Cathedral of the Crimson Death

Outer wall 15’ high, crumbling in places, and covered in vines. Rusted iron gate in the south wall, decorated with peeling motifs of red flames. A burned corpse on a gibbet hangs from an adjacent post. The gate is guarded by 2 Crimson Knights (hp: 15, 13).

• Approaching: The Knights order the party to depart immediately.
• Searching the corpse: Inside one of its burnt boots is a luck coin.
• Attacking the Knights: The 4 patrolling Initiates from Area 2 join the fight in 1d4 rounds.
• Traversing the gate or climbing the wall: Leads to Area 2.

Overgrown, unkempt gardens, choked with creepers and brambles that often block visibility. Occasional rotting body parts along paths and in foliage. A bloodstained path leads from the gate (Area 1) to the forbidding iron doors of the cathedral (leading to Area 3).

• Patrols: 4 Crimson Initiates (hp: 15, 15, 10, 6) patrol the grounds, carrying iron lanterns with white-hot flames. 2-in-6 chance per turn of encountering, and 3-in-6 chance of overhearing them.
• Searching the grounds: 2-in-6 chance per turn of finding one of the following (roll 1d3—each item can only be found once): 1. A recently severed human hand, pinned to the ground with a dagger, its fingers making a holy sign. 2. 3 vials of holy water under a bush. 3. A scroll of cure light wounds, marred by a boot print.
• Secret door to Area 7: Searching reveals a hidden iron ring; pulling it opens the door to Area 7.

Great vaulted hall, 40’ high. Two rows of black marble columns, their surfaces reflecting dancing crimson firelight with no discernible source. 3 tortured prisoners are chained to the columns, unconscious and clad in rags. Marble floors are bloodstained.

• Rousing the prisoners: They moan and babble, describing in fragments the false accusations and tortures they’ve endured (see Denizens).
• Freeing the prisoners: Sergeant Grimlocke (Area 7) has the key to their chains.
• Doors to Area 7: Tall iron doors, each engraved with rows of marching knights.

Spartan barracks, each containing 4 bunk beds, all fastidiously made with red and white linen sheets. A small chest rests at the foot of each bed. 1d6 Crimson Knights (stats on p.34) are in each room; if more than 4 present, then 1 Son of Bahal (hp: 20) is also present. 3-in-6 chance of Crimson Knights being asleep and unarmored.

• Inside the chests: Each contains clothes and small trinkets worth 3d6gp.
• Order of battle: Melee in either barracks attracts the Knights from the other one in 1d4+4 rounds.

Slovenly, filthy hall. Stiflingly hot, reeks of grease and rot. A long wooden table is flanked by wooden benches, with dirty utensils and stale food. A cook tends to 2 cauldrons bubbling on an iron range, whistling tunelessly.

• Speaking to the cook: Not too smart. Can be easily convinced that the PCs belong here, and offers them bowls of an utterly execrable stew of onions and gristle.
• Praising the stew: Cook proudly notes it suddenly became the Bishop’s favorite meal 2 years ago; he had been a strict vegetarian until then.

Spartan, reeks of sweat. Bare walls adorned with scrawled inscriptions. 12 priests cower on thin pads, starving and weak.

• Reading the inscriptions: Phrases such as “Death to the infected”, “Only through fire comes purification”, “The work of Bahal is a work in blood”, repeated over and over.
• Speaking to the priests: They do not fully grasp who the characters are, and mistake them for Crimson Knights bringing them their daily meal. Terrified, they refuse to leave the room, and beg the PCs to protect them from “the dead.”
• Possessions: One priest hides a key to the locked door to Area 12.

Interspersed with wooden posts holding weapons and shields. At the courtyard’s center, a 6’ copper bell hangs in a wooden frame; blood stains the ground beneath. Collapsed around the bell are 7 Crimson Initiates (hp: 8, 8, 8, 7, 7, 5, 4— stats on p.35) battered and exhausted by endless training, and Sergeant Grimlocke, who berates them. Outer walls are 15’ high.

• Entering the courtyard: Sergeant stalls PCs with smarmy banter and dispatches 2 Initiates to “fetch some water for our guests.” They run to summon reinforcements from Area 4, who arrive in 3 rounds.
• Doors to Area 8: Tall iron doors, each engraved with processions of torch-bearing priests and monks.

Long, vaulted nave, 60’ high, with sootstained red marble floor. Rows of pews, adorned with flame motifs. Ragged crimson banners hang from chains high above. Firelight and the acrid smell of smoke emanate from the north (Area 9). Two imposing knight statues flank the tall iron doors to Area 7.

• Door to Area 12: Locked. Keys are held by a priest in Area 6 and Captain Fardr in Area 10.
• Secret door to Area 11: Concealed behind a hinged bookcase full of moldering prayer books.
• Examining the statues: Each wears sun-decorated armor and grips a sword in both hands, pointing upward.
• Examining the swords: They can be pivoted downward.
• Pointing both swords downward: Causes the altar in Area 9 to slowly slide forward, revealing stone stairs to Area 14.

Modest bedchamber in complete disarray. Bed is blood-stained and skewered with a sword. Axes embedded in walls. Captain Fardr stumbles about, swinging a sword at empty air, bellowing at imagined monsters.

