Antechamber
RoomDCC CON17 · p.3
Open source p.3Area 1-3 – Antechamber
The door opens into a large chamber with walls intricately carved to depict serpent-folk led by a cobra-hooded figure. Inside, a large, elevated altar stands, flanked by two statues of spear-wielding serpent-men. On the altar you see a small reliquary made of green stone. On the wall behind the altar is an inscription in the ancient tongue of the serpent-folk.
The inscription reads (if translated):
Come unto Him bearing the jewels of the winds. Ride the ghost serpent to the white traveling ground. Make there an offering first of stone and then of blood. The sacrifices shall feed the black storm. The faithful shall follow the emerald road to His kingdom. The returning pilgrim shall be borne home upon white wings. Come humbly unto Him in worship, But disturb not the god-king in His slumber.
The reliquary sits atop a thick slab of dark basalt. It is trapped, but can be disarmed using levers located on the back of each statue. If the trap is not disabled, opening the reliquary causes the statues to turn rapidly, thrusting their spears toward the area in front of it ( damage, DC 14 Ref save for half).
The reliquary holds the three Traveling Stones: black, white, and green. Each of these magical artifacts is spherical and the size of a fist. A chip has been taken from each stone (these are in a medicine pouch attached to the scepter of the cobra shaman).
Three secret doors lead to the north, south, and east.
The northern and southern doors may be opened simply by pressing inward against the doors themselves. They close automatically.
The northern chamber contains partially collapsed shelves of rotted wood, and a variety of pottery vessels, both broken and whole. Most contained long-spoiled foodstuffs, but among them can be found 55 gp, 175 sp, and gems worth x 10 gp each.
The southern chamber contains the skeletal remains of 5 serpent-men laid atop stone biers. They are clad in robes and wear holy symbols (worth 15 gp each). If disturbed, they rise and attack.
On the floor lie the bones of a dead, dwarven adventurer. He wears rotted leather armor and a bronze circlet with a hinged monocle but no lens. He carries a short sword and a wooden box holding four glass lenses, with space for a fifth lens. He also carries 43 gp. The missing lens can be found on the ground near the door. The bronze circlet and monocle, when fitted with the proper lens, allow the wearer to understand the following languages: celestial, demonic, serpent-man, common, and elven (the loose lens is for serpent-man). Using the circlet without a lens makes the user disoriented ( to all rolls) for turns (DC 12 Will save to avoid).
The eastern secret door is behind the altar. It pivots on a hub at its left side and opens inward to a steep stairway leading downward to unlocked double doors.
Skeletal Serpent-men (5): Init ; Atk bite melee (); AC 9; HP 12, 15, 15, 9, 17; MV 20’; Act ; SP un-dead; SV Fort , Ref , Will ; AL C.