Guide to Running the Whispering Cairn, Part 2

This is the second part of my guide to running The Whispering Cairn from the Age of Worms adventure path, originally published in 2005 in Dungeon 124. Part 2 covers the false tomb and the rest of the Cairn. Part 3 will cover the interlude that requires the characters to leave the Cairn to help put Alaster Land's spirit to rest and access the true tomb. 

7. False Tomb

   • Summary: A complex false tomb leading to the rest of the dungeon. A sarcophagus with a bas-relief depiction of a Wind Duke sits in the middle of the chamber.

   • Checks:

     • DC 20 Intelligence (History) check to know the sigil identified an ancient elemental entity of some renown.
     • DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to rotate the sarcophagus. The tomb initially points to the orange lantern.
     • DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check to see circular depressions in the alcove beneath each lantern.

   • Threats:

     Sarcophogus Trap

     Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: Moving the sarcophagus lid.

     Duration: Instantaneous

     Any creature attempting to remove the lid triggers a burning hands spell in the direction of the creature. Each creature in a 15-foot cone from the triggering creature makes a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can examine the lid and make a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check to detect the magical rune that triggers the trap. It can only be deactivated via a dispel magic.

   • Developments:

     • To proceed, the characters need to find the two missing lanterns (indigo in area 5, and red in the Laborers’ Lair) and put lit candles in all seven lanterns.
     • Red Lantern: missing and is in the Laborer’s area
     • Orange Lantern: The platform points here with no torch.
     • Yellow Lantern: Pointing the platform here summons an arcane elevator to the architect of the tomb’s personal quarters. It conveys one person at a time down to the chambers. A button at the bottom of the shaft calls the elevator back down
     • Green Lantern: This lantern contains a torch that has a continual flame cast on it. When the sarcophagus points at it, the elevator collapses, and two swarms of larvae climb out and attack the nearest PC. Characters can easily climb down the pitted passage to area 15.
     • Blue Lantern: A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the ceiling is higher than other alcoves and in darkness, and a human skeleton is on the ground. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals the skeleton likely died due to blunt force trauma, like falling from a great height. Hidden in the darkness in the ceiling is an opening to Area 8. Reaching the opening requires a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to climb the wall.
     • Indigo Lantern: This lantern was stolen and could be found in the backpack in area 5. When the dias is pointed at this alcove, an elevator is called. On the floor of the cylinder is debris, including rags and crushed bones. If anyone stands inside it for two consecutive rounds, they will be crushed when the door closes. There is a pouch in the debris with 35 gp, 15 sp, and a red ruby worth 50 gp.
     • Violet Lantern: Nothing to see here.

8. Passage of the Face

   • Summary: This passage ends in a large, asexual visage of a screaming face with prismatic eyes that is a deadly trap. Adding torches to all 7 lanterns disables the trap and grants access to the lair of the architect.

   • Threats:

     Screaming Mouth Trap

     Deadly Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: More than 60 pounds on a pressure plate

     Duration: 10 minutes

     When the trap is triggered, a hold person spell affects every creature in the passage unless they succeed on a Wisdom save DC 12. Additionally, an effect similar to the gust of wind spell affects anyone standing in the passage, and they must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw to avoid being pushed 15 feet. Held characters automatically fail. Each round thereafter, the wind escalates, and the number of feet pushed increases by 5 feet while the DC increases by 2. The intensity stops once the DC reaches 20, but the wind continues to blow for 9 minutes. Characters pushed to the end of the passage fall through the hall and must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex saving throw to grab the chain or fall to the ground and take 5d6 damage.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the gouges in the floor with a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check. The trigger plate can be identified with a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The face will not activate if all of the lanterns have burning torches in them.

   • Developments: If all 8 lanterns contain burning torches, the Architect’s face disappears and allows access to the Architect’s Tomb and area 9.

9. Architect’s Foyer

   • Summary: A large stone blocks this passage with only a thin space between the stone andthe ceiling for someone to squeeze through. The stone can be tipped, springing a trap.

   • Checks:

   • • DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to squeeze through the crack in the slab and ceiling.
     • At least as many successes as failures on a DC 15 Strength check by up to four party members to flip the slab. Results over 20 count as two successes.

   • Threats:

     Slab Trap

     Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: Removing the stone slab from the pressure plate

     Duration: Instantaneous after an onset delay of 3 rounds

     When the trap is triggered, after 3 rounds, the hall is filled with noxious green gas. Characters must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d10 (11) poison damage and gaining the poisoned condition for one hour on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the pressure plate with a DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A character can disarm the trap by placing at least 100 pounds of weight on the plate quickly with a DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

10. Passage of Honor

    • Summary: Passage filled with alcoves and androgynous carvings of Wind Dukes. The passage is noticeably cold because of a patch of brown mold in area 11. A choker hides in the second alcove and attacks anyone affected by the brown mold.
    • Checks:
      • Passive Wisdom (Perception) check DC 16 to spot the hidden choker.
    • Threats: A choker hides in the second set of alcoves.

11. Gallery

    • Summary: Large chamber with a pillar that produces nutritious sludge. A triggered trap hides treasure if it can be reset.
    • Checks: DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find a catch in the east alcove that raises a trapped block that killed a tomb robber.
    • Threats: Brown Mold grows around the pillar.
    • Treasure: The corpse in the tool closet wears +1 chainmail. Three intact statues from the passage of honor are worth 200 gp each.

