Page 220 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

TREASURE The cult amassed several "relics" that it used in its
The crystal orb is worth 25 gp. It can be used as an ar­ rituals. These worthless items are stored in thirteen
cane focus but is not magical. niches along the walls:
A small, mummified, yellow hand with sharp claws (a
32. HIDDEN TRAPDOOR goblin's hand) on a loop of rope
The staircase ends at a landing with a 6-foot-high ceil­ • A knife carved from a human bone
ing of close-fitting planks with a wooden trapdoor set • A dagger with a rat's skull set into the pommel
into it. The trapdoor is bolted shut from this side and An 8-inch-diameter varnished orb made from a
can be pushed open to reveal the den (area 3) above. nothic's eye
An aspergillum carved from bone
DEVELOPMENT A folded cloak made from stitched ghoul skin
Once the trapdoor has been found and opened, it re­ A desiccated frog lashed to a stick (could be mistaken
mains available to characters as a way into and out of for a wand of polymorph)
the dungeon level. A bag full of bat guano
A hag's severed finger
33. CULT LEADERS' DEN A 6-inch-tall wooden figurine of a mummy, its arms
The door in the southwest corner is a mimic in disguise. crossed over its chest
Any creature that touches the door becomes adhered to • An iron pendant adorned with a devil's face
the creature, whereupon the mimic attacks. The mimic The shrunken, shriveled head of a halfling
also attacks if its takes any damage. A small wooden coffer containing a dire wolf's with­
A chandelier is suspended above a table in the middle ered tongue
of the room. Two high-backed chairs flank the table, The southernmost tunnel slopes down at a 20-degree
which has an empty clay jug and two clay flagons atop angle into murky water and ends at a rusty portcullis
it. Iron candlesticks stand in two corners, their candles (area 37).
long since melted away.
36. PRISON
34. CULT LEADERS' QUARTERS
The cultists shackled prisoners to the back walls of
This room contains a large wood-framed bed with a alcoves here. The prisoners are long gone (their bones
rotted feather mattress, a wardrobe containing several litter the floor in area 27), but the rusty shackles remain.
old robes, a pair of iron candlesticks, and an open crate
containing thirty torches and a leather sack with fifteen SECRET DOOR
candles inside it. At the foot of the bed is an unlocked A secret door in the south wall can be found with a
wooden footlocker containing some gear and magic successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check and pulls
items (see "Treasure" below). open to reveal area 38 beyond.
Two ghasts (Gustav and Elisabeth Durst) are hidden
in cavities behind the earthen walls, marked X on the TREASURE
map; they burst forth and attack if someone removes Hanging on the back wall of the cell marked X on the
one or more items from the footlocker. The ghasts wear map is a human skeleton clad in a tattered black robe.
tattered black robes. The skeleton belongs to a cult member who questioned
the cult's blind devotion to Strahd. Characters who
TREASURE search the skeleton find a gold ring (worth 25 gp) on one
Characters searching the footlocker find a folded cloak of its bony fingers.
of protection, a small wooden coffer (unlocked) con­
taining four potions of healing, a chain shirt, a mess 37. PORTCULLIS
kit, a flask of alchemist's fire, a bullseye lantern, a set This tunnel is blocked by a rusty iron portcullis that can
of thieves' tools, and a spellbook with a yellow leather be forcibly lifted with a successful DC 20 Strength (Ath­
cover containing the following wizard spells: letics) check. Otherwise, the portcullis can be raised or
1st level: disguise self, identify, mage armor, magic mis­ lowered by turning a wooden wheel half-embedded in
sile, protection from evil and good the east wall of area 38. (The wheel is beyond the reach
2nd level: darkvision, hold person, invisibility, of someone east of the portcullis.) The floor around the
magic weapon portcullis is submerged under 2 feet of murky water.
These items were taken from adventurers who were 38. RITUAL CHAMBER
drawn into Barovia, captured, and killed by the cult.
The cult used to perform rituals in this sunken room.
3 5. RELi UARY The chanting heard throughout the dungeon originates
here, yet when the characters arrive, the.dungeon falls
The ghostly chant emanating from area 38 fills this
room. Characters can discern a dozen or so voices say­ silent �s the chanting mysteriously.stops.
ing, over and over, "He is the Ancient. He is the Land."

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APPENDIX B [ DEATH HOUSE • 219
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