No one has ever returned from the tomb of
Amun-re: his Star Gem must still lie
unclaimed! You will need all your cunning,
imagination, strength and magic --- just to
survive!
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ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ADVENTURE MODULE
Pharoah
Introduction
A lonely group of horsemen stands huddled at the base of a range of craggy, dry mountains, the red light of a dying day casting long shadows behind them. A parched wind, still alive with the desert heat, rustles their capes over their sweatsoaked leather armor. The horsemen have formed a circle astride their steeds and hunch down sadly against the sandy wind.
It is your party that stands within this
circle of grizzled soldiers. The last thing you recall is enjoying the
richness of this land anJ absorbing all of its strange tales of wealth
and greatness. But now you are awake, confused amid these heavily shadovved
faces under a deep red sunset.
The weathered face of the commander turns
toward you, leather-brown skin setting off his steel-blue eyes. He pulls
from his saddle pouch an elegant scroll and reads loudly over the rustling
wind its flowing, formal message:
Know Ye
By Order of his Majesty
Ruler and Trustee of the Realm
Whereas it hath been reported of late to out Majesty that certain dark and vile desert raiders have crossed the terrible mountain wastes of the north, over long forgotten paths thence to raid and pillage our hamlets and downs and thence disappearing into the same fobidding hills, and
Whereas our valiant troops have tracked these same vile creatures through the very teeth of that awesome range to the borders of the most accursed land, known to the wise as the Desert of Desolation, and being knowledgeable as to the curses of that dead and haunted land did our host of brave knights wisely halt their pursuit,
And furthermore, whereas certain foreign characters whose descriptions match those of the very group here assembled at my most honored and revered request, were seen in the vicinity of the tent of Wan-Doo the Wondrous, Wizard of the Court, in the latter part of the evening, and
Whereas those persons did obtain entry to said tent and did short sheet the wizard's bed and do all manner of petty pranks and did leave for the wizard a certain maid for an alleged date with said wizard, and
Whereas said wizard did return to said tent with yet another wench whereupon both the first maid and the second wench did begin a loud commotion and disturbance the like of which has never before shaken this stately court and upset the wizard no end,
Therefore let it be decreed that said persons are appointed Special Force under our Majesty to track the course of the raiders fromt he Desert of Desolation, where surely even the raiders could not survive, search out their hiding place and bring us back proof that they have found that hidden fortess in the desert. We further decree that they may retain all that they bring forth with them for their own use from that fabled land of treasure and death.
Be it yet further decreed that if they prefer not this quest they may choose of death by hanging, death by fireball, death by polymorph, death by flame strike, death by lightning....
Rolling the scroll back up with his calloused
hands, the commander leans down towar-d you "What this means, you poor
foreigners, is that you have been chosen to enter that cursed dead land
south of here. It means that it doesn't matter whether you were in the
tent that night or not, because you are easy to get rid of without ruffling
any feathers"
.
"And it also means." speaks the aged, though
rugged, form beside the commander, "that these here raiders has caused
his majesty a good deal of trouble with the Barons. You're his proof that
he Is doing something about them." His laugh rolls through the hills
The commander silences him with a sharp look, then continues.'.We have brought you certain supplies and mounts from which you may choose. There is no water within two weeks. tortured ride over the mountains from this spot, and those hills are full of cutthroat barbarians that kill for the sheer ]oy of it. Without this armed escort, it would be suicide to attempt crossing back from whence we have come. Your only hope, for what it may be worth, will be to follow those tracks and hope that they lead to water." His lifted arm points south ward, and all eyes follow its direction. There in the desert sands, a conf used trail mars the surface and leads straight into the heart of the burning land.
Looking south across the barren wastes,
lifeless dunes roll in an endless succession away from the mountains to
the south, east and west. You have heard tales of this place. Fabulous
wealth as yet unclaimed lies there waiting to be freed. It is al' yours
for the taking--if only you can survive this haunted land.
STOP! If you plan to play in this module, do not read any further. The information in the rest of this module is for the Dungeon Master to use in guiding the adventure.
NOTES TO THE DUNGEON MASTER
This module is the first in the three-part Desert of Desolation series. As with all modules in this series, you may play this module either with or without the other modules of the series. Players who enjoy this module might wish to continue their desert adventuring in the "OASIS OF THE WHITE PALM" and "LOST TOMB OF MARTEK" modules.
This module is designed for a party of six to eight players of the 5th to 7th levels of experience. A balance of character classes is suggested, for a wide variety of problems will conf rent the players. Each character class will certainly have its moment to snine.
Players should be directed through the wilderness setting to the the pyramid tomb. This pyramid tomb of Amun-re represents the main area of play in this module. The Sunken City of Pazar and the treasure hidden there may either be an interesting sidetrack, or, if the party is playing through all three modules in the series, a major event
SECTION DETAILS: Each section begins with a SECTION FROLOGUE. The prologue outlines the section and how the section works. Random Encounter tables and other information for each section are found in the prologue. Under ENCOUNTERS, each section is divided into individual areas that are numbered and keyed to the maps for easy reference. The details concerning each numbered room or area are then listed under the following subheadings:
Description: This is a general description
of the area as the D ayers fi rst see it. Any readily noticeable and obvious
features
:e generally described here to allow the
DM to read the text directly to the players. These descriptions are boxed-in
to be easily distinguishable for the DM The descriptions were written with
the assumption that the characters are using a torch to see by. A torch
normally lights a 30 foot radius area.
Play: This outlines the general sequence of events that may take place in the room For example: "Players entering the room from the door must first encounter the Trap, which releases the Monster. Only by defeating the Monster can the Treasure be found." Play explains the general order that the sections should be used in Additional size and dimension information about the area is also included here.
Monster: All important creatures that are encountered in the module, regardless of whether they are man or beast, good or bad, plant or animal, intelligent or not, are described in this section. Each person/creature noted in this section is described by an abbreviated listing of its characteristics as detailed below. For the convenience of the DM, whenever a monster or NPC is described in the text, the game statistics will be listed in parentheses in the following order:
Monster Name (Armor Class; Movement; Hit Dice; hit points; number of Attacks per round; Damage; Alignment; and Special a~ilities of the character.)
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN MONSTER STATISTICS
AC = Armor Class S = Strength
AL ? Alignment
MV=Movement
I=lntelligence LG=Lawful Good
HD = Hit Dice W=Wisdom
NG = Neutral Good
hp = hit points D = Dexterity
CG = Chaotic Good
#A=Attacks/round Con=Constitution
CN=ChaoticNeutral
Dmg-Damaoe
CH=Charisma LN=Lawful Neutral
C = Cleric
N = True Neutral
F - Fighter
CE = Chaotic Evil
MU = Magic User
NE = Neutral Evil
T=Thief
LE=Lawful Evil
Character: This is a description of the creature encountered, how it might react, and what its attitude might be. Information that monsters have that might be of use to the player characters (PCs) is also listed here. The personalities of the monsters and characters that the PCs meet are left up to the Dungeon Master--so ham it up!
Treasure: All the treasure that can be found in the room or area is detailed here.
Trap/Trick: Traps, such as sliding walls, booby-trapped trunks, spears from the walls, etc., are explained in this section.
Lore: This catch-all contains points of interest about:he rooni or area, its purpose, its history, etc. These details wiil help yoii to make your game more interesting Characters will na~e opportunities to read from runes (verses wtitten in an aricit?rit alphabet), scrolls, tablets, etc., that they find while adventliring. The percent chance of their reading the writing correctly is given in Lore. If the characters fail their chance of reading Ihe writing correctly, the DM should tell thein, for exampie. ~'You cannot read or understand the writing"
FINAL NOTES: Occasionaliy, the text calls for dexterity or constitution checks. This means that the character must ro;i his dexterity/constitution or less on ld20 The effects of the roll are explained in each case
A "cu m u lative cha nce" mean s that eac
h t i 171 i' a roll i s InRd e.:il:i chance becomes greater For example
As /0179 as a character sits under a palm tree, there is a 5% cilmiilatlve
charice I:,cr turn, that a coconut will fall onto his head This means lhnl
there is a 5% chance of a cocon ut fal I i ng the first to rn, a 1 i)"
c chance the second turn, a 150/0 chance the third turn, and sc on.
Some sections of the tomb are fi red wi
th com plicated ni;ig ';-r! spells and traps. The DM should pay specia
attention to thcs~ areas bef ore playi ng th is modu le, to make the game
flow mo rf smoothly.
Certain areas in the tomb are duplicates of other areas or;;ne same level. Areas that are exactly alike have the same area number on the map. There is only one text description to usr for each of these areas
Players begin their adventure in SECTION I, area A on the DESERT WILDERNESS MAP.
SECTION 1: DESERT WILDERNESS
DESERT PROLOGUE:
Any time the players are not at any specifically numbered, set Ication, they are considered to be in the desert, where the following description may be used. The characters should r7eet the ghost of Amun-re and discover his tomb in the desert. [>etails about the desert should be avoided since they do not tli rectly aff ect the outcome of this adventu re and will tend to slow things down. A reasonable example of play in the desert would be: "You have journeyed for two days without incident and see an oasis in the distance." Run random encounters as explained below in RANDOM ENCOUNTERS.
Stretching to the limits of your sight, the grey mounds of the desert roll with ashen stillness into the distance, baked by the blazing sun. Not a single stone shows through the powdery plane nor a single insect scurries across its surface. All about you, the burning silence of the sand-sea is oppressive and forbidding No landmark steers your way, except the sun, its track seeming to sink ever closer and hotter towards your own path. The ash-dust billows under your feet and chokes your parched throats.
WATER: The soldiers who escort the player characters to the tlesert will give them enough water for their party, including their pack animals, to travel in the desert for seven days. If they ration their water and travel only at night, their water will last for 10 days. Player characters will lose two strength points for every day they are in the desert without water. They will regain three strength points every day they drink at least eight pints of \vater.
POVEM ENT: It takes a h uman, moving at a scale speed of 12," two hours to cross any hex on the Desert Wiiderness Map. All other movements should be adjusted to that scale. For example, a dwarf who moves at a movement rate of 6" would take four hours to cross a hex. A wild horse that moves at a rate of 24~' would take only one hour. Ten hours is certainly a full day's trek Movement is also affected by terrain. Movement through hilly regions is i-a normal for ail characters except dwarves.
The pack animals available ale camels and horses (see below). Heavy loads affect movement, so each character must list what his pack animal is carrying, including the character's own weight if he is also riding. Should an animal disappear into a sinkhole, the list will also be helpful in determining what has been lost.
Camel: (AC 7; MV 21", HD 3; hp 3d8; #AT 1, Dmg 1-4, AL N; spits) The weight camels carry affects their movement. They rnove at a maximum of 9" if carrying between 500 and 600 Ibs. (5,000-6,000 gp weight) or at 15" if weighted between 400 to 499.9 Ibs. (4,000-4,999 gp weight). Camels attack by biting and spitting. There is a 50% chance that they will spit at those trying to ride them. If they do, there is a 25% chance of blinding that rider for one to three rounds. They are ill-tempered and will refuse to rise for travel 40% of the time. Check again after 2 turns of coaxing. Once they have risen. however, they will continue on without much further difficulty. If the camels remainn In one place without moving for one hour, there is a 20% chance they will lie down.
Draft Horse: (AC 7; MV 18"; HD 2+2; hp 2d8+2; #AT 3; Dmg 1-6/1-6/1-3; AL N). A medium horse can carry up to 650 Ibs. (6,500 gp weight) but its movement is slowed to 9" with any weight in excess of 400 lbs (4,000 gp weight). Horses are panicked by raging fire, sudden movement, loud noises or strange smells 90% of the time.
SIGHTING DISTANCE: Sighting distance is also affected by terrain. While in the dunes area, all above-ground objects that are numbered on the Desert Wilderness Map can be seen from a distance of 2 heres (4 miles)
Distances are difficult for any character to determine in the desert. There is a 909/0 chance that the distance guessed by just looking will always appear to be ?I~ to ~ mile away, regardless of the actual distance involved. Pillars of smoke that are many miles away will seem to be right over the next dune
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: While in the desert,
check for random encounters once every four hours. A roll of 1 on a ld10
indicates that an encounter takes place. If an encounter is indicated,
roll ld12 to determine which encounter to use from the RANDOM ENCOUNTER
TABLE below. See MONSTERS, CREATURES, AND MEN for monster descriptions.
DESERT OF DESOLATION PANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE
1. 5 Dustdiggers (AC 4; MV 3"; HD 4; hp 14. 12. 12. 12, 12, #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 + AC of victim: AL N)
2. f Sandman (AC 3; MV 9". HD 4; hp 13, #AT nit: Dmg nii; AL N/E; sleep attack). Roil 1 d6. if the result is a 1, then roll again on this table for another encounter after the sand man attacks, ignoring any Other sandman results
3 40 Thunderherders (AC 3: MV 20"; HD T, hp 7d8; #AT nil, Dmg nil; AL N; ea rthq uake! As they stampede, their trum peting can be heard up to four miles away The part~ cannot be surprised by these thunderherders
4. 1 Dustdigger (AC 4; MV 3~~: iiD 4; hp 11, UAT i. Dmg 1-8 t AC of victim; AL N!
5. 6 Sandmen (AC 3; MV 9" HD 4: hplO, 13, 21. 11. 7, 15, ~AT nil; Dmg nil, AL NE; sleep attack)
A dust storm rises on the wind. The party will risk an 80";o chance of being lost unless they halt all movement. Parties that are lost change the direction of their travel randomly and then move in that direction for the distance their movement indicates Movement during a dust storm is at half the normal rate The storm will last 3-22 11d2012) turns.
7. Clouds start to biiiid on the horizon Within 21-30 (ld10+20) minutes, black clouds will close overhead and an acid rain wi II sta rt to fall, doing 1 -4 points of damage per round to any exposed flesh or food supplies Cloth and other coverings seem to shed the rain without damage. Animals must be sheltered or take the damage The rain will last for 1-10 minutes before it ends and moves on
8. 120 Thunderherders (AC 3; MV 20; HD 7; hp 7d8; #AT nil, Dmg nil, AL N, Earthquake) will stampede by in relative silence.
