Reliquary of the Moon
RoomDCC 74 · p.8
Open source p.8Area 1-4a – Reliquary of the Moon
The narrow passageway opens into a small room hung with a bizarre collection of religious implements. Elaborate censers, a collection of curved daggers, shelves laden with cones of wrapped incense, silver-threaded robes and habits, scarlet fascias embroidered with the sigils of demons, crimson stoles, and several copper rods.
Amid the jumble of implements you spy a simple teak box secured with a latch.
This small chamber is home to the religious implements sacred to the cult. All serve a role in the cult’s worship of Máni, but some may see use only once in a decade or more. All are meticulously cared for, polished and cleaned to a high sheen, with nary a trace of wear.
The teak box is 16 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. The latch is locked and may be picked (DC 15). The plate’s latch is protected by a poison gas trap; opening the latch without first rotating the marble crescent triggers the trap. A close inspection of the plate (DC 15 Find trap check) reveals the trap, but disarming it is far more challenging (DC 25 Disable trap check). The target must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be overcome by an intense chill ( to Agility, damage) and an irresistible desire to offer himself up in service to the goddess Máni. The Agility loss is regained at the rate of 1 point per day, but the urge to serve Máni can only be lifted by dedicating oneself to another deity (who will inevitably have its own agenda for the PC).
The box contains seven gems set within silver medallions,
each gem cut to resemble a phase of the moon. There are a total of eight divots; the missing eighth gem is being employed in the ritual in area 1-9. Each piece of jewelry is worth 100 gp; a complete collection of all eight is worth 1,000 gp.
A secret door is hidden in the north wall of the chamber. PCs inspecting the wall discover a narrow crack between two stones, scored as if by a blade or metal rod (which can found amid the collection of implements). The secret door can be pried open with any dagger or short sword.