Page 124 - Tomb of Annihilation

When they awake each day, the yuan-ti ritually bathe in • Ras Nsi is slowly being eaten away by a magical dis-
the blood of sacrifices. The blood is contained within ease for which there is no known cure.
these stone baths and heated by thermal vents under- • Ras Nsi has made a pact with a powerful licb named
neath each pool. When the characters enter, four yuan-ti Acererak, who conquered Omu long ago and built a
purebloods and two type 2 yuan-ti malisons bathe tomb beneath the city. The tomb's entrance is marked
in the warm pools. Five slaves in loincloths (male and with an obelisk. (Yahru can provide directions.)
female Chultan human commoners of various align- • Acererak slew the nine gods of Omu before enslaving
ments) tend to their every need. Give names to slaves as the city's human and minotaur inhabitants, which he
needed (see the "ChuJtan Names" sidebar in the book's used to build his tomb.
introduction).
The blood-drenched yuan-ti keep their weapons at the 18. YUAN-TI NESTS
back of each alcove. If they hear the gong alarm sound,
the yuan-ti command their slaves to remain here while
they arm themselves and head quickly to area 9. If com- These dank catacombs have been converted into sleep-
bat breaks out here, reinforcements from area 17 arrive ing quarters. The walls are lined with alcoves that now
in ld3 rounds. serve as nests for yuan-ti.

17. SAUNA
When the characters arrive, twelve of the eighteen al-
coves are occupied by six yuan-ti malisons (two each
Heat rises from an enormous oval stone set into the of types 1, 2, and 3) and six yuan-ti purebloods. The
floor of this chamber. Discarded skins are heaped around remaining six alcoves are currently not in use. Passing
it, and shelves underneath it are lined with jars. A snake- through the area without being spotted is impossible un-
less the characters use magic to hide themselves.
headed yuan-ti sheds his skin while two strong, bare-
If the gong in area 9 is struck, all the yuan-ti in this
chested human men with spears look on.
room gather their weapons and investigate.
19. SLAVE GROTTO
The oval stone is 8 feet tall and made of porous rock.
Situated atop a volcanic vent, it transfers heat evenly
throughout the room. The yuan-ti come here to shed
their skins and polish their scales. A campfire casts warm light over this cavern. Heaps of
Thirty jars line the shelves underneath the oval stone, dead grass and palm fronds are scattered about, and the I
and each one contains a scented ointment that yuan-ti muddy floor is pitted with footprints.
use to keep their skin supple and to ease the shedding of
their skin. The ointment is not valuable.
Unless they have been fought and defeated elsewhere, When they're not working, 2dl0 slaves (commoners of
two enslaved men (NE male Chultan human gladiators) various races, alignments, and genders) dwell here. For
watch Yahru (pronounced YAH-roo), a type 1 yuan-ti slave names, see the "Chultan Names" sidebar in the
malison, as he sheds his skin (a process that can take book's introduction. Three yuan-ti broodguards (see
up to an hour). Yahru is Ras Nsi's spymaster, and he appendix D) guard the slaves for Slavemaster Issar, a
doesn't like to be disturbed. Characters passing them- type 3 yuan-ti malison wearing a red cloth headdress.
Issar is more interested in gazing at his own reflection
selves off as yuan-ti purebloods are instructed to leave
the room at once. Enslaved characters are ordered in a hand mirror than putting the slaves to work.
to smear ointment on Yahru's skin to expedite the lssar is too stately to speak to the "meat" under his
skin-shedding process. command. Instead, he's chosen a Chultan slave boy
named Khoti to translate his subtle, unspoken gestures.
Yahru abhors physical combat, and he values his
bodyguards too much to risk their lives in a pointless A twitch of the tail could be interpreted as an order
battle. Unless the characters provoke a fight, he tries to fetch water, or the flick of the tongue an approval.
to find out more about them and learn any secrets they In truth, Khoti makes up most of what he sees. lssar
might possess, while providing as little information as couldn't care less either way, as long as the correct
possible. If Yahru obtains information that would clearly amount of deference is shown. If strangers appear be-
benefit Ras Nsi or Fenthaza, he chooses which superior fore lssar, Khoti questions them on his master's behalf.
to bequeath it to. Yahru enjoys playing them off against SLAVES
each other. Under Issar's supervision, the slaves are supposed to be
If his bodyguards are defeated and be is facing death, widening these caverns to create new sleeping quarters
Yahru offers small bits of information for the promise for the yuan-ti. However, progress has been slow. The
of freedom. In addition to the layout and defenses of the
slaves wore down or broke most of their tools, and Issar
temple, Yahru knows the following:
is waiting for the delivery of new tools.
Ras Nsi commands the yuan-ti of Omu, but his com- The slaves are physically healthy, but their wills have
mand is tenuous. The high priest, Fenthaza, is Ras been broken by mental trauma and tranquilizing drugs.
Nsi's chief rival. Their emotions surface only during rest, when the

OllAPTER 4 I l'ANF. OF THE NICHT SERPENT
123