9. 3 Dustdiggers (AC 4; MV 3", HD 4; hp 12, 14, 8; #AT 1, Dmg 1-8 + AC of victim; AL N)
10. 5 Giant Tarantulas (AC 6, MV 18", HD
2+2, hp 10, 8, 8, 6, 13,
#AT 1, Dmg 1-4 + paralysis poison; AL N).
Save vs. Pois or be paralyzed for 1-6 turns.
"C,
11. Use the DESERT OF DESOLATION SPECIAL ENCOUNTER TABLE at night
12. Use the DESERT OF DESOLATION SPECIAL
ENCOUNTER TABLE at night
DESERT OF DESOLATION SPECIAL ENCOUNTER TABLE
Roll ld6 and use the corresponding encounter number.
1. In the distance, directly to the south, a pillar of smoke will appear on the horizon and continue for four days. This pillar of smoke comes from area H on the desert map.
2. A pillar of smoke rises above the horizon. It wil continue for 4 days and comes from area K on the desert map.
3. 10 Members of Dervish Hunting Party (AC 6; MV 12", HD 4; hp 4d10; #AT 1, Dmg 1-8 + 2; AL LN) These Thune Der vishes are looking for a caravan which was reported to be in this area and could provide much needed food and supplies for their encampment. They will not give up their search, but if;hey are treated nicely, they will point the way to their camp at desert area K.
4. 10 Symbayan Airlancers (AC 6; MV 12", HD 4; hp 4d6; #AT 1, Dmg 1-8 +2; AL LG) fly overhead in the distance on the backs of Pegasi (AC 6; MV 24"/48"; HD 4; hp 4d6; #AT 3; Dmg 1-8/1-8/1 -3; AL CG). The riders appear to be carrying lances and flying in a pattern.They will land to investigate the party but will not trust them and will not disclose their place of origin under any circumstances. They are looking for a caravan that is lost in the desert as well as guarding against evil Thune invaders and spies. They will quickly depart. They have only one gallon of water that they might sell to the party. They jealously guard the location of their empire, and inquiries will gain a hostile response. They will offer no aid to the party and certainly will never take any party member with them when they leave. Their steeds will serve rio one but their original masters.
5. The ground beneath the party begins to shake when sud denly, breaking from beneath the ash, rises a Purple Worm (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 15; hp 54; #AT 1 and 1; Dmg 2-24 (2d12)/1-4; AL N; tail has death poison).
6. An oasis is seen in a random direction two heres in the distance. It is actually a mirage that will disappear whenever the party gets within 100 yards of its apparent location. Players may attempt to save vs. Spells at -2 per day without water to disbelieve the illusion.
DESERT ENCOUNTERS
Use the DESERT WILDERNESS MAP.
A. Start of the Adventure:
PLAY: Read the INTRODUCTION found at the beginning of the module, to the players. The guards will not allow the player characters to return over the mountains. Characters attempt ing to do so will always encounter the guards. The guards will distribute the items found in Treasure to the party. Give each character a rumor as detailed in the TABLE OF RAMDOM RUMORS below.
Treasure: The following items are presented by the guards as a token gift from the king to his Advanced Scouting Party
GENERAL PROPERTY:
Enough water for the entire party to travel
In the desert for seven days (10,000 gp weight).
Three large tents with poles, 10 feet x
20 feet in size, weighing 4,000 gp each. They require four turns (40 minutes)
to set u p or take down.
One Writ of Authority granting permission to be in the Desert of Desolation. It weighs 1 gp.
Ten bundles of firewood weighing 20 Ibs (200 gp weight) each. One bundle provides one night's fire.
One old map of a pyramid. It weights 1 gp.
EACH CHARACTER IS GRANTED:
2.000 sp for expenses.
Two bags containing food One bag contains one week 5 standard ration weighing 20 Ibs. (200 gp weight) while the other contains two weeks' iron rations weighing 15 ibs. (15(? gp weight).
Their choice of either a camel or a draft horse. (See DESERT PROLOGUE under MOVEMENT for a description of these animals.)
TABLE OF RANDOM RUMORS
These are rumors that players may have overheard prior to their arrest and banishment into this land. The true (T) and false (F) notes are for the DM only.
Roll ld10 for each player on the table below.
Give the corresponding rumor to that player secretly. The player may keep
the rumor secret or tell the rest of the party.
1 (F) The greatest pharaoh of the ancient days was en tombed in a great city. The city was buried under the sands of time, and the power and the wealth of the pharaoh was buried with him The accursed wealth sits there still, bur ied in a city under the desert sands.
2. (F) A palace of gold and gems once glittered as a beacon on the southern horizon. Many men have seen its spires of gold, but to this day none have ventured in their direction.
3. (i) There are obelisks in the desert that speak of greatness, but they are evil places where death awaits. None who have gone forth to study those ancient stones have ever returned. (These obelisks appear in the third Desert of Desolation module. but do not affect the play of this module).
4 (T) Part of an epic poem tells.
When the Evil walks our land again.
WiII Nomadic princes come to Set
His power into his first bride's hand,
That good and evil then are met.
Then as needs be
The Star Gems three
To my tomb be borne hither
And a hope shall not wither
Open the gates to my sphere of power
And put off evil in its appointed hour.
(These two verses appear in the second and third Desert of Desolation modules, but do not affect the play of this module)
5 (T) Beyond the hills the world ends in a bottomless sky. There death stalks in ships that sail the clouds and attempt to bring the souls they capture to their ancient City of Damnation. (These things are revealed in the third Desert of Desolation module, but do not affect the play of this module.)
6 (T) One of the greatest Pharaohs of the ancient days cursed his land and set to ruin ail his fertile domain. Yet even after his death, the people worshipped him -- for he had a power even from beyond the grave.
7. (T) Some of the most fabulous treasures lost in the desert were the Star Gems. Of great power and tremendous wealth, they were part of a prophecy concerning the release of evil across the desert and the return of power into the land
8 (T) A mighty pyramid lies to the south, which all and sundry have acclaimed as theft-proof.
9 (T) The tales of the pharaohs' greatness were surpassed only by the tales of their wealth. Many great and wondrous items of antiquity vanished from the knowledge of men. These treasures are rumored to be within the pharaohs' tombs. Surely untold wealth must still be found there.
10. For this rumor, tell the most outrageous lie about a fabulous desert wealth you can think of
B. The Gates of Sule:
Rising up out of the dust, twin pillars of stone stand slanting at odd angles, their surfaces pockmarked and sand-worn. Odd inscriptions are faintly visible in the pockmarked surfaces.
Play: If no storm has immediately preceded the party's arrival, the trail of horse and human footprints continues only between the two pillars (this track is indicated on the DESERT WILDERNESS MAP), Sinkholes extend up to either side of the pillars (See Area C) Those attempting to go around the pillars must enter area C The rune inscriptions on the pillars are found in Lore.
Lore: There is a base 30% chance of reading the writing correctly as:
The Gates of Sule Curse Ye Who Enter Unbidden
C. Sinkholes:
Play: These areas will seem different than
normal desert only 10% of the time. These are places where the ash is especially
fine and shifts easily under weight. Each character moving over such an
area must make a dexterity check or start to sink into the ashen sands.
Camels will sink on a roll of 1 thrown on 1d10 with all other animals sinking
on a roll of 1 thrown on ld6 Wagons sink on a roll of 1-2 on ld6. This
check is made once per hour if the party is moving or once per turn if
they are not Every round a character is sinking, he must make a dexterity
check at -5 to pull himself out Complete submersion takes one to six minutes
(rounds), thereafter doing 1-4 points of damage per round with the character
suffocating to death in eight rounds. Every round a player is completely
submerged. he must make a dexterity check at -10 to pull himself out Saving
anything before it disappears beneath the sand forever requires finding
a way to stop further sinking, like throwing a rope to a person, or around
a camel Then, 20 strength points are needed to pull out small creatures
(halflings, dwarves, small animals. 30 strength points to save medium (human-sized)
creatures, and 80 strength points for large creatures. The strength of
the player characters (but not pack animals) who are sinking may be applied
to the total. It will take 11-20 (ld10+10) minutes to extract anything
or anyone Note that those assisting in saving something will have to stop
and must therefore check every turn to see if they sink as well Objects
will sink to a depth of 11-20 (ld10 110) feet below the surface, with ashen
sand filling up the hole. Digging to any depth in such sand is impossible,
as the sides of the hole simply collapse and fill in the excavated area.
D. Hills:
Craggy, low hills of broken and baked stone jut upwards at weird angles, casting tortured shadows across themselves.
Play: Movement rate is half normal in such areas for all persons except dwarves. There is a 60% chance per hour spent searching of finding a cave shelter area large enough for the party.
E. Fork in the Trail:
Lying here in the sands, half buried, is a fallen obelisk (a four-sided pillar), its top pointing toward the southwest. Carved runes are visible on its surface
Play: If there has been a storm before now, the trai I here will be gone, otherwise it will still be visible The trail seems to fork from its southward track into two directions: one to the southwest, the other toward the southeast See Lore to read the runes
Lore: There is a base 30% chance to read the writing, which says:
Here lies the road of kings to the garden of Pazar whilst there lies the road to Terbakar, Keeper of the Pyramid
The directional arrows on the obelisk have been weathered away
F. End of the Trail.
Play: The trail suddenly ends here. (Read the boxed Players description frorn the DESERT PROLOGUE on page 4
G. Sunken City of Pazar:
The upper half of a statue thrusts up from the ash dunes of !he desert. The noble face is pockmarked and scarred by the ravages of time and sand The statue seems to be holding a tablet, half buried in the sand, against its chest
Play: The PCs may uncover the tablet to read its message as described in Lore There is a 20% cumulative chance per round that a person remains in front of the statue that his weight will cause a stone in the dome beneath to give way. The sand will suddeniy fall through and that person will drop onto and down the side of the sand pile in G1. Thereafter, the sands stop filling in and the hole may be approached by the characters remaining above in relative safety The character who falls through the hole will drop 30 feet onto steeply sloping soft sand taking 1-6 points of damage) and then slide down the sand mound to the floor of the chamber an additional 70 feet below Use the SUNKEN CITY OF PAZAR MAP to continue play there
Lore: The inscription can be understood 30% of the time. It reads.
My name is Maniozimus. Looks upon the ruins of the great city that surrounds you and despair. Here, great magic once was. Now you see only the ruins of Men's works.
G1. Sunken Dome of Eilish:
You see a 100 foot tall dome of fitted stone above a broken flagstone floor. The entire area slants toward the southeast. lit only by the single shaft of light from the hole in the ceiling overhead. Sifted dust and sand have spilled into the vast chamber where the dome has crumbled on the southeast side. On the west, a darkly stained dome leans on top of a building that rises up majestically from the sand Partially broken stairs lead up to its rubble-strewn front platform
Play: Climbing the sand pile unaided can be done only 40% of the time by normal players or as climb walls by thieves at +10% to their normal roll. Checks on climbing are made three times, once at the bottom, once at the middle, and again as the player reaches the top. Those failing slide back to the bottom of the pile. Movement while climbing the pile is at 1/4 normal for all except thieves (who move as normal) and as noted in G2 below. This sand pile ends 30 feet short of the entrance hole. Melee conducted on this sand pile will be at -4 to hit except as in G2 below.
G2. Platform of Eilish:
A rubble-strewn platform with leaning piilars supports a crumbling roof. Stained bronze double doors stand closed at the back of the platform.
Play: A Monster will attack the first person to step onto the platform. Thereafter, the rest of the remaining Monsters wiii jump into area G1 and attack any other players there
Monster: Five Huge Tarantulas (AC 6; MV 18"; HD 2+2; hp 10,4, 7, 8, 5; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6 + paralysis poison: AL: N: save vs. Poison or be paralyzed for 2-12 (2d6) turns) lurk on the platform until someone steps onto it. One of the spiders will then attack that person while the rest scurry into area G1 and attack anyone there. The sand pile does not affect the Huge Tarantulas' movement or combat. They will pursue hapless creatures that fall into this area as far as the exit hole in their dome above
G3. Entry Cell:
The slanted floor of the dark 2O foot square entry leans to the south. Before you, two golden doors, bright and shining, gleam in your torchlight. The doors have no handles or fixtures but are carved with strange writings. To the north and south, 5 foot wide passages lead off into the darkness
Play: The doors are magically locked. They
will no open unless the palms of a character's hands wave before them and
then player says 'Sakhr al Jinni' (sec area G6) A knock spell will
also open the door. The
meaning of the strange writings on the
door is found in Lore
Lore: These are magical writings and may only be read with a read magic spell. The writing says
Do not sisturb the vanquished one. He is the treasure that must be kept.
G4. Meditation Room:
This 15-foot diameter room is entered through an arched door. Sand and dust have spilled into this room.
G5. Buried Entrance:
The leaning corridor ends with sand obstructing the entire hall. A partially blocked door lies half buried under the sands on the south side of the corridor
Play: Tile door opens toward the players and the sand blocking it must be removed before it may be opened to room G6. This will take 1-4 turns to accomplish
G6. Scroll Room:
A 20-foot wide by 30-foot long slanting room ends on the west with ash and sand filling the entire end of the hall. The walls here are lined with racks of bone cases. A statue lies broken on the floor to the east A carved tablet that it once held lies beside it. the upper and lower portions shattered
Play: The bone cases are empty The section on Lore describes the tablet
Lore: On the tablet is an eng raved incantation whose remaining part translates roughly as follows.
