Ruins of the Deep
At the foot of the Ridgeback Mountains, branching off the main entrance to the mines of Berguntrukung Village, lies the ruins of what once was a temple to The Burried Lord, Terragen, one of the fourteen major gods of Kwilterra.
The room is illuminated by several of the blocks in the walls that are make of a rough cut translucent crystal instead of the smooth grey rock. The crystal bricks glow with a cool white light, either from within or beyond. In the center of the room is a 2' wide dias with the top face angled toward the entrance to the room. On the surface are 4 stone discs- around 6" across- depicting the same 4 symbols and aranged in a diamond. Overlapping the rings is a thin metal ring, just wide enough to encircle the symbol on each ring closest to the center of the dias where a single smooth stone colunm- about 2" in diameter- extends about 2" above the rest of the sruface. A DC 16 Investigation reveals small nozzles at the bases of the dias as well as where the walls meet the floor. There are also a ring o small closed of grates on the floor surounding the dias.
Roll 2d4, one to determine each outcome:
The solution to the puzzle is to rotate the discs so that the symbols within the metal ring are, from the top; Earth, Water, Earth, Water, then press the stone button in the center of the dias.
Once the correct solution is entered on the dias, any remaining lines on the scroll carving on the wall are revealed, and the door on the far end of the room sinks into the floor with a low grinding sound, allowing entrance into the Earthly Descent.
A DC 17 WIS or INT check determines that the chests seem out of place and don't match the aesthetic of the temple. Upon approaching any of the chests, they reveal themselves to be 5 Mimics. If their deception is not sussed out, the mimics get a suprise round.
Upon defeat, the mimics can be looted for some meager amounts: 18cp, 10gp, 19cp, 12gp, and 5gp The gold pile itself turns out to be 57cp with 24gp strategically layered on top.
When they do the carved and prints glow faintly for a moment. At the same time, the crystal blocks in the hall shift from the cool purple to a warm white glow before the door slides down into the floor with a low scraping noise, revealing the next room.
To open a door, they simply need to press both handprints on either side of the same door simultaneously.
"The Sea's Bounty opens for those who exault the Divine Hook of the Deep." DM Note: Placing the Biggerfish Hook on the pedistal causes it to float in place above it. The light stones in the room brighten. When the Spellbreaker pickaxe is also placed in the other relic chamber, the doors to the Bounty chambers audibly slide open. They close again if one or both relics are removed.
Along the bottom of the wall in the soaked part of the chamber are 3 clusters of mysterious orbs (3, 2, and 3- 7 total), relavively spherical and about 16" in diameter. A DC 10 Nature check deduces that the translucent, slimey, yellow orbs all seem to have a dark spot floating in the center, though some are much bigger than others. These are most likely sahuagin eggs.
"The Ground's Bounty opens for those who exault the Divine Pick of the Deep." DM Note: Placing the Spellbreaker pickaxe on the pedistal causes it to float in place above it. The light stones in the room brighten. When the Biggerfish Hook is also placed in the other relic chamber, the doors to the Bounty chambers audibly slide open. They close again if one or both relics are removed.
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds).
When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it cannot regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again. The hallway continues for another 50' underwater before opening up into a large pantagonal room, similar in shape to the other chambers leading off the Hollowed Grounds, but scaled up and multi-tiered. The walls of this space seem to be angled forward on either side of the entrance, unlike the smaller chambers where they extended straigh out to the sides, parallel to the flat walls the doors were set in. Entering underwater, you see a decently sized open area with staircases on either side of the room leading up to a second level. this part of the room is completely flooded, but you can see a water's surface above you, so the room is at least tall enough to have open air above the water, but you'll have to actively swim to reach it.
The water is about 13' deep here. Surfacing, you can see the rest of the room now, and it's set up with 3 distinct tiers. The flooded part where you entered, a middle tier- 10' above the entrance layer and covered in 3' of water, and a stage at the back of the room- only about 5' above the middle tier, with 2 more sets of stairs continuing up around the outter perimeter of the space from the second tier landings. There is a thin layer of water- only an inch or so- covering the top level and cascading down the steps. At the back of the room, in-line with the entrance and behind/above the angled walls are raised platforms on the same level as the middle tier in the front. On these back platforms, 4 sahuagin- 2 on each side- neal in reverent prayer. On the middle platform, 4 more sahuagin neal towards the central stage where a 9' tall mound of mud and clay stands, vaguely in the shape of a man, but with oversized, lumpy forearms ending in what could better be described as clubs than fists. (DC 12 Perception notices on the top platform, is also three closed chests and a faintly glowing spell circle. DC 15 Investigation or Arcana check reveals that this circle is the source of the water flooding the temple.)
