The Temple of the Black Waters

Entrance (Near). A 30-foot-tall
passage under a red-tiled archway.
Flittering wings and chirping songs
in Low Formorian can be heard
beyond (harpies, Area 2).

Archway. The entrance arch is
adorned with scarlet slate tiles,
broken and shattered. The grey
cobblestones and walls are streaked
with venous black lines.

Hall (Near). Ponderous brass doors
north and south. Sigils cover the
walls, which are pockmarked with
innumerable tiny holes.
Sigils. Diabolic praising the Formless
Form of Baahl. Reading them aloud
invokes Baahl’s Pox in those who
hear. Chaotic beings are immune.
Baahl’s Pox (Curse). CHA 15+ or
move 1 point towards Shadow (can't
heal while ill). Repeat check once
per day; ends on success.
Doors. Etched in the door are
bandy-legged cyclops devouring
fleeing humans, and the Diabolic
sigil of “Szrad-Zapak, Formless
Servant.”

Tiny Holes. Thousands of pinprick
holes. Faint gurgling (see Deathtrap,
Area 11).
Once the Orb is Sha/ered. Once the
orb is shattered (Area 11), brass
doors shut and seal themselves
unless prevented by iron spikes or
other countermeasures. STR/DEX
15+ to open, 15 HP to sunder.

Chamber (Near). Inside this grey-
walled chamber is a floating,
glowing obsidian orb that fills the
room with a dissonant, warbled
howling.
It is guarded by Szrad-Zapak
(cyclopean gholdako), who stares
into its depths, muttering and
twisting his lips. Szrad-Zapak
commands intruders to “flee or face
his wrath”, attacking if his orders are
not heeded.
Orb of Szrad-Zapak. The orb cannot
be harmed or touched unless Szrad-
Zapak’s first form is destroyed (see
below). After the cyclops transforms
into a vespergaunt, the orb’s glow
ceases and it can be destroyed. It
has AC 12 and 10 HP. If destroyed,
see Deathtrap.
Boon of Life. Destroying the orb
grants each adventurer a luck token
as the Balance of Eternity ripples.
Each adventurer shifts 1 point
towards Light.
d4
Plinth Object (no duplicates)
1
Eldritch bronze knife (as silver dagger)
2
Obsidian eye-pendant worth 50 gp (taking alerts Szrad-Zapak, Area 11)
3
Thumb-sized opal worth 1d10×10 gp
4
Stained silver offering bowl worth 10 gp
d6 Phrase 1
d6 Phrase 2
1 “Behold…”
1 “the Agony”
2 “Consume…”
2 “Eyes of Spite”
3 “Wretch of…”
3 “Tumor-Bile”
4 “Jowls Grip…”
4 “Dead Flesh”
5 “Extol…”
5 “Baahl”
6 “Peel Back…”
6 “Formlessness”
Plinth Object Table
Plinth Phrase Table

Szrad-Zapak. If reduced to 0 HP, his
physical body melts into mire and
his second, final form (vespergaunt)
roils forth for 1d6 rounds before
disappearing back to the Darkest
Shadow. Deathtrap. If the orb is
shattered, a rumbling fills the air,
and the Temple of Black Waters
rapidly sinks deep into the boggy
earth, and Areas 4-11 begin to
rapidly flood.
Water Depth. Each round, the water
depth increases by 2 feet
throughout Areas 4-11. Ceilings are
20 feet tall in most of the temple,
filling in 10 rounds.
Inhabitants. The harpies and
boggards abandon the temple when
the shaking begins.
Drowning. CON 12+ to hold breath,
or 1d6 damage per round until not
suffocating. Can hold breath for CON
modifier in rounds (minimum 0).
Flood Timeline. Use the following
-meline:
Round Event (no duplicates)
1
•
Rumbling, water pours in from ceiling and walls, Areas 4-11
•
All brass doors slam shut and seal (STR/DEX 15+ to open)
•
Statues in Area 9 lower their tridents, creating barriers
(DEX 9+ to cross)
2
•
Water reaches 2 feet deep
3
•
Water reaches 4 feet deep
•
Movement is half speed
4
•
Water reaches 6 feet deep
•
Movement is half speed
•
Swim checks (STR 12+) if wearing medium or heavy armor
•
See Drowning, above, if needed
5-9
•
Water rises 2 feet/round
•
As above
10
•
Temple is completely submerged and flooded
•
See Drowning, above
Flood Timeline Table