-- Thus facing the great doors and passing the right hand before them speak "Sakhr Al Jinni", then approach the first and speak "Alhamdulha", so shall the way be open unto you. Speat yet "Bismilla" and "Duban" and ye shall be within thy hands reach of the greatest of all --
G7. Room of the Guardians:
This 20-foot wide hall. and its ceiling, disappear into the darkness Three pairs of huge statues line the side walls. their tops not visible in the darkness What appears to be a light blue curtain of translucent material fills the space between the first two statues
Play: The hall is 60 feet long. with a 60-foot ceiling The statues are 50 feet tall. On a platf orm, in front of the back wall. there is a huge bronze lamp There are three Trap/Tricks that must be passed before reaching the platform There, the Treasure will be found. If the Treasure seal is broken, the Monster will appear The Treasure cannot be moved until the Monster is released
Monster: An Efreeti Pasha (AC -3: MV 24"/24"; HD 12; hp 101: #AT 2 Dmg 2-20/2-20 (2d10); AL N (LE tendencies): with spells as below) is held within the lamp. The Pasha can perform the following. as a l5th level magic user. at will: fireball; flame strike; detect magic; enlarge: become invisible; assume gaseous form: wall of fire; polymorph self: create illusion with both visual and aural effects: and fulfill another's wish, although loath to do so
If released, his form fills the room to its full height, the very stones quaking under his arrival
Character: The Efreeti has been captive a long time and, being of a snobbish royalty, is not al all disposed to treat the party kindly He is, however, in a hurry to get out of this place where he has been kept for over 1.000 years and wants to see the world above He is not bound to perform a service for the player characters He will laugh at them and, after informing them of his plans to lay waste to all civilization, will rush out through the opening. He will not fight the characters unless attacked
Trap/Trick #1: This curtain is in fact a wall of absolute cold Players failing saving throws vs. Spells will take 3-18 (3d6) points of damage and become instantly frozen, turning a blue color and frosted all over. All implements of the character are frozen to the character and cannot be removed. The character is not dead, and may be revived by throwing the character's system shock or less on percentile dice after a slow thaw. The character can also be defrosted suddenly, by being hit by a flame strike or fireball, for example. Such high intensity fire spells will not harm the frozen characters, just defrost them. Those making saving throws against the curtain will take half damage and remain active. The curtain is removed either by speaking the word "Alhamduhla" (found in area G6), casting a dispel magic against tenth level magic, or doing 50 points of magical fire damage against it.
Trap/Trick #2: Upon the removal of the blue wall, a yellow translucent curtain will appear between the second two statues in the hall. Players contacting the curtain and failing saving throws vs. Rods will be struck by a lightning bolt for 5-30 (5d6) points of damage, The bolt seems to cross from the right statue to the left. Those making saving throws will take only haIf damage. This curtain is removed either by saying the word "Bismilla" (found in area G6), by casting a dispel magic against tenth level magic, or when 200 points of damage have been inflicted by the wall Metal laid touching between the two statues will short-circuit the two poles and blow the statues apart, removing the curtain permanently.
Trap/Trick #3: Upon the removal of the yellow wall. a red translucent curtain will appear between the last pair of facing statues in the hall Players contacting the curtain and failing their saving throws vs Breath Weapons will be struck by fire for 5-50 (5d10) worth of damage. Those making their saving throw take half damage The fire seems to come from the top of the translucent wall in a column, striking the character This final curtain may be removed either by saying the word "Duban" (found in area G6). casting a dispel magic against tenth level magic, or when 500 points of damage have been inflicted by the wall A cone of cold or other cold-based spells that do a cumulative total of 50 points damage will destroy the field as well
Treasure: On the platform a large brass lamp sits, its surface dusty The lamp seems fixed to the floor, standing 3 feet high. and 4 feet in diameter. The lid of the lamp is welded shut and the wick spout is blocked by lead Players carefully inspecting the lamp will see that there is a symbol on the lead plug of two interlacing triangles The lamp gives no alignment emanations Rubbing the lamp will do nothing until the lead seal is removed If the seal has been removed and the lamp is rubbed the Monster above will be set free
H. Remains of a Camel-fry:
All about this area of grey dunes are found horse and human tracks. In the center of the area. a large smoking mass lies on the sands, still warm frorn the heat of its dying flame Bones of camels lie amid the charred remains A trail of hooves and human feet leads to the northeastern horizon
Lore: Here is what has been making the smoke in the desert sky It is the remains of a camel-fry held by the Thune Dervishes some nights ago
I. Pool of Tefnut:
From a distance you see palm trees and shimmerig water The water and palmdo not disappear, but steady as you approach The palms offer shade and comfort, the water is cool and quenching
Play: The first Good aligned character that looks into the pool will have a vision presented to him from the Monster. Upon completion of that vision, the entire oasis will disappear, leaving the party refreshed and all the water bags full.
Monster: A set of sultry almond eyes will appear in the ripples of the pool. A watery voice like the lapping of waves upon the shore will address the character and answer only three yes/no questions for that character. The answers will all be as truthful as it is possible for the DM to answer Only the person who is having the vision will be able to see the eyes or hear the voice.
J. Lands of Bakar:
Play: For each hour that a character remains in this area, there is a 5% cumulative chance that they will encounter the Monster. Outside this area, this encounter will not take place.
Monster: A solitary man in rags appears over the crest of a hill only 100 yards away. His features are indiscernible as he shuffles through the dust. This is the ghost of Amun-re, pharaoh of Bakar. He will not be able to notice the party until they are within 15 meters, at which time he will turn and address the party directly by reciting his sad story (as told in Lore) then turn and walk exactly in the direction of area Il,the pyramid and temple. As a soul cursed by the gods, Amun-re cannot be destroyed, nor can he harm the party. He must stay in limbo until his curse on him is removed. This will not happen until someone breaks his curse on the land.
Character: Amun-re will not communicate more than the words in Lore.
Lore: Amun-re wi Il recite these words when he encounters the party. He will continue to do this each evening until the party is within sight of the pyramid, when he will stop and slowly raise his arm up to point towards the ancient tomb.
"I am Amun-Re, son of Takosh-re of the House of Mo-Pelar! These rags you see are but my shadow which has walked these lands for time uncounted in search of mighty men of valor, to plead their aid.
"In my time was I Pharaoh of this land before you. It was a green and beautiful land, blessed by the gods of heaven westward with a wondrous spring that gave life to our land and nurtured our crops, yet robbers did raid the tombs of my forefathers and take from them tokens of their passage into the lands of the dead, thus keeping them from their reward after life. I swore that at all costs would I not fall prey to their evil deeds.
"So it was that I made mighty and terrible war upon my neighbor lands, plundering their wealth for my own passage. I did enter contract with a great mage who did work a mighty wonder and, upon the sweat and blood of my people, did I build a theft proof tomb.
"My people turned against me with bitter hatred. I not only robbed our borderlands, but did tax and plunder my own people and take from them their wealth. They rose up in anger, demanding their gold and precious gems, their lives and freedom, but I cursed them saying:
"'By the ruling staff and the star gem of Mo-Pelar, I curse you. Threaten not my life, or by these implements of my power and holy name of Osiris, will the stopping of my heart also stop the spring of Athis from her life giving flow. If the river stops, so shall your land wither in the wilderness. This I do swear by Osiris' holy name and these implements.'
"From a sea of upraised fists before me rose the one with a spear. the shaft sped from the darkness, and so that night did the spring of Athis stop its flow.
"In death my spirit gleefully approached my pyramid but Osiris stopped my spirit from entering that tomb, for, said he 'Your monument to life was to be the benefit you brought to the people under your stewardship, not this edifice of stone. As you looked only to your death in life, so shall you look only yo your life in death. I am bound to fulfill your curse, for you have called it down with power in my name, but I do curse you, Amun-Re, that you shall not enter this tomb where are the implements of your voyage to heaven, until some mortal soul does despoil this place, taking your staff of ruling and the star gem of Mo-Pelar from your theft proof tomb.'
"I have even talked with the wind in hopes of help. Uncounted seasons have passed and my kingdom is not now to be seen in these desert lands, save for my tomb which stands now as then. Many have tried, I trust, and none have succeeded. My wealth is thine, if thou can be undo this thing, that I have done. Remove both my staff of ruling and the star gem from my tomb that you may have wealth and release me. Follow my path to wealth or woe, to thy destiny or doom."
K and L. The Outer Temple and pyramid:
Play: See SECTIONS II and 111 for these areas.
SECTION II: Temple
TEMPLE PROLOGUE:
In the midst of the vast desert sands,
the last relic of a dead civilization stands before you. Surrounded by
the broken foundations of a once mighty city, the great pyramid itself
rises up from the sands, looking barely touched by time. It is 745 feet
square at the base and rises to a height of 700 feet. The pyramid's four
surfaces face the points of the compass. Surrounding the pyramid is a wall
5 feet wide and 20 feet tall. A temple structure is attached to the south
face of this wall. It is the only existing way through the pyramid's wall.
Stairs lead up to a platform in front of the temple's entrance. Behind
the temple, running up the south face of the pyramid, a stairway rises
50 feet up to a platform and an opening into the pyramid.
See Players' Map.
BACKGROUND: The tombs of the pharaohs were not just burial grounds. They were complex religious places that were used to change the dead pharaohs into gods. Temples such as this one were used in the sacred processes that readied the pharaohs for their trips to heaven and the next world
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: Check for random encounters
once every three turns. A roll of 1 or 2 on 1d6 indicates that an encounter
takes place. If an encounter is indicated, roll ld6 and use the corresponding
encounter number from the RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE below.
TEMPLE RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE
1 Dwarves (3) (AC 4: MV 6": HD 4; #AT 1. Dmg 1-8, AL LN)
2 Dervishes (5) (AC 6; MV 12": HD 4; #AT 1. Dmg ld8+2; AL LN)
3 Dervishes (10) IAC 6; MV 12": HD 4; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2; AL LN)
4 Bandits (8) (AC 7: MV 12". HD 1,#AT 1, Dmg 1-6, AL NE)
5 Giant Rats (35) (AC 7: MV 12". HD 1, #AT 1, Dmg 1-3 + Disease; AL N)
6 Dervishes (3) IAC 6; MV12"; HD 4: #AT
1, Dmg ld8+2, AL LN) These Dervishes will be drunk 25% of the
time.
TEMPLE ENCOUNTERS
K1. Fountain of Athis:
A broken lime-cement basin. 100 feet in
diameter, with no apparent openings in the bottom lies before
you. The dried basin empties into a deep channel that cuts
a path into the desert ground to the south.
Lore: This is the fountain of Athis. After the construction of the pyramid, irrigation water for the entire valley sprang from this source It was originally filled by a teleport spell that moved an incredible volume of water from the pyramid to this spot. The spell was stopped by Amun-re's curse. This spell will begin to function again when the curse is broken, teleporting water from the temple silos (See SECTION III, room L6) to this basin. The water will then flow into its original channel to the south.
K2. Temple Exterior:
The temple's stone walls are worn by time, yet are still quite solid and sturdy. There are no windows in Ihe temple walls and only one entrance, behind a platform. shaded by pillars A staircase leads up to the platform The temple's roof is capped by one large and two small domes
Play: Monsters are on the entrance platform
Monster: On the platform, standing on either side of the arched entrance, are 2 Thune Dervishes (AC 6: MV 12": HD 5: hp 15, 5: #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2; AL LN) on guard duty They will verbally challenge anyone approaching to within 50 feet of the platform. The Thune Dervishes will attack if the characters do not give an acceptable response, such as, "We come to worship this temple."
K3. Corridor of the Supplicant:
A shallow ramp/corridor runs down from south to north some 20 feet between two sets of double doors.
K4. High Altar of Amun-re:
This 30-foot wide by 40-foot long room is lit by torches attached to the walls. The torches cast flickering light on the very decorative carved walls and high, domed ceiling. A Dervish cleric, the Holy laseda, stands at an altar in front of a huge statue of Amun-re. Five other Dervishes stand around him, casually studying the wall carvings. The Holy laseda is reading from a large white book with platinum fittings.
Play: The players will immediately notice the Monsters and will need to deal with them before the Treasure or Trap/Trick. Lore may be used whenever the characters inspect the wall carvings.
Monster: The Holy laseda (AC 4; MV 12"; HD 5; hp 28; #AT 1, Dmg ld4+1; AL LN) has a horseman's flail, and a party of five Dervishes (AC 6; MV 12"; HD 4; hp 13, 12, 23, 17, 10; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2; AL LN) with him. The laseda can use these spells at fifth level: command, cure light wounds, sanctuary, know alignment, snake charm, spiritual hammer, and cause blindness.
Character: The Holy laseda is attempting, with little success, to find some clue to the whereabouts of the Dervish leader and his group that entered the pyramid and did not return. The laseda knows that they disappeared, but nothing more, and is having little luck with the book, as the written form is strange to him.His reactions are typically Dervish (See MONSTERS, CREATURES, AND MEN), and under no circumstances will he knowingly release the book out of his hands.
Treasure: The Tome ofAmun-re is the clearly legible title of the book, but the writing inside is of an old and outmoded form. The book is worth 3,000 gp. See the Tome of Amun-re section at the back of the module for text passages and how to read them
Trap/Trick: The Statue of Amun-re is cut from stone different than that of the surrounding walls. The statue is a secret door which swings outward into the room. Behind it is an area 10 feet wide by 20 feet deep with an arched ceiling 10 feet tall. This is the receiving end of a one-way teleport designed for the king's transfer of spi rit into the stone. The area radiates magic, but entering it has no effect.
Lore: Inspecting the wall carvings will show that a rune is often repeated in the carvings. There is a base 30% chance to read the writing, which translates as:
Though his spirit lies far from us in heaven westward, into this likeness does his spirit come that he may commune with men.
K5. Holy Circle of Osiris:
This is a circular room 40 feet in diameter. A large white marble altar stands at the west end of the room. Behind the altar, a large statue of a man, carved from greenish stone, glares down with jeweled eyes.
