Page 139 - Tales from the Yawning Portal

CHAPTER 5 I DEAD IN THAY

cockatrice eggs.
walls in this area. A search of the ledges reveals sixteen
Ledges. Rough handholds make it easy to climb the
as they realize the characters have no food for them.
They make no attempt to hide, and they attack as soon
pool is difficult terrain.
Creatures. Eight cockatrices roost on the ledges.
foot deep and magically filled with cool, clean water. A
ledges and indentations ten feet from the floor.
dwell here.
magic to slowly absorb the waste of the creatures that
Pools. Each of the rocky pools in these caverns is 1 I
covered in a layer of magic turf that uses transmutation
Magic Turf. The rocky cavern floors in this sector are
47. COCKATRICE ROOST
cult terrain.
This treeless section of the cavern is set with natural I
normally housed in the area. An area of trees is diffi-
white gate that offers access to the Immortal Caverns.
zone, and targeting any intruders- creatures that aren't
White Gate. The passage to the northeast contains a
The trees are magic, having different powers in each
to renegotiate.
choked trees rise 15 to 20 feet high in the caverns.
for only about 10 minutes. At that point, intruders have
Magic Trees. Isolated stands of gnarled and vine-
Dungeon State. The hook horrors recognize a truce
and all areas of this sector are in dim light.
north of the black gate.
the characters arrive, it is the start of the night cycle,
Contact Stone. A contact stone is on the wall just
varies in 12-hour cycles to simulate day and night. When
the entrance.
Light. The cavern ceilings glow with magical light that
ern edge of the area, not immediately visible from
on map 5.7.
Black Gate. A black gate is set into the northeast-
Locations in the Forests of Slaughter are identified
ations can be renewed if two or more horrors are slain.
These caverns house a Thayan menagerie.
horrors try to kill and eat the interlopers, but the negoti-
FORESTS OF SLAUGHTER
Intimidation, or Persuasion) check. If the check fails, the
and making a successful DC 20 Charisma (Deception,
its rightful place.
get them to stand down by guaranteeing the eggs' safety
deal with the hook horrors' unsophisticated intellect can
equivalent magic breaks the bond, returning the soul to
eggs. A character who can speak Undercommon and
character dies. Remove curse, greater restoration, or
northwest section of the cavern, which contains their
the object for 1 hour, or if the object is destroyed, the
The horrors fight mostly to defend a mound in the
into a coma again. If the character breaks contact with
quickly offered.
acter must continue to hold the object in hand or fall
those dressed like Thayans but do so if no food is
hand temporarily ends the coma. Thereafter, the char-
any character is spotted. The horrors hesitate to attack
Placing the transformed magic item in the victim's
permanently.
terity (Stealth) checks made against the horrors until
of the soul and how to cure the condition, temporarily or
imprisonment, so characters have advantage on Dex-
here. They have grown lazy and distracted by their
An identify spell can be used to discern the whereabouts
Creatures. Four hook horrors hang from the walls
(Medicine) check to realize that the victim is still alive.
deathlike coma, requiring a successful DC 15 Wisdom
hook horrors.
soul is drawn into the item, and he or she drops into a
15 Intelligence (Nature) check recognizes the traits of
like a gorilla might. A character who succeeds on a DC
one character within 50 feet of the altar. That person's
predators that use oversized clawed forelimbs to move
When a magic item is transformed, randomly select
and tracks in the area as belonging to Large bipedal
creature whose soul was consumed (see below).
DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check can identify the gouges
• The owner can communicate telepathically with the
Advance Warning. A character who succeeds on a
item's use or magical properties.
these minor transformations, which don't affect the
ance in slight ways. The bearer has no control over
The turf here is full of deep, enormous gouges.
, The item periodically and randomly alters its appear-
of 5 feet.
I
46. HOOK HORROR NEST
The item glows with dim purple light out to a radius
ute, it takes on the following features:
the effect on itself on a successful save.
When any magic item is placed on the altar for 1 min-
the sa\'ing throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
altar also draws in the life force of creatures near it.
to see creatures hostile to itself. The creature repeats
to further discern that when an item is empowered, the
a failed save, the creature becomes unable for 1 minute
must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check
creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On
power into magic items placed on its surface. The caster
\\.hen an intruder ends its turn in an area of trees, the
identify spell reveals that the altar imparts additional
Powerful illusion magic suffuses the trees in this zone.
of a dozen weapons, pendants, and other objects. An
F OREST OF ILLUSION
The top of the altar slab shows the shadowy outlines