Szrad-Zapak (Gholdako, 1st
Form)
Sentient, white-eyed zombie
cyclops, ritually created within
long-forgotten temples of Shadow.
AC 10, HP 40, ATK 2 claw +6 (2d8 +
disease), MV double near, S +5, D
+0, C +4, I +1, W -2, Ch +3, AL C, LV 8
Greater Undead. Immune to morale
checks. Only damaged by silver or
magical sources.
Disease. CON 12+ or 1d4 CON
damage (can't heal while ill). Repeat
check once per day; ends on
success. Die at 0 CON.
Szrad-Zapak
(Vespergaunt, 2nd Form)
“Heresy ooze,” floating cloud
of slimy vapor and eyeballs.
Omen of coming Shadow.
AC 9, HP 40, ATK 2 tentacle
+4 (2d8), MV double near
(fly), S +4, D +3, C +4, I +2,
W +2, Ch +2, AL C, LV 8
Impervious. Immune to cold.
Madness. Creatures in near,
WIS 12+ on turn or confused.
Telepathic. Read minds and mentally
speak to creatures within near.

Foyer (Double Near). The ground
has large rubble, grey-black puddles,
and splatters of brown harpy guano.
Five harpies nest atop the 50-foot-
tall stone walls. The foyer is open to
the sky, and the ceiling has
crumbled. An engraved stone door
stands on the western side.
Harpies. Five harpies led by Kagga,
their matriarch. Squabble and argue,
speak Low Formorian. Roll reaction.
Not allies of Baahl, were attracted by
temple’s energy.
Harpy Nests. Three wide nests made
of leaves, branches, and reeds. Filled
with bones and scraps. One nest
also holds two partially eaten
halflings wearing forester’s garb.

Backpack with crawler’s kit and a
green, herbal healing -ncture.
Door. Ornamented with sigil of
Baahl: writhing, tentacled mass with
a single oval eye.
Harpy (5)
Horrific, winged women with
vulture-like lower bodies. They keen
a hypnotic song.
AC 13, HP 14, ATK 2 claw +3 (1d6) or
1 song, MV near (fly), S +1, D +3, C
+1, I +0, W +0, Ch +1, AL C, LV 3
Song. Enemies who hear within
double near DC 12 CHA or dazed
and drawn to harpy for 1d4 rounds.
Immune for 1 day if passed check.

Stairs (Close). Uneven, grey stairs
descend 50 feet (double near), to
Area 4.

Stairs (Close). Uneven, grey stairs
ascending 50 feet (double near) to
Area 3. To the east, the chamber is
choked with bones, debris, and mud.
Sounds. Gronking, slurping, and
croaking in Reptilian can be heard
east.

Hall (Double Near). Floor is covered
with rubble, skulls, and bones. Four
boggards here: three are arguing
over a badger carcass. The fourth is
asleep in the north alcove. They have
a rough camp here. Closed stone
door to east.
Boggards. Loyal to Baahl. Roll
reaction. Their leader, Zuz, speaks
simple Low Formorian. Dull-witted,
trickable.
Treasure. Zuz wears a heavy silver
neck torc engraved with a staring
eye and the name “Szrad-Zapak” in
Diabolic. Worth 50 gp.
Boggard (4)
Warty, spotted toad-folk. Flint-tipped
spear, fat throat sac.
AC 12, HP 10, ATK 1 tongue and 1
spear (close/near) +2 (1d6), MV
near (swim), S +2, D +2, C +1, I -1, W
+0, Ch -1, AL C, LV 2
Tongue. 1 creature in near DEX 12+
or pulled to close range.