(Detecting Magic shows the circle glows with the color of Evocation magic, as well as the right-most chest. The mud figure glows with both Enchantment and Necromancy) (party actions) As your presence in noticed, the sahuagin stand and face you, drawing their arms. Behind them, the clay figure they were worshipping steps forward and lets out a gargled roar. You face the Corrupted Aspect of the Deep and its assembly. (Initiative) A voice enters the party's minds, deep and gravelly as the deepest pit of a mineshaft, but smooth anf flowing like an undersea current:
YOU HAVE CLEANSED THE TEMPLE OF TERRAGEN. THE BOUNTIES OF THE DEEP ARE YOURS TO TAKE. As the clay construct melts into the water, out of each of its arms surfaces a oblong object; one, a pickaxe with a gloing rune set in the adze (non-business end). It is a Sylvan rune, meaning "Cold Iron". Attuning or Identifying reveals it to be the Spellbreaker pickaxe. The other item is a heavily stylized handaxe resembling a fishhook made of fish. Attuning or Identifying reveals it to be the Biggerfish Hook. The sahuagin don't carry anything of value and their spears aren't worth the scraps they'd sell for. A DC 14 Investigation check on one of them finds a Large Key. A DC 16 Investigation check on another finds a Small Key. In the chests:
The Left chest is closed but unlocked. Inside are 2 caraffes of water and a crate of various potions, wrapped up and sealed as if for delivery. The potions inside can't clearly be seen.
If opened it contains:
Vestubule
Upon entering the broken-in double doors the party finds a short hallway (15'x20') leading to a large, oblong, hexagonal room about 105' long and 75' across at the shortest bisection. The greystone block walls go up only 5' before they curve up smoothely into the ceiling, coming to a point 15' above the center of the room. Opposite the hallway is a stonework door (DC 12 Investigation shows it has no visible hinges, nobs or handles).The room is illuminated by several of the blocks in the walls that are make of a rough cut translucent crystal instead of the smooth grey rock. The crystal bricks glow with a cool white light, either from within or beyond. In the center of the room is a 2' wide dias with the top face angled toward the entrance to the room. On the surface are 4 stone discs- around 6" across- depicting the same 4 symbols and aranged in a diamond. Overlapping the rings is a thin metal ring, just wide enough to encircle the symbol on each ring closest to the center of the dias where a single smooth stone colunm- about 2" in diameter- extends about 2" above the rest of the sruface. A DC 16 Investigation reveals small nozzles at the bases of the dias as well as where the walls meet the floor. There are also a ring o small closed of grates on the floor surounding the dias.
Door Puzzle
Carved into the wall above the door is a relief of a long scroll that doubles back on itself to create 4 long flat horizonal spaces, as if something was once planned to be written there. Each time an incorrect answer is entered on the dias, a new line will be revealed, until all 4 are visible; the text carved into it in both Dwarvish and Undercommon:Fill your lungs, breath in the Deep. The burried things are His to keep. No sun nor rain may pelt our guise, we sink below the Sunken Skies. As above, so below, and likewise left and right. We burrow deep in his domains and swim all bless'ed night.A DC 10 INT or WIS check will decipher the symbols on the dias' discs as representations of the 4 classical elements, organized with Fire, followed by Air, Water, and Earth, going clockwise from the top. If the incorrect answer to the riddle is entered on the dias by pressing the botton with the wrong combination, the light blocks in the room flash red. Everyone in the room must make a DC 15 DEX check as a spell trap is triggered, taking half damage on a success. The trap also summons 4 elemental creatures to expell the intruders imediately after the spell trap disipates.
Roll 2d4, one to determine each outcome:
Roll | Trap | Summon |
---|---|---|
1 | Fire errupts from the bases of the dias and walls. 3d6 fire dmg on anything touching the floor | 4 magma mephits |
2 | Pin needle darts are fired from the walls. 3d6 poison dmg. | 4 smoke mephits |
3 | 2' of water floods the room creating difficult terrain for 1 minute before draining throught the
grates at the base of the dias |
4 ice mephits |
4 | 4' Stone pillars errupt from the ground, slamming any creature touching the floor for
3d6 Bludgeoning dmg and knocking them prone (not prone on success), receding after 1 min |
4 dust mephits |
Once the correct solution is entered on the dias, any remaining lines on the scroll carving on the wall are revealed, and the door on the far end of the room sinks into the floor with a low grinding sound, allowing entrance into the Earthly Descent.
