Listgate Catacombs
Entrance
The air is hot and humid with the smell of a reptile house. Set into the walls at regular intervals are sepulchres filled with jumbled bones. Deep green moss and small ferns are starting to grow along the walls. The arches above the sepulchres are made from a single piece of twisted rock that seems almost impossible to carve. Every so often down the wall is a niche containing an orb, glowing a ghostly white like a TV on static in a dark room. Do a history or religion check DC 18.History
The architecture of this room shows that it was created in the Time of Heroes, probably shaped by magic. The carvings on the stonework look like they're originally from Aresh, an ancient country ruled by mages with near-godlike powers, that sank into the sea.Religion
Before this was a church of Lothrayne, it was a priory for a demigod of death and the sea, from the Time of Heroes called Akros of Aresh. Akros partially ascended after finding the bones of a sea god washed up on the beach and survived the sinking of Aresh. He journeyed to the Reshkai Plains where he led an army of tribes into Kalpurn. The Unified Church banned the worship of any demigod and it seems like this priory and the catacombs beneath was remade in Lothrayne's name. Akros' symbol is a horse skull.Spider webs
Huge spiderwebs cover the entrance to a small ossuary. Caught in them, obviously a few days dead but very desiccated. It looks elvish, but where its arms should be are clusters of snakes. It seems to be dressed only in a roughspun smock.The Spider
The spider is a trap hunter, catching victims in its web and poisoning them while helpless. It will not attack even if provoked, instead retreating further down its crack in the rock, its long, thick, furry legs all that can be seen. It will only attack if someone crawls into its hole or if it has not fed in a while. Currently, it is hungry but not enough to risk its life. In combat, it will attack the smallest or physically weakest character, attempting to paralyse or restrain them then carry them back to its lair.Phase Spider
Ethereal Jaunt. As a bonus action, the spider can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 1d10+2 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 4d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned this way.
A Phase spider possesses the magical ability to phase in and out of the Ethereal Plane. It seems to appear out of nowhere and quickly vanishes after attacking. Its movement on the Ethereal Plane before coming back to the Material Plane makes it seem like it can teleport.
Sainted skeletons
The room contains 8 skeletons adorned in ornate gold jewellery, tarnished and soiled by age, their eyes and noses sealed with gold to stop their souls escaping. They're stood around randomly, bodies leaning to the side under the weight of massive iron greatswords. At the far side of the room, you can see a clear chalice filled with red liquid and topped an intricate lid on a pedestal. There are alcoves in the walls covered by tattered curtains, heavily motheaten but obviously once very ornate.The Saints are grouped close together at the south side of the room but stones have fallen around the other side. These stones give disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and count as difficult terrain. They can be moved over at normal speed but this requires a DC 12 Dexterity save or you fall prone. The chalice contains Anointed Blood and will fill 1/3 of the blood offering to get to the Serpentgate. The Jewellery is worth 40 gold for scrap value.
Gilded Saint CR: 1/2
STR
18 +4
DEX
12 +1
CON
15 +2
INT
6 -2
WIS
8 -1
CHA
5 -3
Pack Tactics. The Gilded Saint has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Saint's allies is within 5ft of a creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. Blindness. The Gilded Saints are blind and will attack the nearest thing that makes a noise, whether it is an ally, an enemy, or empty space. They have one reaction a turn that they can use to move 5ft and make a greatsword attack against the source. This attack counts as an opportunity attack.
Reactions
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 2d6+4 slashing damage
Secret door
The door can be seen by the track of scattered dust through the map. If the players notice this, have them do a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If they succeed, they find one bone in the sepulchre that is obviously wooden and can be pulled to open the secret door. The room on the other side is a looted reliquary. Searching the room requires a DC 8 Intelligence (Investigation) check, one roll for the party, or half an hour of searching. Either way, they will always find 27 gold and 14 silver. On a success, they find a pair of Glasses of Minute Seeing, ironically missed by the yuan-ti looters. If they pass by 5 or more, they also find 2 Potions of Greater Healing.Dungeon Master's Guide 5th Edition
Potion of Greater Healing
Potion
Ingredients (Luna Moth Wing and Vampire Dust)
UncommonYou regain 4d4+4 hit points when you drink this potion. The potion's red liquid glimmers when agitated.
