Page 185 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

Neferon wears gold spectacles and a magic robe (see
The ominous statue stands between two black marble "Treasure" below). It uses its alter self spell and Decep­
balconies, one of which has partially collapsed and fallen tion skill to pass itself off as an old human wizard with
on the temple's black marble Acor, in front of an open a long white beard named Heinrich Stolt. "Heinrich"
doorway. The walls of the temple are sheathed in amber, feigns confusion. If the characters ask him why he at­
tacked, he claims that he was guarding the temple. If
and the doors leading from it are made of amber as well. the arcanaloth loses more than half of its hit points, it
Arched hallways coated with amber lead away from the teleports to the temple floor, turns invisible, and flees by
temple to the west and east. Flanking these exits are the safest route, attacking the characters again when it's
alcoves that hold white marble statues of robed human safe to do so. The arcanaloth will not, under any circum­
wizards with pointed hats and golden staffs. One of them stances, leave the Amber Temple.
has toppled over and lies shattered on the Acor.
'TREASURE
The arcanaloth carries a spellbook containing the wiz­
An arcanaloth named Neferon guards this temple from ard spells it has prepared (see its stat block in the Mon­
within the hollow head of the great statue (area X5a) and ster Manual). It wears small gold spectacles with pink
attacks characters on sight with its longer-ranged spells. crystal lenses (worth 250 gp) and a robe of useful items
Thanks to its truesight, the arcanaloth can see the invis­ with the following eight patches remaining:
ible and can see through magical darkness. Characters • Bag of 100 gp Pit
can't see Neferon unless they can penetrate the magical • Iron door • Rowboat
darkness that envelops the statue's face and head. • Wooden ladder • Spell scroll (moonbeam)
Once the arcanaloth begins casting spells, the three • Riding horse • Mastiffs
ftameskulls in area X17 take up positions behind the ar­
row slits that overlook the temple and cast magic missile See the robe's description in the Dungeon Master's
Guide for more information on each patch.
and fireball spells at characters they can see.
The temple ceiling is 60 feet high. Wide, black marble FORTUNES OF RAVENLOFT
staircases ascend 30 feet to the southern balcony (area If your card reading reveals that a treasure is here, it's
X4). The balconies that flank the statue (areas Xll and lying on the floor inside the statue's head.
X23) are 30 feet high as well.
Arrow slits cut into the walls of the upper galleries X5B. SECRET DOOR
(areas X8 and X17) and archer posts (areas X13 and
X25) look down on the temple. The amber glaze that Set into the middle of the temple's north wall is a secret
covers the temple walls makes these arrow slits difficult door. A character who searches the wall for secret doors
to spot. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Per­ and succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check
ception) score of 12 or higher notice them. Creatures detects seams in the amber glaze that covers the wall,
behind the arrow slits gain three-quarters cover. hinting at the presence of the door. It is warded by an
The marble wizard statues stand 8 feet tall. Their arcane Jock spell that prevents it from being opened,
9-foot-tall golden staffs are made of wrought iron coated but knocking on the door three times causes it to swing
in peeling gold paint. The northeast statue fell over open for 1 minute, revealing a dusty stone staircase. The
when an earth tremor collapsed the wall of its alcove. stairs climb 30 feet to another secret door that swings
open automatically when a creature moves within 5 feet
X5A. Gon OF SECRETS of it. The stairs lead to area X30.
This 40-foot-tall statue, carved out of granite, depicts a X5c. LOCKED DooRs
faceless god of secrets. At the base of the statue, in the
back, is a secret door that can be found with a success­ These amber doors are sealed with an arcane lock
ful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. It can be pulled spell. The password to suppress it is "Etherna." A char­
open to reveal a spiral staircase that climbs to a stone acter can push open the doors with a successful DC 25 ·
trapdoor set into the floor of the statue's hollow head. Strength check. The doors (AC 15, 60 hit points) can
also be smashed. If they·are reduced to. 0 hit p0ints, ne­
STATUE'S HEAD crotic energy fills the 30-foot .cube dii:ectly north of the
Neferon the arcanaloth lairs inside the·s.tatue's hollow them. A creature in that a!'.ea takes· 22 (4d10) ne�rotic
head, within a field of magical-dar�.'ness that fills the in­ damage, turning to dust i(reduc.ecl to O hit poirit&.· Be­
'
terior of the head and hides'the st1tue's humanlike face. yond the doors lie the templt:Ocatacombs (area X3i).
The darkness can be d1sii�lled (DC 17). . · ·
A pair of 2-foot-wide eyeholes i:>rovid°es an unob­ X5n. AMBER REFLECTION;s,
structed view of the temple floor south of the statue, as
well as the southern balcony (area X4). Looking through
the eyes, one can't see the northern balconies (areas This arched hall rises to a height of twenty feet. You can
-Xll and X23), the areas beneath them, or anywhere see your reAections in the amber glaze. But the images
. behind or directly above the statue. The eyeholes grant don't mirror your movements. Instead, they wave their
the arcanaloth three-quarters cover against attacks that arms and scream silent warnings to you.
originate outside the head.

CHAPTER 13 I THE AMBER TEMPLE