an appropriate item, subject to your approval.) Syndra also expects that the characters will find enough treasure in Chult to
make them as rich as kings.
If the characters press for coin up front, Syndra gives each character 50 gp to defray expenses in Port Nyanzaru.
Teleporting to Chult
In the interest of time, Syndra is prepared to use a teleport spell to transport herself and the heroes to Port Nyanzaru. If the characters agree, don’t
bother rolling to determine the spell’s accuracy. Syndra knows the city’s Harbor Ward well enough to arrive on target. She chooses an outdoor
location near the docks as her destination. When the characters arrive in Port Nyanzaru, skip to the “Arrival” section in chapter 1.
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Character Hooks
Appendix A presents two new character backgrounds that players can select with your consent: the anthropologist and the archaeologist. In addition,
the Player’s Handbook and the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide contain a number of character backgrounds that are well suited for this adventure. If
your players are having trouble fleshing out their characters’ backgrounds, share the ideas from the Character Hooks for Select Backgrounds table
with them.
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Acolyte Player’s Handbook Temples are vexed by a widespread magical curse that is causing people to
waste away while also preventing the dead from being raised. An expeditionary
force is headed to Chult to find the origin of the curse, and you’ve decided to
join it.
Anthropologist Appendix A A wizard-merchant named Syndra Silvane is wasting away, and she has hired
you to join an expedition to Chult to find a cure. Syndra believes that your
expertise will prove invaluable, and you’ve wanted to study the cultures there.
Archaeologist Appendix A You have learned that a wizard-merchant is planning an important expedition to
Chult—a place full of lost cities you’re anxious to explore. Your request to join
the expedition was approved.
Charlatan Player’s Handbook After a few successful scams, you’ve gotten into some trouble with local
authorities and criminal gangs. You were about to make a run for it when you
heard a rumor that a merchant named Syndra Silvane is offering good pay for
an assignment far from home.
Cloistered Scholar Sword Coast Adventurer’s A terrible curse is sweeping across Faerûn, and a dying merchant is gathering
Guide adventurers for a bold mission to destroy the source of the curse, which lies
deep in the jungles of Chult. Your expertise could prove helpful, so you’ve
asked to join the expedition.
Criminal Player’s Handbook Local authorities grant you a full pardon for past crimes. In exchange, you are
to join an expedition to Chult and help put an end to the “death curse” affecting
several wealthy citizens of the city.
Entertainer Player’s Handbook Your sponsor is a retired adventurer and merchant named Syndra Silvane. A
terrible curse has befallen her, and she needs your help to end it. The quest will
take you to Chult, a distant land where you can win fame and renown.
Faction Agent Sword Coast Adventurer’s A widespread magical curse threatens to devour the bodies and souls of the
Guide living. The Harpers have learned that its source lies somewhere in Chult. You
volunteered to join the expedition.
Folk Hero Player’s Handbook You’ve garnered quite the reputation and caught the attention of a merchant
and retired adventurer named Syndra Silvane. She wants you to explore Chult
and discover the source of a curse.
Inheritor Sword Coast Adventurer’s A horrible curse threatens to claim the life of Syndra Silvane, a retired
Guide adventurer. She has blood ties to your family, and you have an obligation to
help her. To do otherwise could jeopardize your inheritance and your future.
Mercenary Veteran Sword Coast Adventurer’s A merchant and retired adventurer named Syndra Silvane needs trained
Guide warriors to join an expedition to Chult. You’ve always wanted to visit Port
Nyanzaru and see the dinosaur races. They say the jungles are full of riches
and danger—two things you crave.
Noble Player’s Handbook Your family owes a favor to a merchant named Syndra Silvane. She’s calling in
the favor and asking for help. The family is counting on you to fulfill its
promise, and you’ve heard rumors that Syndra is planning an expedition.
Outlander Player’s Handbook When you were young, you fled your homeland of Chult by stowing away
aboard a ship. Now you’re anxious to return home. A local merchant is
mounting an expedition to Chult, and you’ve talked your way into joining it.
Sage Player’s Handbook A wizard named Syndra Silvane has fallen prey to a magical curse. She’s
mounting an expedition to Chult to end the curse, and she believes your
expertise will prove invaluable. You’re inclined to agree.
Soldier Player’s Handbook Your superiors in the military recommended you for an important expedition to
Chult. The success of the mission is so vital that they promised to make you a
captain if you help ensure the expedition’s success.
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Welcome to Chult ↑
With the exception of a few coastal settlements, Chult is untamed tropical wilderness: dense jungles and snaky rivers ringed by mountains,
volcanoes, and sheer escarpments. Walls of mountains to the west, south, and east shield the interior from the sea and from the view of sailors. The
rivers are so sluggish that it can be difficult determining which direction is upstream and which is down. The rivers pick up speed only where they
thunder down through steep-sided gorges.
The safest entry points into this overgrown realm (“safest” is a relative term in this context) are on the north and east. The coast from the Bay of
Chult to Refuge Bay offers beaches on which to embark into the uncharted jungle. Along the entire coast, the Bay of Chult is the only spot where
travelers can find welcoming civilization. The rest of the peninsula is a breeding ground for bloodsucking, disease-bearing insects, monstrous
reptiles, carnivorous birds and beasts of every variety, and murderous undead. The farther one moves from the coast, the more humid, hot, and
inhospitable the land becomes.
Weather
Chult is hot, humid, and rainy throughout the year. The temperature regularly climbs as high as 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) during the day and
seldom falls below 70 degrees F (20 degrees C) even at night. A day without rain is rare, but rain varies from a steady mist to drenching downpours.
Visibility in heavy rain is limited to 50 yards. Beyond that distance, only Huge or larger objects can be distinguished. Missile weapon ranges are
halved during rain.
On days that receive heavy rain, there’s a 25 percent chance of a full-blown tropical storm featuring sheets of rain, high wind, lightning, tall waves at
sea, and immense surf along the coast. Guides who know the conditions in Chult recommend hunkering down and staying put on these days. Travel
by river is impossible (canoes are swamped by waves within 15 minutes of launching). If characters insist on traveling by foot, every character gains
1 level of exhaustion automatically and must make a successful DC 10 Constitution check or gain another. Skill checks to avoid becoming lost are
made with disadvantage on storm days.
Races of Chult
Members of every race and nationality of Faerûn can be found in Port Nyanzaru, but few of them ever travel more than a hundred yards beyond the
city walls. The native peoples must be divided into those that are commonly known and those whose presence is legendary or only suspected. The
first group consists of Chultans (humans), aarakocra, Batiri (goblins), dwarves (including albino dwarves), pterafolk, and tabaxi. In the second
category, weretigers are suspected to be present in small numbers; explorers and hunters sometimes report seeing grungs (frog folk) deep in the
jungle; and yuan-ti are rumored to be making a resurgence in remote areas.
In addition to these known and suspected residents, a crew of frost giants has come to Chult seeking the Ring of Winter and an expedition of Red
Wizards is hunting for the Soulmonger, but the presence of these bands is still unknown to the larger population.
Finally, the deep jungle is overrun by skeletons, zombies, ghouls, and other types of undead. Everyone in Chult is all too aware of their presence.
Chultans
Chultans are the human natives of Chult. They have dark skin, black hair, and a rich culture. Driven out of the jungle by monsters and undead, they
took refuge behind the stout walls of Port Nyanzaru, gave up their dynasties, and united to become a mercantile power in the southern ocean, eager
to do business with anyone who visits their perilous land. A few Chultans migrated northward and established outposts in distant cities such as
Athkatla, Baldur’s Gate, Calimport, Memnon, and Zazesspur.
The lines of kings and queens that once held political sway throughout Chult have been mostly wiped out by time, war, calamity, and misfortune.
They’ve been replaced by Chultan merchant princes who learned the art and craft of trading from Amnian and Tethyrian profiteers, and who now use
their wealth to forge profitable alliances and to steer the fate of their frontier realm.
Chultans dress in light, colorful clothing appropriate for the tropical climate. They trade in gold, gemstones, jewelry, textiles, spices, rare herbs, ivory,
wood, unrefined metal ore, and other commodities plucked and plundered from the jungles, valleys, and mountains of Chult. Among themselves, all
Chultans still speak their own languages (a mix of exhaled and inhaled vowels, consonants, and tongue clicks), but any who deal regularly with
foreigners also speak Common fluently, often with a heavy, characteristic accent.
Chultans in Port Nyanzaru seldom don armor because of the climate, but large, colorful shields made from toughened dinosaur hide are ubiquitous.
These shields are called hlang and function as ordinary shields. In melee, they favor the traditional yklwa (pronounced YICK-ul-wah), a short, broad-
bladed, one-handed, spear-like weapon. For more information about the yklwa, see “Buying a Special Item.”
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CHULTAN NAMES
You can use the following lists to create Chultan NPC names on the fly. Some Chultans adopt their old dynastic names as
surnames.
Male Names: Atuar, Atumwa, Chiwa, Dengo, Emporo, Juma, Kundé, Kwalu, Losi, Mezoar, Mzolu, Olu, Osaw, Rindawan, Selu, Teron,
Ugor, Vazul, Weshtek, Yapa
Female Names: Azuil, Bati, Chuil, Déla, Eki, Fipya, Isi, Joli, Katéla, Lorit, Mainu, Naboli, Nyali, Omoyala, Razira, Sana, Tefnek, U’lolo,
Wadizi, Yuta, Zaidi, Zamisi
Dynastic Names: Agolo, Atazi, Balaka, Bolélé, Dawa, Ekulu, Hakal, Imbogoro, Jaharwon, M’wenye, Natombe, Ngore, Oboko, O’tamu,
Sahandi, Talro’a, Utugelu, Yudan, Zuberi
Aarakocra
Tribes of aarakocra live atop the mountains and plateaus of Chult. Aarakocra leaders are skilled dancers who use their dances to inspire their
followers as well as cast spells.
Aarakocra strive to defend the land against the forces of evil. They have a reputation for aiding explorers who are lost, sick, or in some other trouble,
provided those explorers aren’t intent on plundering Chult’s natural resources or exploiting its inhabitants. The aarakocra are natural enemies of
pterafolk and the gargoyles of Omu.
One aarakocra tribe has laid claim to a remote Chultan monastery called Kir Sabal. This site’s existence is well known in Port Nyanzaru because the
structures can be seen from the River Olung through occasional breaks in the jungle along the eastern bank. Little is known beyond that, however,
because the cliffside structures are so difficult to reach from the ground. The aarakocra there shelter the last descendants of Omu’s royal family, who
hope to someday restore their reign.
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Batiri (Goblins)
Chult is home to scores of independent goblin tribes collectively known as the Batiri. A Batiri tribe is ruled by a queen (use the goblin boss statistics).
When a queen dies, fighting ensues until a new queen emerges victorious and proclaims herself ruler of the tribe. While the Batiri have many cultural
and mythical aspects that make them unique, they behave essentially like other goblins; they are superstitious, cruel, suspicious of outsiders,
fractious among themselves, and just as likely to torture and eat other humanoids as they are to trade with them. They are not only sadistic but highly
creative in their tortures. For example, they enjoy tying enemies to trees, dousing them in honey, and leaving them to be devoured by insects over the
course of several days, if a larger predator doesn’t finish them off first.
War Masks. Batiri warriors wear oversized wooden war masks into combat. Each goblin paints and decorates its own mask to make it look as
fearsome as possible. Aside from intimidating enemies, these masks serve the same purpose among the Batiri as coats of arms among noble
knights of Faerûn. Batiri of opposing tribes might not know an enemy’s given name, but they’ll know Snarling Crocodile or Fanged Ape.
Battle Stacks. Batiri warriors sometimes ride on each other’s shoulders in battle, in a formation known as a battle stack. These can be up to nine
goblins tall. Each goblin tracks its hit points individually, but the stack moves and makes ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws as one
creature. Only the goblin at the top of the stack can attack, and only the goblin at the bottom can move (all goblins stacked on its shoulders move
with it). The goblin at the top makes all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability checks and saving throws for the stack. The goblin at the bottom
makes all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability checks and saving throws for the stack. A battle stack can’t jump, but it can grapple or shove
another creature, swing from vines, and use the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, and Hide actions. The stack has advantage on melee attacks because of its
built-in “pack tactics” effect; all the goblins are waving spears at the enemy, even if only one can hit.
When a goblin in the stack drops to 0 hit points, it is thrown from the stack. If the stack succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, it remains intact
(albeit one goblin shorter). On a failed save, the stack collapses and all the goblins fall prone in a 5-foot-square space.
To form a new battle stack, a goblin must use its action to climb onto the shoulders of another willing goblin within 5 feet of it. Other goblins can join
an existing battle stack in the same way. A goblin can use its action to remove itself from a battle stack, landing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet
of the bottom of the stack.
The Batiri invented battle stacks as a way to combat creatures much larger than themselves as well as a way to reach enemies in trees. The battle
stack formation has the added effect of making the puny goblins appear taller and more fearsome to their larger enemies. Battle stacks are not
effective against other ground-based threats, since all but the topmost goblin give up their attacks and mobility to be part of the stack.
Dwarves
Most of the shield dwarf strongholds beneath Chult were destroyed by intense volcanic activity. Hundreds of dwarves were forced to flee their
collapsing halls, only to be slaughtered and devoured by jungle predators. A few made it to Port Nyanzaru, where they remain to this day. Some of
these survivors are albinos (see appendix D for more information).
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Frost Giants
Twenty frost giants came to Chult in search of the Ring of Winter. Their ship is
anchored north of Kitcher’s Inlet, and teams of frost giants are scouring the jungle for
signs of the ring and its wearer, Artus Cimber. A female frost giant named Drufi leads
the hunt. So far the frost giants have gone about their business unnoticed, but it’s only
a matter of time before they encounter a Flaming Fist patrol from Fort Beluarian. The
frost giants hate Chult and its climate, but they won’t give up the search for the ring no
matter what the cost.
Grungs
These predominantly evil frog folk live in villages scattered throughout the jungle. They
build their primitive structures from mud, vines, and wicker, and are more comfortable
in trees than on the ground. They pepper enemies with poisoned arrows and leap from
branch to branch without leaving any trail.
Not all grungs are evil. A few are willing to help explorers in exchange for food or
treasure. Evil or not, grungs warn away intruders by hanging the bodies of slain foes
from trees at the edge of their territory.
Some Chultan guides are aware of one grung village due south of Port Nyanzaru, just
above the headwater of the River Tiryki (pronounced tee-REE-kee). For more
information on this village, see “Dungrunglung." Appendix D contains additional
information on grungs.
Tabaxi
Tabaxi are feline humanoids, originally native to the western continent of Maztica. Some Chultans refer to them as “cat folk” or “leopard people.”
Groups of tabaxi wound up in Chult after escaping from slavers. They are a cultured people and seldom evil. A few work as guides out of Port
Nyanzaru. Others enter the jungle in small groups to hunt grungs and goblins for their own purposes.
Tabaxi hunters can be encountered anywhere in Chult. Tabaxi minstrels are seldom met outside Port Nyanzaru. Appendix D includes statistics for
both. Tabaxi can also be player characters (see Volo’s Guide to Monsters for tabaxi racial traits).
Undead
Over a century ago, the warlord Ras Nsi raised an undead army to conquer the city of Mezro. The army consisted mainly of dead Chultans raised as
zombies and cannibals transformed into ghouls. Ras Nsi and his legion were defeated and driven back into the jungle. Before Ras Nsi could organize
another attack, Mezro planeshifted away, and Ras Nsi was stripped of his god-given powers. Declaring himself an enemy of the world, he threw his lot
in with the yuan-ti. The remnants of Ras Nsi’s undead army spread through the jungle like a blight, until now they claim hundreds of miles of
wilderness as their hunting ground. To make matters worse, Acererak filled out their ranks with horrible undead creatures such as girallon zombies
and tyrannosaurus zombies (see appendix D), mainly to discourage explorers from getting too close to Omu. As the atropal feeds on the souls of the
dead, it grows in power. Eventually, it will become powerful enough to control these ravenous undead creatures. Until then, the undead hordes of
Chult have no leader.
Weretigers
Chultans infected with weretiger lycanthropy haunt the jungle in small families or prides. Everyone in Port Nyanzaru has heard this rumor, but not all
believe it.
Weretiger prides avoid outsiders, including adventurers, but a few evil weretigers enjoy making a sport of hunting intruders who come to plunder their
land. Since weretigers can appear human, they readily pose as Chultan hunters, guides, rescuers, or explorers to lure in prey. These evil weretigers
usually worship Malar, the god of the hunt. Others continue worshiping whatever deities they revered before becoming lycanthropes.
Yuan-ti
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After being driven out of their ancient city (see “Hisari,”), the yuan-ti claimed the ruins of Omu as their demesne. Their spies in Port Nyanzaru keep a
wary eye on the merchant princes, would-be treasure hunters, and adventurers. Characters might also encounter yuan-ti purebloods, yuan-ti malisons,
and yuan-ti abominations searching the jungle for hidden settlements and lost treasures.
The yuan-ti of Omu believe that a sealed portal lies somewhere under the Peaks of Flame and that opening it will enable Dendar the Night Serpent to
enter the world. The god Ubtao was supposed to stand against Dendar, but with Ubtao gone from the world, the yuan-ti believe nothing can stop the
Night Serpent. They have dedicated an underground temple to this serpentine destroyer of worlds, but they are a long way from fulfilling their ultimate
goal.
Additional information about yuan-ti can be found in Volo’s Guide to Monsters, as well as appendix D.
GODS OF CHULT
A central figure in Chult’s history is the greater god Ubtao, who long protected the land and Chultan civilization. But Ubtao grew
angry over his worshipers’ endless warring and their reliance on him to solve all their problems. More than a century ago, Ubtao
simply abandoned Chult, and his influence hasn’t been felt there since that day. When he left, the Chultans suffered a crippling
spiritual blow, but eventually the disunited, warring tribes learned to put aside their petty conflicts and unite as one people. To this
day, the dinosaurs of Chult are still revered as Ubtao’s sacred children by many Chultans, even though Ubtao himself is no longer
popular.
With Ubtao gone, the Chultans turned to other deities, including ones introduced to them by missionaries from distant civilizations.
Waukeen, a goddess of trade, is revered by Port Nyanzaru’s many merchants. Other deities with shrines in the city include Gond
(god of craft), Savras (god of divination and fate), Sune (goddess of love and beauty), and Tymora (goddess of good fortune).
Besides spreading word of their deities, however, too many foreign missionaries also exploited the Chultans and their land for profit,
which led to many conflicts. The temples and shrines persist, but most of the clergy are now Chultans. Foreign clerics who
proselytize too energetically aren’t welcomed in Port Nyanzaru.
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Port Nyanzaru hugs the coastline at the south end of the Bay of Chult. No other city exists in Chult, along the coast or anywhere else, except in ruins
or overrun by monstrous creatures. Until recently, Port Nyanzaru was under the firm control of Amn, a foreign nation. Nine years ago, Amn was forced
to relinquish the city to a wealthy and powerful consortium of Chultan traders backed by the Ytepka Society (pronounced yeh-TEP-kah), or risk a
bloody conflict that probably would have ended with the city winning its independence anyway. Seven Chultan traders have since grown into
influential merchant princes, enticing folk from up and down the Sword Coast with their wares.
Port Nyanzaru is a bastion of civilization and commerce in a terrifying land. The amount of business that unfolds here and the cash that moves
through its counting houses would make any merchant of Baldur’s Gate or Waterdeep jealous. It’s also a colorful, musical, aroma-filled, vibrant city in
its own right. Other than trade, the biggest attractions are the weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Locals and visitors alike wager princely
sums on the races’ outcomes. The city also boasts grand bazaars, glorious mansions and temples, circuses, and gladiatorial contests.
Enemies surround Port Nyanzaru on all sides. The jungle teems with ferocious reptiles and murderous undead, pirates prowl the surrounding sea, and
the mouth of the bay is home to a greedy dragon turtle.
Characters who question locals can learn rumors that might help them survive the perils of Chult. The characters can secure gear and guides before
leaving the city. Syndra Silvane is too weak to accompany them or provide any additional support.
If you are running this adventure in a homebrew D&D setting, you can place Port Nyanzaru wherever you see fit and even change its name. If you’re
using another published D&D setting, you can dispense with Port Nyanzaru entirely and use a different coastal city as the launching point for the
party’s jungle expedition. Examples from other settings include the city of Sasserine on the edge of the Oerth’s Amedio Jungle, the city of Slagovich
near the Savage Coast of Mystara, and the city of Stormreach on Eberron’s continent of Xen’drik.
Arrival ↑
Syndra Silvane teleports herself and the characters to Port Nyanzaru’s Harbor Ward, not far from the harbormaster’s office (area 13). Read:
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You appear in a tropical city under the blazing sun. The familiar sounds of a harbor — creaking ropes, slapping waves, heavy barrels
rolling across cobblestones — mingle with voices shouting and cursing in an unfamiliar language filled with clicks, inhalations, and
singsongy words that make it sound almost musical. The aroma of unfamiliar spices and tropical fruit mixes with the wharfside
smells of fish, tar, and canvas.
Beyond all that, Port Nyanzaru is an explosion of color. Buildings are painted in bright shades of blue, green, orange, and salmon
pink, or their walls are adorned with murals portraying giant reptiles and mythical heroes. Every building sports baskets and clay
urns of colorful flowers or is draped in leafy, flowering vines. Minstrels in bright clothing adorned with feathers and shells perform
on street corners. Multicolored pennants and sun awnings flutter atop the city walls. A crowd of children dressed in feathered hats
and capes races past you, squealing in delighted terror as a street performer costumed as a big-toothed lizard stomps and roars
behind them. The whole city seems to be bustling, sweating, laughing, swearing, and singing.
Syndra recommends that the characters secure rooms for themselves at either the Thundering Lizard (if they’re looking for a raucous time) or Kaya’s
House of Repose (if they want a good night’s sleep). Both inns are located near the Red Bazaar (area 18). Meanwhile, Syndra heads to the villa of the
merchant prince Wakanga O’tamu. There she intends to stay for the remainder of the adventure. If the characters express interest in accompanying
her, she’s more than happy to introduce them to Wakanga (see “Merchant Princes”).
When describing the sights and sounds of Port Nyanzaru, emphasize the heat, the humidity, the exotic sounds and smells, and other unique aspects
of Port Nyanzaru. Some of its notable features are described hereafter:
Medium and Large dinosaurs are used as beasts of burden to haul two-wheeled carts, to hoist heavy loads on cranes, and to tow boats along the
canals.
Dinosaurs compete in weekly races through the streets. These brightly painted racing dinosaurs are fast, vicious, and barely under their riders’
control.
Flowers, green plants, and vines grow everywhere, seeming to spring out of the building stones themselves. The profusion of greenery needs
constant tending to prevent roots and shoots from damaging buildings or tile roofs.
The city’s defensive walls and towers are topped with colorful awnings to shield guards from the sun and rain.
All streets within the city walls are paved with cobblestones or flagstones, and they have deep rain gutters as much as 2 feet wide. Residents of Port
Nyanzaru pay little attention to any but the heaviest deluge.
Tabaxi minstrels wander the streets, performing for anyone who tosses them a few coins.
Walls divide the city into districts, and the open archways above the streets are painted with murals of dinosaurs, mountains, and mythic heroes.
Crumbling ancient buildings covered with vines and lichens indicate the city’s great age.
The ground floors of most buildings are made of stucco-covered stone and have tiny windows to keep out the heat at street level. The upper floors
have bamboo or thatch walls with enormous windows to let in the breeze, under broad thatched or tiled eaves. All buildings are richly decorated with
paint, ivy, and vivid flowers. Some are painted in symmetrical, geometric patterns of straight lines and sharp angles, while others portray animals,
monsters, landscapes, and heroes in a stylized manner unique to Chult. Where space permits, buildings traditionally include a walled yard or garden.
All the city’s water comes from rain, so every building has a cistern or wooden barrels to catch water running off the roof. Every public square is built
around a fountain or rain basin. With so much water running downhill, Chultans also make excellent use of water-driven mechanical gadgets. Many
buildings have water wheels built into their cisterns. Rainwater running through spouts or channels turns the wheel, which pumps water into pools,
turns millstones, powers bellows or lathes or saws, or accomplishes any other labor-saving or amusing task Chultan engineers can dream up.
Side Quests ↑
As the characters explore Port Nyanzaru, they might encounter NPCs who need their help. Given the urgency of their mission, characters might be
reluctant to take on side quests. They are under no obligation to complete them; however, completing a side quest can lead to unexpected rewards
and discoveries.
Introduce as many or as few of these side quests as you like. The NPCs who trigger them can be encountered anywhere within the city. If you can’t
decide which side quest to choose, roll a d10.
1. Collect a Debt. K’lahu (N female Chultan human thug), a bookie who takes bets at Executioner’s Run (see area 2), asks the adventurers to come
with her as she collects a debt. The pay is 10 percent of whatever is collected on the 500 gp debt, which is owed by a man named Taban (N male
Chultan human gladiator). Taban refuses to pay anything until he’s beaten down to 20 or fewer hit points, whereupon he offers up a pouch containing
ten 50 gp gemstones. Ashamed by his defeat and eager to redeem himself, Taban offers to join the party as a follower, demanding no pay for the
duration of the adventure.
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2. Create a Distraction at Fort Beluarian. Rokah (N male Chultan human spy) works for the Zhentarim. The Zhents believe that pirates have formed
an alliance with the Flaming Fist. Rokah has orders to infiltrate Fort Beluarian and find proof so that the Zhentarim can blackmail the fort’s
commander. He asks the adventurers to escort him safely to the fort and create a distraction so that he can ransack the commander’s quarters. As a
reward, Rokah offers to cover the cost of a charter of exploration (50 gp), which the characters will almost certainly need if they want to avoid future
confrontations with the Flaming Fist. Rokah also offers to introduce the characters to two wilderness guides — a pair tabaxi siblings named River
Mist and Flask of Wine (see “Finding a Guide”) — and pay the guides’ fees.
3. Escort a Priest to Camp Vengeance. Undril Silvertusk (LG female half-orc priest of Torm with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet) is a
representative of the Order of the Gauntlet and newly arrived in Port Nyanzaru. She needs to deliver herself plus a packet of dispatches from her
superiors to Commander Niles Breakbone at Camp Vengeance. Undril was led to believe she could simply buy a horse in the city and ride to the
camp, but now that she sees the terrain and conditions, that’s clearly not possible. She hopes to join any expedition headed up the River Soshenstar.
Undril is quite attached to her chain shirt, but she’s not unreasonable when presented with good arguments for shedding the armor. If characters gain
Undril’s respect, she’ll intercede strongly on their behalf if any difficulties arise with Commander Breakbone (as they’re likely to, as discussed in
chapter 2).
4. Explore the Aldani Basin. Inete (LG female Chultan human acolyte of Savras) has had disturbing visions of red-robed wizards operating a secret
base somewhere in the Aldani Basin. The head of her temple, Grandfather Zitembe, has too many other things on his mind, but he’s given Inete
permission to investigate. Inete would like to accompany the characters’ expedition for safety, if characters are heading toward or through that
region. She’ll provide her own food and supplies, and “donate” another 100 gp to the expedition’s expenses. She insists on stopping by the temple of
Savras to gather her belongings and urges the characters to come along. If they do, the characters can meet Grandfather Zitembe (see area 7).
5. Find Artus Cimber. A half-elf named Xandala (see appendix D) approaches the characters and claims to be Artus Cimber’s daughter. Feigning
worry, she asks the characters to help her find him. Artus can’t be found using magic, but Xandala has heard that Artus left the city with a reptilian
man who doesn’t talk and smells funny. Both were last seen heading into the jungle. Xandala wants the Ring of Winter in Artus’s possession, but she
doesn’t share this with the characters. Summerwise, Xandala’s pet pseudodragon, thinks the quest for the ring is too dangerous but has given up
trying to talk sense into its mistress. Good-aligned characters might be able to turn Summerwise against Xandala, or at least get information from it
that they can use to thwart Xandala’s plan or to aid Artus.
6. Help a Dyeing Man. Omala (N male Chultan human commoner) is a master colorist at the dye works (area 23). He recently bought some dancing
monkey fruit on the black market and used them to make and sell dye. Shortly thereafter, he received an iron token from the Ytepka Society — a grim
warning. He wishes to atone for his crime and seeks an audience with Kwayothé, the merchant prince who controls the legal sale of fruit. Fearing for
his life, Omala asks the adventurers to accompany him to Goldenthrone (see area 4), where he plans to beg for Kwayothé’s forgiveness. He has no
money to offer the characters as a reward. Kwayothé is willing to forgive Omala’s lapse in judgment provided the characters agree to kill a man
named Shago within the next 10 days — no questions asked — and speak of the deed to no one. Kwayothé tells them that Shago works as a guide out
of Fort Beluarian. If the characters fail in this task, Kwayothé has Omala sentenced to Executioner’s Run (see area 2) for his crime.
7. Help the Lords’ Alliance. Lerek Dashlynd (LN male Illuskan human spy), an agent of the Lords’ Alliance, offers to trade a sailing ship for an
accurate map of Chult that shows the exact location of the ruins of Nangalore and Orolunga. Lerek represents wealthy Waterdhavian interests, and
the offer is genuine. If the characters present such a map, Lerek has a cleric cast augury before agreeing to buy it, to make sure he’s not buying a
fake. Once he’s convinced that the map is genuine, Lerek arranges to have the promised ship arrive in 10 days.
8. Hunt Pirates. The harbormaster, Zindar (see area 13 and appendix D), is a secret member of the Ytepka Society. He knows that three pirate
captains are attacking merchant ships heading to and from the Bay of Chult. The pirate ships are called the Dragonfang, the Emerald Eye, and the
Stirge. Zindar has permission from the merchant princes to offer a bounty of 2,000 gp for each pirate ship that is captured and brought into port, and
a bonus 500 gp for the capture of each pirate captain.
9. Save an Innocent Man. Belym (LG male Chultan human commoner) is distraught because his husband, Draza (LG male Chultan commoner), has
been sentenced to Executioner’s Run for stealing. Belym asserts that his husband was a victim of mistaken identity and sentenced without a proper
hearing or trial. He’s been unable to persuade anyone in authority that Draza is innocent. He’ll give the characters 25 sp (all his savings) if they can
help Draza from the sidelines so he survives the run. Draza is about to be thrown into the pit with a pair of velociraptors, so the characters must act
quickly. Both the authorities and the gamblers take a dim view of interference.
10. Seek Wisdom at Orolunga. Eshek (NG male Chultan human acolyte of Savras) stumbles up to the characters in the street and whispers, “Speak to
the wise guardian of Orolunga, east of Mbala. She can direct you to that which you seek.” Then he collapses, unconscious. When he awakens
moments later, Eshek has no memory of the last 12 hours aside from a driving need to find people matching the characters’ descriptions. He’s as
puzzled by what just happened as the characters probably are, but he’ll help them however he can. At the very least, he knows where Mbala is from
speaking to porters who’ve been to Camp Vengeance.
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impressive barriers of massive, fitted stone. Like other structures in Port Nyanzaru, they’re decorated with colorful paintings of geometric designs,
animals, and mythic figures.
The city is defined by four steep hills. The westernmost hill, called Temple Hill because it’s home to the temple of Savras, is completely walled off
from lower ground. A wide stone bridge crosses on arched columns from Temple Hill to Throne Hill, site of Goldenthrone. A second bridge connects
Throne Hill to the southern slopes, site of several merchant princes’ villas. East of the harbor, the Hall of Gold gleams atop the city’s tallest hill, Mount
Sibasa, which is connected by bridge to the neighboring Yklwazi Hill (pronounced yick-ul-WAH-zee), site of the Grand Coliseum. Steep, stepped
streets and terraces surround each hill.
Outside the main walls are three slums: the Old City to the southwest, where many buildings are remnants of older, pyramidal construction; Malar’s
Throat to the south, where buildings cling to the walls of a lush canyon spanned by rope bridges; and Tiryki Anchorage to the southeast, where
explorers and river folk gather.
About half the city’s population lives crowded together outside the walls, where they’re always exposed to sudden attacks by carnivores or undead. A
volunteer citizens’ brigade keeps watch for approaching danger. When residents of the outer wards hear the long blast of warning horns, day or night,
they scramble for the safety of the Market Ward and Merchants’ Ward until the all clear sounds.
TROUBLESHOOTING
There’s enough happening in Port Nyanzaru that you won’t need to rely on random encounters to keep things interesting. That being
said, if the players seem restless, use the random encounters in appendix B to spice things up a bit as they’re gathering supplies for
their expedition. At any time, the party might run into Volothamp Geddarm (see “City Denizens”). Volo’s familiarity with Port
Nyanzaru makes him a font of useful information. If the party doesn’t already have a wilderness guide, he advises characters to
secure one before they enter the jungle. Volo might also suggest that characters partake in the dinosaur races (see “Things to Do”).
If characters visit Wakanga O’tamu, he gives them the wizard’s journal in his possession. If the party has not yet secured a guide by
the time they meet Wakanga, he suggests that the characters arrange one through Jobal. Volo can facilitate an introduction. For
more information on guides and their rates, see “Finding a Guide."
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Old City
Three ancient, vine-covered ziggurats tower above this crumbling ward. The whole district is a juxtaposition of ancient and decaying (but still
occupied) stone structures interspersed with flimsy new huts and longhouses of bamboo and thatch.
The Old City is run by “beggar princes” in a mocking parallel to the merchant princes of the city proper. They have no official authority, but each of
them sits atop a web of debts, favors, incriminating information, and loyal muscle that allows them to get things done with an efficiency that the
merchant princes sometimes envy. Unlike the merchant princes, whose positions are based on wealth that passes from generation to generation in
the same family, the identities and even the number of the beggar princes changes continually.
The Old City is run down but it isn’t a slum or a haven for thieves. Most of the residents are lower-class laborers or struggling artisans who can’t
afford the higher rents of homes inside the city walls.
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1. Beggars’ Palaces
The Beggars’ Palaces are the two largest ziggurats of the Old City. Shops and tenements of bamboo are jammed onto the terraces of the ziggurats in
wild profusion. The upper levels are cleaner and less crowded than those near street level. A narrow wooden bridge connects the upper levels above
the press and noise of the street.
2. Executioner’s Run
The road through the Old City splits around a rectangular, stone-lined pit 15 feet deep, 50 feet wide, and 200 feet long. The original Amnian residents
built it as an arena for a highly competitive ball game, and it still provides cheap entertainment for the locals. Velociraptors (see appendix D),
panthers, or other hungry beasts (a juvenile allosaurus is a guaranteed crowd pleaser) are set loose in the pit, then convicted criminals are dropped in
at one end. Any criminals who make it alive through the gauntlet of carnivores to the far end of the pit can scramble up knotted ropes and win their
freedom, along with the adulation of the crowd. Spectators line the walls for these spectacles — including representatives from every level of Port
Nyanzaru society, not just residents of the Old City. Bets are placed on which criminals will survive, which will die, how far runners will get before a
beast brings them down, and how many kills each animal will rack up.
A handful of Chultans have become celebrities by surviving multiple dashes through Executioner’s Run. It’s been suggested that some people
continue committing crimes solely because a conviction is the only way to get tossed into the pit, and betting is always heaviest on a repeat offender.
Occasionally an animal manages to leap or scramble out of the pit and runs amok through the terrified crowd. Moments of such high peril provide a
perfect opportunity for bystanders to become heroes in the city and earn favors from the merchant princes.
3. Refuse Pit
An enormous sinkhole serves as the city’s garbage dump. Every type of refuse gets tossed here, up to and including dead bodies. It’s a festering scar
of garbage, rancid water, and vermin. Rats, insects, and ravens abound. Ghouls are sometimes seen prowling through the pit in search of fresh
corpses.
Although the level of refuse in the pit rises and falls, the pit never gets full. This is thanks to an unknown number of otyughs living at the bottom and
eating their fill daily. They’re content to remain in the bountiful pit, but they’d quickly pounce on anyone careless or unlucky enough to slip on the
greasy edge and fall in.
Merchants’ Ward
The western half of the city is called the Merchants’ Ward because it’s the site of the Grand Souk and because many of the merchant princes’ villas
are there. In general, this is the upper-class section of the city. The majority of the city’s merchants and traders actually live and work in the Market
Ward.
4. Goldenthrone
This palace serves as the meeting place for the merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru and is recognized as the seat of the city’s loose government. It
was built decades ago by an Amnian trader and is one of the most opulent structures in the city, rivaled only by the grander temples and the merchant
princes’ villas. An honor guard of eight Chultan gladiators is always on duty, to keep away loiterers in the daytime and thieves in the night.
Goldenthrone is the best place to meet any of the merchant princes without an appointment. They rarely meet with visitors who show up
unannounced at their homes. During the day, each merchant prince has a 1-in-6 chance to be at Goldenthrone, accompanied by a retinue of aides and
guards. Characters must wait 1d3 hours before being given an audience. In fact, the merchant princes have few day-to-day responsibilities when it
comes to running Port Nyanzaru, so unless a meeting is being held to discuss city business, the delay is just a tactic to underscore who’s in charge. If
the characters have interesting news, they’re likely to obtain an audience and to be given as much of the merchant’s time as they need.
None of the merchant princes is likely to meet player characters who show up unannounced at their doors unless the characters did something
noteworthy (such as winning a dinosaur race, stopping a rampaging carnivore, or completing an expedition that made significant discoveries). The
exception is Wakanga O’tamu, who welcomes any adventurers traveling in the company of Syndra Silvane.
6. Grand Souk
The Grand Souk, or market, is one of the three beating hearts of Port Nyanzaru — the others being the jewel market and the Red Bazaar. True to its
name, the Grand Souk is the grandest of the three.
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Traders from up and down the Sword Coast come to this market to buy timber, spices, medicines concocted from jungle plants, dinosaur skulls and
claws, iron, tiger pelts, carved ivory, Batiri and grung handiwork, colored feathers, tropical fruit, monkeys, plesiosaur meat, and all the other riches of
Chult. Business begins before the sun comes up, and dealing doesn’t stop until well after darkness edges across the city. It’s a noisy, jostling, aroma-
rich circus. Guards are numerous, but less numerous than the urchins and pickpockets. Street performers and tabaxi minstrels add to the cacophony.
Colorful awnings protect the market from sun and rain but also trap the heat and smells.
Everything listed in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook can be purchased in the Grand Souk. Unusual items might not be available (elephants aren’t
found in Chult, for example), but a merchant can always be contracted who’ll bring an item to order, for the right price.
7. Temple of Savras
Savras is a deity of wizards, fortune tellers, diviners, and those who unfailingly speak the truth regardless of whether listeners want to hear it. His
symbol is a monstrous eye, or a crystal ball filled with eyes. Savras’s temple is one of the oldest, grandest buildings in the city. The tiled roof of its
great dome resembles an unblinking eye, staring skyward.
A deity devoted to revealing the truth might seem to have a weak draw in a city of merchants, but Savras was widely worshiped in Chult long before
the Spellplague. In those years, Savras’s clergy were valued because they could keep tabs on the activities of the inscrutable yuan-ti. The snake
people still loom large as bogeymen in the imaginations of Chultans, but nowadays the clergy of Savras scries into more mundane matters: portents
around business affairs, the outlook for newborn children, and affairs of the heart.
The head priest of the temple is Grandfather Zitembe (LG male Chultan human priest). When the characters meet the priest for the first time, he’s in
the midst of a heated conversation with three members of the Zhentarim (NE male Tethyrian human assassins) who are looking for Artus Cimber.
The Zhents have come to the temple to see if Zitembe can cast a spell to aid in their search. Although the assassins offer payment in the form of a
500 gp ruby, Zitembe senses their evil intentions and shoos them away. The assassins seem hesitant to leave without satisfaction, but the arrival of
the characters changes their minds, and they depart with scowls on their faces. The characters’ timely arrival makes Zitembe predisposed to help
them.
If he’s approached for aid or advice in tracking down the Soulmonger, Zitembe’s first reaction is to express disbelief that the death curse has anything
to do with Chult. If characters give a compelling argument or make a donation to the church of at least 25 gp, Zitembe agrees to “consult the guides.”
This ritual takes 24 hours, during which Zitembe sees visions of “a jungle city far to the south, enclosed by cliffs and crawling with snakes” and “a
black obelisk draped in vines.” He dared not peer any deeper, but he urges the characters to seek out this city and the obelisk.
8. Temple of Gond
The boxy stone temple of Gond looms behind the royal docks. It’s popular among Port Nyanzaru’s many artisans, craftspeople, smiths, ivory carvers,
and hydro-engineers. Where most such temples have a forge as a centerpiece, this one features an immense fountain whose water jets shift
continually to create amazing shapes. It’s all done with nozzles and valves moving on cams, driven by the city’s plentiful water pressure.
9. Temple of Sune
Isolated atop a rocky formation in the sea, the temple of Sune is reachable only by an elevated causeway from Temple Hill or by boat. Steep steps
wind up the cliff from the temple’s small harbor. When seen from a distance, the temple’s roof seems to float in midair — an illusion created by
mirrors lining the outside walls. Inside, Sune’s faithful and casual visitors alike can partake of public baths, receive lessons in applying makeup and
styling one’s hair, and learn to dress in a manner that suits the individual’s body, profession, and the climate. Newcomers to the temple must make a
Charisma check. Those who score 15 or higher are welcomed as brothers and sisters of Sune; those who score 10 or higher are offered friendly
advice on how to improve their presentation; and those who score 9 or less are greeted with sad, sympathetic looks and surrounded by a crowd of
coddling devotees.
Harbor Ward
Port Nyanzaru’s harbor can accommodate ships of all sizes. The enclosed, eastern portion of the harbor is reserved for the use of the merchant
princes, but the rest of the docks are available for use by any ship.
If the characters wish to travel by sea, they can book passage on the Brazen Pegasus at a cost of 10 gp per day (for the whole party). A 60-foot sloop
built for speed, she has a single mast flying a square mainsail plus two triangular foresails, one aft sail, and a small topsail. All that canvas gives her
a top speed of 10 mph under ideal conditions.
The Brazen Pegasus is captained by Ortimay Swift and Dark (CG female rock gnome bandit captain with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet), who is
both clever and calm. The first mate is Grig Ruddell (N male Illuskan human veteran), a hulking man whose face is almost hidden by a heavy beard
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streaked with gray. Other than shouting orders at the crew and conversing in low tones with Captain Ortimay, Ruddell barely speaks. The remainder of
the crew consists of six sailors (N male and female bandits of various ethnicities).
Characters might assume that Ortimay’s chief business is smuggling — and they’d be correct. However, she is happy to take adventurers wherever
they need to go. She knows about the dragon turtle in the Bay of Chult and expects the characters to provide the necessary tribute. She also knows
that pirates prowl the waters around Chult, though her ship easily outruns theirs.
There are no permanent shelters or cabins on the main deck of the Brazen Pegasus. A tarp can be rigged across the aft portion of the deck for shade
from the tropical sun. The sailors sleep on deck when weather permits. The lower deck houses Captain Ortimay’s cabin and the cargo hold, which
doubles as the crew’s cooking, eating, and sleeping area in foul weather.
12. Statue
The statue at the center of the harbor represents an ancient Chultan king in full regalia, resplendent in a loincloth of leopard skin and a headdress of
feathers, shells, and tyrannosaurus teeth; draped in a cape of girallon fur and monkey tails; and wielding the traditional oval shield and yklwa of Chult.
Residents call it Na N’buso, the Great King.
The statue isn’t nearly as ancient as the mythic king it portrays. It was erected just five years ago, at a time when Port Nyanzaru was flexing its new
mercantile muscle, to impress on foreigners that Chult is an independent land with a glorious history. Few who see it fail to get the message.
If characters present themselves as adventurers, Zindar offers them a quest (see “Side Quests”).
14. Lighthouse
A flame burns atop the lighthouse day and night to guide ships through darkness, fog, and rain to the harbor. Various powders can be added to the
fire to create thick columns of colored smoke that can be seen from Fort Beluarian and from the mines along the Bay of Chult.
Like any warehouse district, this one is largely deserted at night, making it a good spot for secret meetings and other mischief.
Market Ward
The Market Ward is where most of Port Nyanzaru’s regular shops are located and where most of its tradesfolk, merchants, and other middle-class
residents live and work.
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The residents of Port Nyanzaru shop for their daily needs at the Red Bazaar. Unlike the Grand Souk, which deals heavily in durable goods and luxury
items, the Red Bazaar deals in everyday needs: locally produced meat, vegetables, tropical fruit, tej, light tropical clothing, insect repellent, rain
catchers, and other household goods. The buyers and sellers in the Red Bazaar are predominantly locals.
Inns. Two noteworthy inns are located near the Red Bazaar. The Thundering Lizard caters to a raucous clientele, and a bed for the night costs 5 sp.
Kaya’s House of Repose is much quieter, but a bed for the night costs 1 gp. Wilderness guides are known to frequent both establishments, looking for
work (see “Finding a Guide”).
Events are held on most afternoons; only special shows are held after sundown, as the coliseum depends on natural light. During the week, the bill
features qualifying matches, consolation bouts, and other small events. Major events, championships, and special extravaganzas are staged on
holidays. A holiday show might include a battle between “heroes of legend” and “pirates” (all portrayed by gladiators), a bloody match pitting
velociraptors against tigers, or even a contest of mages battling captured ghouls, skeletons, or zombies.
The chief priest of Waukeen in Port Nyanzaru is Sibonseni, Mother of Prosperity (LN female Chultan priest). She is one of the city’s most influential
residents after the merchant princes, and she enjoys tremendous support from every layer of society for the temple’s charitable work and for its
support of civic improvements. In fact, the temple is also one of the city’s richest banks. When Mother Sibonseni travels through the streets, she rides
in an elegant sedan chair accompanied by drummers, singers, dancers, and temple aides who distribute fistfuls of copper coins to the poor. Needless
to say, this causes traffic jams, but the people of the city love her.
The cliff below the dye works and the sea around it are perpetually stained bright orange, blue, red, green, and yellow, depending on what colors are
being dumped from the vats that day. People employed at the dye works are easily recognized on the street because their hands and feet are likewise
brightly stained.
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Malar’s Throat
This region outside the city walls is Port Nyanzaru’s slum district. Two sheer, jungle-draped ridges flank a deep ravine. Ramshackle buildings cling to
the sides of the ridges, each structure seemingly built atop the lower one’s roof. During heavy rain, runoff pours down the ravine, through Ubtao’s
Jaws (the large gate in the city wall facing Malar’s Throat), and down the paved streets to the harbor, often sweeping along unattended baskets, dead
animals, and even clumsy or unlucky Chultans in its tow.
Foot bridges of rope and bamboo hang above the ravine. Some of them are 200 feet long or longer and sway a hundred feet above ground, terrifying
the faint of heart. Skilled thieves have been known to drop hooks on thin lines from the bridges and “fish” purses right off victims’ belts.
Tiryki Anchorage
This district east of the city is populated by animal trainers, river folk, explorers who need inexpensive lodging, and other rough-and-tumble sorts.
Smugglers prefer the unregulated docks of the anchorage over the policed and inspected docks of the harbor, despite the shortage of dock workers
and beast-powered cranes to assist in loading and unloading.
Unlike Malar’s Throat and the Old City, Tiryki Anchorage has no fortified temple or ancient stone ziggurats where residents can take shelter against
undead or carnivores. Most people dash for Tiryki Gate when the alarm sounds and hope to get through before it’s locked ahead of them. Fortunately,
the animals in their pens are more sensitive to approaching enemies than humans are, so few creatures are able to sneak into the area undetected.
City Denizens ↑
Chultans comprise two-thirds of Port Nyanzaru’s population. The city’s remaining inhabitants are foreigners, many of whom are profiteers or
adventurers seeking either to plunder Chult of its riches or to help protect the city against encroaching monsters.
The legendary world traveler is in Port Nyanzaru to deliver signed copies of his new book, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, to the merchant princes (some of
whom he knows well, and others he claims to know well), and to promote his latest work. Characters are most likely to encounter Volo in one of the
city’s inns or taverns, or in a merchant prince’s villa.
Volo is a font of information, but not everything he says is true, despite his hearty avowals of accuracy. He won’t venture outside Port Nyanzaru under
any circumstances.
If the characters buy a copy of Volo’s book (50 gp for a durable hardcover edition), they can put it to use. Any time they want to know lore about a
particular monster described in the book, give them useful tidbits from Volo’s Guide to Monsters. Do not impart game statistics, since such
information would not be available in-world. If this reference is unavailable, use the information in appendix D.
Merchant Princes
Seven merchant princes rule Port Nyanzaru, each one with an equal vote in matters of state. All are Chultan. Their single qualification is that they’re
the seven richest people in the city. Their seat of governance is Goldenthrone, an old, regal Amnian palace overlooking the bay. A merchant prince
who retires can yield his or her position to a family member or someone else of immense wealth agreed on by the majority.
The merchant princes surround themselves with loyal family and underlings, but they also employ foreign mercenaries both as city guards and as
personal guards. Most of these mercenaries are Zhents, and where one finds the Zhentarim, one can also find Harper spies.
The merchant princes have specific monopolies on all merchandise sold in the city. Characters in need of gear or supplies must deal through these
individuals directly or their consortiums indirectly. The only alternative is to resort to the black markets in Malar’s Throat or Tiryki Anchorage.
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Ekene-Afa
Deals in weapons, shields, traveling gear, rain catchers, saddles, wagons, and canoes
Ekene-Afa (LG female Chultan human gladiator) won numerous gladiatorial contests in Port
Nyanzaru’s arena before she invested her winnings into financing her first trade deals. She is a
legend among the common rabble who grew up watching her battles. Her husband, Kura, is a
painter, and they have twin teenage sons named Soshen and Tiryk. Soshen is a city guard, and
Tiryk is a popular dinosaur racer. Both were named after Chultan rivers.
Ekene-Afa sells nonmagical weapons and shields of every kind, but most of her inventory
consists of flint daggers, yklwas with wooden shafts and obsidian tips (see “Buying a Special
Item”), and shields made of wooden frames with layers of reptile hide stretched over them.
Ekene-Afa pays Wakanga O’tamu to place permanent enchantments on a select few of these
items, which she sells at the prices listed in the Magic Shields and Weapons for Sale table.
Ifan Talro’a
Deals in beasts and beast training
Ifan Talro’a (NE male Chultan human noble) is a greedy, conniving man supported by influential
and dangerous friends among the Zhentarim. He is jealous of Wakanga O’tamu’s magical
power and Ekene-Afa’s reputation from the arena. Talro’a sells animals that can be trained as
mounts or pets, including dinosaurs and flying monkeys. The yuan-ti of Omu secretly pay
Talro’a to warn them if treasure hunters are headed south into the deep jungle. He uses flying
snakes as messengers. Talro’a doesn’t know for certain that the messages go to yuan-ti, but he
strongly suspects it.
Buying Beasts. Ifan Talro’a employs dozens of merchants throughout Port Nyanzaru who not
only serve as his spies but also sell domesticated beasts that can be used as companions,
mounts, or pack animals. Flying snakes trained as messengers are popular with the Zhentarim,
and Talro’a sells them to no one else.
The Beasts for Sale table lists the creatures available for purchase in Port Nyanzaru. Statistics
for the hadrosaurus, the deinonychus, and the flying monkey appear in appendix D. See the
Monster Manual for all others.
Triceratops 500 gp
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Jessamine
Deals in plants, poison, and assassination
Jessamine (N female Chultan human assassin, her hit point maximum reduced to 58) doesn’t
speak often. When the council finds itself divided on an issue, however, Jessamine usually
casts the deciding vote. Most of her body is hidden under billowy robes and tightly wrapped
black bandages.
Jessamine trades in plants, herbs, poison, and sanctioned assassination. Murder is illegal in
Port Nyanzaru, as it is almost everywhere, but Jessamine has a monopoly on “sanctions” —
writs that allow a killing by ordained methods (usually poison or stabbing with a blade). For an
added fee, her agents will carry out the assassination, with results guaranteed. Poison is her
specialty, and she has a vast personal collection. She sells all the poisons listed in the Poisons
table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide at market prices.
Twelve years ago, Jessamine had a brief but torrid love affair with an Amnian sea captain. The
“fruit” of that affair is a shy daughter named Ymezra. Under Jessamine’s watchful eye, tutors
are teaching Ymezra the skills she needs to take over the family business one day.
Jessamine’s Curse. Before she went into business for herself, Jessamine worked as an
assassin for a Calishite pasha. She died on a mission, but her benefactor paid a handsome
price to raise her from the dead. As a result of her misfortune years ago, Jessamine is now
suffering from the effects of the Soulmonger’s death curse. She covers her rotting flesh with
scarves and bandage wrappings, and she is predisposed to help any adventurers actively trying
to end the death curse.
Jobal
Deals in guides and sellswords
Jobal (NE male Chultan human scout) made a fortune as a wilderness guide when the party he
was working for discovered a stunning cache of Chultan gold and jewels. Miraculously, only Jobal
survived the gauntlet of undead and dinosaur attacks, making it back to Port Nyanzaru in a canoe
laden with treasure. There’s no doubt he’s led a life of adventure; his body bears many scars from
his escapades. His chief spy, confidante, and consort is Aazon Talieri (NG male Tethyrian human
spy). Jobal trusts him implicitly, and Aazon’s loyalty is beyond reproach.
Because of his dealings with explorers, Jobal has an intense interest in maps of Chult. He would
pay the characters handsomely for Syndra Silvane’s map, if he learns of its existence. If they refuse
to sell, he’ll resort to theft, and eventually to murder.
Hiring a Guide. If the characters visit Jobal in search of a guide, he recommends that they seek out
one or more of his guides in Port Nyanzaru (see “Finding a Guide”). Jobal assigns Aazon the task
of escorting the adventurers to whichever guides interest them. Jobal doesn’t require payment up
front, since all guides in Port Nyanzaru are required by law to pay him a fair cut of their earnings.
If the characters follow Jobal’s advice and accompany Aazon, give them copies of handouts 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, and 8 (see appendix E) as Aazon introduces the party to various guides in the city.
Kwayothé
Deals in fruit, wine, ale, tej, oil, perfume, and insect repellent
Kwayothé (NE female Chultan human priest wearing a ring of fire resistance) is calm and contemplative in a way that’s vaguely menacing. She
worships the fire god Kossuth (pronounced kaw-SOOTH) and likes torturing others, particularly if it involves fire and hot coals. Kwayothé has two
consorts — a succubus named Ixis and an incubus named Indar. These fiends take the forms of beautiful Chultans.
Kwayothé grew up in the streets of Port Nyanzaru, poor and destitute. She despises nobility and wants to destroy every last vestige of the Chultan
royal families. She considers Zhanthi her mortal enemy and has grown impatient waiting for the old noblewoman to die. Although she hides her
contempt well, Kwayothé is forever meddling in Zhanthi’s business and family affairs. If Zhanthi is aware of Kwayothé’s hostility toward her and her
family, she’s elected not to show it.
Kwayothé employs traders who make their own tej and insect repellent. For more information on these special items, see “Buying a Special Item."
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Wakanga O’tamu
Deals in magic and lore
Potion, common 80 gp
Wizard’s Journal. In his collection, Wakanga has a tattered, water-damaged explorer’s journal that was brought out of the jungle 15 years ago. It
describes a wizard’s explorations of various places in Chult, but not in enough detail to locate them on a map. The unnamed author does, however,
make many mentions of his only traveling companion: a shield guardian named Vorn. If the characters befriend Wakanga, he gives them the journal
and shows them on Syndra’s map where it was found (he accurately indicates the hex containing the guardian; see “Vorn” in chapter 2 for more
information). The journal contains a picture of Vorn’s control amulet but provides no clues to the amulet’s current whereabouts. As reward for finding
and retrieving the construct and its control amulet, Wakanga offers a spellbook containing fifteen randomly determined spells (roll a d6 to determine
the level of each spell).
Zhanthi
Deals in gems, jewelry, cloth, and armor
Zhanthi (NG female Chultan human noble) has royal blood in her veins, and few have the courage to dispute the wise, old trader. She’s a secret
member of the Ytepka Society (see “Factions and Their Representatives”), and she has forged ties with the Zhentarim so that she can monitor the
organization’s activities.
Zhanthi trades in gems, jewelry, colorful Chultan cloth, and nonmagical leather, studded leather, and hide armor. Her son, Shago, is a guide stationed
at Fort Beluarian. Shago sends regular reports to his mother about what’s happening at the fort, but he’s not her most reliable spy among the Flaming
Fist.
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Zhanthi is one of very few people who’ve stumbled onto evidence of Liara Portyr’s secret
arrangement with the pirates, but she keeps this knowledge to herself for the time being. Zindar, the
half-dragon harbormaster, is looking for adventurers to dispose of the pirates, while Zhanthi is
putting up the reward money.
Map 1.2 provides a sample floor plan. Each villa is both a palatial tropical home and a fortress. The
outer walls are 8 to 12 feet tall, up to 2 feet thick, and topped with carnivore teeth, slivered seashells,
and broken glass that glitters colorfully in the sun but also deters intruders. Any character who
climbs over the wall must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 2 (1d4) slashing
damage from the sharp objects.
You can customize a villa by assigning the following decorative motifs to each merchant prince:
Ornate weapons, shields, and framed paintings are displayed throughout Ekene-Afa’s villa, as are
squawking parrots in gilded cages.
Ifan Talro’a decorates his villa and gardens with relics and vases plundered from Chultan ruins, and colorful flying snakes swoop and glide through
the spacious hallways.
The walls and pillars in Jessamine’s villa are painted with colorful serpents, and decorative stone fountains and fonts share a similar serpentine
motif.
The walls of Jobal’s villa are festooned with silk draperies, tapestries, and the mounted heads of beasts.
Kwayothé’s villa reeks with scented perfumes, and bowls of fresh fruit can be found throughout. Oil lamps and braziers are kept lit on honor of
Kossuth.
Wakanga’s villa is lit with continual flame spells, and soft music (created by magic) plays throughout. Doors to private chambers have arcane lock
spells cast on them, and flying swords are mounted on the walls, ready to attack on Wakanga’s command. The occasional floor rug or hanging rug
might be a rug of smothering in disguise.
Zhanthi’s villa is decorated with standing suits of gold-plated armor and large potted plants, and the bejeweled skulls of Zhanthi’s ancestors rest in
wall niches.
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Lower Level
Paintings, statues, murals, frescoes, tapestries, and oil lamps meant to impress guests decorate this level.
1. Entryway
This pleasant, breezy, tiled courtyard includes a splashing fountain and green plants. Visitors can refresh themselves in a washroom to the left of the
entrance before meeting residents of the villa. The entry portico is always guarded by 1d4 + 1 gladiators recruited from the merchant prince’s
extended family or hand-picked for their loyalty and fighting prowess. These guards are always on alert against tricksters and magicians trying to
gain entrance to their master’s home, so they have advantage on skill checks and saving throws against attempts to distract, bamboozle, or charm
them.
The ceiling of the entryway is two stories tall. In some homes, it’s open to the sky. In those cases, the fountain is sunk into the floor and doubles as a
drain for rainwater.
2. Sitting Area
This is both a waiting area and a meeting area for guests who aren’t known to the villa’s master, and therefore won’t necessarily be given access to
the inner chambers of the house. Decorative columns support the arched doorway from area 1. Rugs and comfortable pillows are arranged on the
floor. Narrow windows look into the garden, but these double as arrow slits in case visitors aren’t as friendly as they claim to be.
3. Grand Hall
A magnificently tiled floor is flanked by two sweeping staircases that ascend to the upper floor. Decorations are in keeping with the individual
merchant prince’s taste and specialization.
4. Guest Rooms
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Most of the right side of the house is devoted to accommodations for guests. Three private sleeping rooms with attached baths, plus two sitting
rooms and access to the garden, make this far more luxurious than a typical inn.
5. Garden
Ferns, potted palms, orchids, and other tropical flowers are cultivated in the garden, which is open to the sky. Chultan plants with useful properties or
applications as poison might be found in the garden of a merchant prince with a horticultural bent, such as Jessamine. See appendix C for examples
of rare plants.
6. Dining Room
The dining table is very low, just a few inches above the floor. Diners relax on pillows as they eat.
7. Sauna
In addition to daily baths, well-to-do Chultans love relaxing in saunas. Dry heat is a welcome change from Chult’s high humidity. Most home saunas
are heated with charcoal burners or hot stones, but in the homes of the merchant princes, a trapped fire elemental provides round-the-clock heat, and
a servant or slave is always available to massage tired muscles.
8. Bath
The bath is the cornerstone of a Chultan mansion, even more so than the dining room or family rooms. The family relaxes here during private times,
but there’s nothing unusual about a merchant prince holding meetings in the bath with trusted advisors and close business associates. Being invited
into the household bath is considered an honor in Chultan society, and treating it as anything less than an honor risks offending the person who
extended the invitation.
9. Kitchen
The kitchen is large, high-ceilinged, and well ventilated; otherwise, heat from cooking fires would make it unbearably hot. Stairs lead up to the laundry
room (area 14).
Upper Level
The rooms on this level are decorated for comfort. The artwork and other decor reflects the taste of the merchant prince to whom the villa belongs.
10. Library
Chultans are fans of mythical romance, and the city has an active literary community with many book clubs. Port Nyanzaru’s most successful
novelists and playwrights concoct stirring tales about legendary heroes who pursue their lovers through unimaginable danger and save them from
fates worse than death — which is more likely to involve a forced marriage to someone who doesn’t love them than being eaten by an impossibly
huge tyrannosaurus, although monstrous tyrannosauruses make regular appearances in these tales, too.
A character who spends a few hours sifting through the formulaic fiction and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds useful
books of Chultan lore mixed in with the romances. Use this as an opportunity to answer specific questions posed by the players. A library won’t reveal
the location of Omu, but a book of lore might mention the city and describe it as it was during its height.
Treasure. The suite contains personal items equivalent to two rolls on the “Gems or Art Objects” column of the Treasure Hoard, Challenge 0–4 table
in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. If the room contains jewelry, there is a 50 percent chance it is in a locked jewelry box requiring thieves’ tools and a
successful DC 15 Dexterity check to open.
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Slavery isn’t illegal in Port Nyanzaru, but it’s frowned upon, and the merchant princes won’t do business with slavers or show them
any legal favor.
Murder is illegal, but “sanctions” — legal permission to kill someone or to have someone killed — can be purchased from the
merchant prince Jessamine. The price depends on the prominence of the intended victim, the reason for the sanction, and the
wealth of the purchaser. The minimum price possible is 150 gp; the maximum is limitless. The availability of sanctions doesn’t
mean they’re common — it’s rare for more than six to be sold in a year. That has less to do with price than with the fact that if word
gets out who purchased a sanction, nothing can stop the friends of the victim from sanctioning the original purchaser.
Despite their high ambition, the merchant princes’ power is entirely contained in the city. Elsewhere, Chult is ruled by the red law of
tooth and claw. An individual is either predator or prey, and the predator might be a mob of undead, a ravenous allosaurus, a grung
hunting party, Jahakan pirates, or a Flaming Fist patrol.
Emerald Enclave
The Emerald Enclave is a widespread group of wilderness survivalists who preserve the natural order by rooting out unnatural threats. They struggle
to keep civilization and the wilderness from destroying one another.
In Chult, the Emerald Enclave is chiefly concerned with protecting inhabitants from the undead menace. A few guides in Port Nyanzaru and Fort
Beluarian are openly associated with the enclave, and a few others are secret members or are sympathetic to its goals. The faction maintains several
well-camouflaged outposts in the jungle. They serve as hidden observation posts, not forward fighting positions.
If characters get into trouble in the wilderness, the Emerald Enclave is a potential rescuer.
Flaming Fist
The Flaming Fist is a mercenary company headquartered in (and fiercely loyal to) Baldur’s Gate. The Fist maintains a permanent stronghold in Chult
at Fort Beluarian. From there, Flaming Fist patrols strike out into the jungle to “pacify” territory and claim lost treasures. The Flaming Fist has already
plundered the ruins of Mezro. Now the mercenaries and their wealthy backers in Baldur’s Gate would like nothing better than to do the same to Omu,
but they’ve had no luck locating the lost city. The Flaming Fist’s researchers are convinced the city lies south of Lake Luo but east of the Peaks of
Flame, at the western end of the Valley of Dread. Because of the distance from Fort Beluarian, they’re looking for adventurers to conduct an initial
exploration of that area and locate what they believe will be mostly abandoned ruins.
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The commander of Fort Beluarian and highest ranking member of the Flaming Fist in Chult is Liara Portyr (see appendix D). She holds the rank of
blaze (major) and has complete autonomy in Chult, answering only to Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur’s Gate. Portyr will happily assign some of her
mercenaries to accompany adventurers by sea to Refuge Bay or even to Snapping Turtle Bay — either is an excellent starting point for any incursion
into the western reach of the Valley of Dread.
Only six ranks are recognized within the Flaming Fist: fist (private), gauntlet (corporal), manip (sergeant), flame (lieutenant), blaze (major), and
marshal (general).
Harpers
The Harpers are spellcasters and spies who covertly oppose any abuse of power, magical or otherwise. Working alone or in small cells, they gather
information throughout Faerûn, analyze the political dynamics in each region or realm, and use what they uncover to help the weak, the poor, and the
oppressed from behind the scenes. Harpers act openly only as a last resort.
Artus Cimber, a former member of the Harpers, is hiding out in Chult. He possesses an artifact called the Ring of Winter, and other Harpers are
concerned lest the ring fall into evil hands. To prevent that, a handful of Harper spies are combing Port Nyanzaru and Chult for clues to Artus’s
whereabouts — ostensibly to protect the ring, but exactly what they’ll do when they find it is an open question. Magical efforts to locate Artus are
futile, as the Ring of Winter shields itself and its wearer against divination spells and scrying sensors.
Lords’ Alliance
A number of cities and settlements banded together to form the Lords’ Alliance, a coalition that works actively to eliminate threats to their mutual
safety and prosperity. The coalition is loose — some might even call it shaky. Alliance leaders push their own interests above counterparts from other
cities, and operatives seek honor and glory for themselves and their own lords at the expense of less powerful members.
A key figure in the Lords’ Alliance is Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur’s Gate, a city with a vested interest in the affairs of Chult. The flag of
Baldur’s Gate flies over the stronghold of Fort Beluarian, which is garrisoned by Flaming Fist mercenaries under the command of Ravengard’s vassal,
Liara Portyr. If push came to shove, Ravengard would place the priorities of Baldur’s Gate above those of the Lord’s Alliance.
Other Lords’ Alliance cities such as Waterdeep and Neverwinter have operatives in Port Nyanzaru, where they undermine the efforts of non-alliance
powers such as Calimshan, Amn, and Tethyr to expand their control over Chult’s vast resources. Most of these representatives are open about their
ties to the Lord’s Alliance and style themselves as ambassadors of their cities, but they also employ covert agents to undermine each other’s plans
and carry out less savory tasks. The Lords’ Alliance sponsors mapping expeditions into the peninsula, with the aim of finding more treasures or
mines it can plunder.
The order has committed considerable resources toward quelling the undead menace in Chult. Its forward base, Camp Righteous, was overrun by
undead. The order, undaunted, built a new fortification even deeper in the jungle. Dubbed Camp Vengeance, it has fallen on hard times. Its
commander is a woefully inept noble named Niles Breakbone. His lieutenants are more likely to share useful information or offer aid, but only if the
characters offer some form of assistance to Camp Vengeance in return.
All members of the Order of the Gauntlet are unflinchingly brave, but many of their expeditions fare poorly or meet with outright disaster when
confronted by conditions that confound their training and contradict their mindset.
Ytepka Society
The Ytepka Society, also known as the Triceratops Society, is based in Port Nyanzaru and dedicated to preventing any individual or group from
abusing power and upsetting the natural social order. Its members are primarily neutral good Chultans. In many respects, the society’s goals are
similar to those of the Harpers.
The Ytepka Society was instrumental in liberating Port Nyanzaru from foreign powers and facilitating the rise of the seven merchant princes. Its
members now work tirelessly to prevent the Zhentarim and other dubious factions from taking over the government or gaining undue influence. The
Ytepkas also work covertly to eliminate the threat from pirates, but they’ve been unable to locate the pirates’ base or track down pirate spies in the
city. A handsome reward awaits those who can definitively pinpoint the pirates’ base or capture their ships.
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Currently there are fewer than fifty active members of the Ytepka Society. They don’t advertise their membership but identify one another using a
simple hand gesture: a raised left hand with the index finger, middle finger, and third finger extended, representing the three horns of the triceratops.
When the society judges that someone has damaged the social fabric of Chult or is on the verge of committing a great wrong, it presents a warning
by anonymously delivering an iron token bearing the likeness of a triceratops. It’s up to the marked individual to figure out the meaning of the token
and take steps to correct the offending behavior or undo the damage. If the person ignores the warning and persists in offending the society, the
Ytepkas secure permission from the merchant princes to mete out punishment as they see fit, up to and including a sanction (see the “Laws and
Punishments” sidebar earlier in this chapter).
Unfortunately, because of the society’s secretiveness, not many people understand what those iron tokens signify, and there’s a lot of misinformation
about the Ytepkas in Port Nyanzaru. The society doesn’t recollect its tokens, either, so unscrupulous types have used old (or even counterfeit) tokens
to frighten competitors away from business ventures.
Zhentarim
The Zhentarim is an unscrupulous shadow network that seeks to expand its influence and power base throughout Faerûn. Its members pursue
wealth and power through any means, though the public face of the organization appears much more benign — the Zhentarim provides the best
mercenaries money can buy.
The merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru hire Zhentarim guards to defend the city walls and Zhentarim mercenaries to protect hunting, lumbering, and
mining operations in the jungle and foothills. The Black Network has used this wide-ranging access to the city to set up its own woodcutting camps
and mining operations. It also mounts treasure-hunting expeditions. In addition, Black Network spies have learned that Artus Cimber is in Chult, and
they’ve assembled teams to find the ex-Harper and wrest the Ring of Winter from him.
Things to Do ↑
Port Nyanzaru offers plenty of distractions for visitors, but the following sections describe four activities that the characters are likely engage in
before setting out to explore the darkest reaches of Chult:
The only alternative to buying specialty items through the merchant princes is to deal with the
black market, which is highly secretive in Port Nyanzaru; the merchant princes crack down
harshly on competitors. Contacting black marketeers takes half a day in the Old City, Malar’s
Throat, or Tiryki Anchorage, plus a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check to pose the
right questions to the right people at the right time. To determine the black market price of an
item, multiply the item’s normal price (see the Player’s Handbook where appropriate) by 1d4 +
2. If an unusually large quantity is needed, increase the price multiplier by 1.
The following special goods are available for sale in Chultan markets.
Canoe
A canoe can be purchased in Port Nyanzaru for 50 gp. It holds up to six Medium creatures and has a maximum speed of 2 mph. It is otherwise
identical to a rowboat (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
The sale of canoes in Port Nyanzaru is controlled by the merchant prince Ekene-Afa.
Insect Repellent
Insect repellent can be purchased in Port Nyanzaru in two forms: blocks of incense or a greasy salve. The merchant prince Kwayothé controls the
sale of both. Neither kind of repellent protects against giant insects or the vile swarms of insects described in appendix A of the Monster Manual.
A block of incense sells for 1 sp. When lit, it burns for 8 hours and repels normal insects within a 20-foot-radius centered on it.
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A gourd or vial of salve, which sells for 1 gp, contains 20 applications of odorless grease. One application protects its wearer against normal insects
for 24 hours. The salve is waterproof so it doesn’t wash off in rain.
Rain Catcher
A rain catcher is a simple contraption consisting of a 5-foot-square leather tarp and a wooden frame with legs. When the tarp is stretched across the
wooden frame, it forms a basin that can catch 2 gallons of drinking water per inch of rainfall and hold up to 8 gallons. The tarp and wooden frame
fold up for easy transport. A rain catcher costs 1 gp and weighs 5 pounds.
Merchant prince Ekene-Afa controls the sale of rain catchers in Port Nyanzaru.
Tej
Tej is an amber-colored, fermented drink made from honey. It’s more common and popular in Chult than beer or ale. A mug of tej costs 4 cp in Port
Nyanzaru or 6 cp in Fort Beluarian. A 1-gallon cask costs 2 sp in the city or 3 sp at the fort.
Yklwa
A yklwa (pronounced YICK-ul-wah) is a simple melee weapon that is the traditional weapon of Chultan warriors. A yklwa consists of a 3-foot wooden
shaft with a steel or stone blade up to 18 inches long. It costs 1 gp, and it deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Although it has the thrown weapon
property, the yklwa is not well balanced for throwing (range 10/30 ft.).
The merchant prince Ekene-Afa controls the sale of yklwas in Port Nyanzaru.
Dinosaur Racing
The city is famous for its weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Dinosaurs are painted in bright designs, and their riders try to steer them along a
course that winds around the harbor and the city’s four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it’s a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their
riders.
A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for two-legged beasts, and one no-holds-barred “unchained” race. Many of the
dinosaurs involved are juveniles, since fully grown versions can be too large and too difficult for riders to manage. The dinosaurs are stoutly muzzled
and have their claws and horns blunted in all but the unchained race.
The four-legged race is dominated by young ankylosauruses and triceratopses, but dimetrodons have also done well when paired with Small riders.
Most competitors in the two-legged race are hadrosauruses and deinonychuses (again with Small riders). The unchained race sees racers on
anything, including young allosauruses and very young tyrannosauruses.
Racing Dinosaurs
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* If an Animal Handling check made with advantage due to lashing fails by 5 or more, the animal goes berserk and is out of the race.
Betting
Characters can bet on the dinosaur races to help fund a jungle expedition or earn some extra cash. The racers, the available odds, and the chance to
win are listed in the Betting on Dinosaur Races table. Bets can range from 1 cp to 500 gp. Once bets are placed, roll a die for each bet. Losing bets
cost the full amount of the wager. Winning bets pay out according to the table. Bets can be for a dinosaur to win, place, show, or do something
specific during the race (like attack another racer or throw its rider), so many bets can win in the course of a single race.
Losers are expected to pay up in a timely fashion. Those who don’t are visited by a debt collector backed up by Chultan legbreakers (1d4 + 1 thugs or
gladiators, depending on the level and reputation of the bettor). Port Nyanzaru bookies never forget a debt; even a year away on an expedition into
the jungle isn’t long enough to erase an unpaid gambling loss.
Racing
Player characters might get involved in a dinosaur race, either through their own interest or because they’re approached by a racing team. In this
case, you’ll need to play out the race. This can be quite a bit of fun, especially if you let players whose characters aren’t directly involved take over at
least some of the NPC racers. Encourage everyone to race hard, even if it’s in the group’s best interest for a particular dinosaur to win.
A race runs a length of 300 feet; this is abstract, as a race actually covers a lot more ground. Every round, each rider makes a Wisdom (Animal
Handling) check; the DCs for different types of dinosaurs are listed in the Racing Dinosaurs table. With each successful Animal Handling check, the
first number listed as the dinosaur’s speed is added to its “running tally.” If the check fails, that dinosaur’s tally doesn’t increase that turn. When a
racer’s tally equals or exceeds 300, that dinosaur crosses the finish line. A racer can try to move at the higher listed speed by lashing the animal
furiously; in this case, the Animal Handling check is made with advantage, but the dinosaur must also make a successful DC 10 Constitution check at
the end of this round or its speed is halved for the rest of the race.
No initiative is involved. Riders can make their Animal Handling checks in any order, or all at the same time. If two or more dinosaurs cross the finish
line on the same round, the one with the highest tally wins. If the tallies are the same, the racers tied. In the event of a tie, brawls are likely to break
out in trackside betting pools.
In the unchained event, dinosaurs can attack other dinosaurs if their tallies are within 50 of each other at the end of a round. Each dinosaur’s
pertinent combat statistics are listed on the Racing Dinosaurs table. If a dinosaur has half or fewer of its starting hit points, the rider makes Animal
Handling checks with disadvantage.
For simplicity, riders can’t attack or be attacked, but DMs with a cruel streak might be tempted to relax that rule. Just be aware that if rider attacks are
allowed, the event is more likely to become a straight-up dinosaur fight than anything resembling a race. Raising a dinosaur to be a racer is difficult
and expensive. Most owners aren’t willing to lose one — especially a fast one — in a weekly bloodfest.
Finding a Guide
Guides can be retained in Port Nyanzaru or Fort Beluarian. All Port Nyanzaru guides must register and serve under the auspices of Jobal, who takes a
princely cut of their earnings and findings. The Zhentarim also have a black market network in the city that provides guides. Jobal is aware that this
network exists and makes it abundantly clear that guides who fail to register with him will be beaten, blinded, or beheaded.
Guides working for Jobal leave their contact information on message boards outside inns and taverns or at the harbormaster’s office in Port
Nyanzaru.
Several guides are described in this section. Some will work for free if characters agree to certain conditions. Otherwise, guides charge 5 gp per day,
and payment for 30 days up front is standard, even if the expedition is expected to be shorter than that. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
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check negotiates the price down to 4 gp per day, or 3 gp per day if the check succeeds by 5 or more. Alternatively, guides might forgo wages in
exchange for an equal share of treasure.
You can roleplay preliminary meetings and conversations with guides, or simply describe all the available guides to the players and let them choose.
To help the party select a guide, you can give players copies of handouts 2 through 10 in appendix E. These handouts give players a sense of each
guide’s personality. You can give the players several handouts at once, or provide handouts only for the guides they track down.
A guide who is hired by the adventurers becomes a NPC party member and receives an equal share of XP. However, the guide
doesn’t gain levels as player characters do.
You can use the optional loyalty rule in chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to track the loyalty of a guide who isn’t beholden to
a secret master. Disloyal guides won’t risk their lives to save player characters and might abandon the party entirely to preserve
themselves. The guides described in this chapter have goals beyond helping the characters survive. Helping guides fulfill their
personal goals increases their loyalty.
A particularly loyal guide (loyalty score of 10 or higher) will follow characters into a dangerous location such as Omu or the Tomb of
the Nine Gods. A tenuously loyal guide (loyalty score of 1 to 9) might choose to wait for the characters outside the location rather
than abandon the party altogether.
Azaka Stormfang
Weretiger (Port Nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Azaka, give the players a copy of handout 2 in appendix E.
Azaka (NG female Chultan human weretiger) works out of Port Nyanzaru. She conceals her lycanthropy from the characters for as long as possible
and will guide adventurers for free if they agree to help her retrieve an item that was stolen by the pterafolk of Firefinger. If questioned about the
stolen item, Azaka responds only that it’s a family heirloom: a wooden mask carved to resemble a tiger’s face. It is actually a mask of the beast (see
appendix C).
Azaka has wandered far and wide through the jungle in tiger form. She is acquainted with Saja N’baza, the powerful and wise guardian naga of
Orolunga, and gladly leads characters to the naga if they’re looking for guidance.
Azaka stands 6 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. She will not willingly spread her lycanthropic curse. She is also afraid of heights and will not
willingly put herself in a situation in which she’s in danger of falling more than 60 feet. Azaka’s damage immunities do not protect her against
damage from falling.
Eku
Disguised couatl (Port Nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Eku, give the players a copy of handout 3 in appendix E.
Eku is a couatl polymorphed into a middle-aged Chultan woman. She is one of the few who knows the location of Omu, although she doesn’t
advertise this fact. The couatl is looking for adventurers to help rid the jungle of the evil that infests it. She’ll work only with good-aligned adventurers.
While in human form, Eku is clothed in light blue robes and carries a walking stick carved in the likeness of a stylized couatl. In this form, Eku stands
5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. She is on good terms with the aarakocra of Kir Sabal, and she’s made numerous treks to Nangalore to
retrieve rare flowers. Eku also knows about the evil gargoyles that guard Omu, though she’s never fought them, and the guardian naga of Orolunga,
whose oracular abilities are legendary. If the characters hire her to guide them but aren’t sure where to go, she recommends visiting the guardian
naga.
Eku had great love and respect for the people of Mbala, who were tricked and eaten by a green hag named Nanny Pu’pu. Eku regards the hag as one
of the greatest evils in Chult. If the characters travel anywhere near Mbala and Eku is with them, she asks them to help her rid the world of Nanny
Pu’pu once and for all.
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When the characters meet Faroul and Gondolo, give the players a copy of handout 4 in appendix E.
Faroul (NG male Calishite human scout) and Gondolo (CG male lightfoot halfling scout with 13 hit points) are two dandies down on their luck in Port
Nyanzaru. Spoiled and pompous, Faroul was shipped off by his exasperated parents to Port Nyanzaru and told to make his fortune there. Bursting
with coin and ready for adventure, Faroul brought along his carousing companion, Gondolo. Together, they thought they’d soon be living the high life
on distant shores. Within a few months, they’d squandered most of Faroul’s cash at the dinosaur races and were in debt to numerous bookies and
several merchant princes. The only thing they have to show for their months of debauchery is a flatulent racing triceratops named Zongo. They
purchased it for the races, but it was hopelessly slow; now they use Zongo as a pack animal.
In desperation, Gondolo bought a treasure map from a fever-wracked explorer who needed cash to buy passage back to Baldur’s Gate. Miraculously,
the map accurately indicates the location of Needle’s Bones. This hapless pair hope to be hired by adventurers on an equal-shares basis so they can
lead the group to what they believe will be an easily claimed dragon’s hoard.
Faroul is 5 feet 10 inches tall and 175 pounds. He tells great tales of his battle prowess but he uses his shortsword only in emergencies.
Gondolo is 3 feet 6 inches tall and 80 flaccid pounds. He fancies himself a poet, a pugilist, and a philosopher who’ll make up important-sounding
facts when he runs out of actual ones. He has a knack for narrowly escaping the jaws of peril and has the normal halfling’s luck.
Hew Hackinstone
Barmy dwarf dragon slayer (Port Nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Hew, give the players a copy of handout 5 in appendix E.
Three years ago, Hew was part of a dwarven expedition seeking to reopen Wyrmheart Mine. The expedition encountered Tinder the red dragon. Hew
alone escaped, and only after the dragon bit off his left arm. Hew wants to return to the mine and slay the dragon, but he needs a band of stout-
hearted adventurers to help him. If the characters hire him as a guide, Hew says he can lead them wherever they want, but he’ll only take them to
Wyrmheart Mine.
Musharib
Albino dwarf (Port Nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Musharib, give the players a copy of handout 6 in appendix E.
Musharib (LG male albino dwarf spirit warrior; see appendix D) will gladly serve as a guide out of Port Nyanzaru, but he is secretly looking for
adventurers of the right skill and fortitude to help him reclaim Hrakhamar — or at least to sneak into its treasury and retrieve Moradin’s Gauntlet, a
dwarven relic. If there are any dwarves in the player characters’ party, Musharib locks onto them and appeals to their love of dwarvenkind to aid him
in reclaiming his clan’s ancestral forge. In general, he directs his questions and answers to dwarves in the party unless there’s no way around
speaking to someone else.
Musharib is 4 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He carries a wooden maul named Skullbash. His armor is fashioned from the spatulate
bones of dinosaurs, and it’s gashed and scarred by weapons, claws, and teeth.
When the characters meet Qawasha and Kupalué, give the players a copy of handout 7 in appendix E.
Qawasha (NG male Chultan druid) is a member of the Emerald Enclave based in Fort Beluarian. The druid travels with a vegepygmy companion
named Kupalué, a Chultan word that means “walking weed.” Qawasha often refers to his companion simply as Weed. They communicate with each
other using their own unique sign language. See appendix D for vegepygmy statistics.
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Qawasha would like to rid the jungle of its undead menace, so he deliberately leads adventurers through undead-infested regions. As he travels
through the jungle, Qawasha calls out the names of unusual flora and fauna around him. The druid also has a knack for camping in places where
chwingas (see appendix D) dwell, and he has experience dealing with the elemental spirits.
If the characters hire Qawasha, he recommends that they also purchase a charter of exploration before leaving Fort Beluarian. Qawasha has
witnessed firsthand the Flaming Fist’s mistreatment of adventurers who explore Chult without the requisite paperwork.
Qawasha stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. Weed stands 3 feet tall and weighs about 30 pounds dry (50 pounds wet).
When the characters meet River Mist and Flask of Wine, give the players a copy of handout 8 in appendix E.
River Mist and Flask of Wine (CG female and male tabaxi hunters; see appendix D) are siblings in league with the Zhentarim. Consequently, they pay
no fees or fealty to any merchant prince; they keep their business quiet, meeting potential clients only in Malar’s Throat or seedier houses in Tiryki
Anchorage. They refer to one another as River and Flask.
River is about 5 feet 5 inches and 100 pounds. She wears leather armor and an eye patch. (She lost her right eye in a childhood mishap involving a
sling.) River is furtive and uncomfortable in crowds, preferring the jungle where she is truly at home.
Flask seldom speaks except to agree with River, often repeating the last few words of River’s utterance (with a slight lisp) while nodding in assent.
Despite this laconic nature, he enjoys being among people and might even be considered gregarious, for a tabaxi. He is tall and lanky (5 feet 8 inches
and 140 pounds).
River and Flask can guide characters to Firefinger and Dungrunglung. They’ve also heard stories about an old woman in Mbala who can animate the
dead in such a way that the zombies retain the abilities and memories they had in life.
Zhentarim agents in Port Nyanzaru have instructed River and Flask to keep an eye out for Artus Cimber. If they encounter Artus, the tabaxi try to learn
as much as they can about him. The next time they return to Port Nyanzaru, the tabaxi report what they’ve seen and learned to their Zhent masters
unless they’re incentivized not to.
Salida
Yuan-ti spy (Port Nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Salida, give the players a copy of handout 9 in appendix E.
Salida (NE female Chultan yuan-ti pureblood with Survival +5) poses as a human guide in Port Nyanzaru, but she really works for Ras Nsi. She keeps
him apprised of the activity of anyone who’s heading south in search of Omu. They communicate via sending stones. Salida keeps her sending
stones in a pouch and tries to join the player characters’ expedition as a guide, a warrior, or even as a lowly bearer or paddler.
Salida is 5 feet 4 inches tall and 120 pounds. She is fit and completely looks the part of a seasoned explorer. Her garb covers up the scaly patches of
skin that betray her true nature. Salida is skilled at crafting colorful insults and concocting believable lies to cover her true background. Her wit makes
her an enjoyable traveling companion — a trait that she leverages to the fullest to join the characters’ expedition.
Shago
Chultan gladiator (Fort Beluarian)
When the characters meet Shago, give the players a copy of handout 10 in appendix E.
Shago (CG male Chultan gladiator with Survival +7) is a Chultan and the only son of Zhanthi, one of Port Nyanzaru’s merchant princes. He works out
of Fort Beluarian, and although he presents himself as an independent operator, he’s in league with the Flaming Fist. Shago has led many Flaming Fist
expeditions into the jungle to clear out undead, despite having a great fear of being turned into a zombie or ghoul.
Despite his fears, Shago knows that the undead must be defeated. This is why he works with the Flaming Fist; the merchant princes bemoan the
threat from undead but, other than hiring guards to defend Port Nyanzaru, they won’t pay to take effective action against it. His mother believes she’s
“recruited” him to keep an eye on the Flaming Fist, but his sympathies are with the mercenaries and he rarely provides her with any secret or useful
information.
Shago is 6 feet 3 inches tall and 220 pounds, with rippling muscles and a friendly smile. His main goal is to impress Liara Portyr enough to earn a
rank within the Flaming Fist. While Shago is their guide, characters gain advantage on Charisma checks made to influence members of the Flaming
Fist.
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Gathering Information
The challenge for characters isn’t getting people to tell them about Chult; it’s sifting the truth from the mountain of rumor, conjecture, and myth.
The best people to talk to are those who actually work or live in the jungle: hunters, guides, and explorers. No skill checks are necessary to get people
talking, but to acquire reliable information, characters must go where in-the-know folks gather. For each hour spent talking to knowledgeable
travelers, a character can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, roll percentile dice and consult the Chult Rumors table to
determine what the character learns.
Chult Rumors
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d100 Rumor
Bird folk inhabit a monastery that hangs on the side of a plateau many miles up the Olung River, past the Laughing Gorge.
01–05
The bird folk are holding the last royal heir of Chult as their prisoner.
Deep in the heart of the jungle is a city built by minotaurs. It’s now overrun by snake people, but even worse things dwell
06–12
below. In visions, I have seen strange devils screaming in the dark.
If you head up the Tiryki River about five days by canoe, you’ll see a stone spire to the east. Natives call it Firefinger.
13–17
“Terror folk” nest there, and if they spot you, you’re in for a fight.
One must purchase a charter of exploration at Fort Beluarian before undertaking any jungle expedition. The Flaming Fist
18–22
punishes explorers who don’t have the required paperwork.
Chult had many kings and queens, but none more beautiful than Queen Zalkoré. Thousands of warriors killed and died for
23–28 her, but the only memorial of her reign is the garden palace of Nangalore, which lies near the eastern shore of the River
Olung, north of Lake Luo.
Chult was once a playground for a green dragon. Her bones mark the location of a hidden treasure trove. If you travel to
29–33 Mezro and head east across the Laughing Gorge, then south toward Kir Sabal, you might stumble on the dragon’s bones
and earn yourself a place in the history books!
The city of Mezro was not destroyed during the Spellplague after all. Its ruins are an illusion. I heard a pale-skinned man
34–40
whisper this to a dinosaur man with a big sword. The dinosaur man smelled like honeysuckle.
Dwarves are determined to reclaim Wyrmheart Mine, but a red dragon lives there now. Haven’t seen one of them in a
41–45
while.
The jungle is full of nature spirits — weird little elemental creatures with masks. They don’t speak, and I’ve never known
46–50
one to be harmful, but their magical powers should not be taken lightly.
Some city folk were expecting the arrival of a Halruaan airship called the Star Goddess. It never arrived. I bet it crashed in
51–55
the jungle somewhere.
There are giant snapping turtles in Snapping Turtle Bay. One of them is as big as a house. He’s known as King Toba, and
56–60
his shell has gemstones embedded in it.
