Page 204 - Tales from the Yawning Portal

est point and well over 65 feet where it va These are made of bronze that is green with age, and
the center. each branch holds a fat black candle that burns with a
9. Giants' Worship Area. Each pillar radt es a s nse flame of leaping lavender and deep glowing purple but
of unease and insecurity in a 5-foot radius simulate never grows shorter.
this by making players uneasy in whatever a _ _ youfind The third tier is dull black stone with whorls of plum
best). The wall to the west is a mural howing giant and lavender and splotches of red. The metal triangle
bowing before a black cairn, offering sacri fice and give- stands upon the third tier. If the altar stone is touched by
ing gifts. The floor in the western half of the area i of living flesh or hit by a weapon (or any object), it begins
porphyry, and the pillars are made of serpentine. Their to fade in color, and in 3 rounds becomes a translucent
well-polished surfaces reflect the strange light that amethyst color with a black, amorphous center. A crea-
permeates the place. The scenes on the wes t wall grow ture that touches or strikes the altar when it is in this
more gruesome as the viewer proceeds north. culminat- form must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
ing in scenes showing human and giant sacrifice near become paralyzed for 1 hour.
the end closest to the altar (area 11). If the drum on the first tier is beaten, the chimes are
10. Servants' and Thralls' Worship Area. The pol- rung, and the triangle is struck while the altar is in this
ished floor of red and black hornblende seems to flow translucent state, a glowing golden eye swims into view
between the thin pillars of obsidian that border this in the stone's writhing center. For each creature that
area. Each of these pillars radiates an aura of mild fear sees the eye, roll a d12 and consult the following table.
in a 2-foot radius, and if one is touched the creature who The creature is affected as if by a symbol spell of the in-
comes into contact with it must succeed on a DC 15 dicated type (save DC 15):
Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by a fear spell
d12 Result
with the pillar as the object of its fear. Passing between
Death
two pillars causes a creature to take 5 (2d4) lightning
2 Discord
damage, or double that if it is wearing metal armor.
3 Fear
The wall to the east shows a scene of various crea-
tures submitting to a trio of huge, vaguely squid-like 4 Hopelessness
creatures, each with ten hairy tentacles and mottled in 5 Insanity
various shades and tints of purple and violet. In the fore- 6-12 No effect (looked away in time)
front of this mass self-sacrifice are elves and humans, Except for the death effect, these effects are curses and
but there are also dwarves, gnolls, ores, trolls, halflings, can be removed only as such.
ogres, goblins, and other creatures among the crowd. If the three tentacle rods from area 12 are in the char-
Those near the front of the line are being torn apart and acters' possession when the eye appears, and the bra-
the bloody gobbets eaten as dainty morsels. ziers remain lit, then the altar becomes a means of sum-
11. Priests' Area. The northern end of the temple is moning an Elder Elemental God- it turns a transparent
tiered, with three low steps that lead up toward the cen- heliotrope in color, the black mass at the center grows
ter of the north wall. This wall, made of cloudy purple larger and shows swollen veins of purple, and the eye
stone, displays an inlay of a huge inverted triangle with a is a fiery red-orange. Then a tentacle comes out of the
Y shape enclosed in it and touching the triangle's sides. altar and grabs the nearest living creature. The tentacle
Hanging beneath this symbol, suspended on chains has a reach of 20 feet and a + 11 bonus to hit. A creature
from the ceiling, is a black metal triangle and cylinder. hit by the tentacle is drawn into the stone- totally gone,
The floor of the first tier is black stone shot through destroyed.
with veins of violet. A great drum of blackened skin and If a creature is drawn into the altar, the altar re-
chitinous material rests on the western side of the first turns to its dormant state, and atop it will be the thing
tier. On the eastern side is a rack from which hang nine most wished for by the party- or something that will
silver cylinders, apparently a set of chimes. (these chime enable the characters to attain the end or state they
tubes are hollow and are worth 100 gp each). most desire.
The large pillar to the east on the first tier is made of If a second summoning of this Elder Elemental God is
malachite and is covered with graven signs and sigils. A attempted within the same day, roll a dl2 and apply the
casting of detect magic reveals that the glyphs radiate an indicated result from the table below.
aura of conjuration magic. If the correct pair of gylphs
d12 Result
are touched, the creature touching them will be trans-
ported to area 18 on the third level (see map 6.7). You Tentacles try to seize and devour ld4 more creatures
should devise the twenty-four glyphs upon this pillar within the minute, but entity does not grant any addi-
and select which two are the trigger mechanism. tional desires.
The second tier is dark gray stone, with specks of lilac 2 Entity strikes everyone present permanently blind and
and orange and purple. It holds a huge stone altar block does not grant any additional desires.
of dull, porous-looking, somewhat rust-colored black 3 Entity raises one ability score of each character pres-
mineral. To either side of the altar are large bronze bra- ent by 1 point and takes no sacrifice.
ziers whose corroded green coloration is particularly
4-12 Entity ignores the whole thing.
nauseating in this setting. Flanking the braziers, in the
Treasure. The only items of value in the temple that
form of triangles pointing downward. are two sets of
can be salvaged are the silver chimes. Each hollow sil-
candelabra, each candelabrum having three branches.
ver cylinder is worth 100 gp.
CHAPTER 6 I AGAINST THF GIANTS