Dungeon23, February Day 25

Well, it's been a hell of a busy week for me, so this project fell to the wayside as I got things sorted out. But now that the weekend is here, I was able to catch up and get the new map section picked out and the first several rooms filled out for each day I missed.

Here is the first section of the Temple Area!

Map by Justin Andrew Mason.

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Now that the PCs have passed through the Crypts under the Mausoleum, they have found a set of stairs that continues deeper underground into the lair of the evil cult itself! In this temple, the PCs will battle the cultists and their leadership in a desperate attempt to rescue the kidnapped prince before he can be sacrificed to the Lord of the Nine Hells.

Area 1

The stairs deposit the PCs into this entryway.

Facing you is a set of stone-carved steps leading up to a massive set of double doors that appear to be cast in iron. Molded upon the iron doors are depictions of the Nine Hells, complete with devils torturing mortal humanoids in numerous horrific fashion. Scrawled upon the top of the door is a set of rune written in the Infernal script.

Those who can read the Infernal runes can read them aloud, if they choose: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” This is the legendary phrase that is supposedly written upon the gates of Hell. It is also a hint to the password that will magically open the doors. If the word “hopeless” is spoken in any language, the doors will magically open and remain open for 1 minute before closing again. Otherwise the doors are sealed with an arcane lock spell (AC 19, 27 hit points, immune to poison and psychic damage).

Area 2

The doors open into the temple entry hall. This semi-circular room has profane mosaics decorating the floor. The ceiling is supported by numerous pillars that encircle the room along the walls as well as a large pillar at the center of the room. Torches set into wall sconces along this central pillar illuminate the chamber. To the left and right you can see a pair of doors with a stone statue of a fiendish-looking man just beyond it.

As you take in the sight of this evil temple, two pairs of crimson-armored kirks step out from between a nearby set of pillars to see who has opened the main temple doors.

The two torches in the wall sconces are everburning torches. Thanks to the highly-polished stone walls, floors, and ceiling, they fill the room with bright light.

Out of the initial sight of the PCs is a large statue to the north of the room. It will be hidden from the PCs initial view due to the central pillar in the chamber. This large statue depicts the Princess of the Nine Hells, the rebellious daughter of the Infernal Lord himself. If the daughter's name (Glasya) is spoken aloud, they eyes of the statue will open and its fiery gaze will fall upon the speaker of her name. What happens from here depends on the words and actions of the PCs.

If the PCs give praise to Hell's Princess in the form of basic flattery, she may give them a small boon, such as a bless spell (giving the PC a +1d4 bonus on the next attack roll or saving throw they make). Or, if the PCs make an offering to her in the form of wealth (something worth at least 1,000 gp) or a living sacrifice (must be a living creature with a Challenge Rating of at least 1), she may grant them a larger boon, such as a heal spell.

On the other hand, if the PCs speak unfavorably of Hell's Princess, she will attempt to smite them with her fiery gaze. First, she will level her gaze at the two stone statues in this room, which will animate and attack the PCs until the PCs are slain or until the statues are destroyed. While the PCs battle the animated statues, the statue of Hell's Princess shoots fire from her eyes at the PC who most offended her (Fire Bolt. Range Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 22 [4d10] fire damage). When the animated statues have slain the PCs, or if the PCs have destroyed the animated statues, the Princess of Hell decides these mortals are no longer worth her time, and the eyes of the statue will close.

Creatures: This chamber is guarded by four crimson-armored kirks loyal to the evil cult. They will attack any intruders to the temple. If the PCs flee, the kirks will shut the doors of the temple and call for reinforcements from deeper within the temple to hunt down the intruders.

Animated Stone Statues (2)

Medium construct, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 39 (6d8+12)

Speed 20 ft.

Str 16 (+3) Dex 9 (-1) Con 14 (+2)

Int 1 (-5) Wis 5 (-3) Cha 1 (-5)

Condition Immunity blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Damage Immunity poison, psychic

Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius); passive Perception 7

Languages --

Challenge 2 (450 xp); Prof. Bonus +2

Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.

False Appearance. If the statue is motionless at the start of combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a creature hasn't observed the statue move or act, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that the statue is animate.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The statue makes two Slam attacks.

