Page 80 - Tales from the Yawning Portal

All the items hanging on the walls are actually realisti-
cally painted stucco sculptures. If the characters investi-
gate the calendar stone, see area 31.
Creature. The statue is a petrified werejaguar (use
the weretiger statistics). If the altar is molested or any
of the room's contents are abused, the werejaguar be-
comes aware and seizes the first opportunity to attack
with surprise. It can turn to flesh as a bonus action and
then transform into cat shape, dropping its spear. (The
magic on the creature renders it strongly related to
earth and stone with regard to the curse on the bracelet
of rock magic, described in appendix A.) Its first choice
of targets is always the weakest member of the party.
If the werejaguar is reduced to O hit points, it reverts to
human form and becomes petrified again.
The werejaguar's heart has been removed by magical
surgery and is hidden in the head of the stuffed tiger
(hinted at by the scars on man and tiger). Therefore, the
cat-man might take damage or even die, but unless its
heart is destroyed, it is reborn again whole in one day's
time. If the lycanthrope's heart (AC 10, 2 hit points) is
destroyed, the creature dies and turns to dust.
Treasure. In the belly of the stuffed tiger are 500 gp.
Eye of the Tiger. A secret door is concealed in the
mouth of the wall carving. The catch to open it is hidden
Investigation reveals that a small panel has opened in in the hollow of the right eye. The door and the catch
me back of the depression. Within the space beyond each require a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception)
is a pouch made of fish skin that holds ten pink pearls check to find.
worth 20 gp each), a topaz and shell necklace (worth 50
31. CALENDAR STONE
gp), and a whistle made of an eagle's bone with feather
decoration, which is an eagle whistle (see appendix A).
The calendar, a great wheel of stone, is carved from lime-
30. THE GUARDIAN BEAST
stone. In the center of the calendar is a symbol of the
sun surrounded with various sigils depicting seasons of
This oddly shaped room is decorated in a cat motif. The the year. The stone is ten feet across and is mounted five
center of the southeastern wall is carved to resemble feet above the floor over a stone altar. On the altar rests
the face of a snarling tiger with hollow eyes. Near the a ceremonial dagger of flint and a jade statue of a cat. At
center of the room is a stuffed tiger, posed as if on the the foot of the altar is a stuffed cat, posed as if begging
prowl. The tiger's left ear has been torn off, leaving a or attempting to catch something in the air.
agged scar on the head. Also near the middle of the
room stands a stone statue of a tiger-headed man hold-
Secret Passage. The calendar stone covers a door
ng a spear.
and a secret passage to a hidden tomb. A character
In several other spots on the floor are stuffed domestic
who examines the calendar and succeeds on a DC 15
cats in various poses: sitting, stalking, pouncing, and one Wisdom (Perception) check can see that it is held onto
s begging, pawing the air. One of these cats in the center the wall by a smaller rod of stone behind it. The gap
between the calendar and the wall is a few inches wide,
of the room has been knocked over and chewed on; its
so characters looking at the calendar in a specific way
stuffing is falling out.
might notice the unusual mounting without making a
Hung on the walls are several skins of lions and leop-
check. In order to open the door, the sun symbol must
ards, tiger heads, and a cat-of-nine- tails. Along the be pushed into the wall. The calendar stone and the wall
northwest edge of the chamber a large calendar stone is behind it then swing to one side on a set of hinges.
mounted on the wall above a stone table or altar. Treasure. The sacrificial knife on the table is a +1
dagger. The jade statue is worth 200 gp and weighs 9
The statue of the cat-man depicts a tall human male
pounds. In the tail of the stuffed cat is a scroll of protec-
.11ith two extra sets of nipples. He seems to be wearing
tion (feline beasts and feline lycanthropes).
a tiger-faced mask and is clad only in a loincloth. A jag-
ged scar runs across the left side of his chest, above the
heart, and his chest is sunken and bony. The spear is
stone-hafted, but bears a silvery head.

CHAPTER 3 I THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF TAMOACHAN
79