Page 151 - Tomb of Annihilation

If any character steps on a vulture floor tile in area ADVICE FROM THE SPIRITS
35B, the dial turns, revealing a new hieroglyph: a Any characters inhabited by the spirits of Nangnang or
serpent. One hieroglyph at a time, the dial reveals the Shagambi receive advice when entering this area:
correct sequence of Boor tiles to stand on: vulture, ser-
pent, door, reed, scarab, scepter, foot, and um. Ste~ping • Skittish yet greedy Nangnang wants her host to loot
on a floor tile that matches the hieroglyph on the dial the corpse of the dead dwarf before anyone else can.
causes the dial to turn, revealing the next symbol in • Wise Shagambi suggests that there might be a clue
the sequence. nearby to suggest which floor tiles are safe to walk on.
The gold medalli.on is attached to the stone block with HIEROGLYPHIC FLOOR
sovereign glue, and removing it requires universal sol-
vent. However, one can simply destroy the medallion to The floor around the dais and the statues is covered
get at the dial underneath. Removing or destroying the with 5-foot-square stone tiles, each one etched with a hi-
medallion exposes the dial and its eight hieroglyphs. eroglyph. Give the players handout 23 in appendix E.
Once the medallion is out of the way, the dial can be Characters can avoid triggering lhe floor tiles by flying
easily removed from its spoke inside the stone block. or by climbing along the walls and ceiling. Climbing the
However, removing the dial releases a corrosive gas walls requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
trapped within the block. The gas escapes through tiny check. Those who set foot on the tiles must traverse
holes hidden behind the dial and fills the 5-foot space them in the proper sequence or suffer the consequences.
directly east of the block. Any creature in this area when If any character steps onto a tile and the passage to
the gas is released must make a DC 14 Constitution the east is open, the stone block at area 35A rises to seal
saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) acid damage on a failed the tunnel. Any creature atop the block when it meets
save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A the ceiling must succeed on a DC 7 Dexterity saving
character who searches for traps can detect the holes throw to leap clear in one direction or the other. On a
hidden behind the dial with a DC 25 Wisdom (Percep- failed save, the creature takes 55 (lOdlO) bludgeoning
tion) check; once found, these holes can be plugged damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this
with wax before the dial is removed, preventing the gas damage is crushed to a pulp. Otherwise, the creature
from escaping. falls prone inside the tomb.
The correct sequence of floor tiles matches the order
35B. TOMB in which the hieroglyphs appear on the clay dial in area
35A: vulture, serpent, door, reed, scarab, scepter, foot,
urn. Each time a character steps on a correct floor tile,
Four torches illuminate stone sphinxes crouched in the a new hieroglyph clicks into view on the clay dial. with
corners of tliis fifteen-foot-high room. Tlie torches cast that view accessible by any character using the peephole
flickering light across hieroglyphs carved into the tiled in area 34. The dial rotates through all the hieroglyphs
in the correct order. If any character steps on a hiero-
floor. At the center of the room, a gold-inlaid funeral
glyph out of order, the statues react as described in
barge stands atop a three·foot·tall stone dais. Resting
"Sphinx Statues." Stepping on the wrong tile does not
on the deck of the barge is a small golden sarcophagus reset the sequence.
decorated with horned rabbits. A dark shaft opens in the When the final tile in the sequence is stepped on, the
ceiling directly above the barge, while to the south, a cor· following things all happen at once:
ridor is visible through a set of fangs carved into the wall. • I'jin's sarcophagus opens.
The skeleton of a dwarf sprawls on the Aoor east of the The stone block at area 35A sinks into the floor, creat-
ing an open passage to the east.
barge, clad in a tattered yellow turban and dusty chain
• Any locusts conjured by the sphinx statues are
mall, and clutching a bronze shield.
dispelled.
• The hieroglyphic floor is disabled. After 24 hours,
To unlock I'.iin's sarcophagus. eight floor tiles must be Withers sends ld4 tomb dwarves to reset the trap.
stepped on in the correct sequence (see "Hieroglyphic
Floor" below and handout 23 in appendix E). Stepping SPHINX STAT UES
on the tiles in the wrong order triggers a trap (see Each of these sta1ues depicts a life-size gynospbinx, and
"Sphinx Statues" below). all four radiate auras of abjuration and conjuration to a
The skeletal remains were once Bravus Boulderborn, detect magic spell or similar effect. The statues are im-
a gold dwarf cleric of Morad in and former member of pervious to damage and spells.
the Company of the Yellow Banner. Bravus died as a re- When any creature steps on an incorrect floor tile, all
sult of stepping on floor tiles in the wrong order, and his four statues yawn and masses of magically summoned
body lies atop a floor tile bearing the ''foot" hieroglyph. locusts fly out of their mouths. The locusts form a single
A search of the body yields some valuables (see "Trea- cloud that fills a 15-foot cube centered above the offend-
sure" below). ing floor tile. Each creature in the cloud when it forms,
Four torches light the room. As long as they remain in as well as any creature that enters the cloud for the first
their brackets, they never burn out. If a torch is removed time on a turn or starts its turn there, takes 44 (8d10)
from its bracket, it burns down normally. piercing damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points
by this trap is killed and eaten to the bone by the devour-

Cit \rTl'R 15 I TOMB OF TUE NINP OOOS