Secret Bounty
In the middle of the southern wall of the Vestibule, there is a hidden door that can only be detected in one of two ways:- the door will slide down into the floor if both relics are placed back on their pedestals in the Relic Chambers
- the door seams can be detected in the otherwise smooth block wall with a DC 25 Perception or DC 20 Investigation check
- 10gp
- 14sp
- 16sp
- 17cp
- 7 war picks. DC 15 Perception to detect the false bottom, under which is a 100gp diamond
- 50gp
- 70gp
- 200gp. DC 15 Slight of Hand (DEX) to disarm the trap or trigger a poison spray in a 10' radius
False Bounty
In the middle of the northern wall of the Vestibule, there is a hidden door that can only be detected in one of two ways:- the door will slide down into the floor if both relics are placed back on their pedestals in the Relic Chambers
- the door seams can be detected in the otherwise smooth block wall with a DC 25 Perception or DC 20 Investigation check
A DC 17 WIS or INT check determines that the chests seem out of place and don't match the aesthetic of the temple. Upon approaching any of the chests, they reveal themselves to be 5 Mimics. If their deception is not sussed out, the mimics get a suprise round.
Upon defeat, the mimics can be looted for some meager amounts: 18cp, 10gp, 19cp, 12gp, and 5gp The gold pile itself turns out to be 57cp with 24gp strategically layered on top.
Earthly Descent
On the other side of the door from the vestibule is a long straight hallway, about 15' wide and 65' long, ending in another closed stonework door. The walls, like those of the vestibule, consist of smooth grey stone blocks and glowing crystal bricks for light. The crystals in this room exude a cool, purple glow that leaves the room in dim light compared to the brightness of the Vestibule. The stoney ceiling is only 10' heigh, and there is a noticable downward slope to both the ceiling and floor. A DC 10 Perception or Investigation check will notice that at the far end of the hall, there are hand prints carved into the stone on either side of the door; a left hand on the left and right on the right. A DC 12 Investigation or DC 18 Perception check will discover that the first 10' of the hallway is a trap door that spans the entire 15' width. Stepping on it will require a DC 16 DEX Save to grab the ledge as thay are instantly dropped into a 15' deep pit full of spikes dealing 2d10 Piercing dmg on a fail. The trap can be disarmed with a DC 15 Slight of Hand (DEX) check. Halfway through the hallway, A DC 14 Investigation or DC 18 Perception check will discover another 10' trap door that spans the entire 15' hallway width. Stepping on it will require a DC 16 DEX Save to grab the ledge as thay are instantly dropped into a 15' deep pit full of spikes dealing 2d10 Piercing dmg on a fail. The trap can be disarmed with a DC 16 Slight of Hand (DEX) check. Finally, at the end of the hall, A DC 10 Investigation or DC 16 Perception check will discover the final 10' of the hallway is a third trap door spanning the entire 15' hallway width. Stepping on it will require a DC 16 DEX Save to grab the ledge as thay are instantly dropped into a 15' deep pit full of spikes dealing 2d10 Piercing dmg on a fail. The trap can be disarmed with a DC 16 Slight of Hand (DEX) check. To open the stonework door, the party must simply place a hand upon both of the carved handprints simultaneously.When they do the carved and prints glow faintly for a moment. At the same time, the crystal blocks in the hall shift from the cool purple to a warm white glow before the door slides down into the floor with a low scraping noise, revealing the next room.
Hollowed Grounds
Past the Earthly Descent is a large, perfectly hexagonal space. Each wall is about 65' long (the room being 95' across). Like the vestibule, the walls are all smooth stone block with imbedded crystal bricks for light. This time, the walls go up 10' before curving up smoothely into a dome-like, vaulted ceiling, coming to a point 20' above the center of the room. In the middle of each wall is a large pentagonal door, 15' wide at the base, and shaped as it it were a perfect hexagon with the bottom 2 sides hidden below the floor. On either side of the doors are handprints carved into the stone block walls, similar to the ones outside the door into this room from the Erthly Descent.To open a door, they simply need to press both handprints on either side of the same door simultaneously.
