Page 185 - Tomb of Annihilation

76. ThIAL OF THE OCTAGON If a character in the room reads the entire nursery
rhyme beginning with the first line on page 1 and end-
Carved into the door of this room is an octagon. When ing with the last line on page 8, or if the compartment in
the characters open the door, read:
the lectern is opened improperly, the ceiling fan begins
to twirl as a reverse gravity spell activates within the
The ceiling of this plaster-walled room is fifteen feet high. room. The lectern is the only fixed object in the room.
A leather-backed tome rests open atop a wooden lectern Any creature within reach of it can, with a successful
DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, grab the lectern and
bolted to the floor. Set into the wall behind the lectern
avoid falling upward. A creature that can't grab the lec-
are eight human skeletons, arranged so that they appear
tern or isn't secured in some other way "falls" upward
to be falling and screaming. through the fake plaster ceiling into the rotating blades
of the fan, taking 44 (8dl0) slashing damage. The
creature takes that damage again each time it starts its
The skeletons are inanimate remains embedded into the
plastered walls. The lectern is held in place by four bolts turn on the ceiling. The reverse gravity effect lasts for
set deep into the floor and is impervious to damage, 1 minute, after which creatures on the ceiling fall back
spells. and attempts to move it. The book's covers are down to the floor 20 feet below. Once the spell ends, the
secured to the lectern with sovereign glue, preventing ceiling fan stops twirling. The trap does not reset.
it from being easily removed. The eight-page book con- 77. DEATH Gen's NURSERY
tains an eight-line nursery rhyme written by the Sewn
Sisters in Infernal, with each page bearing one line of Opening the skeleton gate in area 71 reveals a 10-foot-
the poem. The book is open to pages 4 and 5 when the wide, 20-foot-long staircase of polished black marble
characters first arrive. that descends to this area. When the characters reach
Hidden in the leg of the lectern, on the side facing the the bottom of the stairs, read:
east wall, is a secret compartment that can be found
with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Crumbling balconies overlook a pool of lava filling this
If the lines of the nursery rhyme (see below) are read
aloud in reverse order, starting with the last line and triangular chamber, above which is suspended an enor-
ending on the first, the doors of the secret compartment mous crystal cylinder held in place by three adamantine
open, revealing a brass lever inside. If the lever is pulled, struts. Wraithlike forms swirl inside the cylinder, and
the octagon seal on the skeleton gate in area 71 rolls otherworldly screams hang in the air. Four long, writhing
aside, revealing an octagonal keyhole behind it. tentacles sprout from the cylinder's cap. A shriveled
The compartment can also be opened with a knock
spell, or with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check made monstrosity the size of an elephant floats near the cylin-
by a character using thieves' tools. Opening the com- der. Its body is wet and malformed, its arms and legs are
partment in either manner triggers the trap (see "Spider atrophied, and its oversized head drips black goo. The
F'an Trap" below). creature is attached to the cylinder by a twisted umbili·
cal cord.
NURSERY RHYME BOOK
Any character who understands the Infernal tongue can
translate the hags' nursery rhyme as follows: The cylindrical device is the Soulmonger. The mal-
Page 1: Backward, backward, eight to one. formed creature floating next to it is an atropal (see
Page 2: S peak the rhyme until it's done. appendix D), which feeds on the captured souls of the
Page 3: Keep the spider locked away. dead. The atropal attacks any creature that threatens
Page 4: See the lever, clear as day. it or tries to damage its food source. If the atropal dies,
Page 5: Spin, spin, iron spider. Acererak arrives to take his revenge (see "Acererak's
Page 6: Turn their flesh and bones to cider. Revenge" below).
Page 7: Speak the rhyme and meet your fate. The ceiling of the vault is 30 feet high, and the walls
Page 8: Forward, forward, one to eight. along the north balcony are lined with alcoves con·
taining piles of skulls and bones- the remains of Old
SPIDER FAN TRAP Omuans and their minotaur protectors.
Any character who inspects the floor of the room and
succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check no- ADVICE FROM THE SPIRITS
tices thin seams along the floor's perimeter that suggest Any characters inhabited by trickster spirits receive ad·
a pit below. The seams are meant to deceive adventurers vice when entering this area:
and make them wary of the floor, which doesn't actually • Fickle J'jin encourages her host to investigate the
have a pit underneath it. mist-filled archway on the south balcony (see "Mist
The real danger is the ceiling, which appears to be Gate" below).
smooth-cut stone but is actually thin plaster. Five feet Adventurous Kubazan expects his host to make the
above the false plaster ceiling is the room's true ceiling, ultimate sacrifice and die in a blaze of glory.
which has a bladed fan shaped like a giant iron spider • Kind Moa wants to free the souls trapped inside the
mounted to it. Soulmonger.

CllAPTFR 'i I TOMB OF THE NIN[ CODS
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