Slam. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, 5-ft. reach, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage.

Kirks (4)

Medium humanoid (any), lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (plate)

Hit Points 52 (8d8+16)

Speed 30 ft.

Str 16 (+0) Dex 11 (+0) Con 14 (+2)

Int 11 (+0) Wis 11 (+0) Cha 15 (+2)

Saves Con +4, Wis +2

Senses passive Perception 10

Languages Common, Infernal

Challenge 3 (700 xp); Prof. Bonus +2

Brave. The kirk has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

ACTIONS

Multiattack: The kirk makes two melee attacks.

Greatsword: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage.

Heavy Crossbow: Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage.

Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest): For 1 minute, the kirk can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the kirk. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if the kirk is incapacitated.

REACTIONS

Parry: The kirk adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the kirk must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

Area 3

The stone door to this hallway is closed but not locked.

In the 10 foot shadowy length of this hall between the lights coming from areas 2 and 5, creature venturing through this area will encounter a sensation much like dozens of hands caressing them along their arms, body, and face. If the PCs carry a light source with them through this hallway, they will not experience this sensation; it is only in the dark that the effect presents itself.

Hanging on the walls in this hallway are several life-sized portraits of naked succubi and incubi, all appearing in lewd and suggestive positions, as if offering themselves to the viewer. What is even stranger is that, in the dark, the subjects in the portraits move in position when they are not viewed; assuming different poses when looked upon by a viewer.

Treasure: There are four of these magical portraits. Two feature a different succubus and two feature a different incubus. If the PCs can safely transport these massive portraits outside the temple, and find an appropriate buyer interested in erotic art, the portraits can be sold for as much as 500 gp each.

Area 4

The stone door to this hallway is closed but not locked.

This hallway is brightly illuminated, with light coming from a pair of everburning torches and strange prismatic pillars located to the north (4a) and south (4b) of the hall. The prismatic pillars cause the hallway to glow in strange hues as they shift from one color to another. These prismatic pillars are minor magical traps placed here to harry intruders. The evil cultists that reside here know to not interact with the pillars.

Trap: If a creature touches one of the prismatic pillars, it suddenly explodes in a color spray spell effect; affecting up to 8d10 hit points of creatures in a 15-foot cone.

Once the color spray effect goes off the stone doors to the west and north of this hall automatically close (if they were open) and are affected as though by an arcane lock spell. Meanwhile, the door to the south of the hall (leading to area 9) opens, allowing the flesh golem in that room to attack the intruders while they are afflicted by the color spray effect.

Area 5

This room is brightly illuminated by a pair of everburning torches set into wall sconces to the north of the room and a 10-foot long wall of fire burning to the south of the room. The wall of fire deals 5d8 fire damage to any creature that ends its turn within 10 north of or inside the wall. The wall of fire can be lowered or raised as an Action by any member of the evil cult who is adorned in their full cultist robes, mask, and infernal amulet.

A statue of a fiend stands against the northern wall.

The floor is engraved with an inactive magic circle. The magic circle becomes active if fresh blood is spilled upon the floor.

The evil cult uses this room to summon or commune with fiends, should they have need. The magic circle is used to protect the cultists from the powers of the fiends until they can reach a bargain for services.

The stone door to the west of this room is closed and locked.

Area 6

Behind the wall of fire is a small alcove containing a large storage chest. This alcove is brightly illuminated, thanks to a pair of everburning torches set into sconces on the southern wall.

Treasure: The storage chest is unlocked. It contains a number of items used in the summoning of fiends from the Nine Hells. This includes a bundle of sulfur-smelling incense, a wavy-bladed +1 dagger whose blade appears to be covered in old blood, a blood-stained bronze bowl and ewer, a dozen black candles, and a dozen vials of unholy water. Half a dozen small bags, each filled with 100 gp of powdered silver and iron, are located within. This is used to activate the magic circle, if the evil cult does not have a suitable mortal sacrifice to use in their offering.

The storage chest has a false bottom. This is only located by a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Inside the false bottom is a silk bag containing a single diamond worth 500 gp. Only the cult leaders know about this hidden treasure, and it is only to be used in the event of the death of one of the cult leaders.