Treasure: In each of the eyes of the statue, there is a small star ruby gem worth 1,550 gp. It is a fairly simple matter to cut the gems out of the sockets, but the Dervish consider such an act sacrilege to this holy place. Any Dervish witnessing such an act will mark the characters removing the gems for "Bloodquest" (See MONSTERS, CREATURES, AND MEN). If no Dervish is present, there is a 15% cumulative chance per turn that a wandering Dervish will notice the gems' absence--and the Dervishes are excellent trackers.
K6. Worship Room:
Long neglected, this room gives off a slight herbal smell and appears empty
K7. Priests' Quarters:
This is an unlit corridor, running north to south The end of the corridor is lost in darkness. There are 10-foot square cells opening off to either side
Play: The corridor is 60 feet in length There is a bunk of hard wood and a woolen blanket in each cell The Monsters are resting in the cells. unseen as the players enter the room There is a base 70% chance that the Thunes in each cell are asleep. Roll for surprise as the party approaches each cell Each Thune Dervish has Treasure
Monster: Scattered through the various ceils.
there are 27 Dervishes (AC 6; MV 12'. HD 4: hp see helow; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2;
AL LN) The number of Dervishes in each cell and their hit points are as
follows:
Cell # Dervishes & hp Cell # Dervishes & hp
a. 4 (hp 2, 7, 1,2)
f 5 (hp 3, 1, 9, 8, 2)
b 7 (hp 1, 2. 10. 2, 2. 2 9)
g No Occupant
c 2 (hp l,l0)
h 4 (hp 4.10.10.2)
d. 3 (hp5,4,5)
i 2 (hp 2,5)
e. NoOccupant
j No Occupant
Treasure: Each Dervish is carrying 10-40 (ld4xl0) cp.
K8. High Priest's Temple:
You enter a small temple 30 feet across
east to west and 20 feet deep north to south. There is a door in the center
of the south wall and another at the east end of the north wall Within
this dark and smoky room, a dull red glow is visible from a pile of burning
incense in the center of the room. Against the west wall stands yet another
statue of Amun-re, his hands forming an altar platform 5 feet above the
floor. Prostrate on the ground in front of the statue is the Assistant
Holy laseda.
Play: Players immediately see the Monster
Monster: The Assistant Holy laseda (AC 3: MV 12", HD 5; hp 21, #AT 1, Dmg 1-8, AL LN) is wearing chainmail armor +2, which will fit perfectly anyone who wears it. He can use these spells at fifth level: bless, detect evil, cause fear, know alignment, spiritual hammer, silence, and bestow curse
K9. Exit of the Kings:
The north side of this room is 30 feet across, and the room is 20 feet deep to the south. Stairs lead out and upward from the east and west walls. Light falls through an open archway in the center of the north wall
Play: The northern archway leads to the courtyard between the tomb and its surrounding wall. A well-worn path leads straight from this doorway across the intervening 50 feet to the base of the pyramid. Here, a stairway leads to an opening 50 feet up the south face of the pyramid.
SECTION III: The Plundered Tomb
PLUNDERED TOMB PROLOGUE:
BACKGROUND: The entire pyramid radiates magic Teleport spells going into or out of the pyramid will not work unless the characters that are teleporting have the Star Gem with them. (See the Tomb of Amun-re. room L67) Teleport spells work normally within the pyramid. The entrance from the platform in area L1 is the only way into the pyramid
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS Use the TEMPLE RANDOM ENC()UNTER TABLE In SECTION II on page 10
PLUNDERED TOMB ENCOUNTERS
Use the PLUNDERED TOMB MAP
L1. Entrance of the Tomb:
A platform and the entrance to the pyramid are at the top of the 50-foot high steps on the south face of the pyramid. The platform is 50 feet across at the front, narrowing to 30 feet at the back wall. There are intricate carvings of animals on the walls of the platform: Two figures stand on either side of the opening in the center of the back wall.
Play: Players must pass the Monster to get through the entrance. Each has Treasure. The carvings are only decorative.
Monster: Two Dervishes. Atfez and Pachi (AC 6: MV 12" : HD 4 hp: 16, 18 #AT l Dmg ld8+2 AL LN) are on guard duty. They react as typical Dervishes
Treasure: Atfez holds 22 cp while Pachi has 10 sp and a "pretty stone" which he found: a gem worth 100 gp.
L2. Main Worship Hall:
This is a vast room of cool darkness with a flat ceiling 20 feet high Support pillars. four on each side, stand 10 feet from the east and west wails Both the walls and the pillars are of intricate design. Just inside the entrance, at the south end of the side walls, 4-foot wide corridors lead to the east and to the west.
Play: This room is roughly 50 feet square. Entering the room far enough to see the north wall (20 feet) will reveal the statue described in Trap/Trick.
Trap/Trick: There is a 20-foot tall statue of Amun-Re in the center of the north wall. The statue is carved from a different stone than the rest of the walls. It is a secret door leading to room L7.
L3. West Offering Temple:
Before you the corridor opens into a 30-foot square room with 20-foot tall walls rising to a somed ceiling. In the centre of the north wall stands a statue of Amun-Re. The walls are covered with old runes.
Play: The statue is a Trap/Trick and the runes are found in Lore
trap/Trick: The statue, of a different stone than the walls is a secret door that opens up to a 10-foot wide corridor running 20 feet to the north and intersecting the east-west corridor near Area L5
Lore: Each rune has a base 30% chance of being read correctly. They read as follows:
It was said throughout the land that from time forth, those who entered the tomb either came forth saying that its riches were already plundered or else never returned at all.
That day did the river dry and the rains disappear. The arid sun burned into the land and everything withered from its gaze.
The people too dried up and blew away like the grass that withered beneath their feet.
All now that remains is I who tend this temple in the hopes that some soul might turn that terrible wrath of Amun-Re. I also sell trinkets to the tradesmen who come, although lately sales have been low.
The building of the pyramid was a colossal feat, especially in the bad years the gold piece had been lowered in value so many times that the people began to wonder if there was any future in the gold piece at all.
The trade business died away after the first four years and now here I am, holding 12 cases of pyramid statues. Oh, for the days when a priest could earn an honest gold piece.
L4. East Offering Temple
Before you the corridor opens into a well-lit 30-foot square room with 20-foot tall walls capped by a domed ceiling. Torches attached to the wails brightly illuminate the five runes on the walls in the center of the north wall, a 20-foot tall statue of Amun-re, with arms outstretched, holds an altar bowl of blazing fire near his chest some 15 feet above the floor A stone staircase leads up to the bowl. The room is filled with prostrate robed figures bowing on the ground toward the idol
Play: The Dervish Monsters will be dealt with first. The altar bowl is a Trap/Trick and the runes are found in Lore
Monster: 11 Dervishes (AC 6; MV 12". HD 4; hp 16, 5. 10, 11. 15. 5. 7. 4. 8, 14, 3: #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2: AL LN) and their Assistant Holy laseda (AC 4: MV 12"; HD 5; hp 19; #AT 1, Dmg 1-8. AL LN) are bowed down in worship, facing the statue. The Cleric laseda can use these spells at fifth level: protection from evil, purify food and drink, sanctuary, chant, hold person. silence 15-fool radius, and dispel magic
Character: If these Thunes react favorably to the party they might tell them that they are here offering alms oo this diety for the return of their great leader and his men who disappeared here some 10 days ago. They know that their great leader entered this room after having read something in a white book indicating this was the correct entranc to the rest of the tomb
Trap/Trick: The flame burns with neither smoke nor heat. Whenever something (or someone) enters the bowl the flames surge around them, blocking them from the sight of others in the room When the flames die down immediately thereafter, whatever was in the bowl has vanished. The flames do no damage to those who enter them. The bowl is a rather spectacular one-way teleport to room L13, in KORDAN'S MASTER MAZE. The Dervishes here believe that their offerings have been accepted by this great god
Lore: Each rune has a base 30% chance of being read correctly. They read as follows:
Though there had been much bad talk about Amun-Re, it was generally recognized by the people and priests alike that he was the greatest of the gods in heaven westward. For he alone manifested his power in his own temple
Sacrifices of food and gold were brought daily to lay on the altars before the statues in the small worship temples left and right from the stair entrance to the tomb.
It is our priesthood rite that whoever Osiris accepts he will take from the altar and that which he wishes the priests to have, he leaves on the altar. This profited the priests greatly except that all offerings left in the east temple would disappear and never be found again.
Several priests, upset to see their assets disappearing searched the east temple and they, too, disappeared. The temple became a most holy hallowed spot so that all who wished to give offerings came to that temple only. The priesthood then became unprofitable and our doctrine had to be changed - trade turned to trick.
Offerings were often made, for a passage was always provided between the tomb of the king and his likeness, whereby his spirit might pass into his ordained statue and live within the stone we worship here. Such a passage was always provided for the kinfs that they may live among us once more.
L5, West Storage Vault:
The 10-foot wide arched corridor opens into a vertical circuiar shaft 30 feet in diameter with wet, slime-covered walls dropping into the darkness below. A domed ceiling peaks 30 feet above the arched opening. The air here is very humid.
Play: The shaft drops down 120 feet to the surface of murky water below. The water itself is an additional 30 feet deep. The water has special properties as found in Treasure.
Treasure: The waters of Athis fill the bottom of this shaft. (See Treasure In area L6 below for the benefits of this water.)
L6. East Storage Silo,
The 10-foot wide arched corridor opens
into a vertical shaft 30 feet in diameter, its wet and slimy walls dropping
down into darkness. A domed ceiling peaks 30 feet above the arched
opening The air is very humid here and the thunderous sound of cascading
water fills the chamber.
Play: The shaft drops 120 feel into turbulent and foaming while water Fifty feet below the arched entrance, water is gushing from an opening in the north wail at a tremendous rate, failing io the water below, which is an additional 30 feet deep. (See Treasure below for effects of the water.)
Treasure: These are the waters of Athis The water will restore 1-10 hit points once per day when a character drinks it The character's body is then saturated by the healing elements of the water, which take 24 hours to dissipate. The water will not heal the character again for 24 hours.
Lore: It is from the bottom of this silo that the river water of Athis water was teleported out to the snow-dry fountain pool. This teleport was re-routed back to Athis by the curse of Amun-re. but will work again after that curse is broken. The pyramid concentrates cosmic energy to give the wearer all of those healing problems.The water will not have any healing powers outside the charm.
L7. Worship Room:
This 30-foot square room is accessed by 10-foot wide arched corridors in the center of the east. south, and west walls There are no writings on the walls and the ceiling is flat Against the center of the north wall is a 20-foot tall statue of Amun Re.
Trap/Trick: The statue is of course, a secret stone door
Lore: The tombs of the kings all had false tombs and this one is no exception. If things have been easy so far, it is because it was intended that way to mislead. Players who have ignored irnportant clues are about to go to a lot of trouble for some broken pottery and a few copper pieces
L8. Descending Corridor:
A 10-foot wide arched corridor leads down at a 23 degree angle A musty smell pervades the area and dust covers the floor.
Play: This corridor is 70 feet long
L9. Great Worship Room:
Acorridor enters the south side of a large
room 30 feet wide east to west and 40 feet deep north to south. The north
wall is lined with three statues of Amun-re. There are also two statues
of Amun-re on each side wall. in the center of the room stands an altar.
Side by side impressions of a left and right hand are carved into
the front of the altar. On the ceiling and remaining walls. "Amun-re" is
carved over and
over in several languages.
Play: The center statue on the north wall opens as a secret door to an empty alcove See Trap/Trick for the use of the altar and opening the southernmost statue on the east wall.
Trap/Trick: All of the statues are cut from a different kind of stone than the surrounding walls. The center statue on the north wall will open into an empty room, 10 feet wide and 20 , feet deep. This room once contained a sleeping gas, but the trap was sprung long ago. If a player puts his hands into the altar impressions and says "Amun-re," the wizard locked statue that is southernmost on the east wall will swing free to reveal a corridor 10 teet wide by 30 feet long that turns to the north to room L10. All of the other statues are cemented to the wall and will not budge.
L10. Grand Hallway:
This hallway slopes down at a 20 degree
angle The plaster from the great trescos that once covered these walls
has fallen to rubble on the sloping floor. Axe and hammer marks cover the
walls Dust blankets everything and the air Is very dry.
Play: This hall is 80 feet long. A broken
door will be found at the far north end of the hall
Lore: This hall and the other rooms in
the false tomb, were prepared to fool robbers into thinking that they were
not the first to arrive and therefore were too late to remove the treasure
The fact of the metter is that the pots, chests and frescos were hacked
up by the Higher Priests (before Amun-re was laid to lest), so that no
rnatter how soon robbers break in, they would always think that someone
else had broke in before them
L11.Treasure Room:
Beyond the brokend door is a huge room. The room is 20 tall, raising to a flat ceiling. The words "Treasure Room' are carved into the walls in giant letters and several languages. Scattered about the room are broken pots and chests that have been hewn in half. All are covered with a thick layerof dust.
Play: The room is 50 feet wide east to west. and 40' long north to south. In the centre of the north wall an arched corridor leads to the north.