Cost: 50gp Weight: 0.5lb
Glasses of Minute Seeing
Wondrous Item
Varies
A pair of wire-framed spectacles fashionable roughly 50 years ago. While wearing them, you can see much better than normal out to a range of 1 foot. You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on sight while searching an area or studying an object within that range.
Door to Saint Tyriat
The door looks to be a single piece of stone with no mark to show hinges or opening. The only sign that it is a door is the disturbed dust around it. Above the door is an area of smoothed stone. Below that, on the door itself, is the message "Sainted Tyriat, found guilty after his death of the sin of gluttony by the Unified Church, is to have his head removed and replaced with that of a horse. If he is to act an animal, he shall be as such." Below that is a piece of yellowed parchment, peeling from the door at the corners. On it is written "Forgive us Lothrayne, we did not know. In his sentence, we only gave him more strength. May his soul never pass on, nor may this door be opened."Gilded Saint Tyriat
The door to the room slams shut the moment you all step through. At the far end of the room is a pit, the lights around the walls not even reaching a foot down its depths. As you watch, a huge shape rises out of it. It looks like a skeleton, draped in gauze under its fabulous vestments, bedecked in extravagant jewellery, but with the skull of a horse where its head should be. Crudely strapped to it with rough leather straps is a black iron mitre. Saint Tyriat was a priest of Akros who, in his lifetime, ordered regular lavish feasts. It was not unusual to eat enough food for 8 people in one sitting and those of his priesthood, honoured guests and even random travellers ate nearly as well while the people of Listgate Village starved. There were rumours that the luxurious ingredients he had in his dishes, were smuggled, or that the meat was human flesh. Centuries later, the priests of Lothrayne dug him up and performed a posthumous trial in which Tyriat was found guilty of the sin of gluttony. His head was replaced with a horse skull with an iron mitre crudely strapped on, to defile his remains and show those who saw him that he was little more than an animal. Unfortunately, the horse skull was a symbol of Akros, and this act gave him enough power through his god of death to rise again, controlling the bones of the other saints in his tomb.Gilded Saint Tyriat CR: 6
STR
9 -1
DEX
14 +2
CON
11 +0
INT
17 +3
WIS
12 +1
CHA
11 +0
Tyriat's is a 9th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (Spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks)
Counterspell, Fireball, Fly
Greater Invisibility, Ice Storm
Puppeteered. Tyriat himself is immune to damage. Whenever he takes 7 or more damage in one hit, one pair of hands drops away and he gets a -2 to all attributes.
Actions
Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15ft., one target.
Hit: 4 1d4+2 piercing damage
Legendary Actions
Tyriat can take 1 Legendary Action a turn, depending how many hands are still holding him.
5 pairs - Intimidating Presence. Each creature that can see Tyriat must take a DC 14 Wisdom save or be frightened for 1 minute. The creature may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
4 pairs or more - Fireball
3 pairs or more - Toll the Dead
2 pairs or more - Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15ft., one target.
Hit: 4 1d4+2 piercing damage
1 pair or more - Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15ft., one target.
Hit: 4 1d4+2 piercing damage
On a miss, Tyriat takes 1d8 damage
Plant room
The room has been seeded with hardy jungle plants so the yuan-ti can experience their natural level of heat and humidity. They will not last long when the Serpentgate is closed. They are tended by a green hag, pretending to be a captured servant from the priory. (Erind Pasha will say if asked that he doesn't recognise her, but will be too nervous to mention himself just in case he is wrong). The hag will try and lure them to the awakened tree (a small Tualang tree, a southeast Asian tree with buttressed roots), which will attack from ambush.MM page 177.
Green Hag CR: 3 (700 XP)
STR
18 +4
DEX
12 +1
CON
16 +3
INT
13 +1
WIS
14 +2
CHA
14 +2
Innate Spellcasting. The hag's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.