Hall (Near). There are two cyclops
statues, each pointing a huge stone
trident towards east door. East is a
closed, brass, glyph-carved door.
Two large, 5-foot-wide alcoves north
and south.
Statues. When a mortal enters, a
booming voice declares in ancient
Low Formorian, “Homage to Szrad-
Zapak.” A palpable -ngle fills the air,
but otherwise nothing happens.
Door. Etched in the door are bandy-
legged cyclops devouring fleeing
humans, and the Diabolic sigil of
“Szrad-Zapak, Formless Servant.”
Alcoves. Crack open if the orb is
shattered, releasing torrents of black
lake water into the room (see
Deathtrap, Area 11).
Once the Orb is Sha/ered. Once the
orb is shattered (Area 11), brass
doors shut and seal themselves
unless prevented by iron spikes or
other countermeasures. STR/DEX
15+ to open, 15 HP to sunder..

Stairs (Near). Stairs split and
descend north and south 30 feet
(near). They are made of black,
porous stone, damp and oily.

Hall (Double Near). Hundreds of
stone eyes are embedded in the
walls, pupils glinting. They pivot to
stare at interlopers. Brass door in
the southeast corner. Walls are
pockmarked with innumerable tiny
holes.
Eyes. Unless an intruder states
“Baahl” aloud, 1 round after they
enter, 1d4 stone eye swarms detach
from the walls and driN towards the
interlopers, gazing fiercely.
Treasure. The pupil of each eye is an
opal fragment. Each swarm yields
2d10 gem fragments worth 2 gp
each.
Tiny Holes. Thousands of pinprick
holes. Faint gurgling (see Deathtrap,
Area 11).
Southeastern Brass Door.
Ornamented with sigil of Baahl:
writhing, tentacled mass with a
single oval eye (as per Area 2).
Once the Orb is Sha/ered. Once the
orb is shattered (Area 11), brass
doors shut and seal themselves
unless prevented by iron spikes or
other countermeasures. STR/DEX
15+ to open, 15 HP to sunder..

Stone Eye Swarm (1d4)
A cloud of floating stone eyes. Their
gaze reveals the eternal silence of
the Darkest Shadow.
AC 12, HP 18, ATK 3 slam +2 (1) or 1
gaze, MV near (fly), S -3, D +2, C +0, I
-3, W +1, Ch -3, AL N, LV 4
Gaze. Affix one creature within
double near with their unified gaze.
CHA 15+ or move 1 point towards
Shadow.
Weakness. If magically blinded, the
eye swarm is reduced to 0 HP and
disintegrates.

Hall (Double Near). Six grey stone
cyclops statues holding tridents line
the east and west sides of this long,
near-width stone hall (twelve statues
total). Between each pair of statues
is a rectangular alcove holding a
square plinth. Etched brass door to
the south. Walls are dotted with
innumerable tiny holes.
Statues. Each stone statue holds a
long-hafted stone trident that
resembles a three--ned pike.
Examining the statues finds that the
pike-holding arms can pivot
downwards with effort.
Tiny Holes. Thousands of pinprick
holes. Faint gurgling (see Deathtrap,
Area 11).
Door. Etched in the door are bandy-
legged cyclops devouring fleeing
humans, and the Diabolic sigil of
“Szrad-Zapak, Formless Servant.”
Once the Orb is Sha/ered. Once the
orb is shattered (Area 11), the
statue’s arms pivot downwards,
creating a series of barriers to those
fleeing the temple. DEX 15+ to cross.
Also, the brass doors shut and seal
themselves, STR/DEX 15+ to open,
15 HP to sunder.
Plinths. Each plinth is engraved with
a phrase in Diabolic and has a 3:6
chance of bearing an object. Roll on
the Plinth Tables.