12. Living Quarters

    • Summary: A slab of stone functions as an air bed. A statue in the room bears the symbol of the architect, Nardoc.

13. Workshop

    • Summary: A looted workshop with an in-progress statue of some great being holding a wooden staff. A minor earth elemental who once served Ogremach is bound here.
    • Checks:
      • DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) notices that the wooden staff has six scores, indicating it is comprised of seven pieces.
      • DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to identify the gold symbol on the egg as that of Ogremach, a primordial. DC 20 Intelligence (history) to know his forces fought on the side of elemental evil in an ancient war.
    • Threats: If touched, the elemental creature that looks like an egg awakens and challenges the party in Terran. If convinced the characters can help it escape, it relates what it knows about the cavern. If they anger it, it attacks as a gargoyle without flyby attack.

14. Toilet

15. Laborer’s Foyer

    • Summary: Foyer filled with depictions of wind duke laborers. The large glyph is that of Nardoc, the architect.

16. Food Room/The Hive

    • Summary: Room infested with beetles.
    • Checks:
      • DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) to find three lumps that are the bodies of long-dead seekers. 
      • DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to identify the star marking on the leather armor as that of the Seekers, an unscrupulous band of treasure seekers.
    • Threats: 2 swarms of insects.
    • Treasure: Each seeker corpse has a potion of healing.

17. Sleeping Quarters

    • Summary: Sleeping quarters for laborers that causes exhaustion.
    • Threats: The room inflicts a level of exhaustion on anyone inside unless they make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw each round. The levels of exhaustion go away as soon as one leaves the room.
    • Treasure: The corpse of a seeker on one of the beds has a silver ring worth 75 gp.

• Tool Alcoves

7. Submerged Shadows

   • Summary: A submerged bathing room controlled by a corrupted water elemental. Areas 19-22 are submerged. Underwater combat
   • Threats: A water elemental with 50 hp attacks anyone who enters the waters. The water elemental has advantage on all attacks against submerged foes.

8. Locker Room with Benches

   • Summary: Room with a dead Seeker body and the red lantern.
   • Checks: DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check to identify that the corpse’s bones have been gnawed on.
   • Treasure: There is a +1 short sword on the corpse. The blade is made of enchanted human bone and appears to have seen considerable wear and use. Later, the characters find a prophecy elsewhere that ties the bone blade to the Age of Worms.
   • Developments: The Red Lantern needed to access the true tomb is located on the corpse.

9. Other Locker Room with Benches

   • Summary: A former seeker turned ghoul lairs here.
   • Threats: Ghoul of the seeker known as Uluvant lairs here and attacks anyone it detects. Paralyzed characters do not begin to drown.
   • Treasure: 55sp, 38 gp, and 2 pp on Uluvaunt’s body, as well as his seeker ring, worth 200 gp.
   • Developments: The Character carrying the ring will attract the attention of Khellek from the rival adventurers.

10. Toilet

11. Alastor’s Haunt

    • Summary: A single wooden beam runs through a dark hall filled with metal balls. A grick dwells in the room, as well as the ghost of Alastor Land, who will taunt the PCs.

    • Checks: DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) to hear the grick moving through the balls.

    • Threats: A grick lurks amongst the balls. Alastor land is a ghost the party should negotiate with rather than fight.

      Hail of Balls Trap

      Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

      Trigger: Someone coming within 15 feet of the end of the room.

      Duration: Instantaneous

      When the trap is triggered, a hail or iron balls fires at anyone standing in the room on the balance beam. Ranged +3 to attack, 1d4 damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the balls below, taking 1d6 falling damage.

      Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the recesses that fire the balls with a DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A character can disarm the trap by spending an hour jamming each recess.

    • Treasure: Hidden amidst the balls are 47 gp, 7 sp, and 1 pp.

    • Developments: If the characters return Alastor’s remains to his family’s farmstead, he can rest and will press the button on the other side of the door that lets them into the True Tomb.

12. The Chamber of Sighs

    • Summary: A chamber full of bas-relief murals that come to life with wispy smoke as characters approach. They show the following scenes:
      • Idyllic creatures of elemental air are beset by half-spider, half-wolf creatures.
      • A towering duke with a notable insignia is saluted by other dukes.
      • 7 dukes present a staff to a lord, who splits it into seven parts. The scene is titled “The Wandering Dukes”.
      • In the final battle of the two forces, a Wind Duke uses the staff to slay a gigantic demon that is half-spider, half-wolf, with the torso of a human. The duke, demon, and staff disappear.
      • The last column will whisk the characters to area 25, but not before they defeat the two wind warriors.
    • Threats: Use the helmed horror stat block for the wind warriors with the suggested resistances. In addition, the helmed horror can cast thunderwave 1/day with a spell save DC of 14, and their arcane swords do thunder instead of force damage.

13. The True Tomb

    • Summary: This is the tomb of a minor Wind Duke named Zosiel, who was slain by a Sphere of Annihilation, as depicted in the mural. If a character can speak the name of the duke, the sarcophagus will open.
    • Checks: DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) to identify the sphere and the talisman of the sphere.
    • Treasure: A headband of Intellect (rather than a circlet of wisdom) is waiting for the characters inside the tomb. There are also two long black horns tipped in red worth 50 gp each, as well as a demonic metal box containing an inactive Talisman of the Sphere.
    • Developments: Allustan will encourage the characters to hold on to the Talisman. Characters will have a few days to carouse about town before Sheriff Cubbin arrests them to begin the next part of the adventure.