The Order of the Gauntlet came here to cleanse the jungle of undead. They lost one of their encampments not too long
61–65 ago. They’re just barely hanging on to another one. I see their emissaries all the time, heading up the River Soshenstar in
canoes to get more supplies and templars from Port Nyanzaru.
66–71 Watch out for any mist with a blue tinge to it. It spreads a fever that drives people mad.
A dragon turtle named Aremag lives in the Bay of Chult. If you wish to set sail from Port Nyanzaru, you’ll need treasure to
72–77 appease the greedy monster. How much treasure, I can’t say. Aremag will tell you what it wants, and you’d best give it
what it demands.
A ruined city lies up the River Tath, past Kahakla Gorge. Supposedly, no one’s explored past the gorge, but that’s not true.
78–82 It’s just that the few who made it out alive mostly keep quiet about what they found there. I have it on good authority that
the ruins are guarded by a naga who is both wise and generous.
The great god Ubtao once guided the people of Chult, be he tired of their constant warring and abandoned them. Since
83–87
then, Chultans have turned to the worship of other gods, some of which were tricksters and deceivers.
Long ago, a peaceful tribe of fisherfolk called the Aldani angered Ubtao by catching and eating all the lobsters in a river.
88–92
As punishment for their greed, they were all transformed into monsters that dwell in the Aldani Basin.
Perched atop a plateau overlooking the Aldani Basin is a ghost village. All the people there disappeared. No one knows
93–96
why. You can reach the Aldani Basin by following the River Soshenstar.
The great god Ubtao loved mazes. If you happen upon a maze of any kind, trace a path through it. You will earn Ubtao’s
97–00
favor by doing so.
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When the adventurers mount their expedition into the heart of Chult, they have the option of striking out from any of several locations. Port Nyanzaru
is the most obvious starting point. It offers easy access by canoe to two major rivers, the Soshenstar and the Tiryki. Journeys up these rivers make
excellent shake-down expeditions for explorers just learning the ropes of this unforgiving land. Characters can also strike out from Fort Beluarian or
travel by ship to coastal landing sites such as Jahaka Bay, Kitcher’s Inlet, Refuge Bay, Shilku Bay, and Snapping Turtle Bay.
Chult is a land of adventure, and this chapter aims to make the characters’ wilderness journey a memorable one. By design, the adventure locations
are not tailored to characters of a specific level. If the adventuring party is relatively weak, it’s up to the players to choose whether to flee instead of
fight, negotiate instead of attack, or surrender instead of die. It’s up to you as the DM to be flexible and keep the story moving forward as best you
can. If an encounter is going badly for the adventurers, you can have the monsters suddenly withdraw, demand the party’s surrender, or deal nonlethal
damage. You can have an NPC show up to lend assistance. Mindless predators might be scared off by a sudden volcanic eruption or earth tremor. In
short, there is always a way to turn the party’s misfortune into a fighting chance of survival.
Using the poster map, identify the hex in which the party is currently located. Don’t share this information with the players if the party is lost;
otherwise, show the players the party’s location by pointing to the appropriate hex on their map of Chult.
Let the players determine what direction the party wants to go, and whether the party plans to move at a normal pace, a fast pace, or a slow pace
(see “Travel Distances” below).
Let the players choose a navigator, then make a Wisdom (Survival) check on the navigator’s behalf to determine if the party becomes lost (see
“Navigation” below).
Check for random encounters throughout the day (see appendix B).
At the end of the day, check to see if any party members are dehydrated (see “Dehydration” below).
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Travel Distances
On the map of Chult, each hex measures 10 miles across. Characters moving at a normal pace can travel 1 hex per day on foot through coastal,
jungle, mountain, swamp, or wasteland terrain. They can travel 2 hexes per day if they’re traveling by canoe on a river or lake. The rate of travel up or
down river is the same; the rivers are so sluggish that current is almost imperceptible. Without canoes, the normal rate of travel along a river is the
same as through the surrounding terrain. Canoes move 1 hex per day through swamp.
If characters move at a fast pace, the easiest way to deal with their progress is to roll a d4. On a roll of 3 or 4, they advance 1 additional hex that day.
Characters moving at a fast pace take a –5 penalty to their passive Wisdom (Perception) scores, making them more likely to miss clues and walk
into ambushes.
If characters set a slow pace, roll a d4. On a roll of 1 or 2, they advance 1 fewer hex that day (in other words, 1 hex by canoe or none by foot). On any
other result, their caution is rewarded, and they travel the same distance as a group moving at a normal pace. Characters moving at a slow pace can
move stealthily. As long as they’re not in the open, they can try to surprise or sneak by other creatures they encounter.
Tracking Miles
Instead of tracking movement by hexes, you can keep track of the actual distances covered (10 miles per day at a normal pace, 15 miles per day at a
fast pace, or 9 miles per day at a slow pace), but this is likely to be more bother than it’s worth if the group switches pace from day to day.
A character with a flying speed of 30 feet can travel 4 miles per hour.
Artus Cimber and his traveling companion Dragonbait are good-aligned NPCs who can help the characters accomplish their goals.
Both are described in appendix D. During the adventure, Artus and Dragonbait are either searching for Orolunga or gathering
supplies and information in Port Nyanzaru. They can be encountered anywhere on the peninsula. Characters have a small chance of
meeting Artus and Dragonbait as a random encounter (see appendix B).
If Artus and Dragonbait don’t appear as a random encounter, here are a few places where they might be found:
Any party that includes Artus and Dragonbait will have an easier time overcoming the adventure’s challenges. However, Artus is
being hunted by the forces of evil. Frost giants, the Zhentarim, Xandala (see appendix D), Valindra Shadowmantle (see “Heart of
Ubtao” later in this chapter), and the Red Wizards of Thay can appear at any time and try to capture Artus. If Artus believes that his
presence is endangering the characters, he will leave the party and take Dragonbait with him.
Navigation
Have the players designate one party member as the navigator. The navigator might be an NPC, such as a guide, and the party can switch its
navigator day to day.
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At the start of each new travel day, the DM makes a Wisdom (Survival) check on behalf of the navigator. The result of the check determines whether
or not the party becomes lost over the course of the day. The DC of the check is based on the day’s most common terrain: DC 10 for coasts and
lakes, or DC 15 for jungles, mountains, rivers, swamps, and wastelands. Apply a +5 bonus to the check if the group sets a slow pace for the day, or a
–5 penalty if the group is moving at a fast pace. It’s possible to get lost on a river by following a tributary instead of the main branch.
If the check succeeds, the navigator knows exactly where the party is on the players’ map of Chult throughout the day.
If the check fails, the party becomes lost. Each hex on the map is surrounded by six other hexes; whenever a lost party moves 1 hex, roll a d6 to
randomly determine which neighboring hex the party enters, and do not divulge the party’s location to the players. While the party is lost, players can’t
pinpoint the group’s location on their map of Chult. The next time a navigator succeeds on a Wisdom (Survival) check made to navigate, reveal the
party’s actual location to the players.
Dehydration
Characters who explore Chult need plenty of water to stay hydrated. The water found in rivers and on the ground is unfit for drinking unless it is boiled
first. If they have a rain catcher (see “Buying a Special Item"), characters can use it to collect rain and then store the water in portable containers.
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At the end of each day, any character who hasn’t drunk at least 2 gallons of fresh water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer
1 level of exhaustion. The saving throw is made with disadvantage if the character is wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or heavy clothing.
Characters traveling at a fast pace, instead of a normal or slow pace, take a –5 penalty on their saving throws against dehydration.
Characters traveling with beasts of burden and other animals must keep them fed and hydrated as well. See “Food and Water” in chapter 5 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide for basic requirements based on creature size. Dinosaurs and other creatures native to Chult can forage for food and drink
as long as they are in their native habitat.
Diseases
The following diseases can affect giants and humanoids exploring the jungles of Chult. Remember that lesser restoration and similar magic can cure
a disease.
A giant or humanoid that comes into contact with the mist must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become infected with blue mist
fever. An infected creature begins seeing vivid hallucinations of blue monkeys 1d6 hours after failing the save, and the hallucinations last until the
disease ends on the creature. A creature can repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Shivering Sickness
Insects native to the jungles and marshes of Chult carry this disease, shivering sickness. The easiest protection against it is a coating of insect-
repelling salve on all exposed skin (for the cost of insect repellent, see “Buying a Special Item”).
A giant or humanoid that takes damage from insect swarms or from giant centipedes, giant scorpions, or giant wasps is exposed to the disease at
the end of the encounter. Those who haven’t applied insect repellent since their previous long rest are exposed to the disease when they finish a long
rest.
A giant or humanoid exposed to the disease must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become infected. A creature with natural armor
has advantage on the saving throw. It takes 2d6 hours for symptoms to manifest in an infected creature. Symptoms include blurred vision,
disorientation, and a sudden drop in body temperature that causes uncontrollable shivering and chattering of the teeth.
Once symptoms begin, the infected creature regains only half the normal number of hit points from spending Hit Dice and no hit points from a long
rest. The infected creature also has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls. At the end of a long rest, an infected creature repeats the saving
throw, shaking off the disease on a successful save.
Throat Leeches
Minuscule parasites known as throat leeches infect the water in Chult’s forests, swamps, and rivers. Any giant or humanoid that swallows tainted
water must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be infested with throat leeches. Immediate symptoms include throat inflammation and
shortness of breath. After 1d6 hours, the infected character gains 1 level of exhaustion that can’t be removed (except as described below) until the
disease is cured. At the end of each long rest, the infected creature must repeat the saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s exhaustion
increases by 1 level; on a successful save, the creature’s exhaustion decreases by 1 level. If a successful saving throw reduces the infected creature’s
level of exhaustion below 1, the creature recovers from the disease.
Explorers can avoid contracting throat leeches by drinking only rainwater or water that’s been boiled or magically purified.
If a player character dies while exploring the wilds of Chult, an NPC guide might suggest that the party take its dead member to the
ghost village of Mbala. A powerful witch is rumored to dwell there. According to local legends, the witch forged a pact with the Lord
of Bones, a god who granted her the power to create zombies that retain their former personalities. For more information on the so-
called witch, see “Mbala” later in this chapter.
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Random Encounters
Chult is home to an immense variety of plants, beasts, monsters, and intelligent beings. Random encounters with the local wildlife are inevitable and
help to make the party’s expedition a memorable one. Appendix B contains guidelines for generating random encounters in the wilderness.
Undead Territory
Undead creatures have nearly pushed human civilization off the peninsula, except for a few isolated outposts where Chultans and their allies take
refuge behind walls. Map 2.1 shows where the undead are thickest. Characters passing through territories marked with black skull-and-bones icons
are likely to have random encounters with undead. The likelihood of an undead encounter increases in territories marked with red skull-and-bones
icons. Most guides know these territories well. Where undead are concerned, traveling by river is safer than traveling by land, both because undead
are poor swimmers at best and because it’s easier to pour on speed in canoes and escape across the water than to flee through tangled jungle.
Locations in Chult ↑
Map 2.1 depicts the Chultan peninsula with key locations marked. The same map appears on one side of the poster map. The remainder of this
chapter describes these key locations, which are presented in alphabetical order for ease of reference.
If there’s a particular site that you want the characters to discover and explore, you can move the site so that it falls along their path, and give it a new
name if necessary. For example, the goblin village of Yellyark doesn’t have to be in the location marked on your map. You can place it anywhere you
want, or create another goblin village that has a similar configuration. Many other locations described in this chapter are just as adaptable. In addition
to relocating a site, you can add or remove monsters and traps to make it harder or easier.
Locations A - D
Aldani Basin
The Soshenstar and Tath rivers flow out of this marshy upland basin, which is a popular feeding ground for dinosaurs and swarms of biting insects.
Tall plateaus and walls of dense foliage enclose the marsh.
The basin is named after the aldani, a race of lobsterfolk (see appendix D). Many Chultans recall childhood fables about the eerie lobsterfolk that
lived in the rivers and lakes of their homeland. No reliable witnesses have reported an encounter with aldani in decades, so most Chultans believe the
aldani perished. In fact, the lobsterfolk retreated to the secluded lakes of this basin, where they’ve kept hidden for a century.
When the sky is clear, the Heart of Ubtao can be seen floating above the marsh from up to 50 miles distant (roll 1d4 each day to determine how many
hexes away it’s visible through the mist and heat haze). See “Heart of Ubtao,” for more information on this location.
Ataaz Kahakla
The river canyon called Ataaz Kahakla (“Gorge of Death”) inspires wonder in most people who see it. The cliff walls, which vary from 50 to 200 feet
high, are lined with row upon row of coral. It’s all dead, but it retains its rainbow colors, making the canyon into a breathtaking, pseudo-underwater
seascape. Mixed in among the corals are intact skeletons of plesiosaurs, giant sharks, and other sea creatures.
Ataaz Muhahah
Shown in map 2.2, Ataaz Muhahah (“Laughing Gorge”) is a gaping chasm crossed by an ancient stone span called the Monkey Bridge. The structure
got its name from the monkeys that perch on its walls and hang by their tails from its underside. The monkeys are a mix of living monkeys and
ancient carvings that are part of the bridge. Most of the carvings have been damaged by time, but the skilled artistry remains apparent.
The living monkeys chatter and shriek continually, and the gorge echoes with the sound of their cries. Occasionally, the echoes from up and down the
gorge overlap in a way that transforms the cacophony into haughty, gloating laughter. When that happens, the terrified monkeys fall silent for several
minutes as the “laughter” dies away before resuming their chatter.
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Shrine of Ubtao
A stone shrine stands at the midpoint of the bridge. It consists of an imposing statue of a Chultan warrior wearing a war mask,
hunkered down like a panther ready to pounce. Like the monkeys elsewhere on the bridge, the carving is highly stylized. Bright gems
flash in its eye sockets.
A human skeleton lies crumpled near the statue’s feet. Several of its bones are obviously broken, but it’s impossible tell whether
these injuries happened while the person was alive or were caused by scavengers after death.
The statue is, in fact, a stone golem created to defend the bridge against ancient invaders. It attacks anyone who desecrates it (including trying to
remove its eye gems, which are purely decorative and worthless), who damages the bridge, or who passes the shrine without making the proper
obeisance to Ubtao. The required homage involves placing a fingertip at the center of one of the bridge’s mazelike carvings and tracing an unbroken
path past the statue. Guides who are natives of Chult would know this. The symbolic labyrinths aren’t terribly complex; the biggest difficulty comes
from the lichens and moss growing over them. If these are cleared away with a knife or other tool before tracing the maze, it can be traced properly
with a successful DC 5 Intelligence check. If it’s not cleaned first, the DC increases to 10. If it’s cleaned by scraping with bare hands, the golem
interprets that as tracing the maze incorrectly and attacks. Tracing the maze with a dagger or other tool counts as nothing; it must be done with a
finger.
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If the golem has the opportunity in combat, it pushes enemies off the bridge. The golem is so heavy that it has advantage on Strength (Athletics)
checks to resist being pushed. It doesn’t pursue enemies off the bridge unless they continue using ranged attacks or spells against it after retreating.
The skeleton lying at the statue’s feet is all that remains of a human explorer killed by the golem. It has long since been picked clean.
Bridge Gap
Part of the bridge has fallen away, leaving a 20-foot gap. The stone at either edge looks crumbly and unsafe.
The 20-foot gap is too long for most characters to cross with a running jump. A jump from the high edge to the low edge, however, is effectively only
15 feet, while jumping from low to high is effectively 25 feet. Crumbling remains of the parapets shorten the distance by another 5 feet, but landing
on one of those thin surfaces requires a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check; a jumper who fails that check slips off the stone and falls
into the gorge (a 100-foot drop).
Hanging Vines
Hundreds of vines hang below the bridge. Characters can cross the gorge under the bridge by moving hand-over-hand from vine to vine and swinging
across the gap. This doesn’t activate the stone golem at all, but it requires two successful ability checks: a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check to scramble across the vines and swing across the gap without falling, and a DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) to make the
passage without setting off a panic in the monkeys that consider the vines their home. If the Animal Handling check fails, the character is attacked
by 1d4 baboons. The animals fight normally, but the character hanging in the vines has disadvantage on every attack roll and ability check while
under attack.
Ataaz Yklwazi
Blades of black basalt thrust up from the floor of this deep, volcanic canyon to create a forest of sorts: one that can easily draw blood from unwary
trekkers who brush against the ebon piles that are as sharp as the razor-edged weapons they’re named after.
Ataaz Yklwazi (“Gorge of Blades”) forms a gateway of sorts to the Valley of Lost Honor from the north. The valley is the domain of firenewts. They
protect it by patrolling the gorge and ambushing any intruders they believe they’re strong enough to defeat. A typical patrol consists of four firenewt
warriors mounted on giant striders (see appendix D for both creatures’ statistics).
The gorge is also the favored hunting ground of a female young red dragon named Tzindelor, dubbed Tinder by those who’ve seen her and survived.
The treacherous terrain is littered with the charred skeletons of Tinder’s victims. If the characters take a long rest in the gorge, they encounter the
dragon at the end of their rest. For more information on Tinder, see “Wyrmheart Mine."
Bay of Chult
Ships must pass through the Bay of Chult as they come and go from Port Nyanzaru or the beaches west of Fort Beluarian. The mouth of the bay is
watched over by Aremag, a dragon turtle with a blind, milky left eye and a piece of its shell missing. Aremag demands that ships toss treasure into
the bay to appease it. Aremag then gathers up the loot and hides it in its lair, which no one has yet found.
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If the characters enter or leave the Bay of Chult by ship, Aremag appears:
The sea ahead roils and churns, and waves crash over the bow of your ship, driven by saw-toothed hills rising from the heaving
foam. Water streams off the rising crags like rivers crashing down a mountainside. At last the emerging island stops growing in
size, although the sea around still tosses your ship like a drifting feather. Then a huge blast of steam erupts from the waves, and
through the drifting, rainbow-crossed mist, you see an immense beak and a milky eye the size of a hogshead cask staring blindly in
your direction. As the water calms, you also spot a dozen or more shark fins circling the ship.
During the negotiation, the dragon turtle slowly circles the ship. At first, characters must continually circle the deck of the ship to maintain face-to-
face contact with the creature, but eventually it creates an eddy that causes the sloop to revolve at a rate matching Aremag’s motion. It should be
obvious to everyone that the dragon turtle could easily sink the vessel.
Aremag demands tribute for safe passage but doesn’t specify an amount. Those aboard must throw valuables into a sack, in view of Aremag, until
the dragon turtle is satisfied with the offering. Aremag extorts a different amount from every vessel, depending on how rich it suspects the cargo to
be and how greedy it feels at the moment. To determine the minimum value in gold pieces Aremag will accept, roll 2d4 × 50 gp. As each fresh
offering is displayed and added to the sack, the dragon turtle roars “More!” until the total reaches or exceeds its minimum. If characters act ridiculous
about this — adding only a pittance at a time, for example — Aremag impatiently blows a blast of steam breath above the ship and slaps the hull with
its tail, causing everyone not below deck to make a successful DC 15 Strength or Dexterity saving throw or tumble overboard. The bay is full of reef
sharks, and anyone who stays in the water more than 3 rounds is attacked by 1d4 of them.
Some negotiation is possible. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check can persuade Aremag that the passengers have no more to give,
provided they’ve placed at least 50 gp of value into the sack. Only one character can make the check; others can aid, if they contribute a convincingly
pitiable plea to the argument. The check is made with disadvantage if the sack contains less than 100 gp in value, or with advantage if the sack
contains 150 gp or more. Every time this check is tried and failed, Aremag reacts as described above, as if characters were adding only a few gold
pieces at a time.
When the offering is sufficient, Aremag announces “Heave it over!” The bag can be tossed onto Aremag’s craggy back, into his mouth, or directly into
the water. The dragon turtle submerges without further talk, causing the ship to pitch and roll violently until the sea calms down. Characters can
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watch the enormous disk of its shell swimming down into the clear water of the bay until it disappears in the lightless depths.
Camp Righteous
You come upon an abandoned riverside camp strewn with wreckage. The tents are moldy and tattered, and all the permanent
structures appear to have burned to the ground. Two intact rowboats are tied off to a short dock. North of the camp is a ridge, built
into which is an 80-foot-tall stone statue carved to look like a man with a crocodile on his back. Between the statue’s feet is a stone
archway leading to a dark tunnel. To the left of the statue is a crude animal pen with a small, panicked bird running around inside it.
There are no other signs of life.
When the Order of the Gauntlet first brought its war against undead to Chult, its members established this base camp (map 2.3) around an ancient
Chultan shrine, which local guides call the House of the Crocodile. The shrine wasn’t the focus of the order’s activity, but it was an object of intense
curiosity. Despite being in ruins, the shrine’s traps were still active, and they overcame the order’s attempts to reach the heart of the shrine.
The overconfident visitors neglected to build defenses around the camp, believing that their own strong arms were sufficient protection. A couple
months ago, they were proved tragically wrong when hundreds of undead swarmed out of the jungle and overran the camp. Only a handful of warriors
escaped from that slaughter. No bodies remain in the camp; the remains of everyone who died defending it have either been buried by the second
wave of templars (now at Camp Vengeance) or dragged away by jungle scavengers.
When characters arrive, the camp is being watched by a party of Batiri goblins consisting of two goblins per player character. Leading the group is a
goblin boss named Yokka. The goblins wear wooden masks and hide in the foliage north of the camp. They believe the shrine is cursed, so they avoid
it. However, Yokka had a vision of a treasure inside the shrine that could make him a great figure in his tribe, so he and his followers have spent the
last tenday trying to work up the courage to tackle the shrine’s traps. The arrival of adventurers is a great boon from Yokka’s point of view. If they
defeat the shrine’s traps, he can simply take its treasure from them as they emerge. If they don’t, they might at least weaken the shrine’s defenses.
Yokka’s band bedevils the party without revealing its presence until the final moment. For example, if no guard is left to watch over the party’s boats,
the goblins steal them or knock holes in their bottoms. If all the party members enter the shrine, the goblins set up an ambush outside. If all else fails,
the goblins use horns and animal calls to draw the attention of nearby undead (1d8 zombies and 1d8 skeletons) or aggressive beasts (a hungry
allosaurus and 1d4 + 1 axe beaks).
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1. Command Tents
Templars from the Order of the Gauntlet removed everything of value from these tents when they came to inspect the scene of the disaster. A
character who pokes around in one of these tents has a 1-in-6 chance of stirring up a poisonous snake.
2. Soldiers’ Tents
All the tents are ruined one way or another. Most were slashed by claws or weapons during the fight, and all the canvas is at the point of
disintegration from mildew and jungle rot.
3. Burned-Out Shrine
During the battle, overturned lamps started fires in the templars’ partially built shrine, setting ablaze the stockpile of material that was meant to
become permanent barracks. All that remains is a burnt-out ruin.
Treasure. A silver holy symbol of Torm (25 gp) still hangs by a leather thong from a peg on the shrine wall, overlooked until now.
4. Animal Pens
The templars kept swine in this pen for food. They’re long gone, but a fledgling axe beak with 6 hit points and no effective attacks (0 XP) has gotten
itself trapped inside the enclosure. If characters leave it alone or set it loose, it causes no problems. If they attack or harass the bird, its squawks
attract five adult axe beaks, which crash out of the jungle 2 rounds later, ready to fight whatever they meet.
5. Latrines
During the attack on the camp, one templar’s courage failed him, and he hid from the undead by climbing down into the southernmost latrine. He
survived the attack but couldn’t climb out of the reeking pit by himself, and he died of thirst within days.
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Treasure. Characters who search the dead templar find a suit of scale mail (ruined), a warhammer, and a pouch containing five assorted gemstones
(10 gp each).
In the early days of the world, Man stood by the banks of a river, frightened. Crocodile raised his head from the water and asked,
“What troubles you, cousin Man?”
Man said, “I must cross this river, but I fear to enter the water alone, because it teems with your brethren.”
Crocodile replied, “It’s true, you would not be safe. But I will carry you across the river safely on my back, if you promise to return the
favor.” Man agreed, and Crocodile bore him safely across the water
When they reached the far bank, Man asked, “How can I repay you?” Crocodile replied, “I wish to see the realm of Humans, but I fear
to go there alone, because it teems with your brethren. You must carry me on your back across your realm.” Man had been tricked,
but a promise is a promise, so he carried Crocodile safely on his back across the entire realm of humans, a journey that lasted many
years. He also swore, in his anger, that never again would Men and Crocodiles be friends, and so it has remained to this day.
This tale is a hint that can get characters safely past the traps in the shrine.
Man and Crocodile. None of the traps in the shrine will be triggered by two characters who are imitating Man and Crocodile, with one riding on the
other’s shoulders. Those characters can still be injured by a trap that’s triggered by someone else; they just won’t trigger it themselves. Navigating the
shrine is difficult, however, for a two-person piggyback team. There’s a recurring danger that they’ll lose their balance or the rider will fall off. Any
moment when they’re not carrying or riding one another, they risk setting off traps like anyone else. If the rider is at least one size category smaller
than the carrier, the carrier makes requisite Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws with advantage.
Ledges. In a few places, the floor of the shrine rises 7 feet, forming a ledge. No check is needed to climb a ledge solo, but the ledge’s height makes it
difficult to see what lies ahead. A rider/carrier team probably is tall enough to see over a ledge, but to climb it, the carrier must make a successful DC
15 Strength (Athletics) check; the rider can aid this check. If the check fails by 5 or more, both of them sprawl to the lower floor and, for 1 round at
least, they’re just two individuals, not a rider and a carrier. If the check fails by less than 5, they tumble forward onto the upper terrace, sprawl apart,
and probably set off whatever trap is on that level.
Spotting Traps. Unless indicated otherwise, a trap can be spotted with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. It’s best if just one character
makes this check, and only the first check counts, no matter how many times the search is attempted. If players insist on having everyone crowd in
and search for traps, goblins might steal the party’s canoes or rig traps of their own.
Once the pit opens, a narrow ledge remains around the outside edge. The ledge can be traversed safely with a successful DC 10 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check, but a character with someone riding on his or her shoulders makes the check with disadvantage.
The pattern on the door corresponds to the pattern on the floor, with the bottom door row matching to the floor row closest to the characters. If an
individual applies more than a few pounds of pressure to any square except the one corresponding to the lit-up square on the door, magical flames
blast out from the walls. Every creature on the terrace when the flames appear must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) fire
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the correct tile is stepped on or depressed, no flames are triggered and a
square in the second row on the door lights up — again very faintly. As characters advance across the floor tiles, the ledge blocks more and more of
the pattern on the door, always making it hard for characters to see which square is lit unless they are riding on the shoulders of a companion.
The tiled pattern on the floor can be crossed safely by stepping only on the squares that light up on the door, or by a two-person rider/carrier team.
Putting pressure on any other square triggers the flames. This trigger and trap are magical, so they can’t be disarmed or jammed mechanically.
Casting dispel magic on the floor tiles disables the trap for 1 hour.
6E. Treasury
The floor of this dusty, 40-foot-high, 20-foot-wide chamber is littered with dinosaur bones. Webs stretch from the walls to a 30-foot-
tall central pillar, coiled around which is a narrow stone staircase, its steps covered with dust. Carved into the pillar are reliefs of a
man carrying a crocodile. The reliefs follow the stairs to the top of the pillar, on which sits a large, beautiful, ceramic jug.
The staircase that spirals around the pillar is 2 feet wide, and each step is 1 foot higher than the one below it. Whenever a character who is carrying
another character starts his or her turn on the staircase, both the rider and the carrier must make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If both
checks fail, the rider and carrier fall. Otherwise, the team maintains its balance.
Trapped Steps. There are thirty steps in total. Each of steps 3, 10, 17, and 23 has a glyph of warding spell placed on it, set to trigger when the step is
walked on. Creatures emulating Man and Crocodile don’t trigger the glyphs. Each triggered glyph releases a 20-foot-radius sphere of lightning
centered on the step. Every creature in the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one. Creatures emulating Man and Crocodile have disadvantage on the saving throw. To spot a glyph, the dust on
the step must be cleared away, and a character searching the step must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Treasure. The jug is an alchemy jug, placed here ages ago by Chultans who revered it as a gift from Ubtao. The only safe way to pick up the alchemy
jug is to emulate Man and Crocodile. Either member of a rider/carrier team can pick up the jug safely and carry it out of the room. If the jug is picked
up by anyone else, loose bricks begin to fall from the ceiling. Every creature in area 6E is struck by falling bricks and must make a DC 13 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that starts its turn in the
room repeats the saving throw. After 3 rounds, the bricks stop falling.
A rider/carrier team trying to descend the stairs while carrying the alchemy jug makes Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks with disadvantage unless the
jug is placed in a backpack, or slung in a sack or some other hands-free carrier.
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Camp Vengeance
Through the foliage, you see a crude timber fortification — a walled compound with watchtowers and tents inside it, encircled by a
ditch bristling with sharpened stakes. A large gatehouse faces the river, on the shore of which are four rowboats tied to a wooden
post.
Scattered around the fort are piles of charred human corpses and flayed animal carcasses swarming with flies.
The corpses around the fort (map 2.4) are the remains of beasts and undead that attacked the camp. The camp dwellers took meat off the dead
dinosaurs and other beasts to feed themselves, leaving the rest to rot.
A handful of warriors of the Order of the Gauntlet escaped the undead onslaught against Camp Righteous by retreating up the River Soshenstar
toward the Aldani Basin. Three days later, they ended their retreat by digging in on this spot. Eventually they got word of their situation back to Port
Nyanzaru, and they’ve since been reinforced. Their original, small camp has been transformed into a fortified base far more capable of withstanding
attack than Camp Righteous ever was.
That’s not to say the camp is a hale and healthy place. Unwholesome vapors and clouds of insects descend on it from the pestilential Aldani Basin
lying only a few miles to the south. The knights stationed here are disease-ridden and exhausted from their constant battles against giant jungle
carnivores by day and undead horrors by night.
The templar in charge is a devout worshiper of Tyr named Niles Breakbone (LG male Chondathan human noble), a man who’s dedicated to everything
the Order of the Gauntlet represents but poorly suited to commanding a post like Camp Vengeance. Aside from Commander Breakbone, the standard
garrison at the base consists of fifty-eight people, though the actual number of effective warriors at any given time is usually lower due to sickness.
Breakbone has two captains under his command: Ord Firebeard (LG male gold dwarf veteran) and Perne Salhana (LG female Tethyrian human
veteran). Reporting to them is a fighting force comprised of eight veterans and twenty-four guards. This is supplemented by a religious corps of six
acolytes led by Sister Cyas (LG female Chondathan human priest of Helm). Technically, the religious templars are part of the fighting force, but in
practice, they spend most of their time tending the sick and wounded. Finally, the fort is supported by a ragtag troop of Chultan hunters and scouts
consisting of fifteen tribal warriors led by Lorsa Bilwatal (CN female Chultan human scout) and Niles Breakbone’s longtime friend, Wulf Rygor (CG
male half-elf scout).
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1. Boats
Although the camp gets much of its food by hunting, it depends entirely on rowboats and canoes coming up the River Soshenstar to bring
replacement soldiers, armor, weapons, arrows and bolts, medicine, tents, cots, boots, clothing, and just about everything else. After the disaster at
Camp Righteous, Commander Breakbone would like to have enough boats on hand to carry most, if not all, of the garrison to safety in case the camp
is overrun. That’s seldom the case.
2. Gatehouse
The camp is ringed by a 20-foot-deep ditch lined with sharpened stakes backed by a stout, 12-foot-high log palisade. The depth of the ditch isn’t
apparent because it’s perpetually filled with muddy water. The spikes are too big to be effective against undead but they’re dangerous to Large and
Huge beasts. The gatehouse is heavy enough to withstand a charging triceratops, and the gates are never opened without an express command from
one of the camp’s top three officers.
The gatehouse consists of the ground-level entryway, an upper floor that serves as an armory (all of the garrison’s spare weapons and armor are
stored here because it’s one of the few places that remains reliably dry), and a roofless fighting platform surrounded by a palisade that gives three-
quarters cover against attacks made from the ground. Two guards are stationed atop the gatehouse day and night.
The rampart under the palisade impedes the camp’s drainage. The entire compound is riddled with puddles and ankle-deep mud, which make it a
breeding ground for mosquitoes and other vermin.
3. Watchtowers
Each watchtower has a defended top level (providing three-quarters cover) that looms above the camp palisade. A lower level consists of a wooden
floor raised several feet above the ground and enclosed with a combination of thin wood and canvas to create a reasonably dry living space. Lorsa
Bilwatal, Wulf Rygor, and their cadre of Chultan scouts have their quarters in these lower watchtower billets.
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Theoretically, each watchtower is staffed by two guards day and night, but personnel shortages sometimes reduce that to one guard or force the
knights to take turns on watch.
4. Animal Pen
The knights built this pen for swine, but the camp proved too unhealthy for them and they all died. The current livestock consists of four sickly goats.
6. Command Tent
Commander Breakbone understands war well enough when it involves battle lines, waving banners, trumpets, and supply trains, but this war of
ambush and creeping through the jungle only mystifies and frustrates him. He spends most of his time in his command tent, poring over inaccurate
maps and reviewing reports about the camp’s supplies. His two immediate subordinates, Ord Firebeard and Perne Salhana, do a commendable job of
managing the camp in the absence of effective leadership from Breakbone.
Commander Breakbone has two immediate problems. If characters arrived by boat, he needs them to carry messages and seven sick soldiers
downriver to Port Nyanzaru. Each soldiers is suffering from blue mist fever, shivering sickness, or throat leeches (see “Diseases”). If characters
arrived on foot, Breakbone insists that they lead a detachment of his soldiers (consisting of four guards and four tribal warriors) on a two-week patrol
back in the direction they came from; their orders are to destroy any undead they encounter. If either request is refused, Breakbone orders the
characters arrested and tied hand and foot in separate guard towers, to await trial for insubordination during a military emergency. If they’re found
guilty, the penalty is to be stripped of all gear, tied to trees in the forest, and left for the carnivores or the undead.
Sufficiently powerful characters might actually win a fight against the entire camp, but even if they do, they’ll be marked for death by the Order of the
Gauntlet wherever they go in Chult (and potentially elsewhere in the Realms). If characters escorted Undril Silvertusk to the camp and gained her
respect (see “Side Quests”), she will intercede on their behalf and persuade Commander Breakbone to let the characters go. Otherwise, they’ll need to
win over both Ord and Perne with persuasive arguments to avoid Breakbone’s judgment. Each of them can be swayed with a successful DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check, but only if the character making the check has a sound case for leniency.
7. Soldiers’ Tents
Each tent is intended to house four people in reasonable comfort. They have log floors to keep the occupants above the mud, and reed-filled cloth
mattresses for sleeping on. None of the material, however, is suitable for long-term use in Chult. The canvas is riddled with mildew and fungus,
dampness quickly seeps up through the floors, and vermin of every imaginable variety thrives in the mattresses.
8. Latrines
Anywhere but Chult, these latrines would be excellent. Here, daily rain floods the pits and flushes their contents through the camp. As if that’s not bad
enough, the wooden structures are sinking into the soft ground around the pits, threatening at any moment to collapse utterly. Most soldiers in the
camp avoid the latrines and instead relieve themselves in the jungle (if they can volunteer for outside work details) or over the top of the palisade
wall. Either option is safer and more sanitary than using the latrines.
The Cauldron
Lava pouring into the sea from nearby volcanoes causes immense columns of steam to continually erupt from this bay. This steam combined with
billowing clouds of ash and black smoke from the volcanoes give the bay its name. No sea life survives in the bay — the poisoned water is perpetually
covered by a layer of floating soot — and vegetation along the coast is all dead and coated in ash.
Dungrunglung
The grungs of Dungrunglung (map 2.5) toil under the tyranny of their despotic king, Groak, who is obsessed with summoning the goddess Nangnang
and mating with her. To please their king, the grungs have erected a 60-foot-tall mud shrine, where Groak plans to woo the goddess and where she, in
turn, can bless him with generations of god-touched, royal Groaklings.
Although grungs are traditionally scheming, greedy, and generally unpleasant to deal with, the grungs of Dungrunglung are experiencing desperate
times. Ghouls and zombies threaten their existence, and grung poison is ineffective against the undead. Consequently, the grungs are strongly
incentivized to use outsiders to solve their undead problem instead of making slaves or meals out of them.
King Groak holds absolute sway in Dungrunglung, and his subjects follow his orders without question. However, should the balance of power shift
firmly to Krr’ook or Roark (see the “Grungs of Dungrunglung” sidebar), the grungs do not hesitate to tear Groak limb from limb in a cathartic frenzy. At
some point during the adventurers’ time in Dungrunglung, they will be approached in secrecy by Krr’ook.
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At any given time, Dungrunglung is home to grungs representing all castes and colors. There is only one gold grung (Groak) and one red grung
(Krr’ook). For grung stat blocks and more information on grung castes, see appendix D.
The grungs speak no language other than their own, which complicates any dealings with them. How they treat adventurers depends on how strong
they appear:
If the party appears weak (few in number or needing assistance), 1d6 + 6 grungs with green skin (warriors) surround them as soon as they enter the
thorn maze, and press them to attend an audience with the king. The grungs attack and subdue characters who resist. If the adventurers accept, they
are taken through the maze to the shrine, where they are received by King Groak. He offers sanctuary and talks of the great ritual to summon
Nangnang. Once the characters are rested, Groak commands them to help Krr’ook make final preparations.
If the party looks capable of putting up a good fight, they are greeted by 1d6 + 6 grungs with green skin (warriors) once they reach the settlement.
The grungs welcome them to Dungrunglung and beg the characters to hear what King Groak has to say. Groak entreats the adventurers to be part of
his divine destiny, and to aid Krr’ook in completing the preparations to summon Nangnang. He offers Dungrunglung’s hospitality as well as
information about Chult in exchange for their help.
Characters who offend King Groak are thrown in the prison pit (area 7). There, they are approached in secret by Krr’ook, who tries to explain her
dilemma. If the party agrees to help her, Krr’ook will find a way to free the party members to aid in her task. Prisoners who are deemed “not useful”
will either be roasted over a fire or sacrificed to Nangnang during the Great Ritual.
GRUNGS OF DUNGRUNGLUNG
The following grungs have key roles to play in Dungrunglung. For grung statistics, see appendix D.
Groak (gold grung elite warrior wearing a circlet of blasting) is the lovestruck king who seeks to woo the goddess Nangnang.
Charismatic but unstable, Groak can swing from friendly to homicidal in the span of a few seconds. Because of this, his people dare
not even whisper a harsh word about him. Groak wants to be seen as a visionary and a romantic, and he loves to hear stories of the
outside world. However, he threatens anyone who dares to question his inflated self-image. Groak tolerates adventurers as long as
they entertain him, generally agree with everything he says, and are willing to aid him in his quest to realize his divine destiny to
become Nangnang’s consort.
Krr’ook (red grung wildling) is a grung priest who fears the king’s madness. She whispers favorable signs and omens in the king’s
ear to keep in his good graces. Secretly, Krr’ook suspects that the Great Ritual to summon Nangnang will fail. Consequently, she
fears for her life. She approaches the adventurers to see if they can help her fool the king on the night of the ritual. If Krr’ook senses
anything out of kilter, or if the ritual goes awry, she scapegoats the adventurers and delivers them straight into the king’s infantile
wrath.
Roark (orange grung elite warrior) is a dutiful and dangerous grung warrior, dedicated to his mad king. Roark thinks all this
goddess-summoning nonsense is distracting from the real issue at hand: defending Dungrunglung from the undead. Secretly,
Roark’s loyalty is to the tribe first and Groak second, but Roark is dutifully abiding the king’s obsession for now. He is suspicious of
adventurers yet open to help in defending his village from the undead.
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1. Thorn Maze
Dungrunglung is surrounded by a 20-foot-high maze of magical, twisted vines. The outer wall bristles with thorns that zombies mindlessly skewer
themselves on in their attempts to swarm over it.
The maze has one visible entrance to the north and numerous secret entrances elsewhere around the perimeter. A secret entrance is simply a well-
hidden doorway that requires a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot.
The maze’s passages are open to the sky and magically change configuration every minute or so, turning passageways into dead ends, and vice
versa. Whichever character is leading the way through the maze must make six successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) checks to find the entrance to
the settlement (area 2). Each successful or failed check represents 1 minute of searching the maze. Between each check, roll a d20 and consult the
Thorn Maze Encounters table to determine what, if anything, the characters encounter. Characters can avoid the maze entirely by flying over it.
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d20 Encounter
1–9 No encounter.
13 1d3 assassin vines (see appendix D) blending in with the surrounding walls.
16 The characters hear a throaty croak that sounds at once both lusty and forlorn. Its source cannot be ascertained.
A concealed pit 5 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and lined with poisoned wooden stakes. The lead character spots the pit with a
18–19 successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The first character to step on a pit falls in, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning
damage and landing on 1d4 stakes, each of which deals 3 (1d6) piercing damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage.
2. Main Entrance
If the characters exit the maze at this point, read:
Through an opening in the maze wall, you see a small lake surrounded by reed huts, ferns, and lily pads. Rising up from a flat island
in the middle of the lake is a 60-foot-tall shrine made of painted mud bricks, shaped in the likeness of a giant frog. Stairs climb from
the lake shore to an open doorway carved into the frog’s fat belly. Patrolling the shrine’s perimeter are several small, frog-like
humanoids with bright orange skin and shortbows.
Four green-skinned grungs (warriors) emerge from nearby hovels to confront strangers who approach the shrine unescorted. They attack if no one
speaks the correct passphrase in Grung (“Roook, roooook, erp”). If a fight breaks out, reinforcements in the form of twelve grungs arrive in 2 rounds.
The grungs in area 3 begin shooting arrows at the same time.
3. Groak’s Isle
Marshy shores surround the shrine, which is 60 feet tall and made of carved mud blocks painted with natural dyes. Patrolling its base are eight grung
elite warriors with orange skin. They wield daggers and shortbows, and are loyal to Roark first, King Groak second. Strangers who reach the island
without a grung escort are attacked.
4. Shrine
The interior of the shrine is one large, hollow room. Just inside the entrance is a clear pool of water that ranges in depth from 2 to 5
feet. Phosphorescent fungi illuminate the pool with soft, dreamy hues. Short, frog-like humanoids of different colors are fussing
with the fungi and tossing flower petals into the pool.
At the back of the shrine is an elevated semicircular basin of water 10 feet high. Wallowing in the basin is a grung with gold skin. On
its brow rests a golden circlet. An orange-skinned grung perches nearby, shortbow at the ready.
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The shallow pool at the front of the shrine is where Krr’ook (a red-skinned grung wildling; see the “Grungs of Dungrunglung” sidebar) and her
assistants (six blue-skinned grungs) prepare for the Great Ritual by tending the phosphorescent fungi and scenting the water with delicate perfumes.
Removing the fungi from the pool is forbidden, by order of King Groak.
The elevated pool at the back of the shrine is fed by an underground spring. King Groak (a gold-skinned grung elite warrior with a circlet of blasting;
see the “Grungs of Dungrunglung” sidebar) issues commands from the pool during the day and sleeps here at night. He rarely has cause to leave the
shrine these days. By his side is Roark (orange-skinned grung elite warrior; see the “Grungs of Dungrunglung” sidebar).
Treasure. King Groak wears a circlet of blasting, which he’s not afraid to use against anyone who insults or defies him. Lining the bottom of his pool
are 33 gp and a fist-sized chunk of green quartz (50 gp).
5. Grung Hovels
Dotted about the shores of the lake are several squat huts made from swamp moss and reeds plastered together with mud. The huts range from
about 15 to 25 feet in diameter, and each has a single, low entrance. Some have small, round windowlike openings, and a few have stout
mudchimneys.
Each hut is large enough to accommodate six adult grungs plus 2d6 baby grungs (noncombatants). All the occupants of a given hut belong to the
same caste, and thus have the same color skin (except the young, which are all dull green-gray).
6. Lake Grunglung
Lake Grunglung is really just a large pond covered with lily pads and duckweed, where slow-moving catfish gulp at the surface for air. The thick,
muddy bottom is littered with the bones of the grungs’ feasts.
7. Prison Pit
This dug-out pit is 5 feet deep and covered by stout, wooden bars. Prisoners confined here are guarded around the clock by two green-skinned
grungs (warriors) until they can be cooked and eaten. Any items taken from the prisoners are entrusted to purple-skinned grungs in the nearby hovels
(see area 5).
A character in the pit can throw aside the prison bars with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Before the check is made, each guard
makes one opportunity attack against the character attempting the check.
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Once the Great Ritual is complete, King Groak expects Nangnang to materialize and speak words of love, praise, and reassurance to
him. Fearing that the ritual will fail, Krr’ook has concocted a desperate plan to fool the king but needs the adventurers’ help to pull it
off.
Krr’ook’s Plan. A while ago, Krr’ook found a box of Nolzur’s marvelous pigments, which she hid from the king. She plans to paint an
image of Nangnang of such quality that Groak will be fooled into thinking it’s the real goddess. Krr’ook hopes that one of the
adventurers will have the skill to illustrate Nangnang convincingly. She’s willing to give the magical pigments as a reward to the
adventurers if all goes well. As a further reward, Krr’ook offers a ring of jumping.
Moment of Truth. The ritual happens at night. Fires are lit throughout the village, whereupon scores of common grungs enter the
lake and watch the shrine. King Groak dons ceremonial garb made from reeds and wild orchids, and awaits his love on the steps of
the shrine, wringing his rubbery hands with anticipation.
To fool Groak, the characters must paint an image of Nangnang on a surface or craft some other representation of her, then use
magic (if they can) to give it a semblance of life. Animate objects, major image, minor illusion, and similar spells can help enhance
the illusion. Spells such as color spray and prestidigitation can also be used to dazzle an audience long enough to conceal a fatal
flub.
Whoever gives voice to Nangnang must “sell” the illusion with honeyed words, in order to convince King Groak that he has won a
special place in Nangnang’s heart. Finally, the ritual must end with Nangnang’s departure, handled in such a way that King Groak
won’t suspect he’s been fooled or abandoned forever. If Nangnang or her words ring false, King Groak orders the deaths of Krr’ook
and anyone believed to have aided her.
Making Nangnang. To fool Groak, the party must succeed at three or more of the following tasks. Have the characters make the
requisite ability checks in the following order:
Painting or crafting a representation of Nangnang requires a successful DC 12 Intelligence check. Using Nolzur’s marvelous
pigments grants advantage on the check.
Animating Nangnang convincingly requires a successful DC 12 Charisma (Deception) check. If multiple characters contribute, have
one character make the check with advantage.
Convincing Groak that Nangnang’s words are genuine requires a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Performance) check. If
the words are delivered in a language King Groak doesn’t understand, the check is made with disadvantage. (Groak speaks Grung
only.)
Selling Nangnang’s blessed departure requires a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check. The
check is made with disadvantage if her words are spoken in a language other than Grung.
End Result. If the characters succeed at three or more checks, King Groak is thoroughly duped and very happy for the foreseeable
future. Characters who request his help will receive it, no questions asked. If the party’s trickery is discovered, King Groak orders his
subjects to attack them. The attacking force consists of sixteen grung elite warriors (including Roark) and forty grungs. Groak
retreats to his elevated pool in the shrine and makes his final stand there.
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Locations F - I
Firefinger
Rising high above the jungle canopy is a 300-foot-tall, naturally formed spire of rock with smoke issuing from a flaming beacon at
the top of it. The walls of the spire are sheer and dotted with small caves. Frail-looking ladders hang from narrow ledges at various
heights.
The rocky pinnacle called Firefinger (map 2.6) is an ancient Chultan signal tower. Before the Spellplague toppled them, many such towers were used
to send messages between cities via colored flames at night or colored smoke during the day. Firefinger is one of the few still standing, if not the only
one.
Firefinger has been taken over by a flock of pterafolk that preys on hunters and explorers along the River Tiryki. The tower is a perfect lair for the
pterafolk; in clear weather, from its 300-foot-high vantage point, they can spot anything moving on the river less than 10 miles away, and its sheer
walls and crumbling ladders make it potentially lethal for anything without wings to attempt the ascent.
If Azaka Stormfang (see chapter 1) is with the characters, she insists they attack the spire. She suggests waiting until nightfall or rain, if none of the
characters think of it. If characters refuse to attack the pterafolk, Azaka leaves their service in disgust.
The best way to approach Firefinger without being spotted by the pterafolk is to stay under heavy forest canopy and cross open areas only when rain
or darkness limits visibility. If these precautions aren’t taken, have the party make a DC 12 group Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the group check fails, the
pterafolk mount an attack from above. The attack force numbers two pterafolk (see appendix D) for each party member. If the pterafolk become
outnumbered, the survivors flee back to the spire and warn the others (in which case, the characters have lost the element of surprise).
Near the base of the spire, characters find the body of an elf lying in the mud. Most of his limbs are broken, the ribcage is crushed, and broken twigs
and torn leaves are stuck in it what’s left of his clothes. This unfortunate explorer was captured on the river, flown to Firefinger, stripped of valuables,
then tossed off the top of the tower to his death. Not far away, the characters find another body, and a third, and so on as they scan around the base
of the tower. This same fate awaits any character captured by the pterafolk.
The rope-and-wood ladders mounted to the spire are ancient and crumbling. Each character who ascends a ladder to the next higher level (from the
ground to level 1, from level 1 to level 2, and so on) must make a DC 8 Dexterity (Athletics) check. If the check succeeds, the character reaches the
next level safely without damaging the fragile ladder. If the check fails, a few rungs of the ladder are damaged and the DC increases by 2 for everyone
following behind the climber. If the check fails by 5 or more, the ladder is damaged and the climber falls — quite possibly to his or her death, unless
precautions were taken (roping characters together, for example).
Pterafolk glide around the spire constantly except when it’s raining. They don’t pay much attention to the spire itself, since they arrogantly believe
they’re safe in their stronghold. Characters might take elaborate precautions to avoid being spotted, but they’re surprisingly safe as long as they reach
the spire unseen. During rain or at night, there’s no chance they’ll be spotted climbing the tower. During daytime in clear weather, a circling pterafolk
spots climbers with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, unless characters have taken other precautions.
Firefinger’s caves were formed by erosion and have ceilings that range from 7 to 10 feet high.
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The pterafolk don’t use this cave, the most prominent feature of which is a 10-foot-deep pit. The shortest distance across the pit where characters
can use a long jump is 15 feet. Climbing into or out of the pit is easy and requires a successful DC 5 Strength (Athletics) check. However, the first
character who enters the pit disturbs four giant wolf spiders that nest in crevices along the pit walls. Only a character with a passive Wisdom
(Perception) score of 17 or higher is not surprised when the spiders attack.
Reaching Level 2. A rock chimney leads up to level 2. It’s a 90-foot climb with plenty of handholds but several tricky, twisty spots; a successful DC 8
Strength (Athletics) check is required to ascend or descend it without the aid of climbing gear or magic.
The pterafolk don’t use this cave. However, the chamber in the northeast corner is the lair of nine stirges, which cling to the 10-foot-high ceiling. They
don’t react unless multiple characters enter their lair or someone brings in a torch or other open flame, in which case they attack.
Six months ago, an explorer who was captured by the pterafolk managed to escape and descend this far before falling prey to the stirges. Her
desiccated corpse is slumped along the northern wall of the stirges’ chamber, and the glint of gold and gems can be seen through tattered clothing
and a rotting purse.
Treasure. Characters who brave the stirges and search the dead explorer can recover 15 gp, a gold and carnelian ring (60 gp), and two onyx figurines
representing chwingas (50 gp each). See appendix D for more information on chwingas.
Reaching Level 3. Clinging to the west face of the spire is a ledge, above which is a ladder leading up to level 3. Whenever a character crosses the
ledge, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, a sudden gust of wind threatens to blow the character off the ledge. The character must make a DC 9 Dexterity saving
throw. If the saving throw fails, the character falls to the base of the spire unless he or she is secured by ropes.
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Pterafolk elders inhabit this area. They’ve constructed a traditional nest that’s better sheltered from wind and rain. The southwest chamber is home
to four elder pterafolk (13 hit points each; see appendix D). They spend most of their time tending their fire (which makes the chamber stiflingly hot
and smoky) and carving grisly totems from the bones of their enemies.
When the pterafolk have prisoners, they’re confined to the eastern portion of this cave. Currently, there’s one prisoner: a male aarakocra named
Nephyr. He hails from Kir Sabal and was ambushed by pterafolk while on patrol. His wrists, ankles, and beak are bound with rope, and he has no
weapons. He knows that at least eight pterafolk live on Firefinger’s peak, but he has no idea how many are there now.
If the characters set him free, Nephyr is grateful. Before departing, he urges the characters to visit Kir Sabal and petition Asharra to perform the
Dance of the Seven Winds. This dance, he says, is part of a magical ritual that grants nonflying creatures the ability to fly. Once back at Kir Sabal,
Nephyr spreads word of the characters’ heroism. Characters gain advantage on Charisma checks made to influence the aarakocra of Kir Sabal from
that point on.
Reaching Level 4. A 50-foot-tall chimney ascends to the pinnacle of Firefinger. The chimney contains plenty of handholds and requires a successful
DC 8 Strength (Athletics) check to climb without gear or magic. At this height, any significant noise in the shaft alerts the pterafolk in area 4 to the
presence of intruders.
Level 4. Pinnacle
The spire’s pinnacle is flat and roughly 40 feet square. The edges are crumbling away; it wouldn’t be safe to stand too close to any
of them. Vines and low brush grow in profusion. Bones and scraps of meat from dozens of creatures are scattered everywhere.
A crumbling stone tower rises another 30 feet above the northern corner of the platform. A roaring flame floats in the air, hovering
above the tower. Tumbled debris from the tower is heaped around its foundation. Three humanoid creatures with needlelike beaks
and leathery wings are worrying the last shreds of flesh from well-chewed bones near an open doorway into the base of the tower.
Firefinger’s pinnacle is 300 feet above ground. When the sky is clear, characters can see over 20 miles around the tower. More importantly, they can
make out the scattered plateaus, the Peaks of Flame and other volcanoes and mountains ringing the southern coast, and the enormous gaps in the
jungle canopy that mark the Aldani Basin, Lake Luo, and the Valley of Embers.
Pterafolk never use the chimney between level 3 and level 4 other than to occasionally drop food to a prisoner. The top of the chimney is surrounded
by rocks and low bushes, providing enough concealment for three Medium creatures. Hiding from the pterafolk requires a successful DC 12 Dexterity
(Stealth) check, with advantage at nighttime or when it’s raining.
Six pterafolk (see appendix D) lair atop the tower, including the flock’s leader, Nrak, who has 40 hit points. Nrak is a hate-filled creature with a scar
that begins at the top of its head and cuts down the right side of its face and chest to below its right wing.
If Azaka Stormfang (see chapter 1) is with the group, consider adding more pterafolk to the fight; she swings the balance heavily in favor of the
attackers. Additional pterafolk circle high overhead and can join the fray at any time. Pterafolk won’t hesitate to shove a character who foolishly
stands at the edge of the tower. They can jump from the tower, circle around on the wing, and use their dive attacks to great advantage.
Firefinger’s beacon is a magical plume of fire that puts out tremendous heat. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the flame takes 10
(3d6) fire damage. Any creature that enters the flame or starts its turn there takes 35 (10d6) fire damage. A successful dispel magic (DC 17) cast on
the flame dispels it.
Treasure. Inside the tower are crude nests and four moldy wooden chests. The chests aren’t locked. All together, they hold 2,000 cp, 730 sp, four
gemstones (50 gp each), and a spell scroll of commune with nature. One of the chests also contains a cloth-wrapped, wooden mask resembling a
stylized tiger’s face. This is Azaka’s mask of the beast (see appendix C). If she’s with the characters, she claims it immediately.
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Fort Beluarian
The flag of Baldur’s Gate flies over this wooden stockade. The whole structure sits atop a 10-foot hillock, the sides of which are
shaved vertically to make them steep and difficult to climb. The fort’s main gate faces west. On the east side of the stockade, a tall
keep holds a commanding view of the surrounding wilderness.
Fort Beluarian’s elevation and lack of a ditch allows the stockade to drain well even in heavy rain. The fort (map 2.7) is garrisoned by Flaming Fist
mercenaries. Immense wealth passes through Fort Beluarian — enough to make the nobles and merchants of Baldur’s Gate rich beyond the dreams
of avarice.
Commanding Fort Beluarian is a lawful evil Flaming Fist blaze (major) named Liara Portyr (see
appendix D), who answers directly to Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur’s Gate. Liara is 47
years old and has held her post for the past three years. To her, a posting in Chult feels like a
test of mettle, but to many of her subordinates, it feels like banishment. The garrison consists
of a castellan named Gruta Halsdottir (LN female Illuskan human knight), three corporals
(veterans), and fifty-four privates (guards). The garrison operates in three eight-hour shifts, with
one corporal (gauntlet) and eighteen privates (fists) on duty during each shift.
Unknown to her boss, Liara is in league with pirates based out of Jahaka Anchorage and earns
a tidy profit from their exploits. Liara’s spies in Port Nyanzaru furnish her with ship manifests
and departure schedules, which she passes to the pirates via a sending stone; the pirate
captain Zaroum Al-Saryak holds the matching stone (see “Jahaka Anchorage"). Because of
their arrangement, the pirates agreed to Portyr’s demand that they never attack ships flying the
flag of Baldur’s Gate. Liara receives a cut of the pirate’s profits, some of which goes toward
paying bonuses to her garrison to keep the soldiers happy.
Although she’s a villain of sorts, Liara Portyr has no reason to be an enemy to the characters.
She spends most of her time managing the security of her stronghold, going over field reports,
and sifting through reports from her spies in Port Nyanzaru. She admires adventurers, and as
long as the characters do nothing to antagonize her, she can provide them with useful advice
and material aid against the myriad threats lurking in the jungle.
Liara is puzzled by reports coming from her patrols to the south. They’ve crossed the trails of
large creatures in the jungle that don’t match anything known to live in Chult. If the characters are planning to explore the region between the east
coast and the River Tiryki, or they’ve already been there and seen anything unusual, she’d be grateful for any light they can shed on the mystery. (Her
patrols are seeing signs of the frost giants searching for Artus Cimber.)
Given that Baldur’s Gate is a member of the Lords’ Alliance, it should surprise no one that a handful of alliance operatives are sprinkled through the
garrison. The Emerald Enclave has expert guides stationed here as well. One of them, a druid named Qawasha (see “Finding a Guide”), comes highly
recommended.
The main reason adventurers have for visiting Fort Beluarian is to buy a “charter of exploration.” Baldur’s Gate lays claim to everything east of the
Mistcliff and north of Kitcher’s Inlet, and now that Mezro is picked clean, it’s trying to extend its claim south to Refuge Bay. No one (including the
merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru) has the force in Chult to dispute this claim. So within its territory, the Flaming Fist does as it pleases, including
demanding that explorers buy charters. A charter grants permission to the holder to explore Chult and plunder its riches, but half of an expedition’s
proceeds and discoveries must be turned over to the Flaming Fist. The charter costs 50 gp, which is treated as a down payment on the split of
profits. In addition, those who buy a charter can hire up to six Flaming Fist mercenaries (guards) to accompany them for the very reasonable rate of 1
gp per tenday each. It’s easy enough to launch an expedition from Port Nyanzaru without a charter. The only risk is that if a Flaming Fist patrol runs
into an expedition without a charter, it will attack the expedition and confiscate its gear.
Everything being shipped in or out of the fort goes through Beluarian Landing, which is nothing more than a stretch of beach with a few log buildings
above the tide line. Ships anchor a half-mile offshore, and people and supplies are ferried back and forth on rowboats. Six Flaming Fist guards defend
this station; their chief duty is rowing the boats back and forth. In case of danger, they can barricade themselves inside the stoutest log building or
row out to sea until whatever threatens them loses interest and wanders away.
The trek from Beluarian Landing to the fort is 14 miles along a well-marked trail. This trail is not patrolled.
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1. West Gate
The main entrance is closed by two massive wooden doors with bars that take eight people to slide aside. Because the area is patrolled and the fort
has excellent all-round lines of sight, the gates stand open during the day, except when heavy rain restricts visibility and allows the possibility of a
sneak attack. The western gatehouse walls are 20 feet high, and the parapets are patrolled day and night by six guards. The walls ringing the rest of
the camp are 12 feet high, but they look higher from outside because of the fort’s elevation.
2. Ore Gate
Despite its name, this secondary gate on the south wall of the fort has nothing to do with ore. It’s a sally port the fort’s defenders can use to launch
counterattacks against enemies assailing the main gate. It stays solidly closed and barred most of the time.
3. Armorer/Weaponsmith
The iron mines of Chult provide everything the garrison needs to make weapons, armor, and metal tools and implements. Korhie Donadrue (LG male
Chondathan human spy) is the chief armorer for the fort. Having spent years as an adventurer himself before becoming a smith, he enjoys having
adventurers and explorers spend time in his work area, swapping tales and sharing news of the world.
Characters can buy most types of weapons, ammunition, and armor here, at prices 25 percent above those listed in the Player’s Handbook. Donadrue
would charge them less, but the prices are set by the Flaming Fist.
4. Bazaar
A dozen traders live within the fort and manage its bazaar. Soldiers from the fort are only a tiny part of their business. Most of their trade involves
selling gear to explorers and supplies to miners. The traders also buy and sell gems, hides, animal parts (feathers, teeth, and so forth), and small
animals. Their prices are 50 percent higher than those in the Player’s Handbook, due to the remoteness of the station.
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5. Temple of Helm
Fort dwellers pray to Helm for protection against the dangers of the land. Shilau M’wenye (LN male Chultan human priest) is in charge of the temple
and accepts donations. His father was a Chultan priest, and his mother was a Shou mercenary posted in Chult. He always tries to see the best in
other people without judging them.
6. Stables
Horses aren’t native to Chult, and the climate (and its many pests) are hard on the animals. Still, a few Tethyrian members of the Flaming Fist brought
their horses to Fort Beluarian with them, and they’re now a part of the culture of the fort. The horses seldom leave the immediate vicinity of the fort;
they’re all but useless in the jungle.
The stable has stalls for a dozen horses. Only seven are stabled there now (two riding horses and five unarmored warhorses).
The stablemaster is Thaeven the Bald (N male Tethyrian human commoner with Animal Handling +4). He takes excellent care of the animals, to the
extent that’s possible in this climate, while complaining constantly about the impossibility of taking proper care of horses in this climate.
7. Jousting Field
The main reason horses are kept at the fort is for jousting. Tournaments are held once a month, and lesser bouts occur when enough people have
time off or when two Flaming Fist members have an issue to settle between them.
Tethyrian soldiers stationed at Fort Beluarian brought their chivalric panoply and pageantry with them, but they’ve combined it with a jungle aesthetic
to create something unique. The usual symbols involving falcons, dragons, suns, and so forth give way in Chult to leopard-skin tabards, dinosaur-
themed heraldry, helmets shaped like snarling panthers or swooping pteranodons, and armor bedecked with tyrannosaurus teeth and parrot feathers.
Wealthy merchants from Port Nyanzaru sometimes make the journey to attend the jousting tournaments. They camp around the fort in colorful
pavilions and place outrageous bets on the outcomes of matches.
If the adventurers spend a day in Fort Beluarian, Liara Portyr becomes aware of them and dispatches a guard to bring them to the
great hall (area 10C). Adventurers who refuse the summons are banished from the fort. Those who agree to meet with Liara are
asked to serve the Flaming Fist. For each service they perform, the characters receive a reward. Characters who decline to serve the
Flaming Fist are welcome to continue about their business, but anything they wish to buy in Fort Beluarian costs five times the
normal price from that point on.
Ghoul Hunters. Portyr asks the characters to help rid the jungle of ghouls. If the characters are up to the task, Portyr gives the party
a free charter of exploration. For every severed ghoul head the characters bring her, she’ll pay them 20 gp. (She has enough money
to cover the reward for up to eleven severed ghoul heads.)
Shilku Reconnaissance. Portyr asks the characters to set sail for Shilku Bay, conduct a one-week reconnaissance of the destroyed
village of Shilku, and return to Fort Beluarian to report what they’ve seen. If the characters accept the mission, Portyr pays for their
food and passage and gives the party a free charter of exploration. If they complete the mission, the characters are given free meals
and guest rooms (see area 10J) whenever they visit Fort Beluarian, and each character receives one potion or scroll chosen from
the ones available in the stores (see area 10G).
Strangers in a Strange Land. Flaming Fist scouts have spotted giant footprints south of Fort Beluarian. If the characters find out
who or what is making the tracks, and discover where they’re coming from and what threat (if any) they pose to Fort Beluarian,
Portyr will reward them with five magic arrows (see area 10G). If the characters accept the mission, Portyr gives the party a free
charter of exploration. To complete the mission, the characters must locate at least one group of frost giants as well as their
longship (see “Hvalspyd"). To complicate matters, Portyr doesn’t believe any report that claims frost giants have landed in Chult and
won’t pay up unless the characters back up their claims with compelling evidence (such as a frost giant’s severed head or a giant-
sized weapon).
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On particularly stifling nights, many soldiers abandon the barracks and sling hammocks in the guard towers. The breeze atop the walls provides
some cooling and relief from insects.
10A. Courtyard
The bailey’s central courtyard is open to the sky. It can be sealed off with heavy gates and stoutly defended by even a handful of soldiers. A
boardwalk is installed around the courtyard, so people don’t need to walk in the mud when rain pours down.
A wooden statue of an armored man stands in the middle of the courtyard. The statue portrays Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur’s Gate, leader
of the Flaming Fist.
The head trainer for the fort’s reptiles is Rahl Zuberi (CG male human Chultan tribal warrior with Animal Handling +4). His face and arms are covered
in tattoos and scars, and he’s missing half of his right hand; tooth marks are still clearly visible in the scar tissue. Despite Rahl’s ferocious
appearance, he’s a jovial prankster who spends most of his off-duty time telling wild stories at the provisioner or one of the ale tents in the bazaar, in
exchange for free drinks.
10C. Hall
The great hall of the bailey is where most of the fort’s military business is conducted, and where Liara Portyr (see appendix D) meets important
visitors. It resembles a hunting lodge, with dinosaur heads and skulls mounted on the walls and the pelts of exotic animals hung like tapestries.
Liara carries a set of keys to the locked storeroom doors (area 10G) and the iron strongbox in her quarters (area 10I). If the characters meet with her,
she offers them one or more special quests (see the “Agents of the Flaming Fist” sidebar).
10D. Kitchen
This kitchen serves the camp officers and guests, and prepares special meals during feasts. The enlisted troops are largely responsible for preparing
their own food by squads; most of that is handled in the barracks area.
Sigbeorn Dunebar (NG male Illuskan human veteran) has logged more years in Chult than any other living member of the Flaming Fist, and he loves it.
When he grew too old for fighting and patrolling in the jungle, he volunteered to transfer to the kitchen. Now he’s not only the head cook but, more
important, is responsible (under the castellan) for ensuring the fort always has an adequate food supply.
10E. Castellan
The castellan of Fort Beluarian is Gruta Halsdottir (LN female Illuskan human knight). As castellan, she’s second in command to Liara Portyr, and
she’s responsible for every detail of the day-to-day functioning of the fort. If a soldier breaks the rules, Gruta decides on the punishment. If a patrol is
overdue from the jungle, it’s her duty to find out why. When strangers arrive, Gruta is the one who greets them, finds out why they’re here, and decides
whether they deserve any of Liara Portyr’s time.
This chamber is Gruta’s office; her sleeping quarters are upstairs. Her duties take her all over the fort, so she’s not often here during the day. She
carries one set of keys to the locked storeroom doors (area 10G).
In the event of a camp-wide alarm, the bell is rung continuously for at least a half-minute. The tolling can be heard from 2 miles away by creatures in
the open, or 1 mile by creatures in the jungle.
10G. Stores
Reserves of vital supplies are kept under lock and key in these two chambers. The door to each room is locked, and Liara Portyr and Gruta Halsdottir
carry the only keys. Each door is made heavy wood reinforced with iron bands (AC 17, 20 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage), and its
lock can be picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
The types of supplies stored here include mundane items such as paper and ink, locks, clothing, boots, rope, lanterns, lamp oil, and candles.
Treasure. The second room contains four potions of healing, four spell scrolls (two each of lesser restoration and purify food and drink), five +1
arrows in a quiver, and a bowl of commanding water elementals (to aid in any last-ditch defense of the fort). Portyr and Halsdottir don’t blab about
these treasures to adventurers, no matter how trustworthy they seem.
Treasure. A character who searches under the bed in Liara Portyr’s chamber finds a locked iron strongbox. A character using thieves’ tools and
succeeding on a DC 18 Dexterity check can pop it open. The box contains 220 gp and a sending stone that Liara uses to communicate with the
pirates of Jahaka Anchorage.
Characters might be given the use of one or more of these rooms if they do something to earn that privilege. Examples include turning over a
valuable discovery to the Flaming Fist, leading a counterattack against assaulting undead, or bringing proof that they drove off an incursion by frost
giants.
Heart of Ubtao
A massive chunk of earth and rock torn from the earth drifts over the swampy forest, about two hundred feet above the ground. A
petrified tree towers above the stone, with its stone roots protruding from the bottom. Between the shape of the rock and the
branching of the tree’s limbs, it creates the impression of a gigantic stone heart hanging in the sky. The impression is only made
more gruesome by the red liquid dripping from the roots.
You see a cave mouth in the side of the slowly rotating “heart,” and a staircase winding from the cave up to the flattened top where
the petrified tree stands. The staircase definitely isn’t natural; it was carved with tools into the rock.
The Heart of Ubtao (map 2.8) is an earthmote — a massive chunk of earth held aloft by magic that can’t be dispelled. It hovers 200 feet above the
ground and rotates slowly counterclockwise, completing one revolution every hour. Chultans call it the Heart of Ubtao because the earthmote is
vaguely heart-shaped, and the petrified tree adds the impression of veins and arteries. The dripping red liquid is rainwater that was stained by filtering
through iron ore deposits in the rock.
Chultans who’ve seen the earthmote believe it’s actually the petrified heart of the god Ubtao, and they consider it sacred. Priests of Ubtao used to
travel here on the backs of flying dinosaurs to seek visions inside the heart and to beseech Ubtao to return. Many Chultans would be incensed to
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learn that the Heart of Ubtao has become the lair of an undead monster.
Valindra Shadowmantle works for Szass Tam, the most powerful lich among the Red Wizards
of Thay, though she is not a Red Wizard herself. She found the heart and converted it into a
base to use while her minions search for the Soulmonger. Her orders from Szass Tam are to
seize control of the Soulmonger, if possible, or destroy it otherwise. Valindra created a
teleportation circle inside the heart that she uses to travel instantly to and from Thay (where
her phylactery is safely stored), to deliver reports to Szass Tam and pick up new instructions.
Characters who explore the Heart of Ubtao are certain to meet Valindra. She’s considered the
possibility that adventurers might cross her path, and she won’t necessarily be hostile toward
them. Her mission is to seize the Soulmonger by any means; if adventurers can help her
achieve that, she’ll use them.
Valindra believes that the Soulmonger is hidden somewhere in the ruins of Omu. She shares this information with the characters even if she suspects
they’ll betray her down the road, because in the meantime, they might weaken some of Omu’s defenses.
If the characters have no way to reach the earthmote when they first encounter it — or at least, no way for everyone to reach it — eventually they spot
an elf woman looking down at them from the staircase. After a few moments, she hails them in Elvish, asking their names, why they’ve come, and so
on. If this conversation goes well, she opens an arcane gate (cast from a scroll) and invites the player characters to come up. If they have many
porters or NPC warriors, she asks that only the “key figures” come up, explaining that her home doesn’t have room for their entire expedition. Valindra
assures characters that their companions will be safe on the ground.
The lich has no interest in killing the characters as long as there’s any chance they could be useful. If a fight breaks out (and there’s little reason one
should unless the characters start it), Valindra lets her undead servants deal with the adventurers, then slips through her teleportation circle back to
Thay. The destination sigils aren’t recorded anywhere in the heart, so following her is impossible. She’ll return in a few days when things have quieted
down. How she proceeds from that point is left to your imagination.
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1. Petrified Tree
A swarm of bats inhabits this hollow, petrified tree. The bats emerge each evening to feast and attack any other warm-blooded creature that enters
their lair. At the bottom of the tree is a gaping hole that opens in the ceiling of area 4.
2. Staircase
These stairs are smooth and don’t show much sign of wear. Only a handful of creatures have walked on them: Valindra, a few of her servants, and the
priests of Ubtao who made pilgrimages to the heart. There’s no risk of falling off unless a character does something foolish, but the height is
dizzying.
3. Cave Entrance
The floor of this entrance slopes up slightly toward the inside of the heart, so water streams out through it continually. The cave mouth appears
natural, unlike the steps outside it.
4. Valindra’s Lair
This cave is musty and dimly lit by daylight filtering down through the hollow, petrified tree trunk 20 feet above. A pool of dirty
rainwater occupies the central 20 feet of the floor, between natural pillars formed by the roots of the petrified tree. Three tall
bookcases stand against the wall to the right of the cave entrance. A desk and several wooden crates stand against the left-hand
wall. Opposite the entrance are two open doorways into smaller chambers and, between them, a large iron cage.
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Valindra’s undead patrols sometimes capture luckless explorers and bring them here. Prisoners are kept in the iron cage while Valindra questions
them, then disposed of in the swamp. The cage is not in use when characters arrive, unless you choose to place Artus Cimber and Dragonbait here as
prisoners.
As a lich, Valindra isn’t bothered by how dank and uncomfortable the cave is. If that subject comes up, she explains that as an elf, she has no need
for a bed or for hours and hours of sleep; she simply meditates for a while at her desk each day. The rest of her time is spent poring over her maps
and histories, searching for likely hiding spots for the Soulmonger.
Treasure. The bookcases are filled with books, scrolls, tablets, and maps, all about Chult in one way or another. They cover history, geography, culture,
and natural philosophy in great depth, but all of them predate the Spellplague. Valindra would literally kill to possess Syndra Silvane’s map, if she
learns of its existence. Her spellbooks aren’t here — they’re safe back in Thay — but the shelves do hold two spell scrolls of arcane gate.
5. Undead Guardians
Stuffed in this closet are six Chultan zombies and two girallon zombies (see appendix D). They stand here inertly until attacked, or until Valindra calls
them out to fight or act as servants.
6. Teleportation Circle
Valindra’s teleportation circle is etched onto the floor of this chamber. Anyone with proficiency in the Arcana skill recognizes what the circle is and
can write down or memorize its sigils so it can be used as a destination from another teleportation circle. Valindra isn’t foolish enough to leave the
sigils from her Thayan circle scribbled somewhere in this lair, so no one can follow her if she chooses to escape.
Hisari
This ruined yuan-ti city stands in the jungle at the foot of the Crown, a fuming volcano that marks the western end of the Sky Lizard Mountains. A
powerful ward similar to that of an antipathy/sympathy spell prevents yuan-ti from entering the city. Many of the serpent folk who once dwelled here
have since relocated to Omu.
The earth swallowed half of the city, which rests in a sprawling underground cavern that has never been warmed by the sun. The rest of Hisari
remains above ground, engulfed by vines and creeping flowers. Every brick and pillar is coated in moss, and a latticework of roots and ash covers the
city’s cracked, golden domes.
Hrakhamar
Nearby volcanic eruptions forced the dwarves to abandon Hrakhamar (map 2.9). They always intended to reoccupy and reactivate the forge when it
was deemed safe, but that day never came.
Firenewts moved in and put the forge to work crafting armor and weapons for themselves. A small group of albino dwarves lurks in the jungle nearby
and keeps watch on the forge, but their numbers are too low to challenge the firenewts.
If characters travel within 10 miles (1 hex) of the forge, four albino dwarf warriors (see appendix D) spot and approach them. Their spokesperson is
blunt-talking Sithi Vinecutter. She lays out the problem (“firenewts have taken over our ancestral forge”) and proposes the solution (“kill them”). As a
reward, each character will be allowed to take twenty 1-pound ingots of refined adamantine from the forge, and the dwarves will lead them to the
location of a crashed “flying boat” from some far-off land (see “Wreck of the Star Goddess").
The dwarves offer to stand guard outside while the characters rid Hrakhamar of firenewts. If the characters seem underpowered or in need of a
guide, Sithi offers to accompany them. She remembers the layout of the forge but doesn’t know how many firenewts are inside, or where they might
be hiding.
When the forge was operated by the dwarves, it was linked by trade roads to Shilku Bay and other points on the peninsula. Although those roads have
endured a century of neglect, in the vicinity of the forge they were of dwarven construction, and not even a century of disrepair can erase a dwarven
road. The roads are buried under ash in the Valley of Lost Honor, but where the mountains rise above the ash plain, the road can be spotted easily and
followed to the forge entrance. A character who makes a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check while examining the road sees scorch marks
indicative of firenewts or other flame creatures using it.
The entrance is a 10-foot-tall arched doorway beneath a massive relief carving of a crossed hammer and tongs. Two iron doors
were fitted to the entrance, but one lies on the ground, completely rusted off its hinges, and the other sags so badly it appears as if
it could collapse at any moment. Several buildings once stood outside the forge, but they’ve been reduced to their foundations.
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The entrance gradually narrows to just 5 feet wide by 10 feet high. The tunnel proceeds this way, sloping downward very slightly but with occasional
staircases leading down, for three-quarters of a mile before reaching the forge proper. Scorch marks cover the walls and floor.
1. Magma Rift
The dwarves exploited a volcanic rift in the heart of Hrakhamar to smelt iron and adamantine, which they lowered into the magma in clay crucibles.
A cavern of molten magma bubbles and flames before you. The cavern walls are lined with metal gantries and cranes that support
immense crucibles of scorched clay. Huge chains stretch across the cavern, apparently to shuttle multi-ton buckets of ore across
the lava. The heat takes your breath away, brings water to your eyes, and bakes your skin. From where you stand, the only obvious
way across is via a narrow stone trestle built for rail carts. The sound of rhythmic hammering comes from somewhere beyond the
magma rift.
The magma is 10 feet below the level of the gantries and the rail cart trestles. Great chains span the rift in two places, allowing ore to be hoisted
across in buckets.
There’s no danger of falling if characters cross the magma on one of the two rail cart trestles. A successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check is
needed to cross hand-over-hand along one of the chain conveyors. On a failed check, the character falls into the magma. A creature that falls in the
magma or starts its turn there takes 55 (10d10) fire damage.
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2. Smelter
The hammering sound grows louder, but it’s not coming from the chamber ahead. This enormous, rectangular chamber is a working
smelter. A rectangular pit in the center of the room is filled with molten iron. Six devices of dwarven design and make, arranged
around the pit, siphon off the liquid metal and draw out the impurities. A smaller pool in the southeast corner holds what appears to
be molten silver.
Creatures that look like a mix of humanoid amphibians and elemental fire are tending to the machines. So far, they haven’t noticed
you.
Eight firenewt warriors (see appendix D) work here. They’re involved in their tasks and not expecting intruders, and the chamber is noisy, so the
firenewts are surprised unless characters move around openly or otherwise draw attention to themselves.
The central pit contains molten iron. The smaller pool contains molten adamantine, not silver. A creature that falls into either pit or starts its turn
there takes 55 (10d10) fire damage.
The crane to the south (overhanging area 1) is used to lower a crucible of ore into the magma river until the ore is liquid. Liquified ore is rolled along
the tracks into area 2, where it’s dumped into the appropriate cauldron.
3. Armory
The dwarves’ enemies coveted the riches of Hrakhamar. To defend their trove, the dwarves stockpiled weapons and armor in this chamber. The
firenewts haven’t bothered most of it; they prefer their own weapons over heavier dwarven designs, and the dwarves’ armor doesn’t fit them.
This chamber includes six each of battleaxes, greataxes, mauls, morningstars, war picks, warhammers, and heavy crossbows, plus two hundred
crossbow bolts and four suits of dwarven half-plate armor. If characters are led here by Sithi Vinecutter, she’s willing to let the characters take one
weapon apiece.
4. Forge
Molten iron and adamantine from area 2 is hoisted into the northernmost of these two chambers, where it’s cast into ingots. Some of the metal was
worked into tools and replacement parts on the anvils in the room, but most of the iron was moved to the treasury (area 6). Adamantine ingots were
sent to the southern portion of the forge, where the massive stamping hammer in the center of the room pounded out impurities. The pounding
sound heard throughout the forge comes from this machine-driven hammer.
When characters arrive, four firenewt warriors are in the northern chamber, and six firenewt warriors are working in the southern chamber under the
supervision of a firenewt warlock of Imix. See appendix D for the firenewts’ statistics.
Iron Lever. The hallway between areas 4 and 6 is featureless except for a heavy iron lever set into the north wall 20 feet from the door to area 4. The
lever is in the down position and can be lifted easily. Doing so extends the walkway across the magma to area 6, if the trap there caused it to retract.
Moving the lever while the gantry is extended causes gears to grind for a few moments deep in the rock, but nothing else.
5. Stores
In these chambers, the dwarves stored supplies of every kind, from food to leather aprons to protective goggles to parchment and ink. The firenewts
looted all of it. Now the chief features of these rooms are “nests” of ancient dwarven clothing, insulated gloves, and other padded material that the
firenewts sleep on in shifts. The smell in this area is horrid, like burning hair mixed with burning rubber. A disturbance in any of the chambers
awakens and draws in all the firenewts in the storage area.
The northwest room is unoccupied. In the northeast room, three firenewt warriors play knucklebones with dwarven knuckles. Four firenewt warriors
sleep in a heap in the middle of the southwest room. The southeast room contains two firenewt warlocks of Imix arguing quietly over whether to
denounce the warlock in area 4 for heresy against Imix. See appendix D for the firenewts’ statistics.
6. Treasury
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Two suits of dwarven half plate armor stand on either side of an adamantine-banded iron door. These suits of armor were beautiful
once, but now they’re scarred by weapons, scorched by fire, and smeared with filth. The door has two locks, one above the other.
The dwarves sealed their treasure vault before leaving Hrakhamar, and it’s remained sealed to this day. Despite their best efforts, the firenewts have
been unable to force the door or defeat the locks.
Locked Door. The door’s upper lock is embedded in an adamantine frame resembling a stylized form of the dwarven rune for “beginnings.” The rune
can be interpreted correctly by a character who reads Dwarvish. The lower lock was originally embedded in a golden frame in the shape of a stylized
dwarven rune for “endings,” but the firenewts scraped away the gold and used it to decorate their shrine to Imix (area 7). Scarring on the door hints at
what used to be there; it can be interpreted correctly by someone who reads Dwarvish and makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check. Each lock can be picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
The lower lock is trapped. The trap can be spotted with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check, but it’s impossible to disarm or bypass. The
trap is triggered if an attempt to pick the lower lock fails by 5 or more, if the wrong key is used in the lock, or if it’s opened by any means before the
upper lock. The trap causes the metal gantry between the treasury and the forge (area 4) to retract west, leaving a 40-foot gap across the magma.
The bridge can be re-extended only by lifting the lever in the corridor from area 4. The lever is too far away to be manipulated with mage hand by
anyone on the treasury side of the magma river.
The keys to the treasury were within the firenewts’ grasp. However, they failed to recognize the keys for what they were and incorporated them into a
statue they built in the shrine of Imix (area 7).
Side Chamber. The solution to opening the door lies in a seemingly empty side chamber near the treasury. Anyone searching this room turns up a
curious box tossed into the corner. The box is made of iron and resembles a book, and it opens from both sides, rather like the front and back covers
of a book. One side bears the dwarven rune for “beginnings,” the other bears the rune for “endings.” Opening either side reveals the impression of a
key in the iron plate. The original keys for the treasury were stored in this box.
With all the tools of Hrakhamar at their disposal, copies of both keys can be made from these impressions by a character who has proficiency with
smith’s tools and who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence check. Sithi Vinecutter has the needed proficiency if none of the characters do.
Musharib (see “Finding a Guide") also has the necessary skill. After three failed checks, the box’s impressions are ruined, and the box can no longer
be used to mold new keys.
Treasure. The treasury contains the stockpiled wealth of Hrakhamar. Thousands of iron and adamantine ingots are neatly sorted, stacked, and
crated. Each iron ingot is worth 1 gp and weighs 10 pounds. Each adamantine ingot is worth 10 gp and weighs 1 pound. If she is present, Sithi
Vinecutter allows the characters to collect their reward, though she watches them closely to be sure no one takes more than twenty ingots.
Resting atop one crate is a gauntlet made of gold and sized for an adult dwarf. The dwarves of Chult call it Moradin’s Gauntlet, and it’s customarily
worn by the overseers of Hrakhamar. It is finely crafted and worth 2,500 gp, though a wealthy dwarf would pay twice that much to acquire it.
7. Imix Shrine
It’s unclear what the dwarves used this area for, but the firenewts converted it into a shrine.
The reek of sulfur and burning flesh assaults your nostrils as the tunnel opens into a small chamber. At the northern end of the
room is a five-foot-tall statue made of iron, copper, gold, and silver, crudely hammered together into a form suggesting something
vaguely humanoid but also fiery. Four firenewts worship before it.
The worshipers are two firenewt warlocks of Imix and two firenewt warriors (see appendix D for the firenewts’ statistics). They fight to the death.
The statue weighs 150 pounds and represents Imix, the evil, fiery primordial at the center of the firenewts’ militarized, theological society. The statue
has little artistic merit (firenewts are passable smiths but poor artists). If the gold and silver are separated from the other metals, they’re worth 20 gp
and 400 sp, respectively. An albino dwarf or a character skilled at smithing could smelt out the valuable metals with the equipment in Hrakhamar in a
few hours.
A character who makes a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check while examining (or smelting down) the statue of Imix recognizes an object
hammered into its flames as having once been part of a key. It’s the only bit of adamantine on the statue, and only the toughness of adamantine
prevented it from being hammered out of all recognition. Once the adamantine fragment is picked out, a more careful search turns up a second
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fragment of gold, so thoroughly hammered that it’s barely recognizable. These keys once unlocked the door to the treasury (area 6) and are beyond
repair; so little of them remains that not even a mending spell can fix them.
8. Smoke-Filled Caverns
The size and shape of this area are impossible to determine. Clouds of roiling smoke sting your eyes, and drifting embers burn your
throat as you breathe. You can, however, barely make out what looks like a lantern farther back in the smoke.
These linked caverns are the lair of two smoke mephits. What the characters perceive as a dim lantern is a dancing lights spells cast by one of the
mephits to lure the characters deeper into the noxious lair.
All of area 8 is heavily obscured. Characters can move 10 feet per round by following a wall with their hand; moving faster than that means taking 1
bludgeoning damage from banging heads and shins into stone protrusions. After 2 rounds in the smoke, each character must make a successful DC
10 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of his or her turns or gain a level of exhaustion. Those who hold their breath won’t gain exhaustion
for as long as their breath holds out; characters who tie wet rags across their nose and mouth or take similar precautions have advantage on the
saving throw for 10 rounds, but then the rag dries out in Hrakhamar’s intense heat.
The mephits aren’t interested in attacking adventurers directly, but they’ll gleefully loot the bodies of anyone who collapses in the smoke. If cornered,
they beg for mercy. They offer to trade information for their lives if a character makes a successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check. They know
the forge is infested with firenewts, where the newts’ giant strider mounts are kept, and that two dwarf prisoners are tied up in the cells due west of
the mephits’ lair.
Dwarves are the exception. There’s much about the workings of Hrakhamar the firenewts still don’t understand. Captured dwarves are tortured for
hints about how the foundry’s tools and machines work. Two luckless albino dwarf warriors (see appendix D) are tied, gagged, and blindfolded here
when characters arrive. Their names are Laz Drumthunder and Malkar Stonegrist. Both are wounded and have 1 hit point remaining. They are also
starving, dehydrated, and suffering from 5 levels of exhaustion. Laz will recover normally with time and care, or magical healing. Malkar has gone
mad; he shudders uncontrollably and screams nonstop if his gag is removed. A lesser restoration spell or comparable magic is needed to restore his
sanity. If Laz and Malkar are taken to Sithi Vinecutter, she and her companions look after them.
The tunnel winds southward 40 miles to Wyrmheart Mine, which has been taken over by the dragon Tzindelor and her kobold minions (see
“Wyrmheart Mine"). The tunnel is passable and the rail cart tracks are intact for the full length, but encounters with carrion crawlers and giant spiders
are guaranteed. As characters get closer to Wyrmheart Mine, they might also encounter bands of kobolds. The albino dwarves know where the tunnel
leads but are quick to warn characters about the red dragon that has taken over Wyrmheart Mine.
The firenewts use the area as stables for twelve giant striders (see appendix D). The giant striders are tethered, but the tethers are meant only to
keep them from crossing the westernmost line of cart tracks and wandering through the tunnels. An angry or alarmed strider can easily break loose,
and these vicious creatures become both angry and alarmed when they see humanoids who aren’t their firenewt masters.
As soon as a non-firenewt enters area 10, the giant striders begin stamping, growling, and straining at their tethers. Beginning on the following round,
1d3 giant striders break loose each round and attack or join in an ongoing battle. They don’t attack firenewts, and a firenewt can hop onto a giant
strider and ride it as a mount using the standard rules for mounted combat.
Hvalspyd
The Hvalspyd (the name means “whale spear”) is a longship sized for frost giants: 250 feet long, with sails made from white dragon wings. It’s
anchored 100 yards off a beach along Chult’s northeast coast, 70 miles north of Kitcher’s Inlet. It’s impossible for the giants to hide the vessel;
anyone sailing down the coast can’t miss it.
The Hvalspyd sailed south from the Sea of Moving Ice with a crew of twenty frost giants. Three frost giants remain aboard the ship — two stand
guard while the third rests. Two more frost giants watch the sea from the beach. The other fifteen giants have split into five search parties of three
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giants each, and are searching the jungle for Artus Cimber and the Ring of Winter. One of the frost giant hunters is the Hvalspyd’s captain, Drufi (NE
female frost giant).
