Friday, November 25, 2016

LOST WORM TEMPLE 7 PROGENY OF THE WORM GOD.

7 PROGENY OF THE WORM GOD. Three beautiful maidens sit on a splendid couch near the north portion of the room. Each is dressed in silks and chained to the couch at the ankle. The couch is surrounded by stout wooden chests and other treasures and the floor is front of the couch is strewn with gold coins. The room is well lit by tripods containing fiery globes that do not seem to require fuel and the ceiling is rounded, its apex reaching greater than forty feet above the floor.

Three large statues are here. They represent three of the aspects of the Worm God:
  • Northwest statue - has the torso of a man and the lower portion of a worm. It's head has three mouths and the torso has three arms
  • Central statue - man-like in shape but with a long neck that ends bluntly, like the body of a worm. The hands are clasped together, as if praying.
  • Northeast statue - a large muscular man with his face showing the 'Kiss of the Worm God'.

The maidens are not actually comely humans, but are really foul spawn of the Worm God who have used spectral force to cover their true forms. They will cry out for help to be released from their bonds and taken from the temple. They will claim that they are being kept here for the pleasure of a huge worm faced monster who is certain to return at any moment.

3 Daughters of the Worm God (AC 4; MV 6”; HD 8; hp 41, 39, 35; #AT 1 bite; D 3d4; SA Magic use; SD Magic weapon to hit, see below; XP 2192, 2168, 2120)

Their true forms are fat gray worms the size of men. They are not actually chained to the couch and they do not even possess ankles, this is just a part of the spectral force illusion. Though their parent is most certainly hermaphroditic in nature, these three sister-spawn are female, even obscenely possessing the gender characteristics of mammalian females.

These creatures can do any one of the following at will, once per melee round, as applicable: breathe a blast of frigid air that smells of the grave for 2d4 damage (range 2”, save vs dragon breath for half), detect magic, detect invisible, darkness 10' radius, or spectral force. They can cast fear (as the wand) once per day and can attempt to charm (requiring a touch) up to three times per day. This charm is monstrous in nature, similar to that of a vampire, dryad, or nixie. They are immune to spells of first or second level and cannot be damaged by cold.

The three sisters will prefer to use their charm ability on any persons who willingly get close to them. If they succeed in charming they will use their new allies to fight anyone not fooled by their act. They prefer to use their spell-like abilities but will bite if necessary with their horrible fanged mouths.

The fabric of the temple is linked to the health of the three sisters. When they take damage, the very walls of the temple will shake and pieces of the ceiling will come crashing to the floor. As one after one they are eliminated, the fiery glow of the tripods will dim and extinguish and when the last one is killed the whole temple will start to collapse.

At this point, even the most dim-witted of adventurers will realize that they will soon be buried beneath a mountain of rubble. Unless they have been carrying out treasure during the battle, the adventurers must make quick decisions about what to grab before high-tailing it out of the temple. The entire compound is affected, not just Room 7. Assuming the adventurers do not dally, they should dramatically just be able to make it to the entrance before the temple has completed its self-destruction.

The following riches are here, offerings by generations of cultists in the centuries before the temple was lost:

14765 Jalluxian gold dragon coins scattered about the feet of the couch.

A bow and quiver of arrows. The bow is a bow of feathered serpents. The quiver is encrusted with lapis lazuli and worked with gold. It is worth 1500 gold crescents and holds nineteen normal arrows.

An ancient Jalluxian rug, rolled up and bound with silver threaded rope. The rug is worth 3000 gold crescents and the rope is worth 245 gold crescents.

A silver tray (310 gold crescent value) holding two golden chalices, each decorated with eight huge gemstones. The chalices are each worth 6000 gold crescents.

A chest of blue painted wood holding 1464 Jalluxian platinum imperials.

A locked box holding six unlabeled potions in corked metal containers: hill giant control, frost giant strength, growth, invulnerability, oil of etherealness, extra-healing.

An iron chest holding eight silver pieces of jewelry ornamented with semi-precious stones (three necklaces, two armbands, two rings, and one tiara, roll separately for value: 1,000 to 6,000 gold crescent value each).

Three javelins +2 in a special case made of owlbear leather and silver worth 400 gold crescents.

A chest of green painted wood trapped with a poison needle (save or die). It holds 154 gems (135 base 10 gold crescents, 40 base 100 gold crescents, 24 base 500 gold crescents, 2 base 1000 gold crescents, 1 base 5000 gold crescents)

A chest of red painted wood with 3789 Jalluxian copper galleon coins. There is a secret opening worked into the lid holding three scrolls. The first scroll is marked by explosive runes which will detonate unless detected for 6d4+6 damage. The second scroll holds the magic-user spell polymorph (other) but can only be used to polymorph the target into a giant gray worm with the same statistics as a giant constrictor snake. The third scroll is an illusionist scroll of the spells audible glamer, continual darkness, shadow door, and mass suggestion.

Any persons under the quest of the statue in Room 2 will be freed of the spell with the destruction of the sisters. The oozes and worms in Rooms 3 and 5 will flee by their own methods of egress and will not harass adventurers escaping from the place.

2 comments:

  1. I must say you did a pretty good job with the encounter design in particular for this side dungeon. This is the perfect capstone battle.
    Cheers,
    Groaning Spirit

    ReplyDelete