L12. Tomb:
This room is 30 feet wide, disappearing
into the darkness. In the center of this 20-foot tall room
sits the sarcophagus, a large, ornate stone coffin. Its lid ajar
and broken. It contains nothing but dust. In the centre of
the north wall, ancient writing has been chisled into the stone
Lore: The writing has a base 30% chance of being read correctly as:
Here lies the true tomb of Amun-Re
Know that ye have arrived too late
to plunder my ransom for Heaven's Gate
Kordan's Master Maze
MAZE PROLOGUE:
BACKGROUND: This is the maze level of Amun-re's tomb It has impressive magical spells that confuse direction and distance iri certain areas A clear understanding of the function of the maze will be necessary to run this section of the adventure. Take time to study the details of area L14 below
DIRECTIONS IN THE MAZE: While in the maze, players wiil not know which way is north, south, east or west. Give ail directional descriptions as: "left" "right" "straight ahead" or "behind". For example, a description of a typical maze might be: "You enter the end of a 10-foot wide by 30-foot long corridor; with arched exits in the center of the left and right walls" Not knowing the compass di rections, the players will also have to give their directions in terms of "left" and "right"
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: Check for an encounter every three game turns Roll ld6 If the result is a 1. an encounter takes place. Roll ld12 to determine which encounter to use from the MAZE RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE below
MAZE RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE
1. Wizard (1) (AC 9: MV 12". HD 6; #AT 1. Drng 1-4. AL NG:4 first, 2 second, and 2 third level spells) He stumbled in here some time ago looking for magical items He can use these spells at sixth level. charm person, comprehend languages, featherfall, magic missile continual light, web, fireball, and Leomund's tiny hut IF THIS WIZARD HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERED BEFORE. IGNORE THIS RESULT AND ROLL AGAIN ON THIS TABLE FOR ANOTHER ENCOUNTER
2. Minotaur (1) (AC 6: MV 12": HD 5+3: #AT :2: Dmg 2-8 or 1-4: or 1-8 with an axe: AL CE)
3 Dopplegangers (3) (AC 5 MV 9": HD 4; #AT: 1Dmg 1-12: AL N) Roll on the DOPPLEGANGER ENCOUNTER TABLE below to determine their appearance
4 Sharpers (7) (AC 7: MV 12". HD 3; #AT 1: Dmg 1-6: AL NE)
5 Thune Dervishes (5) (AC 6: MV12', HD 4. #AT 1: Dmg 1-8: AL LN) These are members of the Thune Leaders party that have become separated from their ground in the maze
6. Minotaurs (3) (AC 6: MV 12"; HD 5: #AT 2; Dmg 2-8 or 1-4/1-8 with an axe; AL CE)
7. Ghouls (10) (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-6 (claw/claw/bite): AL CE; save vs. Paralyzation on touch or else be paralyzed)
8. Cutpurses (4) (AC 6; MV 12" HD 4; #AT 1 Dmg 1-6, AL CE; 3 first, 3 second, and 1 third level spells) They came to offer themselves as sacrifices on the altar of Amune-re The East Offering Temple (PLUNDERED TOMB, room L4) seemed to offer the best way. They were teleported here and have been wandering ever since. They honor this tomb and will not tolerate any sacrilege against it.
9. Minotaurs (l2) (AC 6; MV 12"; HD 5+3; #AT 2; Dmg 2-8 or 1-4/1-8 with an axe; AL CE).
10. Doppleganger(1) (AC 5; MV 9"; HD 4; #AT 1, Dmg 1-12; AL N) Roll on the DOPPLEGANGER ENCOUNTER TABLE below to determine their appearance.
11. Thune Dervishes (3) (AC 6; MV 12"; HD 4; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2 AL LN).
12. Giant Spiders (3)1 AC 4; MV 3"/'12":
HD 4+4 ; #AT 1, Dmg 2-8 + poison: AL CE).
DOPPLEGANGER ENCOUNTER TABLE
When Dopplegangers appear in a random encounter, they will take the form of their last victims as a disguise Roll ld6 on this table to determine the forms of their last victims The Dopplegangers will also be wearing the clothes of their last victims
1 Fighter Elves In glistening chainmail armor
2 Dirty and cagey Dwarven knights wise to the ways of the tomb
3 Pious clerical men on a quest to free the curse
4 Wizard men come to discover the secrets of Kordan the Archmage (the Dopplegangers will not actually have mag ical abilities, although they will pretend to possess therri )
5 Jolly Halfling Theives on an outing
6 Haggard Rangers of few words and many
actions.
MAZE ENCOUNTERS
L13. Welcome Room:
You are in an octagona! room 30 feet across. Four 10-foot square wall segments separate four 10-foot wide arched exits Each wall looks exactly like the other walls, and each exit looks exactly like the other exits. There is a dome ceiling 30 feet above the floor. A skeleton lies in the center of the floor holding a sword in its extended arm above his head. This points toward one of the exits. Each exit is filled with a rust-orange mist that is slightly sulfuric in smell There is a lever set in each wall and a sign above each lever saying, "Pull Me' in several languages The levers pull upwards
Play: If the players have just entered this
level, they will have teleported in from room L4 in the
PLUNDERED TOMB and will not know which
direction is north. Players teleporting in will appear in the center of
the room facing in a random direction The wall levers are Trap/Trick.
The skeleton?s sword points toward the west exit
Trap/Trick: If a character lifts the lever up on any of the walls, a powerful magnetic field is set up in the dome, pulling armor. etc up to the dome. Anyone flying up to the dome in their armor will take 1-8 points of damage. The field remains in effect until all of the levers are pulled down. Those stuck to the dome when the field is turned off will. naturally, fall 30 feet to the floor, doing 3-18 (3d6) points of damage, unless other precautions have been taken. Those on the ground will take damage from falling objects (and persons), unless they get out of the way
L14. Kordan's Master Mists:
Entering the mists, you feel slightly light-headed. Your mind wanders as you walk along. You cannot see anything, even by torch light.
Play: While in the mists, the characters cannot see anything. The mists diffuse all light so well that even very bright lights will appear as just bright haze. Also, the characters cannot count and have no sense of distance while in the mists. They can not judge distances or remember how far they travel. All of the turns in the misted corridors are rounded, so that characters who are feeling their way along the walls will not notice that they have rounded a corner. All warm-blooded creatures passing through the mists will leave heat traces detectable with infravision for one full turn.
Because of these effects, while the characters are in the maze section, the DM must describe the areas to the players in terms of "left" and "right," rather than the compass points. When the characters step out of the mists, tell them, "Suddenly the mists separate and your mind instantly clears." Each clear section of the maze is detailed below.
L14a:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends. Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled with mists.
L14b:
You are in a 10-foot square section of
clear corridor with the mists fiiling the archway at one end and a heavy
plank door at the other
L14c:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists Leather sacks lie at the end of the corridor.
Treasure: The sacks contain 510 gp.
L14d:
You are in a 10-foot square section of
clear corridor with the mists filling the archway at one end and a heavy
plank door at the other A hammer lies by the door.
Treasure: This is a +1 Hammer
L14e:
The mists part to reveal a 10-f oot by
30-foot section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both
ends. Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also
filled with mists On the floor in the center of the area is a ring that
appears to be made of fine silver.
Play: There is a base chance of 20% for characters to detect a fresh breeze from the north exit. The ring is explained in Treasure.
Treasure: The ring is a ring of contrariness. Any character who puts on th is ring will never agree with anyone else's ideas or actions and will take the opposite opinion whenever possible Say left, and he will want to go right; say go, and he will want to stop. He will defend his point of view, even by fighting, but will never harm himself. The ring has the additional magical property of flying (as the third level Magic User fly spell). The ring will not come off until a remove curse spell is cast upon the wearer. Because of the curse, the wearer will resist all attempts to cast a remove curse spell upon him.
L14f:
You enter a 10-foot square clear intersection
of four archways each filled with swirling rust-colored mists:
Play: There is a base chance of 40% for
characters to detect a cool, fresh breeze from the east exit.
L14g:
You are in a 10-foot square section of
clear corridor with the mists filling the archway at one end and a heavy
plank door at the other. On the door, in common speech is written: "Knock
First."
Lore: The sign is to alert the bandits inside that there are foolish adventurers about to come in.
L14h:
You are in a 10-foot square clear intersection
of archways. Three archways are filled with the rust-colored mists, and
the fourth is blocked by a heavy wooden door.
L14i:
You are in a 10-foot square section of
clear corridor with the mists filling the archway at one end and a heavy
plank door at the other. A fresh, cool breeze flows out from under the
door.
Play: The sounds of tumbling torrents of water will be heard if listening at the door is successful.
L14j:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists.
Play: The stench of carrion can be detected from the south exit 10% of the time.
L14k:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists
Play: The stench of carrion can be detected from the north exit 10% of the time.
L141:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists. Lying on the floor is the skeleton of a person who seems to
have died while pulling a sled with three chests on it. There are two chests
on the bottom, with the third on top of them
Play: There is a base 20% chance for characters to detect the stench of carrion from the north exit. The skeleton is harmless. The top chest is Trap/Trick while the bottom two are Treasure.
Trap/Trick: When the top chest is opened, it shoots out drug tipped darts in an are ranging from straight up to directly in front of the chest. All characters directly in front of the box must make a dexterity check or be hit by some of the darts. Everyone who is hit must save vs Poison or be paralyzed for 1-20 turns. The chest itself now contains only old used orc socks.
Treasure: The bottom two chests each contain 500 gp.
L14m:
The mists part to reveal a T-shaped intersection.
Each branch is 10 feet long and disappears into the rust-orange mists.
Strewn all about are bodies in various states of decay. In the center of
the area lies the body of a man on his back with a bright and shining sword
sticking through him into the stone floor.
Treasure: The shining sword is the only usable piece of equipment to be found among the bodies in the room. Anyone specifically looking with care at the sword will notice a word inscribed into the blade near the hilt: "Enduval." The sword is a cursed berserking sword which, when first used in combat, will force its user to attack the nearest person to him, friend or foe, at +2 to hit with damage of 1-8 points. The person holding the sword is forced to continue attacking until either his opponent or he is killed. Only an exorcise or wish spell will rid the player of this device.
L14n:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side wails and are also filled
with mists.
Play: There is a base chance of 20% for characters to detect the stench of carrion from the south exit
L14o:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists
Play: The stench of carrion can be detected from the west exit 20% of the time.
L14p:
You are in a 10-foot square clear intersection
of archways Three archways are filled with the rust-colored mists, and
the fourth is blocked by a heavy wooden door
Play: There is a 10% chance of detecting a carrion stench from the west exit.
L14q:
You are in a 10-f oot square section of
clear corridor with the mists filling the archway at one end and a heavy
plank door at the other. A leather knapsack lies on the floor next to the
door.
Treasure: Within the knapsack there are two scrolls written by a sixth level wizard, one with a fly spell and the other with a fireball spell. There is also a leather pouch containing 1 ,000 gp inside the knapsack.
L14r:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists. A bright and glowing ring sits on the floor in the center
of the area.
Treasure: It is a ring of protection +3
L14s:
The mists part to reveal a 10-foot by 30-foot
section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both ends.
Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also filled
with mists. From one end of the area, a ragged trail of gold pieces leads
down to the center of the corridor, turns sharply and disappears into the
mists.
Play: The trail starts at the east end of this clear section of corridor and leads to the north archway, where it ends. There are no coins to be found in the mists. The value of the coins is in Treasure.
Treasure: The value of the coins is 137 gp.
L14t:
The mists part to reveal a 10-f oot by
30-foot section of clear corridor with mists filling the archways at both
ends. Archways lead out from the center of both side walls and are also
filled with mists. A trail of platinum pieces starts in the center of the
corridor and runs to the far end, into the mists.
Play: The trail of platinum starts in the center of the area and leads into the mists of the west exit. The total value of the coins is in Treasure.
Treasure: The value of the coins is 152 pp
L14u:
The mists part to reveal a T-shaped intersection
Each branch is 10 feet long and ends in rust-orange mists
L15. Grieving Elves:
The door opens to reveal a 30-foot square
room with 10-foot walls rising to a flat ceiling. There is a plank door
in the center of each wail ihe walls are smooth, with no markings Bones
litter the floor. Standing about the room, mourriing over the bones, are
five elves
Monster: The figures are not elves but Dopplegangers (AC 5; MV 9"; HD 4; hp 28. 15, 30. 10, 15, #AT 1, Dmg 1-12; AL N) who have formed themselves into the image of the victims they destroyed, in order to fool and join another group for yet another meal. They will maintain their illusions uritil it becomes advantageous for them to change. Their main oblective is to lead each of the party members away one at a time. destroy him and take his place in the party, using their 90% correct ability to read minds The Dopplegangers will continue this until the whole party is destroyed or the Dopplegangers themselves are all dead
Character: The figures will claim to be grieving elves having just found their long lost brethren They will also claim to know their way through the maze The trick, they will claim, is first to send two people through the mists with a rope for the others to follow. They will gladly demonstrate by sending one of themselves and a party member
L16. Minotaur Lair:
The heavy planked door opens onto a 30-foot square room with 10-foot tall walls rising to a flat ceiling. There is a door in the center of each wall. In the center of the ceiling is a 10-f oot d iameter hole. This is the bottom of what appears to be a circular shaft. A large pile of straw lies directly under the shaft. Two hulking shapes move toward you.
Play: The Monsters will attack immediately. The Treasure is under the straw. The Trap/Trick is in the shaft.
Monster: Two Minotaurs (AC 6; MV 12", HD 6+3; hp 40, 29; #AT 2; Dmg 2-8 by butting or 1-4 by biting/l-8 with a battleaxe; AL CE) will attack, as this is their lair.
Treasure: There are 4.500 ep scattered about under the hay.
Trap/Trick: The underside of a trap door is found at the top of the shaft, which extends an additional 30 feet above the ceiling of this room. Thieves will roll at +10% to activate the door from this side. The door will swing down, however, and therefore whoever opens it must be out of the way or take 1-4 points damage from the dropping doors. This door leads straight up through the ceiling onto the platform in front of the statue in room L52. See the diagram on page 23.
L17. Knock, knock:
The door opens to reveal a 30-foot square
room with 30-foot vertical walls capped by a domed ceiling. There are several
dark human forms in the room.
Play: If the players have knocked on the door previous to opening it, the Monsters inside will be prepared for their entry. otherwise roll for surprise as normal.
Monster: Sweaty and dirty, nine Bandits
(AC 6; MV 12"; HD 2: hp 6, 2, 5. 3. 5, 6, 4. 2. 2: #AT 1: Dmg
1-6; AL CE) are resting
Character: These fellows were searching for the treasure, but now are only interested in finding their way out They will join the party if the way out is offered to them. If they get one look at any treasure worth 500 gp or more, they will attack the party
L18. Trap Room.
This is a 30-foot square room; with 30-foot vertical walls capped by a domed ceiling in the center of the room there is a chest.