At the behest of her lord, Jarl Storvald, Drufi led this expedition to retrieve the ring. Storvald wants it for reasons explained in the adventure Storm
King’s Thunder. He believes that with the Ring of Winter, he can freeze the world and bring about the Age of Everlasting Ice — a wonderful dream that
keeps Drufi focused on the task at hand. The giants know nothing of Acererak, the Soulmonger, or the death curse.
The frost giants are out of their element in tropical jungle. They regard it as the worst kind of hell imaginable. They have no intention, however, of
failing their jarl and letting the Ring of Winter slip through their grasp.
So far, the giants’ searching has roamed from the coast to the River Tiryki, and from the ruins of Port Castigliar to the northeastern mountains. Drufi
has seen Fort Beluarian from a distance and Port Nyanzaru from across the mouth of the River Tiryki, but the giants avoid Flaming Fist patrols. For
their part, the mercenaries and scouts from the fort have seen many puzzling signs in the jungle to the south, but they haven’t yet concluded they’re
dealing with frost giants. The giants’ next step will be to push farther south. At some point (determined by you), they’ll return to the Hvalspyd, sail
south to Refuge Bay, and start the search afresh from there. Obviously, this is a very inefficient way to search an area as large and as dense as Chult,
but Drufi has no better idea.
Drufi has no reason to attack or kill the characters, should they meet, unless the characters attack her or if she suspects they know more than they’re
admitting about the Ring of Winter. Before taking any action, she’ll try to ferret out what, if anything, the characters know about Artus Cimber and the
artifact. Drufi’s attempts to be cagey about her interest have all the subtlety of a charging mammoth. Any character who succeeds on a DC 10
Wisdom (Insight) check quickly recognizes that Drufi’s clumsy questions are about a powerful magic item in Cimber’s possession.
Any meeting between the characters and the giants will be more dramatic if it occurs after the characters’ first encounter with Artus Cimber. If they
admit they’ve met him but can’t (or won’t) tell Drufi where he is, she has all the reason she needs to capture the characters and torture the information
out of them.
Treasure
The Hvalspyd’s stores have been mostly depleted, and the frost giants didn’t bring treasure with them on the expedition.
Ishau
The coastal settlement of Ishau sank into the sea. Now, the village’s stone buildings sit completely underwater in Refuge Bay, a few miles from shore.
Hunter sharks and reef sharks glide among the sunken ruins, competing with plesiosaurs for the position as top predator — but all of them fear and
avoid the vicious sea hags who occasionally scour the ruins for human remains and waterlogged trinkets.
Locations J - L
Jahaka Anchorage
Three pirate ships use Jahaka Anchorage (map 2.10) as a haven: the Dragonfang, the Emerald Eye, and the Stirge. All three are sailing ships (see
chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). See the “Pirates of Jahaka Anchorage” sidebar for information on the captain and crew of each vessel.
Only one pirate ship is docked at the anchorage at any given time. A second ship rides at anchor outside the harbor up to a mile away, ready to
defend the anchorage. The third ship is always at sea, usually prowling for victims. You can randomly determine which ships are where. The captain
of whichever ship is docked commands the anchorage from aboard his ship.
The anchorage is sheltered inside a sea cave. It’s damp and echoing, but at least the cave keeps out the daily rain. The pirates outfitted it with a pier
and a ramshackle fort built from scavenged planking, old barrels, deck grates, spars, and whatever else they could scrounge. It incorporates a
warehouse where they stash their stolen booty until it can be sold (area 4), a cell where captives are held until they’re ransomed or sold (area 5), and
a tavern where the pirates carouse (areas 6A–6C).
The three pirate captains are in league with Liara Portyr of Fort Beluarian, who gives them information about vessels sailing into and out of Port
Nyanzaru and helps the pirates sell their stolen cargoes. Ships flying the ensign of Baldur’s Gate are usually left alone, as a condition of Portyr’s
cooperation. The Flaming Fist commander is kept apprised of upcoming naval patrols originating from nations on the mainland, and she passes this
information to the pirates via a sending stone.
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Even more than their deal with Liara Portyr, the pirates’ most important asset is this hidden base, and every pirate must swear a blood oath to protect
its secret location. Any ship that sails within visual distance of the anchorage is attacked and chased, if necessary. The Brazen Pegasus (see “Harbor
Ward") has a good chance to escape because she’s so fast; other ships are unlikely to get away.
Anyone who wanders into the anchorage from the jungle or from the bay is unlikely to be allowed to leave. If characters stumble into Jahaka
Anchorage, the pirates claim it’s a trading post or an exploratory base established by the Flaming Fist or a merchant consortium, and they’ll put up a
convincing front to that effect. They’ll do whatever it takes to get strangers off their guard, then kill or capture them.
The roof of the cave looms 60 feet above the water, on average (this varies a bit with the tide). It’s 50 feet above ground level and 20 feet above the
top of the watch tower and gantry. Two natural stone columns sit across the mouth of the inlet with only a 25-foot gap between them, so that ships
must be carefully towed into the cave by small boats and maneuvered with ropes once they’re inside.
Thanks to its sheltered position and the perpetual mist in the bay, the cave is difficult to find unless a person knows where to look. An alert lookout
spots the structures and docked ship inside the cave automatically if passing within a half-mile of shore. At a distance up to 2 miles, a successful DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check is needed. Lookouts at the anchorage notice a ship within 2 miles automatically.
The pirates’ first line of defense is a ring of submerged rocks a quarter-mile from shore. The captain of a ship trying to sail though must make a DC
10 Intelligence check. If the check succeeds, the ship gets past the rocks safely. If it fails by 4 or less, the ship strikes a rock and springs a few leaks
but suffers no serious damage and can continue seeking a passage through. If the check fails by 5 or more, a rock causes significant damage; the
ship lists badly and its speed is halved until the hull is repaired. Striking a third rock causes the ship to sink. The pirates, of course, know where the
rocks are and avoid them.
The watchtower (area 6) and the entire elevated walkway from the tower to the warehouse (area 4) have crenelated parapets for defense. These
provide half cover.
Aside from the pirate crews, Jahaka Anchorage is home to a handful of pirates who answer to the tavernkeeper, Bosco Daggerhand (area 6A) — and
only because he’s master of the ale.
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Three pirate ships use Jahaka Anchorage as a base, and their captains have forged tenuous alliances with each other and Liara
Portyr of Fort Beluarian. Use the deckplans in appendix C of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to represent each pirate ship, as needed.
Each ship’s crew is described below.
Dragonfang
Captain Elok Jaharwon (NE male Chultan human wereboar) has no patience or sense of humor. He was first mate of the
Dragonfang until a year ago, when he staged a mutiny and hurled the former captain overboard. The other captains are still
adjusting to their ill-mannered new confederate, who seems intent on bullying his way toward declaring himself king of the pirates.
Elok wants to stop sending a slice of the pirates’ profits to Fort Beluarian, which would end the alliance with Liara Portyr and
probably be self-defeating; the pirates could keep more of their profit, but they’d take fewer prizes and incur more risk. The other
captains see the disadvantages clearly, but Jaharwon is building a following among the rank-and-file pirates of all three crews.
The Dragonfang’s crew includes a first mate named Mad Kalita (LE female Chultan human spy), fifteen Chultan bandits, three
Chultan thugs, and a “sea witch” named Eye of the Deep (N female Calishite human druid).
Emerald Eye
The calculating Captain Zaroum Al-Saryak (LE male Calishite human bandit captain) has a special fondness for gemstones. He
wears a coat with glittering gems sewn into it (750 gp) and wears a scimitar with gemstones embedded in the hilt (1,250 gp). His
ship, the Emerald Eye, has cabins decorated like rooms in a Calishite pasha’s palace. Al-Saryak is fond of chopping off the heads of
those who displease him and dangling them from his ship’s mermaid figurehead. A long-ago injury cost him his left eye and incised
a scar in the form of a large X across his face. The ruined eye socket now holds a magical gem that allows Al-Saryak to discern
ghostly pathways leading to treasure. The gem works for no one else. Al-Saryak holds the sending stone matched to Liara Portyr’s
(see “Fort Beluarian”).
The crew of the Emerald Eye consists of a first mate named Voltan (CE male Calishite human berserker), twelve Calishite bandits,
two Calishite thugs, and five Chultan tribal warriors.
Stirge
Captain Laskilar (NE male Tethyrian human bandit captain wearing a cape of the mountebank) is a flamboyant, rakish pirate who’s
grown tired of chasing merchant ships and hearing their captains whine and plead over lost revenues and spilled blood. He’d rather
seek lost treasures and magic items, but not by digging into ruins and tombs; instead, he’ll happily pursue adventurers across
jungles and oceans to steal whatever hard-earned plunder he believes they have. His ship, the Stirge, is filled with scoundrels and
cutthroats eager to do his dirty work. Laskilar also stays in contact with a host of wealthy patrons in Port Nyanzaru and more
distant ports who are eager to pay a king’s ransom for the rarest of his ill-gotten gains.
The crew of the Stirge includes a first mate named Heel (NE male half-orc gladiator), twelve Chultan and Tethyrian bandits, six
Chultan thugs, and a mad sea priest named Caldos Hellingskorn (CE male Illuskan priest of Umberlee).
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1. Jungle Gate
The narrow strip of land between the cliff and the water is closed off by a 15-foot-high wall made of thick palm logs lashed together with stout vines.
Their bottoms are set into the ground, and the whole wall is braced up along the inner side with more palm logs. The wall is meant to keep out
undead and dinosaurs. The gates are roughly made but reinforced with iron bands and backed by two heavy wooden bars. The pirates never open
these gates without the approval of whichever captain is currently in charge of the anchorage.
2. Pier
Whichever pirate ship is in port is tied up at this pier. Cargo is offloaded using the crane at the warehouse (area 4). The pier is covered in slick moss
and perpetually in need of repair.
Two small boats are kept here. One is a simple dinghy used mainly for carrying food and water to prisoners in area 5. The other is a small cutter with
six oars and a single mast, used for towing ships into and out of the anchorage. Any sailor recognizes that the rowboat would quickly be swamped by
waves if it was taken out of the safe harbor, but the cutter could be rowed and sailed on the open sea in an emergency. It has a top speed of 5 mph
under sail or half that when rowed, and it can hold up to ten Medium occupants.
A short pier allows access to Sharkbait Rock. Prisoners with no value or who have information they refuse to give up, or pirates who’ve seriously
broken the buccaneer’s code, can be lashed to the rock. There they’ll either drown at high tide or be nibbled on by sharks and other predators until
their punishment is complete or their tongues are sufficiently loose.
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4. Warehouse
All three captains store their booty in this common warehouse. The double door is sealed with an iron padlock to which only the captains have keys.
It can be picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
A fortified balustrade overlooks the anchorage to the south. The wooden platform extends over the water on pilings, and a crane on
the platform serves to lift cargo up to the warehouse. Thrust into the rough-hewn back wall of the warehouse are scores of rusty
blades — old longswords, shortswords, rapiers, scimitars, and daggers.
Among the rusty blades stuck in the walls are ten flying swords that pull themselves free and attack when the treasure in the room (see “Treasure”
below) is disturbed. The animated blades don’t attack any creature wearing an eye patch, nor do they animate when an eye patch-wearing creature
disturbs the treasure.
Treasure. The warehouse’s treasure is contained in numerous unlocked chests, sacks, sealed crates, and casks. The trove consists of 6,400 cp, 2,500
sp, 300 gp, 60 pp, ten gold bracelets (25 gp each), an electrum goblet (25 gp), and two spell scrolls (knock and Leomund’s tiny hut) in corked wooden
tubes.
5. The Cage
Prisoners are held in this large but filthy cell until they’re ransomed or sold into slavery. High waves sometimes wash into the chamber, soaking
everyone and leaving puddles on the floor. Palm logs form the bars across the front of the cage; they’re held in place by sturdy pins that must be
noisily hammered out before the logs can be lifted out to create a gap wide enough for a Small or Medium creature to slip through. Escape is risky for
three reasons. First, pirates on watch atop the tower (area 6) keep an eye on the cage. Second, 1d4 + 1 reef sharks inhabit the water below the cage.
Third, the only place escapees can go is the jungle, which is more cruel than the pirates.
Whether any prisoners are in the cell when characters arrive at Jahaka Anchorage is up to you, but it’s seldom empty. Besides captive sailors and
merchants, there could also be Harpers, Zhents, or adventurers. Adventurers imprisoned here could be members of the Society of Stalwart
Adventurers, a group from Cormyr that maps uncharted places and hunts for lost artifacts. Characters who have not yet encountered Artus Cimber
and Dragonbait might find them hiding nearby, plotting to free the prisoners. As a former member of the Society of Stalwart Adventurers, Artus would
be motivated to help other society members in jeopardy.
6. Watchtower
This ramshackle watchtower stands 30 feet above “dry” land. It’s surrounded by a crenelated parapet that provides half cover to defenders. A ballista
is also mounted on the tower. It can be used against vessels intruding in the anchorage, but it’s primarily for defense against large reptiles
threatening the jungle wall (area 1). Two pirates (bandits) are always on duty atop the tower, and more come pouring out of Bosco’s Bilge (area 6A) if
the brass alarm bell is rung. A spiral staircase carved into a nearby pillar of rock allows access to Bosco’s Bilge.
The proprietor is Bosco Daggerhand (NE male human thug who wears a ring of animal influence), so called because he never shakes anyone’s hand
without his other hand resting threateningly on the dagger in his sash. He keeps a semi-tame deinonychus (see appendix D) as a guard animal, which
he controls with his magic ring. The pirates refer to the raptor as Knuckles — because someone who’s foolish enough to let it nip their hand won’t
have anything else left.
Any time of the day or night, 2d6 pirates (bandits) are carousing in Bosco’s Bilge. Another 1d6 pirates are passed out on the tables or floor.
6B. Kitchen
Bosco’s customers aren’t very interested in food, but the simple fare he offers — boiled shark, roasted snake, and other jungle delights — is prepared
here. When leftovers become so rancid the pirates won’t eat them, they’re either fed to the deinonychus or sent to the captives in the cage (area 5).
The door to the kitchen is always closed, to keep Knuckles from raiding the pantry.
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Bosco’s private room contains a hammock, a locked sea chest stuffed with clothes and trinkets, a few musty books, and a pile of reeds for Knuckles
to sleep on. Bosco carries the key to the chest, or the lock can be picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Treasure. A false bottom in the sea chest can be found with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. The compartment holds 58 gp, 140 sp,
a potion of water breathing, and three black eye patches. (The pirate captains don the eye patches before trying to remove treasure from area 4.)
Jahaka Bay
Pirate ships enter and leave this bay as they come and go from Jahaka Anchorage. The River Tath plunges down multiple waterfalls before spilling
into the bay, so mist perpetually drifts out of the river mouth and across the bay. This mist isn’t especially heavy but its effect accumulates over
distance, so it restricts visibility to a few miles on all but the windiest days. The outline of the coastal mountains can be seen from any distance in the
bay, but finer details — something the size of a ship or smaller, for example — can’t be discerned from more than 2 or 3 miles distant. Since the bay is
about 20 miles wide and 40 miles deep, it’s an excellent hiding spot for pirates. Any ship that wanders into the bay without knowing precisely where
to look is unlikely to stumble upon Jahaka Anchorage.
Kir Sabal
An ancient monastery overlooks the jungle from its perch on the cliff of a tall plateau. Stone steps and rickety walkways connect the
various buildings, the lowest of which is 500 feet above the ground. The main building has a circular mazelike symbol carved into its
crumbling facade.
Every few minutes, bird folk either land at the monastery or launch themselves from its balconies and take to the sky.
Kir Sabal (map 2.11) is home to a flock of aarakocra and a peaceful sanctuary where heroes can find rest and safety — if they can reach it. The
aarakocra are also sheltering the last human descendants of the royal line of Omu. If the characters eventually liberate Omu from the evil possessing
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it, the royal line can be restored.
Originally, the monastery structures could be reached by ascending a path that combined natural stone ramps, steps cut into the cliff face, and
wooden walkways built onto the cliff. The ramps and steps are still mostly intact, but the wooden walkways are rotting or missing entirely in many
places. The aarakocra don’t need them and have no reason to repair them.
To reach the monastery from the ground, a character must make three ability checks. Each time a check fails, the character must choose between
either taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage from a fall or gaining 1 level of exhaustion (which means disadvantage on further ability checks). The
three ability checks are as follows:
Fifty-six aarakocra live in Kir Sabal, in twelve “nests” or extended family groups. About a third of the aarakocra population are juveniles; the rest are
adults split evenly between males and females. They live primarily by hunting in the jungle, fishing along the River Olung, and gardening atop the
plateau, where they’re safe from most of Chult’s predators.
The leader of the community is an incredibly old aarakocra named Asharra. The others refer to her as Teacher, and they revere her as a living saint.
Asharra is intelligent, ambitious, and somewhat manipulative, but never cruel or insensitive. Asharra is an aarakocra, with these changes:
The aarakocra of Kir Sabal lead ritualistic lives and follow strict rules of behavior laid down by tradition and the Teacher. To a large extent, the rules
and rituals have taken on a life of their own irrespective of any religious observance.
If the characters approach peacefully, they’ll be welcome in Kir Sabal as long as they don’t harm anyone, disrupt traditions, steal, or lie. Even as
guests, they’re expected to spend a few hours a day helping with chores (sweeping floors and cleaning dishes, mostly).
If the characters tell Asharra of their plan to visit Omu and destroy the Soulmonger, she offers to perform a ritual called the Dance of the Seven
Winds, bestowing on the characters the magical ability to fly (see the “Dance of the Seven Winds” sidebar). To complete the ritual, she needs a black
orchid, which can be found only in Nangalore (described later in this chapter). Asharra can provide directions, but she doesn’t allow her people to go
anywhere near the ruins because of the evil, intelligent cranes (eblis) known to live there.
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Asharra knows a ritual called the Dance of the Seven Winds, which temporarily grants magical flight to as many as ten nonflying
creatures. The ritual, which takes 10 minutes to complete, can only be performed by an aarakocra elder and requires a black orchid
as a material component.
Asharra must grind the orchid to powder, inhale it, and dance in circles around the ritual’s beneficiaries uninterrupted while seven
other aarakocra chant prayers to the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. When the dance concludes, Asharra’s wings disappear and she loses the
ability to fly. The ritual’s beneficiaries each gain a magical flying speed of 30 feet (allowing them to fly 4 miles per hour). This benefit
lasts for 3 days, after which Asharra’s wings reappear and she regains the ability to fly.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Mwaxanaré (see appendix D) is the oldest living descendant of the royal families of Omu and the primary heir to the
fallen kingdom. She and her six-year-old brother Na (a noncombatant with AC 10 and 3 hit points) are guests of the aarakocra — although “wards”
might be a more accurate description. Their great-grandmother, Napaka, was the last ruling queen of Omu; their father, Omek, died in a fall, and their
mother, Razaan, was killed by pterafolk. The aarakocra aim to protect the young royals (and their progeny, if necessary) until the evil in Omu is
banished. The aarakocra say that they’re doing this solely for the future of Chult, but Asharra secretly hopes that the aarakocra will be elevated to key
roles in any renewed Chultan kingdom, if and when it comes about.
Mwaxanaré is vain, headstrong, and impatient to claim her throne. She doesn’t take kindly to backtalk and is unaccustomed to speaking to anyone
except Asharra without condescension. In her view, she’s already Queen of Chult; the rest of the world is at fault for not acknowledging that.
Unfortunately, the princess’s whole life has been sheltered at Kir Sabal, so her understanding of the world beyond the monastery is woefully, almost
comically, narrow and distorted. For example, she never refers to other kingdoms as anything but principalities or holdings (“the holding of
Waterdeep,” “the principality of Amn”); she believes that the other rulers of Faerûn would send thousands of soldiers to her aid in a matter of days if
they were aware of her need; and she’s certain the merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru will welcome her return and gladly hand over rulership of the
city to their rightful monarch. The world as she understands it is tiny and hungry for her leadership. Mwaxanaré isn’t a fool; for the most part, these
are things she’s been taught by Asharra.
Mwaxanaré believes she can garner widespread support to repopulate and rebuild Omu by retrieving a symbolically significant yet long-lost treasure
called the Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare (see chapter 5). If the characters claim to be headed to Omu, she urges them to find the chalice and return it to
her “for the good of Chult.” If the characters request something more substantial as a reward, she offers them 250 gp worth of choice pieces from her
private treasury (see area 5).
Although the aarakocra treat her well, Mwaxanaré is lonely; the only other human in Kir Sabal is her brother. Consequently, the princess is likely to
fixate on one of the adventurers as a potential romantic partner. This attachment will be powerful, fiery, and jealous, and Mwaxanaré is accustomed
to getting everything she wants.
Against Asharra’s wishes, the princess forged a pact with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, ancient beings of the Outer Planes, to become a fledgling warlock.
She detests physical labor and puts her mage hand and unseen servant spells to constant use. Through her pact, she has also gained telepathy,
which she enjoys using.
If Asharra suspects that Mwaxanaré might learn disturbing or inconvenient truths about the world from the characters, or that her passion for one of
them might lead to tragedy, they become a dangerous presence in Asharra’s eyes — and Kir Sabal is a precarious place for creatures without wings.
Na wears an aarakocra costume he made himself and pretends to be one of the bird folk. He is uncommonly studious and bookish for a six-year-old
boy. He is polite, deferential, and speaks softly with a wisdom beyond his meager years. His only outdoor interests are walking among the gardens
atop the plateau, where he studies plants and insects, and launching complex flying toys made of wood and folded paper out the window of his room
and watching them glide lazily across the jungle. Na would laugh, and then be aghast, if anyone suggested he would make a better monarch than
Mwaxanaré.
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The gargoyles of Omu and the aarakocra of Kir Sabal are bitter enemies. Aarakocra scouts watch over the distant city, and their
brazen intrusion annoys the gargoyles. Once in a while, gargoyles follow a patrol back to Kir Sabal and attack the monastery. If this
happens while the characters are visiting Kir Sabal, the aarakocra appreciate whatever help the party can provide. The attacking
force consists of ten gargoyles. If six or more are slain, the rest fly back to Omu.
1. Monastery
Six aarakocra inhabit the monastery, living as monks. While in the monastery, they wear prayer bead necklaces and paint labyrinthine patterns on
their beaks, hands, and feet.
A large, circular labyrinth symbol of Ubtao is painted on the face of this building, but it can’t be seen from anywhere in Kir Sabal; it’s visible only from
the air or from the ground below.
1A. Refectory. The entrance hall of the monastery is also the dining chamber. The aarakocra monks take all their meals here, but it’s also where
meetings take place. The aarakocra use backless benches and stools for seats, to accommodate their wings. The table can seat twenty.
1B. Prayer Hall. This is the main hall of the monastery, and it’s an impressive sight. The rafters of the ceiling are fully 60 feet above the floor, and the
peak of the thatched roof is 15 feet above that. The space is large enough that aarakocra can fly inside it, though they seldom do for the sake of
decorum.
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The circular labyrinth symbol of Ubtao is laid out on a floor mosaic 25 feet in diameter. The aarakocra monks spend much of their days meditating
while viewing the labyrinth from the lower and upper landings of the staircase. Other aarakocra come here only on special occasions such as
weddings, funerals, and holy days.
1C. Masters’ Quarters. The aarakocra monks use these sleeping chambers. Each chamber contains a bunk bed and a small table for a candle and
washbasin. The monks have no possessions; even their clothes and prayer beads belong to the monastery.
1D. Antechamber. Before entering the shrine, the monks prepare themselves in this antechamber by washing with scented oils, reading from
inspirational scrolls, and painting labyrinthine patterns onto their beaks, hands, and feet.
1E. Shrine. A life-size wooden statue of a noble tabaxi stands against the far wall, draped in flowers and beads and wreathed in incense smoke.
Unlike the other statues in Kir Sabal, this one is in excellent condition, though it’s still very old. It can be recognized as a portrayal of Ubtao in tabaxi
form with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check. The aarakocra don’t know the statue as Ubtao; they revere it simply as a talisman that
safeguards Kir Sabal and as a focus for meditation.
1F. Training Hall. The aarakocra monks use this hall for instruction in meditation and martial arts. It contains no furniture except woven grass mats.
2. Cleansing Chambers
Aarakocra ritually cleanse themselves in this building before visiting the monastery. This is also where they leave offerings for Teacher and their
mysterious guardian figure (the statues of Ubtao as a tabaxi).
2A. Washroom. The lower chamber contains a wash basin for performing ablutions and smaller vessels of salt, powdered chalk, and gold dust (50 gp
worth) for sprinkling onto one’s feathers before visiting the monastery.
2B. Shrine. The upper chamber contains a wooden case with shelves of candles and head scarves for visitors to the monastery. At the east end of
the chamber is a 5-foot-tall wooden statue with flowers and offerings of food placed at its feet. The statue is obviously very old, and it’s worn almost
smooth by thousands of hands brushing against it, so it’s impossible to determine what it originally portrayed. Offerings left here are picked up daily
by Asharra’s servant and placed on the statues in the monastery or the elder’s house.
3. Elder’s House
Asharra and an elderly female aarakocra servant named Yingmatona (pronounced ying-mah-TOE-nah) live in this grand structure. No other aarakocra
ever set foot inside. Mwaxanaré visits occasionally, and only Na is allowed to come and go as he pleases. This building is off-limits to the characters
unless they’re invited inside. Trespassing in the Teacher’s home is a horrendous breach of hospitality.
3A. Shrine. The lower floor of the house is a single room. Yingmatona sleeps on a mattress under the stairs. A life-size wooden statue resembling a
tabaxi stands opposite the door. Flowers and offerings of food are placed at its feet. The statue is obviously very old and carved in the stylized
Chultan manner, so a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check is needed to recognize it as a depiction of Ubtao as a tabaxi. This realization is
automatic if someone already figured it out in the monastery.
The walls of the chamber bear faded frescoes of floral designs and — somewhat jarringly — mathematical symbols. A section of floor has collapsed
from age. Anything falling through plunges hundreds of feet to the rocks below.
3B. Asharra’s Quarters. The upper floor is decorated with frescoes similar to those on the lower floor. The landing atop the stairs has no windows,
being set inside the cliff, but it’s dimly lit by two candles (one at each end of the hallway).
The outer room is a library with a single bookcase holding forty-four ancient books. Na likes to come here and read the books, none of which is
magical. They cover most areas of knowledge: mathematics, natural philosophy, geography, fabulous creatures, theology, and so forth. All the books
predate the Spellplague, so little useful information about Chult can be gleaned from them.
The inner room is Asharra’s personal chamber. It contains a comfortable bed, a nightstand, a few books of Chultan poetry, and a wardrobe holding
everyday and ceremonial clothing. Under the bed is a small, closed box holding four potions of poison that are easily mistaken for potions of healing.
Asharra might resort to these if the characters’ presence in Kir Sabal becomes inconvenient.
4. Dwellings
The dwellings in Kir Sabal aren’t all identical, but they’re similar enough. Each is occupied by 2d4 aarakocra. A standard dwelling has two or three
levels connected by a ladder (the interiors are too tight for flying). Most aarakocra in Kir Sabal have little in the way of valuables, aside from totems
handcrafted from wood, feathers, scales, shells, and teeth.
5. Royal House
Perched between the monastery (area 1) and the elder’s house (area 3) is a dwelling similar to the ones described in area 4. However, this particular
house is furnished for humans and belongs to Mwaxanaré and Na. It is much finer than the others, as befits their royal status.
Treasure. Mwaxanaré has many beautiful trinkets: silver brushes and mirrors, crystal perfume bottles, writing quills made from multicolored parrot
feathers, jewels for braiding into her hair, necklaces and rings set with fiery Chultan opals and amber. All together, these are worth 330 gp, but to be
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caught in Kir Sabal with items stolen from Mwaxanaré means death — and since no one in Kir Sabal would ever steal, suspicion automatically falls on
the characters if anything disappears.
Kitcher’s Inlet
The River Olung pours into this shallow bay named after Ilyber Kitcher, a pompous Cormyrean explorer who claimed to have discovered it a few
centuries ago. He did no such thing, of course; the inlet’s existence and location were well known before Kitcher missed the Bay of Chult (he was a
terrible navigator) and unknowingly sailed down the peninsula’s eastern coast before a storm blew him back within sight of land. There is nothing
remarkable about the inlet, other than it provides access to the ruins of Port Castigliar and Mezro.
Lake Luo
This lake sits above an immense geothermal sink, where it’s heated by volcanic vents and by lava streaming down from the Valley of Embers.
Portions of the lake are actually boiling, sending up clouds of steam that can be seen for miles. The water is too hot and too alkaline for fish or any
other type of aquatic life to survive in it, and the shore around the lake is a dead wasteland of ash and salt flats. Aside from mud mephits and steam
mephits, few creatures thrive in the area. The water cools and loses most of its alkalinity as it flows north along the River Olung.
Locations M - P
Mbala
A 1,800-foot-high plateau with sheer cliffs rises above heaps of boulders as large as ships. A narrow path is cut into the cliff face
and seems to climb all the way to the top.
The plateau’s sheer cliffs can be scaled, but only with a climbing kit, proficiency in the Athletics skill, and at least 300 feet of rope.
The path is a much easier route to the top. It begins on the north side of the plateau. Through many switchbacks, it winds across the cliff face for 3
miles before reaching the top. The path width varies but averages 5 feet. Tumbled boulders and tangled roots block the path in many places, but as
long as characters aren’t being chased by anything, they can clear the obstructions safely. The first ascent takes 3 hours; once the road is cleared, it
can be climbed or descended in half that time.
As the characters climb ever higher above the tree line, they are treated to stunning views of the surrounding wilderness. Across the Aldani Basin to
the southeast, they can see the Heart of Ubtao, and nestled in the jungle to the west is the ziggurat at Orolunga. Characters who succeed on a DC 20
Wisdom (Perception) check also spot some sort of shipwreck in the jungle, beyond the plateaus to the south (see “Wreck of the Star Goddess”).
About a hundred feet below the lip of the plateau, the path (which is proceeding west across the cliff at that point) veers directly into a natural cleft in
the stone face. Steps are cut into the 15-foot-wide crevice, and scenes of jungle predators, flying lizards, and erupting volcanoes are carved in shallow
relief onto the walls in ways that make creative use of the natural shape of the rock. When the characters reach the top of the steps, read:
The stone steps emerge onto the top of the plateau beneath a once grand, but now decrepit wooden gateway. The gates that sealed
this entrance are rotted away; only their rusted iron hinges and reinforcing bands remain. In their place are heaps of human skulls.
Picked clean of all flesh and bleached white by the sun, they grin up at you from the roadway and down from atop towering mounds.
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The skulls are all that remain of Mbala’s former residents. The citizens were devoured by a hag posing as a witch doctor. All the skulls show signs of
having been gnawed on. The hag is now Mbala’s sole living resident.
To move off the steps, characters must either wade through heaps of skulls or climb over the sides of the staircase and go around the gate. Evidence
of a wooden palisade can be seen, but it, too, is almost entirely gone or fallen over.
Mbala was once the seat of a small kingdom. Most of the structures were wood and thatch, and they’re now just crumbling compost heaps
demolished by rain, wind, and time. A few stone foundations and overgrown ramps poke up through the debris, indicating this was more than just a
simple village.
Nanny Pu’pu
If the characters explore the ruins of Mbala, read:
The only structure still intact is a lone hut about a thousand yards southwest of the gate, at the edge of a boulder field. The hut is
made from thatch and animal hides stretched over the rib cage of an immense reptile. Animal skulls, wind chimes, and totems of
feathers and shells rattle in the breeze, and smoke drifts from hut.
A creature shuffles slowly around the hut, hunched over in an animal-like posture. You realize it’s a human woman: impossibly old,
crippled by arthritis, blinded by cataracts. Her dark face and bald pate are outlined with streaks of yellow clay suggesting the shape
of a skull — or perhaps it’s her shriveled flesh creating that illusion.
Nanny Pu’pu, a green hag, plays the part of an ancient crone to the hilt. She claims that all the other
villagers were killed over the course of many years by winged creatures that live on the south side of the
plateau. She is the only survivor — too stringy or too wily for the predators. She lives on the roots in her
garden and the few birds and lizards she catches in snares. If asked her name, she needs several
moments to recall that the villagers called her Nanny Pu’pu.
The hag wants two things from the adventurers: for them to destroy the nest of pterafolk on the south
side of the plateau (see “Pterafolk Nest” below), and then to become her meals for several months. She’s
not likely to attack them openly. She’d rather get them off their guard and pick them off one by one, as she
did with the villagers.
Nanny Pu’pu isn’t entirely alone. With a whistle, she can call forth 2d6 flying monkeys (see appendix D)
that live in the trees, and she has a flesh golem buried in a shallow grave outside her small hut. The hag
uses the flying monkeys to gather food and supplies, but they won’t fight for her. The golem will, however;
it erupts from the earth as a bonus action if commanded to attack.
Nanny Pu’pu is the only creature in Chult who can perform the Rite of Stolen Life. The ritual takes 1 hour
to complete and requires three things: a mostly intact humanoid corpse, a gemstone worth at least 100
gp, and, most disturbingly, the sacrifice of another humanoid. If characters are unwilling to sacrifice one
of their own to save a fallen comrade, Nanny Pu’pu recommends they capture a goblin, a grung, or other
humanoid and bring it to her. Nanny Pu’pu kills the sacrifice, captures its spirit in the gemstone, and
magically embeds the stone in the dead humanoid’s forehead. After Nanny Pu’pu speaks a prayer to
Myrkul, the spirit of the sacrifice gains the knowledge and the personality of the humanoid to which it is
bound, in effect imitating that humanoid’s spirit. When the ritual is complete, the dead humanoid awakens as if from a deep slumber, though it is not
alive.
A character transformed by this ritual into the walking dead regains all its hit points and retains its statistics, except as noted here:
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The character is considered an undead, not a humanoid, and is subject to all effects that target undead. The character doesn’t need to eat, drink,
sleep, or breathe.
The character’s hit point maximum is reduced by 1d4 at dawn each day, representing the physical decay of the body. No spell or effect can halt or
counteract this decay.
If the character’s hit point maximum drops to 0, the gemstone embedded in the character’s forehead shatters, and the character becomes a corpse
once more.
A character that is turned into the walking dead and later raised or resurrected loses all memory of being an undead creature, but it doesn’t lose any
levels or XP gained while it was undead.
Treasure
The green hag keeps nothing of value in her hut. Her treasure is hidden in a cistern in the old village. Anyone who moves through the ruins notices the
cistern. The opening is 15 feet in diameter, and the shaft drops 15 feet to scummy, black water. The lip and walls of the cistern are brick-lined.
The water is 40 feet deep and so murky that it’s heavily obscured. Unless characters have blindsight, they must feel their way with their hands. About
20 feet below the surface, the bricks have been pulled from one wall to create a hole. Characters searching with their hands find it with a successful
DC 10 Dexterity check. A narrow, 10-foot-long tunnel leads from the hole to a cramped, completely flooded chamber. In the chamber is a tied sack
made from human skin. It contains six onyx gemstones (50 gp each), a spell scroll of comprehend languages, and ten adamantine ingots (10 gp
each) stamped with dwarven runes. These are identical to the ingots found in Hrakhamar (see “Hrakhamar”).
If characters miss the hole in the wall as they’re searching down the cistern wall, they find a heap of bricks on the bottom of the cistern. Searching
upward from the discarded bricks leads them to the hole automatically.
Pterafolk Nest
A flock of twenty pterafolk nests in a cave just below the southern lip of the plateau. It can be reached by climbing down the cliff face, but characters
who scout the area carefully and succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check locate a chute in the rocks 70 feet back from the cliff. This
chimney is wide enough for a Small creature, or for a Medium creature who’s wearing nothing heavier than light armor, to squeeze through. After
worming down 30 feet, it drops into the back of the pterafolk cave, which is roughly triangular in floor plan: 30 feet wide at the mouth, 60 feet deep,
and 20 feet high. The pterafolk are unaware that this back entrance to their cave exists.
The pterafolk keep no watch, believing their cliffside retreat is impregnable. Stealthy characters can enter the cave unnoticed. At any given time, 2d6
pterafolk (see appendix D) are present in the cave. The rest are out hunting, but they’ll return before nightfall.
Treasure. In the back half of the cave are the bodies of two partially eaten explorers. A discarded backpack near them contains 6 gp in a pouch, a
silvered dagger, and a potion of greater healing.
Mezro
Nothing about this Chultan city is what it seems. By all accounts, Mezro was destroyed by the Spellplague, and its ruins indicate as much. In truth, the
city’s immortal defenders — the barae — used their god-given magic to transport the entire city to a paradise (a magically constructed demiplane, far
from prying eyes). Empty ruins were left behind to create the impression that Mezro had been destroyed. It is not known if and when the Mezroans
and their city will return.
One of the barae, a human paladin named Alisanda, is wed to Artus Cimber. The two fell in love more than a century ago, after Artus helped defend
Mezro against the evil warlord Ras Nsi and his undead horde. Before she allowed herself to be spirited away along with the rest of the city, Alisanda
promised Artus that she would return to Chult when the city was no longer in peril.
Artus won’t endanger the Mezroans by revealing the truth about their city. Although the Ring of Winter makes him immortal, he has grown impatient
in the intervening years and longs for Alisanda’s return. He visits the ruins from time to time to see what, if anything, has changed. When he’s not at
the ruins, he’s searching the jungles of Chult for Orolunga, another ruined city, in the hopes of consulting with a prescient guardian naga believed to
dwell there.
The ruins have been thoroughly ransacked by the Flaming Fist in the name of Baldur’s Gate, and Flaming Fist patrols still visit the site regularly —
partly as training for new recruits, partly to make sure nothing was missed. Neither treasure nor clues remain for the player characters to find here.
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Mistcliff
The Mistcliff is a 1,000-foot-high wall of volcanic rock that stretches for 200 miles along Chult’s west coast. There is no beach whatsoever, just
immense, jagged rocks and plunging, crashing waves. If that isn’t enough to keep most people away, the cliffs are home to large aarakocra
settlements, as well as nests of pteranodons and quetzalcoatluses.
Nangalore
This great garden (map 2.12) was built to honor Zalkoré, a vain Omuan queen. Its builder, Thiru-taya, was Zalkoré’s foremost general and consort. In
their time, the garden was called Ka-Nanji, the Hanging Garden of Dreams. Ka-Nanji was a palatial retreat from the intrigues and pressures of Omu,
and the beautiful, tiered garden was praised as a worthy tribute to the queen.
Unceasing flattery festered with poisonous vanity in Zalkoré’s mind until she bargained with an erinyes to retain her youth and beauty forever. The
erinyes fulfilled the deal by transforming the queen into a medusa. When knowledge of her evil bargain spread through the realm, the army forced
Zalkoré to abdicate and exiled her to Ka-Nanji, which became known ever after as Nangalore, the Garden of Lost Dreams.
Believing that Thiru-taya was among the generals who exiled her, Zalkoré defaced all the statues and portraits of him in Nangalore. She learned he
had stayed true to her all his life, through decades of imprisonment and disgrace in Omu, only when his ashes were brought to the garden for
interment, as was his dying wish. Zalkoré cultivates hallucinogenic plants in the garden, because only in their narcotic, lotus dreams can she conjure
up the face of her dead love.
Characters can discover Zalkoré’s tragic story by interpreting carvings throughout the garden. If that makes them sympathetic toward her, so be it, but
her tragedy didn’t ennoble Zalkoré or make her a better person; it turned her into a monster.
The medusa is not alone in the cursed garden. Eblis serve her as sentinels and spies. Colorful parrots and canaries flock to the garden’s great variety
of plants, some of which are hostile toward visitors. Finally, brave Chultans sometimes seek out Zalkoré as a sort of jungle mystic, either to learn the
secrets of her hallucinogenic plants or to ask questions about the distant past.
Nangalore lies a half-mile from the River Olung. Thanks to centuries of silting and erosion, one of the river’s tributaries floods right up to the garden
gate (area 1), making the site easy to reach by boat. Traveling to Nangalore by foot is a nightmare, since the land within 1 mile is nothing but boggy
marsh.
The garden has multiple levels. Map 2.12 uses elevation markers to indicate how high the levels are relative to the ground. Some keyed locations
contain multiple levels; for example, area 4 is 25 feet above ground level, with a crumbled 10-foot-high balcony (35 feet above ground level) and a 20-
foot-deep pit (5 feet above ground level).
Throughout Nangalore are inscriptions written in Old Omuan. A character with the Cloistered Scholar or Sage background can translate an Old
Omuan inscription with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (History) check. A warlock with the Eyes of the Rune Keeper invocation can do so
automatically. Otherwise, a comprehend languages spell or similar magic is needed.
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1. Entrance
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A fantastic edifice rises up out of the jungle: a hanging garden of exotic beauty. Water streams down the steps between two
massive elephant carvings. Beyond them, a broad, flooded avenue runs arrow-straight for more than a hundred feet before ending at
a carving of a tyrannosaurus face. Water pours from the tyrannosaurus’s jaws and flows the length of the concourse to drain down
the steps in front of you. Five-foot-high terraces flank the boulevard. Low archways — three on each side — are built into the terrace
walls. These archways are in various stages of collapse, as are the tunnels beyond them. Beautifully carved, larger-than-life stone
faces are mounted between the arches.
A wild profusion of plants grows on the upper terraces, and multicolored parrots and canaries flit and sing among them. To the
north, a dilapidated brick dome rises above the tyrannosaurus-head waterspout. Smaller, bell-shaped domes surmount the highest
terraces to your left and right.
Four crocodiles live in the flooded marsh south of the garden. They ignore characters in boats, attack anyone in the water, and won’t climb up the
stairs.
The water flowing down the main concourse is only 1 foot deep, and the current isn’t particularly strong. Originally, the six side branches off the main
avenue were roofed over, but two of the roofs have caved in, and three others are partially collapsed. Debris chokes the walkways where the tunnel
roofs fell. The roofs that remain intact have vines and roots hanging down from them. The covered tunnels are only 4 feet high and contain a foot of
water.
Stone Faces. The four stone visages staring across the avenue between the walkways portray a regal woman (Zalkoré) whose expression changes
slightly with each visage. Inscribed above each face are phrases in Old Omuan. The phrases form a message. To get the message in sequence, it
should be read from the south end of the concourse to the tyrannosaurus spout while alternating from the left (west) side to the right (east).
Face 1 (lower west) has a bemused expression. The message above it reads, “This garden is dedicated to Zalkoré, queen of Omu and jewel of Chult.”
Face 2 (upper west) has a condescending expression. The message above it reads, “Worshiped by her people and by Thiru-taya, who loves BETRAYED
her.” (The word “loves” has been chipped away, and the word “BETRAYED” is scratched into the stone above it.)
Face 3 (upper east) has a stern expression. The message above it reads, “In this, the tenth year of her reign, may she govern forever in splendor.”
Face 4 (lower east) has a serene expression. The message above it reads, “And may the gods themselves marvel at this humble reflection of her
beauty.”
2. Terraces
Untamed overgrowth can’t hide the fact that this garden is a haven for exotic plants that don’t grow naturally in the surrounding
jungle. Unfamiliar flowers, towering ferns, and even stranger plants resembling giant pine cones or lily pads spread and tangle
everywhere. Bright canaries flit between them, and parrots with striped beaks squawk at you.
These terraces overlooking the main concourse are home to myriad creatures, many of them dangerous.
A mantrap (see appendix D) grows on the eastern terrace between two of the partially collapsed tunnels. When it senses movement within 30 feet of
it, the mantrap releases its attractive pollen.
Characters who explore the western terrace encounter six yellow musk zombies (see appendix D) lurking among the trees and plants. The zombies
blend in with their surroundings, and any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score lower than 12 is automatically surprised by them.
Coiled around the northernmost tree on the western terrace is a yellow musk creeper (see appendix D) that uses its musk when one or more
characters come within 30 feet of it.
At the north end of the garden, two arched doorways open into the southwest and southeast flower gardens (area 5). Steps still climb up to the
doorway on the east, but the western steps collapsed and fell into the walkway below. A character can reach the western doorway with an easy jump
and a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to catch the ledge.
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Garden Discoveries. A character who spends at least 10 minutes searching a garden terrace for treasure inevitably stumbles upon a hidden creature
or exotic plant, determined by rolling a d20 and consulting the Garden Discoveries table. After the party makes five such discoveries, no more canbe
found.
Garden Discoveries
d20 Discovery
1d4 flying monkeys (see appendix D) perched in a tree. The monkeys playfully hurl dancing monkey fruit (see appendix C)
6–7
at nearby characters. They fly away if attacked.
The rotting corpse of a human mage who was strangled to death by an assassin vine. A search of the corpse yields a
20 scholar’s pack, a pouch containing 15 gp, and a folding boat. This discovery can only be made once. If this result comes
up again, re-roll on the table.
3. Spirit Domes
A bell-shaped dome of sculpted stone rises from the end of each upper walkway. The dome to the east is beginning to crumble with
age. The one to the west is wrapped and draped with thick webs.
Western Dome. This dome has been taken over by a giant spider missing one of its legs. The seven-legged arachnid lurks in its webs and attacks
anyone who approaches within 10 feet of its home. Characters who kill the spider and search the webs find the cocooned, desiccated corpses of an
albino dwarf and a goblin, but no treasure.
Eastern Dome. Three chwingas (see appendix D) live in this dome. They emerge from the stone to spy on creatures that pass by. One chwinga is
fascinated by tall people and might bestow a charm of restoration (see chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) on the tallest party member, should
it take a shine to the party. The other two chwingas are shy and suspicious of strangers.
4. Ruined Palace
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Traces of gold-colored plaster still cling to this dome in a few spots, but everywhere else you see old weathered bricks, more than a
few of which have fallen through. The larger-than-life-size elephant carvings and the graceful, towering spire are still magnificent
sights, even if their glory is dimmed by time and decay.
A character can climb the outside of the dome with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) and peer inside through any one of a number of holes.
The top of the dome has been weakened by time and collapses under the weight of a creature weighing 200 pounds or more. Any creature standing
on or clinging to the roof when it collapses falls, taking damage as normal and possibly landing in the cistern.
Iron doors on the eastern side of the dome are rusted shut and can be forced open only with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check — but the
impact causes a portion of the ceiling to collapse. Whoever forced the doors open must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8)
bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Identical doors on the western side of the dome are rusted
completely off their hinges.
An 18-foot-tall stone statue of a Chultan warrior in splint armor, wearing a helmet festooned with tyrannosaurus teeth and bearing a
shield of intricately patterned leopard hide, towers over the chamber and looms above a wide, octagonal cistern. The chamber
echoes with the sound of rainwater dripping from the ceiling into the gaping pit. The face of the giant warrior statue is obliterated by
deep gouges, but the rest of the statue remains intact. Clutched in the statue’s right hand is a stone spear, and resting on the floor
beneath it is a clay urn. North of the statue is an open balcony overlooking a flooded garden.
Standing to one side of the giant warrior is another statue, this one much smaller. Exquisitely lifelike, it depicts a man reaching for
the urn, his face turned toward the balcony. In his lifeless eyes, you see terror.
Stone steps ascend along the curved wall to the level of a second floor, but that floor is almost entirely collapsed. Someone’s been
up there, however, because a message of some sort is scrawled across the domed ceiling.
When it was intact, the second floor was actually a mezzanine that wrapped around three sides of the dome. The head, chest, and shoulders of the
warrior statue rose above the mezzanine level.
The 20-foot-deep pit contains 1d4 + 2 inches of rainwater and is home to two swarms of poisonous snakes. The swarms are content to remain in the
pit and attack any creature that joins them, except for Zalkoré, whom the snakes obey. The walls of the pit can’t be climbed without gear or magic.
Rainwater pouring into the pit through holes in the roof drains via pipes through the tyrannosaurus spout at the head of the main concourse (area 1).
The snakes can also come and go through the pipes, which are 6 inches wide.
Mezzanine Message. The message scrawled on the inside of the dome can be read only by climbing to the mezzanine, but the decrepit condition of
the stairs and balcony makes this venture risky. A character who climbs the steps must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to
move without jarring the flooring; otherwise, the steps collapse and the character takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall. A Small character has
advantage on the check. Without the steps, climbing the inward-curving wall requires a climbing kit and a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
check.
The message, scrawled in Old Omuan, states, “True love, faithful general, safe will you rest in Nangalore eternal. None will disturb you while I live.
Such is my vow of penance, and for my sins I cannot die.”
Statues. The large statue portrays Thiru-taya. Zalkoré had it commissioned out of appreciation and affection, but defaced it when she believed the
general betrayed her. The face is completely destroyed. Gouged across its back in Old Omuan are the words “Forgive me.”
The smaller statue is actually a petrified adventurer named Gowl (NG male Chultan human scout). He came to Nangalore in search of riches and was
turned to stone by Zalkoré while reaching for the urn. Scratched into the floor next to him are the following words, in Old Omuan: “Once a thief, forever
a slave!”
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5. Hallucinogenic Plants
Zalkoré cultivates hallucinogenic plants in these four sheltered gardens. From the plants, she brews a narcotic tincture that allows her to dream of
Thiru-taya. Without it, she can’t recall his face.
The plants in this enclosed garden are like nothing you’ve ever seen. Their shapes are fantastic, and their colors are like gems
sparkling in the sun. Enclosed by 5-foot-high walls, this strangely beautiful garden imparts a sense of serenity.
Four of these gardens are situated around the palace (area 4). Any humanoid that spends 1 minute or longer in any one of them must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the creature is also charmed by every other
creature in Nangalore. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each hour, ending the effect on itself on a success. If any saving throw
after the initial one fails by 5 or more, the creature falls unconscious and remains so until it takes damage or until it succeeds on a saving throw
against this effect.
A character who has proficiency in both Medicine and Nature recognizes these plants as soporifics after 2 rounds of examination. A character with
proficiency in either skill, but not both, recognizes the plants with a successful DC 15 check in the trained skill.
A single character who spends 30 minutes in a garden can strip it of its hallucinogenic plants, gathering 3 pounds of leaves in the process.
Jessamine (see chapter 1) is willing to pay 20 gp for each pound of leaves.
Zalkoré and the eblis don’t miss the opportunity to strike while characters are drugged, or to offer them poisoned fruit and wine if they’ve done
nothing offensive (see area 8).
5A. Southwest Garden. An open archway in the south wall of the garden overlooks a flooded tunnel with a collapsed roof (see area 1). Written on the
south wall in Old Omuan are the words “Without dreams, eternity is unbearable.”
5B. Southeast Garden. Three tri-flower fronds (see appendix D) grow in this garden. Any character who moves through the garden can’t help but
brush up against one of these beautiful but deadly plants. Written on the south wall in Old Omuan are the words “Great Ubtao, free me!”
5C. Northwest Garden. The steps leading to the upper walkway are overgrown by tree roots. Scrawled on the north wall in Old Omuan are the words
“For the lies of a few, all must pay.”
5D. Northeast Garden. This garden has been taken over by a mantrap (see appendix D), which lies hidden under other plants. It attacks any creature
that’s not Zalkoré or an eblis. Scrawled on the east wall in Old Omuan are the words “To dream, to dance.”
6. Pagoda
This crumbling pagoda must have been lovely once, with its wide, graceful arches inviting the breeze to blow through, and
overlooking the silent pool below. But time, decay, and some bestial presence have given it a sinister air. It smells foul, and dark
stains cover the floor and seep down the white steps.
This pagoda houses six eblis (see appendix D) that serve as Zalkoré’s sentries and servants. The interior is filthy, with gnawed bones strewn
everywhere and the floor thick with droppings. Unless the characters creep through the garden with uncommon stealth, the eblis see or hear them
coming, in which case this nest will be empty. Three eblis move to Zalkoré’s lair (area 8), while the others take up positions in trees, on walls, or on
rooftops. Their job is not to attack intruders on sight, but to alert Zalkoré and be ready to back up whatever she does.
Treasure. Characters who search through the refuse find some baubles tucked away by the eblis, including a pouch containing seven assorted
gemstones (10 gp each), a painted gold bracelet shaped like a couatl (50 gp), and a wooden scroll tube engraved with skeletons, which contains a
scroll of protection (undead).
7. Flooded Garden
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The water in this pool is unusually clear. A dozen or more large fish, turtles, and lizards swim lazily through it, and waterbirds paddle
on the surface. Their ripples obscure something on the bottom of the pool, so you can’t quite make it out, but the bottom appears to
be blanketed in oddly shaped stones.
Bits of shattered stone rest atop a square dais that rises from the middle of the pool — evidence of a sculpture that once stood atop
it. Part of the sculpture lies in the pool, west of the dais: a large stone face staring up at the sky.
An immense stone bust of Zalkoré once rose above the pool atop the dais. It was the most beautiful sculpture in the garden. After Zalkoré learned
the truth about Thiru-taya, she destroyed the likeness of herself in an act of self-revulsion.
The stones in the pool are a 2-foot-deep layer of fish, turtles, lizards, and water birds petrified by Zalkoré as they swam in the water. They’ve been
piling up in the bottom of the pool for centuries. The petrified animals could be sold to collectors in Port Nyanzaru for 1 gp apiece. Each one weighs 1
pound. Beneath the petrified animals are the petrified forms of Kwani and Shabarra, two adventurers (CN female Chultan scouts) who ran afoul of
Zalkoré many decades ago.
8. Zalkoré’s Lair
This bell-shaped dome appears intact: it has no obvious holes in the roof, and the bronze double door hangs squarely in its frame. The doors are
closed but not locked. Unless characters have been uncommonly stealthy (or Zalkoré is already dead), the queen is expecting them.
The single, large chamber inside the dome is obviously a royal apartment — or was, centuries ago. Now the bright, floral murals are
dim and gray, bits of colored glass are heaped beneath a cracked mosaic, enameled wooden tables are split and tilting, and every
bit of cloth is frayed and streaked.
At the center of the room, a long divan stands atop a circular dais. Reclining on the divan is a woman dressed in a flowing robe
made from parrot feathers in stunning colors. Despite the heat, her arms, head, and face are covered in feathery veils. Next to her, a
black orchid grows out of a large clay pot at the head of the divan. She addresses you in a voice tinged with odd inflections.
“Strangers have come to Nangalore, my love. What boon do our subjects beseech?”
The medusa isn’t completely insane, but thanks to her plant extract, she continually hallucinates that Thiru-taya is standing at her side. Most of
Zalkoré’s comments include him somehow; try to make these references as puzzling as possible for the characters. She also believes that she’s still
queen of Omu while simultaneously remembering and understanding that she was exiled here. She can make contradictory statements about herself
and her past without any apparent cognitive dissonance.
Characters can have a pleasant, somewhat informative encounter with Zalkoré if they abide by three conditions:
Disturbing Thiru-taya’s ashes or damaging his statue are unpardonable. If characters did either, then a fight to the death is guaranteed.
The first time someone makes a disparaging remark about Thiru-taya or refers to his “betrayal,” they draw a furious response from Zalkoré, but she
recomposes herself. If it happens a second time, a battle is assured.
If someone snatches away Zalkoré’s veil, makes a grab for the black orchid, or brings out a mirror, their fate is sealed. If someone asks why she
wears a veil, Zalkoré replies that she no longer desires to show her face to anyone but her beloved Thiru-taya.
As long as the meeting remains cordial, Zalkoré can reveal much about Omu. She can direct characters to its general location (“between the fire
peaks and the great iron mine of the dwarves”) and warns them that yuan-ti covet the city. She knows nothing about the Soulmonger or the death
curse. She’s heard that at least one of her descendants is in hiding with the bird folk of Kir Sabal, awaiting the restoration of the monarchy. (These are
examples of how Zalkoré simultaneously thinks of herself as still the ruling queen of Omu as it was centuries ago, and is also aware the city has
fallen and she’s in exile. Both situations coexist in her hallucinatory reality.)
Black Orchid. Characters in search of a black orchid for Asharra’s ritual (see “Kir Sabal”) find one here, but Zalkoré won’t part with it unless the
characters offer her something of equal beauty. As payment, she demands a gemstone, a piece of jewelry, or an art object worth at least 500 gp. (She
won’t accept lesser quality goods of equal value.) Zalkoré is also attracted to characters with a Charisma of 16 or higher and will accept one such
character as a slave in exchange for the flower. The black orchid in Zalkoré’s possession is the only one to be found in Nangalore.
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Poisonous Hospitality. If Zalkoré resolves to kill the characters over an offense but the situation is still more-or-less cordial, she offers food and
drink. She rings a silver handbell, and an eblis servant (see appendix D) arrives with a tray of fruit and wine. All of it is artfully drugged; the
contamination can be detected only by someone who has proficiency in Medicine and who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. Zalkoré
partakes, but she’s built up such a tolerance that this dose won’t affect her. Characters who eat or drink must make a successful DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour or until they drink 2 quarts of water.
Thiru-Taya. When Zalkoré is reduced to 63 hit points or fewer, she calls out to her dead lover for protection. The spirit of Thiru-Taya answers the call,
appearing as a barely visible 10-foot-tall apparition of a Chultan warrior wielding a massive spear of force. The apparition is impervious to damage
and spells, and it can’t be turned or controlled. It looms above Zalkoré until she dies or regains all her hit points. Once per turn, when a creature within
15 feet of Zalkoré damages her, Thiru-Taya’s apparition unerringly hits the attacker with its spear, dealing 15 (2d8 + 6) force damage to it.
Treasure. Most of what remains in Zalkoré’s lair has little value. Her feathered dress is worth 50 gp, if it wasn’t too damaged in the fight (the dress is
ruined if more than half the damage done to Zalkoré was slashing, acid, or fire damage, or if she was hit by a fireball or similar effect). Her lair
contains 2d6 vials of her dreaming tincture. Each vial contains a single dose and can be sold for 10 gp in Port Nyanzaru. Any character that drinks a
dose of the tincture must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Characters who are immune to the poisoned condition succeed
automatically. On a failed save, the character begins to experience illusory sights, sounds, smells, and sensations that seem real. Casting a lesser
restoration spell or similar magic on the character ends the effect, which otherwise lasts for 1d4 + 4 hours.
Needle’s Bones
A wide sinkhole yawns before you, the earth around it littered with goblin bones. The opening is 90 feet across and roughly circular,
and the stone walls are nearly vertical. Thirty feet down, the sinkhole is filled with murky green water. Hundreds of frogs hop from
one floating plant to another.
The massive rib cage and fine wing bones of a dragon rise above the murk. Vines, moss, and lichen hang from the bones. Judging
from how much of the skeleton is exposed, the water can’t be more than 3 or 4 feet deep.
The walls of the sinkhole are rough and draped with dozens of stout vines, so climbing into or out of the grotto is easy and automatically successful.
The bones are the remains of Ormalagos, an adult green dragon better known during her lifetime as Needle. She used this grotto as a lair but feared
Batiri goblins had sniffed out its location and were getting ready to raid it. Needle was in the process of moving her treasure to other locations when
the goblins struck. While the dragon was away, they dumped baskets full of quippers into the sinkhole. When the dragon returned, they trapped her in
the sinkhole with vine nets. As the quippers devoured the dragon from below, the Batiri showered Needle with spears from above until she finally
died. Nearly the entire goblin tribe perished in the fight, too.
The characters’ first impression of the water is correct; it varies from 3 to 4 feet deep everywhere. A search of the muddy bottom turns up hundreds
of goblin bones and stone spear heads, greatly annoys the multitude of frogs, and draws attacks from two swarms of quippers. Someone who
examines the dragon bones and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check sees enough regularity in the vines draped across the ribs to
conclude the dragon was tangled in a net. To identify the remains as a green dragon, characters must lift its skull out of the water and muck; that feat
takes a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
Treasure
A 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-high secret door in the northwest wall of the grotto conceals a 15-foot-deep alcove. The secret door is carved from natural
rock and disguised to look like part of the wall, and all the plants around it are dead. The secret door can be detected with a successful DC 17
Wisdom (Perception) check. Characters who inspect the plants around the door and succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or DC 15
Wisdom (Medicine) check can tell that the plants were killed by poison. Needle opened the secret door by breathing poison gas on it; smearing or
spraying poison on the door also causes it to swing open. Otherwise, a knock spell or similar magic is needed to open it.
Needle hid the following items in the alcove: a purse made from triceratops hide, a small box made from two velociraptor skulls cleverly fitted
together, and a hollow dinosaur bone with a wax plug at one end. The purse contains 55 gp, 800 sp, and three blue quartz rings (10 gp each). The
skull box is worth 12 gp and contains a wand of fear and two diamonds (500 gp each). The hollow dinosaur bone contains five +1 sling bullets.
Nsi Wastes
This vast tract of jungle was ravaged by blight long ago and never recovered. The plants here are sickly and poisonous. In the heart of this wasteland
is the ruined palace of the warlord Ras Nsi: a crumbled stone fortress that once stood on the backs of a dozen giant undead turtles. Its destruction by
Ras Nsi’s rampaging undead was so complete that nothing remains of this once-awesome structure except the crushed shells and bleached bones
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of the turtles, and heaps of stone so jumbled that not even the outlines of the ancient walls can be picked out, slowly sinking into the muck. The
chance for a random encounter is doubled in this region.
Omu
The lost city of Omu is described in chapter 3.
Orolunga
All that remains of the ancient city of Orolunga is a crumbling ziggurat watched over by a guardian naga. The naga is thousands of years old and a
font of useful information — perhaps the best source of information in Chult. However, she’s not easy to reach.
A massive brick and stone ziggurat rises from the jungle. Two staircases angle up and across the front face, one from the right, the
other from the left, to meet at a landing on the second level 30 feet above your heads. That layout repeats on the second level, and
the third level, but with each successive layer adding less height than the one below it. The fourth level, 60 feet above the jungle
floor, is an enclosed shrine or temple, its walls adorned with labyrinth symbols.
The jungle encroaches right up to and onto this ancient structure. The first flights of steps are choked with creepers, tree roots, and
flowering vines. It might have been surrounded by a city long ago, but the jungle is so dense that it would take hours of searching to
find buried foundations and tumbled stones.
The ziggurat is encased in magic, which becomes obvious if anyone casts detect magic. This protective shell prevents anyone from ascending the
ziggurat by any means other than climbing the stairs. Characters who try to fly up rise above the trees but never get any closer to the ziggurat, as if
they’re flying into a powerful headwind they can’t detect. Those who try to climb a wall get halfway up, then inexplicably loses their grip and slide back
down. A ladder built to scale a wall never reaches the top, no matter how long the ladder. A rope-and-hook thrown up to catch the edge always falls
short. Casting teleport or misty step moves the caster sideways instead of up to the next level. Bypassing the tests by any means is flat-out
impossible. It might help to think of the whole situation as a fairy tale; it doesn’t need to make sense, because the magic of Orolunga is on a mythic
scale that overpowers the ability of any mortal.
First Steps
The steps from the ground to level 1 of the ziggurat are 50 feet long and rise 30 feet. A tangle of roots, vines, and creepers covers the steps.
Characters can climb the first 10 feet as difficult terrain. After 10 feet, they begin getting scratched by thorns. If they continue, they take 1 slashing
damage per foot climbed. After 20 feet, that increases to 2 slashing damage per foot. The thorns regrow as quickly as they’re slashed, burned, or
destroyed, and they can’t be parted by magic or by abilities. No damage is incurred for moving down the steps.
After the characters’ first attempts to climb the steps, they notice a chwinga (see appendix D) standing among them. It’s about a foot tall, and its
mask resembles a triceratops’ head. It’s also carrying a large orange and purple orchid. After a moment, it charges up the steps; the thorns part
before it and close immediately behind it.
To ascend the steps, characters must find more of the orange and purple orchids. They can be found in the jungle in 30 minutes if anyone in the
group has proficiency in the Nature skill, or 60 minutes otherwise. Each character climbing the stairs needs his or her own orchid.
Second Steps
The steps from level 1 to level 2 are 33 feet long and rise 20 feet. The stone is crumbling from age and decay. Those who try climbing the steps find
that, after the first few, the stone crumbles into gravel beneath them so they can’t make any more progress. However much the characters try to climb
and demolish the steps, they never seem to get any worse and the gravel never piles up any deeper.
After the characters’ first attempts to climb, they notice another chwinga standing among them at the base of the steps. Its mask resembles a
chameleon’s head. It’s carrying an orange and purple orchid and a red parrot feather, and it races up the steps with ease, literally light as a feather on
the fragile stones.
Characters can find parrot feathers in the jungle or lying around on this level after just a few minutes of searching. They need both the feather and the
orchid to climb the steps.
Third Steps
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The steps from level 2 to level 3 (the level of the shrine) are 20 feet long and rise 12 feet. The stairs are in excellent condition, but swarms of
poisonous snakes slither over them. If snakes are killed, more crawl out through holes in the stone to replace them, so the swarms can never be
destroyed or even weakened. No spells or abilities prevent the snakes from attacking someone who climbs the stairs.
After a few moments of examining the stairs, the characters notice a third chwinga standing among them at the base of the steps. Its mask
resembles a mongoose’s face, and it carries a red parrot feather and an orange and purple orchid. At the bottom step, the chwinga whacks a snake
with its orchid to make it angry, then strokes the snake’s flank with the feather to calm it down, then lies down facing the snake, whereupon the reptile
crawls through the mouth of the mask and inside the chwinga. The chwinga then slithers up the steps like a snake, untroubled by any of the other
poisonous snakes. To climb the steps safely, characters must do the same thing, but this stage isn’t automatic. Using the orchid and the feather are
easy, but a character must make a successful DC 10 Constitution saving throw after swallowing a snake. Evil-aligned characters have disadvantage
on the saving throw. If the save succeeds, the character can slither up the steps safely. If the saving throw fails, the character takes 17 (5d6) psychic
damage and can try again, but the DC increases to 11. The DC increases by 1 more with each successive failure.
Characters who enter without their orchid and feather find the shrine empty. Leaving and coming back with the items changes nothing; it’s too late.
Characters who enter with their orchid and feather find themselves in the same room, but as it was centuries ago. They can enter the naga’s presence
once. Someone who leaves and comes back in sees only the bare room.
Read the following to players whose characters find themselves in the naga’s presence:
Hanging lamps illuminate the room, while incense burners fill it with exotic scents and curling smoke. Cushions and reed mats
cover the floor, pots of blooming flowers line the plastered walls, and singing birds flit from plant to plant.
An immense snake with iridescent scales rests on a heap of cushions opposite the doorway. It rises slowly to a height of 5 feet,
staring directly into your eyes as it moves. Its face is remarkably humanlike, and its tongue flicks before it speaks.
“I am Saja N’baza. What do you seek in this ancient place? Speak truly, for I hear your hearts!”
If the characters haven’t yet encountered Artus Cimber and Dragonbait, the duo might be conferring with the guardian naga when the party arrives.
Saja N’baza knows what happened to the city of Mezro (see “Mezro”) and tells Artus that it won’t return as long as Ras Nsi lives. This gives Artus
incentive to accompany the party to Omu.
The naga knows through visions that Ras Nsi and his yuan-ti followers are scheming to end the world from their lair in Omu. She doesn’t know much
about the death curse, but when characters describe it, she confirms that it fits with various omens tied to Omu. The naga knows that Omu lies
between the Peaks of Flame and the Valley of Lost Honor, and she also knows it’s sunken below the level of the surrounding jungle, so the best way
to spot it will be from the air or from the nearest high ground.
The naga remembers Ras Nsi’s first uprising, and she urges the characters to kill him both as punishment for his past atrocities and to prevent any
possibility of a recurrence. Each character who agrees receives a supernatural charm (see chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) to aid their task.
Assign charms to characters that are appropriate to their roles in the party. Characters who seem reluctant might have geas cast on them.
Port Castigliar
Port Castigliar (pronounced kah-STEE-lee-ar) is a port in name only. In fact, it’s nothing more than a stretch of beach with an abandoned supply depot,
seven battered huts made of bamboo and thatch, and a defiled graveyard. Undead drove away the inhabitants long ago, and ghouls dug up the
graves.
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Locations R - S
Refuge Bay
Refuge Bay has a reputation for being a relatively safe place to make landfall. Many explorations of Chult have begun on its white sand beach, which
stretches as far as the eye can see around the entire shore of the bay. A Chultan town called Ishau once stood at the head of the bay, but its
foundations sank into the sea during the Spellplague. The town’s buildings are still largely intact but they now lie more than a mile from dry land, and
they’re prowled by sharks, plesiosaurs, and sea hags.
River Olung
Steaming-hot water from Lake Luo cools quickly as it tumbles down rapids and low cataracts. This river is recognized by guides and explorers as an
important boundary. To the east is “normal” jungle; to the west is undead territory. For this reason alone, some expeditions choose to enter the
peninsula through Refuge Bay.
River Soshenstar
The Soshenstar flows north from the Aldani Basin to the Bay of Chult, tumbling down waterfalls every ten to fifteen miles.
River Tath
This river springs from the Aldani Basin and meanders westward, passing over waterfalls and through the canyon of Ataaz Kahakla before washing
into Jahaka Bay.
River Tiryki
The Tiryki spills from the back of a mist-shrouded canyon and flows north toward the Bay of Chult, plunging over waterfalls every few miles. This
makes it arduous to traverse by canoe upriver — everything must be laboriously portaged around the cataracts — and dangerous to travel downriver,
lest a canoe gets caught in the current and swept over a waterfall or smashed in rapids. What’s worse, jungle predators and undead prowl both
riverbanks. Considering the pterafolk nesting at Firefinger and the grungs living above the gorge, it’s easy to see why the Tiryki is considered the most
dangerous river in Chult.
Shilku
This abandoned coastal village was both destroyed and preserved by volcanic eruption. The silent streets are buried in ash, and the harbor is choked
with cooled lava. Since Mezro is now largely “cleared out,” Liara Portyr of Fort Beluarian is under pressure from her patrons in Baldur’s Gate to begin
exploring and excavating Shilku for the treasures that are undoubtedly entombed there. Such an undertaking would require building a new fort from
scratch somewhere on the southwestern coast, and Liara has neither the hands nor the funds for that. She might try to enlist the player characters
into making a voyage to scout possible locations for such a fort, if only so she can reassure her impatient superiors in Baldur’s Gate that progress is
being made.
Although devoid of human life, the city is far from dead. Mephits, firenewts, salamanders, and other heat-loving creatures prowl its ashen alleys and
bore tunnels into cellars long sealed by volcanic stone.
Shilku Bay
Lava still erupts from the volcano that destroyed Shilku, and it flows like a glowing river down into this bay. The sulfurous water is poisonous, so most
of the bay’s sea life is dead and the surrounding shore is barren. Safe landing spots can still be found on the beaches along the western shore, but a
sailing ship that cruises along the eastern shore near Shilku is likely to lose its sails — and possibly much more — to the red-hot stones that
infrequently rain down from the sky or to the burning ash that drifts miles out into the bay before finally extinguishing itself in the stinking, hissing
water.
Cyclopes roam the shore and lair in mountain caves overlooking the bay. These simple creatures aren’t inherently hostile, but they are suspicious and
wary around newcomers. Any show of malicious intent on the part of strangers is enough to shift the cyclopes from cautious to hostile. They are
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experts at surviving the dangers of Snapping Turtle Bay, which makes them valuable allies if characters offer them something they want. The
cyclopes always need metal tools (shortswords make dandy daggers), and they’re delighted by whimsical magical trinkets. For generous
inducements, cyclopes could even be hired to serve as bearers, guards, or guides for an expedition headed north into the immense jungle between
the Peaks of Flame and the Valley of Dread.
King Toba
A giant snapping turtle (see appendix D) of unusual size (120 hit points) likes to sun itself on the beaches during the day. Chultans refer to the beast
as King Toba. Residual magic from the Spellplague has crystallized parts of its shell. The shell’s magic grants King Toba advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
Treasure. If the mighty turtle is defeated, sixty crystals can be broken off its shell and sold for 10 gp each.
Snout of Omgar
Once a mountainous peninsula, the Snout of Omgar was split apart by the sea during the upheaval of the Spellplague. A narrow strait allows passage
between the mainland and what is now a large island. Mariners and cartographers consider this feature to mark the boundary between the shores of
Chult and the shores of Samarach.
Locations V - Y
Valley of Dread
Explorers entering Chult from the east are likely to trek through this passage, which is contained by the windworn Sky Lizard Mountains to the north
and the jagged Sanrach Mountains to the south. The valley of dense jungle is well named; it’s a stomping ground for dinosaurs of all kinds. It’s also
home to savage kingdoms of lizardfolk ruled by heartless lizard kings and queens.
Valley of Embers
This burned-out valley surrounds Lake Luo. Most of the vegetation around the southern and eastern shore of the lake has been wiped out by
pyroclastic flows, rivers of lava, and drifting ash. Fiery embers belched from the Peaks of Flame drift across the sky and fall like rain onto a blackened
wasteland. The marshland north of the lake is wet enough to survive, but the accumulation of ash atop the water has turned into an almost
impassable expanse of knee-deep muck. Mud mephits and steam mephits abound.
Vorn
Standing next to some rocks and ferns is an 8-foot-tall statue, humanoid in shape with bronze fists, iron joints, an adamantine
breastplate, and an iron helm with slits for eyes. The rest of the statue is made of sculpted wood reinforced with bands and rivets of
adamantine. Scattered around its feet are offerings of food, feathers, colored stones, and skulls.
The statue is actually a deactivated shield guardian that once served as a wizard’s bodyguard. The wizard died from extreme bad luck decades ago —
he fell out of a tree during a particularly bad bout of blue mist fever, hit his head on a rock that knocked him unconscious, and rolled into a puddle,
where he drowned. The shield guardian has stood impassive and unmoving, awaiting orders, ever since. A character with proficiency in the Arcana
skill recognizes the shield guardian for what it is with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
A character who searches the area and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check finds footprints in the dirt — evidence of nomadic tribes of
goblins, grungs, and vegepygmies that revere the construct as a lesser god. They trim back the jungle vines and creepers that would otherwise
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swallow the construct, and they leave offerings at its feet. The area around it for several miles is a “neutral zone” where these tribes allow each other
to enter without triggering conflict.
Anyone who finds the shield guardian’s control amulet (see “Yellyark”) can animate the construct and take control of it. Reactivating the construct
and marching it away infuriates local goblin, grung, and vegepygmy tribes. Random encounters with such creatures are automatically hostile unless
characters placate the tribes with treasure or convince them of Vorn’s “wish” to be moved elsewhere.
The vegepygmy tribe consists of a vegepygmy chief, twelve vegepygmies, and three thornies (see appendix D for the vegepygmies’ and thornies’
statistics). The weretiger (N male Chultan human) uses no name anymore, but he was called Bwayes O’tamu years ago. He is a cousin of Wakanga
O’tamu (see “Merchant Princes” ), and the two were quite close as children. The family resemblance is strong; characters who’ve met Wakanga see
the similarity when the weretiger assumes human form. The weretiger speaks Common and Vegepygmy, though he’s forgotten much of the former
through disuse.
When characters enter the same hex as the Narwhal, roll any die. On an odd result, Bwayes is out hunting and automatically detects the characters’
presence before they’re aware of him; on an even result, Bwayes is resting at the hulk, meaning characters are likely to encounter the vegepygmies
before the weretiger. If Bwayes detects the characters, he tracks them covertly, out of curiosity rather than bloodlust. He’d like to meet them and find
out what they’re after. He’ll even bring them back to the ship and trade gems for wine, if they have any. Unless the characters are accompanied by
Bwayes, the vegepygmies are hostile toward them.
If the characters befriend the weretiger and inquire about other places in Chult, he shares the following information:
The bones of a great dragon lie in a grotto to the southwest. (Bwayes can lead characters to Needle’s Bones if they ask him nicely.)
Between the River Olung and the Nsi Wastes lie the ruins of a once-beautiful garden palace said to contain treasure beyond compare. (Bwayes can
lead the characters to Nangalore but won’t explore it out of respect.)
Treasure
The weretiger’s cabin contains enough scavenged gear to create a set of cartographer’s tools and a set of leatherworker’s tools, as well as an
herbalism kit. A battered wooden trunk near the weretiger’s hammock holds an explorer’s pack, a spyglass, a set of Three-Dragon Ante cards (the
weretiger doesn’t know how to play), a leather pouch containing four assorted gemstones (100 gp each), and two potions of healing.
A wooden vessel is caught high in the tree branches, broken into three chunks. It resembles a ship, but there are differences that
mark it clearly as not a seagoing vessel. The stern is the lowest piece, hanging precariously by its rigging about 50 feet above
ground. The middle section appears to be 15 feet higher, and the bow section is firmly wedged into a nest of branches another 10
feet above that.
A weak voice calls out, “Hallo, on the ground. Can you help us?”
The Star Goddess was a 90-foot skyship from Halruaa. It flew like a blimp, with the aid of an amazing lighter-than-air gasbag. A crew of Halruaan
adventurers was using it to explore Chult from the air when it was attacked by a flock of pterafolk. The pterafolk slashed the airbag, and the vessel
crashed into the jungle canopy. As shown in map 2.13, the wooden gondola broke into three pieces, which now hang precariously in the treetops at
three different heights. The deflated balloon is tangled in the branches above. The crash could have occurred anytime within the past 3d10 days.
Climbing up to the wreck is relatively easy, thanks to many vines in the trees and lines of rigging hanging from the ship. A successful DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check is enough to reach the ship from the ground. The same check must be repeated to move from one section of the ship to another;
alternatively, a character can jump down from a higher to a lower section with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Crash Survivors
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The voice calling to the party belongs to Thasselandra Bravewing, the ship’s captain (NG female Halruaan human noble). She explains the situation
briefly before she weakens and her voice becomes too soft to hear from the ground. The other crash survivors include the ship’s navigator, Ra-das (N
male Halruaan human scout); the master-of-arms, Falx Haranis (CN male Halruaan human veteran); and three other crewmen named Brax, Nhar, and
Veliod (N male Halruaan human guards). Ra-das and Falx are in the stern section; the other NPCs are all in the midsection.
The ship was carrying supplies, but most of the cargo spilled to the ground when the gondola broke apart. The survivors can catch rainwater in
buckets, but they’ve been without food for several days. As a result, all the NPCs have 4 levels of exhaustion (see appendix A of the Player’s
Handbook for effects) and are not strong enough to climb to the ground on their own.
Undead Scavengers
When characters first arrive on the scene, they see eight ghouls lurking in the foliage below the wreck. Each ghoul has a small blue triangle tattooed
on its forehead — the symbol of Ras Nsi. The ghouls have three-quarters cover from trees, and they withdraw from the area temporarily if the
situation gets too hot.
A few minutes after characters climb up to the wreck, it’s attacked by three girallon zombies (see appendix D). The monsters approach from the east,
and because they have a climbing speed, they can move anywhere on the map as easily as on the ship. The NPCs fight back, but they aren’t very
effective given their exhaustion. The girallon zombies aren’t above grabbing enemies and tossing them off the ship; one or two of the NPC guards
should die that way. A character who falls or is thrown off the ship can halve the falling damage with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check, representing clutching at vines and branches on the way down.
Treasure
There is no treasure aboard the Star Goddess or amid the debris under it, but characters can salvage weapons, clothing, and enough supplies to
assemble one explorer’s pack and one priest’s pack.
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Wyrmheart Mine
A clan of shield dwarves operated this iron mine (map 2.14) up until forty years ago, when it was conquered by a young red dragon named Tzindelor.
Hew Hackinstone (see “Finding a Guide”) hopes to reclaim and reopen the mine, and he gladly enlists the characters to his aid (or ropes them in
unwillingly, if he must).
Tzindelor has amassed a following of kobolds, who call her Tinder. She occasionally leaves to hunt but spends most of her time sleeping at the
bottom of the mine. The kobolds rig their shared lair with numerous traps. Many parts of the mine still show signs of the dwarves’ battle against
Tinder, including the scattered and charred bones of those who died.
The dwarves left three ore carts in the mine, all in working order or repairable. The cart track circling the main shaft is quite steep; not as steep as
stairs, but steeper than most ramps. The ore carts are built so that the downhill end (the front) is higher than the uphill end (the back). This allows
them to sit level on the sloping track, but they look odd on level ground. A heavy draw rope and harness are hooked to the back of each cart so that a
trained dinosaur could pull the heavy load up the track. A stout, lever-operated brake controls its descent.
Carts can be shunted onto the side passages if the tracks are switched using a crowbar (one is stashed near each siding). When characters arrive,
the tracks are set to bypass all the sidings and run straight through to the bottom.
Some carts’ brakes are in better condition than others. If a brake fails, the cart races out of control round and round the pit until it smashes into the
barrier at the bottom of the track. Everyone in the cart when it hits takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 20 vertical feet the cart descended. Those who
bail out before the cart hits takes half damage, based on how far the cart descended before they jumped, but each creature must also succeed on a
DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or tumble over the edge of the track and plunge to the bottom of the shaft.
1. Office
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This building has walls made of closely fitted stone with large windows, and a wide, overhanging tile roof. It’s now overgrown with
vines and creepers, but the structure is still solid.
The door is swollen shut and must be forced open with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check, but the windows can be climbed through
easily. Startled lizards and birds flee through the windows when anyone enters.
The building’s contents have all rotted. Ledgers mildewed into slime long ago. Tables and cabinets are covered with creepers, bird droppings, and the
bones of small animals. Stools collapse if any weight is put on them. There’s no information and nothing of use here.
2. Supply Shed
This building is made from closely fitted stones and has a tile roof, but no windows. Portions of the wall are crumbling where tree
roots are pushing the stones apart. Gouges and scars show where someone tried to hack through the heavy door with axes but
gave up after making little headway.
The axe marks are only a few feet off the ground (having been made by kobolds). The door can be forced open with a successful DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check.
Dozens of crates and barrels are stacked inside. Several have been toppled over by tree roots growing beneath them. Stored food and water is
inedible, but the other supplies are mostly still usable, even if they won’t be especially useful to adventurers. They consist of tools for mining, stone-
working, and iron-working, shovels, lanterns and candles, miners’ helmets, heavy gloves, spare wheels, axles, and brakes for ore carts, grease, thick
rope, tar, brushes, brooms, and so forth.
3. Ore Cart
An ore cart sits on the tracks at the entrance to the mine, held in place by a block under the wheels.
The cart’s metal box is still solid, but one of the axles is broken and the other screeches horribly. The supply shed (area 3) contains the parts and
grease to get it rolling again. The old brake looks solid, but each time it’s used, it has a 10 percent chance to fail utterly. This risk is recognized by
someone who inspects the brake and makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence check. The brake can be repaired with spare parts from the supply shed.
4. Upper Shaft
Inside the mine, the cave opens into an enormous, 250-foot-deep pit. The dwarves left a stout stone column in the middle to support the roof, and
they built a wooden walkway to span the pit from south to north. Despite many broken or missing planks, the walkway is fundamentally solid. Tracks
for the ore carts descend around the walls of the pit in a clockwise fashion. Enough daylight filters through the mine opening to create dim
illumination to the bottom of the shaft.
The kobolds living in the mine believe (correctly) that this upper level is haunted by dwarven spirits. The kobolds avoid the upper level of the mine
except when they must exit or enter. They use the wooden bridge exclusively and never walk along the cart track past area 5.
5. Haunted Forge
This was the dwarves’ forge and workshop. Many of the miners retreated here when Tinder attacked, but the dragon incinerated their barricades and
then burned them out with her breath. The entire area from the bottom of the steps to the backs of the chambers is scorched and black. A dozen or
more (it’s difficult to sort them out) charred skeletons litter the chambers. One dwarf skeleton is more recent than the others (the body has been dead
for three years) and not charred; it lies near the base of the steps, in a face-down, head-down position that implies the dwarf died while scrambling
down the steps. This was a member of Hew Hackinstone’s expedition who fell victim to the haunted forge.
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Six specters haunt the forge, three in each chamber. They are all that’s left of the mine’s dwarven defenders. The first character to enter either
chamber is attacked by the specters in that chamber, and those from the adjoining chamber arrive 2 rounds later. The specters can’t leave the forge.
Treasure. Most of the dwarves’ possessions were burned or melted by dragon fire, but one skeleton wears a mithral breastplate that survived the
flames.
6A. Ledge
This platform is lit by a torch in a wall sconce and guarded by two kobold inventors (see appendix D). Rough-hewn steps descend to area 6B.
Seven small reptilian humanoids guard this room, the walls of which have niches carved into them. Each niche is lined with moss
and holds a brown egg the size of a small orange.
Seven kobolds guard this room, which serves as the kobolds’ egg nursery. These kobolds protect their eggs with flinty resolve. The mossy niches in
the walls contain a total of thirty eggs.
7. Upper Landing
Two kobolds stand guard near some old crates. One keeps an eye on the cart track, while the other watches the stairs to the south. If one kobold
falls, the other flees down the stairs to warn its kin in area 8.
Ore Cart. The ore cart north of this area appears to be in working condition, though its brakes have a 10 percent chance to fail each time they’re used.
A fire smolders in a pit in the middle of the chamber, with lizards, bats, and quippers slowly roasting on sticks propped around it.
The fire illuminates the cave’s kobold occupants.
During daytime, this room contains 2d6 kobolds; at night, that number swells to 6d6 kobolds. Day or night, half of the occupants are noncombatants.
Unless some loud disturbance has awakened them, the kobolds sleep piled atop one another on mounds of reeds that are infested with small lizards
and other vermin.
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Shrine. The chamber to the east is a shrine to Kurtulmak. It contains two empty barrels, atop one of which is a 3-foot-tall statue of the kobold deity
assembled from bits of metal, glass, wood, and stone. Offerings of food are piled around the base. None of the statue’s components are valuable, but
it would be worth 10 gp to any curio collector in Port Nyanzaru. The statue weighs 15 pounds. Other than the statue of Kurtulmak, there is no
treasure. Everything the kobolds find of value is surrendered to Tinder.
9. Inventors’ Quarters
Old crates and barrels have been converted into sleeping hovels for the tribe’s kobold inventors, two of which are present (see appendix D). The other
two are in area 6A.
If the boulder hits, every creature in the cart takes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage. Roll a d6 to determine what happens to the cart and its occupants:
Ore Cart. The ore cart on the siding below this area appears to be in working order, but the brake handle will snap off the first time it’s used.
The floor at the bottom of the shaft is littered with charred dwarven skeletons. A 60-foot-high waterfall pours out of the north wall,
forming a large pool about 10 feet deep. All you can hear is the sound of crashing water.
A dozen charred dwarven skeletons litter the floor. Eight of them are ancient and covered with calcium deposits, but four are fresher (they’re from
Hew Hackinstone’s ill-fated expedition three years ago). The kobolds stripped them of anything valuable.
An underground stream pours out of the north wall 35 feet above the cart track (60 feet above the floor) and plunges through the trestle before
splashing into a pool on the mine floor. It’s only a thin curtain of water, but it makes a lot of noise and it raises enough mist to keep the bottom of the
shaft perpetually damp. The pool is home to 2d6 quippers. A fishing net is rolled up nearby.
Passage to Hrakhamar. An elevated cart track enters a tunnel in the north wall and continues northward (more or less) for 40 miles to the firenewt-
infested smelter and forge of Hrakhamar. It’s passable and the tracks are intact for the full length, but encounters with kobolds and other monsters
are likely.
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This cave looks out over a much larger cave. Hanging from pegs at the back of the overlook are four ferocious-looking wooden
masks and four capes made of scaly dinosaur hide dyed bright red.
When the kobolds have tribute for Tinder or need the dragon’s advice or approval, they send their fawning, groveling emissaries to this ledge
overlooking the dragon’s lair. The kobolds don the ceremonial wooden masks and capes before addressing their overlord.
If characters put on the masks and capes before peering into area 14, and they make themselves seem kobold-sized, they have a chance to fool the
dragon into believing they’re kobolds, but it’s easy to slip up. First, the kobolds speak only Draconic to the dragon. Second, they fill their speech with
flattery and overblown honorifics such as “your titanic, blazing majesty” and “thou unquenchable, unendurable furnace.” Third, they never, ever
question the dragon’s proclamations or judgments. Whenever one of these precepts is broken, Tinder can make a Wisdom (Perception) check
contested by the characters’ Charisma (Deception) checks to see through the ruse. If additional characters are hiding on the overlook during a
conversation with the dragon, each must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity (Stealth) check (with advantage if they’re completely out of sight from area
14) to evade notice.
The dragon is inclined to kill anyone she doesn’t recognize but might converse with adventurers who have something interesting to say. Being young,
she still has much to learn about the world. If flattered and offered a sufficient bribe (offerings worth at least 500 gp), she can even provide basic
directions to any landmark within 100 miles of Wyrmheart Mine.
The dragon doesn’t hold back when it comes to using her breath weapon; she loves watching her prey scream and burn in the flames. In a desperate
situation, she’s confident she can fly up the mine shaft and escape faster than any intruders can pursue.
Treasure. The dragon’s hoard contains 3,300 gp, 15,000 sp, 45,000 cp, a gold-embroidered scabbard (25 gp), a dragon-shaped medal and chain
fashioned from gold (50 gp), a copper mug with jade inlay (100 gp), and a potion of greater healing.
Old crates and barrels near the south wall contain 1d12 each of dwarf-made breastplates, helmets, shields, warhammers, and battleaxes. One of the
dwarf-made battleaxes is actually a +1 battleaxe that floats on water and other liquids, and grants its bearer advantage on Strength (Athletics)
checks made to swim. Etched into the haft of the battleaxe are Dethek (Dwarvish) runes that spell the weapon’s name: Bob.
Yellyark
Yellyark (map 2.15) is home to the Biting Ant tribe of Batiri goblins. These goblins wear stylized wooden ant masks and mark the perimeter of their
territory with the heads and skulls of their enemies (humanoids and beasts). In this context, “territory” refers to a single hex on Syndra Silvane’s map.
To protect themselves against giant carnivores, the goblins built the important structures of the village atop a “net” of strong, supple tree branches
bound together with vines. The net is rigged to a heavy tree, bent down like a giant spring. When a predator threatens to overrun the village, goblins
cut the vine and the entire village is rolled into a ball and flung a thousand yards over the jungle! The huts inside are cushioned from impact by layers
of leaves and moss; damage to the flexible structures can be repaired, and most of the village’s precious totems, food, basketwork, and spare
weapons are saved.