Soiled Storage
A relatively small, pentagonal room opens up from the southwest face of the Hollowed Grounds. The room would be a 55 x 30 ft space if not for thr far wall being split into two, 25-ish lengths to create the "top" of the pentogon. These being the far wall means their corner points out from the central room like the spoke of a wheel. The lighting in here is similar to the main room, albeight dimmed significantly. The ceiling is flat and low, only 9 ft above the floor. Inside the room are several piles of bones and waste (6 total), as well as a few smashed crates and barrels (4). With a DC 10 Perception check, you can see that the hooks on the walls and remnants of crates point to this having been a storage room before the temple was overrun. A DC 17 Investigation check reveals some spoils among the spoiled:- Each of the 6 bone piles can have 1d4sp and 1d4-1gp. The money smells terrible, but should still spend.
- The bones in the piles is humanoid. A DC 12 Medicine check shows that they appear to be dwarven in size and density.
- the 3rd smashed container will have 2gp and what appears to be a large shark tooth (Megalodon Tooth)
Ocean Relic Chamber
A relatively small, pentagonal room opens up from the southeast face of the Hollowed Grounds. The room would be a 55 x 30 ft space if not for thr far wall being split into two, 25-ish lengths to create the "top" of the pentogon. These being the far wall means their corner points out from the central room like the spoke of a wheel. The lighting in this chamber uses similar crystals to the main room, but colored a deep blue, making it a good deal dimmer. The ceiling is flat and low, only 9 ft above the floor. The reflections of waves move accross the smooth block walls andd ceiling, as if reflected by some under-lit water below. There doesn't appear to be anything in this room besides a hexagonal pedestal in the center, 3 ft high and about 2 ft accross. A DC 14 Investigation/Perception check finds that there is some writing around the side of the pedestal. One side is written in Dwarvish, the other side, in Undercommon. Both read:"The Sea's Bounty opens for those who exault the Divine Hook of the Deep." DM Note: Placing the Biggerfish Hook on the pedistal causes it to float in place above it. The light stones in the room brighten. When the Spellbreaker pickaxe is also placed in the other relic chamber, the doors to the Bounty chambers audibly slide open. They close again if one or both relics are removed.
Spawn Camp
As the door slides open, a scaley creature lunges forward on webbed feet and attacks (the nearest PC)! The fish-like humanoid creature has claws, a long fined tail coming out of the back of its tattered waist-wrap/loin cloth, and a makeshift spear. (Initiative as 1 sahuagin attacks, followed by 2 more still in the room. Unless somehow detected, they get a suprise round on the party) The room they were protecting is a relatively small, pentagonal room that opens up from the east face of the Hollowed Grounds, opposite the door from the Earthly Descent. The room would be a 55 x 30 ft space if not for thr far wall being split into two, 25-ish lengths to create the "top" of the pentogon. These being the far wall means their corner points out from the central room like the spoke of a wheel. The lighting in this chamber uses similar crystals to the main room, albeit dimmed significantly and tinted a pale teal. The ceiling is flat and low, only 9 ft above the floor. Notably, the room seems to dip on the far side, and the northeast half of the room seems to be submerged in a shallow collection of some translucent green liquid, about 8" deep at the farthest end of the room. It's unclear if the color is due to the lighting or the liquid's composition.Along the bottom of the wall in the soaked part of the chamber are 3 clusters of mysterious orbs (3, 2, and 3- 7 total), relavively spherical and about 16" in diameter. A DC 10 Nature check deduces that the translucent, slimey, yellow orbs all seem to have a dark spot floating in the center, though some are much bigger than others. These are most likely sahuagin eggs.
Earthen Relic Chamber
A relatively small, pentagonal room opens up from the northwest face of the Hollowed Grounds. The room would be a 55 x 30 ft space if not for thr far wall being split into two, 25-ish lengths to create the "top" of the pentogon. these being the far wall means their corner points out from the central room like the spoke of a wheel. The lighting in this chamber uses similar crystals to the main room, but colored a deep brown, making it a good deal dimmer. The ceiling and walls are craigy, covered in stalagtites, and low, only 9 ft above the floor at the heighest point. An orange glow rises up from the edges of the room and reflect accross the rough, rocky walls and ceiling, as if reflected by a lava flow beneith. There doesn't appear to be anything in this room besides a hexagonal pedestal in the center, 3 ft high and about 2 ft accross. A DC 14 Investigation/Perception check finds that there is some writing around the side of the pedestal. One side is written in Dwarvish, the other side, in Undercommon. Both read:"The Ground's Bounty opens for those who exault the Divine Pick of the Deep." DM Note: Placing the Spellbreaker pickaxe on the pedistal causes it to float in place above it. The light stones in the room brighten. When the Biggerfish Hook is also placed in the other relic chamber, the doors to the Bounty chambers audibly slide open. They close again if one or both relics are removed.
