UPPER DUNGEONS LEVEL THREE 63 STATUE GALLERY.

63 STATUE GALLERY. This short hall is joined to the main chapel by impressive arches carved with squirming stonework worms, serpent-like beasts, and multi-armed monstrosities somewhat resembling octopoid life seen through the eyes of a demented sculptor. The three free-standing statues within the alcoves are similarly bizarre, each painted gray and resembling a Triskelion statue, complete with Phrygian cap and normal style of rainment, but having disturbing differences.

The face of the north statue is a mass of feelers, tentacles, or worms instead of normal features from above the mouthy extending to the forehead. The hands are arranged in front, cupping a bowl of pale gray syrupy liquid. If any amount of this fluid is consumed, the imbiber must save versus poison receive the blessing known as the kiss of the worm god, a disease that will slowly cause polyps to grow from the face until the eyes and nose have been completely replaced by moving worm-like growths. The recipients of this blessing are known as 'Kissed by the Worm God'. They will be blinded but become super-sensitive to their surroundings in other ways. They will only be surprised on a 1 (in 6), can see invisible, and have their Charisma score immediately drop to 3 (except to worm cultists, for whom their charisma score improves by 1). A side effect is that the blind Kissed are now more sensitive to sound-based attacks, including the harpies' song, and make saving throws at -4 against them. It can be reversed by a cure disease spell if cast be a cleric of at least 10th level requiring holy water prepared by a gold or platinum receptacle as an additional material component.

The central statue holds a sharp sickle made of gold and black iron. The face appears to have a malevolent smile. It is trapped, and if approached a pressure plate two feet from the base of the statue will cause it to swing the sickle at the place where a person would be two feet from its chest. This attacks as a fifth level fighter and does 1d8+2 damage with a successful strike. The sickle can be removed if the stone fingers are broken. It is worth 500 gold crescents for its gold and craftsmanship.

The south statue has its head completely replaced by a long sinuous gray pseudopod or tongue-like structure. This is actually a great gray sacred worm occupying the hollowed out body of the statue. It will be still until approached.

Gray Worm (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 6+1; hp 31; #AT 1 constrict; D 2-8; SA Constriction; XP 473)

It is capable of crawling out of its home within the statue. It can constrict in the same way as a giant constrictor snake but it will not attack those who have the kiss of the worm god.