Forty goblins live in the village: Queen Grabstab (a goblin boss), twenty-four adult goblins, and fifteen noncombatant children. For more information
on Batiri goblins and their tactics, see “Races of Chult.”
The tribe’s survival depends on getting an early warning of approaching danger, so sentries are always posted around the village. They wear ponchos
made of vines and leaves, which give them advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while remaining perfectly still, but impose disadvantage on
Dexterity (Stealth) checks when they move. The sentries also ring the village with tripwires attached to shells and skulls filled with pebbles.
Characters who search for such things while approaching the village notice the tripwires with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check;
otherwise, they’re noticed by anyone with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher. If approaching enemies are noticed by sentries or
trigger a tripwire, the village goes on alert, making it impossible to sneak in.
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1. Canoes
Three canoes are pulled up on the bank of the stream.
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2. Larder
The goblins store fresh meat, fish, and other perishable food in this hut. It doesn’t get launched with the rest of the village; in case of attack, this food
is left behind to keep carnivores occupied while the goblins escape.
Treasure. The queen wears a bronze and adamantine medallion that has the word “Vorn” etched into it. This is the control amulet for a shield
guardian (see “Vorn”). None of the goblins have any notion the amulet is related to the object they venerate as a minor deity.
4. Wooden Cage
This lashed-together bamboo cage can hold animals or prisoners, as the situation demands. Prisoners are seldom ransomed, since the Batiri have no
use for coin. Usually, they’re kept here until the goblins are ready to eat them. One of the goblins in area 3 carries the key to the cage’s crude padlock.
A character with thieves’ tools can pick the lock with a successful DC 11 Dexterity check. The check is made with disadvantage if the character is
trying to pick the lock from inside the cage.
5. Ant Hills
This particular Batiri tribe is skilled at ant husbandry, and the village is situated between three ant hills that are each 10 feet across at the base and
stand 8 feet high. The three ant hills are joined together by tunnels.
Damaging or destroying an ant hill causes six ant swarms (swarms of insects) to erupt from an underground nest. Two ant swarms emerge from
each hill. The ants ignore the Batiri goblins and go after anything else they detect nearby.
6. Launch Mechanism
The bent-down tree that launches the village is anchored at this point. The launch is triggered by cutting the thick vine, which has AC 15, 15 hit points,
vulnerability to slashing damage, resistance to fire and piercing damage, and immunity to bludgeoning, poison, psychic, and thunder damage. The
entire mechanism is well camouflaged to prevent intruders from sneaking in and launching the village as a surprise attack. A character who gets a
good look at the village in daylight and succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check spots the network of vines and the bent tree and recognizes
them as a gigantic spring trap. Those with proficiency in the Survival skill have advantage on this check.
Goblins don’t launch themselves in this contraption; it’s too deadly. Anyone inside the net when the village is launched and hits the ground must make
a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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Omu lies in a basin hidden in the depths of the rainforest, surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs. The city is notoriously hard to find. Those who try
must contend with miles of trackless jungle inhabited by natural predators, cannibals, and the remnants of Ras Nsi’s undead army. Even skilled
guides have difficulty threading their way through.
To enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods, adventurers must tread cautiously, contend with the dwellers of the ruined city, and learn all they can about the
nine trickster gods of Omu and their ancient rivalries.
Omu ↑
To the untrained eye, Omu appears abandoned, yet its raised streets and splintered plazas are far from uninhabited. If the characters reach a point
where they can see the city in its entirety, either by flying above it or by looking down on it from a cliff’s edge, give the players a copy of handout 12 in
appendix E.
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The jungle parts to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor
of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide overhead.
A waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with
molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss.
The cliffs surrounding Omu are 100–150 feet high and composed of crumbling rock. Thick jungle hugs the clifftops, with ferns, orchids, and moss
spilling over the edges. Every 100 feet or so, a gargoyle perches on the brink of the precipice. When a character gets a good look at one of these
creatures, read:
A vine-draped gargoyle perches on the clifftop, staring down at the ruined city. It has the face of a devil, with its mouth agape in a
silent scream.
The gargoyles attack anyone who flies over the city or tries to climb up or down the cliffs, but they ignore intruders who enter by the river or the ravine
to the southwest. They serve Acererak and take orders from his undead tomb custodian, Withers (see chapter 5).
History of Omu
The tragic history of Omu is written in its ruins. As the characters explore, use the information provided here to bring the city to life.
Forbidden City
Omu was once a jewel in Chult’s crown. Built over rich mineral veins, the city garnered wealth in abundance. Omuan jewelry was coveted far and wide,
and the city’s merchants grew fat on commerce. To enter Omu, it was said, was to enter the gates of paradise itself. Such wealth brought greed.
Omu’s hunger for slaves made her rulers demand ever greater tribute from their neighbors. When their vassals couldn’t pay in flesh, they paid in
blood. Omu’s feared legions marched across Chult.
The Omuans’ greed and hubris angered the god Ubtao, causing him to turn his back on Omu two hundred years ago — long before he abandoned the
rest of Chult. Omu’s clerics lost their spells, and the city fell to sickness and disease. Slave uprisings wracked Omu, and its nobles fled in droves.
Maps showing Omu’s location were destroyed, and its coins were melted down and reminted. Fallen from grace, Omu became known as the
Forbidden City.
The new deities were divisive and often cruel. Too weak to grant miracles to every follower, they concocted elaborate trials to winnow the clergy. On
holy days, the mettle of aspirant priests was tested in their nine shrines, with deadly consequences for failure. The trials provided entertainment for
the degenerate Omuans and fed their weakling gods with much-needed sacrifices.
For nine decades, the city folk lived by the mantras of their trickster gods. They built statues in their names and schemed against each other to assert
their chosen god’s dominance. Omu’s glorious past was lost, but its people endured. Such mercy did not last long.
Fall of Omu
Omu’s bloody trials drew the attention of Acererak, an archlich who wanders the cosmos in search of souls to harvest. Acererak, who is fond of
deathtraps, marveled at the trials concocted by the Omuans. They inspired him to create his own dungeon below the city.
A little over a century ago, Acererak entered Omu and slew all nine trickster gods. He then enslaved the Omuans and forced them to carve out a tomb
for their defeated gods. When the tomb was complete, Acererak murdered the Omuans and sealed them in the tomb with their false gods. The
archlich resumed his odyssey across the planes, content that the dungeon would feed his phylactery with the souls of dead adventurers. The jungle
reclaimed Omu, and it fell into ruin.
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The evil warlord Ras Nsi, who had raised an army of undead to wage war on the holy city of Mezro, only to suffer a terrible defeat, arrived in Omu
shortly after the yuan-ti. Ras Nsi wormed his way into the yuan-ti’s favor and underwent a ritual to transform into a malison. Before long, he became
their ruler. Today, beneath the cracked and broken streets of Omu, Ras Nsi holds sway and plots to bring Dendar the Night Serpent into the world,
sealing its doom.
Long ago, the god Ubtao hardened his heart and vowed to weep for the people of Omu no longer. The rains stopped, the jungle withered and died, and
death swept through Omu.
One morning, a wise zorbo emerged from her hollow tree and spoke to the dying Omuans. To convince Ubtao of their worth, she decided to cook him
a stew made from all their good qualities. Catching such virtues wouldn’t be easy, so she asked a wily almiraj to help her. The almiraj snuck
recklessness in the pot, which she saw as a virtue, and Ubtao spat out the stew when he tasted it. From that day on, Obo’laka the zorbo and I’jin the
almiraj became terrible enemies.
At noon, a brave kamadan hopped down from her rock. She saw the evil in the Omuans’ hearts and decided to lance it like a troublesome boil. The
kamadan fashioned a holy spear, but she left it by the riverbank and a crafty grung stole it. In her rage, Shagambi the kamadan forgot all about the
Omuans and chased Nangnang the grung forever across the sky.
When evening came, a wily eblis stepped from his reed hut. He didn’t like the Omuans, but without them he’d have no one to play his tricks on. The
eblis sent a marsh frog to reason with Ubtao, but the frog was angry and decided to wrestle the god instead. This amused Ubtao, so he gave the frog
tentacles to make it stronger. When Kubazan the froghemoth returned to Papazotl the eblis, he chased Papazotl into the swamp with his new
tentacles.
That night, a su-monster broke into Ubtao’s palace and stole a pail of water for the Omuans. When the god came running to find it, the su-monster hid
the pail in a jaculi’s burrow. Ubtao asked the jungle animals where his water was hidden, and Moa the jaculi was too honest to lie. When Wongo the
su-monster found out how Moa had betrayed him, he vowed to catch the jaculi and eat him up.
All the while, Unkh the flail snail lived deep under the earth. The noise of the other animals fighting made her slither up to the surface, and when day
dawned over her shell, the light blinded Ubtao and made his eyes water. Life returned to Omu, and the people built shrines to honor the animals who’d
saved them.
City Inhabitants
Several factions dwell within Omu, including yuan-ti, grungs, vegepygmies, and kobolds. Explorers also come here in search of gold and glory.
Presently, these include Red Wizards and three tabaxi hunters. Each of these groups can play as much of a role in the story as you desire. They could
serve as enemies or as allies brought together by mutual interests.
Yuan-ti
Yuan-ti offer sacrifices to Dendar the Night Serpent in a sprawling underground temple beneath the ruins of Omu’s royal palace (area 20); the temple
is described in chapter 4. The yuan-ti guard the entrances to the city, patrol its streets, and send raiding parties into the surrounding jungle. Ras Nsi
rules over them, but traitorous priests plot his downfall.
Salida’s Treachery. One of the guides presented in chapter 1 is Salida, a pureblood yuan-ti loyal to Ras Nsi. If Salida escorts the characters into the
city, she’ll surreptitiously use her sending stone to contact Ras Nsi so that he can prepare an ambush. When night falls, Salida uses a lantern to signal
the yuan-ti attack. The attacking force consists of one type 3 yuan-ti malison and two yuan-ti purebloods per party member. Ras Nsi is keen to
capture the characters so he can question them about their mission.
Grungs
A small colony of grungs lives on the rooftops around Nangnang’s shrine (area 18). Ras Nsi regularly mounts raids on them to thin their numbers.
The grungs worship Nangnang and view her shrine as holy ground for their chieftain and his elite guards. Yorb, the mad grung chieftain, craves
vengeance against Ras Nsi but hasn’t yet found a worthy attack plan.
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Vegepygmies
Years ago, a meteorite fell from the heavens and created the city’s Great Rift. Stardust rained over the ruins and formed patches of russet mold out of
which vegepygmies arose. Their tribes prowl the flooded backstreets. Yuan-ti have learned to shun these areas and kill the “moldies” on sight.
Omu contains several small tribes of vegepygmies. They clash over territory and are unified only in their reverence of the Great Rift. Even if the
vegepygmies could communicate with the characters, they have little desire to work with them. Their chiefs aren’t clever, and the characters could
trick the vegepygmies to unify against a common enemy.
Kobolds
Nine deadly shrines hold the secret to entering the Tomb of the Nine Gods. To maintain the shrines’ traps, Acererak recruited a tribe of kobolds to act
as shrine menders. These creatures dwell in cellars beneath a ruined marketplace (area 15). Acererak has promised to transform their sorcerer,
Kakarol, into a dragon if the kobolds keep their end of their bargain. Too impatient to wait for his ascension, Kakarol has taken to sleeping on a small
hoard of treasure and insists his underlings address him as Great Wyrm. If the characters cut a deal with the kobolds, the sorcerer’s greed is easily
manipulated.
Acererak hasn’t told the kobolds about his alliance with Ras Nsi. For their part, the yuan-ti are barely aware of the kobolds’ existence.
The survivors include four Red Wizards (LE male and female Thayan human mages) named Dyrax (male), Thazma (female), Yamoch (male), and
Zagmira (female). Their red robes, shaved heads, and sallow complexions betray their allegiance to Thay. Eight mercenaries (LE male and female
human thugs of various ethnicities) escort the wizards. The highest ranking mage, Zagmira, appears just eighteen years old, yet one half of her face
is wizened and old. This effect is a holdover from a terrible ritual she performed to inhabit the body of her own granddaughter. All four mages carry
spellbooks that contain all their prepared spells.
Zagmira has seen the entrance to the Tomb of the Nine Gods (area 14) and believes the Soulmonger is held within. The Red Wizards have separated
to find the puzzle cubes needed to unlock the tomb (see “Puzzle Cubes”).
A man named Orvex (see area 2) serves the Red Wizards as a scribe and translator, but his loyalty to them is tenuous. The adventurers can easily
befriend him.
Tabaxi Hunters
In the twilight of their lives, venerable tabaxi sometimes leave their families and venture into the jungle to claim a hunter’s death. A divine being
known as the Cat Lord leads the bravest to Omu, where they spend their final days hunting dinosaurs and other jungle beasts.
Three elderly tabaxi hunters (see appendix D) stalk the city when the characters arrive. Their names are Hooded Lantern (male), Bag of Nails (male),
and Copper Bell (female). The hunters know the city well, but care little for its history and keep clear of its shrines. They hunt alone and avoid contact
with explorers. Rare weapons and hunting gear are the only items the characters could offer to gain their help.
Hooded Lantern has graying black fur, and cataracts cloud his left eye. He is preparing himself for a glorious death fighting the great tyrannosaurus
rex known as the King of Feathers (see area 13). Copper Bell has speckled ginger fur and wears a torn blue cloth over her bony shoulders — the
blanket used to comfort her cubs when they were infants. She retains much of her inquisitiveness and wry humor. Bag of Nails has gone mad and is
described in area 7.
OLD OMUAN
The Omuans wrote in Old Omuan, a cuneiform script that bears little resemblance to any other alphabet. A character with the
cloistered scholar or sage background can translate an inscription written in Old Omuan with a successful DC 10 Intelligence
(History) check, while a warlock with the Eyes of the Rune Keeper invocation can translate Old Omuan script without a check. If the
characters recover the “queen’s decree” from the chwinga cart at area 11, they can use it to decode inscriptions written in Old
Omuan. Without the queen’s decree or a character with the appropriate background, the characters can translate Old Omuan writing
only by using a comprehend languages spell or similar magic.
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Puzzle Cubes
To unlock the Tomb of the Nine Gods, the characters must first recover nine puzzle cubes from shrines hidden throughout the city. The Red Wizards
are already searching for the cubes, and Ras Nsi does what he must to prevent the Red Wizards or the characters from obtaining all of them.
A puzzle cube is a stone cube 3 inches on a side and engraved with images of a specific trickster god. Each cube weighs half a pound. A detect
magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of abjuration magic around each cube.
The puzzle cubes can’t be destroyed by any means. If they’re discarded, buried, or taken more than a mile outside Omu, they teleport back to their
resting places inside their respective shrines. If the characters return to a previously cleared shrine, there’s a cumulative 20 percent chance per day
that kobolds have reset its traps.
On the day the characters claim their first puzzle cube, the Red Wizards clear a separate shrine within the city. While the Red Wizards remain active,
there’s a cumulative 25 percent chance per day that they claim another puzzle cube from a random shrine. If the players arrive at a cleared shrine,
they discover a scene of devastation: traps sprung, monsters slain, and the cube missing.
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Once five puzzle cubes have been taken from their shrines, Ras Nsi begins to set ambushes. When the characters arrive at their next shrine, three
type 1 yuan-ti malisons and six yuan-ti purebloods ambush them. Their orders are to capture characters and bring them to the Fane of the Night
Serpent for interrogation.
Once eight puzzle cubes have been claimed, Ras Nsi steals the ninth cube for himself and leaves an obvious trail leading pursuers to the main
entrance of his underground temple (see area 20A). The characters must infiltrate the temple and either take the puzzle cube by force or convince
Ras Nsi to part with it. For more information on the temple and its inhabitants, see chapter 4.
An Uneasy Alliance
The characters could form an alliance with the Red Wizards to recover the puzzle cube taken by the yuan-ti. If an accord is reached, Zagmira reveals
that she has a spy in the yuan-ti temple: a yuan-ti pureblood named Ishmakahl (pronounced ISH-mah-kawl). Zagmira doesn’t reveal that this spy is a
doppelganger.
Zagmira encourages human characters to infiltrate the yuan-ti temple disguised as purebloods, with nonhuman characters posing as their slaves. If
no human characters are present, Zagmira is willing to spend a 5th-level spell slot to cast invisibility on up to four party members. If the characters
recover the puzzle cube taken by Ras Nsi, the Red Wizards turn against the characters and try to claim all the puzzle cubes for themselves once the
characters emerge from the yuan-ti temple. If Artus Cimber is with the party, the Red Wizards also try to take the Ring of Winter from him.
If the Red Wizards obtain all nine puzzle cubes, they use them to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods and, one by one, fall prey to the tomb’s insidious
traps.
Navigation
The city basin is densely packed with ruined villas and overgrown courtyards. Buildings in Omu are shaped from limestone. Thick, broad-leaved vines
engulf most structures, while ferns and thorny bushes choke the streets. Statues representing the trickster gods leer from many junctions.
Cautious characters can move through the city at a rate of 200 feet every 5 minutes. Even if they throw caution to the wind, the density of the
undergrowth makes it tricky to move faster than 200 feet per minute. If the characters stop to search for treasure, each building takes 30 minutes to
clear. Whenever the party searches a ruined building, roll percentile dice and consult the Ruin Interior table to see what, if anything, the building
contains.
Ruin Interior
01–40 —
66–70 Nest
76–85 Treasure
86–00 Vegepygmies
Assassin Vines
This ruin is choked with vines, lurking among which are 1d3 assassin vines (see appendix D).
Collapsing Floor
As the characters explore this building, choose one character at random to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the floor collapses and
the character falls 20 feet into a lower level, taking damage from the fall as normal. Roll again on the Ruin Interior table to see if there’s anything
interesting in the lower level.
Blue Mist
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A thin, odorless blue mist lingers inside the ruin. Characters who enter the building expose themselves to blue mist fever (see “Diseases”). Roll again
on the Ruin Interior table to see if there’s anything else in the building.
Nest
Vermin have made a nest in the building. Roll a d6 and consult the Nest Occupants table to determine the nest’s inhabitants. Any character damaged
by a giant wasp must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw at the end of the encounter or become infected with shivering sickness (see
“Diseases”).
Nest Occupants
d6 Creatures
Plant Discovery
The ruin contains one or more rare plants, determined by rolling a d6 and consulting the Plant Discovery table. These plants are described in
appendix C.
d6 Plant
5 1d6 wildroots
Treasure
The ruin contains 1d6 Omuan art objects (jade rings, painted pottery, silver-inlaid wooden statuettes of trickster gods, crystal vases, and so forth).
Each art object is worth 25 gp.
Vegepygmies
Hiding in the ruin are 1d4 vegepygmies (see appendix D). They are not in a fighting mood and cower from interlopers. If attacked, they flee through
cracks in the walls and attempt to hide in the surrounding marsh.
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1. City Entrance
A guardhouse stands near the entrance to the city. Arrow slits are cut into its limestone walls, and a lopsided iron portcullis hangs
over the gateway, beyond which you see an open plaza.
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Much of the interior has collapsed into rubble. Creepers cling to the walls, and high grasses sprout between the flagstones amid
evidence of long-dead campfires. One wall is covered with graffiti — some words painted, others etched.
The graffiti (written in Common) provides hints about the challenges that await:
“Who is Unkh?”
The group consists of two type 1 malisons, two type 2 malisons, and one type 3 malison. They follow the characters into Omu and shadow them
through the streets. Their goal is to ambush the characters and capture at least one of them. If they remain out of sight, the yuan-ti launch their attack
when the characters try to take their first long or short rest in the city.
Treasure
The type 3 malison’s longbow is painted and carved like a serpent with tiny amber gemstones for eyes. The weapon is worth 250 gp as an art object.
2. Walled Compound
Smoke drifts lazily from a walled compound. The gate lies in splinters, and scorch marks deface the buildings. Near the center of
the compound is a plaza littered with charred human corpses. One of the corpses is being torn apart by a pack of wild dogs.
The Red Wizards seized this compound as their base of operations in Omu, but yuan-ti attacked and nearly wiped them out. Thirty corpses are
scattered across the compound — the remains of three Red Wizards, twenty human mercenaries, and seven bearers hired in Port Nyanzaru. The
yuan-ti looted all the supplies they found and stole their enemies’ weapons. Six wild dogs (use jackal statistics) feed on one of the Red Wizards. The
dogs pose no threat if the characters keep their distance.
Spirit Pole
The yuan-ti burned their dead comrades and arranged their bones into a spirit pole. Characters who explore the compound discover this effigy:
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A glaive has been thrust into remains of a burned-out pyre. Charred snake skulls and blackened inhuman vertebrae are lashed to the
spear. On a wall nearby, a symbol has been daubed in ash: a snake curled in a spiral, gripping a circle in its jaws.
With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check, a character recognizes the sigil on the wall as the symbol of Dendar the Night Serpent
devouring the world.
Orvex Ocrammas
During the attack, an explosion buried a member of the Red Wizards’ expedition under a fallen
section of wall. Orvex is dying of thirst and exhaustion. As characters search the compound,
they hear him calling out for help from under the rubble. If the characters free Orvex, he begs to
join their band until he finds sanctuary.
Orvex serves as scribe and translator for the Red Wizards. He’s a pragmatic, balding human in
his early forties who serves the Red Wizards because, as he puts it, they pay well. Orvex has
the statistics of a spy, with these changes:
Orvex is neutral.
He has 3 hit points remaining and 3 levels of exhaustion (see appendix A of the Player’s
Handbook for exhaustion effects).
He speaks Common and Grung.
If the characters befriend Orvex, he can help them forge a truce with any surviving Red Wizards.
Orvex can translate Old Omuan, and his studies of Omu’s carvings taught him the legend of the
nine trickster gods (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”), which Orvex is happy to recount once he’s
fully healed and rested.
Despite the obvious risks, Orvex looks forward to exploring more of the city and unlocking its
secrets. If he’s still with the characters when they retrieve all nine puzzle cubes, he jumps at the
chance to accompany them on their descent into the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
3. Kubazan’s Shrine
A rectangular pool of murky water stretches before this vine-draped shrine. Rope bridges that once spanned the water float on the
surface, tangled with other debris. The shards of a toppled monolith form stepping stones to the middle of the pool, where a statue
of a stone frog rises above the water.
The shrine to the trickster god Kubazan (represented as a froghemoth) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine
Gods.
The shattered monolith is slippery with moss, and the rotted rope bridges sink as soon as anyone steps on them. Any character who jumps across
the stepping stones must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to keep from falling in the pool.
Stone Key. A character who examines the mouth of the frog statue spots a stone key set into an indentation on the statue’s tongue. This key opens
the locked gate at area 3B.
Steps descend to a ledge overlooking a pit of sharpened stakes. An alcove on the far wall holds a pedestal with a stone cube resting
on it. A relief carved into the back of the alcove shows a monstrous frog with tentacles fighting a crane. Wooden beams radiate
from the walls at floor height, with four-foot gaps between them. Carved frog heads extrude from the walls above the beams.
The wall relief shows Kubazan (a froghemoth) fighting Papazotl (an eblis). An inscription written in Old Omuan tells how Kubazan earned his
tentacles from the god Ubtao (see “Legend of the Nine Gods").
Spiked Pit. The pit is 30 feet deep. A creature that falls into the pit takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall and must make a DC 12 Dexterity
saving throw. On a failed save, 1d4 stakes impale the creature for an additional 1d6 piercing damage per stake.
Wooden Beams. A creature can move around the perimeter of the room by hopping from beam to beam. To hop onto a beam without falling, a
creature must succeed on a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, the DC of which is 5 + the distance (in feet) between the two beams. When weight is
applied to and lifted from a beam, it retracts and becomes flush with the wall, preventing it from being used again. The beams reset to their original
positions after all of them have retracted into the walls.
Puzzle Cube. If Kubazan’s puzzle cube is removed from its pedestal, the gate in area 3B slams shut and locks. Checks made to pick the gate lock
from within the shrine have disadvantage. At the same time, the carved frog heads on the walls open their mouths, belch forth enough poisonous gas
to fill the shrine, and then close their mouths. Placing an object of equal weight to the puzzle cube (half a pound) on the pedestal prevents the gate
closure and the release of gas.
The gas fills the shrine for 1 minute, then dissipates. Any creature that starts its turn inside the shrine while the gas is present must succeed on a DC
12 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don’t need to breathe.
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4. Shagambi’s Shrine
A ruined shrine stands at the heart of this walled compound. Tall monoliths flank the entrance, decorated with images of a jaguar
with six snakes sprouting from its shoulders. A stone door is set into the shrine beyond.
The shrine to the trickster god Shagambi (represented as a kamadan) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
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Two mated kamadans (see appendix D) use a cart at the back of the shrine as their lair. If they hear intruders approaching the shrine, the kamadans
try to ambush them. The kamadans fight tooth and claw to protect their three young cubs. Kamadan cubs are noncombatants that look like baby
leopards and grow to adult size within a year. The cubs’ snakes won’t sprout from their shoulders for another 6 months. Characters can capture the
cubs and spend months trying to domesticate them, but the kamadans turn on their would-be masters once they reach adulthood in a year.
The door to the shrine is not locked, but it hangs heavy on its hinges. It weighs 600 pounds, so one or more characters must have a combined
Strength score of 20 or higher to push it open.
Steps descend into a fifteen-foot-high, moss-covered room. Four statues of Omuan warriors stand in alcoves to either side,
overlooking a barred gladiatorial pit in the floor. Each statue looks like it was meant to hold a spear, but its weapon is missing. On
the far side of the chamber, a stone pedestal stands conspicuously bare. A relief on the wall behind it shows a monstrous jaguar
with six snakes protruding from its shoulders, fighting off a squat, frog-like humanoid armed with a spear. To the left of the relief is a
narrow tunnel with stairs leading down.
The statues can’t be moved from their alcoves, and they are impervious to damage and spells. The tunnel in the north wall slopes down to the bottom
of the gladiatorial pit (area 4D) and leads to a cellblock beyond (area 4C).
The wall relief depicts Shagambi (a kamadan) fighting Nangnang (a grung). Just below, an inscription written in Old Omuan tells the story of how
Nangnang stole Shagambi’s spear (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”). With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character notices tiny
holes in the relief. Stuffing the holes with cloth or wax prevents the poison gas from penetrating through when the pedestal is disturbed (see below).
Pedestal. The pedestal is a 4-foot-high stone cylinder that is impervious to damage and spells. Close inspection reveals a stone hatch in the top of it.
Any physical attempt to force open the hatch releases a cloud of gas through the holes in the wall relief. The gas fills a 15-foot cube directly in front
of the mural. Creatures in the area must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half as
much damage on a successful one. The gas affects a creature even if it holds its breath or doesn’t need to breathe. The gas doesn’t linger.
Puzzle Cube. To obtain Shagambi’s puzzle cube, the characters must obtain the four bronze spears from the monsters in area 4C and place the
weapons in the hands of the four warrior statues. Only by defeating the monsters in the gladiatorial pit can the spears be obtained. When all four
spears are placed in the hands of the statues, read:
The pedestal begins to turn on the spot, and an ornate stone cube corkscrews up from a hatch in its top.
Once it rises up out of the pedestal, Shagambi’s puzzle cube can be safely removed.
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The clay gladiator is an unaligned construct with an Armor Class of 17 (natural, shield).
It has a climbing speed of 30 feet and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
It is immune to poison damage as well as the charmed, frightened, and poisoned conditions. It doesn’t need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe.
It doesn’t speak.
It can’t make ranged attacks, and it can’t be disarmed.
A clay gladiator fights if attacked or when called to the gladiatorial pit (area 4D). If reduced to 0 hit points outside of the gladiatorial pit, the gladiator
disappears along with its possessions, reappears in its cell at full health with spear and shield in hand, and returns to the gladiatorial pit if it can. If
defeated in the gladiatorial pit, the gladiator leaves its spear behind before reforming in its cell. The spear can then be taken back to area 4B. If taken
from the shrine, the spear disappears and reappears in the gladiator’s hand.
The gladiators can go anywhere in the shrine but can’t leave it. When the shrine has no other creatures inside it, the gladiators return to their cells, and
the portcullises drop behind them.
Six-foot-high archways stand opposite one another at the bottom of the pit, the floor of which is one large pressure plate. Applying 50 pounds or
more to the floor causes the portcullises in area 4C to rise with a loud clatter, whereupon the clay gladiators emerge from their cells and quickly make
their way to the pit.
5. Great Rift
Tumbledown ruins cling to the lip of a rift overlooking a lake of bubbling lava.
A creature that falls from the top of the cliff into the lava takes 70 (20d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall and 55 (10d10) fire damage from the
lava. A creature that starts its turn in the lava takes the fire damage again.
Sacrifice of Fire
The first time the characters arrive, they encounter a small vegepygmy tribe preparing to sacrifice a grung (see appendix D) to the rift. The grung,
Imbok, is bound with vines and restrained. As the grung struggles, the vegepygmies encircle him and perform a strange, ritualistic dance. Unless the
characters intervene, the vegepygmies roll their captive off the edge of the cliff. A couple of vegepygmies leap off after him, caught in the throes of
devotion.
The tribe consists of one vegepygmy chief, eight vegepygmies, and the chief’s thorny pet. Statistics for all these creatures appear in appendix D.
Their grung captive is the beloved one hundred and eightieth son of the grung chieftain Yorb. If the characters free Imbok, he grovels at their feet. He
doesn’t speak Common but promises to bury his benefactors in gold if they escort him back to his father’s shrine (area 18). Imbok’s promise is
empty, but he has nothing else to offer his saviors.
6. Moa’s Shrine
This shrine perches on a pinnacle of rock high above the great rift (area 5).
A column of rock rises 200 feet above the lava. A walled ruin overgrown with palms perches on the summit.
At its narrowest point, the gulf between the shrine and the rest of the city is 60 feet wide. Characters with rope and grappling hooks can throw a line
across the gap.
The shrine to the trickster god Moa (represented by a jaculi) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
Palm trees grow in front of this squat building, and worn steps ascend to an archway that forms the entrance. Reliefs of coiled
serpents flank the entrance.
Four jaculis (see appendix D) lurk in the courtyard, using their camouflage to hide while coiled around tree trunks. If the characters enter the
courtyard, the jaculis spring forth and attack.
The walls of this rubble-strewn corridor are carved with serpents, and arrow slits are spaced along them every 5 feet. Cobwebs fill
the arrow slits and hang like drapes from the corridor ceiling. Above the entrance, a stone plaque bears a cuneiform message.
The message on the plaque is written in Old Omuan and reads, “Moa teaches us that secrets hide the truth.” Explorers must heed this message to
find the shrine’s puzzle cube.
The arrow slits are 6 inches wide, 2 feet tall, and 1 foot deep. A character who peers through an arrow slit after clearing out the cobwebs can see into
the room beyond (area 6D), provided the character has a light source or can see in the dark.
Pits. Three covered pits are spaced along the corridor in the positions marked X on the shrine map. Their covers remain locked until the puzzle cube
is moved from the pedestal in area 6C. Thereafter, a creature stepping on a pit cover causes it to swing open and falls in unless it succeeds on a DC
15 Dexterity saving throw. Each pit is 10 feet deep and has a patch of green slime (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) at the bottom of it.
A character who searches the hallway floor for traps finds a pit trap with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The lids are cleverly
constructed and can be jammed shut only by using magic such as an arcane lock spell.
In the middle of this room, a stone cube rests on a plain stone pedestal. Statues of twelve tribal warriors jut from the surrounding
walls, aiming bows at the pedestal. The floor in front of the pedestal bears a mosaic depicting a monstrous serpent constricting a
furious monkey. Moss obscures much of the detail.
The mosaic shows Moa (a jaculi) fighting Wongo (a su-monster). If a character peels the moss aside, they uncover the following message written in
Old Omuan: “Death rewards a thief deceived. Truth comes from the serpent’s mouth.” Another inscription encircles the floor and tells the story of how
Moa upheld the truth to Ubtao and betrayed Wongo’s trust (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”).
The puzzle cube on the pedestal is illusory, though it feels real to the touch. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of illusion magic
around the cube. When taken from the shrine, it vanishes in a puff of green smoke. If a creature removes the puzzle cube from the pedestal or tries to
damage one of the statues, the archers animate and open fire on all creatures in the room. The archers can detect the presence of creatures even if
they are invisible. Before they open fire, arrows magically appear in their bows. The archers remain animated for 1 hour, after which they revert to
their inanimate state.
The twelve archers act on initiative count 20. On its turn, a statue shoots one arrow (+6 to hit). A creature hit by an arrow takes 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing
damage. Each statue is a Medium object with AC 17; 30 hit points; immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical
attacks; and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Secret Doors. Characters who search the walls for secret doors find one on each side of the entrance tunnel with a successful DC 12 Wisdom
(Perception) check.
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A statue of a coiled serpent dominates this web-filled room. The statue is missing its head, which lies broken on the floor next to a
stone cube.
The statue is 7 feet tall without its head. The puzzle cube lying on the floor next to the head’s shattered remains is fake and vanishes in a puff of
green smoke when taken from the shrine. Bringing it into area 6C activates the statues there.
A large statue of a coiled serpent dominates this web-filled room. Clutched in the statue’s jaws is a stone cube.
Puzzle Cube. The cube is Moa’s puzzle cube. It can be removed from the statue’s jaws and the shrine safely.
7. Fallen Tree
A fallen tree bridges the river ahead. Its trunk is wider than a man and stretches more than 100 feet. On both banks lie ruined
buildings.
An elderly tabaxi hunter named Bag of Nails ambushes the characters if they try to ford the river here.
The fallen trunk is wide enough for two Medium creatures to pass each other safely. Under the tree, the water churns toward the falls 200 feet
downriver. A creature that tumbles into the river or tries to swim across it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to reach the bank. If
the check fails, the current pulls the creature toward the falls at a speed of 50 feet per round.
Bag of Nails
Bag of Nails yearns for a hunter’s death. Senility has taken hold, and now he sees all creatures as his prey.
When the characters arrive, Bag of Nails is hiding in a ruined building on the east bank of the river, 150 feet from the fallen tree. To spot him, a
character must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom (Perception) check. When a character crosses the bridge, Bag of Nails opens fire. After each shot, he
leaps across the rooftops to a new firing position and tries to hide.
Feline Agility. When the tabaxi moves on its turn in combat, it can double its speed until the end of the turn. Once it uses this trait, the
tabaxi can’t use it again until it moves 0 feet on one of its turns.
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If Bag of Nails drops to fewer than half his maximum hit points, he surrenders to his
enemies, leads them to his lair (a ruined basement), and offers them stew in a show of
friendship. While distributing bowls of stew, he explains that he came to Omu to find a
fabled treasure called the Navel of the Moon (see chapter 5). He hoped to use its
alleged powers to find his lost son, but he has long since given up hope of ever finding
it. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that the tabaxi has no intention
of letting the characters leave his domain alive. He laces the stew with midnight tears
(ingested) (see “Poisons” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Treasure
Characters who search through the tabaxi hunter’s lair find five doses of midnight
tears (ingested) in a hollow gourd and enough gear to make an explorer’s pack.
8. Unkh’s Shrine
The shrine to the trickster god Unkh (represented by a flail snail) contains one of nine
puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
The roof of this workshop collapsed long ago, and now a thick mass of plants grows from the rubble. Through the moss, you see
hundreds of iron keys hanging from hooks on the wall. Some are bent and broken, while others are rusted beyond repair. The rest
look serviceable.
One of the keys unlocks the pedestal in area 8C. If the characters know which key to look for, they find it after a few minutes of searching.
A statue of a giant snail looms before you. In place of antennae, it has five pseudopods ending in rocky clubs. Along the walls, six
iron keys hang in small niches above stone plinths. Behind the statue, a carved pedestal in a wide alcove has a keyhole set into its
base.
The statue is 9 feet tall and represents the trickster god Unkh as a flail snail. Three ghasts (undead Chultan tribesfolk) hide behind it. Each ghast has
Ras Nsi’s symbol — a small blue triangle — tattooed on its forehead. The ghasts leap out from behind the statue and attack as soon as the characters
enter the room.
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None of the keys in this room unlock the pedestal. However, they are all similar in size. If a character takes all six keys and overlaps them, their
overlapping teeth form a particular pattern. A search of the ruined workshop (area 8B) yields a single key that matches this pattern. This key unlocks
the pedestal.
Puzzle Cube. Unkh’s puzzle cube is hidden inside the pedestal. If a character inserts the correct key in the keyhole and turns the key a quarter turn
clockwise, the puzzle cube emerges from a concealed hatch:
The pedestal grinds around on the spot. As it turns, an ornate stone cube corkscrews up from a concealed hatch in its surface.
The puzzle cube can now be safely removed from its pedestal.
Using thieves’ tools, a character can pick the lock on the pedestal with a successful DC 25 Dexterity check. A character who fails the check by 5 or
more accidentally triggers the trap.
Trap. If a character inserts the wrong key into the keyhole at the base of the pedestal or botches an attempt to pick the lock, the shell of the flail snail
statue emits dazzling rays of light that fire in all directions. When this happens, each creature in the shrine must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw.
Any creature that fails the save is struck by a ray and takes 33 (6d10) radiant damage. The statue can’t emit rays while wholly or partly contained with
an antimagic field.
9. Adventurers’ Camp
Amid the ruins is an abandoned campsite. Torn backpacks and rotted gear litter the ground around the three moldering tents. At the
center of the camp, a scrap of dirty yellow cloth hangs from a crude wooden flagpole.
This camp was made by the Company of the Yellow Banner, a party of explorers that arrived in Omu over six months ago. All the explorers are now
dead. For further details, see chapter 5.
Characters who search the area discover a moldy parchment caught in the lining of one of the tents; give the players a copy of handout 13 (see
appendix E). The leader of the company, Lord Brixton, left this letter behind for a missing comrade. The rest of the camp has since been looted.
Development
If the characters stay at the camp for an hour or more, a randomly determined Red Wizard (see “Red Wizards of Thay”) stumbles upon them. The Red
Wizard is accompanied by two mercenaries and is searching for Omuan shrines. A battle is certain unless the party has struck up an alliance with
Zagmira, in which case the Red Wizard offers to join forces with the party.
Cracked monoliths flank the entrance to this ruin. Saw-edged ferns grow in the courtyard between broken flagstones. A pair of stone
doors provide entry to a large, flat-roofed ruin.
The shrine to the trickster god I’jin (represented by an almiraj) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
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Sculptural reliefs decorate the doors of this shrine. The carvings show a horned rabbit charging a small, feral-looking bear with
sharp claws. A cuneiform message is etched above the doors.
The message is written in Old Omuan and reads, “I’jin teaches us to take the path least expected.” I’jin taught her followers to live unpredictable lives,
always changing course and never sticking to a plan. Characters would do well to heed her message inside the shrine.
Smaller inscriptions hidden underneath the carvings tell the story of how I’jin (an almiraj) earned the ire of Obo’laka (a zorbo) by spoiling a stew
prepared for the god Ubtao. For details, see “Legend of the Nine Gods."
A ten-foot-wide hallway strikes off into the gloom. Carved tiles depicting various beasts decorate the hallway floor.
Thirty-two tiles cover a 20-foot-long, 10-foot-wide stretch of the hallway. Each tile is 5 feet square, and the tiles are arranged in eight rows of four. The
beasts depicted on the tiles are almiraj (see appendix D), dragonflies, eagles, giraffes, monkeys, tigers, warthogs, and zebras.
Poison Darts. To cross the hallway safely, a character must avoid stepping on the same animal more than once. If more than 20 pounds of pressure
is exerted on the wrong picture tile, four poison darts shoot from holes in the walls. Each dart makes a ranged weapon attack (+5 to hit) against a
random target within 10 feet of the triggering tile. A single creature can be attacked by multiple darts. A creature hit by a dart takes 2 (1d4) piercing
damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one. A character can spot the holes with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. Stuffing the holes with cloth or wax prevents the
darts from launching.
Characters can avoid the trap by flying or teleporting across the hallway, or by using spider climb spells to crawl along the walls or ceiling. The walls
are too smooth to climb otherwise.
Almiraj Tiles. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of abjuration magic around each almiraj tile. A creature that steps on an almiraj tile gains 2d10
temporary hit points. Once a tile has bestowed this benefit, it loses its magic until the next dawn. Casting dispel magic on a tile has the same effect.
10C. Labyrinth
Traps are riddled throughout this dusty maze. Hidden pressure plates in the floor are located in the positions marked X on the shrine map. If more
than 20 pounds of pressure is exerted on a pressure plate, a sharpened axe blade swings from a hidden compartment in the ceiling. The blade makes
a melee attack (+6 to hit) against any creature standing on the pressure plate. On a hit, the target takes 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. A character
searching for traps spots a pressure plate and ceiling compartment with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. Wedging an iron spike or
other object under a plate prevents the trap from triggering. Using thieves’ tools, a character can dismantle an axe blade with a successful DC 15
Dexterity check. If the check fails by 5 or more, the trap triggers and makes an attack against the character with disadvantage.
A shaft of natural light spills from a tiny square hole in the ceiling onto a carved stone pedestal. An ornate stone cube rests on its
surface.
The cube is I’jin’s puzzle cube. It is not trapped and can be safely removed from the pedestal.
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An overturned wagon lies on the street ahead. Rotting flower petals litter the ground around it, and bees nest in its broken wheels. A
freshly cut garland of jungle flowers hangs from the wagon’s tongue.
The wagon is home to a chwinga (see appendix D). The vegepygmies in the area are afraid of the chwinga and bring it gifts of flowers to appease its
wrath. In truth, the chwinga is harmless.
The chwinga uses its magic to hide in a mossy stone disk underneath the cart (see “Queen’s Decree” below). Characters who approach the cart
notice that the area is unusually lush and full of life. If they leave an offering, the chwinga timidly presents itself to them. If not, the chwinga’s natural
curiosity forces it to shadow the characters and spy on them.
The scent of honey foreshadows the chwinga’s appearance, and harmless bees follow it around. It has a fascination for humanoid hair and is likely to
latch onto a bearded dwarf or a character with curly tresses. While the chwinga accompanies the party, any vegepygmies that encounter the group
flee as soon as they discern the chwinga’s presence. The chwinga’s affinity for the natural world keeps it from following characters into shrines or
dungeons.
Queen’s Decree
If the characters look under the wagon, read:
A moss-covered stone disk lies half-buried in the mud underneath the wagon. Concentric rings of inscriptions cover its surface —
some written in Common and others etched in jagged cuneiform.
The tablet is a proclamation from an Omuan queen to her rivals in Mezro. The Mezroans couldn’t read the Omuans’ native script, so the tablet
contains the same message written both in Common and Old Omuan. It reads, “Queen Napaka proclaims that the free people of Omu fear nothing.
Brave new gods protect us, as Ubtao did before but does no longer. Omu will rise again, and Napaka shall reclaim all that is hers by right of
conquest.”
Using the tablet, the characters can translate any message written in Old Omuan. The tablet is 3 feet in diameter and weighs 200 pounds, but
characters with ink and parchment can copy it or take a rubbing. If the characters move the tablet from the cart, they end up taking the chwinga with
it.
Carvings of monkeys hanging by their tails decorate two cracked obelisks that stand before a shrine enclosed by broken walls. Past
the obelisks is a courtyard filled with horsetails and arum lilies. Five archways open into darkness at the base of the ruin. Mounted
above the central arch is a stone plaque bearing a cuneiform inscription.
The shrine to the trickster god Wongo (represented by a su-monster) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
The inscription above the central arch is written in Old Omuan and reads as follows: “Better to be Wongo’s friend than his enemy.”
Portcullises. Portcullises are raised into the lintels above four of the five entrance corridors. When a character claims the puzzle cube from area 12B,
the portcullises slam shut and seal off these corridors. Each portcullis weighs 600 pounds and can be lifted by one or more characters with a
combined Strength score of at least 20. A character can prevent a portcullis from dropping by jamming it with at least two iron spikes.
A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high
chamber. The statue’s limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like
creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. Four masks of painted stone
protrude from the walls; they depict the heads of a lion, a zebra, a boar, and a vulture.
The wall relief shows the trickster god Wongo (a su-monster) fighting his hated enemy, Moa (a jaculi). Inscriptions in Old Omuan explain how Moa
betrayed Wongo to the god Ubtao (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”).
Statue and Puzzle Cube. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of conjuration magic around the statue, which is easy to climb. A
character who searches the statue’s base uncovers the following inscription written in Old Omuan: “Wongo’s friend knows where to pour the water.”
Wongo’s “friend” (the vulture) can be identified by figuring out the logic puzzle written above the masks in the viewing corridors (area 12C).
When a character pours a pint or more of water into the statue’s right hand or one of its cupped feet, the liquid sizzles and transforms into 1d3 steam
mephits that fight until destroyed. The statue can create up to six steam mephits in this fashion, after which no more mephits can be created until the
next dawn. A steam mephit reduced to 0 hit points loses its form and disappears.
When a pint or more of water is poured into the statue’s cupped left hand, Wongo’s puzzle cube appears by magic on the statue’s head. When the
puzzle cube appears, the character who poured the water hears a snarling, disembodied voice say, “Take the prize and curse your friends, or fight my
children to claim it. What is your choice?” If a character takes the puzzle cube, the masks on the walls deliver their curses (see area 12C). If no
character takes the cube immediately, the portcullises slam shut over the entrance corridors in area 12A as four su-monsters (see appendix D) are
teleported into the room, clinging to the statue like startled children to a protective parent. The su-monsters leap down and attack. Once the su-
monsters appear, taking the puzzle cube doesn’t trigger the masks’ curses. The summoned su-monsters are real, and their bodies don’t disappear
when they die.
Masks. Characters who examine the stone masks on the walls see that their eyes are open holes, allowing one to peer into the adjoining corridors
(area 12C). The masks are extensions of the walls and can’t be removed without destroying them.
Lion Mask (L). The inscription above this mask reads, “I ate one of the boar’s friends.” A character who peers through the mask sees
a ray of blue light falling from the ceiling onto the right hand of the statue in area 12B.
Boar Mask (B). The inscription above this mask reads, “The vulture is lucky to be alive.” Through this mask, a character sees a ray of
blue light falling onto the left foot of the statue in area 12B.
Zebra Mask (Z). The inscription above this mask reads, “My only friend starved to death.” Through this mask, a character sees a ray
of blue light falling onto the right foot of the statue in area 12B.
Vulture Mask (V). The inscription above this mask reads, “One of the others has no friends.” Through this mask, a character sees a
ray of blue light falling onto the left hand of the statue in area 12B.
When the masks deliver their curses (see area 12B), any character who has looked through a mask in the last hour must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or transform into the creature depicted on the last mask they looked through. This curse functions as a polymorph spell
and ends after 24 hours.
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A zebra has the same statistics as a riding horse. Statistics for the boar, lion, and vulture also appear in the Monster Manual.
13. Amphitheater
A ruined amphitheater looms over the surrounding buildings. Vines cling to its steps, and animal statues line its stands. The muddy
ground outside is stripped clean of vegetation. An eerie silence hangs over the area. No birds cry, no insects chirp, nothing stirs.
The amphitheater is the lair of the King of Feathers, a powerful tyrannosaurus rex with magical abilities. As they approach the amphitheater,
characters can’t fail to notice giant clawed footprints in the mud. From toe to heel, each footprint spans over 5 feet. Closer to the ruin, they find long,
slender feathers in scarlet, orange, and green hues, and heaps of dung large enough to bury a dwarf.
The amphitheater is an open-air, semicircular structure with tiered seats overlooking a ruined stage. The Omuans used it for public debates and plays
both comic and tragic. Narrow passages and rubble-strewn chambers spread beneath the grandstands. This darkened maze is home to five
deinonychuses (see appendix D). While the tyrannosaurus is out hunting, the deinonychuses leave their lair and prowl throughout the amphitheater,
attacking other creatures on sight. Strewn about their lair are Omuan relics (see “Treasure” below).
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the King of Feathers fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Summon Swarm (Recharge 5–6). The King of Feathers exhales a swarm of insects (wasps) that forms in a space within 20 feet of it.
The swarm acts as an ally of the King of Feathers and takes its turn immediately after it. The swarm disperses after 1 minute.
Treasure
A search of the rooms under the amphitheater uncovers an electrum platter inscribed with images of Chultan feasting rituals (25 gp), an Omuan
death mask made of painted gold (250 gp), and a helm of telepathy.
The monstrous tyrannosaurus known as the King of Feathers is the undisputed lord of Omu. Most other dwellers of the Forbidden
City live in fear of its thunderous approach and steer well clear of the amphitheater, its lair.
The King of Feathers can be encountered anywhere within Omu. At first, tease the characters with glimpses of it moving through
distant fog or have them hear its roar echoing over the ruins. It might appear while the heroes are exploring the ruins or taking a
rest. Alternatively, it might interrupt a fight that’s going badly for the party (or is too easy).
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A derelict market hall stands on the street corner ahead. Frayed cloth awnings hang in tatters above a broad alley lined with stalls.
Kobolds live in hidden cellars underneath the ruined market hall and have set six traps throughout the bazaar. A character has a cumulative 20
percent chance of finding a trap for each minute spent searching the bazaar. When a trap is found, have the character make a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. If the check succeeds, the character spots the trap (a hidden, spring-loaded catapult) and its triggering mechanism (a tripwire or
pressure plate) without triggering it. Once spotted, the trap is easily disarmed or avoided (no check required). A failed check indicates that the
character accidentally set off the trap, which duplicates the Weapon Invention attack of a kobold inventor (see appendix D).
After the characters find three traps, they spot a kobold disappearing down a well-hidden staircase on the outskirts of the bazaar. If they follow the
creature, it leads them to the cellars under the marketplace.
Kobold Cellars
The kobolds live in cellars not shown on map 3.1. All but one of the staircases leading into their lair has been caved in or blocked with heaps of
furniture. As the characters make their way through the cellars, read:
Guttering torches cast dim light under the arches of a wine cellar roughly 20 feet square. The cracked ceiling is 8 feet high. In an
alcove on the far side of the room, a pile of treasure twinkles in the torchlight. Kobolds gather around it.
Kakarol, a kobold scale sorcerer, rests on the pile of treasure. Two kobold inventors and ten kobolds are also present. Statistics for the kobold scale
sorcerer and kobold inventor appear in appendix D.
The kobolds rally to defend Kakarol. While they fight off intruders, Kakarol and his inventors make ranged attacks from the rear. If things look dire,
Kakarol throws himself at the characters’ mercy.
Treasure
Kakarol wears a torn, 6-foot-long tapestry of a macaw decorated with garnet beads (75 gp) as a cloak. His hoard contains 30 gp, 250 sp, 1,800 cp, a
colored glass statuette of a dragonfly (25 gp), four bloodstones (50 gp each), and a potion of greater healing.
Development
Kakarol believes that Acererak is going to transform him into a dragon. As such, the kobold is arrogant, greedy, and vain — traits that can be used
against him. He knows nothing of Acererak’s true aims, nor has he been told about the Soulmonger. Kakarol’s kobolds spy on most other factions in
the city. If gifted with enough treasure, he could become a useful early warning system for the adventurers.
Crocodiles wallow in this muddy lake bed, from which rises a walled ruin. Two columns flank the entrance, carved with images of a
long-legged bird with a needle-like beak. At the building’s front, slimy steps ascend to an entry arch.
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The shrine to the trickster god Papazotl (represented by an eblis) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods. The
water around the shrine is 2 feet deep.
Four hungry crocodiles lurk in the shrine’s flooded courtyard. These creatures are the offspring of a giant crocodile that nests to the rear of the
shrine. If the characters attack the crocodiles, their mother joins the fray 2 rounds later.
Moss clings to the stonework throughout this hall. The mosaic floor depicts a tall bird using its long, pointy beak to pin a monstrous
frog-like creature with tentacles sprouting from its shoulders. Set into the far wall is a set of heavy stone doors.
The mosaic shows the trickster god Papazotl (an eblis) fighting his enemy, Kubazan (a froghemoth). Inscriptions in Old Omuan surround the mosaic.
If the characters translate these, they learn the story of how Kubazan disobeyed Papazotl and was cursed (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”).
The doors are not locked but hang heavy on their hinges. Each door weighs 600 pounds, so one or more characters must have a combined Strength
score of 20 or higher to force it open.
An empty pedestal stands in the middle of this chamber. Six statues face it from alcoves on the walls. They depict bare-chested
humans with the heads of different animals. From left to right, the heads resemble those of a lizard, a jaguar, a lobster, a toucan, a
bat, and a frog.
A character who examines the pedestal finds a riddle inscribed on its base. (Give players a copy of handout 15 in appendix E.) Unlike other
inscriptions in the trial chambers, this riddle is etched in Common:
Hides in darkness
The answer to the riddle (“a shadow”) is a clue to finding the secret chamber (area 16D). If a character holds a light source close to the statue with
the head of a bat, a crawlway appears in its shadow. The crawlway entrance is otherwise hidden behind an illusory wall that can be dispelled with a
dispel magic spell. The crawlway, which is 2 feet wide and 3 feet high, leads to area 16D.
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Puzzle Cube. If a character searches the pedestal, they discover the outline of a stone hatch on its upper surface. No matter how hard the characters
try, they cannot pry the hatch open. Papazotl’s puzzle cube within only emerges when all six statues are blindfolded (see area 16D). When this occurs,
read:
The pedestal rotates, and an ornate stone cube emerges from a hatch on its surface.
A strange grid is etched into the far wall of this stone cell.
When a character enters this chamber, give the players a copy of handout 16 in appendix E. This grid is a puzzle key. If the letters from the riddle in
area 16C are entered into the grid (minus spaces), the letters in the darkened squares spell out “cover eyes.” This phrase provides a clue to obtaining
the puzzle cube in area 16C.
17. Waterfall
A river courses through a rocky ravine before plunging 50 feet into a 30-foot-deep pool. A creature that goes over the waterfall must make a DC 10
Dexterity saving throw, taking 12 (5d4) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or no damage on a successful one. There is no safe path from the top
of the waterfall to the city below.
Vision of Acererak
The first character to look out across the city from the clifftops near the waterfall sees a vision of Omu’s fall:
A city of magnificent, whitewashed buildings stretches out before you. Sunlight sparkles off of glass domes and windows, yet all is
not well. Black smoke coils from fires across the city, corpses litter the streets, and wraiths circle the rooftops like vultures. A
sphere of utter darkness grows out from the heart of the city, blotting out the light as it expands toward you. You turn away, and
when you look back, the darkness is gone. The city is a half-flooded, overgrown ruin.
While in Omu, the character who saw the vision has the same dark dream whenever he or she takes a long rest. In the dream, the character is
standing in the city during its fall and sees a skeletal figure walking alone through the dead streets. He wears tattered robes and holds a skull-tipped
staff, and his sunken eyes contain points of dead light. With each dream, the figure (Acererak) gets a little closer.
Monoliths adorned with prancing, frog-like figures rise from the swamp. Beyond, a ruined edifice shaped like an arrowhead squats in
the muddy water. Bushes and trees grow from its roof. At the pointed front of the building, steps ascend to a stone door caked in
slime.
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The shrine to the trickster god Nangnang (represented by a grung) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods. The
water around the shrine is 2 feet deep.
The grungs on the roof unleash arrows to ward off intruders. If the intruders fight back,
more green-skinned grungs close in from nearby buildings, with 1d4 appearing at the
end of each round until twenty have arrived.
The grungs are jumpy and distrustful of strangers. At first, Yorb is more interested in
scaring away intruders than he is talking with them. If the characters rescue his
favored son in area 5 and have the means to communicate with the chief, Yorb opens
up to them. He currently has no idea his son is missing.
The grungs worship the dead trickster god Nangnang. If the characters enter into
negotiations with Yorb, he can recount the full legend of Omu’s nine trickster gods (see
“Legend of the Nine Gods”).
Shrine Doors. The doors to the shrine stand ajar. If the tide of battle turns against
Chief Yorb, he retreats into the shrine with his elite guards and bars the doors. A
character can force open the barred doors with a successful DC 25 Strength check.
Torches shed light over rooms filled of treasure: chests heaped with coins, polished amphorae, strings of pearls, and ornate pieces
of armor. Set into the floor in front of another double door is a mosaic depicting a frog-like humanoid beating a leopard that has
snakes emerging from its shoulders. Cuneiform inscriptions are woven above and below the combatants.
The inscriptions are written in Old Omuan. The one above the mosaic reads, “Nangnang teaches us to serve only ourselves.” The inscriptions below
tell how Nangnang (a grung) stole a spear belonging to Shagambi (a kamadan). For details, see “Legend of the Nine Gods."
While the treasures remain in the shrine, they look and feel real. If a character removes a treasure from the shrine, the illusion drops and the treasure
reverts to its true form: gold coins become disks of tin, silver decanters revert back to clay jugs, and glittering armor becomes rusty scrap metal. A
detect magic spell reveals that the treasures radiate auras of illusion magic while in the shrine. None of these “treasures” are valuable.
Locked Doors. The stone doors to area 18C are locked, with neither keyhole nor handle. Above the double door, the following message is carved into
the stonework in Old Omuan: “Whoever among you is the richest, bring me your gifts.” To date, even Chief Yorb hasn’t learned what lies on the other
side of the doors. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of divination magic around the doors. The doors swing open if a creature approaches them
while carrying one or more of the treasures found in the shrine. However, if another creature in the shrine is also carrying such treasure, the doors
remains closed. A knock spell also opens the doors.
In the middle of this dusty room, a stone cube rests on a pedestal carved and painted to resemble a squat, humanoid frog.
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A pair of needlelike columns mark the entrance to a walled ruin. In the courtyard beyond, banyan roots envelop a squat building. The
stone doors that seal the entrance are carved with images of snarling bears with long, sharp claws.
The shrine to the trickster god Obo’laka (represented by a zorbo) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
When the characters arrive, four zorbos (see appendix D) are lurking around the perimeter of the shrine. They investigate the sound of the squealing
doors but won’t attack large groups, preferring to pick off loners and stragglers.
The walls of this dark corridor are covered with painted reliefs showing Omuan people hunting, harvesting fruit, planting crops,
crafting weapons, feasting, fighting, weaving, and skinning animals. Eight empty torch brackets protrude from the walls under the
reliefs.
To disarm the puzzle cube trap in area 19E, the magic torches from that room must be placed in the brackets in this hall.
Barred Secret Door. A character who searches the walls and succeeds on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a secret door just inside the
entrance. The door is triple-barred from the west side. It can’t be opened manually from this side, though three knock spells will do the trick.
A glorious sun is carved on the ceiling, directly above a pool of still water. The ceiling reflected in the pool doesn’t show a sun
carving, but rather a moon carving.
The pool is a magic portal that connects to the pool in area 19D. Characters who immerse themselves in the pool surface in area 19D.
A full moon is carved on the ceiling here, directly above the pool. The walls are decorated with reliefs of the Omuan people carrying
out daily chores.
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The ceiling reflected in the pool doesn’t show a moon carving, but rather a sun carving. To travel back to area 19C, a character must duck under the
pool’s surface.
Locked Secret Door. A secret door in the south wall requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot. Even when found, there’s no
obvious way to open the door, although a knock spell works.
A character who studies the wall reliefs and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check observes that one of the figures on the wall is
crafting a key. If the character pushes the key, the secret door pops open, revealing a dusty, web-filled tunnel (area 19F) beyond.
Eight torches illuminate this room. The light washes over a floor mosaic showing two creatures locked in combat: a small bear with
sharp claws and a rabbit with a spiral horn on its forehead. In the middle of the room, a robed figure stands next to a waist-high
pedestal, atop which rests a stone cube. The figure is bald and has one hand on the cube. It takes a moment to realize that the
figure is a statue.
The floor mosaic shows Obo’laka (a zorbo) fighting I’jin (an almiraj). Inscriptions in Old Omuan underneath the mosaic explain how I’jin ruined
Obo’laka’s attempt to placate Ubtao (see “Legend of the Nine Gods”).
The statue is a petrified Red Wizard (LE male Thayan human mage) named Voj. He failed to disarm the puzzle cube trap before touching it, and its
magic turned him to stone. If a greater restoration spell or similar magic is cast on Voj, he reverts to flesh, realizes he’s not alone, and attacks anyone
who would deny him the cube.
Voj takes orders from Zagmira and knows the legend of Obo’laka and I’jin. If the characters defeat him, they find some valuables on his person (see
“Treasure” below) that aren’t obtainable while Voj is petrified.
Puzzle Cube. Any creature that touches the puzzle cube must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be petrified. Even on a success, a creature
holding the cube must repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns until the puzzle cube is removed from the shrine. When the torches in
this room are inserted into the empty brackets in area 19B, Obo’laka’s puzzle cube can be handled safely.
Torches. Each torch burns with a flame that never wears its wood down. The torches can be extinguished, but they reignite every time they reenter
this chamber. Relighting a torch by any other method proves impossible. If all eight torches are inserted into the empty brackets in area 19B, the
puzzle cube can be handled safely.
Treasure. Voj carries an immovable rod, a leather pouch containing three tiger eye gemstones (10 gp each), and a red, leather-bound spellbook,
which contains all the spells he has prepared.
This dark passage is choked with dust and webs. It’s clear that no one has been through here in years.
Traversing this corridor is the easiest way to transport the torches in area 19E to area 19B without dousing their flames in the pools. The secret door
leading to area 19B has three wooden bars across it. Once the bars are removed, the door pulls open easily.
Thousands of bats swirl above a great ruin. Behind a 15-foot-high circular wall, you see crumbling arcades, vine-choked statues,
empty plazas, and buildings overgrown with banyan roots. Streets that aren’t flooded are choked with rubble.
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The palace looks abandoned and has been looted of all treasure. Snakes slithering through the rubble are mostly harmless (but see area 20A and
20B below). The bats flying above the ruin are also harmless.
The Fane of the Night Serpent (see chapter 4) lies under the palace. There are two entrances: a large entrance to the north (area 20A) and a hidden
entrance to the south (area 20B). Watching over each entrance are three type 1 yuan-ti malisons in snake form. They slither out of hiding, revert to
their true forms, and attack anyone who isn’t accompanied by yuan-ti.
A worked tunnel descends into the earth here. Muddy cart-tracks wind back and forth from the entrance.
The tunnel slopes down to area 1 of the yuan-ti temple (see chapter 4).
Lifting aside the palm fronds, you uncover a narrow, rough-hewn passage descending into the earth.
This passage connects to area 23 of the yuan-ti temple (see chapter 4).
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Under the ruined palace of Omu lies a yuan-ti temple dedicated to an apocalyptic god known as Dendar the Night Serpent. The temple was originally
part of the palace, but the yuan-ti have expanded and modified it to suit their needs over the years. When Ras Nsi steals one of Omu’s puzzle cubes
(see chapter 3), the characters must delve into the temple to recover it. Characters captured by yuan-ti also end up here.
Ras Nsi
Ras Nsi leads the yuan-ti of Omu on a divine mission to usher forth Dendar the Night Serpent and trigger the end of the world (see appendix D for
more information on Ras Nsi and his evil plans). His version of the apocalypse is not imminent, since Ras Nsi is distracted with fears of his own
mortality. He has fallen victim to the death curse and is growing weaker by the day, and neither he nor his yuan-ti priests have been able to ascertain
the cause or find a remedy. As Ras Nsi’s power wanes, his rivals are preparing to dispose of him and continue their holy mission.
Acererak promised to help the yuan-ti if they would guard the Tomb of the Nine Gods. Ras Nsi doesn’t know that Acererak is playing him for a fool. If
the characters convince Ras Nsi that Acererak is a common enemy, he is of a mind not to stand in their way, provided that they vow to destroy the
Soulmonger. Above all else, Ras Nsi values his own life.
Fenthaza
The cruel yuan-ti malison Fenthaza is second in power only to Ras Nsi and serves as the temple’s high priest. As one of Dendar’s “nightmare
speakers,” she interprets the dream visions of the serpent god and pleases her with torture and sacrifice.
Fenthaza has long resented Ras Nsi for hanging onto the threads of his humanity. Now her visions portend ruin at Ras Nsi’s hands, and she actively
plots against him. Her dreams have revealed a treasure called the Black Opal Crown, hidden deep within the Tomb of the Nine Gods. She’s convinced
that the crown is the key to unleashing Dendar the Night Serpent. Fenthaza wants to murder Ras Nsi and obtain the crown from the tomb. The priest
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is patient and cunning, and she won’t take action against Ras Nsi unless the odds are stacked in her favor. Captive characters soon become cat’s-
paws in Fenthaza’s coup.
If the yuan-ti detect intruders inside the temple who aren’t prisoners, they try to ring the loud gong in area 9. The Temple Roster table
summarizes the positions of yuan-ti across the lair and indicates how they react when intruders are detected or the gong is struck.
Once an alarm is raised, begin tracking how much time the characters spend in the temple. At the end of each hour, roll percentile
dice and consult the Temple Reinforcements table to see what else arrives. Reinforcements enter the temple from area 1 or 23 and
behave as you desire.
The temple is a living community. Outside combat, inhabitants move between chambers, feed, wash, rest, and engage in all the
villainous deceptions of yuan-ti life. You can use the Temple Reinforcements table to simulate this.
Getting Inside ↑
The two entrances to the yuan-ti temple are located amid the ruins of Omu’s royal palace (see chapter 3, area 20). Map 4.1 provides an overview of
the temple. The main entrance leads to area 1 on the map, and the secret entrance leads to area 23.
Adventurers are most likely to enter the temple as infiltrators or captives. If they’ve forged an alliance with the Red Wizards in chapter 3, they’ll be
looking for Zagmira’s spy in the temple harem (area 10).
The temple denizens have racial tics that are difficult to mimic and they speak in a patois that combines the Common and Draconic tongues. To avoid
drawing suspicion when talking, a human character pretending to be a yuan-ti pureblood must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check.
Nonhumans have a much harder time fooling the yuan-ti without the aid of magic. Nonhuman characters attempting to pose as yuan-ti purebloods
have disadvantage on any ability checks made to act in disguise.
Yahru enjoys political games and uses the characters to play Ras Nsi and Fenthaza against one another. If the characters answered Yahru’s
questions angrily or arrogantly, they are taken to Ras Nsi. If they reacted in a calm, civil manner, they are brought to Fenthaza.
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rolling percentile dice and consulting the Slave Labors table. (More than one character can be given the same task.) As they perform labors,
characters see how the temple functions and might find ways to escape.
If the characters perform their labors without incident or complaint for 1 day, they are brought before Fenthaza once more. She promises them their
freedom if they agree to overthrow Ras Nsi. She also allows them to keep any puzzle cubes in Ras Nsi’s custody. If they agree, she gives them the
armory passphrases (see area 4) and encourages them to carry out a slave uprising. She also offers to ritually transform human characters into yuan-
ti purebloods so they can get closer to Ras Nsi (see area 9). While the characters sow confusion, she assembles her guards and priests (see areas 6
and 7), ambushes Ras Nsi, and attempts to kill him.
If the coup is thwarted, Fenthaza and her confederates are put to death. If the coup succeeds, Fenthaza concludes that the characters have outlived
their usefulness and tries to eliminate them. If the characters flee before she can betray them, Fenthaza sends her air elemental (see area 5) to hunt
them down and kill them.
Slave Labors
01– Muck out the dinosaur pen in area The character learns that Nahth (area 1) is susceptible to bribery.
15 2.
16– Help Azi Mas rearrange the Azi Mas shares his suspicions that Fenthaza is planning a coup.
40 contents of the storeroom (area
13).
41– Assist Xopal in the poison Xopal sends the character, unescorted, to gather fungi from area 22.
60 distillery (area 14).
61– Scrub the yuan-ti bathing in area The character learns that Fenthaza had a prophetic dream about the Black Opal Crown,
75 16. a treasure which the yuan-ti believe has the power to usher forth Dendar the Night
Serpent.
76– Clean the yuan-ti nests in area 18. The character overhears one yuan-ti whisper to another, in Common, “White feather,
90 black mask.” See area 4 for the significance of these words.
91– Feed a dead prisoner to the hydra The characters find a folded-up piece of parchment hidden on the dead prisoner. On
00 in area 21. one side, it bears a crude map of the temple.
Temple Roster
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1 Nahth (type 1 yuan-ti malison), 4 The yuan-ti remain here, pulling reinforcements from area 2. The swarms are confined to
yuan-ti broodguards, 3 swarms of the pits.
poisonous snakes
2 Soakosh (yuan-ti pureblood), 4 If combat erupts, one broodguard tries to strike the gong in area 9, placing the entire
yuan-ti broodguards, 2 basilisks, 1 temple on alert. If the gong is struck by someone else, all the yuan-ti and basilisks leave
triceratops to investigate. The triceratops stampedes toward area 1 if attacked or threatened with
fire.
5 Fenthaza (yuan-ti nightmare If threatened, the yuan-ti pull reinforcements from area 6. The elemental remains in its
speaker), urn until Fenthaza releases it.
2 yuan-ti malisons (type 2), 1 air
elemental
6 4 yuan-ti broodguards The yuan-ti broodguards remain here unless drawn to area 5 by sounds of combat.
10 1 doppelganger, 11 yuan-ti The doppelganger helps characters working with the Red Wizards of Thay. The
purebloods, broodguards protect the purebloods.
2 yuan-ti broodguards
11 Ras Nsi (daytime only), Sekelok Ras Nsi retreats to area 12 if threatened. If the gong in area 9 is struck, Sekelok, the
(champion variant), 2 yuan-ti malisons, and the broodguards investigate while the ghouls remain here.
malisons (type 1),
3 yuan-ti broodguards, 4 ghouls
12 Ras Nsi (present only at night or Ras Nsi flees or negotiates if outmatched.
when forced to flee from area 11)
14 Xopal (yuan-ti pureblood), 5 zombies The yuan-ti and zombies remain here.
16 2 yuan-ti malisons (type 2), 4 yuan-ti If the gong in area 9 is struck, the yuan-ti leave to investigate. If combat erupts here,
purebloods reinforcements arrive from area 17.
17 Yahru (type 1 yuan-ti malison), 2 If the gong in area 9 is struck, or if they detect a disturbance in area 16, the malison and
gladiators the gladiators leave to investigate.
18 6 yuan-ti malisons (2 each of types If the gong in area 9 is struck, the yuan-ti leave to investigate. Otherwise, they rest here.
1, 2, and 3), 6 yuan-ti purebloods
20 4 yuan-ti broodguards The yuan-ti guard the secret entrance. If combat erupts, one of them flees to area 19 to
alert the yuan-ti there. Intruders caught trying to sneak past the guards are taken to area
19 for questioning.
21 1 hydra The hydra attacks swimmers as well as creatures that travel north of area 18. If a
rowboat bell is rung, the hydra appears in 1d6 rounds and attacks unless it is properly
fed.
Temple Reinforcements
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d100 Creature(s)
16–30 1d4 + 1 yuan-ti purebloods escorting 2d4 captives (male and female Chultan human commoners of any alignment).
31–45 2d4 yuan-ti purebloods returning to the temple from an expedition or patrol.
46–60 4 yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) carrying a type 2 yuan-ti malison on a litter.
61–70 1 yuan-ti malison returning to the temple. Roll a d6 to determine its type: 1–2, type 1; 3–4, type 2; 5–6, type 3.
1 yuan-ti abomination arriving at the temple to challenge Ras Nsi’s leadership. If Fenthaza is alive, she uses her influence
71–75 to arrange a showdown between Ras Nsi and the abomination in the fane (area 9). If Fenthaza is incapacitated or dead,
the abomination bullies its way to Ras Nsi’s throne room (area 11), where it is killed.
2d4 insane cult fanatics (NE male and female humans of mixed ethnicities) seeking an audience with Ras Nsi, to pledge
76–85 their devotion to Dendar the Night Serpent. The cult fanatics bring tribute in the form of treasure (roll once on the
Treasure Hoard: Challenge 0–4 table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
2d6 tribal warriors (N male and female Chultan humans) delivering tribute to Ras Nsi. This tribute consists of food, drink,
86–00
and treasure (roll once on the Treasure Hoard: Challenge 0–4 table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Ceilings
Unless otherwise noted, chamber ceilings are 20 feet high and corridor ceilings are 10 feet high.
Doors
Doors are made from worked stone, with 4-inch-wide holes spaced along their bottoms to allow Medium and smaller snakes to pass through. Doors
are unlocked unless noted otherwise.
Illumination
Oil lamps provide dim light throughout the complex. Each lamp burns with a tall green flame as bright as torchlight.
Portcullises
Iron portcullises secure certain areas of the temple. The bars of a portcullis are 1 inch thick and spaced 4 inches apart. A portcullis can be raised or
lowered using an iron lever nearby. If the lever can’t be reached, the portcullis can be forced up or down by characters with a combined Strength of 30
or more, but doing so breaks the mechanisms that keep the portcullis from dropping. A knock spell also raises a closed portcullis.
Ramps
In place of stairs, the temple has stone ramps, which snake-bodied yuan-ti find much easier to climb.
Teleporters
Ras Nsi created five magical teleporters (in areas 8 through 12) that no one else is permitted to use. Each looks like a raised, faintly glowing stone
disk with a serpentine glyph carved into the top of it. Each disk radiates an aura of conjuration magic under the scrutiny of a detect magic spell.
If Ras Nsi steps onto one of these disks, he can continue his movement from any other disk in the temple. A character with proficiency in the Arcana
skill can do the same thing by stepping onto the teleporter and succeeding on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the check succeeds but the
character has no destination disk in mind, he or she appears atop a randomly determined one.
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1. Main Gate
If characters approach this area from the north, read:
A wide passage slopes down to a set of bronze doors. Coiled serpents decorate the metal, with a sliding hatch at head height. Four-
inch-wide holes pierce the base of each door.
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When opened, the bronze doors slide into wall niches to either side of the tunnel. To pull the doors apart, the yuan-ti broodguards under Nahth’s
command tug on heavy chains on the south side of the gate. To bypass the doors without opening them, yuan-ti malisons transform into snakes and
slither through the holes at the bottom of the doors.
A type 1 yuan-ti malison named Nahth (pronounced NAWTH) and four yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) defend the main gate. Strangers are
denied entry unless they are accompanied by one or more yuan-ti.
Nahth is greedy. After allowing characters to pass through the gate, he demands a bribe in the form of food (preferably meat) or treasure (minimum
10 gp). If the characters refuse to pay up, Nahth picks a fight with them. Combat here draws reinforcements from area 2.
Snake Pits
Beyond the main gate are three pits covered with iron grates. When enemies attack, the broodguards remove the grated covers and form up in a
defensive line on the south side of the open pits. Each pit is 5 feet across, 10 feet deep, and filled with a swarm of poisonous snakes. The walls of
each pit are too smooth to climb without the aid of gear or magic. A creature can skirt around the edge of a pit with a successful DC 10 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check but falls if the check fails. A creature can also attempt to clear the pits with a standing jump or running jump (see the Player’s
Handbook for jumping rules), provided there are no broodguards lined up along the far side.
Treasure
Nahth has a crocodile skin pouch containing 28 gp and wears gold ceremonial bracers sculpted to resemble bats (150 gp for the pair).
2. Hall of War
Four pillars carved with serpent reliefs support the 20-foot-high ceiling of this large room, in the middle of which is an 18-foot-high
statue of a coiled cobra, facing north. Torches with green flames flicker on the walls, and the air reeks of dung. Two wagons are
parked in one corner, and a triceratops is confined to a metal pen in another. To the west are a pair of dark alcoves, and to the south
is a wide, pillared hall.
Yuan-ti troops muster in this hall before heading into the city. Unless they have been drawn elsewhere, a yuan-ti pureblood named Soakosh
(pronounced SOH-kawsh) and four yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) are stationed here. Two basilisks chained to hooks in the western alcoves
are trained not to look their yuan-ti masters in the eye. Chewed bits of stone (the remains of petrified victims) litter the floor in the alcoves. The
triceratops confined to the metal pen in the northwest corner is docile until threatened. The yuan-ti use it to pull supply wagons.
Soakosh is fat and has a forked tongue. He’s rarely seen without a bag of his favorite food at hand: candied grung eggs.
If the alarm is raised, Soakosh commands the broodguards to unchain the basilisks from their hooks and lead them into battle like war hounds. If the
alarm has not been raised but combat ensues here, one broodguard runs to sound the gong in area 9.
If the triceratops is threatened with fire or injured by an attack, it smashes through the walls of its pen and heads toward area 1.
Wagons
The supply wagons in the northeast corner are empty.
3. Hall of Serpents
The walls of this pillared hall bear reliefs of a giant serpent and its yuan-ti worshipers doing terrible things.
The wall reliefs show the legend of Dendar the Night Serpent and the rise of Ras Nsi. Characters who examine them see the following tableaus:
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A giant serpent coils in the underworld, devouring the dreams of sleeping creatures.
Yuan-ti terrorize Chultans, feeding their nightmares to the great serpent.
A yuan-ti malison (Ras Nsi) wielding a flaming sword and wearing a gold crown set with a black opal leads the snake people to a great door to the
underworld.
The door to the underworld opens, releasing the serpent. It devours the sun and plunges the world into terror and darkness.
A character who searches the reliefs and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check discovers that the black opal in Ras Nsi’s crown is a
stone button. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also sees tiny holes hidden among the scales of the Night Serpent carvings.
If a character presses the button in Ras Nsi’s crown, the carvings of the Night Serpent expel a soporific gas that fills the hallway and lingers for 1
minute. Any creature that moves into the gas or starts its turn inside it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. The gas has no effect on
creatures that cannot be poisoned, and creatures that fail the save fall unconscious for 1 hour. Using cloth or wax, characters can plug the hundreds
of holes and prevent the gas from flowing out.
4. Armory
The armory door has an arcane lock spell cast on it. Officially, only Ras Nsi, Sekelok, and Fenthaza know the command phrase to bypass the spell
(“white feather”). Speaking the command phrase while standing within 5 feet of the door suppresses its magic for 1 minute, during which time the
door can be opened normally. The door can also be forced open with a knock spell or a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check.
Gleaming scimitars, serpent helms, and suits of scale armor cram the racks of this vault. Large bones and horned skulls litter the
floor, and a shield made from the shell of a tortoise hangs on the far wall.
A large skeletal serpent slithers out from behind the racks, raises its head, and says in Common, “They will tell us the passphrase!
So Ukurlahmu has spoken.”
A bone naga named Ukurlahmu (pronounced oo-ker-LAH-moo) has orders to protect the armory from thieves, but it struggles to remember faces. It
only attacks creatures who fail to speak the correct passphrase. The current passphrase is “black mask.” Characters are given three chances to utter
the correct phrase before Ukurlahmu attacks. Before it attacks, the naga uses a bonus action to speak a magic command word that causes two
minotaur skeletons to rise from the bones on the floor. The skeletons obey the naga.
Ukurlahmu speaks strangely. When it asks a question or makes a demand, it prefaces every sentence with “It will …” or “They will …” (for example, “It
will tell us why it is here and what it wants”). When it makes a statement or answers a question, it always ends its sentences with “… so Ukurlahmu
has spoken.”
Treasure
The armory contains ten suits of scale armor, fifty scimitars, twenty longbows, twenty shortbows, and fifty quivers containing twenty arrows each. A
detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around the shield hanging on the wall. The shield has a minor magical property: words
spoken by the shield’s bearer are amplified and sound ten times louder than normal.
The tortoise-shell shield belongs to Sekelok, and only he is allowed to touch it. If a character removes the shield from the wall, Ukurlahmu coldly
demands that it be returned it to its hook, attacking if this instruction is ignored.
5. Fenthaza’s Quarters
Two type 2 yuan-ti malisons stand guard in the corridor outside this room. Combat in the hallway alerts the yuan-ti broodguards in area 6, which
arrive in 1 round. The room can be described as follows:
A haze of incense lingers inside the chamber. Faded murals decorate the walls, and throw rugs and cushions lie scattered on the
floor. An engraved chest rests in one corner next to a stone urn covered with snake carvings. A creature with the head and upper
body of a dark-skinned woman and the lower body of a serpent coils in the middle of the room.
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Fenthaza, a yuan-ti nightmare speaker (see appendix D), lairs here. If an alarm is raised,
Fenthaza relies on her guards to protect her while she releases the creature trapped in the
stone urn (see below). Fenthaza tries to incapacitate interlopers and confine them to area 8. A
particularly irksome foe might be shackled to the altar in area 6, where she can torture it at her
leisure.
One of the more powerful figures in the temple, Fenthaza ruled the yuan-ti after their
abomination leader died, and she performed the ritual that transformed Ras Nsi into a malison.
Recently, her visions have led her to doubt Ras Nsi’s capabilities. In turn, Ras Nsi has started to
cede power to his champion, Sekelok (area 12).
Stone Urn
The stone urn stands 4 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. Its stone lid weighs 25 pounds.
Trapped within the urn is an air elemental that obeys Fenthaza. If the urn’s lid is removed by
someone other than Fenthaza, the elemental flies out and attacks.
Fenthaza uses the elemental to hunt down and slay escaped prisoners. Once it has completed
its task, the elemental always returns to its mistress.
Treasure
Fenthaza carries a ring of keys that unlock the manacles and shackles worn by the prisoners in
area 8. She wears a holy symbol of Dendar the Night Serpent (25 gp) around her neck.
The chest is unlocked and contains 200 gp, a black leather quiver embroidered with a quartz-
studded star map (75 gp), and a ceremonial dagger in a gold scabbard embossed with a scene
of stampeding jungle animals (25 gp).
6. Sacrificial Chamber
Unless they are lured to area 5 by sounds of battle, four yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) stand guard in this chamber, one in each corner.
A bloodstained altar stands in the middle of this room. It has shackles bolted to its top and niches carved into its sides. Housed in
each niche is a human skull. Grooves run down the altar to gutters on the floor, allowing spilled blood to drain into the walls. Clay
urns overflow with wet bones and gore.
Fenthaza routinely sacrifices prisoners on the altar. As they die, their blood drains into the pool in area 9. A captured character who insults or
otherwise annoys Fenthaza might end up here, shackled to the altar.
Chanting Skulls
The altar has six niches (one at each end and two on each long side). The human skull in each niche radiates an aura of abjuration magic under the
scrutiny of a detect magic spell. If combat ensues here, the skulls start to chant in Abyssal. The skulls stop chanting when they are removed from
their niches or when combat ends. Each skull has AC 9, 1 hit point, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. As long as one or more skulls are
chanting, all yuan-ti in the room gain the following benefits:
Portcullis
A portcullis seals the entrance to area 8. A bronze lever is set into the wall south of the gate, out of sight of area 8. Lifting the lever raises the
portcullis, and pulling the lever down causes the portcullis to drop.
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7. Evil Oracle
Steam rises from a stone basin filled with viscous black and purple liquid. Three serpentine creatures surround the pool. Each has
the head and upper body of a dark-skinned woman and the lower body of a snake.
Yuan-ti priests use the pool to commune with Dendar the Night Serpent. Three priests named Arakiti, Kultha, and Nyss are here at all times. They are
loyal to Fenthaza and are type 3 yuan-ti malisons, with these changes:
Add the following to the list of spells that the yuan-ti can innately cast at will: eldritch blast (2 beams; +5 to hit; 1d10 + 3 force damage per beam),
minor illusion, and poison spray.
They don’t carry longbows.
Oracle Pool
The sludge within the pool conducts the reveries of Dendar the Night Serpent. A creature that enters the sludge or starts its turn in the pool takes 5
(1d10) psychic damage.
Any creature that gazes into the pool for more than a few seconds receives a brief, nightmarish vision. In this vision, the creature is being swallowed
whole by a giant snake. When the vision ends, the creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5 (1d10)
psychic damage and is afflicted with a random form of long-term madness (see “Madness” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Yuan-ti captives not put to work as slaves are imprisoned in cells until they can be sacrificed to Dendar the Night Serpent. Ten
sample prisoners are described below, and you can create others. All prisoners wear manacles on their wrists and ankles (see area
8 for details). They’ve been stripped of their armor and weapons unless noted otherwise. All seek to escape the temple and make
their way back to their homes or return to civilization.
Tahvo, a ten-year-old boy (LG male Chultan human noncombatant with AC 10 and 2 hit points), wears a flower garland and prays
constantly to Tymora.
Sev, a yuan-ti pureblood who looks human except for his forked tongue, is suffering the effects of blue mist fever (see “Diseases”)
and throws stones at illusory blue monkeys only he can see.
Oloma Authdamar (CG female Turami human scout) is a former crew member of the Star Goddess (see chapter 2). She leapt from a
porthole as the ship crashed, and the yuan-ti captured her in the jungle. Oloma carries a concealed dagger.
Pottery Shard, a tabaxi minstrel (see appendix D), was kidnapped while traveling from Port Nyanzaru to Fort Beluarian.
Gorvax, a firenewt warrior (see appendix D) is eager to escape and return to the Valley of Lost Honor.
A Harper named Lomar Dral (LG male Turami human mage with no spell slots remaining). While searching for Artus Cimber in Port
Nyanzaru, he was drugged by the yuan-ti guide Salida and woke up a prisoner in Omu.
Mung, a Batiri goblin, was caught by the yuan-ti while foraging in the jungle. He is malnourished and suffers from 3 levels of
exhaustion (see appendix A of the Player’s Handbook).
Kanush Natombe (N male Chultan human tribal warrior) foolishly traveled to Omu to prove his worth to another man. Kanush is
malnourished and suffers from 4 levels of exhaustion.
Zilla Atazi (LE female Chultan human bandit) was a pirate aboard the Dragonfang. Captain Elok Jaharwon threw Zilla overboard for
insubordination. The yuan-ti captured her after she washed ashore.
8. Prisoner Pits
An iron portcullis seals this chamber. The lever to raise it is located in area 6.
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Characters captured by the yuan-ti are confined here. If this is how the characters first arrive, read:
The stench of sweat fills the humid air. You are chained to the wall of a dank, partially flooded pit. Other prisoners whimper nearby,
lit by faint torchlight from the hole above.
If characters peer into this room through the portcullis, use this description instead:
Muffled sobs and moans rise from four pits with circular iron grates covering them. A chain hooked to each grate stretches over a
pulley bolted to the ceiling and coils around an iron winch set into a nearby wall. Iron manacles dangle from hooks on the south
wall. To the north, a faintly glowing stone disk covers the floor of an otherwise empty alcove, and carved into the top of the disk is a
serpentine symbol.
The room contains four pits, each one a bell-shaped chamber 10 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter. The pits are flooded to a depth of 3 feet. Covering
each pit is a 600-pound circular iron grate that requires one or more characters with a combined Strength score of at least 20 to lift. Alternatively, a
character can use the iron winch near each pit to lift or lower its lid with a successful DC 12 Strength check. Climbing the slippery, sloped walls of a
pit requires a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check.
New prisoners are slapped in chains and dropped into a random pit. The yuan-ti strip all prisoners of their belongings, which are kept in the storeroom
(area 13) until they are properly inventoried. If the yuan-ti need to get a prisoner out of the pit, they disconnect a hook from the lid and use it to hoist
the prisoner out by the manacles.
Each pit contains 1d3 prisoners, and the “Prisoners of the Yuan-ti” sidebar describes several. If a player character dies, you could introduce a
replacement character here as a prisoner hoping to be rescued.
Prisoners are forced to wear manacles on their wrists and shackles on their ankles. The manacles impose disadvantage on ability checks made to
climb or swim. The shackles reduce a prisoner’s walking speed by half and impose disadvantage on ability checks made to jump. Fenthaza (see area
5) carries the keys for these bindings. See “Adventuring Gear” in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook for rules on breaking, escaping, and unlocking
manacles (and shackles).
Teleporter
The engraved stone disk in the northern alcove is one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters”).
9. The Fane
An underground cathedral opens before you. At one end, a sculptured balcony perches atop five rearing stone serpents. Blood
dribbling from the serpents’ jaws falls into a semicircular basin, and from there flows along a sloped trough into a wide stone bowl
set into the floor. South of the bowl is a mezzanine, prominently situated atop which is a cauldron of steaming broth that exudes
fleshy odors. To the west, a huge gong carved with snake patterns stands on a second balcony.
During rituals, the fane swells with yuan-ti, but the room is unguarded otherwise. When struck, the gong can be heard throughout the temple complex.
One strike announces the start of a serpent ritual: when sounded, all the yuan-ti within the temple complex arrive here within half an hour. Two or
more strikes in quick succession signal an alarm: when sounded, yuan-ti throughout the temple converge on this location as quickly as possible (see
the Temple Roster table).
Blood Pool
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Blood spilled in area 6 is channeled into this room, and the central pool contains 3d6 inches of viscid, days-old blood from previous sacrifices. The
yuan-ti wallow in the blood from time to time, and slaves are sometimes brought here to be eaten alive by crazed revelers or transformed into yuan-ti
(see “Yuan-ti Rituals” below).
Cauldron
A stew made from boiled flesh sloshes inside the cauldron, which is heated by a volcanic vent in the floor underneath it. Upturning the cauldron is an
action that requires a successful DC 15 Strength check. When the cauldron is tipped, each creature on the floor within a 15-foot cone of the cauldron
must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Set into the back wall is an alcove with an engraved stone disk on the floor — one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters”).
Portcullis
A portcullis seals the entrance to area 10. A bronze lever is set into the wall north of the gate, out of sight of area 10. Lifting the lever raises the
portcullis, and pulling the lever down causes the portcullis to drop.
Yuan-ti Rituals
Once every ten days, the yuan-ti gather in the fane for a depraved ritual. The ceremony takes place over the course of one night, with a skeleton crew
guarding the rest of the temple complex during these periods.
During the ritual, mesmerizing incense is burned in the wall sconces. (See area 13 for more information on the incense.) Fenthaza preaches to the
congregation from the north balcony. As the ceremony reaches fever pitch, she joins the revelers in the blood pool to feast on the slaves before
slithering back to her quarters. On occasion, human slaves are transformed into yuan-ti purebloods or broodguards during these rituals. To undergo
the change, slaves must bathe with snakes in the blood of sacrificial victims while under the influence of temple drugs. The transformation leaves
each slave with 1d6 levels of exhaustion. Once they’ve shed their old skin, those who survive the process are taken to their new home in the yuan-ti
nests (area 18) to recuperate. Those who die are fed to the hydra in area 21.
