Page 111 - Tomb of Annihilation

to spot. Even when found, there's no obvious way to Traversing this corridor is the easiest way to transport
open the door, although a knock spell works. the torches in area 19E to area 19B without dousing
A character who studies the wall reliefs and succeeds their flames in the pools. The secret door leading to
on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check observes area 19B has three wooden bars across it. Once the
that one of the figttres on the wall is crafting a key. If the bars are removed, the door pulls open easily.
character pushes the key, the secret door pops open, re-
vealing a dusty, web-filled tunnel (area 19F) beyond. 20. ROYAL PALACE

19E. CHAMBER OF SACRAMENTS
Thousands of bats swirl above a great ruin. Behind a
Eight torches illuminate this room. The light washes over 15-foot-high circular wall, you see crumbling arcades,
a Acor mosaic; showing two creatures locked in combat: vine-choked statues, empty plazas, and buildings over-
a small bear with sharp claws and a rabbit with a spiral grown with banyan roots. Streets that aren't flooded are
horn on its forehead. In the middle of the room, a robed choked with rubble.
figure stands next to a waist-high pedestal, atop which
rests a stone cube. The figure is bald and has one hand
The palace looks abandoned and has been looted of
on the cube. It takes a moment to realize that the figure all treasure. Snakes slithering through the rubble are
is a statue. mostly harmless (but see area 20A and 20B below). The
bats flying above the ruin are also harmless.
The Fane of the Night Serpent (see chapter 4) lies
The floor mosaic shows Obo'laka (a zorbo) fighting under the palace. There are two entrances: a large en-
I'jin (an almiraj). Inscriptions in Old Omuan under- trance to the north (area 20A) and a hidden entrance
neath the mosaic explain how I'jin ruined Obo'laka's to the south (area 20B). Watching over each entrance
attempt to placate Ubtao (see "Legend of the Nine are three type 1 yuan-ti malisoos in snake form. They
Gods," page 92). slither out of hiding, revert to their true forms, and at-
The statue is a petrified Red Wizard (LE male Thayan tack anyone who isn't accompanied by yuan-ti.
human mage) named Voj. He failed to disarm the puzzle
cube trap before touching it, and its magic turned him 20A. MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE FANE
to stone. If a greater restoration spell or similar magic The north entrance to the Fane of the Night Serpent is
is cast on Yoj, he reverts to flesh, realizes he's not alone, easy to find:
and attacks anyone who would deny him the cube.
Voj takes orders from Zagmira and knows the legend
A worked tunnel descends into the earth here. Muddy
of Obo'laka and I'jin. If the characters defeat him, they l ]
find some valuables on his person (see "Treasure" be- cart-tracks wind back and forth from the entrance.
low) that aren't obtainable while Voj is petrified.
Puzzle Cube. Any creature that touches the puzzle
The tunnel slopes down to area l of the yuan-ti temple
cube must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
(see chapter 4).
be petrified. Even on a success, a creature holding the
cube must repeat the saving throw at the end of each
20B. SECRET ENTRANCE TO THE FANE
of its turns until the puzzle cube is removed from the
The south entrance to the Fane of the Night Serpent is
shrine. When the torches in this room are inserted into
hidden behind palms and thorny bushes. Yuan-ti who
the empty brackets in area 19B, Obo'laka's puzzle cube
pass through here always try to cover their tracks. To
can be handled safely.
find the entrance, a character must succeed on a DC 15
Torches. Each torch burns with a flame that never
Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check while
wears its wood down. The torches can be extinguished, searching the vicinity.
but they reignite every time they reenter this chamber.
Treasure. Voj carries an immovable rod, a leather l
Relighting a torch by any other method proves impossi-
ble. If all eight torches are inserted into the empty brack- Lifting aside the palm fronds, you uncover a narrow, ]
ets in area 19B, the puzzle cube can be handled safely. rough-hewn passage descending into the earth.
pouch containing three tiger eye gemstones (10 gp
each), and a red, leather-bound spellbook, which con- This passage connects to area 23 of the yuan-ti
tains all the spells he has prepared. temple (see chapter 4).
19F. SECRET PASSAGE

l ]
This dark passage is choked with dust and webs. It's
clear that no one has been through here in years.

CHAl'TER 3 I DWELLERS OF THE FORBIODl!~ CITY