Part 2: The Dark Cathedral
- Entry
- Summary: A large, mostly empty room with a fountain filled with inky black liquid. Three passages lead to each of the temples of evil.
- Checks:
- DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) around the pool to find clues that folks have tried to dig fingernails into the stones about the pool to avoid being immersed.
- Threats: Touching the pool causes 1 cold damage. Submersion in the pool causes 4d10 cold damage. Two warrior veterans stand guard in this room. One engages the party, while the other heads east to alert the cultists of Hextor.
- Rewards: An offering in the basket near the fountain of 100 gp and a statue of Ethrynul worth 300 gp.
- Development: The guard will attempt to warn reinforcements in the Temple of Hextor. At the end of the adventure, the Aspect of the Overgod will emerge (probably) from the pool.
- Chamber of the Guardians
- Summary: Eight suits of armor with skeletons inside line the room. If the party opens the door without the proper knock or the guard reaches the room before the party, all the skeletons attack. Each suit of armor is adorned with bells, alerting the cultists to intruders and visitors.
- Threats: 8 skeletons with AC 18.
- Development: See the table at the bottom of this post for how combat develops in the temple. In my play through, the cultists in room 3 escaped and freed the boar and alerted the clerics, while the party blocked the veterans in room 4 until they dealt with the boar and skeletons.
- Chamber of the Faithful
- Summary: Cultists loyal to the temple squat in this chamber.
- Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) to find the treasure.
- Threats: 5 cultists
- Rewards: Holy symbol of Hextor worth 100 gp and a ceremonial dagger worth 50 gp.
- Developments: The cultists will leave at the sound of battle to first unleash the beast, and then alert the clerics of Hextor.
- Guard Chamber
- Summary: A chamber for guards who watch the door.
- Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (investigation) to find treasure.
- Threats: 2 warrior veterans
- Rewards: Pouch with 20 pp and gold necklace worth 100 gp
- Developments: The guards here move to delay attackers in area 2.
- Chamber of the Beast
- Summary: A pen containing a beast trained by the cult.
- Checks: DC 13 Dexterity check with Thieves ’ Tools to open the padlock on the beast’s cage.
- Threats: 1 giant boar
- Developments: The boar moves to attack intruders, while the cultists head to area 6.
- Inner Guard Chamber
- Summary: Secondary guard chamber
- Checks: If the door is barred, it requires a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to open.
- Threats: 3 warrior veterans
- Rewards: One guard has a silver ring inlaid with emeralds worth 200 gp.
- Developments: Alerted guards here will bar and defend the door while the clerics in area 9 are notified and prepare for the intruders.
- Barracks (empty save for some weapons)
- Priests’ Chambers
- Summary: Chamber of a pair of married priests of Hextor, Garrus and Kendra.
- Checks: DC 13 Dexterity (thieves’ tools) check to open the chest in the room.
- Threats Garrus (Priest) and Kendra (Howling Hatred Priest)
- Rewards: 200 gp, a jeweled bracelet worth 500 gp, and a wand of entangle.
- Chapel of Hextor
- Summary: A desecrated altar of Hextor with two zombies guarding it.
- Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check to identify a glyph of warding on the secret panel, and a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to disarm
- Threats: 2 troglodyte zombies who have advantage on checks against turn undead thanks to the desecrate effect.
- Rewards: 250 gp golden chalice, 2 silver holy symbols of Hextor worth 50 gp each, and a silvered sacrificial dagger worth 150 gp.
- Theldrick’s Chamber
- Summary: The High Priest of Hextor’s chamber, containing scrolls detailing the cult’s plans (handout #1).
- Checks: None
- Threats: Theldric, a war priest.
- Rewards: 70 gp and a bust of a dwarven king worth 2000 gp to the right buyer.
- Battle Temple of Hextor
- Summary: A battleground for the followers of Hextor with a large statue of the god in the middle.
- Checks: A DC 13 Strength check will topple the statue to create a bridge to the ledge.
- Threats: None, though enemies converge and funnel the characters here.
- Rewards: 1000 gp ruby set into the forehead of the statue.
- Development: If the characters can't make it past the door in room 6, they will be forced to battle the cultists here on grounds of their choosing. Theldrick, Garrus, and Kendra will attack from the rim of the temple, while zombie and remaining cultists and veterans attack at ground level. Enterprising characters will notice they can topple the statue to reach the rim with the priests.
Summary of Enemy Responses
| Round after combat starts | Location | Action |
| 1 | 3 | cultists move to area 5 |
| 1 | 4 | Guards engage PCs in delaying action in area 2 |
| 2 | 3 | Cultists enter area 5 and unleash the Beast |
| 3 | 3 | Cultists move toward area 6 |
| 3 | 5 | Beast moves to engage PCs |
| 4 | 3 | Cultists alert guards in area 6 |
| 5 | 3 | cultists go to area 7 and alert the clerics |
| 5 | 6 | Guards bar the door to area 6. |
| 6 | 3 & 7 | cultists and clerics alert Theldric in area 9 |
| 7 | 3, 7, and 9 | Cultists, clerics, zombies, and Theldric move to the ledge in area 11 to await intruders |
No comments:
Post a Comment