Fenthaza can arrange for captured human characters to be transformed into yuan-ti purebloods so they can roam freely within the temple complex
and get closer to Ras Nsi. The transformation can be undone only by a wish spell or divine intervention. Characters who survive it gain a random form
of indefinite madness (see “Madness” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). A human that undergoes and survives the ritual retains its traits
and gains the following yuan-ti racial traits.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in
darkness, only shades of gray.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the poison spray cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can
target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a
long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
10. Harem
An iron portcullis seals the entrance to this chamber. To raise it, a creature must lift a lever in area 9.
A fountain of cool water bubbles on the floor ahead. The scent of lilies fills the air, and silken drapes drift lazily in the heat. Archways
open into shaded booths heaped with cushions and trays of sugared sweets. Lounging about are a dozen scantily clad humanoids
with eyes like those of snakes and scaly patches on their arms, legs, necks, and backs. Watching over them are a pair of inhuman
bipedal reptiles.
Ras Nsi’s concubines live in luxury within these chambers. Eleven yuan-ti purebloods and a doppelganger disguised as a pureblood comprise the
harem. Two yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) watch over the harem at all hours.
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Ras Nsi used to spend much of his time here, sampling the harem’s delights. Since the death curse took hold of him, he has cloistered himself
elsewhere. The purebloods neither help nor hinder the characters, and they fear Ras Nsi enough not to betray him willingly. Despite Ras Nsi’s efforts
to hide the effects of the death curse, the concubines know that he is sick and dying.
Ras Nsi’s yuan-ti champion, Sekelok (area 11), is fascinated by the concubine Neema and courts disaster by visiting her in the dead of night. Neema
browbeats the other concubines to cover up her affair.
Doppelganger Spy
The doppelganger infiltrated the temple by killing and assuming the form of a male yuan-ti pureblood named Ishmakahl (pronounced ISH-mah-kawl).
It has been sent by Zagmira, a Red Wizard, to spy on Ras Nsi. Unfortunately for its employers, the doppelganger has had little contact with Ras Nsi
since arriving at the fane; however, it has learned a few things by eavesdropping on Sekelok and Neema’s intimate conversations.
Ishmakahl appears as a handsome Chultan man with eyes like a snake’s. If the characters make contact with the doppelganger on behalf of the Red
Wizards, it offers to help them steal any puzzle cubes from Ras Nsi’s lair (area 12). Ishmakahl knows the layout of the temple and knows there’s a
secret door somewhere in the throne room (area 11) that leads to Ras Nsi’s lair. The doppelganger also knows that Ras Nsi’s lair can be reached via
the fane’s teleporters, though it doesn’t know how to activate them. It advises the characters to break into the lair when Sekelok next visits the harem.
Ishmakahl is secretly contemplating a defection to the yuan-ti. If its plan shows any signs of backfiring, the doppelganger reveals itself to Ras Nsi or
Sekelok, and warns him about the intruders.
Teleporter
The eastern booth contains an alcove, set into the floor of which is a faintly glowing stone disk engraved with a serpentine symbol. This is one of Ras
Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters").
Treasure
Characters who loot these chambers gain the following treasures: a white gold tiara made from two intertwined vipers with topaz eyes (750 gp), a
jade trinket box shaped like a flytrap with curling golden leaves (250 gp), and two golden cobra candlesticks (75 gp each).
Four pillars support the vaulted ceiling, and steps ascend to an iron throne carved in the likeness of a hydra. Painted on the wall
behind it is a large blue triangle. To the south, an engraved stone disk is set into the floor of an alcove. A ten-foot-wide opening in
the east wall leads to a flooded cave.
During the day, Ras Nsi (see appendix D) “sits” in the throne while addressing two type 1 yuan-ti malisons who routinely advise him. Standing guard
in the middle of the room is Ras Nsi’s champion, Sekelok (see below), and three yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D). Hidden behind the throne are
four ghouls that obey Ras Nsi’s commands. Each ghoul has a blue triangle tattooed on its forehead.
At night, Ras Nsi retires to area 12, leaving the other yuan-ti (including Sekelok) and the ghouls here. Sekelok sometimes sneaks off to the harem
(area 10).
If the gong in area 9 is struck, Sekelok and the other yuan-ti leave to investigate while the ghouls hide behind the throne and Ras Nsi withdraws to
area 12.
Sekelok
Sekelok is a tall, muscular yuan-ti pureblood. He has the statistics of a champion (see appendix D), with these changes:
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Innate Spellcasting. Sekelok’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring
no material components:
3/day: suggestion
Sekelok is Ras Nsi’s trusted bodyguard and takes grim pleasure in slaughtering his master’s enemies. Ras Nsi delights in forcing those who offend
him to duel Sekelok, either to the first cut or to the death.
Sekelok has a secret affair with Neema, one of Ras Nsi’s concubines (see area 10). His motivations here are confused: while he remains staunchly
loyal to Ras Nsi, the subterfuge fuels his ego. If Ras Nsi discovers the affair, he flays both parties alive for their betrayal and feeds them to his pet
hydra (see area 21).
Secret Door
A secret door in the western corner of the north wall leads to Ras Nsi’s lair (area 12). To locate the secret door, a character must succeed on a DC 16
Wisdom (Perception) check while searching the walls. If the characters have been told about the secret door, they gain advantage on the skill check.
Teleporter
The engraved stone disk in the southern alcove is one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters").
Shadows dance over this opulent bedchamber. Cushions lie in one corner, and decorative shields line the walls. Treasures are
heaped around the room: gold and silver coins; a gilded harp; a jeweled wine flask; pillows of silk; and fine clothes draped over
wooden mannequins. To the east, an engraved stone disk is set into the floor of an alcove. To the west, a rectangular steel plate
mounted on the wall is polished to a mirror-like sheen.
At night, Ras Nsi (see appendix D) rests here, weakened by the death curse that is slowly consuming him. If enemies corner Ras Nsi, shields leap
from the walls to protect him (see “Flying Shields” below). During waking hours, Ras Nsi returns here only if he’s in danger.
If the characters defeat Ras Nsi and question him, he reveals the following information to save his skin:
Ras Nsi is slowly rotting to death. He doesn’t know the cause of his affliction and has no way to cure it.
Before he dies, Ras Nsi wants to bring forth Dendar the Night Serpent and destroy the world.
The yuan-ti believe there’s a locked gate somewhere under the Peaks of Flame that prevents the Dendar from entering the world. Acererak has
promised to help Ras Nsi unlock the gate and bring forth the Night Serpent. In return, Ras Nsi defends the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
Nine stone puzzle cubes are needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods. Ras Nsi doesn’t know how to use the cubes to unlock the tomb.
The tomb entrance is marked with an obelisk. (Ras Nsi can provide directions and/or an escort.)
Acererak slew the nine gods of Omu before enslaving the city’s inhabitants, which he used to build his tomb.
Flying Shields
As a bonus action, Ras Nsi can speak a command word (“Ssilum”) that causes five shields to fly off the walls and levitate around him. While they’re
active, Ras Nsi gains a +10 bonus to his AC. If an attack that would normally hit Ras Nsi is blocked by the shields, one of the shields is struck and
disabled as it falls to the floor, reducing Ras Nsi’s bonus to AC by 2. When there are no more active shields, the effect ends, and Ras Nsi can’t use this
power again until he finishes a long rest. A detect magic or similar effect reveals an aura of transmutation magic around the shields. Only Ras Nsi
can activate the shields, and the effect is confined to this room.
Teleporter
The engraved stone disk in the eastern alcove is one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters").
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Treasure
Ras Nsi wields a flame tongue longsword and carries a sending stone. The companion stone is in Salida’s possession (see “Finding a Guide").
Ras Nsi’s lair contains treasures from distant lands. The collection includes a Sembian wine flask (50 gp), a bejeweled Amnian doublet with matching
money pouch (75 gp), a fine Cormyrean cloak (100 gp), a gilded Moonshae harp (250 gp), and three large cushions covered in Turami silk (25 gp
each). Hidden under one of the cushions is Ras Nsi’s leather-bound spellbook, which contains all the spells he has prepared (see appendix D). In
addition, his hoard contains thirty 50 gp gemstones in a clay urn, 150 pp in an unlocked wooden chest, 350 gp and 900 sp scattered on the floor, and
a froghemoth statuette made of painted wood with three amethyst gemstones for eyes (100 gp each).
Puzzle Cubes. If Ras Nsi has taken one or more puzzle cubes from the shrines of Omu, they can be found among the items in his hoard.
13. Storeroom
The southwest double door is locked. Using thieves’ tools, a character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Stacks of sturdy wood crates, bundles of cloth, and clay amphorae litter the floor.
Supplies gathered from the world above are stored in this chamber. An awakened giant constrictor snake named Azi Mas serves as custodian for the
provisions. When fresh goods arrive, Azi Mas personally checks them and mentally catalogs them. The rest of the time, he remains coiled in the
shadows. The snake is bored and enjoys chatting with yuan-ti visitors. Should other creatures enter from the southwest, Azi Mas ambushes them and
tries to take a hostage. If outmatched, he whines and pleads for mercy.
Long ago, a jungle druid used an awaken spell on Azi Mas, giving him an Intelligence of 10 and the ability to speak Common. After serving him for the
duration of the enchantment, the serpent slithered off and found its way to Omu. Azi Mas has a good memory; he can remember names and faces
and is quick to warn his masters if yuan-ti pass through whom he hasn’t seen before.
Treasure
The storeroom contains fifty bolts of cloth; six crates of bronze bars; three barrels of salt and spices; and three chests containing rope, oil, lanterns,
paper, and blankets. From the supplies, characters can assemble enough gear to make five explorer’s packs.
Mesmerizing Incense. Also present is a sealed case containing ten blocks of temple incense. Lighting a block creates a hazy cloud that fills a 20-
foot-diameter sphere and moves with the block. Any creature that starts its turn in the cloud and breathes the air must succeed on a DC 16
Constitution saving throw or fall into a dreamlike stupor laced with nightmarish visions. Though it remains awake, the creature is poisoned. Even
yuan-ti are vulnerable to this effect, which lasts for 1 hour after a creature leaves the cloud, or until it receives a lesser restoration spell or similar
magic.
The air in here is moist and sticky. Natural light spills from cracks in the ceiling, and mud coats the floor. Stone workbenches are
laden with clay bottles of various shapes and sizes. Toadstools, snakeroot, and belladonna plants grow among the clutter, fed by
water seeping from above. Standing near the plants is a hairless man with scaly skin and a bronze syringe. Lurking in the shadows
around him are five slouching humans that reek of decay.
Yuan-ti use this chamber to extract venom from snakes. Xopal (pronounced zoh-PAUL), a yuan-ti pureblood, bottles and blends the venom to create
deadly new strains. Five human zombies serve Xopal as laborers.
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Xopal carries a bronze syringe containing three doses of a poison cocktail. As an action, he can make a melee weapon attack with the syringe (+3 to
hit), which deals 1 piercing damage and injects one dose of poison on a hit. Any creature injected with a dose of poison must make a DC 14
Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, the creature is
poisoned for 1 hour whether or not its save succeeds.
Xopal believes it’s his destiny to transform into a much more powerful form of yuan-ti — a metamorphosis that will occur when he develops a poison
so virulent that even innate immunity to poison can’t withstand it. Xopal uses the zombies as test subjects; once he’s overcome their immunity, he
plans to conduct further tests on live yuan-ti.
Bottled Poisons
The presence of so many poisons makes combat in this room hazardous. If a workbench is exposed to explosive force, such as that generated by a
thunderwave or fireball spell, the bottles smash and create a 15-foot-radius sphere of poisonous vapors that lasts for 1 minute. Any creature that
enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn within the sphere must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison
damage on a failed save. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don’t need to breathe.
Among the poisons is a stoppered bronze jug used for fermenting jungle roots into soporific gas. Removing the stopper releases the gas, which fills a
15-foot-radius sphere centered on the jug. See area 3 for the effect of the soporific gas.
Treasure
Xopal carries a brass key that unlocks the south door.
Characters who search through the poisons can loot twenty doses of serpent venom, five doses of essence of ether, and five doses of torpor (see
“Poisons” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
A rickety wooden walkway threads around the walls of a deep pit. Foul odors waft up from below. Somewhere in the gloom beneath
you, thousands of snakes writhe.
Despite appearances, the rickety wooden walkway is safe. The yuan-ti sometimes hurl disobedient slaves into the pit to be devoured by the serpents.
The pit is 50 feet deep and filled with poisonous snakes. When a creature falls or sets foot in the pit, a swarm of poisonous snakes forms around it
and attacks. A virtually inexhaustible number of swarms can be created in this fashion. A swarm that has nothing to attack ceases to exist as its
constituents slither apart.
To climb the wet cavern walls, a character must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
The iron stench of blood floods this chamber. Along one wall, a row of gore-filled pools sink into the floor. Blood trails and bloody
footprints run between the pools.
When they awake each day, the yuan-ti ritually bathe in the blood of sacrifices. The blood is contained within these stone baths and heated by thermal
vents underneath each pool. When the characters enter, four yuan-ti purebloods and two type 2 yuan-ti malisons bathe in the warm pools. Five
slaves in loincloths (male and female Chultan human commoners of various alignments) tend to their every need. Give names to slaves as needed
(see the “Chultan Names” sidebar in the book’s introduction).
The blood-drenched yuan-ti keep their weapons at the back of each alcove. If they hear the gong alarm sound, the yuan-ti command their slaves to
remain here while they arm themselves and head quickly to area 9. If combat breaks out here, reinforcements from area 17 arrive in 1d3 rounds.
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17. Sauna
Heat rises from an enormous oval stone set into the floor of this chamber. Discarded skins are heaped around it, and shelves
underneath it are lined with jars. A snake-headed yuan-ti sheds his skin while two strong, bare-chested human men with spears look
on.
The oval stone is 8 feet tall and made of porous rock. Situated atop a volcanic vent, it transfers heat evenly throughout the room. The yuan-ti come
here to shed their skins and polish their scales.
Thirty jars line the shelves underneath the oval stone, and each one contains a scented ointment that yuan-ti use to keep their skin supple and to
ease the shedding of their skin. The ointment is not valuable.
Unless they have been fought and defeated elsewhere, two enslaved men (NE male Chultan human gladiators) watch Yahru (pronounced YAH-roo), a
type 1 yuan-ti malison, as he sheds his skin (a process that can take up to an hour). Yahru is Ras Nsi’s spymaster, and he doesn’t like to be disturbed.
Characters passing themselves off as yuan-ti purebloods are instructed to leave the room at once. Enslaved characters are ordered to smear
ointment on Yahru’s skin to expedite the skin-shedding process.
Yahru abhors physical combat, and he values his bodyguards too much to risk their lives in a pointless battle. Unless the characters provoke a fight,
he tries to find out more about them and learn any secrets they might possess, while providing as little information as possible. If Yahru obtains
information that would clearly benefit Ras Nsi or Fenthaza, he chooses which superior to bequeath it to. Yahru enjoys playing them off against each
other.
If his bodyguards are defeated and he is facing death, Yahru offers small bits of information for the promise of freedom. In addition to the layout and
defenses of the temple, Yahru knows the following:
Ras Nsi commands the yuan-ti of Omu, but his command is tenuous. The high priest, Fenthaza, is Ras Nsi’s chief rival.
Ras Nsi is slowly being eaten away by a magical disease for which there is no known cure.
Ras Nsi has made a pact with a powerful lich named Acererak, who conquered Omu long ago and built a tomb beneath the city. The tomb’s entrance
is marked with an obelisk. (Yahru can provide directions.)
Acererak slew the nine gods of Omu before enslaving the city’s human and minotaur inhabitants, which he used to build his tomb.
These dank catacombs have been converted into sleeping quarters. The walls are lined with alcoves that now serve as nests for
yuan-ti.
When the characters arrive, twelve of the eighteen alcoves are occupied by six yuan-ti malisons (two each of types 1, 2, and 3) and six yuan-ti
purebloods. The remaining six alcoves are currently not in use. Passing through the area without being spotted is impossible unless the characters
use magic to hide themselves.
If the gong in area 9 is struck, all the yuan-ti in this room gather their weapons and investigate.
A campfire casts warm light over this cavern. Heaps of dead grass and palm fronds are scattered about, and the muddy floor is
pitted with footprints.
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When they’re not working, 2d10 slaves (commoners of various races, alignments, and genders) dwell here. For slave names, see the “Chultan Names”
sidebar in the book’s introduction. Three yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D) guard the slaves for Slavemaster Issar, a type 3 yuan-ti malison
wearing a red cloth headdress. Issar is more interested in gazing at his own reflection in a hand mirror than putting the slaves to work.
Issar is too stately to speak to the “meat” under his command. Instead, he’s chosen a Chultan slave boy named Khoti to translate his subtle,
unspoken gestures. A twitch of the tail could be interpreted as an order to fetch water, or the flick of the tongue an approval. In truth, Khoti makes up
most of what he sees. Issar couldn’t care less either way, as long as the correct amount of deference is shown. If strangers appear before Issar, Khoti
questions them on his master’s behalf.
Slaves
Under Issar’s supervision, the slaves are supposed to be widening these caverns to create new sleeping quarters for the yuan-ti. However, progress
has been slow. The slaves wore down or broke most of their tools, and Issar is waiting for the delivery of new tools.
The slaves are physically healthy, but their wills have been broken by mental trauma and tranquilizing drugs. Their emotions surface only during rest,
when the dreams of the Night Serpent wrench them screaming from their troubled sleep.
The slaves are not chained. Presented with an opportunity to escape, most become paralyzed with indecision. Breaking their fugue requires strong
words and a successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check. Armed slaves who come to their senses try to slaughter as many yuan-ti
as they can. They know the temple’s defenses and general layout, except with regard to areas 11 and 12 (which they’ve never seen).
Treasure
Issar carries an iron key that unlocks the double door to area 13. His red cloth headdress is sewn with malachite gemstones (250 gp), and he preens
in a golden hand mirror (75 gp).
An underground river opens before you. Stalactites hang low over its surface, and dripping water echoes in the dark.
The river links various sections of the complex. The water varies between 5 and 30 feet deep, and the current isn’t strong enough to present a hazard
to swimmers. To the north and south, the river descends into submerged tunnels that spread for miles under the jungle.
Rowboats
When the characters arrive, a pair of rowboats are pulled up on the shore near the tunnel to area 23 (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for
more information on rowboats). A cowbell dangles from a hook at the prow of each boat. Ringing either bell summons the hydra in area 21, which
arrives in 1d6 rounds.
Yuan-ti Broodguards
Guarding the rowboats and watching the secret entrance (area 23) are four yuan-ti broodguards (see appendix D). If they detect intruders not
disguised as yuan-ti, one broodguard runs to warn the yuan-ti stationed in area 19 while the others attempt to repel the interlopers.
The broodguards stop and question characters disguised as yuan-ti purebloods. To bluff their way past the guards, the characters must succeed on a
group DC 10 Charisma (Deception) check. If the group check succeeds, the broodguards wave them inside without checking their story. If the group
check fails, the broodguards march them to meet Slavemaster Issar in area 19.
An underground river widens to form a flooded grotto. To the west, a pebble-strewn bank rises to a door recessed in the cavern wall.
Near the middle of the lake, bones cling like a tide mark to a rocky pillar.
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A hydra lurks underwater in this vicinity. Ras Nsi treats the monster as his beloved pet and regularly feeds it slaves, prisoners, and subordinates
who’ve defied him. The hydra’s victims are bound and ferried on rowboats over the deepest part of the river. To call the monster, their captors sound
the rowboat bell and hurl the hogtied victim (or victims) into the water.
While it remains fed, the hydra avoids any boats that ply back and forth. When a rowboat bell is sounded, the hydra surfaces within 1d6 rounds. If it’s
not fed immediately, it attacks the boat. The hydra attacks any boats that venture north of area 18. Swimmers are also fair game.
The passage widens into a cavern filled with fungi. Toadstools, puffballs, and other tuberous growths cover the walls and floor.
Against the far wall, a malformed skeleton lies buried under a patch of buttery mold. A brass key hangs around its neck.
A patch of green slime (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) clings to the ceiling above the entrance and drops on the first creature that
passes underneath.
A patch of yellow mold (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) covers the skeletal corpse. If a creature touches the mold, it ejects a cloud of
deadly spores.
The corpse belongs to Kukuga, a yuan-ti pureblood who secretly worshiped Zuggtmoy (the demon queen of fungi). Kukuga concocted a fungal brew
that would transform his body into a form closer to that of his demonic mistress. Instead, it led to his sudden and horrific death. Xopal (area 14)
occasionally ventures into the cavern to harvest poisonous toadstools from his corpse.
To remove the brass key without disturbing the mold, a character must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. The key unlocks the
door to the venom distillery (area 14).
The passage winds into the bowels of the earth. The air is wet and sticky, and the walls are slick with moisture. Harmless
centipedes crawl across the floor as you descend.
The tunnel is roughly 100 feet long. Characters who climb the tunnel toward the surface emerge amid the ruins of Omu’s royal palace (see chapter 3,
area 20B).
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Acererak built the Tomb of the Nine Gods not only to house the remains of Omu’s trickster gods, but also to slay interlopers. However, few today even
know the tomb exists, and thus it remains an enigma. Rare are the tavern tales that lure adventurers to its gates, and its horrors remain
undocumented in the libraries of Candlekeep. The reason for this is simple: not one person who has entered the tomb has lived to tell the tale.
In Acererak’s absence, the tomb snared adventurers from faraway lands and harvested their souls to feed the archlich’s phylactery, which remained
hidden on another plane. Every few decades, Acererak returned to tinker with his dungeon’s traps, add treasure to its vaults, and reap a bounty of
hoarded souls. His planar wanderings have influenced the tomb’s mishmash of architectural styles, and have populated it with strange and deadly
monsters.
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To nurture the atropal, Acererak needed an untold number of souls. The archlich made a bargain with the Sewn Sisters, a coven of night hags feared
throughout the Lower Planes. Seduced by the prospect of a near-endless supply of souls, the hags joined Acererak in his tomb. With their assistance,
the archlich crafted the Soulmonger — a necromantic device that could reap the souls of the dying from across Toril and feed them to the atropal.
Leaving the Sewn Sisters behind as nursemaids, Acererak abandoned his tomb to watch the rise of the death god from afar.
General Features
The following features are common throughout the tomb. Some levels of the tomb have additional features that are described at the beginning of
their respective sections.
Ceilings
Unless specified otherwise, ceilings in the tomb are 8 feet high in corridors and 12 feet high in rooms.
Crawlways
Certain areas of the tomb are accessible only by way of narrow tunnels. These crawlways are 3 feet high and 2 feet wide.
Lighting
All areas of the tomb are unlit unless noted otherwise.
Secret Doors
Most secret doors within the tomb slide open on stone runners. The handles that unlock them are hidden within the features of relief carvings along
the walls, including inside the jaws of many graven skulls.
A secret door can be spotted by any character within 5 feet of it who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 20 or higher, or with a search and a
successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Staircases
Stairs in the tomb are carved out of the living rock, and each step is topped with a single slab of cut stone. The skulls and bones of dead Omuans fill
niches along the walls of each staircase. Staircases run 25 feet between each level of the tomb.
Tracks
Explorers have broken into the tomb recently, and Withers and his tomb dwarves make frequent patrols. Their trails crisscross back and forth, making
other creatures in the tomb difficult to track. The freshest tracks belong to the skeleton keys (see “Tomb Inhabitants” below). Any character who tries
to follow a skeleton key’s trail can do so with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check, finding the way to the nearest unexplored location marked
with a skull symbol on the dungeon map.
Tomb Inhabitants
A grim pageant of monstrous residents lurks in the tomb, waiting to greet visitors.
Withers and his crew use the staircase at area 26 to roam unseen through the tomb’s many levels. When their work is done, they retreat to their secret
headquarters on level 2 of the tomb (areas 27 and 28). Withers avoids contact with the characters when possible, confident that Acererak’s traps will
defeat them.
Legendary Monsters
Two legendary monsters dwell in Acererak’s tomb: a beholder guarding a treasure vault (area 44) and an aboleth lurking in an underground lake (area
65). These creatures can’t use lair actions within the tomb, and the regional effects of each creature’s lair are localized to the levels where they dwell.
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Despite being the dungeon’s creator, Acererak doesn’t count the Tomb of the Nine Gods as his lair. Consequently, no lair actions or regional effects
are ascribed to the archlich in this adventure.
Skeleton Keys
To unlock the final gate to the Soulmonger, the adventurers must acquire five skeleton keys — each the carved skull of an animated human skeleton
that roams the tomb. The characters can capture and control these skeletons, or can simply snap a skull off its spine.
Finding a Skeleton Key. Each of the first five levels of the tomb has its own skeleton key. A skeleton key can be encountered in any of the locations
marked with a skull symbol on the level map. You choose a skeleton key’s location. You can also change your mind and relocate the skeleton key to
make it easier or harder to find.
Apart from unlocking the skeleton gate in area 71, the skeleton keys perform no function. When the characters enter an area containing a skeleton
key, it might be standing in the middle of the room, standing in a corner, walking across the ceiling, or clinging to a wall. A skeleton key’s primary goal
is to avoid capture or destruction, so it flees if it can.
Skeleton Keys
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1 Triangle
2 Square
3 Pentagon
4 Hexagon
5 Octagon
Tomb Guardians
Adventurers who have perished inside the tomb are stitched together by tomb dwarves and bolted into suits of armor. Once complete, these
shambling golems are released into the tomb to hunt intruders.
A tomb guardian is a flesh golem clad in plate armor, giving it AC 17. One or two tomb guardians should appear whenever you feel the need for
combat. As the characters delve deeper into the tomb, they should come to know these monsters well.
Fabled Treasures
Among the many treasures hidden in the tomb are four fabled art objects that hold special value. Acererak uses them to lure adventurers to the tomb.
Any character with proficiency in the History skill who lays eyes on one of these treasures can recall its lore with a successful DC 20 Intelligence
(History) check.
The yuan-ti nightmare speaker Fenthaza (see chapter 4) believes that the Black Opal Crown can awaken Dendar the Night Serpent. If the characters
find the crown, Fenthaza tries to kill them before they escape Chult with it. The crown rests in the maze of death (area 49).
Eye of Zaltec
For centuries, this fist-sized ruby surmounted the Great Pyramid in Nexal, capital city of the Maztican Empire. The gem is a relic of the cult of Zaltec,
and its dagger-like point was plunged into the hearts of countless sacrifices.
An adventuring band known as the Company of the Yellow Banner entered Omu to find the Eye of Zaltec and was never seen again. The Eye of Zaltec
is guarded by a stone juggernaut (area 62).
The tabaxi hunter Bag of Nails (see chapter 3) came to Omu in search of the Navel of the Moon but failed to find it. The Navel of the Moon is set into
the pendulum of a grandfather clock inside a secret room (area 56).
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This jeweled goblet was crafted from the skull of a long-dead Omuan king and served as a symbol of office for the royal line of Omu. The legendary
Chultan hero Ch’gakare (pronounced chuh-GAH-kah-ree) is said to have beheaded the king after escaping the Nine Hells on the back of a mastodon.
Princess Mwaxanaré (see "Kir Sabal," and appendix D) is keen to recover the Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare as part of her bid to reclaim the throne of
Omu. To obtain it, characters must first survive the perils of the hall of the golden mastodon (area 67).
Spell Restrictions
Many spells have altered effects when cast in the Tomb of the Nine Gods, including spells cast from magic items or artifacts, and class abilities that
duplicate the effects of spells. Acererak’s magic and the magic of the amulet of the black skull (see appendix C) are unaffected.
Spells that would normally allow creatures to transport into and out of the tomb either fail or deposit their recipients in area 57. Spells that normally
allow one to pass through stone fail, and divination spells cast within the tomb provide false readings. Spells designed to communicate over long
distances are similarly foiled. These alterations are summarized in the Modified Spells table. Spells not included in the table might suffer similar
alterations, at your discretion.
Magic that summons creatures or objects from other planes functions normally, as does magic that involves the creation of an extradimensional
space. Any spells cast within an extradimensional space (such as that created by rope trick) are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast in the
tomb.
Modified Spells
Spells Effect
Antimagic field This spell does not prevent the spirits of trickster gods from inhabiting hosts. The spell also has no
effect on the Soulmonger.
Arcane gate Any creature that tries to enter or leave the tomb using this spell appears in area 57.
Astral projection This spell fails if cast in the tomb or if its intended destination is inside the tomb.
Banishing smite Any creature banished by this spell appears in area 57.
Clairvoyance This spell fails if the sensor is meant to appear inside the tomb.
Etherealness The caster enters the Border Ethereal but can’t move through surfaces or doors in the tomb. Ethereal
characters might encounter one or more of the Sewn Sisters.
Gate Any creature in the tomb that steps through the gate created by this spell appears in area 57.
Passwall This spell does not allow passage through surfaces or doors in the tomb.
Stone shape This spell has no effect on surfaces, doors, sarcophagi, stone blocks, or statues in the tomb.
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The replacement character broke into the tomb centuries ago but was imprisoned inside a magical carving. When one of the other characters
accidentally leans against this carving, the replacement character is released from captivity.
The replacement character hails from another world (Athas, Krynn, Oerth, medieval Earth, or any other milieu of your choosing) and is trapped in
stasis within the tomb as one of Acererak’s trophies. If the character is touched, the archlich’s binding magic ends.
The replacement character is a clone of the fallen adventurer. The hags in area 71 created and tortured the clone to gain information about the
adventurers’ presence in the tomb. Having escaped, the new character suffers from amnesia and has scant memory of the hags. The clone has gear
scavenged from dead adventurers.
The new character is the sole survivor of a doomed adventuring company that breached the tomb in order to find and destroy the Soulmonger.
Trickster Gods
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I’jin (female) CN Fickle and “I never stick Obo’laka The host’s Dexterity score
unpredictable to a plan.” becomes 23, unless it is already
higher.
Kubazan CG Wild and spirited “I am fearless Papazotl The host’s Strength score
(male) and not afraid becomes 23, unless it is already
to take great higher.
risks.”
Moa (male) LG Truthful and “I must always Wongo The host can use an action to turn
kind speak the invisible. Anything the host is
truth.” wearing or carrying is invisible as
long as it is on the host’s person.
The effect ends if the host attacks,
casts a spell, forces a saving
throw, or deals damage.
Nangnang NE Selfish and cruel “I won’t share Shagambi The host can move up, down, and
(female) with others.” across vertical surfaces and
upside down along ceilings, while
leaving its hands free. It gains a
climbing speed equal to its
walking speed.
Obo’laka LN Nervous and “I am risk- I’jin The host can attune to one
(female) obsessive averse and a additional magic item. When
slave to Obo’laka leaves the host, all magic
routine.” items to which the host is attuned
are no longer attuned to it.
Papazotl LE Shrewd and “I bow before Kubazan The host can’t be surprised, gains
(male) conniving no one and advantage on all Wisdom checks,
expect others and never takes damage from
to do as I falling.
command.”
Shagambi NG Wise and “I never show Nangnang The host can make one extra
(female) virtuous mercy to attack when taking the Attack
evildoers.” action on its turn.
Wongo CE Violent and “I act without Moa The host can use an action to
deranged concern for unleash a psionic assault on a
(male) the well-being creature it can see within 60 feet
of others.” of it. The target must succeed on
a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or
be stunned until the end of the
target’s next turn.
Spiritual Inhabitation
The spirits are bound inside magic items scattered throughout the tomb. When a creature of the humanoid type touches such an item, the trickster
god bound within attempts to inhabit that creature. With a successful DC 16 Charisma saving throw, the creature resists the god’s power, and that
god can’t attempt to inhabit the same creature for the remainder of the adventure. On a failed save — or if the creature chooses to forgo the save —
the god’s spirit inhabits the creature’s body. The trickster gods can tell whether or not a creature is humanoid, and they have no interest in possessing
other types of creatures.
While inhabiting a host body, a trickster god acts like an overbearing passenger. The host creature remains in control of its actions but inherits a flaw
from the god, as well as a special power. When a trickster god inhabits a player character, give the player that god’s card (see appendix F). A
character doesn’t know what power and flaw are gained from a specific trickster god until that god inhabits the character for the first time. Both the
flaw and the power end when the spirit leaves the host.
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Leaving a Host
A trickster god never willingly leaves a host, but its spirit is forced out if a host dies or leaves the tomb, or if a host is targeted by the break
enchantment function of the dispel evil and good spell. A trickster god can also be forced out by another trickster god (see “Fighting Over a Host”
below).
When the spirit of a trickster god is forced out of a host, it returns to the magic item to which it is bound and cannot inhabit that host again for the
remainder of the adventure. If the item is destroyed or taken from the tomb, the trickster god’s spirit finds another object within the tomb to inhabit.
The spirits of the trickster gods can’t be destroyed and can never leave the tomb.
You can roleplay the voices of the trickster gods in the characters’ heads, but let the players roleplay their characters’ inherited flaws. If a player
neglects to roleplay a trickster god’s flaw, have the inhabiting spirit attempt to goad the character into behaving more like it. You can award
inspiration to a player who roleplays a trickster god’s flaw particularly well.
All the trickster gods are eager to get their revenge on Acererak. They can offer only limited guidance regarding the tomb and its denizens, but they
encourage the characters to seek out other trickster god spirits and offer supernatural assistance in the final battle against the archlich.
Each trickster god (except Unkh) has its own rival in the tomb that it would prefer to avoid. The Omuans dreamed up colorful stories to explain these
antipathies, but in truth, the spirits simply represent conflicting points on the alignment axes. When rival spirits occupy different characters in the
same group, they try to make their hosts bicker and defy each other whenever possible.
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Ceiling Cracks
Thin shafts of daylight and moonlight spill through tiny rock fissures, forming pools of natural light as shown on map 5.1. A Tiny creature can use
these narrow fissures to enter and leave the tomb.
Underground River
Muddy rainwater seeps from the jungles above, flowing through the tomb as a sluggish underground river that is treated as difficult terrain. The water
is 3 feet deep, with the tunnel ceiling above it varying from 6 inches to 3 feet over the surface. The water is unfit for drinking.
1. Acererak’s Warning
Near the base of the cliffs, a fifteen-foot-tall obelisk of cracked stone is draped with vines and black moss. Behind it, you see a dark
passageway obscured by withered creepers. A second, smaller tunnel burrows into the base of a cliff to the east.
The tunnel leading to the tomb’s true entrance (area 4) is obscured by vegetation and cannot be detected unless the characters search for it.
However, any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check around the areas of the false entrance (area 2) or the open gallery
(area 3) notices something more:
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Three stone gargoyles watch you from narrow ledges carved into the cliff side. Each has the face of a bearded devil, its mouth
agape in a silent scream.
The three gargoyles are perched on the ledges overlooking the obelisk, at the points marked G on map 5.1. The ledges are 30 feet above the ground,
5 feet wide, 2 feet deep, and spaced 25 feet apart. The gargoyles swoop down and attack anyone who tries to topple or damage the obelisk, or who
attacks them first.
Obelisk
The obelisk radiates a strong aura of abjuration magic under the scrutiny of a detect magic spell or similar magic, and a paladin using Divine Sense
can detect a fiendish presence within the obelisk. Clearing the vines and moss from the south face of the obelisk exposes a message carved into it in
Common. (Give the players a copy of handout 17 in appendix E.) The message reads as follows:
Fear the night when the forsaken one seizes death’s mantle and the seas dry up and the dead rise and I, Acererak the Eternal, reap
the world of the living. Those who dare enter take heed: The enemies oppose.
In darkness, it hides.
The warnings Acererak has placed on the obelisk and on the grand staircase (area 7) provide clues to overcoming some of the challenges of the
tomb. The obelisk’s clues pertain to features and locations on level 1, specifically the true entrance (area 4), the devil face (area 5B), Obo’laka’s tomb
(area 10), Moa’s tomb (area 14), and Wongo’s tomb (area 16).
Characters with a combined Strength of 60 or more can topple the obelisk, breaking it off at the base. Breaking or destroying the obelisk releases a
cloud of black smoke that coalesces into a nalfeshnee demon. The demon appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the obelisk and attacks
those responsible for the obelisk’s desecration. After 1 minute, the demon disappears and returns to the Abyss.
The teleportation function of the ebon pool (area 81) returns characters to the obelisk even if it is toppled or destroyed.
2. Gallery of Tricksters
Alcoves run the length of a narrow tunnel, each one featuring a bestial statue standing or squatting above a basin of oil.
The statues depict the nine trickster gods, with each facing pair of alcoves dedicated to two trickster gods who oppose each other. Moving down the
hall from west to east, the opposing statues depict Moa (jaculi) and Wongo (su-monster), I’jin (almiraj) and Obo’laka (zorbo), Papazotl (eblis) and
Kubazan (froghemoth), and Nangnang (grung) and Shagambi (kamadan).
Each statue is 3 feet tall and can’t be moved from its pedestal. When any character carrying a puzzle cube (see chapter 3) enters the tunnel, the oil
basin matching the cube’s trickster god bursts into flame. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of divination magic around the
statues. The oil basins give off an aura of conjuration.
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Only eight trickster gods are initially visible; the statue of Unkh (flail snail) is hidden behind a secret door at the end of the tunnel, though it functions
the same as the others. Bringing Unkh’s puzzle cube into the tunnel lights Unkh’s brazier, giving characters advantage on ability checks made to find
the secret door.
Treasure
A golden pendant shaped like an eye hangs on the Unkh statue. It is worth 25 gp and radiates an aura of divination magic. If a character wearing the
pendant passes within 10 feet of the obelisk at area 1, the pendant tugs the character toward the hidden tomb entrance (area 4). The pendant is also
of use in area 79.
3. False Entrance
After 20 feet, a puzzle door sealing off a small chamber beyond blocks this false entrance into the tomb.
A short tunnel ends at a slab of worked stone, whose edges are marked by relief carvings of grinning skulls. Four lines engraved at
the center of the slab cross one another to form a star, with both ends of each line marking the location of a cube-shaped cavity cut
into the door — eight cavities in all.
Each cavity is sized to hold one of the puzzle cubes recovered from the shrines of Omu (see chapter 3). However, there are nine puzzle cubes in total
and only eight cavities.
If puzzle cubes representing every trickster god except Unkh are inserted into the cavities in such a way that the cubes of rival gods are opposite to
one another, a stone block slowly descends over the tunnel entrance. Any character in the tunnel must decide whether to stay or to flee, which
requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Characters who stay or who fail the check are trapped when the stone block seals off the
tunnel. Once the tunnel is sealed, caustic gas billows out from the mouths of the relief-carved skulls. Any creature trapped in the tunnel must succeed
on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage and 5 (1d10) acid damage. While any affected creature remains in the tunnel, it
must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. After 10 rounds, the gas valves close and the stone block rises back into the ceiling.
Any puzzle cubes still in their cavities are pushed out, and the trap resets.
Any character searching the tunnel for traps spots the raised stone block with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. The weight of the
block makes it impossible to hinder its descent. Any character who examines the puzzle door and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check
notices holes in the mouths of the skulls. Stuffing the holes with cloth or wax prevents the gas from being released. Doing so while the trap is active
is difficult, requiring six successful DC 10 Dexterity checks, each made as an action.
Beyond the false door is a gas-filled chamber. Any creature that starts its turn in this area takes 11 (2d10) poison damage and 11 (2d10) acid
damage.
4. True Entrance
Thick foliage conceals the true entrance to the Tomb of the Nine Gods. Any character searching the base of the cliff at this location finds the
entrance with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Pulling aside the heavy undergrowth, you uncover an archway in the cliff face. Stone skulls peer down from the lintel, and old bones
litter the threshold. As light strikes the entrance, a swarm of bats screeches out from within.
The bats are harmless. Jungle predators use this tunnel as shelter, and the bones are a mix of grung and velociraptors. Any character who searches
for tracks discovers boot prints leading into the tomb. The tracks are not recent and belong to the last group of treasure seekers to enter here.
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A slab of worked stone blocks the overgrown tunnel some twenty feet from the entrance. Grinning skulls mark the edges of the slab,
in the center of which are nine cube-shaped cavities arranged in three rows of three.
Give the players copies of the god symbols in handout 11 of appendix E. The individual squares can be cut out to be arranged by the players as they
wish, or they can simply make notes on paper.
To open the door, the characters must fill the cavities with all nine puzzle cubes retrieved from the shrines of Omu (see chapter 3), but in the proper
configuration. The cubes representing the trickster gods must be placed so that each god is opposite its rival’s cube on the grid, with Unkh (who is
neutral and has no rivals) in the middle. For example, a puzzle cube inserted into a corner of the grid must have its rival in the diagonally opposite
corner. Diagram 5.1 shows one possible configuration, though others will work as long as Unkh is situated between I’jin (CN) and Obo’laka (LN),
between Kubazan (CG) and Papazotl (LE), between Moa (LG) and Wongo (CE), and between Nangnang (NE) and Shagambi (NG).
If a puzzle cube is placed incorrectly, any previously placed cubes pop out. Electricity then erupts from the incorrectly placed cube, dealing 18 (4d8)
lightning damage to any creature within 20 feet of the door. A mage hand spell can be used to place the cubes from farther away and avoid this
damage.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of evocation magic around each of the cavities. If the characters place the cubes correctly, read:
The nine cubes flare with light, then disappear. Growling like an angry beast, the slab begins to slide up into the ceiling.
When the door opens, the puzzle cubes teleport back to their respective shrines in Omu. Once the door has fully risen, it remains open for 1 hour
before slowly sinking back into place. Characters who are outside when the door closes must revisit the city to recover the cubes.
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Another slab blocks the hallway twenty feet beyond the first door. An iron lever is set into the door’s surface, with a graven stone
skull leering down from above.
The skull’s jaws creak open, and a skeletal hand holding a crystal hourglass-style timer emerges from within. With a click, the timer
rotates and sand starts to trickle into its lower globe.
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Count down slowly from 10, and let the players tell you what, if anything, their characters do in that time. If the characters don’t pull the lever by the
time you’ve finished your countdown, the lever and the sand timer retract as the door sinks into the floor, revealing area 5 beyond. The sand timer
can’t be budged or damaged.
After remaining open for 1 hour, the door slowly rises to seal off the passage once more. Characters can prevent the door from rising by jamming iron
spikes into the surrounding floor seams. The lever resets when the door returns to its closed position. The door can’t be opened from the north side.
Pit Trap. Pulling the lever causes the floor between the two doors to split open along a central seam. Each creature standing on the floor when the
lever is pulled tumbles into a 20-foot-deep pit lined with poisoned spikes. With a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, the character who pulled
the lever can avoid falling by hanging onto it. The pit remains open until the lever is reset to its original position.
Each creature falling into the pit takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage and is impaled on 1d4 spikes, each of which deals 3 (1d6) piercing damage
and 5 (1d10) poison damage. Any creature that takes poison damage from one or more spikes is poisoned for 24 hours, or until the condition is
removed with a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
Spotting the seam along the floor requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Characters can hammer spikes into the floor to prevent it
from dropping, but at least ten spikes are needed because of the floor’s size and weight.
5. Trapped Corridor
A moss-covered corridor extends beyond the second door. Tree roots hang from the sagging ceiling, and the air reeks of rot and
damp. Ahead, a bas-relief carving of a bearded devil’s face adorns the wall at a T-shaped intersection. The devil’s open mouth is a
well of utter darkness.
Moss obscures the tiny holes in the walls through which the darts are fired, but they can be spotted with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
check. With a careful inspection of the floor and a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character notes irregularities in the floor’s tile
patterns that reveal the pressure plates. Wedging an iron spike or similar object under a plate prevents that plate from being triggered. Stuffing the
wall holes adjacent to a pressure plate with cloth or wax prevents the darts from being fired.
The cavity behind the devil’s mouth is home to a shadow demon that can see normally in the magical darkness. If any creature reaches into the
mouth, the demon makes an attack against it with advantage, then continues attacking if any creature enters its abode.
A successful dispel magic (DC 16) cast on the demon’s lair dispels the magical darkness and the silence. If the darkness is dispelled, the shadow
demon emerges and attacks until reduced to half its hit points or fewer, at which point it flees to a darker area of the tomb.
A rusted iron grate is set into the corridor floor. Through its bars, you see muddy water flowing slowly past.
The bars cannot be bent or broken, but they are spaced widely enough that a Small creature can squeeze through them. The grate can also be lifted
by one or more creatures with a combined Strength score of 24 or more. Any creature that passes through the hatch drops into the sluggish
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underground river, which flows toward area 17.
6. Crystal Window
Creepers and vines cling to the walls of this corridor, at the end of which is an arched crystal window, six feet wide and ten feet high.
Through it, you can see a dark chamber.
The crystal window peers into Obo’laka’s tomb (area 10), cannot be opened, and blocks all sound between area 6 and area 10. The window has AC 5,
a damage threshold of 15, 10 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
When any character approaches the crystal window and peers through it, read the boxed text in area 10, omitting the last sentence about the window.
If the characters enter area 10 through the broken window without taking appropriate steps to conceal themselves, the undead creatures in
Obo’laka’s tomb attack (see area 10 for more information).
7. Grand Staircase
A grand chamber opens ahead, fifty feet across and plunging down into darkness below. A stone balcony winds around the walls to
connect four archways. Other balcony levels are visible below, with corridors radiating off in all directions. To the north, a stone
staircase descends to the lowerlevels.
The grand staircase connects the first four levels of the tomb, each of which is 25 feet below the level above. The balcony is 5 feet wide.
A hunched figure glares up at you from the balcony below, wearing a mask that is a replica of the devil face at the tomb entrance.
Without saying a word, the figure steps out of sight.
If the characters take action at once, they can catch the tomb dwarf. The tomb dwarf uses the statistics of a wight, except that it wields a battleaxe
and a light crossbow. If it is not caught, the creature moves silently through the secret door to area 25. To any character leaning over the balcony to
see where the figure went, it appears to have vanished into thin air.
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The clues on this plaque pertain to locations on level 2, specifically the gravity ring (area 19), the false tomb (area 20), Nangnang’s tomb (area 24),
Papazotl’s tomb (area 22), and the devil pit (area 18).
The clues on this bronze plaque pertain to features and locations on level 3, specifically the reflected hall (area 31), the magic font (area 33), I’jin’s
tomb (area 35), the golem pit (area 39), and Kubazan’s tomb (area 42).
The clues on this bronze plaque pertain to features and locations on level 4, specifically the elemental traps (area 47), Shagambi’s tomb (area 48), the
mirror of life trapping (area 50), the scepter in the crypt of the Sun Queen (area 53), and Unkh’s tomb (area 55).
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8. Magical Attraction
A rusting statue of a knight stands at the west end of this hall, gripping a large iron shield. Shards and flakes of rusted metal cover
the floor around the statue’s feet.
A magical field around the statue attracts metal objects of any kind (not just ferrous metal). Any metal object that comes into direct contact with the
shield disintegrates, showering the floor with powdered rust. Artifacts are immune to this corrosion. Any metal object not being worn or carried that
enters the room is instantly drawn to the shield if it weighs 150 pounds or less. Any creature wearing or carrying metal items that enters the room or
starts its turn there can feel the pull of the statue and must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to resist it. On a failed check, the creature
loses its footing, flies across the chamber, and slams into the statue, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it moved. If the character is
wearing metal armor, the check is made with disadvantage. The shield disintegrates only metal objects that come into direct contact with it, so a
metal object stored in a backpack would be protected from destruction by the pack’s leather.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of transmutation magic over the shield. The statue and shield are treated as a single Large
object with AC 17; 40 hit points; immunity to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks; and immunity to poison and
psychic damage. If the statue and shield are destroyed, the trap is disabled. A successful dispel magic (DC 17) cast on the statue shuts down the
attractive field for 1 hour.
9. Magic Fountain
A large fountain crusted with moss rises in the middle of a circular room. Three marble maidens stand in the fountain, holding
pitchers out of which water flows.
Magic Fountain
Any creature that drinks from the fountain experiences a random magical effect, determined by rolling a d4 and consulting the Magic Fountain
Effects table. Water removed from the fountain and stored in a container retains its magical properties, and a different effect occurs each time
someone drinks from the container. Under the scrutiny of a detect magic spell or similar effect, the fountain radiates an aura of transmutation magic.
d4 Effect
The creature drinking the water must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) necrotic damage on a
1 failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, it dies and
turns to dust.
The creature drinking the water loses the ability to speak for 8 hours. A lesser restoration spell or similar magic ends this
2
effect.
The creature drinking the water magically changes sex. A greater restoration spell restores the creature’s original sex, as
3
does another drink from the fountain that yields this same result.
4 The creature drinking the water gains 2d10 temporary hit points.
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This vaulted tomb is overgrown with moss and creepers. A stone sarcophagus rests on a stepped dais in the middle of the floor. On
the wall behind the sarcophagus, two large statues of bears grip a five-foot-diameter bronze disk embossed with a dozen glaring
eyes. Six desiccated corpses slump on thrones in niches along the walls. Each corpse wears a black mask made of papier-mâché
and feathers. An arched crystal window to the east offers a view of the tunnel beyond.
The corpses slumped on the thrones are six dormant wights. If the eyes on the bronze disk spot intruders in the tomb (see “Disk of Eyes”), the wights
rise and attack. The wights also attack if one or more of them takes any damage. They won’t leave the chamber to pursue intruders. Once all
intruders are dead or gone, the wights return to their thrones and fall dormant once more.
Disk of Eyes
Any character who studies the disk notices that its eyes are moving, their bronzed pupils flicking back and forth to scan the tomb for intruders. These
eyes have darkvision out to a range of 30 feet. If the eyes spot any humanoids inside the tomb, the wights awaken and attack. The disk of eyes can’t
perceive any humanoid that dons one of the papier-mâché masks worn by the wights, nor can it see in magical darkness or while covered with a
blanket or similar object.
The bronze disk weighs 250 pounds. The bear statues grip the disk tightly in their stone paws, so that it can’t be pried free without smashing the
statues. Each statue is a Large object with AC 17; 45 hit points; immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks;
and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of divination magic around the disk.
Sarcophagus
Any creature wearing one of the wights’ papier-mâché masks can push aside the lid of the sarcophagus with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
check. To all other creatures, the lid is magically locked and cannot be opened without a knock spell or a successful DC 20 Dexterity check made by a
character using thieves’ tools.
Secret Doors
Secret doors are set into the back walls of two alcoves — one to the north and the other to the south. The secret door to the south has edges made of
flint. Opening this door creates sparks that ignite the gas in area 11 (see that area for details).
Treasure
The bones of a zorbo (Obo’laka’s animal form; see appendix D) lie in a dusty pile within the sarcophagus. A ring of protection rests atop the pile. The
ring turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
Obo’laka’s Spirit. The spirit of Obo’laka tries to inhabit any character who touches the ring (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When Obo’laka’s
spirit manifests, read:
As you touch the ring, the dust swirls into the shape of a small, feral, bear-like creature that billows toward you with a ghostly roar.
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Obo’laka’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the ring and
waits for another character to touch it.
Water pours from cracks and seams in the rough walls of this cavern, whose floor is a muddy pool that flushes out into the tunnel
beyond. Just above the pool’s surface, a large treasure chest dangles from rusty chains embedded in the ceiling.
The chest is 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, 3 feet high, and suspended 1 foot above the surface of the 5-foot-deep pool. A keyhole shaped like a cackling
demon skull decorates the front of the lid. Encircling the keyhole, a tiny inscription in Common reads, “I devour all but the greatest thieves.”
The chest is locked and doesn’t appear to be trapped. However, a detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of evocation magic around it.
Picking the lock requires a successful DC 22 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools. This also disarms the lock’s magical trap, allowing the chest
to be opened safely.
If the check fails, the demon skull bites down on the thieves’ tools and destroys them. If the check fails by 5 or more, the magical trap teleports the
character making the check inside the locked chest, whereupon the character is restrained. The chains holding the chest then release it into the
water, where it sinks to the bottom of the pool. Even if the chest is removed from the water, a character trapped within runs out of air after 5 rounds
(see “Suffocating” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
The chest is a Medium object with AC 13, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Any character who attempts to pick the lock or
hit the chest with a melee or ranged attack while it’s underwater does so with disadvantage.
Treasure
The chest interior is lined with lead and contains 300 gp, a gold tankard embossed with a sad face that smiles when the tankard is filled (250 gp), and
a stoppered bone tube containing a spell scroll of remove curse.
A giant stone skull crusted with moss juts out from the end of the passageway. A flame flickers within each of its eye sockets, and a
view into a chamber beyond can be seen through its open jaws.
Any character who peers through the skull can see into area 14 (see the description below). The skull’s jaws are opened wide enough to allow a
Medium or smaller creature to climb though.
Each time a creature climbs through the skull’s jaws, one of the flames in its eye sockets snuffs out. The third time a creature climbs through, the
jaws clamp shut, making a melee weapon attack with a +10 bonus. On a hit, the target creature takes 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and is grappled
(escape DC 19). While it remains grappled, the creature takes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns. When that creature exits
the jaws, the flames in the skull’s eye sockets reignite, the jaws open, and the trap resets.
The flames within the eye sockets give off no heat or smoke, and they can’t be extinguished except in the manner described above. Any character
searching the skull and succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notes that the lower jaw is hinged. A stout object jammed into the skull’s
jaw holds it open for as long as the object can withstand the damage. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of transmutation magic
around the skull.
Skulls crusted with dried mud glower from niches cut into the walls of this tomb. A stone sarcophagus stands at the center of the
chamber, its lid adorned with a coiled serpent carved in relief. Behind the sarcophagus, resting atop a marble pedestal, is an ornate
crystal box with a small humanoid skull floating inside it.
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If the characters enter this tomb from the secret passage along the river, they see the concave inner surface of the stone skull at area 13.
A maze of tiny passages is cut into the walls beyond the niches, and any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check can hear
the faint yet grotesque scuttling of insects from within. Hundreds of tarantula-sized undead spiders crawl through these warrens.
Nepartak’s Skull
The skull in the crystal box belongs to Nepartak, the 10-year-old granddaughter of Napaka, the last queen of Omu. The magic of the crystal box
preserves her consciousness, but centuries of solitude and horror have caused her mind to blank out the details of her plight. The first character to
enter the tomb hears Nepartak call out telepathically:
The voice of a young girl echoes in your mind: “What’s happening? Why can’t I see?”
Nepartak magically senses the presence of intruders, using telepathy to question all the characters. Roleplay her as a terrified child lost in the dark. In
her panic, she might ask any of the following questions:
The voice shrieks in horror as the skull’s eye sockets flare with green flame. With a shattering crash, the crystal box explodes and
the skull levitates into the air.
Nepartak has the statistics of a flameskull but doesn’t speak, instead communicating using telepathy out to a range of 30 feet. When she attacks,
swarms of mummified spiders pour out from the niches at the start of the following round.
The warrens are too narrow for Medium and larger creatures to enter, and Small creatures must squeeze to traverse them (see “Movement and
Position” in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook). Tiny creatures can move through the warrens freely. The swarms attack any creatures that enter the
warrens or any creatures in Moa’s tomb if Nepartak becomes enraged.
Treasure
The stone sarcophagus isn’t locked and can be opened with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Inside, a bundle of faded cloth holds the
serpentine bones of a jaculi (the trickster god Moa’s animal form; see appendix D). A staff of the python rests atop these remains. The staff turns to
dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
Moa’s Spirit. The spirit of Moa tries to inhabit any character who touches the staff (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When Moa’s spirit
manifests, read:
Green smoke billows from the staff, coiling around you like a serpent. A sibilant voice whispers in your ear: “Let me help you! I
promise to be good.”
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If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Moa’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the staff and waits
for another character to touch it.
Carved birds soar across the walls of this corridor. Blocking the passage near its northern end is a large adamantine propeller with
five sharp blades.
With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character discerns that the entire floor of the corridor is a single pressure plate. The
adamantine propeller has AC 20, 30 hit points, and immunity to all damage except force damage. It thunders into motion whenever more than 20
pounds of pressure is placed on the corridor floor. Once activated, the propeller spins up to full speed in 6 seconds. If the weight is removed from the
floor, the blades take a full minute to slow to a stop.
While the propeller is spinning up or slowing down, a creature can leap through a gap between two blades with a successful DC 20 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check. On a failed check, the character takes 33 (6d10) slashing damage as it passes through the blades.
At full speed, the propeller deals 66 (12d10) slashing damage to any creature that passes through it, and the blades are turning too fast for a creature
to leap between them. The rapidly spinning propeller also creates a wind tunnel effect, such that any creature that comes within 10 feet of the
propeller or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw. A creature that fails the save is hurled northward into the pit in area
16. If this forced movement causes the creature to pass through the propeller, the creature takes damage from the spinning blades.
One can jam the propeller by fixing an immovable rod in place between two of the blades. Other magic items wedged between the blades are
knocked aside as the propeller turns. The propeller destroys all nonmagical objects lodged between its spinning blades.
While the propeller is motionless, a creature that isn’t incapacitated can jam the mechanism with its body. When the propeller begins to turn, the
creature must make a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. If the check succeeds, the propeller is jammed until the start of the creature’s next turn, when
it can use its action to repeat the check. A creature that fails the check or chooses to extricate itself takes 11 (2d10) slashing damage and is ejected
north of the propeller.
If the propeller is jammed for 3 consecutive rounds, it breaks down and becomes nonfunctional. At dawn the next day, Withers sends tomb dwarves
to repair the damage and return the trap to its operational state.
A deep pit opens up at the entrance to this tomb, with a stone sarcophagus resting at the bottom. A snarling monkey-like creature
decorates the sarcophagus lid. Beyond the pit, three treasure chests sit on stone daises. The chest on the left is carved of black
onyx, the middle chest is made of rusty iron, and the chest on the right is cast of silver and glistening with frost.
The pit is 20 feet deep. To unlock Wongo’s sarcophagus, the characters must turn three keys hidden inside the treasure chests.
Treasure Chests
Each chest is 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high. All three are unlocked and (for the most part) empty. The chests cannot be moved, and they are
impervious to damage and spells.
Opening any chest reveals a 3-inch-long gold key protruding from an adamantine keyhole set into the underside of the chest’s lid. The key cannot be
removed, and adamantine clamps prevent it from being turned while the chest is open. When the chest lid closes, a muffled click sounds from within
the lid as the clamps around the key release. Any character who climbs inside a chest and closes its lid can turn its golden key with ease.
If a chest’s key is turned while the chest is shut, the chest locks and the clamps snap shut on the key once more. Any character inside the chest when
this happens is trapped. At the same time, a button magically appears on the lid of Wongo’s sarcophagus.
Sarcophagus
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The sarcophagus lid is carved with a stylized image of Wongo in his su-monster form (see appendix D) and has been melded to the rest of the
sarcophagus with powerful magic. Consequently, the lid cannot be removed. The stone sarcophagus is impervious to damage and spells.
Whenever one of the three chests is locked, a carved button magically appears on the sarcophagus lid above the monstrous image of Wongo. The
material of each button matches its corresponding chest: onyx, rusty iron, or silver. Pressing the button simultaneously unlocks the associated chest
and triggers a trap within it:
Pushing the onyx button forces any creature inside the onyx chest to succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 75 (10d6 + 40) force
damage. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage turns to a pile of dust, leaving behind whatever gear it was holding or wearing.
Pushing the rusty iron button causes any nonmagical metal objects inside the rusty iron chest (including objects carried or worn by a creature in the
chest) to corrode into worthless piles of rust. Objects partly made of metal are ruined as their metal components decay.
Pushing the silver button causes any creature inside the silver chest to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) cold damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Once all three buttons on the sarcophagus lid have been pressed, read:
The stone sarcophagus turns to transparent crystal, revealing a mummified monkey-like creature within. Clutched in its desiccated
claws is a fearsome mace.
When the sarcophagus turns crystalline, it becomes brittle, having AC 5, 10 hit points, vulnerability to bludgeoning and thunder damage, and immunity
to poison and psychic damage. It shatters if reduced to 0 hit points, whereupon the su-monster mummy within animates and attacks. In its first round
of combat, the mummy activates its mace of terror to unleash a wave of terror against the characters. Thereafter, it makes melee attacks using the
mace or its rotting fists.
Treasure
Wongo’s mummy clutches a mace of terror. The mace turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost
Treasures").
Wongo’s Spirit. Wongo’s spirit is bound to the mace. If the mace hits or otherwise comes into contact with any character, Wongo’s spirit tries to
inhabit that character (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When Wongo’s spirit manifests, read:
Red smoke seethes from the head of the mace, forming the outline of a monkey with a long tail. With a roar, the smoky apparition
leaps at you, screaming, “Let me in!”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Wongo’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the mace and
waits for another character to come into contact with it. The mummy is friendly toward any character inhabited by Wongo’s spirit, treating that
character as an ally.
The underground river plunges down into a dark, rocky chasm. Cold air swirls up from below like the breath of some monstrous
creature. Through the gloom, you spot an ornate treasure chest resting on a ledge opposite.
The treasure chest is a mimic in disguise. If any creature touches it, the mimic attacks in object form.
Ledge
The ledge is 15 feet from the lip of the waterfall. A successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check is required to climb around to the ledge.
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The ledge is slippery and uneven. Any creature that takes damage while standing on the ledge must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall
into the rift, plunging 100 feet into the water at area 64. The fall deals 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage, or no damage with a successful DC 10
Dexterity saving throw.
The walls and floor of this fifteen-foot-square room are cracked and carved with images of terrified humanoids falling. Set into the
middle of the floor is a stone bas-relief of a bearded devil face, painted green. Forlorn cries echo from the black void of its gaping
maw.
The devil face forms the mouth of a 5-foot-wide cylindrical shaft that descends 10 feet before opening up in the ceiling of area 35. Magical darkness
fills the mouth and the shaft. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals auras of evocation and illusion magic within the shaft.
A successful dispel magic (DC 16) cast on the darkness dispels it. If the darkness is dispelled, its fading essence magically coalesces into a swarm
of bats that flies up out of the shaft and attacks any creatures in the room.
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At a four-way intersection, the corridors to north and south curve upward and out of sight, but with no rails or steps to allow them to
be climbed. The corpse of a half-human, half-goat creature in robes sprawls ten feet to the north. It grips a staff tipped with a
bronze goat’s head.
The curving corridor forms a perfect circle, imbued with magical gravity that keeps creatures bound to the floor as they walk along it. A detect magic
spell or similar effect reveals an aura of transmutation within the corridor.
The corpse belongs to Devlin Bashir, a Calishite wizard and member of the Company of the Yellow Banner. Devlin’s goat-like features are the result of
a curse, and he was killed by tomb dwarves after he became separated from his companions. Any inspection of his remains reveals that he was killed
by wounds from axes and crossbow bolts. Devlin’s ink-stained robes contain a journal that hints at the tomb’s mysteries (see “Devlin’s Journal”
below). A search of the corpse also yields more valuable belongings (see “Treasure” below).
Bossy Papazotl urges his host to order another character to walk the length of the circular hall.
Wise Shagambi warns her host that the staff held by the fallen wizard might be cursed.
Mirror Tomb
The halfway point of the circular corridor, directly “opposite” the intersection, is an invisible planar gate that cannot be detected with magic. Any
creature passing through this gate emerges into a parallel reality. Characters who walk the length of the circular corridor notice that Devlin’s body is
no longer present — nor are any companions who waited behind for them. If they step back through the gate, they return to their own world.
To test his traps, Acererak crafted a "mirror tomb" and hid it inside a demiplane. This mirror tomb is identical to the real tomb as it stood exactly one
year ago. All objects and creatures encountered in the mirror tomb appear real, but they fade away if taken to the real world. The mirror tomb has the
same magical defenses as the true tomb, and any character who dies in the demiplane is trapped by the Soulmonger.
Each dawn, Acererak’s magic replaces the mirror tomb with a fresh fabrication. Slain monsters reappear in their original locations, and moved objects
teleport back to where they were found. When this occurs, characters inside the mirror tomb witness a strange distortion ripple through the air.
Devlin’s Journal
When the characters find Devlin’s journal, give the players a copy of handout 21 in appendix E, showing the journal’s final entry. Earlier entries
chronicle the exploits of the Company of the Yellow Banner in Chult. The company made landfall at Kitcher’s Inlet and followed the River Olung to
Lake Luo before cutting southwest into the jungle toward Omu. The journal describes harrowing encounters, the adventurers’ search for puzzle cubes
in Omu, their brushes with the yuan-ti, and the discovery of the true tomb entrance. Only the final entry mentions their experiences in the tomb, but no
mention is made of Devlin’s staff (see “Treasure” below).
Any character who spends 10 minutes poring over the journal can note a few brief mentions of the other company members: Lord Brixton (a
Cormyrean knight), Bravus Boulderborn (a gold dwarf cleric of Moradin), Seward (a Chondathan human ranger), and Sephirius (a dragonborn paladin
often referred to as “Seph”).
Treasure
A search of Devlin’s body also turns up an ink pot that never runs dry (100 gp) and a spellbook containing the following spells:
1st level: alarm, comprehend languages, detect magic, expeditious retreat, identify, illusory script, sleep, Tenser’s floating disk
Devlin’s staff is a staff of striking, but any character who attunes to it transforms into a goat-humanoid hybrid over the course of 3 days. Tieflings are
immune to this curse. Throughout the first day, shaggy fur begins to grow all over the cursed character’s body. After 24 hours, the character’s eyes
become goat-like, and stumpy horns sprout from the brow. On the last day, the character’s fingers and toes meld into double digits, and the horns
grow to full length. This transformation doesn’t prevent the character from wielding weapons or casting spells. Remove curse, greater restoration, or
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any other effect that ends a curse restores the character’s original appearance, but only a wish spell can rid the staff of its power to transform those
who attune to it.
This room smells of wine. On a checkerboard marble floor, a gilded coffin sparkles in sunlight streaming down from the chamber’s
vaulted ceiling, which arches twelve feet overhead. Four huge stone gargoyle heads, their mouths agape, protrude from the walls.
Illusion magic generates the sunlight that shines on the coffin. This light is treated as real sunlight, and creatures averse to sunlight are affected by it.
The gargoyle heads are 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with mouths that are 2 feet in diameter. Behind each head, an airtight stone valve blocks a
crawlway. The valves remain closed until the room’s trap activates, though a knock spell or a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check can force
open a valve. Casting dispel magic on the illusory sunlight dispels it and prevents the trap from triggering.
Spirited Kubazan tries to persuade his host to throw open the coffin lid and pummel whatever is inside.
Truthful Moa points out that this tomb doesn’t match the symbolism of any of his godly companions.
Trap
The closed coffin is stuck to the floor with sovereign glue and has a hinged lid. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of abjuration
magic around the coffin. A wooden plaque inside the coffin reads “Drown your sorrows” in Common.
If the illusory sunlight falling from the ceiling strikes the plaque when the coffin is opened, the stone block in the corridor outside the room slowly
descends, sealing the entrance in 6 seconds. A creature that wishes to enter or leave the tomb during this time can do so, moving up to its speed. If
the creature ends its movement under the block, it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. If the save succeeds, the creature manages to get out
from under the block on the side it was moving toward. If the save fails, the creature takes 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage. If this damage reduces
the creature’s hit points to 0, it is crushed to a pulp; otherwise, the creature is shoved into the room. The block is impervious to damage and spells.
When fully lowered, the block is air-tight and refuses to be budged.
Four enormous cisterns filled with red wine are hidden in the walls behind the gargoyle heads. When the stone block seals off the entrance, the valves
behind the heads open, causing the wine to pour from the gargoyles’ mouths and nostrils. The wine floods the tomb at a rate of 1 foot per round.
Trying to crawl into a gargoyle’s mouth while wine is gushing out of it requires a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check.
As the wine begins pouring into the room, all creatures present must roll initiative. Track the passage of rounds:
At the start of round 3, three wine weirds (use water weird statistics) flow into the tomb from the northwest, northeast, and southeast cisterns. The
weirds attack anyone in the tomb and are invisible while fully immersed in wine.
After 12 rounds, the wine fills the tomb. Use the underwater combat rules in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook to handle fighting in these conditions.
Visibility within the wine is limited to 5 feet.
The ability to breathe water does not help a character drowning in wine. When 10 minutes have passed, the stone block sealing the tomb rises back
up to its niche in the ceiling. The wine cascades down the west tunnel, pouring down the grand staircase (area 7). At dawn the next day, Withers
sends tomb dwarves to clean up the room and tunnel, after which the wine cisterns magically refill and the trap resets.
Escape Tunnel
The southwest crawlway ascends to area 24. When the tomb floods with wine, the liquid reaches as far as the sloped section of the crawlway.
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Three oval holes are carved into a nine-foot-wide, nine-foot-high stone door at human head height. As you approach, three
humanoid heads stick out of the holes, each covered in putrid flesh and gnashing on an iron bit bolted to a chain bridle.
The gnashing heads belong to three zombies that are chained to a pulley bolted to the ceiling on the south side of the door. The pulley is set up in
such a way that when all three zombies move away from the door, they heave it open. The zombies won’t move while fresh meat tempts them from
the balcony, but if they are successfully turned, they raise the door as they flee toward the south.
The door weighs 1,000 pounds. Characters with a combined Strength score of 33 or more can lift the door. The zombies attack any creatures they
can reach. Withers and his tomb dwarves replace destroyed zombies within 24 hours.
Six glass cauldrons brimming with humanoid bones line the walls of this tomb, at the center of which stands an ancient chariot
bearing a bronze sarcophagus with treasure strewn atop it. Paintings on the chariot’s body show a tall bird with a long, sharp beak.
On the south wall, a bronze shield bears the embossed image of a Chultan warrior carrying a spear, below an inscription that reads,
“Bow before no one.” Four bronze statues stand on pedestals to either side of the shield. They depict Chultan warriors: one holding
a sword, two with spears, and one missing its face.
Papazotl’s bones are contained within the sarcophagus, but they are well protected (see “Glass Cauldrons” and “Bronze Shield” below).
Greedy Nangnang encourages her host to grab some of the treasure from the chariot.
Nervous Obo’laka warns its host that the cauldrons contain the bones of Papazotl’s most zealous devotees who, even in death, might seek to protect
him.
Glass Cauldrons
Disturbing the chariot, the sarcophagus, or the treasure lying atop it causes twelve skeletons to crawl out of the glass cauldrons (two per cauldron).
All the skeletons act on the same initiative count. A cauldron disgorges one additional skeleton at the start of the skeletons’ turn each round until the
cauldron is destroyed or the tomb is cleared of interlopers. When no enemies remain, any remaining skeletons return to the cauldrons.
Destroying the cauldrons stops the flow of skeletons, as does bowing before the faceless statue (“Bow before no one”). Each cauldron is a Large
object with AC 15, 22 hit points, vulnerability to bludgeoning and thunder damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A detect magic spell
or similar effect reveals an aura of conjuration around the cauldrons. An empty cauldron weighs 500 pounds.
Bronze Shield
The bronze shield hangs from the wall on leather straps. It radiates conjuration magic to a detect magic spell or similar effect.
If the chariot, the sarcophagus, or the treasure is disturbed, or if the shield is removed from the wall, the hunter embossed on it animates. Each round
on initiative count 20, it flings a magical spear of force at the nearest character it can see, ignoring any creature that has bowed before the faceless
bronze statue. The hunter can’t see any creature behind the front-facing side of the shield. When it hurls a spear at a creature, the hunter makes a
ranged spell attack (+10 to hit) and deals 18 (4d8) force damage on a hit. A target reduced to 0 hit points by this attack is disintegrated and turns to
dust.
To stop the shield’s hunter from attacking, a character must blind it by draping something opaque over the shield (such as a sack or cloak) or turning
the shield to face a wall. The shield can also be destroyed; it has AC 15, 10 hit points, and is immune to all damage except force damage. If taken
from the room, the shield vanishes and reappears on the wall between the statues.
Sarcophagus
The sarcophagus contains the brittle skull and bones of an eblis (Papazotl’s animal form; see appendix D).
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Treasure
The following treasures are strewn atop the sarcophagus: a gold torc (250 gp), three gold cups (75 gp each), five gold cloak pins (25 gp each), and an
amulet of health. The amulet turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
Papazotl’s Spirit. The spirit of Papazotl tries to inhabit any character who touches the amulet of health (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods").
When Papazotl’s spirit manifests, read:
Strange shadows shift across the walls, forming the outline of a long-legged bird. Its beak stabs at you as a voice echoes through
your mind: “You will do as I command!”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Papazotl’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the amulet
and waits for another character to touch it.
Ancient cobwebs fill this narrow corridor, whose midpoint features an arched alcove. Within the alcove, a dusty bottle stands on a
table.
The bottle is stoppered and contains a dao named Keshma al-Wazir, who was trapped centuries ago by Acererak. Anyone examining the bottle spots
the genie waving from within and hears her muffled voice calling out. Keshma speaks Terran only. At first, she orders the characters to release her. If
they refuse, she tries to bargain with them (see “Roleplaying the Dao” below). While trapped inside the bottle, Keshma can’t attack or cast spells.
Once she’s released, she can cast the tongues spell to better communicate with her liberators.
If the bottle is broken or unplugged, the dao emerges in a whirlwind of sand. She fulfills whatever promise she made to the characters in exchange for
her freedom, then casts plane shift in an effort to return to the Elemental Plane of Earth. (The attempt fails, naturally, and she winds up trapped in
area 57.)
Truthful Moa advises his host not to break any bargains made with the dao.
Greedy Nangnang advises her host to cut deals with the dao that benefit only the host and her.
Proud Papazotl encourages his host to treat the dao like a servile lickspittle.
At first, Keshma promises the characters riches in exchange for freedom — the sapphires coiled through her braided hair and the platinum armbands
(see “Treasure” below). Such baubles mean little to the dao in the greater scheme of things, but she feigns anguish in surrendering them. If the
characters press for more, Keshma promises to take them anywhere in the multiverse. Finally, she offers to travel with them through the tomb and aid
them three times with her spells.
Once freed, Keshma remains true to her word. However, she won’t tolerate any slight to her honor. If she feels insulted, she attacks the characters and
attempts to enslave them.
The dao could become a thorn in the characters’ side or a difficult ally. Her ignorance of the tomb’s defenses confines her to area 57 if she casts
plane shift. If she escapes from area 57, she expects the characters to help her find a safe way out of the tomb. When she learns of the trickster
gods, Keshma encourages the characters to seek them out and use them to defeat Acererak.
Treasure
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The dao wears two sapphire cords (1,250 gp each), two platinum armbands engraved with dueling dragons (750 gp each), and a topaz belly-button
gemstone (500 gp).
The air here reeks of sulfur and brimstone. On the floor of this chamber, a pentagram traced in salt surrounds an ornate
sarcophagus, its lid covered with figurines of prancing frog-like humanoids.
An invisible gray slaad paces inside the salt pentagram. Magical wards prevent the slaad from disturbing the salt or leaving the circle’s confines. If
another creature attacks the slaad, enters the area of the boundary circle, or breaks any part of the circle or pentagram by sweeping or brushing away
the salt, the slaad is freed. Hungry for carnage, the creature vents its rage on the characters before leaving the room in search of its control gem, not
knowing that it is kept in area 28.
Cautious Obo’laka thinks the salt pentagram could use more salt and encourages her host to add to it. if any salt is available. (Doing so doesn’t break
the wards that trap the slaad.)
Reckless Wongo doesn’t care much for salt pentagrams, and he urges his host to wreck the symbol and see what happens.
Sarcophagus
Arranged atop the sarcophagus are twelve painted wooden statuettes depicting grungs. They are cute but worthless. The lid of the sarcophagus can
be lifted and pushed aside with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check. Within is a varnished clay urn containing the skull and bones of a
grung (Nangnang’s animal form; see appendix D), as well as a number of valuables (see “Treasure” below).
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of enchantment surrounding the clay urn. The first creature to touch the urn or disturb its
contents must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by an Otto’s irresistible dance spell. Until the effect ends, the creature also
takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage at the end of each of its turns as discordant, percussive music overwhelms its mind. Any creature under the effect
of a mind blank spell or similar magic doesn’t hear this music or suffer the psychic damage. A successful dispel magic (DC 18) dismisses the effect
on the urn, allowing it to be touched safely.
Treasure
Inside the sarcophagus are a potion of poison disguised as a potion of supreme healing and a petrified grung egg that functions as a pearl of power.
A spellcaster that attunes to the egg also gains resistance to poison damage. The egg turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine
Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
Nangnang’s Spirit. The spirit of Nangnang tries to inhabit any character who touches the egg (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When
Nangnang’s spirit manifests, read:
As you touch the egg, a tendril of slime rises from its surface and transforms into a frog-like head that bobs toward you. A croaking
voice sounds out in your mind: “Nangnang will help you now.”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Nangnang’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the egg and
waits for another character to touch it.
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Withers uses this font to speak to creatures outside the tomb and contact his tomb guardian. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of
divination over the water. When any character gazes into the font, read:
As the water begins to swirl, eerie light emanates from within the basin. Slowly, an image resolves on the water’s surface.
Those gazing into the font can see through the eyes of a random tomb guardian as it patrols the dungeon. Pick a random level (or roll a d6) and
describe the guardian’s path through it. The guardian relies on darkvision to see, so images in the pool are in black and white. The images fade and
the scrying effect ends if no character gazes into the water.
Unless one of the characters gazing into the pool is wearing an amulet of the black skull (see appendix C and area 28), the tomb guardian becomes
aware of the party’s scrying after 1 minute. When that happens, read:
The surface of the pool explodes, and a hulking figure wearing plate armor and a bucket helm heaves itself up from the font.
The tomb guardian is a flesh golem clad in plate armor (AC 17). As it emerges from the font, it attacks everyone in the chamber, fighting until
destroyed. When the guardian appears, the pool loses its scrying power until the next dawn.
Three archways overlook a circular chamber where a spiral staircase descends into darkness. The staircase walls are lined with
unlit torches in iron sconces and set with niches containing moldering humanoid skulls and bones.
This staircase descends from level 2 to levels 3, 4, and 5, with each level 25 feet below the level above. The bones and skulls in the niches belong to
dead Omuans whom Acererak sacrificed to build the tomb. Withers and his tomb dwarves use these stairs to move between levels.
The torches can be removed from their brackets and taken elsewhere.
Old wooden benches and shelves along the walls of this chamber are covered with gears, chains, trap components, and cages filled
with rats. Lit iron braziers hang by chains from the ceiling. Along the north wall, a stepped dais is set with a bulky contraption: an
iron maiden of sorts, attached to a network of steaming pistons, tubes, and bubbling vats of blood. Five masked dwarves operate
the contraption.
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When the characters arrive, five tomb dwarves are working inside the chamber. Each one
has the statistics of a wight, except that it wields a battleaxe and a light crossbow. If the
adventurers leave this area, there’s a 50 percent chance that 1d4 of the other tomb
dwarves prowling the dungeon are present when they return.
Any character who searches the forge uncovers enough gear to assemble two sets of
thieves’ tools, a set of artisan’s tools, a set of alchemist’s supplies, a set of mason’s tools,
and a set of smith’s tools. The caged rats are used to test traps.
Iron Kiln
The dwarves use the iron contraption on the dais to craft tomb guardians from the
corpses of slain adventurers. As the characters arrive, the tomb dwarves are in the
process of unleashing their newest creation.
The creature that emerges from the contraption is a tomb guardian — a flesh golem encased in
plate armor (AC 17). This guardian was fashioned using the salvaged remains of Seward, an
adventurer with the Company of the Yellow Banner, and a number of other unfortunate
trespassers. Now a mindless undead, it attacks the characters on sight.
Treasure
Any character who searches the forge finds a ghost lantern (see appendix C) that once
belonged to Seward. It lies on a bench next to some tools.
The spirit of a female moon elf warlock known as the Starfallen resides within the ghost
lantern. If any character touches the lantern, the spirit can be seen within it. The spirit is
insubstantial and can’t be harmed, nor can it cause harm. It speaks and understands Common,
Elvish, and Sylvan. If the lantern is destroyed, the spirit becomes trapped in the Soulmonger.
The Starfallen was slain almost a thousand years ago by a fomorian. After her death, her soul
inhabited the lantern. The Company of the Yellow Banner found the lantern and began questing
for a way to return the Starfallen to life. The fabled Eye of Zaltec was said to possess the power
to raise the ancient dead. The company tracked the jewel to the tomb and perished without
ever finding it.
The spirit of the Starfallen has weakened over time and grown forgetful. She remembers little
of her past or her travels with the Company of the Yellow Banner, but certain things might jog
her memory. If the players get stuck, you can use the Starfallen as a means to provide hints to
keep the adventure on track.
Candles dimly illuminate a cluttered office. A skeletal songbird rasps at you from a filthy cage in one corner. Other furnishing include
a wooden writing desk and a tall-backed chair. Anatomical drawings sketched in charcoal hang on the wall behind the desk. Seated
in the chair is the shriveled corpse of a humanoid wearing moldy robes and a bronze mask sculpted to look like a frowning visage.
Around the figure’s neck hangs a black skull-shaped amulet, and a number of severed hands crawl on the desk and floor around
him.
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Before he was turned into an undead creature, Withers was an Omuan engineer named Gorra.
Like all of Omu’s citizens, Gorra was enslaved and put to work constructing the tomb. When
Acererak sacrificed his workers to their own dungeon, Gorra’s traps performed the best. This
pleased the archlich enough that he transformed Gorra into a wight, with these changes:
Cantrips (at will): acid splash, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, expeditious retreat, feather fall, thunderwave
When the characters arrive, Withers is working at his desk. Seven crawling claws follow him
around and obey his commands.
Withers is fiercely loyal to Acererak. His passion for learning followed him into undeath, granting him a rare chance to study for eternity. The walls of
his office are covered in papers on natural history and anatomy, and he uses the scrying pool in area 25 to study the natural world through the eyes of
Omu’s gargoyles.
When he encounters the characters, Withers is keen to learn everything he can before killing them. He’s particularly interested in current affairs in
Chult and in the history of foreign lands. If the characters humor him, he behaves cordially while they answer his questions. Then with some regret, he
finally announces that it’s time for them to die. Withers would rather escape than be destroyed or captured, so he uses his spells to retreat if the
battle goes against him, saving wall of fire to cut off pursuers when he flees.
Journals
Withers is a diligent scribe. His moldy journals track the history of Omu and the Tomb of the Nine Gods, and detail the arrival of the atropal and the
construction of the Soulmonger. Any character who spends 10 minutes flipping through the journals finds an entry that stands out. Give that
character’s player a copy of handout 22 in appendix E. To flesh out the journals further, refer to the “History of Omu” section in chapter 3 and “History
of the Tomb” earlier in this chapter.
Treasure
Withers has enough equipment on his desk to assemble a scholar’s pack. A manual of golems (clay) lies open on his desk next to a spellbook
containing all the spells he has prepared. On the inside back cover of the spellbook is what appears to be a name: Khomara Blackfire. “Khomara” and
“Blackfire” are actually the command words for the mirror of life trapping in area 50.
The desk drawer contains a translucent, fist-sized gray stone that radiates an aura of enchantment to a detect magic spell or similar effect. This
stone is the control gem for the gray slaad in area 24. For more information on control gems, see the “Slaadi” entry in the Monster Manual.
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Withers’s skeletal songbird is tame but cantankerous. It can’t fly, but it can be sold to a buyer in Port Nyanzaru for 75 gp. Withers’s bronze mask is
worth 25 gp.
Alien Growth
The beholder’s aberrant influence permeates the stonework across this level of the tomb, causing purple mold to sprout from the floors, walls, and
ceilings. The mold smells like rotting corpses and occasionally releases clouds of harmless spores. As characters move through areas with alien
growth, tiny eyeballs emerge from the mold to scrutinize them. Belchorzh can see through these eyes and uses them to track the party’s progress.
Any effect that deals fire, necrotic, or radiant damage destroys a patch of alien growth on contact. However, the beholder doesn’t take kindly to the
mold’s destruction. When a patch of growth is destroyed, the next nearest patch sprouts a stubby eyestalk that shoots a randomly determined eye ray
at the nearest character. (Roll a d10 and consult the beholder stat block to determine which ray it produces.) After making this attack, the eyestalk
quickly disappears back into the mold.
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A huge carving of a snarling jackal’s head protrudes from the wall at the end of this corridor. A chamber is visible through the gaps
between its fangs.
The gaps between the teeth are only 2 inches wide, but any character who looks through can see into area 35:
Four torches illuminate stone sphinxes crouched in the corners of this fifteen-foot-high room. The torches cast flickering light
across hieroglyphs carved into the tiled floor. At the center of the room, a gold-inlaid funeral barge stands atop a three-foot-tall
stone dais. Resting on the deck of the barge is a small golden sarcophagus decorated with horned rabbits. A dark shaft opens in the
ceiling directly above the barge.
This view is a magical window into the past. Whoever looks through the jackal’s jaws sees a vision of I’jin’s tomb (area 35) as it was just before the
last person entered it. After a few moments, the vision reveals a person entering the chamber.
A slab of wall suddenly grinds upward to the east, and a dwarf wearing a turban and chain mail creeps into the tomb. He brandishes
a shield in front of him as he treads cautiously across the floor.
The magic here records the last moments of Bravus Boulderborn, hero of the Company of the Yellow Banner. The dwarf ignores any attempts by the
characters to communicate with him.
A loud click sounds out as the dwarf steps onto one of the floor tiles. Then a deafening buzzing rises as locusts pour out from the
mouths of the sphinx statues, quickly engulfing him. He tries to fight them off, to no avail. When the cloud of insects vanishes,
nothing of the dwarf remains except its bones and gear.
If all the characters turn away, the vision resets. When any character next looks through the mask, the dwarf is seen entering I’jin’s tomb once more.
The jackal mask radiates an aura of divination to a detect magic spell or similar effect. If any character uses teleportation or other magic to bypass
the teeth and enter the tomb, the dwarf’s moldering skeleton is discovered in area 35.
Ahead of you, the face of a snarling minotaur is etched into a sheet of iron that bisects the crawlway. Its eyes have been cut out,
letting you see through the sheet, beyond which the tunnel continues onward.
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The minotaur face is etched into both sides of a 1-inch-thick, sharp-edged iron sheet that blocks the crawlway. The holes that form the eyes are 2
inches wide. The characters can use spells such as gaseous form and misty step to move past the iron sheet.
Any character who examines the barrier discovers that it slides up into the ceiling. Coiled springs provide resistance, and a successful DC 17 Strength
(Athletics) check is needed to lift the sheet. If the check succeeds, a hidden latch locks the sheet in place, allowing creatures to crawl underneath it.
Unless it is wedged in place with an iron spike, a stout weapon, or a similar object, the barrier snaps down after 1 minute, sealing the crawlway once
more. Any creature underneath the sheet when it snaps shut must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 44 (8d10) slashing damage.
Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is chopped in two.
Still puddles of water cover the floor of this fifteen-foot-wide hallway. The walls are slick with moisture and set with murals showing
animal-headed humanoids in armor, most of which appear to brandish real weapons hanging on the walls. A three-foot-high
crawlway in the east wall is flush with the floor. At the far end of the hall, a rippling, transparent curtain of water fills a stone
archway. Beyond the curtain, you see another hallway that looks similar to the one in which you stand.
The tarnished weapons hanging on the walls are in poor condition and are held in place with hooks to make it appear as though the painted warriors
are holding them.
Twelve painted figures line each hall, six on the west wall and six on the east wall, directly across from one another. Figures on facing walls are
perfect reflections of each other.
South Hall. From south to north, the warriors and weapons in this hall are as follows:
Stork-headed males with handaxes (the figure on the east wall has the crawlway to area 36 between its legs)
Lizard-headed females with maces
Panther-headed males with blowguns
Unarmed hawk-headed females (the east mural is illusory; see area 31A)
Goat-headed males with sickles
Frog-headed females with tridents
North Hall. From south to north, the warriors and weapons in this hall are as follows:
Each alcove contains a plinth bearing a crystal eyeball 1 inch in diameter: a pale purple eyeball to the south and a bright green eyeball to the north.
Crystal Eyes. The nonmagical crystal eyes are two of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
If any creature passes through the curtain of water carrying a trident, nothing happens. Any trident will do, not just the ones in the hallways.
If any creature passes through the curtain without a trident, the water erupts as a fierce wave flowing north and south. Any creature in either hall is
slammed by the water and must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and
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is swept to the end of the hall with such great force that it falls prone. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw takes half damage and falls
prone, but is not swept away. The weapons hooked on the walls remain where they are.
Water expelled by the curtain disappears before it can flow beyond the confines of the hallways. The water also does not enter either of the hidden
alcoves (area 31A), so creatures there are safe from the waves’ effect.
The water conjured by the curtain leaks out of the hall through tiny cracks in the floor, leaving puddles behind.
When 50 pounds or more of weight is applied to the floor at the midpoint of tunnel A, a mechanism causes the tunnel to quickly rotate 90 degrees
clockwise and sink 5 feet as it turns. Both ends of the tunnel are immediately cut off, trapping creatures inside. At the same time, a second crawlway
perpendicular to the first (marked “Tunnel B” on map 5.3) rotates 90 degrees clockwise and sinks into place, positioned where tunnel A used to be.
Characters who are flying, in gaseous form, or otherwise effectively weightless do not trigger the trap and can move through the tunnel safely.
Rotating Tunnel
Read the following text to players the first time their characters are caught in a rotating tunnel:
With a loud grinding noise, this section of crawlway begins to rotate, instantly cutting off the exits ahead and behind. You can feel
the passage sink about five feet as it turns. After a few seconds, it comes to a stop and the grinding abates.
When tunnel B connects to the rest of the crawlway, a new passage running north to south is formed. Tunnel B is trapped similarly to tunnel A, except
that both tunnels ascend 5 feet as they rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise when the trap triggers. The only way to return tunnel A to its original
position is to trigger the trap from tunnel B, and vice versa.