Amphibious. The hag can breathe air and water. Mimicry. The hag can mimic animal sounds and humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) 2d8+4 slashing damage. Illusory Appearance. The hag covers herself and anything she is wearing or carrying with a magical illusion that makes her look like another creature of her general size and humanoid shape. The illusion ends if the hag takes a bonus action to end it or if she dies. The changes wrought by this effect fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, the hag could appear to have smooth skin, but someone touching her would feel her rough flesh. Otherwise, a creature must take an action to visually inspect the illusion and succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that the hag is disguised. Invisible Passage. The hag magically turns invisible until she attacks or casts a spell, or until her concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While invisible, she leaves no physical evidence of her passage, so she can be tracked only by magic. Any equipment she wears or carries is invisible with her.
Awakened Tree
False Appearance. While the tree remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 ( 3d6+4 ) bludgeoning damage.
An awakened tree is an ordinary tree given sentience through the awaken spell or similar magic.
Blood-door
Before an ancient door of dark metal is a stone basin. On it's rim is written "Blood will never quench the thirst of the righteous man" (Kinrö tekirsosh kacayx moreshauch morishore yr shek kamadan) in gold. The door requires 6 pints of blood to open. The blood must be poured into the basin before the door. The Anointed Blood from the Gilded Saints and Saint Tyriat will each fill 1/3 of the way, despite being a lot smaller. Filling 1/3 of the bowl with your own blood will cause a character to take 2 HD in damage. The blood from yuan-ti or the hag cannot be used as is it not "righteous."Serpentgate
The room beyond is even more hot and humid that the main catacombs. In the centre of the room is a granite archway covered in vines and moss, carved with intricate images of serpents. In it's centre is a perfect circle of green, roughly the size of a head, occasionally flickering and giving off sparks.Looking through the portal, you see a misty jungle canopy, far below you. You appear to be at the top of a mountain, but it's not a mountain you're familiar with. There are odd animal cries and hoots, and the trees are too tall and spindly. The air is stifling. A DC 15 Nature check will tell them that its somewhere tropical, probably far north of Kalpurn, probably in Tetonac. If they get 18, tell them that is the Mistgrave Mountains, further along Bahamut's Spine.
If they try and pull themselves further in, tell them it's like trying to get your head through an actual hole. Your shoulders don't fit but they make an awful wrenching sensation and your body instinctively jerks back to stop it.
Seghulerak was using this Serpentgate as a test, making sure it worked before opening them all. She was startled by the door opening and fled, attempting to close the gate behind her, but did not fully manage.
Aftermath
When the party leave the Priory, they hear the sounds of conversation outside. The speakers are making no attempt to be quiet."Are you sure this is the place? It seems deserted. And Elder Umara said-"
"If the Elders say something, then it is so, Acolyte. Be silent."
"But shouldn't there be-"
"I thought I told you to be silent."
"Yes, Master, sorry Master."
The people are two Elves of the Cold Ones who have come seeking Seghulerak, the Herald of Dominion. They are suspicious but have come a long way under the orders of their Elders on what they think is a wild goose chase, even though Master Rothilion will not admit it, but will quickly warm to the players or give into interrogation. Neither will say who they want to find here, beyond a Herald, because they don't know more than that. They don't know very much, which is part of their reticence about their orders. Ryllae, the Acolyte, knows even less than Rothilion.
Long Rests in the Catacombs
| Roll | Encounter |
| 1 | 2d4 Gilded Saints |
| 2 | 1 Yuan-Ti Malison, 2 Giant Poisonous Snakes |
| 3 | 1 Night Hag |
| 4 | 2 Yuan-Ti Purebloods, 1 Giant Constrictor Snake |
| 5 | The Spider (Phase Spider, attacks the smallest or weakest party member from ambush) |
| 6 | Wind spreads the seeds from the plants below. Each player must take a DC 14 Constitution save or lose 1d4 Constitution |
Dreams
If Emi takes a long rest in here, read the followingRemove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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