Monster: The chest is not real. but is a
part or a creature set to lure the party toward it A Trapper (AC
3; MV 3": HD 12; hp 44: #AT 1;Dmg 4+AC of victim: AL N) is hiding in the
room Victims caught in the Trapper may not attack it and will suffocate
within six rounds Characters can distinguish Trappers from the floor only
50% of the time This Trapper is hungry and will attack the first person
that walks onto its surface
L19. Well of Questions:
You enter a 30-foot square room with 30-foot tall vertical walls rising to a flat ceiling There is a platform directly across the room from the door In the center of the floor. a circular well 10 feet In diamerer, surges with clear water The water rushes at an enormous rate from the well into a 3-foot wide by 3-foot deep channel In the floor This channel runs swiftly into a 3 foot diameter circular opening under the platforrn A large figure lies prone upon the platform, its deep brown eyes glaring at you.
Play: The players will encounter the Monster first who will be fairly friendly. Players falling into the fast-running stream under the platform will encounter Trap/Trick #1 and those examining the well will encounter Trap/Trick #2. The water is the water of Athis. ( See THE PLUNDERED TOMB, room L6 for details about the water
Monster: Lying on the platform is an Androsphinx
(AC -2; MV 18"; HD 12; hp 40: #AT 2: Dmg 2-12/
2-12: AL CG; also attacks With roar) who
will make no aggressive move toware the party at first
Character: The sphinx will ask the party just what they are doing here. Then he will offer to answer any ONE question they have about the tomb if the party will answer one of his questions If however, the characters cannot answer correctly, he will attempt to eat them. There are many questions th sphinx could ask, including the original sphinx question "What walks on four legs in the morning two at midday. and three in the evening?" The answer to that is man, because as a baby he crawls on his hands and knees, later he walks on two feet, and as on old man he walks with a cane. You can also try this one:
All of the people who live in the west side of Bindon lie all of the time: all of the people who live on the east sitle of Bindon tell the truth all of the time. Yet during the day. both types of people traffic on both sides of the town and it is physically impossible to tell the west-siders from the east-siders. If you get lost in Bindon.what one queslion could you ask that would tell you correctly which side of town you were on?"
The question to ask is: "Do you live here
?" If you are on the east side, the answer will always be "yes",
regardless of who you ask; the opposite will be true if you are on the
west side of town. The sphinx believes that only people who sould know
the answer to this riddle should be here. A wrong answer
provoke the sphinx to attack immediately.
There is a base 30% chance minus the charisma of the asking person that
the Androsphinx will lie. In any event, he only knows about
the maze and the entrances to the next level up. He knows that the only
way out of the tomb from this level is down the water chute (see
Trap/Trick #1) but that way is unsafe.
He knows nothing about the rest of the tomb's interior
Trap/Trick #1: Ariyone falling into the fast water trough will be swept into the duct opening under the sphix, which ultimately empties into the silo in the PLUNDERED TOMB, room L6. Anyone making this trip must make a constitution check and drown if they fail.
Trap/Trick #2. The well appears to be 10 feet in diameter. Looking into the well, a character would see a 10-foot diameter underwater tunnel that enters the well from the east side. Water flows into the well through this tunnel. Though the volume of water is high, the well's large size makes the current slow and swimmable - although not in plate armour, of course. Remember that no one takes a torch underwater with much success. The water tunnel leads to room L29 in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD. See the illustration for a cross section of the well and underwater tunnel.
L20. Javelin:
A 30-foot square room is open before you
with 30-foot tall walls capped by a domed ceiling. On the far side
of the room is a chest openly displaying hundreds of platinum pieces. Along
the left-hand wall there are four skeletons pinned by steel spears. A 3-foot
wide ledge runs around the base of the dome.
Play: The Trap/Trick must be overcome before getting the Treasure There is a concealed door leading from the ledge to Room L53a in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD
Treasure: The chest contains 500 pp.
Trap/Trick: The south wall is honeycombed with 1 inch holes. Each of these contains a spear with a charge of compressed air held in place by a spell. The spells were cast so that anything that passes in front of the holes will release the spears The spears have a base 80% chance of hitting a character passing before them Subtract 10% from this for every point of dexterity the passing character has over 15. If hit by a spear, the force of the impact will pin a character to the opposite wall, doing an initial 1-10 points of damage with an additional 1-4 points for each round the character is hung on the wall. Pinned characters may not free themselves but may be freed by others with a combined total of 15 strength points. There are a total of 50 such spears in the wall.
L21, X-room:
You enter a 30-foot square room with 30-foot
tall walls rising to a domed ceiling. A giant "X" is carved into
the floor in the center of the room. There is a 3-foot wide ledge that
runs around the base of the dome.
Play: Standing on the "X" triggers the Trap/Trick. There is a concealed door leading from the ledge to room L53b in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD.
Trap/Trick: Any weight in excess of 40 pounds (400 gp weight) on the "X" will release a 10-f oot square by 4-foot tall stone box from the ceiling dome directly overhead. Anyone within 10 feel of the center of the "X" must make a dexterity check or take 2-16 (2d8) points of damage from the crashing box The box is empty
L22. Pendulum:
Before you is a 30-foot square room with 30-foot tall walls rising to a domed ceiling. You see the edge of a scything blade hanging motionless from a pendulum pole in the room. The blade has been pulled back and tied to the wall facing the doorway. There is a 3-foot wide ledge running around the base of the dome.
Play: If the rope holding the Pendulum is cut or untied, the blade will swing out towards the door, and then back again, and back and forth. Each swing will be slightly shorter until after five rounds, when it will come to a complete stop In the center of the room. Anyone standing directly in line with the door when the blade is swinging must make a dexterity check or take 1-10 points of damage. A concealed door leads from the ledge to room L53e in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD.
L23, Dervish Explorers:
The door opens to reveal a 30-foot square
room with 30-foot walls rising to a domed ceiling. Figures are lying about
the room
Play: This is the leader that the Dervishes had lost. The Thunes will jump up as if to attack when the characters first enter the room If the characters attack the Dervishes, they will fight. If the characters do not attack, the Thunes will be glad to see them and will join the party if asked. Note that they still react as Thune Dervishes and will go on Bloodquest the moment they see this tomb defiled in any way. (See MONSTERS, CREATURES, AND MEN under Dervishes for Bloodquest.)
Monster: Five Dervishes (AC 6. MV 12"; HD 4; hp 14. 14. 14. 14, 14, #AT 1 : Dmg 1d8+2: AL LN) are tending to their wounds in the corner are three of their dead
L24, Robber Press:
The door opens easily into a 30-foot square room with 30-foot walls capped by a 40-foot domed ceiling. The door stays open, seemingly on its own. The room is empty.
Trap/Trick: If anything over 40 pounds (400 gp weight) enters the room more than 10 feet, the door will slam shut and latch (+2 on rolls to open the door from eitherside) and the walls on the east and west will begin to close in. These walls are an irresistible force and take one round to come to striking distance. At that point, anyone caught between the walls will be unable to move and will sustain 2-20 (2d10) points of damage per round they are caught The walls remain together for three rounds and then move back. When the walls have moved back, the door will open easily again
L25. Old Trap Room:
A 30-foot square room lies before you with 30-foot tall walls capped by a domed ceiling. The room is empty.
L26, Pole Forest:
This is a room full of spears thrust from the floor to the top of the domed ceiling From the door, you can see the skeletal remains of a dwarf in banded armor stuck fast to the domed ceiling. Even his carrying bag is stuck clear through by one of the shafts The shafts are 1 1/2 inches in diameter and spaced about six inches apart Through the spears, the glint of jewels can be seen some 15 feet away on the floor, apparently spilled from the carrying bag overhead The room is 30 feet square with 30-foot high walls capped by a domed ceiling There is a 3-foot wide ledge that runs around the base of the dome
Play: The characters rnust spend 2-8 turns hacking their way to where the Treasure is. This will be a noisy process, requiring a roll for attracting a wandering monster every game turn that the party continues cuttinig or sawing the poles. Burning the poles will cause a great amount of smoke for 1-6 turns. During this time, the players must leave the area or suffer 1-4 points of damage each turn The smoke will also require a roll for attracting a wandering monster every turn for 1-6 turns. If the players manage to make their way onto the ledge at the base of the dome, they might find the concealed door to room L53d in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD
Treasure: Spilled amid :he poles here are several worthless gems and five jewels worth 1.000 gp each
L27. Extra Trap Aoom:
You enter a 30-foot square room with 30-foot
high walls capped by a domed ceiling. There is a 3-foot wide ledge running
around the base of the dome
Play: There is a concealed door that leads from the ledge to room L53a in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD.
L28. Loose Ceiling:
You enter a 30-fot square room with a rough domed ceiling above 30-footwalls There is a 3-foot wide ledge running around the baseof the dome.
Play: Characters entering the room will be attacked by the Monster. A concealed door leads from the ledge to room L53f in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD.
Monster: A Lurker Above (AC 6; MV 1"/9"; HD 10; hp 40; #AT 1. Dmg 1-6, AL N: smothers prey in ld4+1 round) will attack the first living thing that enters the room. It lives in the domed ceiling that covers the room
HALLS OF THE UPPER PRIESTHOOD
PRIESTHOOD HALLS PROLOGUE:
BACKGROUND: These HALLS OF THE UPPER PRIESTH30D were to be the final residence of Amun-re's Higher priests. These priests were to be sealed into the pyramid after bringing Amun-re to his final resting place. The priests would then live out the remainder of their lives in these halls.
To get into the HALLS, the characters must either have come through a secret door from KORDAN'S MASTER MAZE (in rooms L 16. 20, 21 , 22, 26, 27, 28) or through the water passage in room L19.
There are compass roses at all of the entrances to this level This will allow the DM and players to use the more convenient "north" "south" "east" and "west" as directions.
The waterfall. pool and aqueduct stream all contain waters of Athis which will heal anyone who has not drunk of it within 24 hours 1-10 hit points. (See room L6 in the PLUNDERED TOMB for details about the waters of Athis)
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: While in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD, check for random encounters once every three game turns. A roll of 1 on ld6 Indicates that an encounter takes place If an encounter is indicated, roll Id12 to determine which encounter to use from the RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE below.
HALL OF THE UPPER PRIESTHOOD RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE
1 Ghouls (5) (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2: #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/l-3/l-6. claw/claw/bite; AL CE: hit causes paralysis, AL CE)
2 Wraith (1) (AC 4; MV 12"/24"; HD 5+3, #AT i. Dmg 1-6 and drain one level; AL LE)
3. Knight (1) (AC 2; MV 12". HD 5; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2; AL LG)
4 Cleric (1) (AC 8; MV 12"; HD 5: #AT 1, Dmg 1-4; AL NG)
5 Wraiths (2) (AC 4; MV 12"./24"; HD 5+3; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6 and drain on level. AL LE)
6 Giant Spider(l) (AC 4: MV 3"/*12"; HD 4+4; #AT 1, Dmg 2-8 + Poison; AL CE)
7 Thune Dervishes (2) (AC 6: MV 12": HD 4; #AT 1. Dmg 1d8+2: AL LN)
8 Cutpurses (4) (AC 6; MV 12"; HD ; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6, AL CE)
9 Ghouls (4) (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-6. claw/claw/bite; AL CE)
10 Thune Dervish (1) (AC 6; MV 12"; HD 4; #AT 1, Dmg ld8+2; AL LN)
11 Wraiths (4) (AC 4; MV 12"/24"; HD 5+3; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6 and drain one level; AL LE)
12. Wights (3) (AC 5; MV 12"; HD 4+3; #AT 1, Dmg 1-4 and level drain; AL LE)
PRIESTHOOD HALLS ENCOUNTERS
Use the HALLS OF THE UPPER PRIESTHOOD MAP.
L29. Waterway:
Note: If the characters are entering this area from the underwater tunnel from the Sphinx room (room L19 in KORDAN'S MASTER MAZE), read the first boxed description to the players. If they enter this area from the hall (area L30), use the second boxed description.
You surface in a tumbling, turbulent pool of water. Damp darkness filled with a thunderous roar surrounds you, as a waterfall pours down into the pool. You are in a 10-foot square shaft that rises 40 feet from the surface of the water The water in the pool is 10 feet deep. The water fall is frorn a 10-f oot wide archway that is set in near the top of one side of the shaft. A dim light shines through the archway The walls of the shaft are covered with slimygreen moss
The corridor suddenly ends. The water falls over the end of the corridor through an archway into a murky pool at the bottom of a 10-foot square shaft. It is 30 feel to the surf ace of the pool below. Slimy green moss covers the walls of the shaft.
Play: See the illustration on page 18 for a cross-secticn of this area and the underwater tunnel connection to roorn L19 Though the volume of water is great. the tunnel's large size makes the current in the tunnel slow and swimmable-although not in plate armor, of course The moss is harmless Hand and foot holds are easily found in the jagged stone walls.
L30. Entry:
This is a 10-foot wide arched corridor
with a compass rose clearly carved into the floor. There is a 4-foot wide
aqueduct carrying rushing water at a tremendous rate from the west to the
east down the length of the corridor There is a 6-foot wide walkway next
to the aqueduct, on the south side of the hall. A light shines from
around a southern turn at the west end of the corridor. The water in the
aqueduct surges high up the walls as it turns the corner frorn the south.
The corridor ends at the east, disappearing into a dark archway. The corridor
is 70 feel long
L31.The Long Hall:
This is a 10-foot wide corridor with a
6-foot wide walkway beside a 4-foot wide aqueduct. The whole corridor rises
lip at a 20 degree angle f rom north to south. The entire length of this
100-f oot long corridor is lit by bright light streaming in from a room
at the southern end of the corridor
L32. Garden Hall:
Before you is a brilliantly lit hall 30
feet wide and 50 feet long. A rapidly moving stream runs from the southern
10 foot wide entrance to a matching entrance in the northern wall. The
domed ceiling, 30 feet above, glows brightly and gives life to the lush
tropical growth that chokes both sides of the river and nearly blocks out
the view of the side walls. On each side of the river, nearly hidden by
the ferns, flowers and palm trees, there is a bronze bowl of enormous size,
4 feet tall and 6 feet across. The bowls appear to be filled with leafy
apples, pears, oranges, mangos and the like
Play: Players investigating the bowls will
encounter the Monster. Players looking for the side walls may encounter
the Trap/Trick
.