Characters trapped in a section of tunnel not connected to the rest of the crawlway have no clear means of escape. The tunnel is airtight. A single
creature consumes the available air supply in 24 hours, with multiple creatures dividing that time up between them. For example, four creatures
trapped in the tunnel could survive 6 hours before they begin to suffocate.
Skeletal Remains
Any character who can see into tunnel B notices the body of an unlucky adventurer.
As a new tunnel rotates into place, you see a skeletal corpse lying on the floor of that tunnel, about ten feet away.
The corpse belongs to Sephirius, dragonborn paladin of the Company of the Yellow Banner. Looting the body reveals several items of interest (see
“Treasure” below).
Treasure
Sephirius wore no armor but carried a +1 yklwa (see “Buying a Special Item” in chapter 1 for more information on this weapon), a dungeoneer’s pack,
a pouch containing 8 gp, an ivory back scratcher shaped like a dinosaur claw (25 gp), a holy symbol of Bahamut (25 gp), and a red crystal eyeball
measuring 1 inch in diameter.
Crystal Eye. The nonmagical crystal eye is one of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
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This chamber contains a stone font filled with a steaming green liquid. Beyond it, a shadowy figure stands at an open door on the
far side of the room. The figure’s back is toward you.
The stone font is attached to the floor and can’t be tipped over. It is also impervious to damage and spells. It appears to hold 40 pints (5 gallons) of
hot soup, but the liquid is illusory. Tactile exploration reveals that the liquid has no substance and the font is dry.
The dark figure is a magical, illusory duplicate of whichever character opened the door to the room. It copies the character’s movements, allowing a
shrewd player to use the duplicate to dispense with the liquid in the font. The shadow duplicate has the statistics of a commoner and is immune to
poison damage. It perfectly matches the motions of the character who created it, always keeping its back to its creator as though it was a projected
image 15 feet ahead.
If the character who created the shadow duplicate moves backward, the duplicate moves toward the font. If the character then mimes drinking from
the font, the duplicate slurps up the “soup” at a rate of 5 pints per round, draining the font in 8 rounds. Once the font is drained of illusory soup, a
treasure appears in the font that wasn’t there before (see “Treasure” below). Casting dispel magic on the font causes the illusory soup to vanish, but
the treasure does not appear. The illusory soup reappears 1 minute later.
The shadow duplicate can’t exert pressure on objects and glides through any obstacles it encounters. Casting dispel magic on the figure causes it to
vanish. It doesn’t react to taking damage but disappears if it drops to 0 hit points or is made to leave the chamber. Closing the door to the room and
reopening it creates a new duplicate of whoever opened the door. There can be only one shadow duplicate at a time.
The shadow duplicate has a terrible and deadly aspect. Any creature that looks upon its face sees a horrific visage locked in a silent scream and
must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. A creature that cannot be frightened automatically succeeds on the saving
throw.
Treasure
If a shadow duplicate drinks all the illusory soup in the font, a 1-inch-diameter eyeball made of incandescent orange crystal appears at the bottom of
the font and can easily be removed. If the eye is taken from the font and later put back, it disappears and the illusory soup effect is reset.
Crystal Eye. The nonmagical crystal eye is one of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
Empty Closet
East of the font is a dusty, empty room.
34. Peephole
If one or more characters approach this area from the south, read:
The corridor turns sharply to the left. At the corner just before the turn, a peephole is carved into the stone wall at a height of 6 feet.
The peephole forms one end of a 5-foot-long tube cut through the solid rock wall. Magnifying lenses set throughout the tube give anyone who peers
through the hole a clear view of the gold medallion in area 35A and the hieroglyph visible on the dial behind it. In addition, a creature looking through
the peephole can communicate telepathically with creatures in area 35B. Using the peephole, a character can identify the correct sequence of floor
tiles to step on in area 35B and communicate that information to everyone in I’jin’s tomb.
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The corridor ends at a block of stone on which is painted a seven-foot-tall jackal-headed humanoid with a circular gold medallion
around its neck. All around the figure are carvings of locusts.
Close inspection reveals that one of the carved locusts is a button that can be pushed. When this happens, the stone block sinks into the floor,
creating an open passage to the tomb (area 35B).
The “medallion” worn by the jackal-headed painting is actually a 6-inch-diameter gold disk engraved with the face of a horned devil, its mouth agape.
Lodged behind this disk is a clay dial etched with eight hieroglyphs. One hieroglyph (a vulture) is visible through a hole that forms the devil’s gaping
mouth, but the dial is locked in place and its remaining seven hieroglyphs are hidden from view behind the medallion.
If any character steps on a vulture floor tile in area 35B, the dial turns, revealing a new hieroglyph: a serpent. One hieroglyph at a time, the dial reveals
the correct sequence of floor tiles to stand on: vulture, serpent, door, reed, scarab, scepter, foot, and urn. Stepping on a floor tile that matches the
hieroglyph on the dial causes the dial to turn, revealing the next symbol in the sequence.
The gold medallion is attached to the stone block with sovereign glue, and removing it requires universal solvent. However, one can simply destroy
the medallion to get at the dial underneath. Removing or destroying the medallion exposes the dial and its eight hieroglyphs.
Once the medallion is out of the way, the dial can be easily removed from its spoke inside the stone block. However, removing the dial releases a
corrosive gas trapped within the block. The gas escapes through tiny holes hidden behind the dial and fills the 5-foot space directly east of the block.
Any creature in this area when the gas is released must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) acid damage on a failed save, or
half as much damage on a successful one. A character who searches for traps can detect the holes hidden behind the dial with a DC 25 Wisdom
(Perception) check; once found, these holes can be plugged with wax before the dial is removed, preventing the gas from escaping.
35B. Tomb
Four torches illuminate stone sphinxes crouched in the corners of this fifteen-foot-high room. The torches cast flickering light
across hieroglyphs carved into the tiled floor. At the center of the room, a gold-inlaid funeral barge stands atop a three-foot-tall
stone dais. Resting on the deck of the barge is a small golden sarcophagus decorated with horned rabbits. A dark shaft opens in the
ceiling directly above the barge, while to the south, a corridor is visible through a set of fangs carved into the wall.
The skeleton of a dwarf sprawls on the floor east of the barge, clad in a tattered yellow turban and dusty chain mail, and clutching a
bronze shield.
To unlock I’jin’s sarcophagus, eight floor tiles must be stepped on in the correct sequence (see “Hieroglyphic Floor” below and handout 23 in
appendix E). Stepping on the tiles in the wrong order triggers a trap (see “Sphinx Statues” below).
The skeletal remains were once Bravus Boulderborn, a gold dwarf cleric of Moradin and former member of the Company of the Yellow Banner. Bravus
died as a result of stepping on floor tiles in the wrong order, and his body lies atop a floor tile bearing the “foot” hieroglyph. A search of the body
yields some valuables (see “Treasure” below).
Four torches light the room. As long as they remain in their brackets, they never burn out. If a torch is removed from its bracket, it burns down
normally.
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Skittish yet greedy Nangnang wants her host to loot the corpse of the dead dwarf before anyone else can.
Wise Shagambi suggests that there might be a clue nearby to suggest which floor tiles are safe to walk on.
Hieroglyphic Floor
The floor around the dais and the statues is covered with 5-foot-square stone tiles, each one etched with a hieroglyph. Give the players handout 23 in
appendix E.
Characters can avoid triggering the floor tiles by flying or by climbing along the walls and ceiling. Climbing the walls requires a successful DC 20
Strength (Athletics) check. Those who set foot on the tiles must traverse them in the proper sequence or suffer the consequences.
If any character steps onto a tile and the passage to the east is open, the stone block at area 35A rises to seal the tunnel. Any creature atop the block
when it meets the ceiling must succeed on a DC 7 Dexterity saving throw to leap clear in one direction or the other. On a failed save, the creature
takes 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is crushed to a pulp. Otherwise, the creature falls prone
inside the tomb.
The correct sequence of floor tiles matches the order in which the hieroglyphs appear on the clay dial in area 35A: vulture, serpent, door, reed, scarab,
scepter, foot, urn. Each time a character steps on a correct floor tile, a new hieroglyph clicks into view on the clay dial, with that view accessible by
any character using the peephole in area 34. The dial rotates through all the hieroglyphs in the correct order. If any character steps on a hieroglyph
out of order, the statues react as described in “Sphinx Statues.” Stepping on the wrong tile does not reset the sequence.
When the final tile in the sequence is stepped on, the following things all happen at once:
Sphinx Statues
Each of these statues depicts a life-size gynosphinx, and all four radiate auras of abjuration and conjuration to a detect magic spell or similar effect.
The statues are impervious to damage and spells.
When any creature steps on an incorrect floor tile, all four statues yawn and masses of magically summoned locusts fly out of their mouths. The
locusts form a single cloud that fills a 15-foot cube centered above the offending floor tile. Each creature in the cloud when it forms, as well as any
creature that enters the cloud for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, takes 44 (8d10) piercing damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points
by this trap is killed and eaten to the bone by the devouring locusts. The cloud lasts for 1 minute or until another cloud of locusts is created.
Sarcophagus
I’jin’s golden sarcophagus cannot be opened by any means other than stepping on eight floor tiles in the correct order. The sarcophagus is worth
7,500 gp intact but weighs 75 pounds. Removing it from the funeral barge causes four floor-to-ceiling walls of force (like those created by a wall of
force spell) to surround the dais on all four sides. The walls last until destroyed or until the sarcophagus is returned to the barge.
The sarcophagus contains the fragile bones of an almiraj (I’jin’s animal form; see appendix D), as well as its spiral horn, which functions as a wand of
wonder. The horn turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
I’jin’s Spirit. The spirit of I’jin tries to inhabit any character who touches the horn (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When I’jin’s spirit manifests,
read:
Streamers of light emanate from the tip of the horn. As they swirl around you, they form into a spectral rabbit with a single horn on
its brow. A female voice whispers, “Quick, quick, let me in! We must stop Acererak!”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player I’jin’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the horn and waits
for another character to touch it.
Treasure
Bravus’s yellow turban is set with a peridot gemstone (500 gp). A search of Bravus’s corpse also yields a nonmagical shield and a belt pouch
containing a 500 gp diamond (the material component of a raise dead spell) and two 1-inch-diameter crystal eyeballs — one dark blue and one
vibrant purple.
Crystal Eyes. The nonmagical crystal eyes are two of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
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Two balconies face each other over a vast pit. Between the balconies hover five wooden platforms, each one a disk ten feet across.
A single torch burns above each balcony. On the east balcony stands a rough-hewn, fifteen-foot-tall statue of a hulking fiend with
furled wings and clenched fists. Set into the wall on the west balcony is a rusty lever in the up position.
Climbing the walls requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. A crawlway is set into the northwest corner, at the same height as the
balconies and floating platforms. Another crawlway extends off the east balcony. At the back of the west balcony, a staircase descends 10 feet to a
landing and a secret door.
Fickle I’jin urges her host to pull the lever. What harm could it do?
Fearless Kubazan insists that his host jump to the platforms, even if others are better equipped to do so.
Floating Platforms
The circular wooden platforms are 10 feet in diameter and hover between 6 and 12 feet apart, as shown on map 5.3. They float at the same level as
the balconies, 15 feet below the ceiling and 60 feet above the pit floor. A detect magic spell or similar magic reveals auras of abjuration and
transmutation around each platform. Each disk is wide enough that characters can move 10 feet before jumping (see “Movement” in chapter 8 of the
Player’s Handbook). The platforms bob slightly when anything lands on them, as though they were floating on water. Any creature that falls from a
platform to the pit floor takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage. Casting dispel magic on a platform causes it to fall.
Wailing Winds
If the lever on the west balcony is pulled, the fiendish statue unclenches its fists to reveal a marble-sized object in the palm of each hand (see
“Treasure” below). Simultaneously, howling winds rise up and fill the room. Returning the lever to its original up position causes the winds to abate
and the statue’s fists to close.
Have all party members roll initiative whenever the winds begin to howl. While the winds are howling, any creature not standing on a floating platform
that starts its turn in the room must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage
on a successful one. In addition, the winds cause creatures in the room to suffer disadvantage on all Strength-based skill checks, including checks
made to jump to and from the floating platforms and checks made to climb the walls.
Statue
Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check realizes that the statue depicts a nycaloth. A detect magic spell or similar effect
reveals auras of transmutation magic radiating from the statue’s clenched fists.
The statue weighs 15,000 pounds and is impervious to damage and spells. Casting a knock spell on the statue causes one of its fists to unclench for
1 round, during which time the object in that hand can be safely removed.
Treasure
The statue clutches a 1-inch-diameter pearly white crystal eyeball in its left hand and a similarly sized scarlet crystal eyeball in its right hand.
Crystal Eyes. The nonmagical crystal eyes are two of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
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This room is dark and dusty. A hulking figure wearing a bucket helm stands to the west, with one hand on an iron lever set into the
wall. The south wall is sloped and has a large rectangular window five feet wide by seven feet high. The window looks into a hallway,
through a rectangular hole in the hallway floor, and farther down into a well-lit room shaped like a cylinder tipped on its side.
The helmed figure is a tomb guardian: a flesh golem clad in plate armor (AC 17). Its task is to pull the lever when it sees adventurers enter area 38C.
The tomb guardian fights only in self-defense and has orders from Withers to not leave the control room. If it goes berserk, it ignores these orders.
Window. The window in the south wall is stone magically rendered transparent from this side only. A successful dispel magic (DC 17) cast on the
stone causes it to lose its transparency. If the tomb guardian is prevented from seeing into areas 38B and 38C, it won’t pull the lever.
Iron Lever. The lever protrudes from a vertical slot cut into the northwest wall. It rests in the up position. Pulling the lever down activates the trap in
area 38C.
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The walls of this narrow tunnel slope inward as they approach the ten-foot-high ceiling. Patches of mold cling to the walls and floor
in the eastern half of the hall. Cut into the floor at the west end of the corridor is a three-foot-wide, four-foot-long rectangular hole
with bright light spilling out of it.
Any character standing next to the hole can peer down into a cylindrical room (area 38C), the curved floor of which is 15 feet below the hole.
The wall north of the hole acts as a one-way window, but it appears no different from the rest of the tunnel from this side. Creatures in area 38A can
see into this tunnel, but creatures in the tunnel can’t see into area 38A. Spells such as detect magic and true seeing do not reveal the window from
this side.
This room is shaped like a drum or cylinder lying on its side, with its south end tapering toward a small stone door. Carvings of
demons decorate the stonework, with flickering flames in all their eyes.
The flickering flames were created by continual flame spells, which fill the room with bright light.
When the lever in area 38A is pulled, three hidden locks seal the south door, a wall of stone spell blocks the rectangular hole in the ceiling (cutting off
escape to area 38B), and the room begins revolving. When that happens, all creatures present should roll initiative.
Any creature that is not firmly attached to a wall, flying, or under the effect of a gaseous form spell or similar magic is knocked about the revolving
room. The creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save,
or half as much damage on a successful one.
d20 Effect
The demon faces exhale jets of a soporific gas that dissipates quickly. Each creature in the room that is not immune to
1–6 the poisoned condition must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious. An unconscious
creature can repeat the saving throw each time it takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a success.
The demon faces exhale jets of sparkling dust, which blind any creature in the room that does not succeed on a DC 15
7–12
Wisdom saving throw. A creature’s blindness lasts until it is cured with a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
Stone spikes 6 inches long magically protrude from the walls. Any creature that takes damage from the room at the start
13–18 of its turn takes an additional 11 (2d10) piercing damage from the spikes. The spikes retract when the next room effect
is triggered.
The demon faces spew jets of an incendiary gas that promptly ignites, filling the room with fire. Each creature in the
19–20
room takes 45 (10d8) fire damage.
While the room is revolving, an additional effect is triggered at the end of initiative count 10. Roll a d20 and consult the Revolving Room Effects table.
The room stops tumbling if the lever in area 38A is raised, or if the south door is opened or destroyed. The door’s locks are hidden in the walls and
can’t be picked with thieves’ tools, and it takes three separate knock spells to unlock them. The door can also be wrenched open with a successful
DC 26 Strength (Athletics) check or attacked. It has AC 17; 50 hit points; and immunity to fire, piercing, poison, psychic, slashing, and thunder
damage.
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A fifteen-foot-wide, fifteen-foot-deep pit dominates this chamber. At the bottom of the pit, an eight-foot-tall clay figure stands
motionless beside a stone treasure chest. A silver key hangs from a cord around the figure’s neck.
Two nine-foot-tall stone statues stand atop plinths on either side of the pit. A third plinth against the south wall stands empty. One
of the statues depicts a hooded and bearded male figure with his left hand held high, index finger pointed up. The other portrays an
armored male knight with his gauntleted right hand extended, its palm facing inward toward the knight.
An invisible wall of force (as created by the wall of force spell) covers the top of the pit, shielding the clay golem and the chest below. By
manipulating the statues, characters can teleport the golem up to their level, or send one of their own into the pit.
Thoughtful Moa warns that adamantine or magic weapons are needed to harm a clay golem.
Bossy Papazotl insists that someone stand on the third plinth. (“It must be empty for a reason!”)
God Statues
The two statues facing the pit represent Azuth (god of wizardry) and Torm (god of courage and self-sacrifice). Either can be identified with a
successful DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) check. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of abjuration magic around each statue.
Any examination of the plinths reveals that each statue is set on a rotating, spring-loaded gear. If the statue of Azuth is rotated to the right, one
creature inside the pit teleports onto the third plinth, forcing aside any other creature standing there. If multiple creatures are in the pit, randomly
determine which creature is teleported. Rotating the statue of Torm to the right teleports anything on or above the third plinth into the pit. Even if
nothing is there, a popping is heard as air rushes in to fill the empty space. When a statue that has been turned is released, it grinds back to its
starting position.
The clay golem has orders to attack any creature that it sees and can reach. If the golem is destroyed, Withers uses his manual of golems in area 28
to create a new one after 30 days.
Stone Chest
The chest and its hinges are made of stone. The chest weighs 250 pounds and is fitted with a silver locking mechanism. Opening the lock requires
the silver key that the golem wears around its neck. A mage hand spell or similar magic can lift the key from around the golem’s neck without causing
the golem to attack. A character using thieves’ tools can pick the lock with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. However, opening the chest by any
means other than the silver key releases a cloud of gas that fills a 15-foot cube centered above the chest (filling the entire pit). The gas instantly
corrodes and destroys all nonmagical metal that comes into contact with it, including armor and weapons. Metal objects sealed in containers are
protected.
The chest is a Small object with AC 12, 10 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Treasure
The chest contains two 1-inch-diameter glass eyeballs resting on a red cushion. One eyeball is pale green and the other is pink.
Crystal Eyes. The nonmagical crystal eyes are two of the ten keys needed to open the vault of the beholder (area 44).
A golden skull rests on a pedestal in the middle of this small, dusty room.
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This cursed human skull plated in gold is the remains of a fool named Yaka — an entertainer who once amused the royal family of Omu. If any
character touches it, the skull levitates into the air and begins to follow that character everywhere. The skull never strays more than a few feet away,
teleporting back to the character’s side if it loses sight of him or her. As it hovers, Yaka’s skull supplies a stream of deadpan banter in a mocking,
hollow voice. Unless the skull is magically silenced, its inopportune comments cause the character to make all ability checks with disadvantage.
Roleplay the skull as cruel and cynical, with a dark sense of humor. It knows nothing of the tomb but pretends to know all. Acererak has warded the
skull with powerful magic, rendering it impervious to damage and spells. Its curse is too powerful to be broken with any spell other than wish, which
can be used either to destroy the skull or end the curse. If the curse ends but the skull survives, it teleports back to its pedestal and waits for another
character to touch it.
The curse can also be ended by feeding gemstones to the skull, which it craves. The skull chews up and destroys any nonmagical gem fed to it,
leaving no trace of the gem behind. Once it destroys 10,000 gp worth of gemstones, the skull teleports back to its pedestal and the curse ends for the
affected character.
Two hulking figures stand in alcoves along this long hall, facing each other. Armor is bolted to their flesh, and they wear bucket
helms and spiked gauntlets. Iron collars around their necks are connected by a spiked chain that stretches across the corridor.
The tomb guardians in the alcoves attack any creature that attacks them or tries to move past them. They are flesh golems, with these changes:
Spiked Chain
The magical spiked chain that binds the guardians together prevents them from moving more than 15 feet apart. Additionally, as long as the chain is
intact, damage dealt to either guardian is divided evenly between them. The spiked chain can be attacked separately and has AC 18, a damage
threshold of 10, 5 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If the chain breaks, both tomb guardians instantly go berserk.
A four-columned portico juts out from the far wall, beneath which a stone sarcophagus rests in a wall recess. Four ceramic frog
masks hang in niches around the sarcophagus. Beneath the masks, humanoid bones are strewn across the floor. To the east, a
large carving of a tentacled frog-monster squats above a shrine. Offerings lie on a shelf before it. Four rectangular frescoes adorn
the adjacent walls.
To unlock sarcophagus, the characters must perform a simple ritual at the shrine while wearing the frog masks. The wall frescoes reveal what must
be done.
Greedy Nangnang urges her host to snatch up the gold coins on the wall shrine.
Cautious Obo’laka warns against trying on the masks.
Wise Shagambi is convinced that the frescoes are clues to understanding the power of the wall shrine.
Frescoes
Four frescoes line the east wall of the tomb, two on each side of the shrine.
Fresco 1. This fresco shows a time when Kubazan used his tentacles to help the Omuans cast down a statue of the god Ubtao:
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A frog-like behemoth uses its tentacles to help the Omuan people knock down a mighty statue. In the foreground, an old woman
wearing a frog mask tosses five coins from her hand as though sowing seeds.
Fresco 2. This fresco shows a time when Kubazan helped a group of Omuan hunters kill a giant crocodile that was threatening the city:
A frog-like behemoth wraps its tentacles around a giant crocodile as Omuan hunters stab the crocodile with their spears. In the
foreground, an old man wearing a frog mask holds a bug up to his open mouth.
Fresco 3. This fresco shows a time when Kubazan helped the Omuans find a missing child in the jungle:
A frog-like behemoth with four Omuan hunters riding on its back finds a small boy in the jungle. The hunters seem elated. In the
foreground, a young woman wearing a frog mask holds a knife in one hand and a headless chicken in the other.
Fresco 4. This fresco shows a time when Kubazan got angry and the Omuans appeased him with treasure:
A frog-like behemoth wallows in a shallow pool as Omuans offer it urns of food and treasure as tribute. Cracks in the fresco
obscure the head of the human figure in the foreground, but you can see that it grasps a lit candle.
A 6-inch-tall stone statuette of a froghemoth (see appendix D), which weighs 5 pounds and has an inscription on its base in Old Omuan: “Give thanks
to me as others have done since the dawn of time.”
A copper bowl containing rat bones
Four dead cockroaches
A green wax candle with a salvageable wick
5 gp (loose)
Sarcophagus
Kubazan’s sarcophagus is bereft of adornment, though a detect magic spell or similar effect reveals auras of abjuration and evocation magic around
it.
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When the ritual is performed correctly, the sarcophagus lid unlocks and slides open. It contains the bones of a froghemoth (Kubazan’s animal form;
see appendix D) as well as some valuable items (see “Treasure” below). The sarcophagus lid is otherwise sealed shut with an arcane lock spell. It
can be opened with a knock spell or forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. However, if the sarcophagus is opened by any
means other than the ritual, a prismatic spray spell (save DC 19) erupts from the wall behind the sarcophagus. All creatures in the room, as well as
creatures in the narrow hallway to the south, become targets of the spell.
Treasure
The sarcophagus contains a pair of bracers of archery and twenty brittle arrows in a rotting leather quiver. Each arrow shatters on impact and deals
only 1 piercing damage on a hit. Carvings of froghemoths adorn the bracers, which keep the skin of any character attuned to them disturbingly moist.
The bracers turn to dust and are destroyed if they leave the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost Treasures").
Kubazan’s Spirit. The spirit of Kubazan tries to inhabit any character who touches either of the bracers (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods").
When Kubazan’s spirit manifests, read:
The bracers glow as watery light ripples across the walls. A monstrous, tentacled shadow rises from the sarcophagus, and the air
fills with the stench of a swamp. A rumbling voice echoes through the tomb: “You are brave to summon me. Together, we will crush
the undying one!”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Kubazan’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the bracers
and waits for another character to touch one of them.
Ten feet from the doors, a thick tapestry curtain hangs from wall to wall. Its embroidery shows a scene of merriment: nobles
feasting around a banquet table, a roast boar on a platter, and servants pouring wine.
Two more curtains hang beyond the first, each showing the same image descending into horror. When the second curtain is revealed, read:
Another curtain hangs behind the first, showing the same scene but descended into depravity. The nobles fight with each other,
partake in carnal encounters on the table, or sprawl on the floor in puddles of vomit.
A scene of horror confronts you: nobles feasting on servants, eating each other alive, and setting fire to the hall. The roast boar is
alive and laughing on its platter.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of enchantment magic radiating from the third curtain. Any creature that looks at this curtain
must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of it. A frightened creature tries to leave the room as quickly as possible and cannot
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reenter. Once outside the room, a creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A
creature that saves against this effect is unaffected by the curtain thereafter and can reenter the room.
The rotting head of a giant boar is mounted to the wall behind the final curtain. Fresh blood and gore spatters its tusks, dribbling
down the wall beneath it.
Any humanoid that can see the severed boar’s head must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by it. On its turn, a charmed
creature does nothing except approach the severed head and put its own head in the boar’s mouth. Only one head can fit in the mouth at a time. If the
boar’s mouth is already full, a charmed creature waits patiently until the mouth is clear. Any creature that ends its turn with its head in the boar’s
mouth takes 22 (4d10) slashing damage as the boar’s jaws clamp down. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, it is decapitated. A
charmed creature can repeat the saving throw each time it takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once a creature successfully
saves against this effect, it cannot be affected by the boar’s head for 24 hours.
Destroying the Lord of the Feast ends its charm effect on all creatures. The boar’s head is a Medium object with AC 5 and 22 hit points.
Treasure
Destroying the boar’s head reveals three items lodged between its teeth: a bent pair of gold spectacles (25 gp), a leather eye patch set with a
bloodstone (50 gp), and a platinum hair pin (75 gp).
The corridor ends in a large door with a round mirror set into its surface. Ten circular indentations, each about an inch across,
surround the mirror.
The door is sealed tight and can’t be opened with ability checks or magic. To open the door, ten crystal eyes found elsewhere in the dungeon (see
areas 31A, 32, 33, 35B, 37, and 39) must be inserted into the indentations. Each eye lights up as it clicks into place. With each eye that is inserted, the
reflections of the characters in the mirror become progressively unhealthier — losing weight, hair, and teeth as they come to resemble undead.
When all ten eyes are in place, they disappear and the door grinds open and remains open henceforth.
The vault door grinds upward, revealing a domed, candlelit room fifty feet high. The polished marble floor is so perfectly reflective
that it creates the illusion of standing at the entrance to a sphere. Nine alcoves filled with glit tering treasure open up along the
walls. In the middle of the chamber, a large spherical object hovers under a black silk drape twenty feet above the floor.
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The beholder, Belchorzh (pronounced BEL-korj), floats at the top of the room. Acererak cast a wish spell to render Belchorzh invisible. A successful
dispel magic (DC 19) cast on the beholder or contact with an antimagic field ends its invisibility. Belchorzh reacts to intruders as described in the
“Beholder Tactics” section below.
The hall contains one hundred lit candles. While the candles remain inside this vault, they burn indefinitely. If a candle is taken from the room, it burns
down normally.
The floor beneath the dome is magically slick. Any creature that steps onto or starts its turn on the floor must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving
throw or fall prone. When an untethered creature is shoved or otherwise moved across the floor, it travels in one direction and does not stop until it
comes into contact with a wall or other barrier.
Impulsive Kubazan urges his host to attack whatever is hiding under the black drape, with no warning or negotiation.
Cautious Obo’laka thinks a beholder is hidden under the black drape and urges her host to flee at once.
When he becomes aware of the beholder, reckless Wongo suggests that his host attack another party member, to trick the beholder into thinking it
has an ally.
The iron sphere is hollow and immobile, and it remains inert while the drape covers it. Belchorzh can use its telekinetic eye ray to remove the drape at
any time, revealing the sphere and causing it to emit a magical magnetic field. Each creature in the room wearing metal armor is pulled to the sphere
and becomes stuck to it, as does any metal weapon or object that isn’t secured or being held. Any creature stuck to the sphere is restrained until the
magnetic field deactivates.
Any ranged attack made in the chamber that uses ammunition made wholly or partly from metal has disadvantage on the attack roll; if the attack
misses, the ammunition becomes stuck to the sphere.
Throwing the black drape over the sphere renders it temporarily inert, with creatures and objects stuck to it falling to the floor. A successful dispel
magic (DC 16) cast on the sphere dispels the Nystul’s magic aura spell, permanently deactivates the magnetic field, and causes the sphere to crash
to the floor. This sends a web of cracks through the marble, negating the floor’s frictionless effect and allowing creatures to move across it normally.
The sphere also deactivates and falls if it comes into contact with an antimagic field or is destroyed.
The sphere is a Large object with AC 20; 100 hit points; resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks; and
immunity to poison and psychic damage. It weighs 1,000 pounds. While the magnetic field is active, any attack made against the sphere with a metal
weapon automatically hits, though the weapon becomes stuck to the sphere after impact.
Beholder Tactics
The Tomb of the Nine Gods is not truly the beholder’s domain, so it can’t use lair actions.
The invisible beholder puts as much distance between itself and the adventurers as possible, while making sure to not catch the iron sphere in its
Antimagic Cone.
Belchorzh doesn’t pursue intruders who flee its vault. However, if the adventurers steal even one copper piece from its trove, the beholder uses the
alien growth throughout this level of the dungeon against them. Whenever the characters come near a patch of the growth, it sprouts an eyestalk and
attacks (see "Alien Growth").
The beholder knows Deep Speech and Undercommon, and it refers to itself in the third person. Haughty and defiant, it delights in the destruction of
tomb robbers while refusing to yield. Any character who understands its words can translate a few of Belchorzh’s choice sayings:
Treasure
The nine alcoves contain the following treasures:
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At the bottom of the grand staircase, a resonant mechanical rumbling emanates from a dark shaft opening up in the middle of this
chamber’s floor. Four cylindrical stone pedestals surround the shaft, each ten feet tall, five feet wide, and featuring a tiny slot in its
side. Squatting atop each pedestal is a large four-armed gargoyle.
Any character looking down on the room from one of the balconies above or another high vantage point notices something else:
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Each gargoyle is contained within a square made of metallic tiles embedded in the top of its pedestal. Starting with the
northernmost pedestal and going clockwise, the tiles are copper, silver, gold, and platinum.
Four giant four-armed gargoyles (see appendix D) are perched atop the pedestals, each one crouched within its square of tiled precious metal. The
gargoyles remain motionless until they are provoked.
The slots in each pedestal are 4 feet above the floor and roughly the size of a standard coin. All humanoids must pay a tithe before leaving this room
to avoid provoking the gargoyles’ wrath. Specifically, each humanoid must insert a coin of the appropriate type into each pedestal (1 cp in the north
pedestal, 1 sp in the east pedestal, 1 gp in the south pedestal, and 1 pp in the west pedestal). A gargoyle will always accept a more precious coin than
the one required, so a character inserting a platinum coin into every pedestal could exit the room safely. A gargoyle will also accept a tithe of multiple
coins of equal or greater value (10 cp instead of 1 sp in the east pedestal, for example). The pedestals have hollow cavities within them to store the
coins (see “Treasure” below).
The gargoyles always know when they’re being cheated. If any humanoid leaves the room without offering sufficient coin, any cheated gargoyles
spring to life and attack the cheapskate. A gargoyle also springs to life and attacks if it or its pedestal is damaged in any way. The metallic tiles atop
the pedestals can be pried loose, but they turn to dust if removed from this chamber.
Shaft
The shaft in the floor is 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep. It opens into the ceiling of area 58. To scale the smooth walls of the shaft, a character needs
climbing gear or magic.
Treasure
Each pedestal is a hollow stone cylinder with 6-inch-thick walls. Characters with appropriate tools can smash through the stone to get at the coins
within each pedestal.
The north pedestal holds 5 sp and 100 cp. The east pedestal hides 1 gp, 120 sp, and 200 cp. The south pedestal conceals 2 pp, 90 gp, 350 sp, and
500 cp. The west pedestal holds 10 pp, 630 gp, 7,200 sp, 5,000 cp, and the skeletal remains of an Omuan engineer.
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A six-foot-tall green devil face is carved into the far end of this hallway, its mouth agape. Painted murals on the walls show faceless
humanoid figures doubled over in pain, clutching at their heads and ears.
Despite the ominous murals and the devil face carving, this hall is devoid of traps. Any character who searches the devil face finds a lizard hiding in
the carving’s shallow mouth cavity. The recipient of an awaken spell cast by a Chultan druid, the lizard has an Intelligence score of 10 and speaks
Druidic. The Company of the Yellow Banner captured it in Omu and brought it to the tomb thinking it might be useful for setting off traps. The lizard
escaped and wound up here. It doesn’t know what became of its captors and helps the characters any way it can if they promise to return it to Omu.
An antimagic field fills each cell, rendering magic items useless, suppressing ongoing magical effects, and preventing all spellcasting. See the spell’s
description in the Player’s Handbook for full information.
Waves of heat blast out of this cramped cell. The walls are scribed with relief carvings showing volcanoes setting cities ablaze.
Rows of tiny holes are bored into the floor and the ten-foot-high ceiling. A human skeleton embedded in the opposite wall holds an
iron sconce with a burning red candle in it.
The skeleton is all that remains of a dead Omuan engineer. As long as the candle remains in this cell, it burns indefinitely. If taken from the area, it
burns down normally.
Secret Door. If Withers is watching, he tries to trap as many characters as he can in the cell by whispering a command word that causes the secret
door in the south wall to slide shut and lock. No keyhole or visible opening mechanism can be found on the secret door. The secret door remains
sealed until the characters escape from the cells or die trying. A wedge, spike, or similar object can be used to prevent the door from closing.
Lava Trap. Molten lava begins pouring from the tiny holes in the ceiling as soon as any character comes within 1 foot of the candle or removes it
from the sconce. The lava rains down and magically drains away through the holes in the floor. Each creature in the cell when the lava begins to fall
must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Any creature
that enters the cell for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must repeat the saving throw. Because of the cell’s antimagic field, magic items
and spells that provide resistance to fire offer no protection here.
Extinguishing the Candle. If the candle is extinguished inside the cell, the antimagic field is dispelled and all creatures in the cell are teleported to
one of the other cells, as follows:
If the candle’s flame is doused with water or some other liquid, creatures in the cell are teleported to the water cell (area 47B).
If the candle’s flame is blown out or smothered by a lack of oxygen (including being ground out against the wall or floor), creatures are teleported to
the air cell (area 47C).
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You appear in a cell that smells moldy. Its damp walls are covered with living snails and oysters, and feature sculptural reliefs of
tidal waves destroying coastal cities and ships. A merfolk skeleton embedded in one wall clutches an iron sconce fitted with a
burning red candle. Suddenly, lukewarm water begins to pour into the cell through rows of tiny holes in the ten-foot-high ceiling.
The candle is a distraction and offers no way out of the cell. As long as it remains in this cell, the candle burns indefinitely until extinguished. If taken
from the area, it burns down normally.
Flood Trap. The water fills the cell at a rate of 1 foot per round, taking 10 rounds to fill the room. If the candle is left in its sconce, the rising water
extinguishes it on the fourth round. Trying to stuff or block the holes doesn’t stop the water from pouring in. Because of the cell’s antimagic field,
spells and magic items that enable characters to breathe underwater don’t function here. Any character who runs out of air begins to suffocate (see
“The Environment” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
Snails and Oysters. There are dozens of snails and oysters clinging to the walls. A character can use an action to remove an oyster or snail from a
wall, crack it open, and eat it. The first time an oyster or snail is removed from a wall, the cell’s antimagic field is dispelled. Eating an oyster teleports
a character (along with his or her possessions) to the air cell (area 47C), while eating a snail teleports a character (along with his or her possessions)
to the earth cell (area 47D).
When the last character leaves the cell, rows of tiny holes open in the floor, allowing the water to drain out at a rate of 1 foot per round.
You immediately begin to choke as you are teleported to a room with no light, no sound, and no air.
The cell’s antimagic field douses magical lights, and nonmagical flames are snuffed out because of the lack of oxygen in the room. Creatures that
can see in the dark can see the following:
Sculptural reliefs on the walls of this dark cell show tornadoes uprooting trees and tearing cities apart. An aarakocra skeleton
embedded in one wall holds an iron sconce bearing an unlit red candle.
Any creature that requires air to breathe immediately begins to suffocate unless it took the precaution of holding its breath before teleporting here
(see “The Environment” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
Any character who cannot see can use an action to blindly search the cell by touch, then make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. If the check
succeeds, the character discerns one key feature of the room: either the wall carvings, the aarakocra skeleton, or the candle.
Aarakocra Bones. The aarakocra skeleton embedded in the wall has hollow bones containing stale yet breathable air — each one essentially a tube
sealed with wax. A character with a dagger or similar tool can use an action to pry a bone out of the wall, pierce the wax seal, and inhale the air
within. The first time a bone is removed from a wall, the cell’s antimagic field is dispelled. Any character who inhales the air is teleported (along with
his or her possessions) to area 48.
Unlit Candle. The candle can’t be lit without air, but let characters waste time trying. The candle is not the means by which characters can escape the
cell. If somehow lit, the candle burns indefinitely as long as it remains in this cell. If taken from the area, it burns down normally.
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The walls of this stone cell are covered with reliefs showing desert sands swallowing the ruins of civilization. A bas-relief of a robed
medusa dominates one wall. It wears a stone necklace with an obsidian pendant and clutches an iron sconce with a burning red
candle in it. Sand begins to fall from tiny holes bored into the ten-foot-high ceiling, and you hear a rumbling noise under the floor.
The candle can be extinguished and relit, but is of no use to characters trying to escape the room. As long as it remains in this cell, the candle burns
indefinitely. If taken from the area, it burns down normally.
Any character who searches the cell and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a seam running down the middle of the floor from
north to south. The seam suggests the existence of a pit trap.
Trap. The falling sand fills the room at a rate of 6 inches per round, turning the floor into difficult terrain after 1 round. Any character who can reach
the ceiling can use an action to stuff a number of holes with cloth or wax, slowing the sand by 1 inch per round. If the sand reaches a depth of 12
inches, the floor splits open along its seam. When the pit opens, half of the floor swings down to the west and the other half drops to the east, and
the sand stops falling. A 6-inch-wide ledge surrounds the pit on all sides. Any creature standing on the floor when it opens must make a DC 15
Dexterity saving throw; those standing along the walls have advantage on the save. On a successful save, a creature finds purchase on the ledge. A
creature that fails the save falls.
The 10-foot-deep pit contains two giant stone rollers with interlocking stone teeth. Anything larger than a grain of sand gets chewed up between
these rollers, taking 132 (24d10) force damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is ground to a pulp. A creature that passes
through the rollers with at least 1 hit point remaining lands on an iron grate 5 feet below the grinders. A stone button is set into one of the walls above
the grate and is visible only to creatures under the rollers. When pressed, the button causes the rollers to stop turning and retract into the walls,
allowing creatures that survived the horrid trap to climb out with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
The pit is within the cell’s antimagic field, so spells and magical effects that might otherwise allow a character to survive the rollers or ascend the pit
won’t work.
Secret Door. Any character who searches the medusa bas-relief and succeeds on a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check notices seams around the
carving, suggesting the presence of a secret door. A successful check also reveals that the medusa’s obsidian pendant is a button. The button won’t
depress unless the pit is open. A character can try to unlock the button using thieves’ tools, doing so with a successful DC 17 Dexterity check.
Pressing the unlocked pendant causes the secret door’s lock to release with a dull clunk, after which the door can be swung open to reveal area 48
beyond. The secret door has springs that cause it to close automatically unless it is held or wedged open. The door locks when it closes and can be
opened only from within the cell.
This tomb is filled with terracotta warriors, kneeling in neat ranks around a polished wooden coffin. Between the warriors, four
aisles scattered with broken pottery lead up to the coffin, whose painted lid shows a leopard with serpents sprouting from its
shoulders.
If intruders are heard within the tomb, the terracotta warriors rise to defend it (see “Terracotta Warriors” below). To steal Shagambi’s treasures,
characters must move quietly.
Nervous Unkh suggests that her host leave the tomb at once using one of the teleportation runes, though she can’t decide which rune is best.
Impulsive Wongo thinks it’s a good idea to shatter as many terracotta warriors as possible, as quickly as possible.
Teleportation Runes
Three teleportation runes are scribed on the floor along the north, east, and south walls of the tomb. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals
that each rune has a different aura — strong, steady conjuration magic from the eastern rune; flickering conjuration magic from the northern rune; and
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a combination of conjuration and transmutation magic from the southern rune.
Whenever a creature teleports into the tomb, roll a d6 to determine which rune it arrives on: 1–2, north rune; 3–4, east rune; 5–6, south rune. If more
than one creature is teleported to the same rune, the previous creature is pushed harmlessly off the rune when the new creature appears.
Additionally, the north rune is malfunctioning, and any creature arriving there takes 18 (4d8) force damage.
Any creature that moves from outside a rune into its space is instantly teleported to area 50. A creature that uses the south rune to teleport is also
polymorphed into a random beast, as though it had failed its saving throw against the polymorph spell. Roll a d4 to determine the new form: 1,
baboon; 2, bat; 3, flying snake; 4, quipper.
Terracotta Warriors
Forty-eight terracotta warriors guard the tomb. Use animated armor statistics, with these changes:
Each terracotta warrior wields a shortsword. As an action, it can attack twice with the weapon (+4 to hit), dealing 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage on a
hit.
If a critical hit is scored against a terracotta warrior, it shatters and is destroyed.
The terracotta warriors remain perfectly still and pose no threat as long as the tomb remains relatively quiet. If any character talks loudly, steps on a
piece of broken pottery, or makes any other equivalent noise while in the tomb, read:
All the terracotta warriors turn their heads to face you. As one, they pull their swords a few inches from their scabbards.
After this single warning, the terracotta warriors attack if they hear any other noise. Without the use of magic, any creature walking through the tomb
must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check to remain quiet. Moving through pottery shards imposes disadvantage on the check. Once roused
into action, the terracotta warriors attack all the creatures in the tomb.
Coffin
Shagambi’s coffin is trapped but not locked. When its lid is opened, a music box inside the coffin is activated, rousing the terracotta warriors if they
can hear its haunting melody (even if the adventurers have been silent up to that point). Any character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check while gently lifting the coffin lid spots the trap’s trigger wire, which can then be cut with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 12
Dexterity check. The music box is activated on a failed check.
The bones of a kamadan (Shagambi’s animal form; see appendix D) are bound in cloth inside the sarcophagus, along with valuables (see “Treasure”
below).
Treasure
The following treasures are heaped around Shagambi’s bones: 200 gp, five moonstones (50 gp each), the fine music box activated by the trap (250
gp), and an instrument of the bards (Canaith mandolin). The instrument turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see
"Lost Treasures").
Shagambi’s Spirit. The spirit of Shagambi tries to inhabit any character who touches the mandolin (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods"). When
Shagambi’s spirit manifests, read:
Six shadowy serpents slither out of the mandolin and coil around your body. You hear a purring voice in your mind say, “I am not
your enemy.”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Shagambi’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the mandolin
and waits for another character to touch it.
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A stone slab blocks the end of this corridor. Painted on the slab is the image of a gaunt male humanoid wearing a hooded cloak, its
face a mask of stars. The figure’s withered left hand is raised with palm extended.
The stone slabs are impervious to damage and spells, and they are fitted so snugly that even creatures in gaseous form can’t slip past them. If any
character stands in front of a slab and raises his or her left hand with palm extended, both slabs open at the same time, regardless of any efforts
taken to prevent them from doing so. When this happens, read:
The slab sinks into the floor, revealing a dusty passageway beyond. Relief carvings on the walls depict crowds of humanoids fleeing
a black star in the sky, with rays of light extending from it to turn those they strike to dust.
If the stone slabs are raised up to seal off the exits once more (see area 49C), characters within the maze see a second image on the inner surface of
each slab:
Painted on the inside of the slab is a male humanoid wearing a hooded cloak, once again with stars where his face should be. The
figure holds up his right arm, which is severed neatly at the elbow.
This image is visible only while the slabs are in their raised positions. From inside the maze, a character can make both slabs sink back down into the
floor by standing in front of either slab while holding up his or her right arm — as long as that arm has been severed at the elbow. It doesn’t matter
how the arm is cut off, but sticking it in the sphere of annihilation in area 49B is one way to do it.
A green stone face of devilish countenance protrudes from the wall. The devil’s mouth is agape and filled with darkness.
The devil face is 6 feet tall, with a mouth 2 feet in diameter. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of transmutation magic on the face.
The darkness within the mouth is a sphere of annihilation, which can’t be controlled or moved. Any character who stands within 5 feet of the sphere
can hear a faint whisper emanating from it. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check allows a character to make out words in Abyssal that
translate as follows: “Darkness is coming for you. Your doom is at hand.”
In this central open space, a gold crown topped with a glittering black opal rests on a marble pedestal.
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If any creature removes the crown from the pedestal, two things happen simultaneously:
The stone slabs in area 49A rise up to seal off both exits from the maze.
Two bodaks (see appendix D) magically emerge from the sphere of annihilation in area 49B, seemingly unaffected by it, and begin scouring the maze
for prey. Any creature killed by the bodaks is dragged back to the sphere and tossed into it. The bodaks crawl back into the sphere only if they’re
satisfied that there’s nothing left in the maze to kill.
Treasure. The Black Opal Crown is worth 5,000 gp but can fetch up to four times that value if sold at auction in any major city. For more information
on this item, see "Fabled Treasures."
This dusty room is fifteen feet square and empty except for an ornate, rectangular mirror mounted on the wall opposite the room’s
only exit.
Attached to the west wall with sovereign glue is a mirror of life trapping. Any creature within 30 feet of the mirror that sees its reflection must
succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be imprisoned within one of the mirror’s twelve extradimensional cells, along with anything it is
wearing or carrying. Constructs automatically succeed on the saving throw.
The mirror currently has three vacant cells. If the mirror traps a creature when its twelve cells are already occupied, it releases one trapped creature at
random to accommodate the new prisoner. The Prisoners of the Mirror table lists the mirror’s current prisoners and summarizes how they react if set
free or spoken to. Otherwise, roleplay them as you see fit.
The mirror has two command words. Speaking the word “Khomara” while standing within 5 feet of the mirror deactivates or reactivates it. (The mirror
can’t trap creatures while deactivated.) Speaking the word “Blackfire” along with a cell number frees the creature trapped in that cell.
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Casting an identify spell on the mirror reveals its command words and magical properties. The command words are also written in the spellbook
found in area 28.
Lukanu and Zaal attack the gargoyle, destroying it in 4 rounds, and then help the characters deal with the invisible stalker and the troll.
The stirge attacks A’tan, killing him in 1 round. After draining A’tan’s blood, the stirge flies away to digest its meal.
The doppelganger tries to flee but doesn’t go far, hoping that the characters survive and returning to thank them if they prevail.
Tlad Xolbrys uses his magic to help the characters unless it looks like they’re near defeat, whereupon the drow turns against them.
1 A’tan (CN male Chultan Omuan merchant trapped shortly after the fall of Follows his liberators around, talking
human commoner) Omu; driven insane by his long incarceration nonsense
2 — — —
3 Invisible stalker Mirror guardian Tries to kill whoever released it, and
vanishes if it succeeds
4 Zaal (minotaur) Trapped by Acererak shortly after Omu’s fall Attacks any other creature it sees except
Lukanu, whom it obeys
5 — — —
6 Yraggath (troll) Driven insane by its captivity Attacks anything it can eat
7 Tlad Xolbrys (NE male A visitor to Omu who was trapped during the Aids or betrays his liberators to ensure
drow mage) construction of the Tomb of the Nine Gods his own survival
8 Pox (doppelganger) Disguised as a male human adventurer named Tries to join the party and stay out of
Biff Longsteel; followed the Company of the harm’s way
Yellow Banner into the tomb
9 Giant four-armed gargoyle Mirror guardian Attacks all other creatures, then stands
(see appendix D) guard next to the mirror
10 — — —
11 Lukanu (N female Chultan Bodyguard to Queen Napaka of Omu, trapped Helps her liberators, but won’t leave Omu
champion; see appendix D) during the city’s fall; wears scorpion armor (see until she learns what happened to Queen
appendix C) Napaka (see area 53)
12 Stirge Trapped when it flew toward the mirror Attacks the nearest warm-blooded
creature
What appears to be a large stone door looms at the end of the hallway, but it bears no handles or hinges. Jutting from the wall on
either side of the door are two matching bronze sculptures — each the head and neck of a serpent with fangs bared. On the lintel
above the door is inscribed the following message in Common: “Warm like flame, cold for the cruel, still for the dead, gruel for the
ghoul.”
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The stench of rotting flesh wafts from the bronze serpents. Close examination reveals dried blood in each statue’s mouth and tiny tubes at the back
of its neck. The tubes extend into secret rooms on either side of the door, where six ghasts are confined (three per room).
The stone door opens when a pint or more of fresh blood is poured into the mouth of each bronze serpent. The blood drips into the chambers holding
the ghasts, driving them into a slurping frenzy that can be heard through the serpents’ open mouths. Once sated with blood, the ghasts yank chains
to hoist the door open.
The door weighs 1,000 pounds and can be lifted by characters with a combined Strength of 33 or more. If the characters do so, secret doors on either
side of the hallway behind the door unlock and slide open. This releases the hungry ghasts, which fight until turned or destroyed. Each locked secret
door can be opened with a knock spell or forced open by a character who succeeds on a DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check.
This vaulted chamber features a ten-foot-deep sunken floor surrounded by ledges without railings. Alcoves along the ledges hold
painted wooden statues of hornet-headed humanoid warriors, each wearing a grass skirt and clutching a spear.
A gruesome throne lashed together of bone and strips of skin stands atop the west ledge. A fearsome horned skull surmounts the
throne, and small skulls are piled around it. The seat of the throne appears to be made of stretched skin and has a metal scepter
resting on it.
Shuffling about the sunken portion of the room are three gaunt humanoid figures in dusty robes draped in cobwebs, their eyes and
mouths stitched shut. Armed with brushes and clay pots of pigment, they paint the walls and pillars with grim, poorly rendered
illustrations.
Four pillars support the ceiling, which is 15 feet above the ledges and 25 feet above the sunken floor. The wooden statues are harmless (their spears
are merely decorative) and weigh 150 pounds each.
Cautious Obo’laka advises her host to not disturb the throne or pick up the scepter, but admits not knowing for certain that either is harmful.
Shrewd Papazotl realizes that the throne is made from the bones of dead Omuans and the skull of Omu’s great minotaur champion, Karagos.
Blind Artists
The three creatures skulking about the room are undead servants of Acererak. Despite their
blindness, each has the magical ability to perceive and paint scenes of pain, carnage, and
death that have occurred in the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
One of the artists is presently painting over scenes depicting the fall of the Company of the
Yellow Banner. All that remains is an image of a human male (the late Lord Brixton, whose
remains can be found in area 63) choking on poisonous gas. The other two artists are in the
process of painting images that capture the player characters’ harrowing exploits in the tomb
thus far. (Choose memorable moments in which one or more party members were badly
wounded or killed.)
The undead artists have the statistics of zombies, with these changes:
Instead of darkvision, each artist has blindsight out to a range of 30 feet. The artists are blind
beyond this radius and immune to the blinded condition.
They have no effective attacks and are worth 0 XP.
If the characters turn or destroy any of the artists, a tyrannosaurus zombie (see appendix D)
bursts up from a cavity beneath the floor and attacks, leaving a 20-foot diameter hole and
shattered floor tiles behind. While it’s too big to squeeze down any 5-foot-wide corridors, it can
easily traverse the wider passageway to the east.
Throne of Acererak
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The throne is made from the skin and bones of slain Omuan warriors, and the skulls of Omuan children are piled around it. The skull atop the throne
once belonged to a minotaur guardian of Omu named Karagos. Any creature that touches the skull or sits in the throne must succeed on a DC 16
Charisma saving throw or become cursed with the Rage of Karagos. When cursed, the creature gains 50 temporary hit points and goes berserk. Until
the curse is lifted, the victim is forced to attack the nearest creature it can see with melee attacks. It can’t make ranged attacks or cast spells, and if it
can’t see any creatures to attack, it does nothing. The curse ends if the berserk creature drops to 0 hit points, or if a greater restoration or remove
curse spell is cast on it. When the curse ends, the temporary hit points granted by it disappear.
Acererak’s Scepter. The scepter on the throne is made of solid iron and has an adamantine head. It is nonmagical, weighs 12 pounds, and can be
wielded as a mace. Its magical twin is hidden in area 53.
Secret Doors
Behind the statue in the northwest alcove, a secret door leads to area 53. The door is slightly ajar, and any character who searches the alcove finds it.
A properly closed secret door in the southeast corner of the room leads to a spiral staircase going up and down (area 26).
The walls of this room are adorned with tile mosaics of a jungle city intermingled with frescoes of flowering plants, birds, insects,
and humans wearing gold skirts and carrying spears and ornate jugs. The ceiling is painted to look like a clear blue sky. A small
bejeweled cockroach rests atop a sarcophagus of black basalt in the middle of the room. A two-foot-diameter orb hanging from a
chain above the sarcophagus is made of hammered gold to resemble a smiling sun.
After Acererak slew the trickster gods of Omu and enslaved the city, Napaka, the city’s elderly queen, chose not to flee, and instead offered herself as
a sacrifice in exchange for the release of her people. Acererak was impressed by the queen’s courage — not enough to spare her life or honor her
request, but enough to place her in a special crypt.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals auras of evocation magic around the golden sun and the bejeweled cockroach (see “Treasure” below).
The lid of the black sarcophagus bears a name etched in Common: NAPAKA. The lid is sealed with strips of melted lead that can be easily pried
away. Once the lead is removed, the lid can be pushed aside with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. The interior of the sarcophagus is
lined with lead and contains several treasures (see “Treasure” below).
Golden Sun
Whenever the sun or its chain are touched or damaged, the sun’s smile fades to an inscrutable expression, and it emits tremendous heat in a 20-foot-
radius sphere centered on itself. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 10 (3d6) fire damage. This effect ends if all creatures leave the
affected area.
The first time the queen’s remains or any of her treasures are removed from the sarcophagus, the sun’s expression turns angry as it emits rays of
searing light. Each creature within 30 feet of the sun that doesn’t have total cover against it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be
struck by a ray, which deals 42 (12d6) fire damage.
The sun and its chain are treated as a single Small object with AC 15; 22 hit points; and immunity to fire, poison, and psychic damage. The sun loses
its magical properties when it shoots its rays or is destroyed.
Treasure
The jewelry box and the sarcophagus contain treasure.
Jewelry Box. The cockroach-shaped jewelry box is made of gold, set with precious gems (including tiny black pearls for its eyes), and worth 1,500 gp.
It weighs 5 pounds and contains two items: a small jade key shaped like a crocodile (designed to fit in the keyhole in area 62B) and a necklace of
fireballs with eight beads remaining. Acererak placed a curse on the necklace, which can be revealed by an identify spell.
When any creature dons the cursed necklace, all its beads detonate at once. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the exploding
necklace must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The
wearer of the necklace fails the saving throw automatically. A remove curse spell or similar magic removes the curse from the necklace.
Sarcophagus. The sarcophagus contains the magically preserved remains of Queen Napaka. She wears the tattered remnants of a black gown and a
hornet mask made of painted gold (250 gp).
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In her left hand, Napaka holds an iron scepter with an adamantine head, which is lighter than it appears (5 pounds). A detect magic spell or similar
effect reveals an aura of transmutation magic around the scepter, which can be used to destroy the stone juggernaut in area 62. Casting an identify,
legend lore, or similar spell on the scepter reveals that its singular purpose is to destroy a construct named after Napaka.
If the scepter is removed and not immediately replaced with its nonmagical twin from area 52, or if Napaka’s remains are removed from their resting
place, the queen’s corpse opens its mouth in a wide yawn and exhales a baleful black gas that fills a 15-foot cube centered on it. Each creature in the
area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (7d12) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Questioning Napaka
Queen Napaka has been dead for more than a century. If a speak with dead spell is cast on her corpse, the characters can ask it questions about
Omu and receive honest answers. Napaka came to believe that the gods of Omu were not truly divine beings but rather trickster spirits that had
fooled the Omuan people into worshiping them. The queen remembers Acererak killing the trickster gods and enslaving the Omuans, but she knows
nothing about the Tomb of the Nine Gods, which was built after her death. She knows that a few members of the royal family fled Omu, but she is
unaware that the aarakocra are sheltering her great-grandchildren at Kir Sabal. Napaka knows that her grandmother, Zalkoré, languishes in the ruins
of Nangalore.
Even in death, Napaka pines for Omu to be reborn and repopulated. However, what she desires above all is the destruction of Acererak.
After ten feet, this dusty corridor becomes a staircase that descends fifteen feet to a lower tunnel. Resting on the floor at the
bottom of the staircase is an old treasure chest with a rusty built-in lock. Just beyond the chest, the tunnel opens up to a huge, dark
chamber.
The chest (area 54A) is the trigger for a trap. When the chest or its lid is lifted, a heavy stone ball (area 54B) tumbles down the stairs. Adventurers
fleeing the stone ball stumble into a hidden pit (area 54C).
If the chest is smashed by the granite ball (see below), the invisible key is lost in the wreckage but can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check.
A detect magic spell or similar effect also reveals the presence of the key, either in the chest or among the wreckage. A successful dispel magic (DC
14) cast on the key renders it visible.
When released, the stone ball thunders down the stairs and tumbles into the pit at 54C. Any character on the stairs or in the tunnel below can stay
ahead of the ball by running toward the pit. A character can also leap over the ball with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Any
character who fails the check or can’t move out of the ball’s way is struck for 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and knocked prone. The ball also
flattens the treasure chest (54A) as it tumbles through.
A creature in the area of the pit when the floor collapses can avoid a fall and grab the edge of the pit with a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw.
The saving throw is made with disadvantage if the character was unaware of the pit. Any creature that enters the acid for the first time on a turn or
starts its turn there takes 66 (12d10) acid damage. The walls of the pit are too smooth to climb without the aid of magic or climbing gear.
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The pit’s acid can be safely contained in glass vials if the characters have any at hand, and can then be used as the acid in chapter 5, “Equipment,” of
the Player’s Handbook.
Four marble columns support the ceiling of this grand tomb. Twin staircases ascend to an upper gallery, where a carving in the form
of a giant maze adorns the wall. On the floor of the tomb stands an opaque crystal sarcophagus that is constantly changing color.
Minotaur murals adorn the walls on the lower level of the tomb.
The walls of the tomb are lined with secret doors that slide open to reveal chambers strewn with minotaur bones — ten chambers in all. One of these
chambers has a hallway at the back of it leading to area 56.
Fickle I’jin suggests waiting for the sarcophagus to turn gold before trying to open it. (Gold is I’jin’s favorite color.)
Brave Kubazan urges his host to inspect the maze carving and be the first one to touch it.
Maze
When the wall carving is examined, read:
The intricate carving shifts before your eyes, its configuration ever-changing. The maze has no exits, and its corridors are lit by tiny
torches and clouded by fog.
Any non-undead creature that touches the wall carving vanishes and reappears in a demiplanar maze, the configuration of which matches that of the
carving. The first time this happens, all the secret doors slide open as the minotaur bones knit together, forming ten minotaur skeletons that emerge
from their chambers and attack anyone in the tomb. All creatures present should roll initiative, including anyone trapped in the maze. The keys to
open Unkh’s sarcophagus are hidden in the maze.
You stand within a fifteen-foot-high passageway walled by smooth, featureless stone, which is lit by torches and shrouded by fog.
There’s no ceiling, and when you look up, you see a distorted view of the room you left behind.
Characters standing near the wall carving can see characters trapped in the maze but can’t hear them. Similarly, characters in the maze can see giant,
distorted versions of any creatures standing within 10 feet of the wall carving, but they can’t hear anything outside the maze.
The configuration of the maze constantly changes to ensure that characters within it remain separated and unable to find each other. Visibility within
the maze is limited to 20 feet because of the churning fog. Spells that are altered within the tomb are similarly altered in the maze (see "Spell
Restrictions").
The walls of the maze can be climbed with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Any character who climbs to the top of the walls or flies
beyond them is expelled from the maze, taking 22 (5d8) force damage and reappearing with a loud pop in an unoccupied space near the wall carving.
Finding a Key. Any character in the maze can spend time exploring it. At the end of each turn spent exploring the maze, roll percentile dice and use
the Maze Discoveries table to determine what, if anything, the character finds. Any character who finds a crystal key and picks it up is teleported to an
unoccupied space next to Unkh’s sarcophagus, along with all gear and possessions.
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Maze Discoveries
d100 Discovery
01–70 Nothing
Sarcophagus
Any character who examines the sarcophagus notices a tiny keyhole carved into its lid. The keyhole does not penetrate to the interior of the
sarcophagus, and there are no mechanisms within it to pick or disarm. The sarcophagus is impervious to damage and spells.
The crystal sarcophagus changes color every 6 seconds, shifting through the following repeating cycle: blue, gold, purple, green, red, black. If a
crystal key claimed from the maze is inserted into the keyhole when the sarcophagus and the key are the same color, the sarcophagus lid disappears,
and the contents of the sarcophagus are revealed (see “Treasure” below). At the same time, the character who retrieved the key from the maze
receives a supernatural gift from a mysterious benefactor (see “Acererak’s Gift” below).
If a crystal key is inserted when the sarcophagus and the key are not the same color, the key is teleported back to the maze and the sarcophagus
remains sealed.
Treasure
The sarcophagus is filled with salt, within which are buried ten opalescent bracelets (75 gp each) made from the shell of a flail snail (Unkh’s animal
form; see appendix D) and a robe of scintillating colors. The robe turns to dust and is destroyed if it leaves the Tomb of the Nine Gods (but see "Lost
Treasures").
Unkh’s Spirit. The spirit of Unkh tries to inhabit any character who touches the robe of scintillating colors (see "Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods").
When Unkh’s spirit manifests, read:
Slime pours from the folds of the scintillating robe to take the form of multiple flail-like pseudopods. A female voice echoes through
the chamber: “I can help you. At least, I think that’s what I’m supposed to do.”
If the spirit successfully inhabits the character, give the player Unkh’s card (see appendix F). If the attempt fails, the spirit returns to the robe and
waits for another character to touch it.
Acererak’s Gift
The character who retrieves the crystal key used to open Unkh’s sarcophagus receives a supernatural gift from Acererak that varies based on the
key’s color. The character becomes aware of the gift when Acererak’s arcane sigil appears somewhere on his or her body. The source of the gift
cannot be confirmed without consulting a higher power, but the mark can be removed with a lesser restoration spell or similar magic. These gifts
otherwise follow the rules for charms in “Other Rewards,” chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
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Black Key. The recipient gains a charm of nine lives. When you drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point
instead. Once used nine times, the charm goes away.
Blue Key. The recipient gains a charm of the crystal heart. This charm grants you immunity to piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical
attacks, but you gain vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. These effects last for 10 days, after which the charm vanishes from you.
Gold Key. The recipient gains a charm of treasure sense. While this charm lasts, you can use an action to pinpoint, by scent, the location of precious
metals and stones, such as coins and gems, within 30 feet of you. The effect lasts for 3 days, after which the charm vanishes from you.
Green Key. The recipient gains a charm of the swollen hag. This charm allows you to spit up a frog as an action. The frog understands you and obeys
your commands. Once used three times, the charm goes away.
Purple Key. The recipient gains a charm of the maimed. This charm allows you to regrow a lost appendage or organ, such as an arm, a foot, or an
eye. After it is used once, the charm goes away.
Red Key. The recipient gains a charm of the ghoul. This charm allows you to use an action to eat a mouthful of flesh from a humanoid that has been
dead no longer than 1 day. When you do, you regain 3d8 + 3 hit points. Once used three times, the charm goes away.
This room contains a wooden cabinet with a numbered dial at its top set with two ornate metal spokes. Beneath the dial, a
pendulum swings inside an open compartment. An egg-shaped stone adorns the pendulum's tip.
This long-case clock radiates an aura of transmutation magic to a detect magic spell or similar effect.
Indecisive Unkh is struck by the technological wonder of the clock and wants to stay and marvel at its beauty.
Deranged Wongo finds the ticking of the clock oddly soothing and urges his host to stay for a while.
Clock
Bronze chimes within the clock ring at the top of each hour. Any creature within 30 feet of the clock when it strikes the top of the hour must succeed
on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or age by ten years. The effect can be reversed by a greater restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it
occurring. When characters first arrive, assume the time is 5d10 + 5 minutes past the hour.
An invisible locked metal door shields the compartment containing the clock’s pendulum. The invisibility effect on the door can’t be dispelled, but the
keyhole can be located by touch. The invisible key from the treasure chest in area 54A opens the lock, as does a knock spell. To pick the lock, a
character must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools. If the character thinks to blow powdered chalk, dust, or a similar
substance into the lock to highlight its gears, the check is made with advantage.
Treasure
The egg-shaped jewel fixed to the tip of the pendulum is the fabled Navel of the Moon. The fist-sized stone is worth 2,500 gp but can fetch up to three
times that value if sold at auction in any major city. For more information on this item, see "Fabled Treasures."
If the egg is removed from the pendulum, the clock loses its magical properties and stops working.
57. Oubliette
Any creature that tries to magically transport itself out of the tomb arrives here instead.
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You arrive in a room half-filled with rotting corpses. Protruding from one wall is a large green devil’s face, its flared nostrils set just
above the putrescent mass. A sconce above the face holds a flickering torch.
The torch burns with a continual flame spell, illuminating the humanoid corpses that fill the room to a depth of 6 feet and make the area difficult
terrain. As needed, Acererak’s magic draws new corpses here from graveyards across the world, all in various states of decay.
An otyugh feeds on the corpses and is presently buried under the heap in the southwest corner. Any character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check spots the creature’s eyestalk poking up above the reeking mass. The otyugh eagerly attacks a lone character but avoids
confrontations with multiple enemies. Once killed, the otyugh is not replaced.
Pulling the lever in the left nostril causes the mouth of the devil face to open wide, revealing a gullet filled with impenetrable darkness that pulls in
everything in the room. Initiative should be rolled for all creatures in the area. Any creature that starts its turn in the room and isn’t secured in some
fashion must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or be pulled into the gullet and destroyed. If a character fails the saving throw, another
character within reach, or any character bound to the first character by a rope, can use his or her reaction to grab on and grant the first character a
reroll. After 1 minute, the lever resets with an audible clunk. The gullet remains open until the lever resets. Magic has no effect on the gullet or the
darkness within.
Pulling the lever in the right nostril causes the devil’s eyes to glow red as all living creatures in the room (including the otyugh, if it’s still alive) are
teleported in front of the devil face at area 5B, along with whatever they are wearing or carrying. The lever then resets.
If the characters return to this room at a later time, the effects of the levers are reversed.
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Aboleth Slime
Puddles of viscid gray slime cover the floor in some areas, as marked on map 5.5. These areas are difficult terrain, and any creature that starts its
turn in a puddle of slime or comes into contact with it for the first time on a turn takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage. A slime puddle is destroyed if it
takes any cold, radiant, or necrotic damage. It is immune to all other types of damage.
A pungent stench fills this pentagonal room, the walls of which are covered with riveted sheets of iron. A wild garden full of sickly
plants and rotting compost takes up most of the interior, and a narrow path hugs the walls between two exits. Jutting from the
middle of the garden is a six-foot-tall rusty sprinkler. In the ceiling above the sprinkler, a ten-foot-wide shaft leads straight up.
Whenever this room is rotated by the controls in area 61, the sprinkler draws water from the underground lake (area 65) to spray the plants in the
room. Magic keeps the plants alive despite the lack of sunlight.
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If the cogs are turned so that one of the doorways lines up with area 63 to the north, gas from that area billows into the garden and transforms
random piles of compost into three shambling mounds, which rise up and attack any other creatures in the room. After 1 hour, the shambling
mounds revert to dead compost.
The shaft in the ceiling ascends 15 feet to area 45. To scale the smooth walls of the shaft, a character needs a climbing gear or magic.
An acidic stench fills this pentagonal chamber, which has two exits. The walls are covered with riveted sheets of iron, and the
pockmarked stone floor has a large puddle of gray slime in the middle of it. Friezes along each wall just beneath the ceiling depict
five black dragons.
Gouts of acid are meant to rain down from the mouths of the dragon friezes whenever this room is rotated by the controls in area 61, but the acid
compartments in the ceiling are currently empty. Consequently, nothing happens when the room turns. Any character who can get close enough to
the ceiling to examine the friezes notices tiny holes in the dragons’ mouths.
Five teak wardrobes stand against the ironclad walls of this chamber, each with a door bearing a carved image or scene. Puddles of
gray slime cover parts of the floor. The room has two exits, including an adamantine portcullis blocking a passage to the north. Set
into a metal plate above the portcullis is a row of five red crystals shaped like drops of blood.
The adamantine portcullis is impervious to damage and spells, and its bars are spaced 4 inches apart. A Tiny or gaseous creature can slip between
the bars easily.
To raise the portcullis, monsters from all five wardrobes must be summoned and slain in this room. Only one wardrobe can be opened at a time, and
until that wardrobe’s monsters are defeated, all other wardrobes in the room are sealed and unopenable. When all of a wardrobe’s monsters die, the
wardrobe disappears and one of the red crystals above the portcullis lights up. When all five crystals are lit, the portcullis rises and remains up for 24
hours. Once this duration ends, the portcullis lowers back into place, the crystals go dark, and the wardrobes reappear with their doors closed.
Each wardrobe contains a one-way gate to another plane, which deactivates if the wardrobe is removed from this chamber or destroyed. Any creature
attempting to pass through a wardrobe’s gate from this side is forced back and cannot enter.
Each wardrobe weighs 250 pounds, stands 6½ feet tall, and radiates an aura of conjuration magic to a detect magic spell or similar effect. A
wardrobe is a Medium object with AC 11, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Acheron Wardrobe
The scene on this door depicts an army of orcs clashing with an army of hobgoblins. When the door is opened, read:
Dust and smoke billow from the wardrobe, and the air around you sounds out with the roar of battle. Beyond the doors, armies fight
under a blood-red sky that has an iron cube floating in it like a huge, distant moon. Clouds of ash suddenly fly out of the wardrobe,
transforming into screaming orcs before your eyes.
Opening the wardrobe summons an orc war chief and seven orcs. Their bodies, armor, and weapons remain in this chamber when they die.
Gehenna Wardrobe
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This door depicts a grinning night hag with a swaddled human infant in her arms. When it is opened, read:
The door opens above the caldera of an active volcano. Shards of black rock float above the molten magma. Perched atop one
shard are two man-sized creatures with insectoid features and four arms apiece.
Opening the wardrobe reveals two mezzoloths, which teleport into the room and attack. When a mezzoloth dies, its body transforms into wisps of
oily smoke, though its trident remains.
Mechanus Wardrobe
This door is carved to depict the face of an ornate clock. When the door is opened, read:
Enormous interlocking gears and cogs stretch as far as you can see. Suddenly, a spherical construct with spindly legs and small
wings tumbles through the open doorway.
Opening the wardrobe summons a clueless, disoriented monodrone that lands prone at the characters’ feet. It then tries to right itself and reenter the
wardrobe, but is rebuffed by the wardrobe’s magic. The modron fights only in self-defense and disintegrates if destroyed.
Waves of heat assail you as the door opens, revealing an iron road leading to a basalt citadel surrounded by the charred remains of
defeated armies. Prisoners scream from iron gibbets that festoon the citadel walls. Suddenly, a single glowing ember flies out of the
wardrobe and transforms into a winged, bony fiend with a smiling, skull-like visage.
Opening the wardrobe summons a bone devil. When it dies, its body transforms into a pool of stinking ichor.
Shadowfell Wardrobe
The scene on this door depicts ghouls gnawing on bones. When the door is opened, read:
You gaze out across an ancient cemetery, its canted tombstones shrouded in fog. Eerie, hungry shapes move among the graves in
the distance. Suddenly, bright glowing balls of light appear in the room behind you.
Opening the wardrobe summons four will-o’-wisps, which are invisible until they attack. Nothing remains of them when they are destroyed.
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A four-foot-high, seven-foot-wide iron lectern in the middle of this rusty, iron-plated room is topped by a slanted control panel. Set
into the control panel are a gold lever with a star-shaped handle, two dials in red and blue, and two buttons of the same colors. Wall
engravings behind the control panel show five groups of circles, with a small crystal embedded in the wall under each one. The
crystal under the configuration labeled “3” glows bright green. Three six-inch-diameter rusty iron pipes jut from the wall above the
engravings.
When the characters reach this room, give the players a copy of handout 24 in appendix E. It shows the control panel atop the iron lectern, as well as
the wall engravings and rusty pipes. Inspection of the pipes reveals traces of the same gray slime found in puddles throughout this level.
Shrewd Papazotl asserts that the blue controls are helpful and the red controls are baleful. (This is pure guesswork on his part.)
Fretful Unkh thinks she can figure out what the controls do by studying them. If her host allows her an hour of study and contemplation, she
concludes that the controls are a mystery and should be left alone.
Violent Wongo urges his host to smash the controls.
Concealed Crawlway
A hidden crawlway runs from the underside of the lectern to area 70, but it cannot be accessed from inside this chamber. Any character who enters
the crawlway from area 70 discovers a stone lever in the wall at the south end of the crawlway. Pulling the lever slides the lectern aside to reveal an
access point.
Control Panel
The control panel is a Medium object with AC 15, a damage threshold of 10, 15 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Destroying
the panel disables the controls and causes arcs of lightning to momentarily erupt from the iron lectern. Each creature in the room must succeed on a
DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be struck by lightning, taking 11 (2d10) lightning damage.
The controls atop the iron lectern have no labels, so their purpose must be discovered with experimentation.
Blue Dial. This dial can be turned to the left or right, and it snaps back to center if released. The blue dial determines which wall crystal is lit. Currently,
the crystal under configuration 3 is illuminated. If the dial is turned, the currently lit crystal goes out and the crystal to the left or right (the direction
the dial is turned) lights up.
Blue Button. Pushing the blue button orients the cog rooms (areas 58 through 60) to match whichever configuration has its crystal lit. The entire level
trembles as the giant cogs rotate. If the blue button is pushed while the cog rooms are rotating or already in their proper configuration, nothing
happens.
Gold Lever. The lever begins in the up position. If pulled to the down position, the lever locks in place and aboleth slime (see "Aboleth Slime") begins
to pour into the room through the iron pipes above the wall engraving. If the pipes are plugged with cloth before the lever is pulled, the slime is
prevented from flowing into the room, but the pipes can’t be stuffed while slime is pouring out of them.
The slime covers the floor to a depth of 1 inch per round. If the crawlway to area 70 is exposed (see “Concealed Crawlway” above), the slime does not
accumulate in the room and instead pours into the crawlspace.
The lever’s locking mechanism can be released with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check made by a character using thieves’ tools. If released, the
lever automatically shifts to the up position, shutting the valves in the pipes and stopping the flow of slime. The lever can be torn from the console
with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, which has the same effect.
The gold lever has another function, which is revealed in area 67.
Red Button. Pushing the red button causes a 6-inch-thick wall of iron to drop from the ceiling in the doorway, sealing off the east exit. Any creature in
the doorway when the wall drops must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature is pushed to one side of the barrier or
the other (its choice). On a failed save, the creature is pinned under the wall, falls prone, and takes 44 (8d10) bludgeoning damage. A pinned creature
is restrained, can’t stand up, and takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns until it crawls out from under the door or
another creature pulls it free, either of which requires an action and a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. The iron wall remains locked in
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place for 1 hour, after which it rises back into the ceiling on its own. It can't be lifted or pried open, though a knock spell causes it to retract into the
ceiling. While the iron wall is down, pushing the red button has no effect.
Red Dial. This dial can be turned to the left or right, and it snaps back to center if released. Turning the dial to the left establishes a two-way telepathic
link between the creatures in this room and the aboleth in area 65. Turning the dial to the right ends the link. The telepathic link to the aboleth also
ends for any creature that leaves the control room. Because the communication is telepathic, all participants can understand one another even if they
don’t speak the same language. Roleplay the aboleth using the information in area 65.
The aboleth is accustomed to speaking only with Withers and refers to the wight by his original name of Gorra. If the characters activate the
telepathic link, the first thought the aboleth sends is an exasperated, “What now, Gorra?” Once the aboleth realizes it’s telepathically linked to
strangers, it wants to know all about them for no reason other than to satisfy its curiosity.
Cog Configurations
Handout 24 (see appendix E) shows the five different configurations for this level of the dungeon:
Configuration 1. Open doorways connect area 58 to areas 60 and 63. Area 59 is cut off, as are exits to areas 61, 62, and 67.
Configuration 2. An open doorway connects areas 58 and 63, but a doorway leading to area 59 ends in a blank wall. Area 60 is also cut off, as are
exits to areas 61, 62, 67, and 68.
Configuration 4. An open doorway connects area 58 to area 62. Area 59 and area 60 are cut off, as are exits to areas 61, 67, and 68.
Configuration 5. Open doorways connect areas 59 and 61, as well as areas 60 and 67. Area 58 is cut off, as are exits to areas 62 and 68.
This hall is choked with dust and cobwebs. Up ahead, flickering lights dimly illuminate a larger hall running perpendicular to this
one. Where the two halls meet, words have been scrawled on the ceiling in dried blood.
A secret door in the west wall slides open to reveal a dark tunnel leading to areas 26 and 66. At the spot marked X on map 5.5, bloody words on the
ceiling read, “AWAKEN NAPAKA!”
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Large puddles of gray slime spread across the floor of this ten-foot-wide, gently sloping hallway. Candles flicker on riveted sconces,
casting dim light across a sequence of sculpted reliefs depicting humanoids with bestial heads kneeling before a black star. At the
lower end of the hall, a thick purple drape hangs wall to wall. At the upper end, the hallway terminates.
The hall slopes down toward area 62C. Area 62D lies to the west, behind a secret door that spans the entire wall (see that area for more information).
Candles. Six magic candles are spaced 10 feet apart on alternate sides of the hallway. The candles don’t burn down as long as they remain in this
area.
Secret Crawlway. Hidden behind a bas-relief depicting a crocodile-headed humanoid holding up a trapezoidal chest, a crawlway leads to area 62D.
Close inspection of the relief reveals that the chest’s keyhole is real. The jade key found in area 53 can be used to unlock the relief and swing it open,
revealing the crawlway. The lock can also be picked with a successful DC 21 Dexterity check made by a character using thieves’ tools. But if the
check fails by 5 or more, the secret door in the west wall slides open to release the stone juggernaut (see “Napaka Awakens” in area 62D).
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A six-foot-tall statue of a leering four-armed gargoyle stands against the back wall. One of its arms has broken off and lies on the
floor in front of it, its hand curled into a tight fist. The other three arms have their clawed hands open in such a way as to suggest
they’re meant to hold something. Carved into the wall above the statue is a riddle: Three I need
The gargoyle statue is impervious to damage and spells, but its broken-off arm is not. If three gemstones are placed in the three open hands of the
statue, the hands magically close into fists that crush the gemstones to powder. The statue’s hands then open again. If this exercise is performed
twice more, so that nine gemstones in total are crushed, the hand of the broken-off arm opens and a fist-sized ruby appears in it. The ruby is the Eye
of Zaltec, which is teleported from area 62D by the sacrifice of the gems. If the ruby is plucked from the gargoyle’s hand, the statue magically opens
its mouth and exhales a cloud of soporific gas that fills the eastern 15 feet of the hall. At the same time, the secret door at the west end of the
hallway slides open, and the stone juggernaut in area 62D rolls down the corridor.
Each creature in the gas cloud that is not immune to the poisoned condition must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious
for 1 hour. The effect ends on a creature that takes damage.
Two-thirds of this room is taken up by Acererak’s stone juggernaut (see appendix D). The archlich named the juggernaut after Napaka, a dead Omuan
queen (see area 53). If the characters enter the room through the crawlway and haven’t yet awakened the juggernaut, it remains inert and does not
attack unless it takes damage or the secret door slides open.
The wall at the west end of the hall slides back to reveal a stone juggernaut on rollers. The construct fills the height and width of the
hall and barrels toward you at alarming speed.
All creatures present must roll initiative. On its turn, the juggernaut rolls down the hallway, making a Slam attack against any creature standing in its
way and using its Devastating Roll feature to crush small or prone enemies. When no enemies are left alive, it returns to the secret room. The
juggernaut can’t fit into any space less than 10 feet wide, and it doesn’t have room in the hallway to turn. It attacks by rolling forward and backward.
Hidden in the tomb of the real Napaka (area 53) is a magic scepter, the adamantine head of which reduces the juggernaut to 0 hit points and turns it
to dust on contact. While the juggernaut is inert, no attack roll is needed to strike it with the scepter. If the juggernaut has been awakened, a character
can use the scepter to make a melee weapon attack against the juggernaut, reducing it to 0 hit points and turning it to dust on a hit.
Treasure. Unless it has been teleported to area 62C, a lustrous, spiked ruby as big as a human fist sits on a stone shelf that juts from the west wall of
the room. This gemstone is the fabled Eye of Zaltec. It is worth 5,000 gp but can fetch up to five times that value if sold at auction in any major city.
For more information on the Eye of Zaltec, see "Fabled Treasures."
If the Eye of Zaltec was teleported to area 62C, the shelf is bare.
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Thick green gas billows out of skull-shaped nozzles set into the walls of this cramped room. A rotting corpse clad in studded leather
armor lies on the floor, mouth open and hands grasping its throat. Wrapped around one of its arms is a yellow band.
The green gas that fills this room fills area 58 when the two rooms are open to each other, but the gas is too heavy to rise up the shaft into area 58.
The gas has two effects:
It transforms the dead vegetation in area 58 into three shambling mounds (see that area for details).
It is poisonous to non-plants. Any creature susceptible to the gas that starts its turn in a gas-filled area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw,
taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature is affected even if it holds its breath or
doesn’t need to breathe.
Stuffing the nozzles with cloth prevents more gas from spilling into the room. If the characters block the flow of gas, the lingering gas disperses after
1 minute.
Treasure
The dead figure on the floor is Lord Brixton, the Cormyrean leader of the doomed Company of the Yellow Banner. He died when Withers rotated the
cogs from area 61 and trapped him in this room.
The corpse wears studded leather armor and carries a sheathed longsword with a dragon-shaped hilt. The sword has a minor magical property: its
bearer gains the ability to speak and understand the Draconic language.
Next to Lord Brixton’s body is a dungeoneer’s pack, tucked inside which is a pouch containing six carnelian gemstones (50 gp each).
The walls of this grotto are slick with slime, and the air reeks of decay. Filthy water tumbles down from a hole in the ceiling, then
courses along a rough-hewn tunnel toward a murky lake. The din of machinery echoes from that direction.
Climbing the slimy walls requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. The water here is 30 feet deep. Characters who allow themselves to
be carried by the current are swept gently into area 65.
A dark underground lake opens up before you, its ceiling festooned with chains and gears — some of which appear to have dwarves
dangling from them. A gigantic motionless stone cog rises from the water, with two matching cogs connected to it. Rusty metal
conduits stretch from the cavern walls to the cogs. The water of the lake is slimy, with pinpricks of phosphorescent light twinkling in
the murk.
The cavern ceiling is 20 feet above the foul surface of the lake, which is 20 feet deep. Any creature that drinks the water is poisoned until it
regurgitates the liquid, which happens automatically in 1d4 minutes. The lights at the bottom of the lake are phosphorescent crabs that feed on the
muck. Each crab sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius but stops glowing 10 minutes after being removed from the water.
The three stone cogs of areas 58 to 60 are half-submerged in the water and rise 10 feet above its surface. Their uneven upper surfaces are difficult
terrain, and their smooth outer walls can’t be scaled without climbing gear or magic.
The Mechanus chain (area 69) drives the machinery in this cavern, feeding power to the Soulmonger and to the many traps and other mechanisms
within the dungeon. At any given time, 1d4 + 1 tomb dwarves in leather harnesses dangle from the ceiling while performing routine maintenance on
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the gears and giant cogs. Each tomb dwarf has the statistics of a wight, except that it wields a battleaxe and a light crossbow. The tomb dwarves
ignore intruders unless they are attacked, in which case they defend themselves with their crossbows.
If the characters explore the lake using the rowboats in area 66, the aboleth ignores them regardless of its current demeanor, unless they draw undue
attention to themselves. In the event of combat, the aboleth is not the master of the lake and has no lair actions as a result.
Ancient beyond reckoning, G’lyh’rul has accumulated tens of thousands of years of knowledge. If the characters establish telepathic communication
with the aboleth and it is inclined to speak to them, it can provide information as if the characters had cast a commune spell. (Since they’re not
actually casting the spell, this effect is not subject to the restrictions on spellcasting within the Tomb of the Nine Gods.) After sharing this
information, the aboleth grows bored and withdraws to a dark corner of the lake to dream of evil things.
At the bottom of the staircase, a dark corridor leads south, while a stone door with iron hinges and a brass knob stands to the east.
A worked stone column stretches from the bottom of the lake to the cavern roof and is attached to the nearby wall by a stone
conduit. On one side of the column, steps of moss-covered stone climb from a stone dock to a landing whose stone door shows no
handles or hinges. Ropes lash a pair of rowboats to a dock post, and a rusty iron cage wallows in the slime, held afloat by chain and
winch. Phosphorescent crabs gather at the bottom of the lake below the cage.
The stone door separating the mooring area from the spiral staircase (area 26) radiates auras of abjuration, conjuration, and illusion to a detect
magic spell or similar effect. The door can be opened easily from the west side simply by pulling on the brass knob. The door is much harder to open
from the east side.
Hungry Door
The mossy staircase that climbs up out of the lake and the landing at its top are strewn with bits of crab shell. If any character touches or inspects
the door, read:
A monstrous mouth forms on the door’s surface, calling out with a deep drawl: “I’m so hungry I could eat you alive, but I’ll settle for
somethin’ else. Somethin’ livin’. Somethin’ light!”
The mouth is similar to that created by a magic mouth spell, but more powerful. A successful dispel magic (DC 19) cast on the door suppresses its
magic for 10 minutes, preventing the mouth from forming. However, the door cannot be opened without the mouth except from the west side, not
even with a knock spell.
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The mouth isn’t programmed to say anything else, but its words (and the crab shells underfoot) provide the characters with a clue regarding how to
open the door. If the mouth is offered a live phosphorescent crab, it opens wide, chomps down to consume the crab, then spits out its crushed shell.
Once the mouth has been fed, it disappears and the door into area 26 swings open. The door locks and the spell resets if the door is closed again.
If a character tosses anything into the mouth that isn’t a phosphorescent crab, the mouth spits it out. If the character is within 10 feet of the door
when this happens, the door wraps its tongue around the character and swallows the character whole. No attack roll or saving throw is required. A
character “devoured” in this manner is teleported to area 57.
Diving Cage
A rusty iron gate on the side of the cage provides ingress for two Medium or smaller creatures. The cage radiates transmutation magic to a detect
magic spell or similar effect, and bestows the effect of a water breathing spell on any creatures within it. The stout bars grant half cover against
attacks originating from outside the cage.
Using the winch, a character on the steps can lower the cage 20 feet to the lakebed, allowing characters in the cage to easily harvest 2d6
phosphorescent crabs from the muck.
The creaking descent of the cage draws the attention of the aboleth in area 65. If the aboleth’s crueler personality is dominant, it attempts to enslave
any characters in the cage. If it succeeds, it sends them back to the surface with orders to entice others down into the depths. If the aboleth’s
childlike personality is dominant, it swims over and uses its telepathy to strike up a friendly conversation with the divers.
Rowboats
The two rowboats have the names Predator and Prey etched into their transoms. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of
transmutation magic around each vessel. Each boat can hold up to four Small or Medium creatures and their gear, and each contains two oars, an
empty wooden bucket, and a 50-foot-long coil of hempen rope.
Predator. Creatures aboard the Predator have advantage on attack rolls while the boat is in the water. A filled bullseye lantern hangs off the boat’s
bow.
Prey. Creatures aboard the Prey have advantage on saving throws while the boat is in the water.
A life-size golden statue of a mastodon stands atop a one-foot-high stone cog at the center of this room. Jeweled tusks sweep from
its jowls, and its trunk is raised in a roar. Inscriptions coil around the statue’s body, and murals on the walls show a Chultan warrior
riding a living mastodon through a series of hellish landscapes. In each scene, a different breed of devil assails them.
The murals on the walls tell the story of Ch’gakare (pronounced chuh-GAH-kah-ree), a Chultan warrior who stole his king’s prized steed: a mastodon
named Ghom. As punishment, the king’s sorcerers banished Ch’gakare and Ghom to the Nine Hells, but the two fought their way back home. On his
return, Ch’gakare chopped off the king’s head and turned his skull into a jeweled chalice. Any character who studies the murals and succeeds on a DC
15 Intelligence (History) check recognizes the legend and can recount it. The murals show Ch’gakare and Ghom fighting spined devils, bearded devils,
barbed devils, horned devils, and erinyes.
Golden Mastodon
When the characters first enter the room, the 10-foot-high mastodon statue is facing the entrance. The statue’s lifelike qualities owe to the fact that
this is Ghom, whose body was preserved in magical iron and covered with a thin layer of hammered gold, and whose tusks have been set with gems
(see “Treasure” below).
