Page 128 - Tales from the Yawning Portal
P. 128

With its childlike intellect and telepathy, ·  e   White Gate. In the corridor beyond the western exit is
                _,oadcasts its desire for more food. The charac e  - are   a white gate that separates area 21 from the Swine Run.
                able to communicate with the creature. and if·  ey o=er
                ·o feed it, the otyugh ceases attacking for  1 round. Then   22.  HATCHLING PENS
                ·  · e characters must periodically placate it with  ucce  s-  Anyone near the doors hears the shrieking and howling
                ul DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) checks. A character   of the caged creatures.
                .  ho frees the otyugh learns that more of its kind are in
                · e dungeon and receives a general impression of area   Relief carvings of angelic figures along the walls of this
                .:.], where more otyughs live. All these otyughs hate
                ·  e Thayans.                                      huge hall  contrast with the crowded iron  cages here.  Half
                 Niches. The shallow niches are 3 feet off the floor   of these cells are packed with  miniature, shrieking ver-
                and 5 feet high. Climbing into a niche costs 10 feet   sions of deadly monsters.
                -:  movement.                                       In the southeast corner is a black gate. North of the
                 Dungeon State. If the otyugh is given a glyph key to   gate is a contact stone.
                ·  e Prison of Filth and told how to use a black gate, it
                eleports to area 41  and reaches area 42. Its presence
                · ere will change the characters' encounter with the   Aura. A detect magic spell reveals a transmutation
                 tller otyughs (see area 42).                    aura on the whole area, which is a simple magical effect
                 Glyph Key. The wight has a glyph key attuned to this   to control the odor of the hatchlings and their food.
                zone and the Prison of Filth.                      Creatures. A Red Wizard transmuter oversees two
                 White Gates. The corridor that leads east to area 22   Thayan apprentices in caring for the imprisoned hatch-
                  the Hatchery contains a white gate. Another white   lings, while four Thayan warriors stand guard (see
                ,,ace is situated in the southern passage that connects   appendix B for all three stat blocks). They attack intrud-
                 "tb area 21  in the Hatchery.                   ers. In a desperate battle, the Red Wizard might take
                                                                 the time to release hatchlings to add to the characters'
                HATCHERY                                         opposition.
                :-hayans tend and hatch the eggs of exotic monsters in   If the battle goes badly for the Thayans, the Red Wiz-
                - ese areas, rearing the young to serve Thay.    ard surrenders. Her name is Myrja, and her allegiance
                                                                 to Szass Tam is less than resolute. If the characters
                _  l.  EGG CHAMBER                               spare her, she offers the pass phrase to get by the trap
                -he two approaches to this area are warm and humid.   and creatures in area 23 ("That which is dead, stay so")
                                                                 and one piece of lore.
                                                                   Cages. Half the cages here are empty. The others hold
                 rleat wafts from this chamber, and steam obscures parts   the following young monsters, which are reduced-threat
                 of the room. Stone braziers built into the walls  burn with   creatures (see "Reduced-Threat Monsters," page 113):
                 orange flame,  as do braziers in  various places across the   Cage A. One remorhaz
                 •oom. The floor is covered with  sand, on which  rest doz-  Cage B. Two basilisks
                 ens of large eggs of various colors and textures.   Cage C. Five darkmantles
                                                                  Cage D. Five ettercaps
                                                                  Cage E. Two carrion crawlers
                  Creatures. A Red Wizard enchanter (see appendix   Cage F. One behir (no Constrict or Swallow traits)
                3  . one dread warrior (see appendix B), and six skele-  Cage G. Two hook horrors
                tons oversee the eggs. If combat breaks out, the wizard   Cage H. One wyvern
                sends the undead forward as a screen and uses targeted
                5pells that won't harm the eggs.                  Each cage has rune-scribed bars of steel. Transmutation
                 Braziers. The magic stone braziers are built into the   magic on the bars renders them unbreakable, so a crea-
                ::-oom and can't be moved. A creature that touches a bra-  ture inside can't physically or magically attack through
                zier for the first time on a turn takes 3 (ld6) fire damage.   the bars. To free the occupants of a cage, a character
                 Eggs. Clusters of eggs make this area difficult terrain.   can pick the lock on the cage door, which requires a suc-
                . ·one of the eggs is close to hatching. One person with   cessful DC 15 Dexterity check  .
                a weapon could destroy all the eggs in about 5 minutes.   If freed from their cages, the young attack the nearest
                Leaving the eggs untended also renders them lifeless.   creatures. If a Thayan and a character are equally close
                -rhe eggs are those of an assortment of creatures, in-  to a young creature, it targets the character.
                 luding hook horrors, remorhazes, wyverns, and basi-  Keys. Myrja has a glyph key attuned to this zone.
                  ks, with ld6 + 1 of each kind. Identifying a particular   She also carries a key to each of the cages in a ring
                -·nd of egg requires a successful DC 20 Intelligence   on her belt.
                 . ·ature) check.                                  White Gates. Area 22 is bordered by three white
                  Steam. Steam renders this chamber lightly obscured.   gates. One connects to the Swine Run, another to the
                  Glyph Key. The Red Wizard has a glyph key attuned   Dark Gardens, and a third to the Temples of Despair.
                :o this zone.




                                                                                         CHAPTER  5  I DEAD  IN THAY
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