Monster: As the party approaches the bowls,
the fruits will spread their leafy wings and, in a green flurry, take flight
in all directions around the room. They are 50 Fruityflies (AC 5; MV 3"/20";
HD 1, hp 4 each; #AT nil; Dmg nil; AL CN), which will fly to the tops of
the palm trees until the danger is passed. Anyone who eats a Fruityfly
(they taste just like the sweetest fruit of their apparent type) will gain
+2 strength and +1 dexterity for one hour. Additional fruit will not grant
further bonuses or duration of the effect. If the characters eat another
Fruityfly after one hour, they will again gain +2 strength and +1 dexterity
for one hour. Fruityflies rot within minutes of being exposed to sunlight
for even a moment. Fruityfiies are hard to surprise (roll
at -2) but can be caught or shot down with missile weapons. They are inoffensive
creatures and never attack.
Trap/Trick: Hidden against the walls by the foliage are 10-f oot deep alcoves, two each on the west and east walls. There is a secret door in the southern alcove on the west wall to area L34. A similar secret door in the east wall leads to area L35.
L33. Dome of Flight:
An octagonal room, 30 feet across lies before you, rising 55 feet to a brilliantly lit domed ceiling. A large waterfall cascades down the south side of the room from the mouth of a gigantic carved lion's head. The water splashes down into a large pool and empties into a stream that flows through the north entrance. A ledge runs around the base of the domed ceiling, 30 feet up. Four palm trees are in the room, with pineapples growing from their leafy tops. There are identical granite altars on the east and west sides of the pool. Each altar has the impressions of a right and a left hand carved into its top. There is a gold-engraved rune on each face of the altars. Wooden doorways, banded with bronze, lead from the east and west walls.
Play: The trees are described in Monster. Either altar activates the Trap/Trick, a complex magical sequence. There is a 3-foot wide ledge running around the base of the dome 30 feet overhead. This dome-ledge is room L54 in THE GAUNTLET. An exit hidden behind the waterfall leads to area L44. See the diagram above.
Monster: The trees are grenade palms, and are 33 feet tall. These trees bear fruit that look like pineapples. If anyone walks within 5 feet of the trunk of any tree, there is a 20% chance that the vibrations of his movements will loosen one of the pineapples overhead. There is a base 95% chance that the grenade fruit will explode when it hits the ground, doing 2-16 points of damage to those within the 10-foot range of the explosion. If the fruit is caught, the chance of explosion is reduced to 40%. The grenade fruit may be picked and carried, to be used later, although there is always a 10% base chance that the grenade fruit will explode whenever the character carrying them falls or otherwise bumps the fruit accidentally. The fruit has evolved exploding as a way of scattering its own seeds far enough away from itself to insure a sufficient distance between the trees.
Trap/Trick: There is a base 50% chance of reading the runes correctly as:
Turnin Logra Regra Neg
Each word has a specific effect described below.
Turnin (turn on): Anyone putting their hands into the Impressions and saying turnin, will cause the hand impressions to glow and will start the magical process Only after this is done will the other words have any effect Once the process is turned on, anyone within the room who says one of the other words will cause its effects to take place.
Logra (low gravity): This will only work if the altar has been activated (see turnin above). This will cause a low gravity field to fiil this entire room. Gravity will then be one-tenth normal until the altar is turned off (see neg below) Characters will feel buoyant and be able to jump 21-30 (1dl0+20) feet. The water fall will continue to fall, but at a much slower rate than before
Regra (reverse gravity): This will only work if the altar has been turned on (see turnin above). This causes a reverse gravity field to fill the room Characters and any loose objects will fall upwards as though the room was suddenly turned upside down if the Logra command is used before Regra, characters will float safely up into the dome. If the Logra command is not used first, all characters must make a dexterity check or take 5-30 (5d6) points of damage from falling. The waterfall will start to flow into the dome, forming a pond and exposing an archway that was hidden behind the waterfall.
Neg (negate): This cancels any of the effects caused by the Logra and/or Regra commands. The magical process is turned off and the hand impressions on the altars stop glowing. The words logra regra will have no effect until one of the altars is turned on again with a turnin command. As gravity suddenly goes back to normal,the water. and anything else that is in the dome will come crashing down. Characters in the dome when the process is turned off must make a dexterity check or take 5-30 (5d6) points of damage from falling
Lore: This strange system was used as a sort of hoist. When the pharaoh's body was brought in its heavy sarcophagus, this magical process was used to lift it up to room L54 in THE GAUNTLET.
L34. West Hall Intersection:
You enter an intersection of 10-foot wide
arched hallways A 10-foot deep alcove with a carved stone statue in it
lies to the north. The statue is of a woman with the head of a cat There
is a stone door 10 feet away, to the east. To the west. there is a wooden
door. also 10 feet away. A corridor to the south runs into darkness.
Treasure: The statue, standing on a pedestal, is heavy but worthless. The pedestal is hollow plaster and contains 1.500 sp. The corridor to the south is 50 feet long.
L35. East Hall Intersection:
You enter an intersection of 10-foot wide
arched hallways. To the north, there is a 10-foot deep alcove with a carved
stone statue in it. The statue is of a man with the head of a gull. There
is a stone door 10 feet away to the west. To the east, there is a wooden
door, also 10 feet away. A corridor runs to the south into darkness.
L36, West Door:
This is a 20-foot long section of hallway that runs north to south. A wooden door leads from the north end of the east wall. Another wooden door leads from the south end of the west wall. There are four leather sacks on the floor.
Treasure: Each sack contains 400 gp, a total of 1,600 gp.
L37. East Door:
This is a 20-foot long section of hallway
that runs north to south A wooden door leads from the north end of the
west wall Another wooden door leads from the south end of the east wall
L38. West Hall.
A 10-foot wide arched corridor runs east to west. In the exact centre of the hall. two dark figures stand hunched over in robes, blocking the passage. A wooden door leads out of the corridor to the north of the figures. Another hallway opens to the southof the figures:
Play: This hall is 70 feet long. The Monsters must be fought for the Treasure
Monster: Two wraiths (AC 3: MV 12"/24"; HD 5+3; hp 20, 16: #AT 1 ;Dmg: 1-6 and drain one level. AL: LE; can only be hit by silver (1/2 damage) or magical (full damage) weapons) are bent over something in the middle of the corridor.
Treasure: They are bending over a canvas
bag containing 500 pp
L39. East Hall:
A 10-foot wide arched corridor runs east
to west. A wooden door leads out of the corridor in the center of
the north wall. Another hallway leads off to the south from the center
of the south wall
Play: This hall is 70 feet long
L40. Mar-keshel (West Kitchen):
This is a room, 30 feet wide east to west,
and 20 feet deep north to south. The walls are 10 teet tall, and
the ceiling is flat. In the center of the room, a heavy wooden block
stands with a cleaving knife stuck in to it. Large copper kettles
hang on the walls. A door leads from each end of the north wall.
A single door is set in the center of the south wail
L41. Mar-keshinel (West Pantry):
This room is 30 feet wide and the 30-foot
high ceiling is donme-shaped. The great frescos that once covered the walls
have collapsed leaving the bare stonework of the walls. Paintings
of harvest grains and cattle are visible on a few of the larger fresco
pieces. The walls are cracked. A wooden door is set in each
end of the south wall.
Play: This room is 50 feet in length north to south.
L42. Mar-keshtah (East Kitchen):
This is a room 30 feet wide east to west,
and 20 feet deep north to south. The walls are 10 feet tall and the ceiling
is flat. A dwarf skeleton with a cleaver through its chest is lying
on a large wooden table in the center of the room.A wooden door leads frorn
each end of the north wall A single wooden door is set in the center of
the south wall.
L43. Mar-keshintah (East Pantry):
This room is 30 feet wide. and its 30-foot tall ceiling is dome-shaped. Piles of plaster line the walls where the frescos have been shattered, but there are no readable pieces left. Empty flour sacks litter the floor everywhere. The dome is cracked wide in several places at the north end. A wooden door is set into each end of the south wall There is another wooden door in the center of the west wall.
Play: Any character who looks closely at the cracks in the dome will see a rough-hewn tunnel rising upward from one of the larger cracks. This tunnel winds its way to room L64 in THE GAUNTLET.
L44. March of the True Faith:
You enter a 10-foot wide passage that is 20 feet tall. Writings cover the walls and ceilings. There are two verses on the ceiling, and another eight on the walls.
Play: The runes are explained in Lore. The passage is 60 feet long There is a wooden plank door on either side of the passage, 10 feet from the north end. There is a similar set of doors 10 feet from the south end. The north entrance is blocked by a thundering waterfall. The southern end of this corridor opens into room L52.
Lore: There is a base 30% chance of understanding each verse.
Ceiling Verses:
Above our thoughts / now master sleeps
In dreamy realms / and sky so deep
The high priest worked / a wonder great
And sealed him up / unto his fate
Great munafik / the priest most high
Studies his tomes / that he might ply
That water path / where all the great
Leave death behind / and loose their fate
Wall Verses:
Munafik was high priest of Amun-Re and leader of his rites and religion
Munafik, priest, was keeper of the tomes of Terbakar, the greatest library in all lands of the golden age.
Munafik searched, too, for life eternal and some say that he sought to rob the pharaohs of their right to that life.
But through his study of all the books of secret lore, he only sought to serve.
In truth, Munafik's search was rewarded, for the books showed him the way of eternal life here
Now, terrible and great in his power, he acts as the voice of Amun-Re to us.
He cannot die, for his life lies elsewhere.
Munafik now is second only to Osiris himself, and he has claim on the rule of Amun-Re.
These verses were written long ayo by a priest who served Munafik Although written to please Munafik. they also tell of his evil designs . Munafik read old and wicked books to prolong his life, but the books turned him undead. In his quest to prolong the lives of the priests, he lurned them into wights and wraiths Finally, he magically placed his heart into a special jar so that he would be protected from all harm.
L45. Priesthood Cells:
You are in a 40-foot long corridor with a wooden door at each end of the corridor. Ancient, rotting black drapes hide the entrace to four rooms on each side of the corridor
Play: Each cell-room is 10 feet square, and full of dirt and broken cots, nothing else.
L46. Priest Closet:
Two large sarcophagi stand facing each other across the path between two doors. Their features seem dark and blurred by time.
Play: The sarcophagi are empty.
L47. West Cell of the High Priest:
This is an octagonal room, 30 feet across.
There is a wooden plank door in the center of the north, south, east and
west walls. The din of battle rises from this room. A single bright figure
is valiantly swinging a flashing sword at eight darkrobed figures encircling
it.
Monster: A female Paladin (AC 4; MV 12", HD 6; hp 34; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6, AL LG) needs rescue from 8 Ghouls (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; hp 12, 10, 12, 5, 6, 6, 10, 3; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-6 + paralyzation; AL CE).
Character: The paladin will gladly join any party that has no evilly-aligned people. She does not know the way out of the tomb. She entered here at the command of a desert spirit who begged her to plunder his tomb for him while she was on quest for a magic amulet. She knows the following:
"Since the lands dried up, none of the faithf ul were left to bring food or offerings to the temple. Soon the stored foods were gone and the priests turned to their High Priest for the answer. He taught them the dark arts, telling them that it was the way to eternal life. It turned out, however, only to be the way to eternal undeath. The priests soon turned into wraiths, wights, and ghouls, feeding on the hapless adventurers that entered the tomb."
The paladin had managed to corner the High Priest by a waterfall not far from here. Though she made a good solid hit with her sword, it passed right through him. He laughed and said, ""Fool! My life is too precious a thing to carry it with me!" He then uttered a few words and flew through the air, disappearing into the dome above. She does knows the way to the waterfall (room L33) from here.
L48. Priest Catacombs:
A huge room expands into the darkness before you A giant block of black stone sits in the center of the room. It is covered with upright sarcophagi. The faces that were carved into the coffin lids have been gouged out by deep claw marks. Four wooden doors lead into this room, two on the east wail, and two on the west wall. Each door is 10 feet from the nearest corner.
Play: This room is 60 feet long north to south and 40 feet wide east to west. The stone block is 20 feet wide by 40 feet long. There are 12 sarcophagi lining its walls. There are two on both the north and south ends and four on either side. Each sarcophagus opens into the hollow center of the block where the Monsters live. They will attack as soon as any sarcophagus lid is opened.
Monster: Six Ghouls (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; hp 8, 11, 11, 12, 6, 8; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-6 + paralyzation; AL CE) all leap from their tomb. They will attack at the first sign of anything, or anyone, to eat.
L49. Priest Closet:
This is 10-foot wide, 20-foot long room.
There is a sarcophagus at each end of the room, facing the center of the
room. Their features seem dark and terrible. Two wooden doors face each
other from the centers of the east and westwalls.
Play: The southern sarcophagus conceals a secret door that leads to a 10-foot wide by 20-foot long dead end. The other one contains a skeleton which will fall out of the sarcophag us when it is opened.
L50. East High Priest's Cell:
This is an octagonal room, 30 feet across. There is a wooden plank door in the center of the north, south, east and west walls. Three robed figures are squatting in a circle muttering to themselves in the center of the room.
Play: The Monsters are blocking the characters from seeing the Treasure.
Monster: Three Wraiths (AC 3; MV 12"/24"; HD 5+3; hp 28, 16, 15, #AT 1, Dmg 1-6 and drain one level; only be hit by silver (1/2 damage) or magical (full damage) weapons; AL LE) are surrounding an object on the floor.