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The inscriptions on the statue are written in Old Omuan. They read as follows:
Let your bones watch over my treasure, brave Ghom. As you carried me from the inferno, so shall I rise from death to defend my
riches.
Scratches on the floor beneath the stone cog indicate that it can rotate, yet no amount of pressure budges it. Any search of the top of the statue
reveals a star-shaped indentation on the back of its head. Those who have seen the gold lever in area 61 recognize the lever’s star-shaped handle as
a perfect match. If the lever is claimed and set head-first into the indentation, read:
A thunderous trumpeting sound erupts from the mastodon’s trunk, causing a block of stone to seal off the room. The cog under the
mastodon’s feet then begins to revolve, letting the statue face each of the murals in turn.
The block of stone fills the space in the hallway indicated on map 5.5. Any creature under the block when it falls must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw. On a success, the creature moves out of the block’s way in whichever direction it prefers. On a failed save, the creature takes 55 (10d10)
bludgeoning damage. If this damage reduces the creature’s hit points to 0, the creature is crushed to a pulp; otherwise, it is shoved into the room.
When the mastodon statue begins to revolve, all creatures present should roll initiative. The statue turns counterclockwise and completes one 360-
degree revolution on initiative count 0 of each round.
When the statue completes its first revolution, magical fire engulfs the floor and the cog, flaring up 6 feet high. Any creature that enters the fire for the
first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 10 (3d6) fire damage. Any character perched on the golden mastodon is shielded from the flames. Up
to six Medium creatures can perch on the mastodon at once — four on its back and one on each of its curved tusks.
Each time the statue turns to face north, one or more devils emerge from the murals and attack all other creatures in the room. Roll initiative for each
group of new arrivals. Each magically summoned devil vanishes in a puff of smoke when it drops to 0 hit points or when there are no creatures left to
attack. The devils appear in the following order, emerging from the walls wherever you see fit:
If the characters try to strike a bargain with the devils, only the erinyes is willing to engage them — but it demands the willing sacrifice of one
character’s soul. A character who offers his or her soul to the erinyes is destroyed by fire. The character’s soul becomes trapped in the Soulmonger,
the character’s belongings are left behind, and all remaining devils in the room disappear in clouds of smoke.
Ch’gakare
When the last devil is defeated or when the party strikes a deal with the erinyes, the mastodon statue returns to its original north-facing position and
stops revolving. When this happens, read:
The fires go out, though smoke still hangs in the air. A warm wind blows through the hall, carrying the scent of jasmine,
frankincense, and grave dust. The smoke coalesces into a decayed warrior wrapped in bandages. He holds up a gruesome chalice
made from a human skull.
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The undead warrior is Ch’gakare, barely recognizable as the man riding the mastodon in the wall murals.
He has the statistics of a revenant, but he can’t be destroyed. If reduced to 0 hit points, Ch’gakare turns
to smoke, vanishes, and reforms in his tomb somewhere in the distant jungle.
Ch’gakare does not speak but holds up the chalice in a manner that suggests he’s offering it as a gift. If
the chalice is taken from his hand, Ch’gakare turns to smoke and is gone. The stone block that seals off
the room retracts into the ceiling when Ch’gakare disappears.
Treasure
If stripped off, the mastodon’s gold leaf is worth 2,500 gp, though it takes a character 30 hours to claim
it all. Multiple characters working together can shorten the time proportionately. Fifty gemstones (100
gp each) can also be pried loose from the mastodon’s tusks.
Ch’gakare’s gift is the fabled Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare. This item is worth 2,500 gp but can fetch up to
four times that value if sold at auction in any major city. Alternatively, returning the chalice to Princess
Mwaxanaré yields its promised reward (see "Kir Sabal"). For more information on the chalice, see
"Fabled Treasures."
Graven images of rotting corpses decorate this hall, and the floor is littered with tarnished coins, pieces of armor, broken shields,
axe heads, and other bits of scrap metal.
All nonmagical objects made of cloth, leather, wood, or metal that enter this corridor instantly decay or corrode to the point of being useless and
worthless. Clothing and armor falls apart, shields and weapons become brittle and ineffective, and so forth. A mending spell cannot repair an object
damaged in this fashion.
An archway stands at the west end of the hall, through which characters can see into area 69.
This yawning archway has a keystone adorned with an iron bull’s skull, which bites down on an ivory ring.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of necromancy magic emanating from the ivory ring. If the ring is yanked from the skull’s jaws, it
disintegrates and the destructive effect in the hallway ends.
The staircase on the south side of the hallway descends 25 feet to area 71 on level 6.
Hot wind tinged with the smell of burning oil blows down a forty-foot-diameter vertical shaft. Stone balconies protrude from the
walls on opposite sides of this expanse, with the west balcony fifteen feet higher than the east one. Two thick chains rattle in the
gulf between the balconies — one ascending two hundred feet before disappearing into a cloudy vortex lit by arcs of purple
lightning; the other wrapping around an enormous metal gear floating one hundred feet below. Another hundred feet below the gear,
a second vortex rages.
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To drive his infernal machinery, Acererak contaminated a workforce of modrons from the plane of Mechanus. Under the stewardship of a corrupt
pentadrone, the modrons rerouted one of their great chains into the tomb. The sections of the shaft above and below the balconies exist outside of
normal space, preventing the shaft from intersecting with the tomb’s other levels.
Modron Intervention
The first time any character moves out onto a balcony, read:
A rip forms in the vortex high above, and nine cube-shaped creatures with wings and shortbows fly through. They are quickly
followed by a large crystal decahedron that holds a weird starfish-shaped creature.
A pentadrone leads a squad of nine quadrones through the upper planar vortex, which allows safe passage into the shaft but not out of it. Knowing
that they cannot return to Mechanus, the modrons fight until destroyed. Once these modrons are dealt with, the shaft becomes undefended. No other
modrons are sent through the vortex.
The pentadrone can’t fly on its own, but it gains a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover while encased in the crystal decahedron, which grants its
occupant total cover against attacks that originate outside the vehicle. The pentadrone can’t make melee attacks through the decahedron, but it can
use a bonus action to open a small hole in any of the decahedron’s facets in order to spray creatures with its paralysis gas.
The decahedron has AC 16, 50 hit points, immunity to poison damage, resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and vulnerability to bludgeoning
and thunder damage. If it is reduced to 0 hit points, the crystal decahedron shatters and the pentadrone falls.
The crystal decahedron has enough room to accommodate one Small or Medium creature in addition to the pentadrone if a character thinks to enter
the vehicle using misty step, dimension door, or similar magic. Inside the vehicle, the pentadrone can attack as normal. When the pentadrone dies,
the decahedron shatters.
Planar Lore
Characters with proficiency in the Arcana skill can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check to determine what, if anything, they recall about planar
vortices and Mechanus chains. With a successful check, a character learns the appropriate lore and all lore with a lower DC:
DC 10: Planar vortices are incredibly destructive. No one can expect to enter a vortex and survive.
DC 15: The chain is called a Mechanus chain. Such chains are crafted by modrons and used in conjunction with other machinery to keep the plane of
Mechanus in working order.
DC 20: This Mechanus chain has been repurposed for the tomb. One chain would be enough to keep the tomb’s traps and other mechanisms in
working order.
DC 25: Destroying a Mechanus chain requires the casting of three wish spells.
The Shaft
The shaft is 400 feet high in total and features deadly planar vortices at top and bottom. Any creature in the shaft that enters a planar vortex is torn
apart, its body and possessions scattered across the multiverse.
The Mechanus chain forms a loop in constant motion. One part of the chain descends at a rate of 50 feet per round, wrapping around the giant gear
that floats 100 feet below the east balcony, while the other part of the chain climbs to enter the upper vortex at the same rate.
The two balconies are separated by a 15-foot-wide gulf, through which jangling chain links rise and fall. Magic that allows characters to fly or to walk
on walls makes it easy to cross from one balcony to the other. Any character who moves at least 10 feet beforehand can jump from the west balcony
to the east balcony. Because the west balcony is 15 feet higher than its eastern counterpart, a character must either pole vault across the gap (using
a 10-foot pole or similar item) or use magic. A character can also cross the expanse by leaping from one balcony to the nearest chain, from that
chain to the other, and finally to the opposite balcony. Each of these jumps requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Any character
who fails a check made to jump to a balcony or chain falls down the shaft and into the lower planar vortex unless somehow halted. A falling
character can land on the floating gear 100 feet below with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw but takes falling damage as normal.
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This chamber contains a bronze apparatus centered on a hinged arm. Slowly rotating within the arm is a 10-foot-diameter globe
decorated by a topographic map of landforms and oceans. Concentric rings of brass constrain the device, all rotating and bearing
their own lesser spheres. One of those spheres has sharp points and appears sunlike. Carvings of tall, headless humanoids
decorate the walls of the room.
The armillary sphere depicts Toril, its moon, the sun, and other planetary bodies in Realmspace. Any character who has viewed large-scale maps of
Faerûn will recognize certain geographical features on the globe.
The apparatus suddenly swings around, its rings rotating out of the way as the surface of the globe peels back to reveal a dark,
hollow interior. Inside this cavity is a padded bronze chair with levers built into its armrests.
When a creature sits on the armillary chair, the globe closes again. Any attempt to prevent that closing overloads the mechanism; until the blockage
is removed, any creature within 5 feet of the armillary sphere that isn’t seated on the chair takes 18 (4d8) lightning damage.
When the creature seated on the chair stands up, the globe’s hatch opens, closing again only when another creature sits on the chair or when there
are no creatures within 5 feet of the armillary sphere.
While the globe is sealed, the character sitting in the chair can see through the globe as if it were made of transparent glass. Pulling the levers at the
end of each armrest causes the armillary sphere’s rings to spin the representations of the sun, the moon, and other planetary bodies in one direction
or the other.
When this nycaloth rolls a natural 20 on an attack roll made with its greataxe, it cuts off the target's head (or one of the target's heads, if it has more
than one). If the target can’t survive without the lost head, it dies. A target that is immune to slashing damage is immune to this effect. The target is
also spared decapitation if it doesn’t have or need a head, has legendary actions, or if its head is too big to be cut off with the greataxe, though it still
takes the damage from the weapon’s critical hit.
Critical Conjunction
If the rings are spun so that all the celestial bodies are lined up, roll on the Armillary Sphere Conjunction table to determine what happens. Once a
conjunction effect occurs, the armillary sphere breaks down, causing the levers to lock in place and the hatch to lock shut.
The locked hatch is a Large object with AC 11, 25 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. As long as the outer rings and orbs aren’t
in motion, the hatch can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, or opened with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check made
by character using thieves’ tools.
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The armillary sphere and any creatures inside it disappear. The DM ultimately decides where they end up, if anywhere.
01–05 Possibilities include Mechanus, the Vast Swamp on Oerth, Mount Nevermind on Krynn, a desert on Athas, Victorian
London on Earth, or the sun.
The creature sitting in the armillary chair is touched by an unknown entity and suffers a radical personality change. Work
06–15
with the player to determine an appropriate change.
31–50 The sun-shaped orb splits open, spilling 5,000 gp onto the floor.
The creature sitting in the armillary chair gains a charm of heroism (see “Supernatural Gifts” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon
51–65
Master’s Guide).
Every creature within 20 feet of the armillary sphere regains 50 hit points. Creatures inside the globe do not gain this
66–80
benefit.
81–90 A gem of brightness appears on the lap of the creature seated in the armillary chair.
The Intelligence score of the creature seated in the armillary chair permanently increases by
91–99
1d4 + 1, up to a maximum of 22.
00 The creature seated in the armillary chair is granted the ability to cast the wish spell once.
Secret Crawlway
A secret door in the south wall conceals a crawlway that leads south and passes underneath the control room. See area 61 for details.
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Green smoke billows out from a bronze cauldron in the middle of this twenty-foot-high vaulted hall. Barely visible through the haze
are three rocking chairs, several work benches heaped with haberdashery, a spinning wheel, and a rusty iron cage containing a
prisoner. Galleries stand ten feet above the floor to either side of the room.
The green smoke makes this chamber lightly obscured and blocks the characters’ view of a great green door to the south (see “Skeleton Gate”
below). The iron cage and its prisoner are described in the “Cage” section.
When the characters are in a position to get a better view of the upper galleries, read:
Five wooden doors are set into the walls of the galleries, each carved with a geometric symbol: a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a
hexagon, and an octagon.
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This chamber belongs to the Sewn Sisters, a coven of three night hags loyal to Acererak. Together, the hags mother the atropal and guard the
Soulmonger. They eagerly await the atropal’s apotheosis, when the downfall of civilization promises an abundance of souls to harvest. The Sewn
Sisters spy on intruders from the Border Ethereal. Any character who can perceive creatures and objects on the Ethereal Plane sees the hags as
spectral figures huddled in the middle of the room. See “The Sewn Sisters” sidebar for more information.
Hag Dolls
Each hag has created a cruel plaything: a doll brought to life through the implantation of a child’s soul. When the adventurers arrive, these dolls scurry
into view:
Three tiny figures waddle toward you through the smoky haze: a straw doll with rusty pins sticking into its body, a faceless child
molded from clay, and a stuffed monkey with the lower body of a unicycle. The straw doll says, “You need to run away! The Sewn
Sisters will be back any moment now!”
Each doll is a Tiny construct with AC 10, 1 hit point, a walking speed of 10 feet, immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and no
attacks. Destroying a doll causes the child’s soul within it to become trapped in the Soulmonger.
The straw doll, Strawbundle, usually speaks for the group. Clay No-Face can speak only if it molds a mouth onto its blank face, and Joho the monkey
coughs on its stuffing when it tries to talk. Given a chance, the dolls share the following information:
The Sewn Sisters are three night hags. The dolls refuse to mention the hags by name, lest the hags hear their names being uttered.
The dolls were made from the souls of children and want to be free of the captors.
The hags are nursing some kind of creature that lurks on the other side of the skeleton gate (the great green door), but the dolls don’t know what the
creature is.
To learn more about the adventurers, the hags have been torturing the “lookie-like” in the cage.
If the characters take an interest in the skeleton gate, the dolls reveal what they know about it:
Five skeleton keys are needed to unlock the skeleton gate. Each key looks like an animated skeleton with a skull that extends into a carved key-like
shape.
The skeleton keys wander the upper levels of the tomb.
Before the skeleton keys can be used, the skeleton gate’s five keyholes must first be opened. The five adjoining rooms (areas 72 to 76) contain trials
that can be overcome to open the five keyholes.
The dolls don’t know the nature of the trials in areas 72 through 76, and they can’t leave this chamber unless they are picked up and carried out.
If any character makes an effort to befriend one of the dolls, the soul of the child trapped inside the doll bestows a magical charm on that character.
Each doll can bestow its charm once. These charms are similar to the ones described in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and follow the
same rules.
Strawbundle’s Charm. While you have Strawbundle in your possession, this charm allows you to cast the etherealness spell as an action, no
components required. After it is used three times, the charm vanishes.
Clay No-Face’s Charm. While you have Clay No-Face in your possession, you don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. These benefits last for 30 days while
the doll is in your possession, after which the charm vanishes from you.
Joho’s Charm. While you have Joho in your possession, it grants you the benefit of a helm of comprehending languages. This benefit lasts for 7 days
while the doll is in your possession, after which the charm vanishes from you.
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Acererak recruited three night hags for their expertise in stitching soul bags — a craft they adapted for the creation of the
Soulmonger. The hags are a frightful lot:
Widow Groat has tarnished gold coins covering her eyes and ants nesting in her skull. The ants serve as her spies, and their
presence often portends her arrival. She carries a heartstone, a soul bag, and an iron ring with eight keys. The keys unlock the
shackles in area 78.
Peggy Deadbells wears a string of chattering children’s teeth and thumps about on a heavy peg leg. When she laughs, yellow gas
billows out of her nose and ears. Around her neck, she wears a pouch made from gnome skin, inside which is a heartstone and five
lustrous black marbles (see area 81). Tied to Peggy’s rope belt is a soul bag.
Baggy Nanna has a squirming leather sack sewn over her head. The bag also contains a cockerel, a viper, and a terrier. One animal
can emerge from the bag in place of her own head to speak on her behalf, and the animals become smoke when Baggy Nanna dies.
In her pockets, she carries a heartstone, a soul bag, and three goblin fingers.
The night hags have a shared pool of spells (see the “Hag Covens” sidebar in the Monster Manual). The scarecrow Mister
Threadneedle (see area 74) carries the coven’s hag eye.
For more information on heartstones and soul bags, see the “Night Hag Items” sidebar in the Monster Manual.
Cage
A heavy padlock secures the gate of the rusted cage, inside which a naked figure cowers under a bloodstained blanket.
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Mister Threadneedle (see area 74) carries the key to the padlock, which can otherwise be unlocked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check made
using thieves’ tools. The lock can also be broken off easily enough.
The cage’s prisoner is a degenerate clone of one of the player characters and is instantly recognizable as such. It was created from blood or strands
of hair obtained by one of the hags while the character slept. Characters had a slight chance of meeting the hag as a random wilderness encounter
(see appendix B); however, when and where the theft occurred is up to you.
The clone is not a perfect copy. It is shorter and scrawnier than the character after whom it’s modeled, and it has deformities. Use the commoner
statistics to represent this creature, applying racial traits as appropriate.
The clone has no name and no memory of having been created. However, the hags have forged a magical link between the clone and the character
from which it was made. The clone knows everything the character knows, up to and including all present knowledge. The hags have been
interrogating the clone to learn everything about the adventurers. Now that they have no more use for such information, the Sewn Sisters plan to kill
and eat the clone.
Cauldron
A tarry greenish-black brew fills the bronze cauldron. Any creature that drinks the brew is stunned for 1d10 minutes. While stunned, the creature
succumbs to seizures brought on by the dark dreams of the atropal.
The bronze lid of the cauldron lies on the floor nearby. If the lid is placed on the cauldron, the green smoke that fills the room dissipates after 1
minute.
Skeleton Gate
When the characters get close enough to make out the details of the green door, read:
This twelve-foot-high, ten-foot-wide door is made of green stone, its surface carved with grinning goblin skeletons. A belt of smooth
stone spans the door at a height of four feet, set with five gold symbols in a row: a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, and an
octagon. Each symbol is engraved on a recessed circular seal.
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The geometric symbols are 6 inches across, 1 foot apart, and set into stone disks 8 inches in diameter. Hidden behind the seals are five keyholes that
conform in size and shape to the heads of the skeleton keys found on the other tomb levels (see "Skeleton Keys").
Each time the characters complete a trial in areas 72 through 76, one stone seal rolls aside, exposing the keyhole behind it. When a skeleton key is
inserted into its corresponding keyhole and turned clockwise, a tumbler inside the door unlocks. When all five tumblers unlock, the skeleton gate can
be pulled open like a normal (albeit heavy) door, revealing a wide staircase that descends 20 feet to area 77. The door and its seals are impervious to
damage and spells, and cannot be opened in a manner other than that which is prescribed above.
Facing the Night Hags. If the characters manage to open all five keyholes and have the requisite skeleton keys in their possession, the Sewn Sisters
emerge from the Border Ethereal and attack them. The hags’ goal is to seize one or more of the skeleton keys, thus preventing the characters from
reaching the Soulmonger. If a hag obtains a skeleton key, it cackles as it returns to the Border Ethereal with it.
If two hags die, the third tries to bargain with the characters, offering useful information in exchange for her life. The hag makes the characters swear
on their mortal souls not to harm her once her information is divulged. Any character who reneges on the agreement contracts slimy doom, as
though he or she had failed a saving throw against the contagion spell. The hag reveals the following information (and nothing more) once an
agreement is reached:
“Hidden on this level of the dungeon is a library of lost lore, guarded by an arcanaloth whose true name is Ygga Raxyg.” (See area 80 for details.)
“There is only one way to leave the dungeon: the ebon pool. Charred bones point the way.” (See area 81 for details on the ebon pool. “Charred bones”
refers to the charred skeleton on the floor in area 79.)
“The Red Trail leads to death.” (See area 79.)
A five-foot-wide, floor-to-ceiling glass cylinder near the back wall of this room is filled with light, the source of which is not apparent.
A tiny triangular hole is cut through the glass, five feet above the floor. Inside the cylinder, an iron lever is set into a metal plate on
the floor.
To reach the lever, the characters must figure out a way to enter or bypass the cylinder. If the lever is pulled, the triangle seal on the skeleton gate in
area 71 rolls aside, revealing a triangular keyhole behind it.
The cylinder is 5 feet in diameter, shaped of glass 2 inches thick. The triangular hole in the glass is 1 inch wide. The cylinder is normally impervious to
damage and spells, and it can’t be moved. A character in gaseous form can enter the cylinder through the hole, while an ethereal character can pass
through the glass. A character can also use misty step, dimension door, or similar magic to enter the cylinder. A magically summoned creature can
appear inside the cylinder, as can an unseen servant, either of which can be commanded to pull the lever. The lever is too heavy to be moved with a
mage hand spell but responds to a telekinesis spell.
If three creatures stand around the glass cylinder, forming the points of a triangle around it, the cylinder turns brittle and can be shattered with any
solid hit. Once the cylinder is destroyed, anyone can walk up to the lever and pull it.
This room is filled with flying sheets of parchment, with writing on the pages visible as they flutter by. A metal plate bolted onto the
far wall is set with a ghostly lever.
The flying pages are from a spellbook and are destroyed if they take any amount of fire damage. A character can use an action to grab a page as it
flutters past with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. Written on the page is a random spell; roll a d6 to determine the spell’s level, then randomly
choose a spell of that level from the wizard spell list.
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If more than three pages are taken, all the remaining pages in the room turn to dust, which coalesces into a hostile dust mephit and three illusory
duplicates created by a mirror image spell. The mephit attacks all other creatures in the room, with its duplicates appearing to follow suit.
The mephit knows three command words: “bloatbug,” “frogspittle,” and “spindledash.” While in this room, it can speak one command word as a bonus
action on it turn, triggering the associated magical effect below. It can’t speak the same command word two rounds in a row.
Bloatbug: The mephit targets one creature within 30 feet of it that it can see, which immediately increases its weight by 50 percent. Any spell that
ends a curse, such as greater restoration or remove curse, ends the effect and returns the creature to its normal weight.
Frogspittle: Each creature in the room must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) poison damage. (The mephit is immune to
poison damage.)
Spindledash: The effect targets a random creature in the room. Have the players roll a d20 for each character in the room, and roll a d20 for the
mephit and each other creature in the room. Whichever creatures roll the lowest take 21 (6d6) force damage.
When the dust mephit dies, it collapses and transforms into a stick of black chalk.
Phantom Lever
The lever on the north wall is carved from bone but is insubstantial, such that a character’s hand passes right through it. The lever appears solid to a
creature on the Ethereal Plane, and an ethereal creature can pull it normally. Dispel magic has no effect on the lever, which remains insubstantial even
within the area of an antimagic field. If any creature uses chalk to draw a square on the wall around the lever, the lever becomes solid. If the square is
erased, the lever turns insubstantial again.
If the lever is pulled, the square seal on the skeleton gate in area 71 rolls aside, revealing a square keyhole behind it.
The delicious aroma of spiced meat greets you. At the end of a twenty-foot-long corridor, a room opens up with red tapestries
covering the walls. A feast is spread out on three tables, consisting of roast boar, squash stew, and a tray of iced cakes. Flagons of
frothy beer complete the banquet.
A gaunt human male in a dusty black suit quietly arranges the items on the cake table, taking notice of your intrusion. Without a
word, he gestures for you to come forward and sample the feast.
The gaunt gentleman is Mister Threadneedle, the Sewn Sisters’ manservant. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of illusion magic
around him. A successful dispel magic (DC 16) reveals his true form.
Mister Threadneedle is a scarecrow disguised with magic to appear human. In a pocket, he carries the Sewn Sisters’ hag eye (see the “Hags” entry in
the Monster Manual) and one lustrous black marble (see area 81). Mister Threadneedle understands Common but can’t speak. He communicates by
nodding and shaking his head, or with gestures and facial expressions.
Warned of the adventurers’ arrival, the hags prepared this magical feast and instructed Mister Threadneedle to lay it out. The scarecrow attacks the
characters only if they attack first, or if the hags command him to.
Magical Feast
The food is well prepared and delicious, and the beer is rich. Any character who partakes of the feast gains benefits and suffers detrimental effects
based on what is consumed. Do not reveal detrimental effects to the players until those effects come into play.
Roast Boar: The character feels stronger and has advantage on Strength checks, but has disadvantage on attack rolls made against Widow Groat.
Both effects have a duration of 24 hours.
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Squash Stew: The character feels healthier and gains advantage on Constitution saving throws, but has disadvantage on attack rolls made against
Peggy Deadbells. Both effects have a duration of 24 hours.
Iced Cakes: The character feels energized and gains 2d10 temporary hit points, but has disadvantage on attack rolls made against Baggy Nanna for
the next 24 hours.
Frothy Beer: The character gains a special die: a d6. Anytime in the next 24 hours, the character can roll this die once and add the result to a d20 roll
he or she just made. Additionally, if the character is inhabited by the spirit of a trickster god, the power normally granted by the spirit is suppressed
for 24 hours.
Characters who enter the room but do not partake of the food or drink are cursed with crippling hunger as soon as they leave this area. The effect
imposes disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and it can be ended on a character with greater restoration, remove curse, or similar magic.
Tapestries
Five red tapestries hang from iron rods bolted to the walls. Each is made up of pentagonal patches stitched together. Any character who inspects the
tapestry on the southwest wall and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check sees something more: a subliminal devil’s face cleverly hidden
in the design. The devil’s open mouth forms a pentagon. A character can reach into the devil’s mouth as though the fabric wasn’t there, uncovering a
small extradimensional compartment with a glass lever set into the back of it. The compartment can be accessed only from the front side of the
tapestry, and only while the tapestry is hanging on the wall. If the tapestry is taken from the room or destroyed, a new one materializes on the wall in
4d6 hours.
If the lever in the tapestry is pulled, the pentagon seal on the skeleton gate in area 71 rolls aside, revealing a pentagonal keyhole behind it.
A large, cracked, six-sided mirror is mounted above a stone shelf protruding from the opposite wall. Five unlit candles stand on the
shelf, each made of yellow wax and covered with tiny black sigils. Scrawled on the wall above the mirror in dried blood are the
words “PIGGY PIGGY PIGGY.”
A sixth candle, identical to the five in plain view, is tucked out of sight under the stone shelf. Any character who searches the shelf for traps or hidden
compartments automatically finds the sixth candle. Both the mirror and the candles radiate auras of conjuration magic to a detect magic spell or
similar effect.
Cracked Mirror
The cracked mirror can’t be pried from the wall or damaged more than it already is.
If all six candles are lit, a character who looks in the mirror and says the word “piggy” three times in a row sees the reflected candlelight reveal a
wooden lever set into a metal panel on the north wall. If fewer than six candles are lit when the words are spoken, the lever appears on the south wall
instead. These levers exist only in the mirror’s reflection, not in reality.
Only a character who can see a lever reflected in the mirror can pull it. As this likely puts the lever out of the character’s reach, he or she can cast a
mage hand or telekinesis spell, conjure an unseen servant, lasso the lever with a rope, or undertake any suitably clever solution.
True Lever. If the north lever is pulled, the hexagon seal on the skeleton gate in area 71 rolls aside, revealing a hexagonal keyhole behind it.
False Lever. If the south lever is pulled, three insane wereboars in hybrid form magically spring from the mirror, land in the middle of the room, and
fight to the death. When the wereboars have nothing left in the room to fight, they join the night hags in area 71.
The wereboars can be summoned only once. Pulling this lever again has no effect.
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The ceiling of this plaster-walled room is fifteen feet high. A leather-backed tome rests open atop a wooden lectern bolted to the
floor. Set into the wall behind the lectern are eight human skeletons, arranged so that they appear to be falling and screaming.
The skeletons are inanimate remains embedded into the plastered walls. The lectern is held in place by four bolts set deep into the floor and is
impervious to damage, spells, and attempts to move it. The book’s covers are secured to the lectern with sovereign glue, preventing it from being
easily removed. The eight-page book contains an eight-line nursery rhyme written by the Sewn Sisters in Infernal, with each page bearing one line of
the poem. The book is open to pages 4 and 5 when the characters first arrive.
Hidden in the leg of the lectern, on the side facing the east wall, is a secret compartment that can be found with a successful DC 10 Wisdom
(Perception) check.
If the lines of the nursery rhyme (see below) are read aloud in reverse order, starting with the last line and ending on the first, the doors of the secret
compartment open, revealing a brass lever inside. If the lever is pulled, the octagon seal on the skeleton gate in area 71 rolls aside, revealing an
octagonal keyhole behind it.
The compartment can also be opened with a knock spell, or with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check made by a character using thieves’ tools.
Opening the compartment in either manner triggers the trap (see “Spider Fan Trap” below).
The real danger is the ceiling, which appears to be smooth-cut stone but is actually thin plaster. Five feet above the false plaster ceiling is the room’s
true ceiling, which has a bladed fan shaped like a giant iron spider mounted to it.
If a character in the room reads the entire nursery rhyme beginning with the first line on page 1 and ending with the last line on page 8, or if the
compartment in the lectern is opened improperly, the ceiling fan begins to twirl as a reverse gravity spell activates within the room. The lectern is the
only fixed object in the room. Any creature within reach of it can, with a successful DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, grab the lectern and avoid falling
upward. A creature that can’t grab the lectern or isn’t secured in some other way “falls” upward through the fake plaster ceiling into the rotating
blades of the fan, taking 44 (8d10) slashing damage. The creature takes that damage again each time it starts its turn on the ceiling. The reverse
gravity effect lasts for 1 minute, after which creatures on the ceiling fall back down to the floor 20 feet below. Once the spell ends, the ceiling fan
stops twirling. The trap does not reset.
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Crumbling balconies overlook a pool of lava filling this triangular chamber, above which is suspended an enormous crystal cylinder
held in place by three adamantine struts. Wraithlike forms swirl inside the cylinder, and otherworldly screams hang in the air. Four
long, writhing tentacles sprout from the cylinder’s cap. A shriveled monstrosity the size of an elephant floats near the cylinder. Its
body is wet and malformed, its arms and legs are atrophied, and its oversized head drips black goo. The creature is attached to the
cylinder by a twisted umbilical cord.
The cylindrical device is the Soulmonger. The malformed creature floating next to it is an atropal (see appendix D), which feeds on the captured souls
of the dead. The atropal attacks any creature that threatens it or tries to damage its food source. If the atropal dies, Acererak arrives to take his
revenge (see “Acererak’s Revenge” below).
The ceiling of the vault is 30 feet high, and the walls along the north balcony are lined with alcoves containing piles of skulls and bones — the remains
of Old Omuans and their minotaur protectors.
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Fickle I’jin encourages her host to investigate the mist-filled archway on the south balcony (see “Mist Gate” below).
Adventurous Kubazan expects his host to make the ultimate sacrifice and die in a blaze of glory.
Kind Moa wants to free the souls trapped inside the Soulmonger.
Greedy Nangnang urges her host to search the balconies and bone-filled alcoves for treasure.
Nervous Obo’laka is concerned that the bones in the northern alcoves might rise up and attack.
Shrewd Papazotl suspects that the atropal might be vulnerable to radiant damage and that killing it might summon forth its evil master.
Virtuous Shagambi recognizes that the atropal is unholy and orders her host to destroy it at once.
Contemplative Unkh urges her host to communicate with the atropal. Perhaps the creature is just misunderstood.
Deranged Wongo wants his host to attack the tentacles sprouting from the top of the Soulmonger.
The Soulmonger
The Soulmonger is an upright crystal cylinder 20 feet high and 10 feet in diameter. The adamantine struts that suspend it above the lava attach to an
adamantine ring around the cylinder’s midsection.
Under the scrutiny of a detect magic spell or similar effect, the Soulmonger radiates an intense aura of necromantic magic. Destroying the
Soulmonger not only ends the effects of the death curse (see the introduction to the adventure) but also frees all the souls trapped within the device.
Freed souls travel to the afterlife, and any creature whose soul is set free can be brought back from the dead by magical means.
The Soulmonger is an artifact of evil — a Huge object with AC 15; 200 hit points; vulnerability to radiant damage; and immunity to bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
Adamantine Struts. One way to destroy the Soulmonger is to break any of the three adamantine struts that suspend it above the lava. Each strut is a
Large object with AC 20; 100 hit points; immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks; and immunity to fire,
poison, and psychic damage. When a strut drops to 0 hit points, it breaks and causes the other two struts to snap as the Soulmonger falls.
The struts are wide enough that Medium or Small creatures can walk along them without difficulty. However, any creature that takes damage while
standing on a strut must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off it, plunging into the lava unless the creature is somehow secured.
Unless likewise secured, any creature standing on an adamantine strut when the strut breaks falls into the lava. If the creature is within reach of a
balcony, it can leap onto the balcony and avoid the fall with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw.
Tentacles. Once per turn, in response to any creature making a successful melee weapon attack against the cylinder or one of its struts, the
Soulmonger attacks that creature with one of its 30-foot-long tentacles. The tentacle has a Strength score of 22 and makes one melee weapon attack
against the creature: +7 to hit, 24 (4d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, a tentacle can grapple its target (escape DC 16). If the
target weighs 330 pounds or less, the tentacle can also lift the grappled creature and move it to any unoccupied space within its 30-foot reach, or
drop it inthe lava.
The tentacles can be attacked and destroyed. Each one is a Huge animated object with AC 15, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic
damage.
Destroying the Soulmonger. When the Soulmonger drops to 0 hit points, read:
The crystal cylinder shatters, and a myriad of tiny lights pour forth from within. These bright souls coil through the air like a tornado,
blazing upward and then vanishing in a blinding, spectral flash.
If the atropal has not been destroyed, it shrieks as the souls of the dead escape from the wreckage of the Soulmonger.
Lava Pit
The lava pit is 30 feet below the floor of the room and 100 feet deep. Any creature that falls into the lava or starts its turn there takes 55 (10d10) fire
damage. Any object that falls into the lava takes damage on initial contact and once per round thereafter until it is removed from the lava or
destroyed.
Phylacteries
Along the east and west walls of the chamber, two balconies stand 30 feet above the lava pit.
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Two facing balconies halfway along the room are littered by ornate glass bottles, fluted silver urns, ivory caskets, and other vessels
— all of them inscribed with baleful sigils.
Acererak has disciples scattered throughout the multiverse, including many liches that seek to become as powerful as him. He keeps their
phylacteries here.
Each balcony has 2d6 + 5 lich phylacteries on it. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the phylacteries for
what they are. Destroying a phylactery is no simple task and often requires a special ritual, item, or weapon. The phylacteries here are all unique, and
discovering the key to each one’s destruction will require time and expensive research. There’s a 10 percent chance that any one of these phylacteries
would be destroyed by hurling it into the lava.
Mist Gate
The balcony at the south end of the room holds the gateway to the final chambers of the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
An ornate archway looms over this balcony. Grinning skulls are molded into its frame, and glowing mist swirls within.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of conjuration magic around the gate. Any creature that steps into the archway emerges from a
similar archway in area 78, along with anything it is wearing or carrying.
Acererak’s Revenge
If the characters kill the atropal, read:
A skeletal figure wrapped in moldering robes and clutching a skull-tipped staff appears on the south balcony. Hateful pinpricks of
white light burn in its eye sockets, and a two-foot-diameter sphere of utter darkness floats in the air beside it.
Acererak (see appendix D) rolls initiative and attacks with all his power, hoping to slay the intruders and reap their souls. The archlich carries the
Staff of the Forgotten One (see appendix C) and is accompanied by a sphere of annihilation, which he controls using a talisman of the sphere worn
about his neck. Because the Tomb of the Nine Gods is not Acererak’s home, he has no access to lair actions during this battle.
Acererak speaks to the adventurers in condescending tones, referring to them as “puny mortals” as he sets out to destroy them.
Wrath of the Trickster Gods. When Acererak appears, any character inhabited by the spirit of a trickster god hears that spirit cry out for vengeance. In
addition to the power granted by his or her trickster god, the character gains the following benefits while he or she can see Acererak:
The character gains 50 temporary hit points at the start of each of his or her turns.
When the character makes an attack roll against Acererak and hits, the attack deals an extra 3d6 psychic damage.
Acererak’s Defeat
If Acererak drops below 100 hit points, he casts teleport on his next turn and flees. As he departs, read:
“We’ll meet again, fools!” says the lich. “And on that day, you will die!” With that, Acererak raises his staff, utters some arcane
syllables, and is gone.
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If the characters succeed in killing Acererak before he has a chance to escape, read:
A look of horror passes over the lich’s face as his body turns to dust. His tattered robes fall to the ground, as do his staff and
talisman.
Acererak’s body reforms near his phylactery, which is hidden in some far-flung demiplane, but his possessions are left behind for the characters to
pilfer. The sphere of annihilation remains stationary until someone takes control of it using the talisman. Because it’s not a creature, the sphere is not
teleported if it enters the mist gate (see “Mist Gate” above).
You step out of the mist into an underground chapel with black basalt pillars and a polished obsidian altar. Resting on the altar is a
leather bag the size and shape of a human body, and which appears to have been sewn shut. Beyond the altar, a heavy black drape
hangs from an archway.
Eight emaciated, green-skinned creatures are shackled to the walls of the chapel, each one gazing toward you with a single baleful
eye. The monsters begin to gibber and drool as they shake their manacles, eager to be set free.
Once the atropal has fed on enough souls, Acererak plans to baptize it in the blood of a worthy sacrifice. This chapel was built for that dark ceremony.
The Sewn Sisters obtained an appropriate sacrifice and have stitched it inside the leather body bag that rests on the altar.
Body Bag
The leather body bag can be cut open to reveal an unconscious prisoner, whose identity is yours to decide. It might be Artus Cimber, Dragonbait,
Volothamp Geddarm, or some other NPC the characters never got the chance to meet. It could also be an NPC who became separated from the party
in the course of the adventure.
If no suitable NPC springs to mind, use a captured member of the Order of the Gauntlet named Zalder Faelrond (LG male Tethyrian human knight of
Torm, with no armor or weapons). Zalder’s story is that he was kidnapped by the Sewn Sisters while patrolling the jungle. If set free, he requests an
escort back to Camp Vengeance (see chapter 2).
The night hags’ magic keeps the prisoner alive and unconscious. With a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check, a character
determines that the effect can be ended only by splashing the prisoner with holy water.
Devotees of Acererak
The creatures shackled to the chapel walls are eight nothics — former disciples of Acererak who lost their minds trying to learn their master’s arcane
secrets. The nothics are restrained by the shackles and can’t make melee attacks until they are set free. They speak Undercommon and demand to
be released.
The night hag Widow Groat (see area 71) carries the keys to the nothics’ shackles, which can also be picked with a successful DC 13 Dexterity check
made by a character using thieves’ tools, or sundered with a good, hard weapon strike.
If the characters ignore the nothics’ demands, the spiteful creatures attack them using their horrid Rotting Gaze. If the characters unshackle them,
the nothics loiter in the chapel and leave the party alone. They also provide the following helpful information if their liberators question them:
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If the characters are searching for an exit to the tomb, one nothic hops over to the black curtain, pulls it aside, points down the tunnel to the north
(area 79), and shouts (in Undercommon), “Mind the bones!”
If the characters are searching for treasure, another nothic performs the same actions as above, except it shouts, “Follow the purple trail!”
Behind the curtain is a ten-foot-wide, forty-five-foot-long hallway set with four decorative archways that have blank walls within
them. Three paths marked out in red, gold, and purple tile snake along the floor, each leading to one of three archways. A charred
skeleton on the floor points to the fourth archway, which has no path leading to it.
A single torch burns in a wall sconce at the far end of the hall. Mounted below it is a bronze plaque that bears a warning in
Common: “Behold the fate of those who defy me!”
The torch remains lit and doesn’t burn down as long as it remains in this corridor. If taken from the hall, it burns down normally.
Fickle I’jin wants her host to follow the purple-tiled pathway to see where it leads. (Purple is I’jin’s favorite color, at least for now.)
Wise Shagambi urges her host to not stray from the tiled pathways.
Glyph of Warding. Opening the secret door triggers a glyph of warding spell, which targets all creatures in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the
door. The sphere spreads around corners. Each creature in the area must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) cold damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The triggering glyph is at the bottom right corner of the door and can be found with a
successful DC 24 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Wall of Fire. When the glyph of warding spell activates or is dispelled, a magical wall of fire springs up at the south end of the hallway, setting the
black curtain ablaze if it still hangs there. The wall of fire spans the width and height of the hall. Any creature that enters the wall, starts its turn inside
the wall, or starts its turn within 5 feet of the north side of the wall takes 22 (5d8) fire damage.
When the wall of fire appears, all creatures present should roll initiative. Each round on initiative count 15, the wall moves 10 feet northward, stopping
only when it reaches 5 feet from the north wall. The wall lasts until there are no creatures in the hallway, or until it is dispelled with a successful dispel
magic (DC 14).
Glyph of Warding. Opening the secret door triggers a glyph of warding spell, which targets all creatures in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the
door. The sphere spreads around corners. Each creature in the area must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) thunder damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The triggering glyph is at the bottom right corner of the door and can be found with a
successful DC 24 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Purple Trail
A trail of purple-colored tiles leads to the hall’s northernmost arch. If a character walks along the trail without stepping off it, then touches the wall
within the archway, the wall takes on the consistency of thick mud for 1 hour. While this effect lasts, any creature that passes through the wall, or any
object pushed through the wall, emerges from the back wall of the alcove in area 80.
Red Trail
The short trail of red-colored tiles ends in front of the hallway’s southernmost arch. A creature that walks along the red trail without ever stepping off
of it, then touches the wall within the archway, is pulled into the wall and unceremoniously dumped into area 57.
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Soft dulcimer music fills this room, the walls of which are painted the color of dried blood. Bookcases draped in cobwebs and dust
line the walls and stand four deep in the middle of the room. Hundreds of leather-bound tomes weigh down their sagging shelves.
At one end of the room, a small study contains a padded leather chair, a footstool, and a small table — as well as three corpses
dangling upside down from shackles and chains bolted to the ceiling near the north wall. A lantern-shaped device resting atop the
table appears to be the source of the music. An old man lies asleep in the chair, his horn-rimmed spectacles slipping down to the
end of his nose.
The library contains the collected wisdom of a hundred sages, along with a few spellbooks and scrolls (see “Treasure” below).
The corpses hanging along the north wall are the remains of three archmagi who tried to meddle in Acererak’s affairs. A successful DC 12 Wisdom
(Medicine) check confirms that all three died within the past month and that destructive spells were the cause of their demise.
The old man sleeping in the chair is an arcanaloth under the effect of its alter self spell. The fiend has one of the library’s spellbooks lying open on its
lap and pretends to be asleep. If approached, the man appears to wake and asks, “Why do you disturb me?” The creature won’t reveal its true name,
instead referring to itself as “Mr. Fox.” The arcanaloth is bound to the library by Acererak’s magic and can’t leave, nor can it allow any of the library’s
books or scrolls to be removed.
If any character speaks the arcanaloth’s true name (“Ygga Raxyg”; see area 71) within earshot of the fiend, it is stunned for 1 minute. Once the
stunned effect wears off, repeating the arcanaloth’s name has no effect on it for the next 24 hours. If killed, the arcanaloth melts into a pool of ichor,
leaving behind its robes and horn-rimmed spectacles (see “Treasure” below).
Alcove
The alcove in the southwest corner of the room is empty. If the magic at the end of the purple trail is still active (see area 79), the back wall of the
alcove has the consistency of thick mud. Any creature that passes through the wall, or any object pushed through the wall, emerges from the
northernmost archway in area 79.
Treasure
The arcanaloth’s horn-rimmed spectacles aren’t magical, but they are worth 250 gp. The spectacles are also a gate key that opens a portal in the
planar city of Sigil. The portal is a two-way door to the plane of Arcadia. A legend lore spell cast on the spectacles reveals this information and raises
their potential value to 2,500 gp if they are sold to a wizard or sage.
The object on the table is a music box made of dark wood with gold filigree. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of conjuration
magic around it. Each of its five sides is sculpted with the image of a horned woman playing a different musical instrument: a dulcimer, a flute, a harp,
a lyre, and a viol. While touching the box, a creature can use an action to make it play music featuring one of the instruments shown, which can be
heard up to 60 feet away. The character can also use an action to stop the music. The music box is worth 750 gp.
The library contains two hundred historical texts (50 gp each), sixty tomes of arcane lore (100 gp each), three dusty spell scrolls (create undead,
fabricate, and resurrection), and six spellbooks. The first three spellbooks contain 1d6 spells each of 1st through 3rd level. The fourth and fifth
spellbooks contain 1d4 spells each of 4th through 6th level. The sixth spellbook has a title (X the Mystic’s Arcane Grimoire) burned into its spine and
contains 1d3 spells each of 7th through 9th level.
A pool of jet-black ooze glistens inside this silent chamber, whose walls are decorated with relief carvings depicting black stars.
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The pool radiates an aura of conjuration magic to a detect magic spell or similar effect. Creatures that come into contact with the ooze are
unharmed. Any object that isn’t being worn or carried by a creature disappears if submerged in the black ooze. Such items are permanently lost,
having been transported to a secret demiplane whose location cannot be divined. Any amount of ooze that is removed from the pool disappears
instantly.
The black marble sinks into the ooze, which rises up suddenly to form a four-foot-tall black obelisk — a miniature version of the
obelisk that stood outside the tomb entrance.
Any creature that touches the ooze obelisk is teleported, along with all objects it is wearing and carrying, to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of the
obelisk outside the tomb entrance (area 1). This effect is not subject to the magical wards that prevent teleportation spells from functioning within
the tomb.
The ooze obelisk sinks back into the pool and disappears after 1 minute. Tossing another black marble into the pool causes the obelisk to reform.
Conclusion ↑
Destroying the Soulmonger frees the souls trapped inside it and ends Acererak’s death curse. Characters who accomplish this goal will have saved
many lives, and if word spreads of their heroism, wealthy and influential NPCs come forward bearing gifts of thanks. These gifts can take many
forms, including parcels of land and special favors (see “Marks of Prestige” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). If the characters allow the
atropal to survive in the depths of the tomb, it eventually attracts nihilistic devotees of Acererak who feed it their own dark souls as nourishment.
Lost Treasures
As they explore the tomb, characters are likely to find one or more fabled treasures as well as magic items inhabited by the spirits of Omu’s dead
trickster gods. What happens to these items when the characters leave the tomb is discussed below.
Black Opal Crown (Area 49). The yuan-ti of Omu are after this treasure. If they can’t wrest it from the characters, they attempt to buy or steal the
crown from the individual to whom the characters sell it. Whether the crown has the power to set loose Dendar the Night Serpent is up to you. Should
the crown fall into the wrong hands, characters might need to venture into the caverns below the Peaks of Flame to retrieve it before the world ends.
Eye of Zaltec (Area 62). The Company of the Yellow Banner was vanquished trying to obtain this lost jewel, which is rumored to have the power to
resurrect the ancient dead. If the Eye of Zaltec indeed has such power, it requires a great many sacrifices to function. Tabaxi thieves might try to steal
the jewel and bear it safely back to Maztica, perhaps trading it for the release of enslaved loved ones. Conversely, a villain might buy the jewel and
use it to resurrect a dead tyrant, an evil archmage, or some even greater threat.
Navel of the Moon (Area 56). If the characters try to sell this stone in Baldur’s Gate, Port Nyanzaru, or some other city, word of the sale quickly
reaches the spies of wealthy Calishite merchants. A bidding war might ensue, or assassins might be sent to retrieve the stone and quietly dispose of
its new owner. Whether the stone has its purported power to reunite families separated by time and fate is entirely up to you.
Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare (Area 67). Princess Mwaxanaré can’t afford to pay characters what this treasure is worth, and she will despise them for
selling it to someone else. Three of Port Nyanzaru’s merchant princes express interest in buying the chalice: Ifan Talro’a wants to add it to his private
collection of Chultan relics, Kwayothé wants to melt it down, and Zhanthi wants it for sentimental reasons. Denying any one of them would be a grave
mistake on the characters’ part and might result in them receiving an ominous Ytepka Society token.
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amulet of health (area 22), Nangnang’s egg-shaped pearl of power (area 24), I’jin’s horn-shaped wand of wonder (area 35), Kubazan’s bracers of
archery (area 42), Shagambi’s instrument of the bards (area 48), and Unkh’s robe of scintillating colors (area 55).
If, in your estimation, a player did an extraordinary job roleplaying a trickster god’s flaw, the god’s spirit might reward that player’s character by
allowing its magic item to exist outside the tomb, provided that character is attuned to the item when it leaves the tomb.
Syndra’s Fate
Characters who survive the Tomb of the Nine Gods won’t know the fate of Syndra Silvane until they return to Port Nyanzaru, use a spell such as
scrying to spy on her, or reach out to her with a sending spell or similar magic. If the characters destroy the Soulmonger and Syndra is still alive,
priests quickly restore her to full health, and the characters can collect their promised reward. If Syndra dies but her soul is saved before the atropal
devours it, she is raised from the dead within a tenday of the Soulmonger’s destruction and honors her agreement with the party. In the event that
Syndra dies and her soul is devoured, her body lies in state pending a funeral and proper burial.
Xandala, the Harpers, the Zhentarim, and frost giants loyal to Jarl Storvald won’t stop searching for the Ring of Winter. If the characters make their
way back to civilization with Artus in tow, they should encounter one or more of these groups along the way. Valindra Shadowmantle and the Red
Wizards of Thay also won’t pass up a chance to take the ring by force.
With or without the ring, Artus Cimber continues to await Mezro’s return while searching for the means to reach or summon the displaced city.
Nothing matters to him more than reuniting with his wife. Characters interested in helping Artus can use divination spells or downtime to conduct
research. They might also consult with the Harpers, who have access to lore that might assist Artus in his quest, but they demand the ring in
exchange for their assistance. Forced to choose between the Harpers’ assistance and the ring, Artus chooses the latter. Alternatively, a portal to
Mezro’s demiplane might be hidden somewhere in Chult, creating the seeds of a wonderful new adventure.
Dragonbait
If he’s with the characters when they escape from the Tomb of the Nine Gods, Dragonbait is eager to put Omu and this adventure behind him. As long
as Artus Cimber is alive, Dragonbait remains committed to helping his friend find the displaced city of Mezro. If Artus is dead and there’s no hope of
raising him, Dragonbait opts to return to Port Nyanzaru, where he drowns his sorrows in a few casks of tej before enjoying some downtime. The
saurial gives off the scent of roses as he waves farewell to the party. He eventually crosses paths with Volothamp Geddarm, and the two explorers
embark on numerous adventures together.
Omu
Unless the characters cleared out the Fane of the Night Serpent, Omu remains in the clutches of the yuan-ti. If Ras Nsi is still alive, he has no further
use for the characters once the death curse is ended. Believing they know too much for their own good, he sends a party of yuan-ti to capture or kill
them before they leave the city. If the party obtained the Black Opal Crown, they can trade the item for their lives.
If Fenthaza lives, Ras Nsi makes the mistake of putting her in charge of the team sent to kill the characters, and she offers the party a deal instead. If
the characters agree to kill Ras Nsi, they can go free and keep whatever treasure they take from the fane except for the Black Opal Crown, which
Fenthaza insists be given to her at once. If the characters defeat Ras Nsi handily, Fenthaza honors her end of the deal. If they emerge from the fane
weakened, she tries to destroy them.
Princess Mwaxanaré wants to restore Omu to its former glory and build a new kingdom there. With the Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare in her possession,
she can win the support of Chultans eager to return to the old ways. However, the merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru aren’t willing to back her claim,
and the yuan-ti won’t give up Omu without a fight. It could take years for Mwaxanaré’s dream to come true, if it ever does.
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they’re dead and gone, he sets out to make life miserable for their descendants.
More Adventures
This concludes Tomb of Annihilation. Space limitations preclude us from exploring Chult in its entirety, but you can create your own Chult-based
adventures and publish them at the Dungeon Masters Guild (www.dmsguild.com).
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Anthropologist ↑
You have always been fascinated by other cultures, from the most ancient and primeval lost lands to the most modern civilizations. By studying other
cultures’ customs, philosophies, laws, rituals, religious beliefs, languages, and art, you have learned how tribes, empires, and all forms of society in
between craft their own destinies and doom. This knowledge came to you not only through books and scrolls, but also through first-hand observation
— by visiting far-flung settlements and exploring local histories and customs.
Equipment: A leather-bound diary, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a set of traveler’s clothes, one trinket of special significance, and a pouch containing 10
gp
Cultural Chameleon
Before becoming an adventurer, you spent much of your adult life away from your homeland, living among people different from your kin. You came
to understand these foreign cultures and the ways of their people, who eventually treated you as one of their own. One culture had more of an
influence on you than any other, shaping your beliefs and customs. Choose a race whose culture you’ve adopted, or roll on the Adopted Culture table.
Adopted Culture
d8 Culture
1 Aarakocra
2 Dwarf
3 Elf
4 Goblin
5 Halfling
6 Human
7 Lizardfolk
8 Orc
You can communicate with humanoids who don’t speak any language you know. You must observe the humanoids interacting with
one another for at least 1 day, after which you learn a handful of important words, expressions, and gestures — enough to
communicate on a rudimentary level.
Suggested Characteristics
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Anthropologists leave behind the societies into which they were born to discover what life is like in other parts of the world. They seek to see how
other races and civilizations survive — or why they did not. Some anthropologists are driven by intellectual curiosity, while others want the fame and
recognition that comes with being the first to discover a new people, a lost tribe, or the truth about an ancient empire’s downfall.
d6 Personality Trait
1 I prefer the company of those who aren’t like me, including people of other races.
2 I’m a stickler when it comes to observing proper etiquette and local customs.
5 I would risk life and limb to discover a new culture or unravel the secrets of a dead one.
6 When I arrive at a new settlement for the first time, I must learn all its customs.
d6 Ideal
2 Distance. One must not interfere with the affairs of another culture — even one in need of aid. (Lawful)
3 Knowledge. By understanding other races and cultures, we learn to understand ourselves. (Any)
4 Power. Common people crave strong leadership, and I do my utmost to provide it. (Lawful)
6 Indifferent. Life is cruel. What’s the point in saving people if they’re going to die anyway? (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1 My mentor gave me a journal filled with lore and wisdom. Losing it would devastate me.
2 Having lived among the people of a primeval tribe or clan, I long to return and see how they are faring.
3 Years ago, tragedy struck the members of an isolated society I befriended, and I will honor them.
4 I want to learn more about a particular humanoid culture that fascinates me.
5 I seek to avenge a clan, tribe, kingdom, or empire that was wiped out.
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d6 Flaw
3 I believe that I’m intellectually superior to people from other cultures and have much to teach them.
4 I’ve picked up some unpleasant habits living among goblins, lizardfolk, or orcs.
Archaeologist ↑
An archaeologist learns about the long-lost and fallen cultures of the past by studying their remains — their bones, their ruins, their surviving
masterworks, and their tombs. Those who practice archaeology travel to the far corners of the world to root through crumbled cities and lost
dungeons, digging in search of artifacts that might tell the stories of monarchs and high priests, wars and cataclysms.
Equipment: A wooden case containing a map to a ruin or dungeon, a bullseye lantern, a miner’s pick, a set of traveler’s clothes, a shovel, a two-person
tent, a trinket recovered from a dig site, and a pouch containing 25 gp
Dust Digger
Prior to becoming an adventurer, you spent most of your young life crawling around in the dust, pilfering relics of questionable value from crypts and
ruins. Though you managed to sell a few of your discoveries and earn enough coin to buy proper adventuring gear, you have held onto an item that
has great emotional value to you. Roll on the Signature Item table to see what you have, or choose an item from the table.
Signature Item
d8 Item
1 10-foot pole
2 Crowbar
3 Hat
4 Hooded lantern
5 Medallion
6 Shovel
7 Sledgehammer
8 Whip
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When you enter a ruin or dungeon, you can correctly ascertain its original purpose and determine its builders, whether those were
dwarves, elves, humans, yuan-ti, or some other known race. In addition, you can determine the monetary value of art objects more
than a century old.
Suggested Characteristics
Few archaeologists can resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, particularly if such a site is the source of legends or is rumored to contain
the treasures and relics of wizards, warlords, or royalty. Some archaeologists plunder for wealth or fame, while others consider it their calling to
illuminate the past or keep the world’s greatest treasures from falling into the wrong hands. Whatever their motivations, archaeologists combine the
qualities of a scrappy historian with the self-made heroism of a treasure-hunting scoundrel.
d8 Personality Trait
6 Traps don’t make me nervous. Idiots who trigger traps make me nervous.
8 You might think I’m a scholar, but I love a good brawl. These fists were made for punching.
d6 Ideal
2 Greed. I won’t risk my life for nothing. I expect some kind of payment. (Any)
3 Death Wish. Nothing is more exhilarating than a narrow escape from the jaws of death. (Chaotic)
4 Dignity. The dead and their belongings deserve to be treated with respect. (Lawful)
5 Immortality. All my exploring is part of a plan to find the secret of everlasting life. (Any)
6 Danger. With every great discovery comes grave danger. The two walk hand in hand. (Any)
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d6 Bond
Ever since I was a child, I’ve heard stories about a lost city. I aim to find it, learn its secrets, and earn my place in the
1
history books.
3 I have a friendly rival. Only one of us can be the best, and I aim to prove it’s me.
4 I won’t sell an art object or other treasure that has historical significance or is one of a kind.
5 I’m secretly in love with the wealthy patron who sponsors my archaeological exploits.
d6 Flaw
1 I have a secret fear of some common wild animal — and in my work, I see them everywhere.
3 When I’m not exploring dungeons or ruins, I get jittery and impatient.
4 I have no time for friends or family. I spend every waking moment thinking about and preparing for my next expedition.
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d20 Encounter
Near the harbor, an ankylosaurus that tows boats through the warehouse canals goes on a rampage and must be
2
calmed, restrained, or killed.
A merchant shouts, “Stop! Thief!” as a furtive youngster (commoner) rushes past the characters. If the thief is caught, the
3
grateful merchant can introduce characters to a merchant prince or provide them one other favor.
A drunk foreign sailor (unarmored veteran) is loudly trying to pick a fight with three local commoners, who are clearly no
4 match for the lout. If the characters intervene, the grateful locals become a reliable source of information about Port
Nyanzaru, but the sailor and his shipmates ambush the characters elsewhere in the city later on.
A beggar (commoner) grabs a character by the arm and shouts, “The ancient one beneath the Forbidden City gives birth
5 to a terrible new god! The snake-men know! They know!” Then he stumbles away into the crowd. Passersby tell the
adventurers to ignore the beggar, and that his predictions are wrong most of the time.
Alarm horns declare that undead are attacking Malar’s Throat. Mercenaries keep the monsters out of the city proper, but
6 people are trapped in the temple of Tymora and besieged by 2d6 zombies and 2d6 skeletons led by a ghoul. If the
characters defeat the undead, the temple rewards them with 5 gallons of tej and a potion of healing.
Shouts of “Look out!” give a character a brief warning as a water barrel, building stone, or other heavy weight crashes
down. The character must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be struck, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage.
7
Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a disguised yuan-ti pureblood slinking away
from the scene.
A tabaxi minstrel (see appendix D) asks one of the characters for a gold piece to stake her for gambling, promising to
8 pay it back. If the character agrees, the tabaxi makes good on her promise the next day, returning a pouch containing 10
gp.
The characters run into Volothamp "Volo" Geddarm (see appendix D), who is delivering a copy of his new book to one of
10
the city’s merchant princes. There is a 50 percent chance that Volo is drunk.
11–20 The characters meet an NPC with a side quest (see “Side Quests”).
Wilderness Encounters ↑
While the characters are exploring or camping in the wilderness, roll a d20 three times per day of game time, checking for encounters each morning,
afternoon, and evening or night. An encounter occurs on a roll of 16 or higher. Roll percentile dice and check the Wilderness Encounters table for the
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terrain appropriate to where the characters are. After determining what the characters encounter, you can use the information presented later in this
appendix to bring the encounter to life.
The maps of Chult have regions marked as undead territory (lesser or greater). The Wilderness Encounters table has separate columns you should
use when determining encounters in these undead-infested regions, or in regions with no undead.
If your players tire of random encounters, make such encounters less common by having them occur on a roll of 18 or higher, or only 20. You can also
let the players narrate their way through avoiding easy encounters, or you can increase the difficulty of easy encounters to keep them exciting. One
way to make an encounter more challenging is to have it trigger a second random encounter. For example, a fight with goblins might attract a nearby
pack of ghouls or dinosaurs. You can also shorten encounters by having monsters flee when they lose the tactical advantage or most of their hit
points.
Random encounters aren’t tailored to characters of a particular level. If the characters encounter hostile creatures beyond their ability to defeat, give
them opportunities to run, hide, negotiate, or otherwise avoid certain death. You can also have other creatures arrive and provide a distraction that
the characters can use to make their escape. For example, if a character needs to make a crucial ability check or saving throw, you can have a
chwinga (see appendix D) appear, cast guidance or resistance on the character, and then disappear on its next turn.
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— — — Jungle — — —
Moun- Waste-
Encounter Beach Rivers Ruins Swamp
No Lesser Greater tains land
Undead Undead Undead
Almiraj — 02 — — — — 03 — —
Axe beaks — 08 06 — — — — — —
Dinosaurs, 13– 17 11 06 — — — 22 —
allosaurus 14
Dinosaurs, — 18 12 07 — — — 23 —
ankylosaurus
Dinosaurs, — 19 — — — 24 — 24–25 —
brontosaurus
Dinosaurs, — 20–21 13 — — — 22 — —
deinonychus
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— — — Jungle — — —
Moun- Waste-
Encounter Beach Rivers Ruins Swamp
No Lesser Greater tains land
Undead Undead Undead
Dinosaurs, — 25–26 16 10 — — — — —
stegosaurus
Dinosaurs, — 27–28 17 — — — — — —
triceratops
Dragon, faerie — 36 — — — 37 — — —
Explorer, dead — 43–44 21–22 17–20 48–50 44– 27– 40–41 10–18
45 28
Firenewts — — — — — — — — 20–37
Giant boars — 56 — — 62 — — — —
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— — — Jungle — — —
Moun- Waste-
Encounter Beach Rivers Ruins Swamp
No Lesser Greater tains land
Undead Undead Undead
Jaculis — 67 — — — 67 53– — —
54
Kamadans — 68 — — — — 55– — —
57
Magmins — — — — — — — — 46–54
Mantraps — 73 40–41 25 — — — — —
Mephits — — — — — — — 70 55–71
Rare plant(s) — 76 45 27 — 73 62 72 —
Salamander — — — — — — — — —
Shambling — — — — — — 73–76 —
mound
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— — — Jungle — — —
Moun- Waste-
Encounter Beach Rivers Ruins Swamp
No Lesser Greater tains land
Undead Undead Undead
Su-monsters — 87 58–59 45 — — — — —
Swarms of — — — — — 86– — — —
quippers 91
Tiger — 91 — — — — — — —
Weretiger — 95 93 90–91 — — 94 — —
Winterscape — 96 94 92 — — 95 — —
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— — — Jungle — — —
Moun- Waste-
Encounter Beach Rivers Ruins Swamp
No Lesser Greater tains land
Undead Undead Undead
Zorbos — 00 00 99–00 — — — — —
Caches
d20 Cache
14 Wooden box containing 2d10 daggers (low quality, of the type used as trade goods)
Aarakocra
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher spots 1d4 + 1 aarakocra flying overhead. These creatures are scouts from
Kir Sabal or another aerie. They observe the party from a safe distance but don’t approach unless the characters demonstrate peaceful intentions.
The bird folk are friendly and can point characters in the direction of nearby landmarks.
Albino Dwarves
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The characters are ambushed by 1d4 + 3 albino dwarf warriors (see appendix D) that attack from hidden burrows. Any character with a passive
Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher spots the dwarves, but all others are surprised. The dwarves knock characters out rather than killing them,
stealing food, water, and gear from those rendered unconscious. They break off their attack if any character speaks Dwarvish to them or
demonstrates peaceful intentions.
Aldani
The characters are shadowed by 1d4 aldani (lobsterfolk) (see appendix D), which are noticed by any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 12 or higher. The aldani don’t communicate with others unless they must, and they won’t fight unless the characters refuse to take a bribe to
leave the area. The aldani will aid the characters only if they’re offered something of great value in return — for example, an offer to drive off a pack of
predatory dinosaurs encroaching on their territory.
Almiraj
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher spots 1d6 almiraj (see appendix D) 60 feet away. The almiraj run from any
creature that they can see within 30 feet of them. Any character who successfully traps an almiraj can use an action to make a DC 14 Wisdom
(Animal Handling) check. If the check succeeds, the almiraj becomes calm and doesn’t attack the character or run away unless it feels threatened or
is harmed.
Apes
The characters stumble upon 2d4 apes enjoying some excellent fruit. The apes feel threatened and show signs of defending their food. If the
characters immediately back away slowly, the apes do nothing but make threatening displays. Otherwise, they attack.
Artus Cimber
Artus Cimber (with or without his saurial traveling companion, Dragonbait) can be encountered almost anywhere. See appendix D for more
information on these NPCs. The characters might stumble into Artus’s camp in the evening, or he might walk into theirs. They could find him at the
camp of another group of explorers, or telling a story to Dragonbait. He could appear out of nowhere and use the powers of the Ring of Winter to help
characters caught up in a tough encounter.
Assassin Vines
The characters unwittingly enter the hunting grounds of 1d3 assassin vines (see appendix D). The vines are indistinguishable from normal plants and
can’t be spotted with Wisdom (Perception) checks. However, they draw carrion to their roots, so characters might smell a dead body nearby. Because
assassin vines can move, an encounter in the evening or at night might involve the vines creeping into the characters’ camp and strangling them as
they sleep.
Axe Beaks
A flock of 1d6 + 3 axe beaks stampede through the characters. The characters can hear the birds charging toward them but can’t see anything
through the thick undergrowth until the axe beaks burst forth and attack, slashing at anyone they can reach.
Baboons
A pack of 3d6 baboons take umbrage at the characters’ intrusion. The baboons can be distracted by tossing each of them a day’s supply of food.
Otherwise, they attack.
Cache
The party finds a cache of supplies left behind by other explorers. There’s no way to tell from the cache whether those who left it are still alive and
coming back for it, or dead. Roll a d20 and consult the Caches table to determine what the characters find.
Cannibals
Chultan cannibals prowl the jungles in small groups, killing and eating zombies while avoiding faster, more dangerous undead. Abandoned by their
gods, the cannibals have turned to the worship of Dendar the Night Serpent and pay tribute to Ras Nsi in exchange for his favor and protection. They
paint a blue triangle (Ras Nsi’s symbol) on their foreheads as proof of their devotion and are known to venture into Omu to hunt and deliver tribute.
If this encounter occurs during the day, the characters spot 3d6 tribal warriors feeding on the rotting remains of a dismembered zombie. If the
characters remain quiet and keep their distance, they can move away without being noticed by the cannibals.
If this encounter occurs at night, 3d6 tribal warriors try to sneak into the adventurers’ camp and murder them. Any character on guard is warned of
the attack with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Chwinga
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A chwinga (see appendix D) takes an interest in the characters. It attempts to steal something valuable from an unguarded pack or canoe, but is
noticed by any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 17 or higher. The chwinga always leaves something else in exchange: a pretty
shell, a handful of nuts, or an uncut gemstone (10 gp).
Crocodiles
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher sees and hears 1d4 + 1 crocodiles moments before they attack; all other
characters are surprised. A crocodile can capsize a canoe and throw its occupants into the water by using its action and succeeding on a DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check.
Cyclops
A cyclops is journeying toward its home near Snapping Turtle Bay. It isn’t looking for a fight, but any sudden moves or hostility from the characters
might trigger one. The cyclops knows the region around Lake Luo and the western end of the Valley of Dread quite well, and it’s never seen anything
like Omu in those areas.
Roll twice on the Treasure Drops table to see what treasure, if any, the cyclops has.
Dinosaurs
Encounters with “honkers” are common in Chult, though not all such creatures are hostile.
Allosaurus. The party’s scent attracts 1d3 allosauruses, which appear 100 yards away when the characters first notice them. Any character who
succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check can find a safe refuge (a high branch, a small crevice, a hollow log, and so forth) that the predators
can’t reach or enter.
Ankylosaurus. An ornery ankylosaurus is gorging on plants, but it attacks any characters who disturb it.
Brontosaurus. A lone brontosaurus (see appendix D) lumbers toward the characters, oblivious to their presence. Though it might step on characters
who don’t get out of its way, it fights only in self-defense.
Deinonychus. A wild boar races across the party’s path, followed closely by a hunting pack of 1d4 + 2 deinonychuses (see appendix D). The
predators decide the characters are more interesting prey.
Dimetrodon. A pack of 2d6 dimetrodons (see appendix D) are spotted along a sunny riverbank or on rocks above the water. Roll any die. On an odd
result, the dimetrodons take no notice of the characters; on an even result, they’re hungry and attack at the slightest provocation, or if the characters
approach within 100 feet of them.
Hadrosaurus. A herd of 3d6 hadrosauruses (see appendix D) are grazing nearby, with 1d6 noncombatant young among them. The adults don’t attack
unless they’re attacked or antagonized. The young are Small beasts that can be sold to Ifan Talro’a in Port Nyanzaru for 50 gp each, or for 100 gp if a
character succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check to negotiate the price. The young dinosaurs are easy to handle if separated from their
parents, but the adults fight if their young are captured.
Plesiosaurus. Two plesiosauruses are fighting over a dead giant octopus. If the characters are on a river, the creatures are spotted at a distance of
300 feet, whereupon they bellow menacingly and move to attack the party. To paddle a canoe to a safe spot along the riverbank, one character in the
canoe must succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, with other characters in the canoe using the Help action. Canoes that don’t reach the
bank are flipped and demolished by the reptiles, which then attack swimmers in the water.
Pteranodon. A flock of 2d6 pteranodons is spotted overhead. They keep their distance and attack only if threatened.
Quetzalcoatlus. A flight of 1d4 + 1 quetzalcoatluses (see appendix D) is spotted overhead. They keep their distance and attack only if threatened.
Stegosaurus. This lone stegosaurus (see appendix D) is in a genial mood. It approaches the characters out of curiosity, but anyone who touches it
triggers a swipe from its tail.
Triceratops. A triceratops that appears to be grazing alone is actually a mother with a nearby nest containing one noncombatant hatchling and two
unhatched eggs. The mother eyes the characters suspiciously but doesn’t attack unless they position themselves between her and the nest. Ifan
Talro’a in Port Nyanzaru offers 50 gp for an intact triceratops egg or hatchling, or a character can talk him up to 150 gp with a successful DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check.
Tyrannosaurus. The characters spot a tyrannosaurus rex 300 yards away. There’s a 50 percent chance that the hungry behemoth is fighting either a
stegosaurus, a triceratops, a pair of giant constrictor snakes, a giant ape, or a mob of ghouls and zombies. None of these creatures will voluntarily
team up with the party, but their presence might weaken the tyrannosaurus to the point where the characters have a chance of slaying it.
Characters can avoid an encounter with the tyrannosaurus if they keep their distance and succeed on a DC 15 group Dexterity (Stealth) check. If any
character is trained in the Survival skill, all the characters’ checks are made with advantage.
Velociraptor. A pack of 3d6 velociraptors (see appendix D) burst out from behind cover and attack. Make a single Dexterity (Stealth) check for the
dinosaurs, with advantage. Any character whose passive Wisdom (Perception) score equals or exceeds the velociraptors’ check result is not
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surprised.
Treasure Drops
d100 Treasure
01–50 None
A crude map drawn on a scrap of tanned dinosaur hide, showing a route to Port Nyanzaru and the location of a randomly
51–52
determined landmark or lair (250 gp)
57–58 An empty corked vial made from an aarakocra’s engraved wing bone (5 gp)
63–64 A stoppered vial of serpent venom (see chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide)
69–70 An iron token bearing the symbol of a triceratops (the sign of the Ytepka Society), worth 50 gp in Port Nyanzaru
77–78 A stoppered vial of wyvern poison (see chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide)
83–84 A small onyx orb with maze-like patterns carved into its surface (75 gp), usable as an arcane or druidic focus
85–86 A Batiri goblin mask made of painted wood, set with nine gemstones (10 gp each)
An excellent lock (50 gp) that requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check to pick using thieves tools (the lock’s key is
93–94
missing)
Dragon, Faerie
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An invisible green faerie dragon takes an interest in the adventurers and follows them for a while. If the characters are in good spirits, the tiny dragon
plays harmless pranks on them during the party’s next short or long rest. If the characters are not angered by this trickery, the dragon appears and
truthfully answers three of their questions before bidding the party farewell. If the characters seem dour or mean, or if the faerie dragon’s pranks sour
them, it flutters off without providing any sort of aid.
The faerie dragon visited Omu recently and knows about the evil gargoyles and “snake people” that watch over the city. It also knows things about
other nearby landmarks or locations, as you determine.
Dragon, Red
If the characters are within 50 miles of Wyrmheart Mine (see chapter 2), they see the young red dragon known as Tzindelor or Tinder circling over
that location. If they’re farther away, they see her flying in the direction of the mine. The dragon ignores the characters unless they do something to
attract her attention.
Eblis
If the characters are on the move when this encounter occurs, they stumble across 1d4 + 1 eblis (see appendix D) living in reed huts built on stilts
above a swampy marsh or pond. The eblis attack wounded or weak-looking characters but offer to trade information for precious gemstones if faced
with a strong, well-armed group. For 50 gp worth of gems, they point the adventurers in the direction of nearby landmarks. If the characters follow
these directions, they have advantage on checks made to reach those landmarks (see “Navigation”). If the characters defeat the eblis and search the
huts, roll three times on the Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, the eblis have stashed in their homes.
If this encounter occurs while the party is camped, the eblis sneak into the camp and try to drag one character away.
Emerald Enclave
The characters encounter a band of Emerald Enclave scouts or stumble upon one of their outposts. Choose whichever encounter works best for the
circumstances and location.
Enclave Scouts. The party meets 1d4 + 1 members of the Emerald Enclave working to rid the jungle of its undead menace. The group works with a
priest of Mielikki, but all other members are scouts. If one of the adventurers has died recently, you can use this encounter to introduce a new
character — either a member of the Emerald Enclave, someone the scouts have rescued, or a character who hired the scouts as guides.
The scouts are willing to trade information on an equal basis with a non-evil party. Characters can also convince the scouts to join their party for up
to 3 days by succeeding on a DC 12 group Charisma (Persuasion) check. The Emerald Enclave scouts have enough food and water to nourish
themselves, and each scout has an explorer’s pack. The priest carries a priest’s pack.
Enclave Outpost. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher spots a wooden platform in a tree. The platform is 2d6 × 5
feet above ground, and a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check is required to climb the tree. The platform is 10 feet square and sturdy enough
to support six characters and their gear.
Explorer, Dead
Chult is strewn with the corpses and bones of those who have fallen victim to its terrors. When the characters discover one such victim, roll a d20
and consult the Dead Explorers table to determine what they find. Then roll once on the Treasure Drops table to see what, if anything, can be found on
or near the remains.
Dead Explorers
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d20 Remains
The bloated corpse of a dead halfling, riddled with tiny arrows and dangling from a tree vine. (The halfling trespassed on
1
grung sacred ground, and the corpse was hung here as a warning.)
The bones of an unarmored humanoid, lashed to a tree by vines. (This explorer was captured by Batiri goblins, doused in
2
honey, and left to be devoured by hungry insects.)
3 The crushed remains of an unarmored dwarf, showing signs that she was stomped to death by a rampaging dinosaur.
The gnawed and charred bones of a humanoid. (This unfortunate was murdered and cannibalized by his starving, fever-
4
crazed companions.)
5 The mangled body of a half-elf, seemingly bludgeoned to death. (She was dropped from high altitude by pterafolk.)
6 The scattered bones of a dwarf, torn to pieces before being devoured. (A hunting pack of velociraptors did the dwarf in.)
7 The swollen, purple corpse of an elf, dead only a few days ago from the bite of a poisonous snake.
8 A fresh human corpse stuffed into a hollow tree. (Girallons plan to return and devour it later.)
9 The skeleton of a humanoid seated on a folding camp stool, clutching a knife and fork in its bony hands.
The body of a human — from the waist up. Signs show that the explorer crawled a considerable distance after being
11 bitten in half by a tyrannosaurus. (A Flaming Fist charter found on the corpse identifies it as Lord Onovan IV, of the
Dales.)
12 A charred elf’s skeleton inside a charred constrictor snake’s skeleton. (Both were killed by a lightning bolt spell.)
The rotting body of a giant frog with the blade of a shortsword poking out its back. (If the frog is cut open, the partially
13
digested body of a halfling is found inside.)
A tabaxi spread-eagled on the ground, but with its limbs and head severed from its torso and crudely stitched back on in
14
the wrong arrangement.
A gnome, spitted over a burned-out fire pit and thoroughly overcooked, but not eaten. (Goblin weapons and tools are
16
scattered around amid velociraptor tracks.)
A headless humanoid, hung upside down from a tree and with six Batiri goblin spears thrust symmetrically through the
17
body. (It was a Red Wizard, judging by the robes. The head is nowhere to be found.)
An elf, balanced on a tree branch 40 feet above the ground, arms and legs dangling downward. (A note pressed between
18 the body and the branch explains that the elf climbed the tree to get away from a prowling allosaurus and was too
terrified to come down.)
The moldering remains of a human wearing a Flaming Fist-style helmet, his legs broken. (He succumbed to a faerie
19 dragon’s euphoria breath weapon and stepped off a cliff. A companion tried to carry him back to Fort Beluarian, but the
warrior died en route.)
20 A dwarf with six large holes piercing her armor and chest. (A stegosaurus caught her squarely with a swipe of its tail.)
Explorers
The party runs into another band of explorers, consisting of a mage, a priest, a scout, and 1d6 tribal warrior. Roll a d6 to determine the group’s
situation:
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3–4. The explorers are in good shape but are actively hunted by firenewts, ghouls, goblins, or grungs (see the appropriate entry in
this appendix).
5. The explorers are healthy and headed toward the nearest landmark, intent on exploring it.
6. The explorers are healthy and heading back to Port Nyanzaru for rest and supplies.
Firenewts
A light firenewt patrol consists of 1d4 firenewt warriors mounted on giant striders. A heavy patrol consists of 2d4 firenewt warriors and a firenewt
warlock of Imix, all mounted on giant striders. Statistics for all these creatures appear in appendix D. The firenewts always strike their final blows
with the intention of knocking out enemies, who are then taken back to the creatures’ cave lair to be tortured and eaten.
Flail Snail
Characters spot the slimy trail of a flail snail (see appendix D). If they wish to follow it, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check correctly
deduces which direction the snail was traveling.
Flaming Fist
The soldiers of the Flaming Fist know the dangers of Chult better than most, and they don’t take the wilderness lightly. A typical patrol is made up of a
knight or veteran leading an acolyte, a scout, and 2d6 guards — and is sometimes accompanied by 1d4 deinonychuses (see appendix D) trained to
fight and hunt alongside their handlers. The Flaming Fist is friendly and helpful toward adventurers possessing a charter of exploration issued by
Commander Liara Portyr of Fort Beluarian. If the party has no such document, the patrol tries to confiscate the adventurers’ critical gear and advises
them to replace it at Fort Beluarian — and to obtain a proper charter while they’re at it.
Flying Monkeys
The sound of wings heralds the arrival of 3d6 flying monkeys (see appendix D), which swoop through the adventurers in a wave of grasping hands
and feet. Each character must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or lose a useful piece of gear to the furry thieves. If this encounter occurs
near Mbala (see chapter 2), the monkeys are servants of the green hag Nanny Pu’pu.
These sociable creatures are curious about humanoids and have little fear of them. A flying monkey that is successfully grappled, caught in a net, or
otherwise prevented from escaping can be trained to perform simple tricks by a character with proficiency in Animal Handling who spends a few
hours a day working with the monkey. At the end of 1 week, the character makes a DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On a success, the flying
monkey learns to perform a simple trick on command (such as fetching a specific object or dancing to music). An individual monkey can learn a
maximum 1d6 tricks and can be taught one trick per week.
Flying Snakes
Roll a die. On an even result, the party encounters a single flying snake. On an odd result, the characters encounter 2d6 flying snakes. These snakes
attack only when threatened. A flying snake that is successfully grappled can be stuffed in a sack or other soft container. After 1 hour of
confinement, the snake settles down. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can remove a calm snake from the
container without causing it to attack or fly away.
Characters can sell captured flying snakes to Ifan Talro’a in Port Nyanzaru. He offers 25 gp for each snake, but a character who succeeds on a DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check can talk him up to 50 gp.
Frost Giants
The characters hear the sound of huge creatures stomping through the wilderness. If they follow the noise, they encounter a search party of three
frost giants accompanied by 1d2 winter wolves. For each such encounter, there is a 20 percent chance that this is Drufi’s search party (see
“Hvalspyd”).
The frost giants are concerned chiefly with locating the Ring of Winter, and they might help characters who can provide useful information. They
immediately attack characters who withhold information, or who threaten to reveal the giants’ presence to the Flaming Fist. The frost giants carry no
treasure with them while they hunt.
Giant Boars
The characters see and hear 1d4 + 1 giant boars foraging ahead of them. Skirting around the boars to prevent them from charging requires a
successful DC 12 group Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Giant Crocodile
Before it rises out of the water, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check for the giant crocodile. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score less
than the check result is surprised when the monstrous creature attacks.
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Giant Frogs
These 2d6 giant frogs have come together in hunger and try to eat everything that crosses their path. The characters have plenty of warning as the
amphibians hop noisily toward them.
Giant Lizards
The characters encounter 1d6 giant lizards sunning themselves on warm rocks. The lizards pose no threat unless they’re attacked, and they’re too
set in their ways to be trained as pack animals.
Giant Scorpions
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 11 or higher spots 1d3 giant scorpions moments before they emerge from hiding and
attack. At the end of the encounter, any character damaged by a giant scorpion must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become
infected with shivering sickness (see “Diseases”).
Giant Wasps
A droning sound announces the presence of 1d6 giant wasps before the characters see them. The wasps attack at once, ignoring heavily armored
targets in favor of those with little or no defensive protection. At the end of the encounter, any character damaged by a giant wasp must succeed on a
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become infected with shivering sickness (see “Diseases”).
Girallons
Two girallons (see appendix D) hang in the trees, perch atop rocks, or lumber between crumbling, vine-covered ruins. The characters spot them
automatically and can avoid a hostile encounter if they withdraw and succeed on a DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check.
If the characters defeat the girallons or frighten them away, a search of the area reveals a hidden cache, determined by rolling on the Caches table.
The girallons might also have some treasure hidden near the cache; roll once on the Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, is found
after a search of the area.
Goblins
A typical Batiri patrol or hunting party consists of a goblin boss leading 2d6 + 3 goblins, all wearing painted wooden masks. They move quietly
through familiar areas and seldom range outside their home territory. Batiri prefer to hunt at night and lay low in ambush positions during the day.
A night encounter with Batiri goblins involves an attack on the characters’ camp. Each party member standing watch must attempt a DC 16 Wisdom
(Perception) check, made with disadvantage because of the noise of the jungle at night. On a success, a character detects the goblins moving into
attack positions and can rouse the rest of the party. If no one on watch succeeds on the check, all the characters are surprised.
If this encounter occurs while the characters are traveling during the day, have each party member make a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception or Survival)
check to spot the telltale signs of an ambush: disadvantageous terrain coupled with an eerie silence not normal for the jungle.
Goblins bargain for their lives if captured. If the characters can force or coerce a vow of cooperation from goblin prisoners, the Batiri will serve as
guides. They have the following additional skill: Survival +1.
Grungs
A grung hunting party consists of 2d6 grungs led by a grung elite warrior (see appendix D for both). If this encounter occurs while the characters are
traveling, the grungs have set up an ambush in the trees. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher spots them just in
time. All other characters are surprised.
If this encounter occurs while the party is camped, the grungs spotted the characters earlier in the day and have shadowed them unseen. Each
character standing watch must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check, made with disadvantage because of the noise of the jungle at night.
On a success, a character detects the encroaching grungs and can rouse the rest of the party. If no one on watch succeeds on the check, all the
characters are surprised.
If the characters capture one or more grungs, the frogfolk offer to lead the characters to treasure in exchange for a promise of freedom. The
“treasure” is a half-mile away from the party’s present location and consists of a cache, which you can randomly determine by rolling on the Caches
table.
Jaculis
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Without warning, 1d6 jaculis (see appendix D) launch themselves at the party from the trees. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 14 or higher is able to react, but all others are surprised.
Kamadans
The party is ambushed by 1d2 kamadans (see appendix D). Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 16 or higher gets a warning
of the attack, but all others are surprised. Characters who prevail against the kamadans can search the area for their lair, finding it with a successful
DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check.
A kamadan lair has a 25 percent chance of containing 1d3 noncombatant young the size of house cats. With their snakes not yet grown out, they look
like leopard cubs. Ifan Talro’a in Port Nyanzaru will pay 150 gp for a live kamadan cub, but a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check talks him
up to 300 gp.
Lizardfolk
The characters encounter 2d4 lizardfolk and a lizardfolk shaman. These lizardfolk belong to a tribe or kingdom in the Valley of Dread and can be
appeased with food (one day’s supply per lizardfolk in the group). Otherwise they attack.
Magic Mist
A bank of blue mist drifts toward the party, covering an area of 1d6 20-foot squares. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13
or higher notices the mist and can warn others of its approach. If the encounter occurs while the party is camped, the mist drifts through the camp at
a speed of 5 feet per round. Characters who come into contact with the mist are exposed to blue mist fever (see “Diseases”).
Magmins
The characters are attacked by 2d6 magmins, which flee if reduced to fewer than half their starting number.
Mantraps
The characters blunder into a patch of 1d4 + 1 mantraps (see appendix D), which are undetectable until they attack. The plants are 10 feet apart, so
that only one plant attacks on the first round. The others must wait until characters maneuver within 5 feet of them.
Mephits
The characters might encounter magma mephits, mud mephits, smoke mephits, or steam mephits (each appearing as a group of 2d6). The mephits
don’t attack unless they outnumber the characters two to one, but they’re reluctant to be helpful unless they themselves are outnumbered.
Night Hag
One of the Sewn Sisters (see chapter 5) shadows the party while staying in the Border Ethereal. During the party’s next long rest, the night hag
materializes and snatches some blood or hair from a random character before returning to the Ethereal Plane.
Pterafolk
Looming in the sky, 1d4 + 2 pterafolk (see appendix D) watch the characters’ every move and wait until they blunder into danger. The next time a
random encounter occurs, the pterafolk take advantage of the distraction and attack from the air, launching javelin attacks at wounded characters
while staying out of melee. If they meet firm resistance, the pterafolk fly away, but they might regroup for a follow-up attack at your discretion.
Rare Plant(s)
The characters find one or more unusual plants (see appendix C), determined by rolling a d6:
Red Wizard
This group consists of a Red Wizard (LE male or female Thayan human mage), 1d6 guards, and 1d6 skeletons, all answerable to Valindra
Shadowmantle (see “Heart of Ubtao”). If this encounter occurs outside of Omu, these reinforcements are on their way to the city. If the encounter
takes place in Omu, the Red Wizard is searching the city for shrines (see chapter 3). The Thayans aren’t spoiling for a fight; if defeat seems inevitable,
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the Red Wizard surrenders and offers a crude map of Chult marking the regions occupied by undead (see map 2.1). The characters can use the map
to steer clear of these regions.
Salamander
The characters see a salamander tending a nest of 1d6 fire snakes. The salamander has no interest in fighting and attacks only to protect itself and
the snakes.
Sea Hags
The characters encounter three sea hags that comprise a coven. Their favorite trick is to pull a damaged or abandoned canoe onto a riverbank and
pretend to be stranded or wounded explorers in need of rescue.
If the characters defeat the sea hags and search the area, roll three times on the Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, they find.
Whatever treasure the hags have is stowed inside a rotted wooden chest.
Shambling Mound
Roll any die when a shambling mound encounter occurs. On an even result, the characters hear the creature trudging through the muck before it
attacks them. On an odd result, the shambling mound lurks within a mass of vegetation, where it can be noticed by any character with a passive
Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher.
Snake, Constrictor
A constrictor snake attacks a random party member from hiding. The character targeted by the snake is surprised unless he or she has a passive
Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher.
Spiders
Giant spider webs are easily concealed in Chult’s dense jungles and swamps. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or
higher spots the webs in time to alert the other characters to an encounter with 1d6 giant spiders. Otherwise, the spiders attack with surprise when
the lead party member blunders into a sticky web and becomes grappled by it (escape DC 12). Hundreds of baby giant spiders crawl through the
webs, but they are harmless.
Statue of Ubtao
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher spots a 10-foot-tall statue overgrown with vines. The statue depicts a
stylized Chultan king — a representation of Ubtao. Roll a d4 to determine what’s special about the statue:
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Treasure lies at the foot of the statue, left there as tribute by some jungle creature. Roll once on the Treasure Drops table to
determine what treasure is found. If the roll indicates no treasure, the characters find worthless pieces of bone jewelry instead.
Goblin, grung, and su-monster skulls are piled around the statue’s base.
A glyph of warding is inscribed on the statue. To spot the glyph, a character searching the statue must succeed on a DC 15
Intelligence (Investigation) check. If any creature touches the statue, the glyph erupts with magical energy in a 20-foot-radius sphere
centered on the statue. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) thunder damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The thunderous noise has a 75 percent chance of attracting stirges
or a troll lurking nearby (see “Stirges” and “Troll” below).
The statue has grooves carved into its stomach that form a maze. Any character who studies the grooves and succeeds on a DC 10
Intelligence check sees a clear pathway through the labyrinth. That character is then bestowed with the power to cast the find the
path spell as an action, no components required, by tracing the same path with his or her finger. Once used, this ability goes away.
Once the statue has granted this benefit, it can’t do so again until the next dawn.
