Page 106 - Tomb of Annihilation
P. 106

The tablet is a proclamation from an Omuan queen to   The wall relief shows the trickster god Wongo (a
             her rivals in Mezro. The Mezroans couldn't read the   su-monster) fighting his hated enemy, Moa (ajacu!i).
             Omuans' native script, so the tablet contains the same   Inscriptions in Old Omuan explain how Moa betrayed
             message written both in Common and Old Omuan. It   Wongo to the god Ubtao (see "Legend of the Nine
             reads, "Queen Napaka proclaims that the free people of   G-Ods," page 92).
             Omu fear nothing. Brave new gods protect us, as Ubtao   Statue and  Puzzle Cube. A detect magic spell or sim-
             did before but does no longer. Omu will rise again,   ilar effect reveals an aura of conjuration magic around
             and Napaka shall reclaim all that is hers by right of   the statue, which is easy to climb. A character who
             conquest."                                        searches the statue's base uncovers the following in-
               Using the tablet, the characters can translate any   scription written in Old Omuan: "Wongo's friend knows
             message written in Old Omuan. The tablet is 3 feet in   where to pour the water." Wongo's "friend" (the vulture)
             diameter and weighs 200 pounds, but characters with   can be identified by figuring out the logic puzzle written
             ink  and parchment can copy it or take a rubbing. If  the   above the masks in the viewing corridors (area 12C}.
             characters move the tablet from the cart, they end up   When a character pours a pint or more of  water into
              taking the chwioga with it.                      the statue's right hand or one of its cupped feet, the
                                                               liquid sizzles and transforms into ld3 steam mephits
              12. WONGO'S SHRINE                                that fight until destroyed. The statue can create up
                                                                to six steam mephits in this fashion, after which no
                                                                more mephits can be created until the next dawn. A
               Carvings of  monkeys hanging by their tails decorate two   steam mephit reduced to 0 hit points loses its form and
               cracked obelisks that stand before a shrine enclosed by   disappears.
               broken walls.  Past the obelisks is a courtyard filled with   When a pint or more of water is poured into the stat-
                                                                ue's cupped left hand, Wongo's puzzle cube appears
               horsetails and arum lilies. Five archways open into dark-
                                                                by magic on the statue's head. When the puzzle cube
               ness at the base of  the ruin.  Mounted above the central
                                                               appears, the character who poured the water hears a
               arch  is a stone plaque bearing a cuneiform inscription.   snarling, disembodied voice say, "Take the prize and
                                                                curse your friends, or fight my children to claim it. What
                                                                is your choice?" If  a character takes the puzzle cube.
              The shrine to the trickster god Wongo (represented by a
                                                                the masks on the walls deliver their curses (see area
              su-monster) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to
                                                                12C). If  no character takes the cube immediately, the
              enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods. The inscription above
                                                                portcullises slam shut over the entrance corridors in
              the central arch is written in Old Omuan and reads as
                                                                area 12A as four su-monsters (see appendix D) are tele-
              follows: "Better to be Wongo's friend than his enemy."
                                                                ported into the room, clinging to the statue like startled
               Portcullises. Portcullises are raised into the lin-
                                                                children to a protective parent. The Su-monsters leap
              tels above four of the five entrance corridors. When a
                                                                down and attack. Once the su-monsters appear, taking
              character claims the puzzle cube from area 12B, the
                                                                the puzzle cube doesn't trigger the masks' curses. The
              portcullises slam shut and seal off these corridors. Each
                                                                summoned su-monsters are real, and their bodies don't
              portcullis weighs 600 pounds and can be lifted by one
                                                                disappear when they die.
              or more characters with a combined Strength score of
                                                                 Masks. Characters who examine the stone masks on
              at least 20. A character can prevent a portcullis from
                                                                the walls see that their eyes are open holes, allowing
              dropping by jamming it with at least two iron spikes.
                                                                one to peer into the adjoining corridors (area 12C). The
                                                                masks are extensions of the walls and can't be removed
              12A. CRACKED OBELISKS
                                                                without destroying them.
              Creatures that pass between these two obelisks hear
              in their heads a cacophony of shrieking monkeys. The
                                                                12C. VIEWING CORRIDORS
              sound fades once the creatures move elsewhere. The
                                                                Each of  these four corridors ends in a molded stone
              shrieks are annoying but harmless. The obelisks are not
                                                                mask that juts into area 12B. A detect magic spell
              magical, and their effect can't be dispelled.
                                                                reveals an aura of transmutation magic around each
                                                                mask. Inscriptions in Old Omuan are carved into the
              12B. TEST OF FRIENDSHIP
                                                                walls above the masks on this side.
                                                                Lion Mask (L). The inscription above this mask reads,
               A  ten-foot-tall stone statue of  an evil-looking monkey
                                                                 "I ate one of the boar's friends." A character who
               balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of   peers through the mask sees a ray of  blue light fall-
               this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue's limbs are   ing from the ceiling onto the right hand of the statue
               splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind,   in area 128.
                                                                Boar Mask (B). The inscription above this mask reads,
               a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing
                                                                 "The vulture is lucky to be alive." Through this mask,
               into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved
                                                                 a character sees a ray of blue light falling onto the left
               above and below the relief. Four masks of  painted stone   foot of the statue in area 12B.
               protrude from the walls; they depict the heads of  a lion, a   Zebra Mask (Z). The inscription above this mask reads,
               zebra, a boar, and a vulture.                     "My only friend starved to death." Through this mask,
                                                                       CH \Pn;R 3  I DWI'! t FR!>  OF THE FORBIDDEN CITY
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