Deep Sanctuary
The door to the northeast leads to a 15' wide halway on a steep decline that is lit similarly to the previous chamber, and floods completely at the far end. There is about 15' of dry floor before the waterline, with the surface of the water stretching another 15' until it meets the slanted ceiling. Any halway beyond that point is completely submerged. DM Note: Unless you have a noted Swim Speed, swimming is 1/2 movement speed.A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds).
When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it cannot regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again. The hallway continues for another 50' underwater before opening up into a large pantagonal room, similar in shape to the other chambers leading off the Hollowed Grounds, but scaled up and multi-tiered. The walls of this space seem to be angled forward on either side of the entrance, unlike the smaller chambers where they extended straigh out to the sides, parallel to the flat walls the doors were set in. Entering underwater, you see a decently sized open area with staircases on either side of the room leading up to a second level. this part of the room is completely flooded, but you can see a water's surface above you, so the room is at least tall enough to have open air above the water, but you'll have to actively swim to reach it.
The water is about 13' deep here. Surfacing, you can see the rest of the room now, and it's set up with 3 distinct tiers. The flooded part where you entered, a middle tier- 10' above the entrance layer and covered in 3' of water, and a stage at the back of the room- only about 5' above the middle tier, with 2 more sets of stairs continuing up around the outter perimeter of the space from the second tier landings. There is a thin layer of water- only an inch or so- covering the top level and cascading down the steps. At the back of the room, in-line with the entrance and behind/above the angled walls are raised platforms on the same level as the middle tier in the front. On these back platforms, 4 sahuagin- 2 on each side- neal in reverent prayer. On the middle platform, 4 more sahuagin neal towards the central stage where a 9' tall mound of mud and clay stands, vaguely in the shape of a man, but with oversized, lumpy forearms ending in what could better be described as clubs than fists. (DC 12 Perception notices on the top platform, is also three closed chests and a faintly glowing spell circle. DC 15 Investigation or Arcana check reveals that this circle is the source of the water flooding the temple.)
(Detecting Magic shows the circle glows with the color of Evocation magic, as well as the right-most chest. The mud figure glows with both Enchantment and Necromancy) (party actions) As your presence in noticed, the sahuagin stand and face you, drawing their arms. Behind them, the clay figure they were worshipping steps forward and lets out a gargled roar. You face the Corrupted Aspect of the Deep and its assembly. (Initiative) A voice enters the party's minds, deep and gravelly as the deepest pit of a mineshaft, but smooth anf flowing like an undersea current:
YOU HAVE CLEANSED THE TEMPLE OF TERRAGEN. THE BOUNTIES OF THE DEEP ARE YOURS TO TAKE. As the clay construct melts into the water, out of each of its arms surfaces a oblong object; one, a pickaxe with a gloing rune set in the adze (non-business end). It is a Sylvan rune, meaning "Cold Iron". Attuning or Identifying reveals it to be the Spellbreaker pickaxe. The other item is a heavily stylized handaxe resembling a fishhook made of fish. Attuning or Identifying reveals it to be the Biggerfish Hook. The sahuagin don't carry anything of value and their spears aren't worth the scraps they'd sell for. A DC 14 Investigation check on one of them finds a Large Key. A DC 16 Investigation check on another finds a Small Key. In the chests:
The Left chest is closed but unlocked. Inside are 2 caraffes of water and a crate of various potions, wrapped up and sealed as if for delivery. The potions inside can't clearly be seen.
If opened it contains:
- 6 Potions of Healing
- 2 Potions of Greater Healing
- 1 Potion of Superior Healing
- 2 Potions of War
- 1 Potion of Hill Giant Strength
- 146gp, 45sp, 74cp
- 15 Shark Teeth
- 2 rusty daggers
- 459gp
- 4 Saphires, worth 150gp each
- The broken off head of a golden trident (the trident piece has a faint magical aura, but in its current state, the type of magic can't be identified. It cannot be fixed by mending)
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