Stirges
Chult is rich in caves, ruins, and hollow logs in which stirges can hide. By day, the characters disturb 2d6 stirges as they move through the jungle. At
night, the same number of stirges descend on the party’s camp.
Su-monsters
The party comes across 1d4 + 1 su-monsters (see appendix D). The su-monsters approach cautiously, feigning curiosity. If allowed to get close, each
su-monster uses its Psychic Crush in the hope of stunning an adventurer before attacking with its bite and claws. The su-monsters flee to their
treetop lairs if the fight goes against them.
The su-monsters might have treasure stashed in one of their trees; roll once on the Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, a search of
the tree yields.
Swarms of Bats
Ruins, hollow trees, and hidden caverns can all be homes to bats. This encounter sees the characters disturb 1d4 swarms of bats that have become
unnaturally aggressive from feeding on undead flesh.
Swarms of Insects
The characters are beset by 1d4 swarms of insects (centipedes). At the end of the encounter, any character damaged by a swarm must succeed on a
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become infected with shivering sickness (see “Diseases”).
Swarms of Quippers
This encounter indicates that 1d4 swarms of quippers catch sight of the party, but these creatures are dangerous only if the characters are in the
water with them. Creatures on the shore or in canoes are safe, but in both cases, the swarms follow the characters until they’re out of sight and away
from the water.
Tabaxi Hunter
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher spots a tabaxi hunter (see appendix D) watching the party from a vantage
point 300 feet away. If the tabaxi goes unseen, it might shadow the characters for a while, then suddenly appear to help them fight off a tough
encounter or warn them of danger in the vicinity.
If this encounter takes place in Omu, see chapter 3 for more information on the tabaxi hunters found there.
Tiger
A tiger lies in wait for the party but is noticed by any character whose passive Wisdom (Perception) score is 16 or higher. If not detected, the tiger
pounces at a character who comes within 40 feet of it. The tiger retreats if it loses more than half its hit points.
Tri-flower Frond
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If this encounter occurs while the characters are traveling, they wander into a patch of 1d4 tri-flower fronds (see appendix D) which seem like
ordinary plants until they strike. If the encounter occurs while the party is camped, the plants try to infiltrate the camp, anesthetize characters with
their orange blossoms, then slay them with their yellow and red blossoms.
Troll
A hungry troll comes crashing out of the jungle, intent on eating the characters.
Undead
Undead are spreading through the jungles of Chult like a plague. The Emerald Enclave, the Order of the Gauntlet, and the Flaming Fist are all taking
steps to contain this menace, but their efforts to date have fallen short.
Ghouls. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher hears and smells a ghoul pack approaching, consisting of 2d6
ghouls led by a ghast. The ghast has a blue triangle tattooed on its forehead — an indicator that it once served Ras Nsi.
Skeletons. The characters come across 3d6 skeletons. If the encounter occurs while the party is traveling, the skeletons are either lying on the
ground or buried under it, ready to spring up when wayward explorers pass by. If the party is camped, the skeletons wander into the camp and attack.
Specter. The evil remnant of a dead explorer has become a specter that attacks the party. The explorer’s body can be found with a successful DC 13
Wisdom (Survival) check. If the characters locate the body, see “Explorer, Dead” earlier in this section to determine what they find.
Wight. The characters encounter a wight that has lurked in the Chultan jungle since before the Spellplague. It harbors an eternal hatred for Chultans
and everything related to Ubtao. If the party includes any Chultans or any character wearing the holy symbol of Ubtao, the wight attacks those
characters in preference to other targets.
Zombies. Characters catch the scent of death on the air and hear the undead lumbering through the jungle. Roll a d10 to determine what appears:
Vegepygmies
The characters cross paths with 1d4 vegepygmies, each one mounted on a thorny (see appendix D for both). These vegepygmy hunters have
wandered far from their tribe. They flee if outnumbered; otherwise, they attack.
Wereboar
A wereboar masquerading as a Chultan priest takes a dim view of explorers encroaching on its territory and demands that the characters turn back.
Around its neck, it wears a wooden holy symbol of Ubtao (a labyrinthine pattern carved into a circular disk). The wereboar might be guarding a shrine
to Ubtao, a grove of wukka trees (see appendix C), or a cave it uses as a lair. The creature might also have treasure in its lair; roll three times on the
Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, a search of the wereboar’s lair yields.
Weretiger
A weretiger in human form offers to escort the party through a particularly dangerous stretch of wilderness. It has no ulterior motive and doesn’t ask
for payment. If the characters accept its assistance, they have no hostile random encounters while the weretiger is with them. It leaves after
accompanying the party for 24 hours or when it reaches a location it does not wish to explore, including Omu, Nangalore, or Orolunga.
Winterscape
The characters stumble into a wondrous sight: a 120-foot-radius sphere of winter weather. To drive off some monsters, Artus Cimber (see appendix
D) created the sphere using the Ring of Winter. All plants and surfaces within the sphere are covered with glittering ice and frost, and the temperature
within the sphere is a biting −30 degrees Fahrenheit. The effect was created by an artifact and can’t be dispelled.
If this encounter occurs while the party is camped, the zombies emerge from a nearby ruin to attack the camp and attempt to knock characters
unconscious. They then drag those characters back to the yellow musk creeper.
Yuan-ti
Yuan-ti patrols consist of 1d6 + 1 yuan-ti purebloods, which keep their distance as they try to gather information to take back to Ras Nsi. The yuan-ti
are camouflaged, but any character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check made with disadvantage catches sight of the serpent folk
as they withdraw.
If this encounter occurs within 25 miles of Omu, the patrol is instead made up of 1d4 yuan-ti malisons (type 1), and it takes a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check to spot them. If the characters chase after the malisons, they transform into snakes and vanish into the jungle.
Zhentarim
A Zhent assassin with a flying snake pet leads a priest, 2d6 thugs, and 1d6 tribal warriors through the wilderness in search of Artus Cimber and the
Ring of Winter. If Artus is with the characters, the Zhents demand the ring and attack if they don’t receive it quickly. Otherwise, they show little
interest in the characters.
Roll once on the Treasure Drops table to determine what treasure, if any, the Zhents carry.
Zorbos
If this encounter occurs while the characters are traveling, they spot 2d6 zorbos (see appendix D) in wukka trees (see appendix C). The creatures
growl and bare their teeth if any characters approach them. If the characters act in a threatening manner, the zorbos attack.
If this encounter occurs while the party is camped, the hungry zorbos drop from the surrounding trees and attack.
Omu Encounters ↑
Random encounters in Omu can take place in ruined buildings and streets, in the fetid swamps around the buildings, and in the ruined royal palace.
Roll a d20 three times per day of game time, checking for encounters each morning, afternoon, and evening or night. An encounter occurs on a roll of
18 or higher. Roll percentile dice and check the Omu Encounters table for the appropriate terrain to see what the characters encounter.
Four random encounters that occur only in Omu are described below.
Gargoyles
Perched on a cliff are 2d4 gargoyles that swoop down to attack. Two of them carry a net between them. As an action, either gargoyle can use the net
to make a melee weapon attack (+4 to hit) against one Small or Medium creature. If the attack hits, the gargoyles hoist the character into the air and
fly off with their catch. It takes both gargoyles to lift the net if it has a creature caught in it. The gargoyles flee if reduced to half their number.
King of Feathers
The characters encounter the tyrannosaurus rex known as the King of Feathers. See chapter 3 for more information on this unique beast.
Kobolds
Moving through the city or palace ruins are 1d4 + 1 kobolds led by a kobold inventor (see appendix D). Characters with a passive Wisdom
(Perception) score of 12 or higher spot the kobolds, which flee if approached or attacked. The kobolds serve the kobold scale sorcerer Kakarol (see
chapter 3). They might be on their way to one of the city’s shrines to reset its traps, or they might be returning to their lair with a recently discovered
treasure. Roll once on the Treasure Drops table to determine what, if anything, the kobolds found.
Omu Encounters
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Apes 01–05 — —
Cannibals 11–15 — —
Crocodiles — — 01–10
Yellow musk creeper and yellow musk zombies 91–95 81–90 81–90
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Appendix C: Discoveries ↑
Chult is a land filled with untold wonders and lost treasures. Adventurers will discover this for themselves as they explore the peninsula’s uncharted
wilderness.
The wildlife described here can be bought and sold in Port Nyanzaru and other settlements for the amounts listed in the Flora and Fauna table.
Some of these things inflict the poisoned condition on a creature for an hour or more. Remember that lesser restoration and similar magic can end
that condition.
Item Cost
Ryath root 50 gp
Wildroot 25 gp
Wukka nut 1 gp
Yahcha 1 gp
Zabou 10 gp
The dancer must use all its movement to dance without leaving its space and has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws, and other
creatures have advantage on attack rolls against it. Each time it takes damage,the dancer can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a
success. When the dancing effect ends, the humanoid suffers the poisoned condition for 1 hour.
Menga Leaves
The dried leaves of a menga bush can be ground, dissolved in a liquid, heated, and ingested. A creature that ingests 1 ounce of menga leaves in this
fashion regains 1 hit point. A creature that ingests more than 5 ounces of menga leaves in a 24-hour period gains no additional benefit and must
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 1 hour. The unconscious creature awakens if it takes at least 5 damage on one
turn.
A healthy menga bush usually has 2d6 ounces of leaves. Once picked, the leaves require 1 day to dry out before they can confer any benefit.
Ryath Root
Any creature that ingests a ryath root gains 2d4 temporary hit points. A creature that consumes more than one ryath root in a 24-hour period must
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer the poisoned condition for 1 hour.
Sinda Berries
These berries are dark brown and bitter. A full-grown sinda berry bush has 4d6 berries growing on it. A bush plucked of all its berries grows new
berries in 1d4 months. Picked berries lose their freshness and efficacy after 24 hours.
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Fresh sinda berries can be eaten raw or crushed and added to a drink to dull the bitterness. A creature that consumes at least ten fresh sinda berries
gains advantage on saving throws against disease and poison for the next 24 hours.
Wildroot
Introducing the juice of a wildroot into a poisoned creature’s bloodstream (for example, by rubbing it on an open wound) rids the creature of the
poisoned condition. Once used in this way, a wildroot loses this property.
Wukka Nuts
These fist-sized nuts grow on wukka trees, which are popular haunts for jaculi, su-monsters, and zorbos. A wukka nut rattles when shaken, causing
its shell to shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. This magical light fades after 1 minute, but shaking the nut
again causes the light to reappear. If the shell of the nut is cracked open, it loses its magic.
Yahcha
A yahcha (pronounced YAH-chah) is a harmless, meaty beetle about the size of a human hand, which feeds on worms and maggots. It moves slowly
(walking speed 10 feet) and is easy to catch. A creature with blue mist fever that eats a raw or cooked yahcha can immediately make a saving throw
with advantage against that disease (see “Diseases).
Zabou
Zabou mushrooms feed on offal and the rotting wood of dead trees. If handled carefully, a zabou can be picked or uprooted without causing it to
release its spores. If crushed or struck, a zabou releases its spores in a 10-foot-radius sphere. A zabou can also be hurled up to 30 feet away or
dropped like a grenade, releasing its cloud of spores on impact. Any creature in that area must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be
poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature’s skin itches for the duration. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.
Magic Items ↑
The following items appear in various locations in the adventure.
This amulet is carved from obsidian and shaped like a screaming humanoid skull, with ruby eyes and emeralds for teeth. It hangs from an iron chain
necklace.
The amulet has 6 charges and regains 1d6 charges daily at dawn. While wearing the amulet, you can use an action to expend 1 of its charges to
transport yourself and anything you are wearing or carrying to a location within 100 feet of you. The destination you choose doesn’t need to be in your
line of sight, but it must be familiar to you (in other words, a place you have seen or visited), and it must be on the same plane of existence as you.
This effect isn’t subject to the magic restrictions placed on the Tomb of the Nine Gods; thus, the amulet can be used to enter and exit the tomb.
If you aren’t undead, you must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw each time you use the amulet to teleport. On a failed saving throw, the black
skull cackles as you are transformed in transit. The transformation takes effect as soon as you arrive at the destination, and is determined randomly
by rolling percentile dice and consulting the Black Skull Transformation table.
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d100 Transformation
01–20 The symbol of Acererak is burned into your flesh, a curse that can only be removed with a remove curse spell or similar
magic. Until the curse ends, your hit points can’t be restored by magic.
21–35 You grow larger as if affected by an enlarge/reduce spell, except the effect lasts for 1 hour.
36–50 You grow smaller as if affected by an enlarge/reduce spell, except the effect lasts for 1 hour.
51–70 You arrive at the destination wearing nothing but the amulet of the black skull. Everything else that you were wearing or
carrying appears in a random unoccupied space within 100 feet of you.
71–95 You are paralyzed for 1 minute or until this effect is ended with a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
96–00 You become petrified. This effect can be ended only with a greater restoration spell or similar magic.
Bookmark
Weapon (dagger), legendary (requires attunement)
This +3 dagger belongs to Artus Cimber (see appendix D). While you have the dagger drawn, you can use a bonus action to activate one of the
following properties:
Cause a blue gem set into the dagger’s pommel to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet, or make the gem go
dark.
Turn the dagger into a compass that, while resting on your palm, points north.
Cast dimension door from the dagger. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Cast compulsion (save DC 15) from the dagger. The range of the spell increases to 90 feet, but it targets only spiders that are beasts. Once this
property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Ghost Lantern
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
A restless spirit is trapped inside this lantern. While holding the lantern, you can command the spirit as a bonus
action to shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
While holding the lantern, you can use an action to order the spirit to leave the lantern and duplicate the effect of
the mage hand spell. The spirit returns to the lantern when the spell ends.
If you fall unconscious within 10 feet of the lantern, the spirit emerges from it, magically stabilizes you with a
touch, and then quickly returns to the lantern.
The spirit is bound to the lantern and can’t be harmed, turned, or raised from the dead. Casting a dispel evil and
good spell on the lantern releases the spirit to the afterlife and renders the lantern nonmagical.
This wooden mask is shaped in the likeness of a beast’s visage and has 3 charges. While wearing the mask, you
can expend 1 charge and use the mask to cast the animal friendship spell as an action. The mask regains all
expended charges at dawn.
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Ring of Winter
Ring, artifact (requires attunement)
Artus Cimber (see appendix D) has kept this item in his possession for over a century. The Ring of Winter
is a golden band that resizes to fit snugly on the finger of its wearer. A thin layer of frost coats the outside
of the ring, which normal heat can’t melt. The ring feels ice cold to the touch and initially numbs the hand
that wears it, but this cold ceases to be felt by one who is attuned to the ring.
The Ring of Winter is sentient and tries to take control of any creature that wears it (see “Sentient Magic
Items” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). If it succeeds, the ring compels its wearer to cause
undue harm to everyone and everything around it, in a cold-hearted attempt to incur the wrath of enemies
and bring about the wearer’s doom.
Sentience. The Ring of Winter is a sentient chaotic evil item with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 14,
and a Charisma of 17. The ring communicates by transmitting emotion to the creature carrying or
wielding it, and it has hearing and normal vision out to a range of 60 feet. The ring craves destruction, and it likes inflicting indiscriminate harm on
others.
Nondetection. The Ring of Winter defies attempts to magically locate it. Neither the ring nor its wearer can be targeted by any divination magic or
perceived through magical scrying sensors.
Frozen Time. As long as you wear the ring, you don’t age naturally. This effect is similar to suspended animation, in that your age doesn’t catch up to
you once the ring is removed. The ring doesn’t protect its wearer from magical or supernatural aging effects, such as the Horrifying Visage of a ghost.
Cold Immunity. While attuned to and wearing the ring, you have immunity to cold damage and don’t suffer any ill effects from extreme cold (see
chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Magic. The Ring of Winter has 12 charges and regains all its expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing the ring, you can expend the necessary
number of charges to activate one of the following properties:
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You can expend 1 charge as an action and use the ring to lower the temperature in a 120-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you can see within
300 feet of you. The temperature in that area drops 20 degrees per minute, to a minimum of –30 degrees Fahrenheit. Frost and ice begin to form on
surfaces once the temperature drops below 32 degrees. This effect is permanent unless you use the ring to end it as an action, at which point the
temperature in the area returns to normal at a rate of 10 degrees per minute.
You can cast one of the following spells from the ring (spell save DC 17) by expending the necessary number of charges: Bigby’s hand (2 charges; the
hand is made of ice, is immune to cold damage, and deals bludgeoning damage instead of force damage as a clenched fist), cone of cold (2
charges), flesh to ice (3 charges; as flesh to stone except that the target turns to solid ice with the density and durability of stone), ice storm (2
charges), Otiluke’s freezing sphere (3 charges), sleet storm (1 charge), spike growth (1 charge; the spikes are made of ice), or wall of ice (2charges).
You can expend the necessary number of charges as an action and use the ring to create either an inanimate ice object (2 charges) or an animated
ice creature (4 charges). The ice object can’t have any moving parts, must be able to fit inside a 10-foot cube, and has the density and durability of
metal or stone (your choice). The ice creature must be modeled after a beast with a challenge rating of 2 or less. The ice creature has the same
statistics as the beast it models, with the following changes: the creature is a construct with vulnerability to fire damage, immunity to cold and poison
damage, and immunity to the following conditions: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned. The ice creature obeys only
its creator’s commands. The ice object or creature appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of you. It melts into a pool of normal water after 24
hours or when it drops to 0 hit points. In extreme heat, it loses 5 (1d10) hit points per minute as it melts. Use the guidelines in chapter 8 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine the hit points of an inanimate object if they become necessary.
Other Properties. The Ring of Winter is rumored to possess other properties that can be activated only by an evil being whose will the ring can’t
break. Frost giants have long believed that the ring can be used to freeze entire worlds, while a djinni in the service of a Calishite pasha once claimed
that the ring could be used to summon and control white dragons, as well as a mighty ice primordial named Cryonax.
Destroying the Ring. The ring is nigh indestructible, resisting even the most intense magical heat. If it is placed on the finger of the powerful archfey
known as the Summer Queen, the ring melts away and is destroyed forever.
Scorpion Armor
Armor (plate), rare (requires attunement)
This suit of plate armor is fashioned from giant scorpion chitin. While wearing this armor, you gain the following benefits:
The armor improves your combat readiness, granting you a +5 bonus to initiative as long as you aren’t incapacitated.
The armor doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
The armor doesn’t impose disadvantage on saving throws made to resist the effects of extreme heat (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Curse. This armor is cursed. Whenever you don or doff it, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 100 (10d10 + 45) poison damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Only a wish spell can remove the armor’s curse.
This crooked staff is carved from bone and topped with the skull of a forgotten archmage whom Acererak destroyed long ago. Etched into the skull’s
forehead is Acererak’s rune, which is known on many worlds as a sign of death.
Beneficial Properties. While the staff is on your person, you gain the following benefits:
Your proficiency bonus to Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (History) checks is doubled.
You can’t be blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, petrified, or stunned.
Undead with a challenge rating of 2 or lower will neither threaten nor attack you unless you harm them.
You can wield the staff as a +3 quarterstaff that deals an extra 10 (3d6) necrotic damage on a hit.
Invoke Curse. The Staff of the Forgotten One has 7 charges and regains 1d4 + 3 expended charges daily at dawn. While holding the staff, you can
use an action to expend 1 charge and target one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw
(using your spell save DC) or be cursed. While cursed in this way, the target can’t regain hit points and has vulnerability to necrotic damage. A greater
restoration, remove curse, or similar spell ends the curse on the target.
The Forgotten One. The bodiless life force of a dead archmage empowers the staff and is imprisoned within it. The rune carved into the staff’s skull
protects Acererak from this spirit’s vengeance. Each time a creature other than Acererak expends any of the staff’s charges, there is a 50 percent
chance that the life force tries to possess the staff wielder. The wielder must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be possessed, becoming
an NPC under the DM’s control. If the intruding life force is targeted by magic such as a dispel evil and good spell, it becomes trapped in the staff
once more. Once it takes control of another creature, the insane spirit of the dead archmage attempts to destroy the staff.
Destroying the Staff. A creature in possession of the staff can use an action to break it over one knee or a solid surface. The staff is destroyed and
releases its remaining magic in an explosion that expands to fill a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on it. Each creature in the area must make a DC 18
Dexterity saving throw, taking 132 (24d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. When the staff is destroyed,
the life force of the Forgotten One is released to the afterlife. Where it goes is anyone’s guess.
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Casting the staff into a sphere of annihilation destroys both the staff and the life force trapped within it. The staff doesn’t explode if destroyed in this
manner, but its destruction causes the sphere to be destroyed as well.
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Monsters A - D ↑
Acererak
Acererak is an archlich who travels between worlds and is known to take sick pleasure in devouring the souls of adventurers, whom he lures into trap-
ridden dungeons where they suffer horrible deaths. One such dungeon lies under the lost city of Omu. This dungeon is called the Tomb of the Nine
Gods, for Acererak slew nine false gods and sealed them within it. More recently, he built a necromantic device called the Soulmonger, then hid it in
the heart of the tomb.
ACERERAK
Medium undead, neutral evil
Speed 30 ft.
Skills Arcana +22, History +22, Insight +12, Perception +12, Religion +15
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Infernal, Primordial, Undercommon
Special Equipment. Acererak carries the Staff of the Forgotten One (see Appendix C). He wears a talisman of the sphere and has a
sphere of annihilation under his control.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Acererak fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Rejuvenation. Acererak’s body turns to dust when he drops to 0 hit points, and his equipment is left behind. Acererak gains a new body
after 1d10 days, regaining all his hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of Acererak’s phylactery,
the location of which is hidden.
Spellcasting. Acererak is a 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks).
Acererak has the following wizard spells prepared:
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Turn Resistance. Acererak has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Actions
Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC
20 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.
Staff (+3 Quarterstaff). Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6)
necrotic damage, or 8 (1d8+4) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage when used with two hands.
Invoke Curse. While holding the Staff of the Forgotten One, Acererak expends 1 charge from it and targets one creature he can see
within 60 feet of him. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or be cursed. Until the curse is ended, the target
can’t regain hit points and has vulnerability to necrotic damage. Greater restoration, remove curse, or similar magic ends the curse on
the target.
Legendary Actions
Acererak can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and
only at the end of another creature’s turn. Acererak regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Melee Attack. Acererak uses Paralyzing Touch or makes one melee attack with his staff.
Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). Acererak fixes his gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of him. The target must succeed on
a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect
ends for it, the target is immune to Acererak’s gaze for the next 24 hours.
Talisman of the Sphere (Costs 2 Actions). Acererak uses his talisman of the sphere to move the sphere of annihilation under his control
up to 90 feet.
Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). Each creature within 20 feet of Acererak must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw against this
magic, taking 42 (12d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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Acererak’s Traits
Bond. “I build dungeons to trap and slay powerful adventurers. Their deaths and souls are my nourishment.”
Albino Dwarves
The albino dwarves of Chult were driven from their subterranean homes by volcanic activity, and those who didn’t seek refuge in Port Nyanzaru
adapted to living in the jungle. They make armor out of dinosaur hide; shape weapons out of dinosaur bones, flint, and wood; and craft ornate jewelry
out of bones, feathers, tusks, and stone beads. Albino dwarves haven’t forgotten how to forge metal, but they seldom have the means to do so.
Speed 25 ft.
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Dwarven Resilience. The dwarf has advantage on saving throws against poison.
Actions
Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The dwarf’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
1/day each: hunter’s mark, jump, pass without trace, speak with animals, speak with plants
Aldani
Many Chultan natives can recall childhood fables of the aldani, the eerie lobsterfolk that lived in the rivers and lakes of their homeland. As there have
been no sightings of the aldani in years, it is widely believed that they were wiped out. In truth, many aldani survived and retreated to the lakes of the
Aldani Basin in the heart of Chult.
An aldani looks like a giant lobster that walks upright. Its face is mostly encased in armor, looking almost humanoid except for its long eyestalks.
Despite their frightful appearance, aldani avoid conflict. Reclusive and xenophobic, they hide in their lakes and rivers.
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Aldani Bribes. If disturbed, aldani try to frighten intruders away without killing them. When confronted by creatures who aren’t easily startled, they
offer bribes in exchange for being left alone. These bribes take the form of treasures that the aldani collect from the bottoms of rivers and lakes.
Cursed by Ubtao. The aldani are the monstrous descendants of Chultan humans belonging to the Aldani tribe. The fishers of the tribe trapped the
lobsters of the rivers by the thousands, until no lobsters remained. Their greed made Ubtao angry, and he cursed the fishers by transforming them
into lobsterfolk. The fishers accepted their punishment and embraced their new existence. However, they were scorned by other members of their
tribe and forced to take refuge in the rivers they had once plundered. Although the Aldani tribe went extinct, the lobsterfolk remain to this day.
ALDANI (LOBSTERFOLK)
Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral
Languages Common
Actions
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC
11). The aldani has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target.
Almiraj
An almiraj (pronounced AWL-meer-ahj) is a large, timid rabbit with a 1-foot-long spiral horn emerging from its forehead, not unlike the horn of a
unicorn. If driven to attack, it tries to spear enemies with its horn.
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Almiraj were brought to Chult long ago by merchants of the distant land of Zakhara. Skilled at evading predators, these creatures have flourished
throughout the tropical peninsula. They live in earthen burrows and can be captured and domesticated. With the DM’s permission, the find familiar
spell can summon an almiraj.
ALMIRAJ
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Speed 50 ft.
Languages —
Keen Senses. The almiraj has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.
Actions
Horn. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Artus Cimber
A former member of the Harpers, Artus Cimber is the keeper of the Ring of Winter. He found the ring in the jungles of Chult, where he also met his
wife, Alisanda. The ring halts its wearer’s natural aging and has allowed Artus to survive well beyond his natural lifespan. The ring also defies magical
attempts to divine its location and that of its wearer. On his fingers above the knuckles, Artus has tattooed the names of his dearly departed animal
companions — a pair of talking wombats named Byrt and Lugg.
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Artus has spent most of his life trying to keep the Ring of Winter out of evil hands, but his return to Chult is focused on reuniting with his beloved
Alisanda, who disappeared along with the city of Mezro during the Spellplague. No longer content to wait for Alisanda and Mezro to return on their
own, Artus has been seeking the means to bring them back. He believes that Saja N’baza, an ancient guardian naga, can help him. As such, his
search has been focused on locating the ruins of Orolunga, where the naga is said to dwell. Fate has handed Artus a saurial traveling companion
named Dragonbait, whom he met in Port Nyanzaru. The two are always on the move. Consequently, their location in the adventure is randomly
determined.
Using Artus. Artus has never been to Omu, and he has no idea where the city is. However, he has a powerful artifact in his possession and a good
heart. If the characters explain why they’ve come to Chult, Artus puts aside his personal quest and offers to help them find Omu and destroy the
Soulmonger.
The first time a situation forces Artus to use the Ring of Winter, he warns the characters that evil forces are after the ring and that his presence in the
party might put the characters in danger.
ARTUS CIMBER
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
Speed 30 ft.
Special Equipment. Artus wears the Ring of Winter. He and the ring can’t be targeted by divination magic or perceived through magical
scrying sensors. While attuned to and wearing the ring, Artus ceases to age and is immune to cold damage and the effects of
extreme cold.
Artus wields Bookmark, a +3 dagger with additional magical properties. As a bonus action, Artus can activate any one of the
following properties while attuned to the dagger, provided he has the weapon drawn:
Cause a blue gem set into the dagger’s pommel to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet, or make
the gem go dark.
Turn the dagger into a compass that, while resting on Artus’s palm, points north.
Cast dimension door from the dagger. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Cast compulsion (save DC 15) from the dagger. The range of the spell increases to 90 feet, but the spell targets only spiders that are
beasts. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Actions
Bookmark (+3 Dagger). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4+5) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
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Ring of Winter. The Ring of Winter has 12 charges and regains all its expended charges daily at dawn. While attuned to and wearing
the ring, Artus can expend the necessary number of charges to activate one of the following properties:
Artus can expend 1 charge and use the ring to lower the temperature in a 120-foot-radius sphere centered on a point he can see
within 300 feet of him. The temperature in that area drops 20 degrees per minute, to a minimum of −30 degrees Fahrenheit. Frost and
ice begin to form on surfaces once the temperature drops below 32 degrees. This effect is permanent unless Artus uses the ring to
end the effect as an action, at which point the temperature in the area returns to normal at a rate of 10 degrees per minute.
Artus can cast one of the following spells from the ring (spell save DC 17) by expending the necessary number of charges: Bigby’s
hand (2 charges; the hand is made of ice, is immune to cold damage, and deals bludgeoning damage instead of force damage as a
clenched fist), cone of cold (2 charges), flesh to ice (3 charges; as flesh to stone except that the target turns to solid ice with the
density and durability of stone), ice storm (2 charges), Otiluke’s freezing sphere (3 charges), sleet storm (1 charge), spike growth (1
charge; the spikes are made of ice), or wall of ice (2 charges).
Artus can expend the necessary number of charges and use the ring to create either an inanimate ice object (2 charges) or an
animated ice creature (4 charges). The ice object can’t have any moving parts, must be able to fit inside a 10-foot cube, and has the
density and durability of metal or stone (Artus’s choice). The ice creature must be modeled after a beast with a challenge rating of 2
or less. The ice creature has the same statistics as the beast it models, with the following changes: the creature is a construct with
vulnerability to fire damage, immunity to cold and poison damage, and immunity to the following conditions: charmed, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned. The ice creature obeys only its creator’s commands. The ice object or creature
appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of Artus. It melts into a pool of normal water after 24 hours or when it drops to 0 hit
points. In extreme heat, it loses 5 (1d10) hit points per minute as it melts. Use the guidelines in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s
Guide to determine the hit points of an inanimate object if they become necessary.
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Assassin Vine
An assassin vine is an ambulatory plant that collects its fertilizer by grabbing and crushing prey and depositing the carcasses near its roots. It usually
stays put unless it needs to seek out prey. A mature plant consists of a main vine, about 20 feet long. Smaller vines up to 5 feet long branch from the
main vine every 6 inches. In late summer, the secondary vines produce bunches of small fruits that resemble wild grapes. The fruit is tough and has a
hearty but bitter flavor.
A subterranean variant grows near hot springs, volcanic vents, and other sources of heat. An assassin vine growing underground usually generates
enough offal to support a thriving colony of mushrooms and other fungi, which spring up around the plant and help conceal it.
ASSASSIN VINE
Large plant, unaligned
Languages —
False Appearance. While the assassin vine remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal plant.
Actions
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target takes 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and it is
grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and it takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of
its turns. The vine can constrict only one target at a time.
Entangling Vines. The assassin vine can animate normal vines and roots on the ground in a 15-foot square within 30 feet of it. These
plants turn the ground in that area into difficult terrain. A creature in that area when the effect begins must succeed on a DC 13
Strength saving throw or be restrained by entangling vines and roots. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a
DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a successful check. The effect ends after 1 minute or when the assassin vine dies
or uses Entangling Vines again.
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Atropal
An atropal is a ghastly, unfinished creation of an evil god, cast adrift and abandoned long ago. Since an atropal was never truly alive, it can’t be raised
from the dead or resurrected by any means. Even divine intervention can’t breathe true life into this hateful, miserable horror.
An atropal is malformed and unfinished. Its wet, wrinkled, and bloated body is surmounted by a hairless, overlarge head set with glassy, vacant eyes.
It constantly drools stinking ichor as it mouths obscenities. Its arms are too slender, with tiny hands ending in cruelly shaped nails. An atropal never
walks but always floats, with its atrophied, dead legs hanging useless below it.
Negative Energy Connection. The shriveled umbilical cord of an atropal appears to trail off into nothingness, but in fact, it attaches to the Negative
Plane. This connection gives the atropal power over death and undeath. The cord can be severed by a vorpal sword or other vorpal weapon, and
doing so weakens the atropal’s tie to the Negative Plane.
An atropal can summon vestiges of creatures that died in the Negative Plane, which manifest as wraiths. These servants can exist outside the
Negative Plane only by the atropal’s sheer force of will, and they quickly dissipate when the atropal is destroyed.
ATROPAL
Huge undead (titan), neutral evil
Armor Class 7
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
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Magic Resistance. The atropal has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Negative Energy Aura. Creatures within 30 feet of the atropal can’t regain hit points, and any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet
of the atropal takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
If the atropal is struck by a vorpal sword, the wielder can cut the atropal’s umbilical cord instead of dealing damage. If its umbilical
cord is cut, the atropal loses this feature.
Turn Resistance Aura. The atropal and any other undead creature within 30 feet of it has advantage on saving throws against any effect
that turns undead.
Actions
Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
Ray of Cold. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) cold damage.
Life Drain. The atropal targets one creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving
throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The atropal regains a number
of hit points equal to half the amount of damage dealt.
Summon Wraith (Recharge 6). The atropal summons a wraith, which materializes within 30 feet of it in an unoccupied space it can see.
The wraith obeys its summoner’s commands and
can’t be controlled by any other creature. The wraith vanishes when it drops to 0 hit points or when its summoner dies.
Legendary Actions
The atropal can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The atropal regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Ray of Cold (Costs 2 Actions). The atropal uses its Ray of Cold.
Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). The atropal lets out a withering wail. Any creature within 120 feet of the atropal that can hear the wail
must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
Bodak
A bodak is the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus. Devoid of life and soul, it exists only to cause death. Orcus can recall anything a
bodak sees or hears. If he so chooses, he can speak through a bodak to address his enemies and followers directly.
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Even nature despises bodaks. The sun burns away a bodak’s tainted flesh. The creature’s gaze lays waste to the living. Anyone a bodak slays with its
gaze withers, its face frozen in a mask of terror. The monster’s mere presence is so unnatural that it chills the soul.
Ravaged Soul. The soul of a creature that becomes a bodak is so damaged that it is unfit for most forms of magical resurrection. Only a wish spell or
similar magic can return a bodak to its former life.
BODAK
Medium undead, chaotic evil
Speed 30 ft.
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Aura of Annihilation. The bodak can activate or deactivate this feature as a bonus action. While active, the aura deals 5 necrotic
damage to any creature that ends its turn within 30 feet of the bodak. Undead and fiends ignore this effect.
Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the bodak’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force it to
make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by
5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes
16 (3d10) psychic damage on a failed save.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has
disadvantage on attack rolls against the bodak until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the bodak in the meantime, it
must immediately make the saving throw.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The bodak takes 5 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Actions
Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
Withering Gaze. One creature that the bodak can see within 60 feet of it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 22
(4d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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Brontosaurus
This massive four-legged dinosaur is large enough that most predators leave it alone. Its deadly tail can drive away or kill smaller threats.
BRONTOSAURUS
Gargantuan beast, unaligned
Speed 30 ft.
Languages —
Actions
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (5d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed
on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (6d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Champion
Champions are mighty warriors who honed their fighting skills in wars or gladiatorial pits. To soldiers and other people who fight for a living,
champions are as influential as nobles, and their presence is courted as a sign of status among rulers.
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CHAMPION
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Speed 30 ft.
Multiattack. The champion makes three attacks with its greatsword or its shortbow.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage, plus 7 (2d6) slashing damage if
the champion has more than half of its total hit points remaining.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, plus 7 (2d6) piercing.
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Chwinga
A chwinga (pronounced cheh-WING-ah) is a tiny elemental spirit that lives in plants, rocks, and rivers far from civilization. Painfully shy, chwingas
prefer to move about unseen.
If two or more chwingas live in the same area, each one will take shelter in a different plant, rock, or body of fresh water. Though no two chwingas
look exactly alike, they resemble 6-inch-tall animated dolls with strange masks, spindly limbs, and wild hair. Their appearance is sometimes
foreshadowed by cool breezes, the sweet smell of flowers, and dancing fireflies. Their mere presence makes a natural setting more lush and vibrant.
Humanoid Fascination. Chwingas shun most other creatures, but they find the trappings of civilization fascinating. They puzzle over creatures that
wear armor, carry weapons, use tools, and cook food. When a chwinga encounters one or more humanoids, its curiosity sometimes gets the better of
it, and it shadows those creatures for a short time to observe them. If it takes a liking to a particular humanoid, a chwinga might use its cantrips to
aid it, or might bestow a magical gift before departing. The features that attract a chwinga to a particular humanoid can vary. In some cases, a
chwinga might simply like the way a humanoid walks or the way it combs its hair. Other times, it might be smitten by a humanoid’s ability to play
music or to eat copious amounts of food.
Elemental Nature. Chwingas sleep but don’t require air, food, or drink. They don’t have names and have no ability to speak. When a chwinga dies, it
turns into a handful of flower petals, a cloud of pollen, a stone statuette resembling its former self, a marble of smooth stone, or a puddle of fresh
water.
CHWINGA
Tiny elemental
Armor Class 15
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Languages —
Evasion. When the chwinga is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it
instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Unusual Nature. The chwinga doesn’t require air, food, or drink. When it dies, it turns into a handful of flower petals, a cloud of pollen,
a stone statuette resembling its former self, a tiny sphere of smooth stone, or a puddle of fresh water (your choice).
Actions
Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a humanoid it can see within 5 feet of it. The target gains a supernatural charm of the DM’s
choice. See the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information on supernatural charms.
Natural Shelter. The chwinga magically takes shelter inside a rock, a living plant, or a natural source of fresh water in its space. The
chwinga can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect while inside this shelter, and the shelter doesn’t impair the chwinga’s
blindsight. The chwinga can use its action to emerge from its shelter. If its shelter is destroyed, the chwinga is forced out and
appears in the shelter’s former space, but is otherwise unharmed.
Spellcasting. The chwinga casts one of the following spells, requiring no material or verbal components:
Deinonychus
This larger cousin of the velociraptor kills by gripping its target with its claws and feeding while the creature is still alive.
DEINONYCHUS
Medium beast, unaligned
Speed 40 ft.
Skills Perception +3
Languages —
Pounce. If the deinonychus moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that
target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the deinonychus can make one
bite attack against it as a bonus action.
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Actions
Multiattack. The deinonychus makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.
Dimetrodon
This sail-backed reptile is commonly found in areas where dinosaurs live. It hunts on shores and in shallow water, filling a similar role as a crocodile.
DIMETRODON
Medium beast, unaligned
Skills Perception +2
Languages —
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Dragonbait
Dragonbait is a champion of good and a saurial — a race that originated on a distant world and whose members have long lives. Very few saurials
dwell in the Forgotten Realms, and no saurial communities are believed to exist anywhere in the world.
The saurial’s language is a combination of clicks and whistles beyond the human range of hearing, so Dragonbait tends to rely on scents to
communicate emotions. To be understood by most speaking creatures, he must “shout” a scent. Dragonbait’s known scents include: brimstone
(confusion), roses (sadness), lemon (pleasure or joy), baked bread (anger), violets (danger or fear), honeysuckle (tenderness or concern), wood
smoke (devotion or piety), tar (victory or celebration), and ham (nervousness or worry).
Dragonbait stands 4 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds, and has a dry, wrinkled hide. He wields a holy avenger longsword and carries a blue, red,
and white shield. Though he has traits in common with paladins, Dragonbait isn’t a member of any class. Using an ability known as the Shen-state, he
can determine the alignment of any creature within 60 feet of him.
An Unexpected Friendship. Dragonbait met Artus Cimber in Port Nyanzaru, and the two became fast friends. As Artus spoke of his quest to reunite
with his wife, Alisanda, he was comforted by Dragonbait’s quiet manner and unusual methods of communication. With a smile and a nod, Dragonbait
agreed to help Artus. A frequent visitor to Chult, the saurial understood the dangers of the jungle all too well.
Using Dragonbait. Dragonbait has never been to Omu and doesn’t know where the city is located. If the characters convince Artus Cimber to help
them destroy the Soulmonger, Dragonbait wants to help as well.
DRAGONBAIT
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Speed 30 ft.
Magic Resistance Aura. While holding his holy avenger, Dragonbait creates an aura in a 10-foot radius around him. While this aura is
active, Dragonbait and all creatures friendly to him in the aura have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
effects.
Actions
Holy Avenger (+3 Longsword). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5)
slashing damage when used with two hands. If the target is a fiend or an undead, it takes an extra 11 (2d10) radiant damage.
Sense Alignment. Dragonbait chooses one creature he can see within 60 feet of him and determines its alignment, as long as the
creature isn’t hidden from divination magic by a spell or other magical effect.
Dragonbait’s Traits
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Ideal. Dragonbait emits a lemon scent while thinking about exploring the world, seeing its many wonders, and helping others along
the way. (Translation: He has the heart of an explorer.)
Bond. Dragonbait gives off the scent of wood smoke while doing things to aid a friend’s quest. (Translation: He would do anything
for a friend.)
Flaw. Dragonbait “shouts” the scent of ham while going where others fear to tread. (Translation: He will hurl himself into danger no
matter how frightening.)
Monsters E - H ↑
Eblis
Eblis (pronounced EH-blee) are thought to be reincarnations of evil humans who were punished by gods for acts of larceny and kidnapping. These
intelligent, evil cranes loom 8 feet tall and lay eggs as mundane birds do. They can manipulate objects with their beaks and feet.
Eblis try to sway other creatures into doing their bidding, and their plots are self-serving. They live to destroy creatures that offend them and delight in
luring humanoids to an unexpected death. Eblis also like to collect treasure, which they sometimes use to reward those who serve them. They build
crude huts and nests out of grass and reeds, wherein they hide their treasure.
EBLIS
Large monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 13
Skills Perception +4
Innate Spellcasting. The eblis’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells,
requiring no material components:
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
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Firenewts
In regions that contain hot springs, volcanic activity, or similar hot and wet conditions, firenewts might be found. These humanoid amphibians live in
a militaristic theocracy that reveres Imix, the Prince of Evil Fire. This veneration of Imix leads firenewts to be aggressive, wrathful, and cruel.
FIRENEWT WARRIOR
Medium humanoid (firenewt), neutral evil
Speed 30 ft.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.
Spit Fire (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The firenewt spits fire at a creature within 10 feet of it. The creature must make
a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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Firenewt warlocks of Imix command firenewt warriors to prove their worth by going on raids to bring back treasure and captives. The warlocks take
the choicest loot as a tithe to Imix, and then those who participated in the raid divide the rest according to merit. Prisoners that have no apparent
usefulness are sacrificed to Imix and then eaten. Those that are deemed capable of mining and performing other chores around the firenewt lair are
kept as slaves for a while before meeting the same fate.
Speed 30 ft.
Innate Spellcasting. The firenewt’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast mage armor (self only) at will, requiring
no material components.
Spellcasting. The firenewt is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It
regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, guidance, light, mage hand, prestidigitation
1st–2nd level (2 2nd-level slots): burning hands, flaming sphere, hellish rebuke, scorching ray
Imix’s Blessing. When the firenewt reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, the firenewt gains 5 temporary hit points.
Actions
Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
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Flail Snail
A flail snail is a creature of elemental earth that is prized for its multihued shell. Hunters might be lulled into a false sense of confidence upon
sighting this ponderous, seemingly nonhostile creature. If any other creature large enough to be a threat approaches too close, though, the snail
unleashes a flash of scintillating light and then attacks with its mace-like tentacles.
An intact flail snail shell, which weighs about 250 pounds, is worth 2,500 gp.
FLAIL SNAIL
Large elemental, unaligned
Speed 10 ft.
Languages —
Antimagic Shell. The snail has advantage on saving throws against spells, and any creature making a spell attack against the snail has
disadvantage on the attack roll. If the snail succeeds on its saving throw against a spell or a spell attack misses it, an additional
effect might occur, as determined by rolling a d6:
1–2. If the spell affects an area or has multiple targets, it fails and has no effect. If the spell targets only the snail, it has no
effect on the snail and is reflected back at the caster, using the spell slot level, spell save DC, attack bonus, and spellcasting
ability of the caster.
3–4. No additional effect.
5–6. The snail’s shell converts some of the spell’s energy into a burst of destructive force. Each creature within 30 feet of the snail
must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 force damage per level of the spell on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
Flail Tentacles. The flail snail has five flail tentacles. Whenever the snail takes 10 damage or more on a single turn, one of its
tentacles dies. If even one tentacle remains, the snail regrows all dead ones within 1d4 days. If all its tentacles die, the snail
retracts into its shell, gaining total cover, and it begins wailing, a sound that can be heard for 600 feet, stopping only when it
dies 5d6 minutes later. Healing magic that restores limbs, such as the regenerate spell, can halt this dying process.
Actions
Multiattack. The flail snail makes as many Flail Tentacle attacks as it has flail tentacles, all against the same target.
Flail Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Scintillating Shell (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The snail’s shell emits dazzling, colored light until the end of the snail’s next turn.
During this time, the shell sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet, and creatures that can see the
snail have disadvantage on attack rolls against it. In addition, any creature within the bright light and able to see the snail when this
power is activated must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the light ends.
Shell Defense. The flail snail withdraws into its shell, gaining a +4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can emerge from its shell as a bonus
action on its turn.
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Flying Monkey
Flying monkeys are slightly more clever and curious than common monkeys, and they can be domesticated and taught to obey simple commands.
They come in many colors and varieties, with feathered wings that have a span of about 5 feet. With the DM’s permission, the find familiar spell can
summon a flying monkey.
FLYING MONKEY
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Languages --
Pack Tactics. The flying monkey has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the monkey’s allies is within 5 feet
of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d4 -1) piercing damage.
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Froghemoth
A froghemoth is an amphibious predator as big as an elephant. It lairs in swamps and has four tentacles, a thick rubbery hide, a fang-filled maw with
a prehensile tongue, and an extendable stalk sporting three bulbous eyes that face in different directions. The creature hides its enormous body in
murky pools, keeping only its eyestalk above the water to watch for passing creatures. When food comes within reach, a froghemoth erupts from its
pool, tentacles and tongue flailing.
FROGHEMOTH
Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Languages —
Multiattack. The froghemoth makes two attacks with its tentacles. It can also use its tongue or bite.
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Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 16) if it is a Huge or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the froghemoth can’t use this tentacle on another target. The
froghemoth has four tentacles.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage, and the target is swallowed if it is a
Medium or smaller creature. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside
the froghemoth, and takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the froghemoth’s turns.
The froghemoth’s gullet can hold up to two creatures at a time. If the froghemoth takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a
creature inside it, the froghemoth must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all
swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the froghemoth. If the froghemoth dies, a swallowed
creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Tongue. The froghemoth targets one Medium or smaller creature that it can see within 20 feet of it. The target must make a DC 18
Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target is pulled into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the froghemoth, and the
froghemoth can make a bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Skills Perception +4
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Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons
Languages Terran
False Appearance. While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.
Actions
Multiattack. The gargoyle makes five attacks: one with its bite and four with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Languages —
Stable. Whenever an effect knocks the turtle prone, it can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid being knocked prone. A
prone turtle is upside down. To stand up, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity check on its turn and then use all its movement for
that turn.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Giant Strider
Firenewts have a close relationship with a type of monstrous beast called a giant strider. Giant striders appear birdlike and reptilian, but are truly
neither. Firenewts provide shelter, food, and breeding grounds in their lairs for giant striders, and the striders voluntarily serve as mounts for elite
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firenewt soldiers.
GIANT STRIDER
Large monstrosity, neutral evil
Speed 50 ft.
Languages —
Fire Absorption. Whenever the giant strider is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and regains a number of hit points
equal to half the fire damage dealt.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Fire Burst (Recharge 5–6). The giant strider hurls a gout of flame at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature in a 10-foot-
radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one. The fire spreads around corners, and it ignites flammable objects in that area that aren’t being
worn or carried.
Girallon
A girallon looks like an oversized, four-armed ape with gray skin and white fur. Although they are adept climbers, these half-ton creatures shy away
from scaling trees that can’t support their bulk. Instead, they stalk the forest floor, lurk in narrow ravines or shallow caves, or hide in ruined sites while
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waiting for prey to come near.
GIRALLON
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Languages —
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the girallon can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Keen Smell. The girallon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The girallon makes five attacks: one with its bite and four with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Grungs
Grungs are aggressive frog-like humanoids found in rainforests and jungles. They are fiercely territorial and see themselves as superior to most other
creatures.
Castes and Colors. Grung society is a caste system. All grungs are a dull greenish gray when they are born, but each individual takes on the color of
its caste as it grows to adulthood.
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Green grungs are the tribe’s warriors, hunters, and laborers. Blue grungs work as artisans and in other domestic roles. Supervising and guiding both
groups are the purple grungs, which serve as administrators and commanders. (Use the grung stat block to represent members of the green, blue,
and purple castes.)
Red grungs are the tribe’s scholars and spellcasters, and they are superior to purple, blue, and green grungs. (Use the grung wildling stat block to
represent members of the red caste.)
Higher castes include orange grungs, which are elite warriors that have authority over all lesser grungs, and gold grungs, which hold the highest
leadership positions. A tribe’s sovereign is always a gold grung. (Use the grung elite warrior stat block to represent members of the orange and gold
castes.)
GRUNG
Small humanoid (grung), lawful evil
Armor Class 12
Languages Grung
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a
DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Standing Leap. The grung’s long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
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Armor Class 13
Languages Grung
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a
DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Standing Leap. The grung’s long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
Mesmerizing Chirr (Recharge 6). The grung makes a chirring noise to which grungs are immune. Each humanoid or beast that is within
15 feet of the grung and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of the grung’s next
turn.
GRUNG WILDLING
Small humanoid (grung), lawful evil
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10 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0)
Languages Grung
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung’s skin must succeed on a
DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the grung
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Spellcasting. The grung is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It
knows the following ranger spells:
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, jump
2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, spike growth
3rd level (2 slots): plant growth
Standing Leap. The grung’s long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
Hadrosaurus
A hadrosaurus is a semi-quadrupedal herbivore recognizable by its bony head crests. If raised as a hatchling, it can be trained to carry a Small or
Medium rider.
HADROSAURUS
Large beast, unaligned
Speed 40 ft.
Skills Perception +2
Languages —
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Actions
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Monsters J - L ↑
Jaculi
A jaculi (pronounced jah-KOO-lee) is a 15-foot-long snake that can alter the color and texture of its scales to camouflage itself. Altering its
appearance to resemble wood or stone, it coils around pillars and tree trunks from which it launches itself like a javelin, striking with great force and
accuracy.
Jaculis are found in damp climates, and their preferred habitats are rainforests and cool dungeons. The shed skin of the jaculi is coveted for use in
crafting boots of striding and springing and cloak of invisibility.
JACULI
Large beast, unaligned
Languages —
Camouflage. The jaculi has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.
Keen Smell. The jaculi has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Spring. The jaculi springs up to 30 feet in a straight line and makes a bite attack against a target within its reach. This attack has
advantage if the jaculi springs at least 10 feet. If the attack hits, the bite deals an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
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Kamadan
A kamadan (pronounced KAM-ah-dan) is a feline predator that resembles a leopard with six snakes sprouting from its shoulders. Although it bears a
passing resemblance to a displacer beast, the two creatures are unrelated (though some sages claim otherwise).
Kamadans typically hunt alone or in mated pairs. They can exhale clouds of sleep gas, which they typically do before entering melee combat. If a
kamadan has both conscious and unconscious enemies within striking range, it tries to kill the conscious enemies first before finishing off any
sleeping foes.
KAMADAN
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Speed 30 ft.
Languages —
Keen Smell. The kamadan has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pounce. If the kamadan moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that
target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is knocked prone, the kamadan can make
two attacks — one with its bite and one with its snakes — against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Multiattack. The kamadan makes two attacks: one with its bite or claw and one with its snakes.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
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Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Snakes. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12
Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Sleep Breath (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The kamadan exhales sleep gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if it takes damage
or someone uses an action to wake it.
Kobolds
Some kobolds have gifts bequeathed to them by dragons or gods, enabling them to rise above their peers. Others are born with a cruel inventiveness
that few can match.
Inventors. A kobold inventor captures bugs, scoops up exotic dungeon slimes, and uses the best stolen ingredients to make unlikely weapons that it
can use in combat.
Scale Sorcerers. A kobold scale sorcerer has an innate talent for arcane magic. When its tribe is threatened, the kobold lashes out with fire and
poison against enemies, saving a bit of magic for itself in case it needs to flee or take advantage of a captor.
KOBOLD INVENTOR
Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
Armor Class 12
Speed 30 ft.
Skills Perception +0
Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of the
creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Weapon Invention. The kobold uses one of the following options (roll a d8 or choose one); the kobold can use each one no more than
once per day:
1. Acid. The kobold hurls a flask of acid. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) acid
damage.
2. Alchemist’s Fire. The kobold throws a flask of alchemist’s fire. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target.
Hit: 2 (1d4) fire damage at the start of each of the target’s turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make
a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
3. Basket of Centipedes. The kobold throws a small basket into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm of insects
(centipedes) with 11 hit points emerges from the basket and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm’s turns, there’s a
50 percent chance that the swarm disperses.
4. Green Slime Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot full of green slime at the target, and it breaks open on impact. Ranged
Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: The target is covered in a patch of green slime (see chapter 5 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide). Miss: A patch of green slime covers a randomly determined 5-foot-square section of wall or floor
within 5 feet of the target.
5. Rot Grub Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it, and it breaks open on impact. A
swarm of rot grubs emerges from the shattered pot and remains a hazard in that square.
6. Scorpion on a Stick. The kobold makes a melee attack with a scorpion tied to the end of a 5-foot-long pole. Melee Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw,
taking 4 (1d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
7. Skunk in a Cage. The kobold releases a skunk into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. The skunk has a walking speed
of 20 feet, AC 10, 1 hit point, and no effective attacks. It rolls initiative and, on its turn, uses its action to spray musk at a
random creature within 5 feet of it. The target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target
retches and can’t take actions for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
effect on itself on a success. A creature that doesn’t need to breathe or is immune to poison automatically succeeds on the
saving throw. Once the skunk has sprayed its musk, it can’t do so again until it finishes a short or long rest.
8. Wasp Nest in a Bag. The kobold throws a small bag into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm of insects (wasps) with 11
hit points emerges from the bag and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm’s turns, there’s a 50 percent chance that the
swarm disperses.
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Speed 30 ft.
Spellcasting. The kobold is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It
has the following sorcerer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, mending, poison spray
Sorcery Points. The kobold has 3 sorcery points. It can spend 1 or more sorcery points as a bonus action to gain one of the following
benefits:
Heightened Spell: When it casts a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist the spell’s effects, the kobold can
spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.
Subtle Spell: When the kobold casts a spell, it can spend 1 sorcery point to cast the spell without any somatic or verbal components.
Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of the
creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
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Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks
that rely on sight.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Liara Portyr
As the commander of Fort Beluarian, Liara spends most of her time worrying about the security of her stronghold while cutting deals with pirates. In
general, she has no problem with adventurers and will do her utmost to help them deal with the myriad threats lurking in the jungle.
Liara comes from an influential family in Baldur’s Gate and has held her post for the past three years. To her, the assignment feels like a test of
mettle, but to many of her subordinates, Fort Beluarian feels like banishment. Liara’s spies in Port Nyanzaru furnish her with ship manifests and
departure schedules that she passes along to the pirates of Jahaka Anchorage, in exchange for promises to never attack ships flying the flag of
Baldur’s Gate. Liara also receives a cut of the pirates’ profits, some of which go toward keeping her garrison happy.
LIARA PORTYR
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil
Speed 30 ft.
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Flaming Fury. Once per turn, when Liara hits a creature with a melee weapon, she can cause fire to magically erupt from her weapon
and deal an extra 10 (3d6) fire damage to the target.
Actions
Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage
when used with two hands.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage.
Ideal. “One must respect the chain of command. You follow my orders, or you die.”
Bond. “I have sworn to hold and protect Fort Beluarian in the name of Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard of Baldur’s Gate. The fort will not
fall on my watch!”
Flaw. “It’s a ghoul-eat-you world out here. I have no pity for those who can’t defend themselves.”
Monsters M - Q ↑
Mantrap
A mantrap is a giant carnivorous plant that resembles an oversized flytrap. To attract prey, the mantrap releases a pollen that magically draws
creatures to it. Though it will snap its leafy jaws shut around any warm-blooded creature that strays within its reach, it prefers humanoid prey.
MANTRAP
Large plant, unaligned
Armor Class 12
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Speed 5 ft.
Languages —
Attractive Pollen (1/Day). When the mantrap detects any creatures nearby, it can use its reaction to release pollen out to a radius of 30
feet. Any beast or humanoid within the area must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be forced to use all its movement on
its turns to get as close to the mantrap as possible. An affected target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.
False Appearance. While the mantrap remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary tropical plant.
Actions
Engulf. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The target is trapped inside the mantrap’s
leafy jaws. While trapped in this way, the target is blinded and restrained, has total cover from attacks and other effects outside the
mantrap, and takes 14 (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the target’s turns. If the mantrap dies, the creature inside it is no
longer restrained by it. A mantrap can engulf only one creature at a time.
Mwaxanaré and Na
At the tender age of seventeen, Princess Mwaxanaré (“Naré” for short) is the oldest living descendant of the royal families of Omu and the natural
inheritor of their fallen kingdom. She and her six-year-old brother, Na, are guests of the aarakocra in Kir Sabal. The aarakocra aim to protect the young
royals until such time as the evil in Omu has been vanquished.
Mwaxanaré is too headstrong for her own good. She longs to claim her throne and will eagerly use adventurers to make that happen. Her tone is
almost always condescending, and she doesn’t take kindly to backtalk.
After forging a pact with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, ancient beings of the Outer Planes, the princess has become a fledgling warlock. Her hatred of
physical labor allows her to put her mage hand and unseen servant spells to good use. Through her pact, she has also gained telepathy.
The young Prince Na is a noncombatant with AC 10 and 3 hit points. Having lived among the aarakocra for most of his life, Na considers himself one
of them. He dresses like an aarakocra and prefers to speak Auran rather than Common.
MWAXANARÉ
Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral
Armor Class 10
Speed 30 ft.
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Spellcasting. Mwaxanaré is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks).
She regains her expended spell slots when she finishes a short or long rest. She knows the following warlock spells:
1st level (2 slots): charm person, protection from evil and good, unseen servant
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
Mwaxanaré’s Traits
Bond. “I have forged a pact with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa and will use their power to protect my brother and the aarakocra who
watch over us.”
Flaw. “I am a princess and must be addressed with the proper respect. I don’t follow orders; I give them.”
Na’s Traits
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Ideal. “I want to become an aarakocra and learn how to fly like a bird!”
Bond. “I love my sister and the aarakocra. They mean everything to me.”
Pterafolk
Pterafolk (pronounced TAIR-eh-folk) are 10-foot-tall, winged, reptilian bipeds native to Chult. Malevolent isolationists, they regard most other
creatures as their enemies. In Chultan culture, pterafolk are often referred to as “terror folk” for their habit of swooping down from the sky to snatch
whatever and whomever they can, then transporting treasure and food back to their roosts.
Pterafolk have 20-foot wingspans and give birth to live young. Ancient rituals once bestowed upon pterafolk the ability to assume the forms of
pteranodons and wingless lizardfolk, but those rituals have long been forgotten.
PTERAFOLK
Large monstrosity, neutral evil
Languages Common
Terror Dive. If the pterafolk is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target, and then hits that target with a melee weapon
attack, the target is frightened until the end of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The pterafolk makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Alternatively, it makes two melee attacks with
its javelin.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
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Quetzalcoatlus
This giant relative of the pteranodon has a wingspan exceeding 30 feet. Although it can move on the ground like a quadruped, it is more comfortable
in the air.
QUETZALCOATLUS
Huge beast, unaligned
Skills Perception +2
Languages —
Dive Attack. If the quetzalcoatlus is flying and dives at least 30 feet toward a target and then hits with a bite attack, the attack deals an
extra 10 (3d6) damage to the target.
Flyby. The quetzalcoatlus doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Actions
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Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Monsters R - T ↑
Ras Nsi
The word “ras” is a noble title akin to “duke.” Ras Nsi was once a Chultan paladin, a Chosen of Ubtao and sworn protector of the city of Mezro. He
betrayed his oaths and was banished from the city. Becoming a vengeful warlord, Ras Nsi attempted to conquer Mezro with an undead army but was
defeated. Rather than seek redemption, he sought revenge and was stripped of his god-given powers. The undead horde, no longer under his control,
spread throughout the jungles of Chult.
Withdrawing to Omu, Nsi clung to his noble title, joined forces with the yuan-ti living there, and underwent a horrible ritual to become a powerful yuan-
ti malison — retaining his human head and torso and gaining a serpentine lower body. With Ubtao gone from the world, Ras Nsi and his new yuan-ti
followers began searching for a way to bring forth Dendar the Night Serpent. Acererak has promised to help this effort, in exchange for Ras Nsi’s
pledge to defend the Tomb of the Nine Gods. In truth, Acererak has no intention of honoring his bargain, and Ras Nsi is beginning to suspect as
much.
Strange Collection. Ras Nsi has a sizable collection of apparel and accouterments from distant lands, most of which were taken from dead
explorers. The collection includes a fine Cormyrean cloak, a Sembian wine flask, and a bejeweled Amnian doublet and matching money pouch. He
also bears a flame tongue longsword.
Slow Death. Ras Nsi has died and been brought back from the dead more than once. Consequently, he is suffering from the effects of the
Soulmonger’s death curse. His hit point maximum has been reduced, and leprous wounds cover his flesh. In a fitting irony, Ras Nsi is unaware that
Acererak is the cause of the curse, for neither he nor the yuan-ti are aware of what lies within the Tomb of the Nine Gods, other than the dead gods for
which it is named. If the characters can make him understand that their efforts will help him, Ras Nsi might be tempted not to stand in their way.
RAS NSI
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan-ti), neutral evil
Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51) reduced to 107; subtract 1 for each day that passes during the adventure
Speed 30 ft.
Special Equipment. Ras Nsi wears bracers of defense, wields a flame tongue longsword, and carries a sending stone matched to one
carried by the guide Salida (see chapter 1).
Shapechanger. Ras Nsi can use his action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into his yuan-ti form. His statistics are the same
in each form. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. He doesn’t change form if he dies.
Innate Spellcasting. Ras Nsi’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). He can innately cast the following spells,
requiring no material components:
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3/day: suggestion
Spellcasting. Ras Nsi is an 11th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
Ras Nsi has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, mage hand, mending, poison spray
1st level (4 slots): expeditious retreat, false life, magic missile, shield
Magic Resistance. Ras Nsi has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. Ras Nsi makes three melee attacks, but can use Constrict only once.
Bite (Snake Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison
damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Ras Nsi can't constrict another target.
Flame Tongue Longsword (Yuan-ti Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) slashing damage, or
8 (1d10+3) slashing damage when used with two hands, plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Ideal. “I seek to bring about the end of this world and rule the next one.”
Bond. “The yuan-ti of Chult are mine to command. They will help me rule an empire.”
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Stegosaurus
This heavily built dinosaur has rows of plates on its back and a flexible, spiked tail held high to strike predators. It tends to travel in herds of mixed
ages.
STEGOSAURUS
Huge beast, unaligned
Speed 40 ft.
Languages —
Actions
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (6d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Stone Juggernaut
A stone juggernaut is a rolling construct imbued with enough awareness to avoid obvious dangers such as open pits and chasms. It trundles across
open battlefields or rolls down dungeon corridors, crushing anyone in its path. Every stone juggernaut has a unique shape and appearance. One
might resemble an elephant with bejeweled tusks, while another might look like a scowling demon with flaming eyes and obsidian teeth.
A stone juggernaut is fast, but it lacks maneuverability and can move in only one direction on its turn. It poses little danger to creatures it can’t crush
beneath its rollers. Its best tactic is to slam into a creature, knock it prone, and then roll over it.
STONE JUGGERNAUT
Large construct, unaligned
Speed 50 ft. (in one direction chosen at the start of its turn)
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Languages —
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Devastating Roll. The juggernaut can move through the space of a prone creature. A creature whose space the juggernaut enters for
the first time on a turn must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
Immutable Form. The juggernaut is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Regeneration. As long as it has 1 hit point left, the juggernaut magically regains all its hit points daily at dawn. The juggernaut is
destroyed and doesn’t regenerate if it drops to 0 hit points.
Siege Monster. The juggernaut deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or
smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Su-monster
Su-monsters are cunning, wicked primates that inhabit forsaken wilderness areas and caves. Adults stand 5 feet tall and have long prehensile tails.
Although they can grasp tools and weapons with their tails or clawed feet, su-monsters prefer to rend prey with their claws. Adult su-monsters can
also project blasts of psionic energy that leave enemies stunned and unable to flee or defend themselves.
A su-monster sleeps while hanging upside down by its tail. While awake, it can also unleash a devastating attack from that position, rending with all
four of its claws.
Su-monsters communicate silently by using their prehensile tails to make gestures. They typically kill more than they can eat, burying the leftovers
and marking their location with the victim’s possessions.
SU-MONSTER
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Languages —
Actions
Multiattack. The su-monster makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage, or 12 (4d4 + 2) slashing damage if the
su-monster is hanging by its tail and all four of its limbs are free.
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Psychic Crush (Recharge 5–6). The su-monster targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11
Wisdom saving throw or take 17 (5d6) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. The stunned target can repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Tabaxi
Tabaxi are catfolk who hail from the land of Maztica. The ultimate wanderers, Tabaxi rarely stay in one place for long. They love to collect interesting
artifacts, gather tales, and lay eyes on all the world’s wonders. This curiosity pushes them to leave no secrets uncovered, and no treasures or legends
lost. They revere a fickle deity called the Cat Lord, who is said to wander the world.
Tabaxi hunters are trained to survive in the wild, making them excellent guides. Tabaxi minstrels gather in small troupes and make themselves at
home in any settlement, earning coin through music and storytelling.
Names. A tabaxi typically has a single name, determined by his or her clan and based on a complex formula involving astrology, prophecy, clan
history, and other factors. Male and female tabaxi use the same names, and most use nicknames derived from or inspired by their full names. Tabaxi
clan names are usually based on a geographical feature located in or near a clan’s territory. Sample tabaxi names include Nest of Eggs (“Eggs”), Dead
Leaf (“Leaf”), Eyes of Onyx (“Onyx”), Lost Spear (“Lost”), and Daylight Moon (“Moon”). Clan names include Distant Rain, Hundred Feathers, Sleeping
Creek, Bright Cliffs, and Snoring Mountain.
TABAXI HUNTER
Medium humanoid (tabaxi), chaotic good
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Feline Agility. When the tabaxi moves on its turn in combat, it can double its speed until the end of the turn. Once it uses this ability, the
tabaxi can’t use it again until it moves 0 feet on one of its turns.
Actions
Multiattack. The tabaxi makes two attacks with its claws, its shortsword, or its shortbow.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
TABAXI MINSTREL
Medium humanoid (tabaxi), chaotic good
Armor Class 12
Feline Agility. When the tabaxi moves on its turn in combat, it can double its speed until the end of the turn. Once it uses this ability, the
tabaxi can’t use it again until it moves 0 feet on one of its turns.
Inspire (1/Day). While taking a short rest, the tabaxi can spend 1 minute singing, playing an instrument, telling a story, or reciting a
poem to soothe and inspire creatures other than itself. Up to five creatures of the tabaxi’s choice that can see and hear its
performance gain 8 temporary hit points at the end of the tabaxi’s short rest.
Actions
Multiattack. The tabaxi makes two claws attacks or two dart attacks.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage.
Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
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Thorny
A thorny is a quadrupedal fungus creature that lives among vegepygmies, serving them as a watchdog or mount.
THORNY
Medium plant, neutral
Speed 30 ft.
Languages —
Plant Camouflage. The thorny has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The thorny regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes cold, fire, or necrotic damage, this trait doesn’t function
at the start of the thorny’s next turn. The thorny dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Thorny Body. At the start of its turn, the thorny deals 2 (1d4) piercing damage to any creature grappling it.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage.
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Tri-flower Frond
When fully grown, a tri-flower frond stands 6 to 7 feet tall. It has three bright, trumpet-shaped flowers, each as large as a human head and each one a
different color: intense red, vivid orange, and bright yellow. Each flower can harm a creature in a different terrible way.
TRI-FLOWER FROND
Medium plant, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Speed 5 ft.
Languages —
Actions
Multiattack. The tri-flower frond uses its orange blossom, then its yellow blossom, and then its red blossom.
Orange Blossom. The tri-flower frond chooses one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11
Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, the target is unconscious. At the end of each minute,
the poisoned target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Yellow Blossom. The tri-flower frond chooses one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity
saving throw, or it is covered with corrosive sap and takes 5 acid damage at the start of each of its turns. Dousing the target with
water reduces the acid damage by 1 point per pint or flask of water used.
Red Blossom. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 11). Until this grapple ends, the target takes 5 (2d4) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The red blossom can
grapple only one target at a time. Another creature within reach of the tri-flower frond can use its action to end the grapple on the
target.
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Monsters V - Z ↑
Vegepygmies
Vegepygmies, also called mold folk or moldies, are fungus creatures that inhabit dark areas that are warm and wet, including underground caves and
dense forests where little sunlight penetrates. Although they prefer to eat fresh meat, bone, and blood, vegepygmies can absorb nutrients from soil
and many forms of organic matter, meaning that they rarely go hungry. A vegepygmy can hiss and make other noises by forcing air through its mouth,
but it can’t speak in a conventional sense. Among themselves, vegepygmies communicate by hissing, gestures, and rhythmic tapping onthe body.
Vegepygmies build and craft little; any gear they have is acquired from other creatures or built by copying simple construction they have witnessed.
As a vegepygmy ages, it grows tougher and develops spore clusters on its body. Spore-bearing vegepygmies become chiefs. A vegepygmy chief can
expel its spores in a burst, infecting nearby creatures.
VEGEPYGMY
Small plant, neutral
Speed 30 ft.
Languages Vegepygmy
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Plant Camouflage. The vegepygmy has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The vegepygmy regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes cold, fire, or necrotic damage, this trait
doesn’t function at the start of the vegepygmy’s next turn. The vegepygmy dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and
doesn’t regenerate.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
VEGEPYGMY CHIEF
Small plant, neutral
Speed 30 ft.
Languages Vegepygmy
Plant Camouflage. The vegepygmy has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
Regeneration. The vegepygmy regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes cold, fire, or necrotic damage, this trait
doesn’t function at the start of the vegepygmy’s next turn. The vegepygmy dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and
doesn’t regenerate.
Actions
Multiattack. The vegepygmy makes two attacks with its claws or two melee attacks with its spear.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
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Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8
+ 2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Spores (1/Day). A 15-foot-radius cloud of toxic spores extends out from the vegepygmy. The spores spread around corners.
Each creature in that area that isn’t a plant must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. While
poisoned in this way, a target takes 9 (2d8) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. A target can repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Velociraptor
This feathered dinosaur is about the size of a large turkey. It is an aggressive predator and often hunts in packs to bring down larger prey.
VELOCIRAPTOR
Tiny beast, unaligned
Speed 30 ft.
Skills Perception +3
Languages —
Pack Tactics. The velociraptor has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the velociraptor’s allies is within 5
feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The velociraptor makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
The personable Volo is more than willing to share 1d4 + 1 rumors from the Jungle Rumors table at the end of chapter 1, which he’s overheard since
arriving in Port Nyanzaru.
Armor Class 11
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Speed 30 ft.
Skills Animal Handling +4, Arcana +4, Deception +5, History +4, Insight +2, Investigation +4, Perception +2, Performance +7,
Persuasion +7, Sleight of Hand +3, Survival +2
Spellcasting. Volo is a 1st-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). He
has the following wizard spells prepared:
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Volo’s Traits
Ideal. “I have no wish to explore jungles, lost cities, and dungeons. Friendly taverns and bawdy festhalls are more my style.”
Bond. “Planning an expedition? You really should buy a copy of my latest book, Volo’s Guide to Monsters!”
Flaw. “My penchant for indulgence and my propensity for mockery have earned me a few enemies. I tend to wear out my welcome.”
Xandala
The half-elf sorcerer Xandala has come to Chult in search of the Ring of Winter, an artifact in Artus Cimber’s possession. Xandala knows that the ring
has kept Artus alive for over a century, and she craves its power. If she meets the characters, Xandala pretends to be Artus’s daughter and tries to
convince them to help her find him. Her plan is to cast dominate person on Artus and force him to give her the ring, then escape using her fly spell.
Xandala’s magic traces back to a draconic bloodline, and parts of her skin are covered by a thin sheen of protective scales. She has befriended a
pseudodragon named Summerwise, who thinks that Xandala’s quest for the ring is dangerous but has given up trying to talk the sorcerer out of it.
Summerwise can be turned against Xandala by good-aligned characters.
XANDALA
Medium humanoid (half-elf), neutral evil
Speed 30 ft.
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Spellcasting. Xandala is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
Xandala has the following sorcerer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): acid splash, fire bolt, light, mage hand, ray of frost
Quickened Spell (3/Day). When she casts a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, Xandala changes the casting time to 1 bonus
action for that casting.
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage
when used with two hands.
Xandala’s Traits
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Ideal. “I have the blood of dragons flowing through my veins. I am destined for greatness.”
Humanoid Hosts. A yellow musk creeper destroys the minds of humanoids, then implants bulbs in those it kills. Twenty-four hours after being
implanted, a bulb sprouts a creeper vine that magically animates the host corpse, turning it into a yellow musk zombie under the young vine’s control.
In addition to protecting the defenseless plant, the zombie acts as fertilizer for the young creeper vine, which grows to full size in seven days. Once it
is fully grown, the new yellow musk creeper becomes mobile and bursts from its zombie host, whereupon the zombie collapses into a mound of dead
offal. If the zombie is destroyed before the creeper emerges, the creeper withers and dies.
Small Yellow Musk Zombies. A Medium humanoid transformed into a yellow musk zombie uses the stat block presented in this section. A Small
humanoid transformed into a yellow musk zombie becomes a Small undead with 27 (6d6 + 6) hit points, but otherwise has the same statistics.
Armor Class 6
Languages —
False Appearance. While the creeper remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary flowering vine.
Regeneration. The creeper regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the creeper takes fire, necrotic, or radiant damage, this trait
doesn’t function at the start of its next turn. The creeper dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Actions
Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) psychic damage. If the target is a humanoid that drops
to 0 hit points as a result of this damage, it dies and is implanted with a yellow musk creeper bulb. Unless the bulb is destroyed, the
corpse animates as a yellow musk zombie after being dead for 24 hours. The bulb is destroyed if the creature is raised from the dead
before it can transform into a yellow musk zombie, or if the corpse is targeted by a remove curse spell or similar magic before it
animates.
Yellow Musk (3/Day). The creeper’s flowers release a strong musk that targets all humanoids within 30 feet of it. Each target must
succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the creeper for 1 minute. A creature charmed in this way does nothing
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on its turn except move as close as it can to the creeper. A creature charmed by the creeper can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Armor Class 9
Speed 20 ft.
Languages —
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage
taken, unless the damage is fire or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
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Yuan-ti Broodguard
Broodguards are humanoids transformed by yuan-ti into simple-minded, scaly creatures that do their masters’ bidding. The transformation process
warps not only a subject’s body but also its mind, making it instinctively obey any yuan-ti and filling it with a seething rage that rises at the sight of
non-reptilian creatures.
Although broodguards have low intelligence, they are able to perform simple yet important tasks, such as guarding eggs or patrolling for intruders.
Broodguards can speak but rarely do so, preferring to use snake-like hisses and guttural noises.
YUAN-TI BROODGUARD
Medium humanoid (yuan-ti), neutral evil
Speed 30 ft.
Skills Perception +2
Mental Resistance. The broodguard has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t paralyze it.
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Reckless. At the start of its turn, the broodguard can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that
turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The broodguard makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
The cruelest of all yuan-ti, nightmare speakers revel in torturing prisoners and slaves, leaving them in a constant state of fear and dread. They prefer
to terrify rather than kill their opponents.
A nightmare speaker has a human head and upper body with a serpentine lower body instead of legs.
Speed 30 ft.
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Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in
each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form.
Death Fangs (2/Day). The first time the yuan-ti hits with a melee attack on its turn, it can deal an extra 16 (3d10) necrotic damage to the
target.
Innate Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The yuan-ti can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
3/day: suggestion
Magic Resistance. The yuan-ti has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
Cantrip (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast (range 300 ft., +3 bonus to each damage roll), mage hand, message, poison spray,
prestidigitation
1st–3rd level (2 3rd-level slots): arms of Hadar, darkness, fear, hex, hold person, hunger of Hadar, witch bolt
Actions
Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti makes one constrict attack and one scimitar attack.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the yuan-ti can’t constrict
another target.
Scimitar (Yuan-ti Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Invoke Nightmare (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The yuan-ti taps into the nightmares of a creature it can see within 60 feet of it
and creates an illusory, immobile manifestation of the creature’s deepest fears, visible only to that creature. The target must make a
DC 13 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage and is frightened of the manifestation,
believing it to be real. The yuan-ti must concentrate to maintain the illusion (as if concentrating on a spell), which lasts for up to 1
minute and can’t be harmed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the illusion on a success,
or taking 11 (2d10) psychic damage on a failure.
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Zindar
This half-gold dragon runs Port Nyanzaru’s docks and keeps track of ship manifests. A sorcerer of impressive ability, Zindar is well paid by the
merchant princes for his work. He is also a key member of the Ytepka Society and a great source of information about the city. Zindar has a soft spot
for adventurers, but he knows the dangers of Chult well enough to understand that most of those who embark on expeditions to explore the jungle
never return.
Zindar makes extensive use of spells in his day-to-day work, casting message to deliver missives to dock workers, detect thoughts for reading ship
captains’ minds, knock for unsealing containers for inspection, clairvoyance for peering into ship holds, dominate beast to pacify nervous animals,
and so forth.
ZINDAR
Medium humanoid (half-dragon), lawful good
Speed 30 ft.
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Spellcasting. Zindar is a 14th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
Zindar knows the following sorcerer spells:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, friends, light, mage hand, mending, message
Dragon Wings. As a bonus action on his turn, Zindar can sprout a pair of dragon wings from his back, gaining a flying speed of 30 feet
until he dismisses them as a bonus action.
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage, or 6 (1d8+2) bludgeoning
damage when used with two hands.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). Zindar uses one of the following options:
Fire Breath. Zindar exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22
(4d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Weakening Breath. Zindar exhales gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
have disadvantage on Strength-based attack rolls, Strength checks, and Strength saving throws for 1 minute. A creature can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Zindar’s Traits
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Ideal. “I take pride in my work, and I like to keep all my business dealings honest.”
Bond. “Port Nyanzaru is my home. I take a dim view of those who would bring harm to the city and its inhabitants.”
Zombies
Several new zombie variants are presented below. For more information on zombies, see the Monster Manual.
Ankylosaurus Zombie. This creature is slow and barely aware of its surroundings.
ANKYLOSAURUS ZOMBIE
Huge undead, unaligned
Speed 20 ft.
Languages —
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage
taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must
succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Girallon Zombie. Girallons are four-armed apes with white fur. Girallon zombies are slower than their non-undead counterparts but no less fierce. The
necromantic energy empowering them fuels their murderous hearts and their hunger for living flesh.
GIRALLON ZOMBIE
Large undead, chaotic evil
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Languages —
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the zombie can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage
taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The zombie makes five attacks: one with its bite and four with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Tyrannosaurus Zombie. A tyrannosaurus zombie has a gullet full of smaller zombies, which it can disgorge. These zombies aren’t under the
tyrannosaurus zombie’s control.
TYRANNOSAURUS ZOMBIE
Huge undead, unaligned
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Speed 40 ft.
Languages —
Disgorge Zombie. As a bonus action, the tyrannosaurus zombie can disgorge a normal zombie, which appears in an unoccupied space
within 10 feet of it. The disgorged zombie acts on its own initiative count. After a zombie is disgorged, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, the
tyrannosaurus zombie runs out of zombies to disgorge and loses this trait. If the tyrannosaurus zombie still has this trait when it dies,
1d4 normal zombies erupt from its corpse at the start of its next turn. These zombies act on their own initiative count.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the tyrannosaurus zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5
+ the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The tyrannosaurus zombie makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail. It can’t make both attacks against
the same target.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller
creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and the tyrannosaurus zombie can’t bite
another target or disgorge zombies.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Zorbo
A zorbo (pronounced ZOR-boh) is a ferocious omnivore similar in size and appearance to a koala. Living in trees and caves, it has long claws, a dour
disposition, and a fondness for humanoid flesh. A zorbo alters its natural armor to match its surroundings, and it can weaken and destroy armor,
shields, and protective magic items with its sharp claws.
ZORBO
Small monstrosity, unaligned
Skills Athletics +3
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Languages —
Magic Resistance. The zorbo has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Natural Armor. The zorbo magically absorbs the natural strength of its surroundings, adjusting its Armor Class based on the material it
is standing or climbing on: AC 15 for wood or bone, AC 17 for earth or stone, or AC 19 for metal. If the zorbo isn’t in contact with any
of these substances, its AC is 10.
Actions
Destructive Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) slashing damage, and if the target is a
creature wearing armor, carrying a shield, or in possession of a magic item that improves its AC, it must make a DC 11 Dexterity
saving throw. On a failed save, one such item worn or carried by the creature (the target’s choice) magically deteriorates, taking a
permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers, and the zorbo gains a +1 bonus to AC until the start of its next turn. Armor
reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield or magic item that drops to a 0 AC increase is destroyed.
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Guides ↑
Handout 2: Azaka Stormfang
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Handout 3: Eku
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Handout 6: Musharib
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Handout 9: Salida
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Acererak's Warnings ↑
Handout 17: Acererak’s First Warning
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Credits ↑
Designers: Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter
Interior Illustrators: Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Zoltan Boros, Christopher Bradley, Jedd Chevrier, Daarken, Chris Dien, Olga Drebas, Leesha Hannigan,
Victor Maury, Chris Seaman, Cory Trego-Erdner, Richard Whitters, Eva Widerman, Shawn Wood
Producer: Stan!
Other D&D Team Members: Bart Carroll, Trevor Kidd, Christopher Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Mike Mearls, Ben Petrisor, Hilary Ross, Liz Schuh, Nathan
Stewart, Greg Tito
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Playtesters
Damião Abreu, Emmanuel Acosta, Manny Acosta, Robert Alaniz, Stacey Allan, Jay Anderson, Paul Aparicio, Luke Austin-Smith, Matt Austin, Andrew
Bahls, Chris Balboni, Melissa Bassett, Simon Batchelor, Jason Baxter, Lawrence Beals, Scott Beck, André Bégin, Jerry Behrendt, Charles Benscoter,
Jacob Benscoter, Shawn Bergseng, Stacy Bermes, Jim Berrier, Giles Bicknell, Lauren Bilanko, Joseph Boerjes, Miranda Faye Bowen, Matt Boyd, Scott
Brand, Zachary Brand, Jordan Brass, Garrett Bray, Ken Breese, Chris Breunig, Travis Brock, Bobby Brown, Matthew Buddhe, Charles Burbridge, Willi
Burger, Matt Burton, Bradley Butts, Mik Calow, Zane Cannon, Jay Carey, Anthony Caroselli, John Cassel, Kyle Castilaw, Richard Chamberlain, Wayne
Chang, Paul Charvet, Pantelis Chatzinikolis, Lemuel Cheung, Emre Cihangir, Jeffery Clark, Heather Coleman, Garrett Colón, Ivan Cortez, Mélanie Coté,
James Cottrell, Mark Coulter, Drew Crevello, Manon Crevier, Alexander Crouzen, Max Cushner, Simon Cwilich, Brian Dahl, Alex D’Amico, Ben
Danderson, Soren Danielson, Waylon Darosh, Derek DaSilva, Phil Davidson, Cait Davis, Marcello De Velazquez, Yourik de Voogd, Mark Denholm, Krupal
Desai, Scott Deschler, Yorcho Diaz, Dan Dodson, Adam Dowdy, Alexander Dugmore, Shawn Durr, Norm Eadie, João Eduardo, Andrew Eggleston, Jay
Elmore, Clayton Embrey, James Endicott, Eric Engbloom, Andrew Epps, Kevin Erhler, Thelem Eyseir, Justin Faris, Ian Fay, Jared Fegan, Frank
Fergusson, Grant Fisk, Star Fitzgerald, Shannon Flowers, Alex Forsyth, Mike Fowler, Daniel Franco, Jason Fransella, Sean Freeland, Max Frutig, Travis
Fuller, Dominique Gaddis, Jeremiah Gaddis, Cassie Garrett, Ben Garton, Kellie Getty, Stephen “Guppy” Getty, Luke Gianella, Bryan Gillispie, Gundula
Gonzalez, Maxwell Gord, Curt Gould, Nick Graves, Jeremy Green, Michael Greene, Mark Greenberg, Kevin Grigsby, Nicci Grigsby, Jim Hackbarth, Jeff
Hagen, Sarah Hager, Rob Hall, Steph Hall, Matt Hammond, Michael Harman, Lonny Harper, Bryan Harris, Gregory L. Harris, Dan Harsh, Frederick
Harvey, Nick Hawks, Ian Hawthorne, James Hazel, Steve Heitke, Mary Hershey, Sterling Hershey, Jason Hesse, Michael Hesprich, Will Hines, Andrew
Hitchcock, Jeremy Hochhalter, Mackenzie Hoffman, William Hoffman, Jeffrey Hofmann, Bradyn Holaus, Josh Hoyt, Howard “Poly” Hubble, Paul
Hughes, Angela Imrie, Jeff Imrie, Jacob Ingalls, Kelly Ingalls, Dave Jackson, Chris Jernigan, Emily Johnson, Paul Kalupnieks, Alex Kammer, Joseph
Kauffman IV, Matthew Keeney, Robert Kennedy, Bill Kerney, Allen King, James Kirtley, Matt Klassen, Dan Klinestiver, Kirk Klopfenstein, Mark Knapik,
William Knight, Mark Knobbe, Gabe Knouf, Jason Knutson, Todd Krieg, Jeff Kubiak, Tim Kubik, Nicole Kuprienko, Yan Lacharité, Bruce LaClair, Brian
Lakeman, Elisa Laudato, Martyn Lawrence, Shane Leahy, Francois P. Lefebvre Sr., Eric Leroux, Damon Liddell, Michael Liebhart, Gray Lihou, Cindy Liu,
Jessie Livingston, Matt Livingston, Tom Lommel, Michael Long, Jonathan Longstaff, Jason Lopez, Ginny Loveday, Keith Loveday, Helano B. Luciano,
Kevin Luebke, Gabriel S. Machado, Joe Manganiello, Nick Manganiello, Matt Maranda, Johnathan Marquis, Joel Marsh, Shelby Marsh, Richard Martin,
Genesis Martinez, Ron Mathews, Effie Matteson, Joemar McDonnell, Chris McGovern, Stacy McGovern, Billy Meinhardt, William Meinhardt, Paul
Melamed, Hugo Mendieta, Jonathan Mendoza, Angel Michelli, Janaina Michelli, Justin Michelli, Lou Michelli, Luciano Michelli, Jason Middelton,
Shawn Middelton, Alexander Mihilas, Mike Mihalas, Nicholas Mihalas, Zoe Mihalas, Jonathan Miles, Connor Miller, Glen Miller, Sarah Minkiewicz,
Daren Mitchell, Cindy Moore, Scott Moore, Ben Morrier, David Morris, Blake Morrison, John Morton, Christopher Moss, Tim Mottishaw, Jawsh
Murdock, William Myers, Jeremy Nagorny, Walter Nau, Yosefat Nava, Daniel Norton, Richard Nunn, John Oehlberg, Daniel Oliveira, Jesus Ortiz, Kelsey
Ortiz, Matthew Ouimet, Rob Parker, John-Alan Pascoe, Cat Pauley, Russ Paulsen, Chris Payne, Matthew Pennington, Satine Phoenix, Zachary Pickett,
Cheryl Pierce, Victor B. Pimentel, Vanessa F. Pinheiro, Joyce Pinnow, Scott Pinnow, Jeremy Plesco, Tony Porteous, Dan Pratt, Mark Price, Nel Pulanco,
Branden Purdham, Jennifer Puttress, Robert Quillen II, Ryan Quint, Ben Rabin, Kevin Raliegh, Karl Resch, Mathew Reuther, Keith Richmond, Bob
Riepshuff, Brittany Riles, Jason L. Riley, Sean Riley, Wyndll Robertson, Jesse Robinson, Evan Rodarte, Matthew Roderick, Eduardo Rodriquez, Daulton
Rokes, Darik Rosser, Dave Rosser Jr., David Russell, Ruty Rutenberg, Gus Ryer, Mike Salopek, James Sanford, Treouis Sankey, Aruther Saucier, Will
Saucier, Connor Schenck, Joseph Schenck, Joseph Schenck III, James Schweiss, Christopher Scoggin, Jonathan Connor Self, Nick Sementelli, Sara
Servin, Damian Sharp, Justin Sharp, Ken Schuer, Mike Shea, Armand Shelley, Randall Shepherd, Joseph Simpson, Pieter Sleijpen, Rhaya Small, Serena
Small, Troy Small, Christopher Sniezak, Amber Spiva, Jim Spiva, Keaton Stamps, Cait Stevenson, Katie Stewart, Erik Strong, Miguel “Sully” Sullivan,
Jordan Swim, Matthew Talley, Shane Taylor, Royce Thigpen, Casey Thomas, Katie Jensen Thomas, Kirsten Thomas, Kyle Thomas, James A.
Thompson, TJ Thorp, JJ Tin, Jordan Trais, Sixto Trejo, Kyle Turner, Mackenzie Upchurch, Christina Usher, Renout van Rijn, William Vaughan, Kyle Ver
Steeg, Alex Vine, Kurt Waldkirch, Chenoa Walker, Frank Walton, Gerald Wan, Eric Weberg, Sean Werner, Colin Wheeler, Seth Wheeler, David Williamson,
Ben Wilson, Shannon Wilson, James Wodka, Benjamin Wolf, Stephanie Wosnitza, Chris Wood, Rich Wood, Charles Wulff, Dave Zajac, Andrew
Zambrzycki, Ali Zeren, Gabrielle Zulaski
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