Page 165 - Tomb of Annihilation

The stench of rotting flesh wafts from the bronze ser- pain, carnage, and death that have occurred in the Tomb
pents. Close examination reveals dried blood in each of the Nine Gods.
statue's mouth and tiny tubes at the back of its neck. One of the artists is presently painting over scenes de-
The tubes extend into secret rooms on either side of the picting the fall of the Company of the Yellow Banner. All
door, where six ghasts are confined (three per room). that remains is an image of a human male (the late Lord
The stone door opens when a pint or more of fresh Brixton, whose remains can be found in area 63) chok-
blood is poured into the mouth of each bronze serpent. ing on poisonous gas. The other two artists are in the
The blood drips into the chambers holding the ghasts, process of painting images that capture the player char-
driving them into a slurping frenzy that can be heard acters' harrowing exploits in the tomb thus far. (Choose
through the serpents' open mouths. Once sated with memorable moments in which one or more party mem-
blood, the ghasts yank chains to hoist the door open. bers were badly wounded or killed.)
The door weighs 1,000 pounds and can be lifted by The undead artists have the statistics of zombies,
characters with a combined Strength of 33 or more. If with these changes:
the characters do so, secret doors on either side of the
• Instead of darkvision, each artist has blindsight out
hallway behind the door unlock and slide open. This re-
to a range of 30 feet. The artists are blind beyond this
leases the hungry ghasts, which fight until turned or de-
radius and immune to the blinded condition.
stroyed. Each locked secret door can be opened with a
• They have no effective attacks and are worth 0 XP.
knock spell or forced open by a character who succeeds
on a DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check. If the characters turn or destroy any of the artists, a
tyrannosaurus zombie (see appendix D) bursts up from
52. THRONE ROOM a cavity beneath the floor and attacks, leaving a 20-foot
diameter hole and shattered floor tiles behind. While it's
too big to squeeze down any 5-foot-wide corridors, it can
This vaulted chamber features a ten-foot-deep sunken easily traverse the wider passageway to the east.
floor surrounded by ledges without railings. Alcoves
THRONE OF A CERERAK
along the ledges hold painted wooden statues of hor-
The throne is made from the skin and bones of slain
net-headed humanoid warriors, each wearing a grass
Omuan warriors, and the skulls of Omuan children are
skirt and clutching a spear. piled around it. The skull atop the throne once belonged
A gruesome throne lashed together of bone and strips to a minotaur guardian of Omu named Karagos. Any
creature that touches the skull or sits in the throne must
of skin stands atop the west ledge. A fearsome horned
succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or become
skull surmounts the throne, and small skulls are piled
cursed with the Rage of Karagos. When cursed, the
around it. The seat of the throne appears to be made of
creature gains 50 temporary hit points and goes ber-
stretched skin and has a metal scepter resting on it.
serk. Until the curse is lifted, the victim is forced to at-
Shuffling about the sunken portion of the room are tack the nearest creature it can see with melee attacks.
three gaunt humanoid figures in dusty robes draped in It can't make ranged attacks or cast spells, and if it can't
see any creatures to attack, it does nothing. The curse
cobwebs, their eyes and mouths stitched shut. Armed
ends if the berserk creature drops to 0 hit points, or if
with brushes and clay pots of pigment, they paint the
a greater restoration or remove curse spell is cast on it
walls and pillars with grim, poorly rendered illustrations.
When the curse ends, the temporary hit points granted
by it disappear.
Acerera.k~ Scepter. The scepter on the throne is
Four pillars support the ceiling, which ls 15 feet above
made of solid iron and has an adamantine head. It is
the ledges and 25 feet above the sunken floor. The
nonmagical, weighs 12 pounds, and can be wielded as a
wooden statues are harmless (their spears are merely
mace. Its magical twin is hidden in area 53.
decorative) and weigh 150 pounds each.
SECRET DOORS
ADVICE FROM THE S PIRIT S
Behind the statue in the northwest alcove, a secret door
Any characters inhabited by the spirits of Obo'laka or
leads to area 53. The door is slightly ajar, and any char-
Paparotl receive advice when entering this area:
acter who searches the alcove finds it.
• Cautious Obo'laka advises her host Lo not disturb the A properly closed secret door in the southeast corner
throne or pick up the scepter, but admits not knowing of the room leads to a spiral staircase going up and
for certain that either is harmful. down (area 26).
• Shrewd Papazotl realizes that the throne is made
from the bones of dead Omuans and the skull of 53. CRYPT OF THE SUN QUEEN
Omu's great minotaur champion, Karagos.
BLIND ARTISTS
The walls of this room are adorned with tile mosaics of a
The three creatures skulking about the room are un-
jungle city intermingled with frescoes offlowering plants,
dead servants of Acererak. Despite their blindness, each
birds, insects, and humans wearing gold skirts and carry-
has the magical ability to perceive and paint scenes of
ing spears and ornate jugs. The ceiling is painted to
CH \PTER 5 I 'TOMB OF THE NDIE GODS