• Entering the room: Fardr demands PCs join the fight against his imaginary foes.
• Speaking to Fardr: Raves about “the Abomination, the Betrayer” and gestures vehemently toward Area 11. Refuses to leave the room.
• Searching the bed: A sack of 567gp sits carelessly tossed near the pillow.

Smoke billows from burning coal and bones up to a hole in the dome 100’ up. 7 bloodstained gold chalices (200gp each) stand upon the red granite altar. 2 Sons of Bahal (one wielding a blood-drinking sword, hp: 33, 28) and 4 Crimson Knights (hp: 18, 15, 15, 9— stats on p.34) are engrossed in building a pyre before the altar.

• Entering the room: 3-in-6 chance of surprising the Knights.
• Examining the altar: Scratches on the floor in front of it. It can only be moved by the mechanism of the statues in Area 8. Beneath it, stone stairs lead down to Area 14.

Immaculate, richly furnished bed chamber. Eerie quiet. A red candle sits in each corner. Luxurious bed with bright red linen sheets, perfectly made. Wooden desk, engraved with fiery motifs.

• Entering the room: The candles spontaneously ignite. If they are not immediately extinguished, the Crimson Bishop is magically notified of the intruders, and each PC in the room must save versus spells or become paralyzed for 1d4+1 turns. The Bishop then dispatches the 2 Sons of Bahal and 4 Crimson Knights from Area 9 to capture the party and bring them to him.
• Searching the desk: A golden quill pen (100gp) and a gem-encrusted inkwell (150gp).
• Searching under the bed: A successful search reveals a hidden compartment in the floor. Inside is a ruby ring (700gp), a red sun holy symbol, and the diary of the true Crimson Bishop. (These were secreted here before the demon killed him and seized control).
• Reading the diary: Grim chronicle of the Church’s deeds during the Plague, from the failed cures to the torture of the infected. Ends with an entry dated 2 years ago in which the Bishop expresses his sense that “a presence daemonic” has entered the Cathedral, and his plan to confront it.

Pitch black, musty stench, dust everywhere. 4 rows of bookcases stand in the darkness. Light sources glint off of coins and jewels strewn about on the floor. The ceiling is completely shrouded in ropy cobwebs. 3 grave spiders (hp: 14, 11, 9) hide in the webs, ready to drop on distracted PCs.

• Examining the webs: Shining a light around the ceiling eliminates the spiders’ improved chance of surprise.
• Searching the bookshelves: Hundreds of obscure Crimson Flame holy texts.
• Moving the bookcases: Reveals a trapdoor, leading to a staircase to a corridor to Area 14.
• Scattered treasures: 4,000cp, 1,000sp, 400gp, 4 small amethysts (10gp each), 2 small gold statues of Nibu, sister goddess to Bahal (1,000gp each), 3 gilded silver scepters (800gp each).

A huge hole gapes in the underbrush. Rough dirt and stone walls, adorned with a ghastly tapestry of ash-coated rags and entrails, dangling from jutting charred bones.

• Descending the pit: 30’ deep. At the base is a pile of decomposing, partially burnt corpses, and mounds of ashes.
• Searching the corpses: For each turn of searching, 2-in-6 chance of finding a random treasure (see table below—each can be found once), and 3-in-6 chance of encountering 1d6 rot grubs.
• Secret door to Area 14: Concealed behind an especially rancid pile of ash. 1. Opal gem (500gp) 2. Scroll of hold portal, levitate, infravision 3. 2 vials of holy water 4. Potion of heroism

Unnaturally chilled, lit by cold purple flames in silver braziers. Floor inscribed with arcane symbols. The Crimson Bishop stands in a circle of candles, chanting as the purple flames dance to his voice. 4 unconscious victims lie within the circle, at the Bishop’s feet, amid a pile of skeletons. An archway leads south to Area 15. Next to it is a small iron chest.

• Speaking to the Bishop: He congratulates the PCs for making it this far, and offers them the Cathedral as a secure base, in exchange for their loyalty. If PCs accept the offer, within 2 days all fighters become Sons of Bahal and all others become ghouls.
• Attacking the Bishop: He lets out a hellish scream, and the entire cathedral shudders. 2 Sons of Bahal (hp: 29, 20—stats on p.36) arrive in 1d6 rounds. After 3 rounds, if they are not removed from the circle of candles, the prisoners arise as 4 ghouls (hp: 14, 13, 9, 8—stats on p.45).
• Defeating the Bishop: He dissolves into a noxious cloud of ashes that quickly dissipates. All Knights flee the Cathedral. Years of pestilence come to an end as the Deathless Plague finally lifts. The party receives a 25,000gp reward from local authorities.
• In the chest: 3,500sp, 1,000gp, 35pp, scroll of haste, remove curse, protection from evil 10’ radius, confusion, charm person, scroll of hold portal, levitate, polymorph self.

Archway opens onto the top of a giant pit. Pit walls glow a faint blue, providing light. Narrow spiral stairs hug the walls and disappear into the distance below.

• Whispers: Coming from below, inviting the party to explore just a little further, promising treasure ahead.
• Bottom of pit: There is none. The stairs and pit continue endlessly. Alternatively, if the referee wishes, this adventure may be expanded by detailing the hellish region at the base of the pit.