Treasure: Lying on the floor in the midst
of the wraiths is a sword that shines and hums softly. It is
Bar-ethel(True Death) +1 sword that is
+4 against undead.
L51. Priesthood Cells:
You are in a 40-foot long corridor with
a wooden door at each end. Ancient, rotting black drapes hide the entrances
to four rooms on each side of the corridor. There are two small vials in
the center of the corridor.
Play: Each cell-room is 10 feet square and full of dust and broken cots, nothing else. The vials are Treasure.
Treasure: The vials have labels on them which read, "Wight." They are potions of undead control against wights.
L52. Prayer Temple of the Priesthood:
A vast room extends all about you. The 30-foot tall room measures 30 feet wide east to west. A corridor enters the center of the north wall. Old worn prayer rugs, their patterns faded and the cloth moth-eaten, are neatly placed about the room. in the center of the south wall is a 30-f oot tall statue of Amun-re, a giant gemstone glimmering from his forehead. A compass rose is carved into the floor in front of the statue, clearly pointing out the direction of north.
Play: In front of the statue is Trap/Trick #1 (see the diagram below). The gem-stone is fixed with Trap/Trick #2 and is described in Treasure. There are secret doors at the north ends of the east and west walls.
Trap/Trick #1: just in front of the statue. there is a trap door that opens suddenly into a 10-foot diameter shaft falling 30 feet straight down The shaft opens into a room with an additional l0-foot drop Into a haystack on the floor Falling characters take 1-10 points of damage from the fall and find themselves in room L16 in KORDAN'S MASTER MAZE. on page 17.
TrapiTrick #2: If the gemstone is taken from its place, the statue will make a horrendous noise like a fog horn until the gem Is put back If the statue receives 50 points of damage, the noise wiii stop Roll for random encounters every round that the statue is making noise.
Treasure: The gemstone is glass and only worth 1 cp.
L53. Observation Domes:
The concealed door is set into a 30-foot wide dome with a 3-foot wide walkway running around its base
Play: Dark, dusty corridors and concealed doors lead to these domes. There is a compass rose carved into the floor in front of each door, clearly giving the direction of north. These domes open over the trap rooms of KORDAN'S MASTER MAZE:
Dome L53a opens over room L20
Dome L53b opens over room L21
Dome L53c opens over room L22
Dome L53d opens over room L26
Dome L53e opens over room L27
Dome L53f opens over room L28
Lore: These domes were used by the priests to pass idle hours watching the deaths of grave robbers
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
GAUNTLET PROLOGUE:
BACKGROUND The water column and rapids in this section contain waters or Athis Anyone who drinks these waters will be healed of 1-10 hit points if they did not drink of the waters of Athis during the last 24 hours (See room if in THE PLUNDERED TOMB for details about the waters of Athis
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: Run random encounters in the GAUNTLET with the RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE for the HALLS OF THE UPPER PRIESTHOOD on page 20
GAUNTLET ENCOUNTERS
Use the GAUNTLET MAP.
L54. High Dome:
Water gushes from the mouth of a gigantic carved lion's head just beneath the 3-fool wide ledge that runs around the base of the dome The water falls 30 feet down into an octagonal garden room Palm trees with pineapples hanging from their leafy tops grow up toward the dome from around the pool below There is a door in the south wall. directly above the lion's head Faint, but steady rapping noises can be heard from behind a large cut stone in the wall on the east side of the dome The rapping is in series of threes The tops of the palm trees are easily reached from this walkway, their pineapples easily picked
Play: This dome-room overlooks the Dome
of Flight garden (room L33 in the HALLS OF UPPER PRIESTHOOD).
Characters enter this area by using the
Trap/Trick in room L33 Characters who tap on the large cut stone will always
be answered with like taps from the other side The stone Is 4 feet square
by 2 feet deep and is easily pulled aside Only if the stone is moved is
the Monster encountered
Monster: When the stone is moved, Prit (AC 9; MV 8"; HD 1, hp 4; #AT 1; Dmg 1-2 (with the spoon); AL CN) will appear, a guirrelly little gnome with a spoon in his hand. He speaks with a lisp.
Character: Prit has been happily busy, tunneling through these ruins with his spoon for many years, and will tell you that down the rough-hewn corridor behind him there is a small statue with a big treasure. He is rather simple-minded and knows little more than the unsung history of spoons in architecture.
L55. Entry Corridor:
A 20-foot long corridor runs south from a door and up at a 25 degree angle. There the corridor splits into two 20-foot long corridors 10 feet apart Both of these corridors end in heavy wooden plank doors with bronze bands. There is writing carved in glowing gold letters into each of the doors.
Lore: There is a base 30% chance of reading
the writing correctly. Both doors carry the same runes, which read:
Beyond these doors lie the tests of the pharaoh. Turn now from this doom of power and evil from a heartless man. Great and awful is the horror beyond these doors - yet if you turn away, what lies beyond ye shall never know.
L56. Grand Hall of the Pharaohs (Gauntlet of the True Way):
The well-lit hall before you is vast and majestic, 100 feet long, 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide. It rises at roughly a 25 degree angle toward the south. Torches attached to the walls light this hallway. Four flights of stairs connect three 50-foot wide by 10-foot deep landings. Water thunders in torrents past both sides of the stairs and under the landings. At the top of the stairs, there is a semi-circular platform. A gigantic bronze fist is clasped on top of a bronze forearm, upraised in the center of the platform.
Play: Show the picture of this room to the players Anyone jumping or falling into the water will be swept through a duct down the waterfall into room L54 and go down the waterfall into the pool in room L33. if the players have destroyed Munafik's heart (see area L64), all of the Monsters here will be dead. Otherwise. the Monster,Munafik, will attack magically from the top platform, in addition to the attacks that come from encounters on each of the landings approaching that platform.
Monster: Munafik (AC 7; MV 12"; HD 10; hp N/A; #AT 1, Dmg 1-6, AL LE) stands beside the Giant Fist. Cutting hits will slice right through him with no effect and thrusts will impale him but do no damage for his "heart isn't in it" (see Treasure in room L64). Munafik can use these spells as a tenth level Magic User: protection from good, magic missile, push, comprehend languages, forget, levitate, web, fireball, lightning, slow, fumble, polymorph self, animate dead, and distance distortion. When the party first enters the room, Munafik will cast the comprehend languages so that he can understand what the party is saying. Spells will affect him as they would any tenth level Magic User except that damaging attacks will have no effect. For example, a hold person spell will hold Munafik, but a magic missile can hit him but will cause no damage.
Lore: This was to be the last stronghold of the pharaoh's tomb. Originally, the only entrance to the TRUE TOMB was through this hall, but ground disturbances and a spoon have made other entrances. The Gauntlets of the Pharaoh still work through the will and powers of the ex-High Priest Munafik. who has now turned to evil sorcery.
L56a. Chabang Men:
The 10-f oot wide stairs run up to a landing 10 feet deep and 30 feet wide. There is a 10-foot deep alcove at each end of the landing. There are 50 spears in each alcove.
Play: As soon as any member of the party
steps onto the stairway, the Monsters will appear.
Monster: Two Chabang men (AC 10; MV 12";
HD 5; hp N/A, #AT 1, Dmg 1-8, AL N) appear, looking thin and drawn, holding
swords. The Chabang men are magical creations of Munafik and will die when
Munafik dies. When any cutting blow hits them, it will cut clear through.
The severed part and the original body will dissolve into a pile of mud,
and then suddenly spring up as two Chabang men, exactly like the original.
The Chabang men can be stuck to the walls with spears or otherstabbing
weapons
L56b. Fire Wall:
Play: If any member of the party steps onto the platform. Trap/Trick #1 will fall before them Trap/Trick #2 will be encountered after passing Trap/Trick #1
Trap/Trick #l:A wall of fire suddenly descends from the ceiling, roaring and heating the room unbearably. Neither cold nor water will lessen this flame because it is an illusion. The searing heat will do 1 10 points of damage to anyone who bel ieves the flame is real and attempts to cross it. Save vs. Spells will be normal if the character is unsuspecting, or at +4 if the character has verbally raised any doubts Wood will not burn in this illusion Ten feet behind the wall of fire is Trap/Trick #2.
Trap/Trick #2: Passing through the fire,
the players are confronted with a solid stone wall that runs from one side
of the vast hall to the other. It rises the full height to the ceiling.
It is also an iilusion with the same modifiers to disbelieve as noted above.
Those who run into the wall believing that it is there will take 1-6 points
damage.
L56c. Mirror, Mirror:
Play: As each member steps onto the access
stairway, a Monster will appear.
Monster: An exact likeness of each character
that steps onto the platform will appear on the landing before them. Each
will be armed as the character is armed except that magical weapons, magical
armor and other magical items that the party may have will work only as
non magical items of the same kind. All of the characters' magical items
will work. The likenesses of Magic User and Clerical characters will not
know of, or be able to use, any spells. Otherwise, these likenesses are
the same as the characters in hit points, Hit Dice, etc. The likenesses
will only have as many hit points as the characters have remaining, not
the characters' normal number of hit points. When killed. the likenesses
change to a featureless clay humanoid form and will not move again. They
are mindless creatures that want only the destruction of the souls in whose
likenesses they appear. They will immediately attack and continue to fight
until either the party or they are dead.
L56d. Pet Fist:
The final flight of steps leads up past the rapid waters to a semi-circular area 30 feet wide by 20 feet deep. There is a bronze arm with its hand formed into a fist in the center of the area. Behind this can be seen a throne.
Monster: The pet fist (AC 7; MV 3"; HD 101 hp 50; #AT 2; Dmg 1-10/1-10; AL C) will strike at anything that moves within its 15 foot reach.
L56e. Exit At Last:
Behind the throne there is a set of bronze double doors.
Play: These dears lead to room L57 They open easily and quietly.
L57. Pillar of Athis:
This is a 30-foot wide semi-circular room with 10-foot wide corridors leading to the east and west. The whole room shakes with the roar of falling water. In the center of the curved area, a column of water thunders down from a circular opening in the ceiling into a matchirig opening in the floor The column of water is 10 feet in diameter. The common speech symbol for "?" is engraved in the floor in front of the opening in the floor
Play: Anyone verbally asking a question will trigger the Trap/ Trick A person stepping into the rushing water will take 1-6 points of damage and be abruptly carried through a duct to the rapids in room L56. From there they will be swept to the dome in room L54 and fall into the pool in room L33.
Trap/Trick: If a question is asked a deep, watery voice will speak from the pillar and ask three questions. if any of the questions is answered with a lie. the character answering will be struck by lightning for 1--8 po!n:e of damage and the pillar will begin again with the first question If a question is answered truthfully, the column will proceed to the next question as below until all three are answered. The first question it will ask is:
"What is your name ?"
If the PC's name s glven truthfully then the voice will ask:
"What is you quest ?"
If the answer is truthfully given, the voice will ask:
"On whose hallowed ground stand ye ?"
If the answer "Amun-Re" is given, then the column will instruct:
"Put thy hand in mine" and a white impression of a hand will appear in the floor in front of the column. Anyone of good or neutral alignment who places his hand into this will cause the water pillar to run backwards (from the floor to the ceiling) Anyone stepping into the water during the next five minutes will be swept upward 30 feet to room L65 in the TOMB OF AMUN-RE, with no danger of drowning. Evil aligned people may safely enter the water if the column of water has been reversed by a good aligned person If an evil person tries to put his hand into the impression, a lightning bolt will gently knock him to the floor for 1-8 points of damage
L58. Reading Room:
An octagonal white marble roorn 30 feet across lies before you with a 10-foot wide archway in the east wall. An old book lies on a marble slab in the center of the room. Another archway leads out to the west.
Treasure: The book is a libram of ineffable damnation. Any evil Magic User who reads this book will advance to the the midpoint of the next highest experience level. The book takes one week to read. Any good or neutral person who reads even one word of the will drop to the mid-point of the next lower level of experience
L59. Waterbed:
You enter an octagonal white marble room, 30 feet across. In the center of the room there is a 10 foot wide by 15 foot long pool of water. A large bed with satin sheets rides in the middle of the pool on pontoons, tied to the pools edges with ropes.
L60. Sitting Room:
This is an octaganal white marble room with a rug covering the floor. A chair and a bench stand against the west wall.
L61. Dining Room:
The octagonal room 30 feet across appears empty. Archways in the the east and west walls lead out of the room.
L62. Storage Room:
The north wall of this octagona1 room has been broken through,with rubble and dirt piled on the floor. There is a 4-foot wide by 5-foot tall rough hewn tunnel that appears to twist its way down and to the north. A 10-foot wide archway is set in the center of the south wall.
L63. Rumpus Room:
The north wall of this octagonal room displays chains and open manacles, the pins missing.
L64. Heart's Lair:
This is a rough cavern made more by force than grace from the fitted stones of the pyramid. Jumbled blocks are strewn about the floor. The cavern measures roughly 30 feet north to south and 40 feet east to west. Something can be seen glittering in a small cave in the northeast corner. A huge dark shape stands in front of the cave in stony silence.
Play: The Monster is guarding the Treasure and must be overcome first. The Monster will only attack if the characters approach within five feet of it
Monster: A Clay Goiem (AC 7. MV 7": HD 11; hp 50. #AT 1 :Dmg; 3-30: AL CE/N) guards a glittering object.
Treasure. Behind the golern in the cove is a glass jar that glints through the dust and soot that covers it. The jar is sealed to the base and the glass will break before the base will loosen. Within the jar (treat the glass as AC 4; hp 28) a beating human heart can be seen After the jar is broken, the heart will die. The heart is Munafik's: the heart's death alone will kill the evil priest of the pyramid.
THE TOMB OF AMUN-RE
TOMB OF AMUN-RE PROLOGUE
BACKGROUND: The water column contains waters of Athis Characters who drink the waters will be healed of 1-10 hit points unless they have drunk of the waters of Athis within the last 24 hours (See room L6 in THE PLUNDERED TOMB for details about the waters of Athis
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: No random encounters take place in these rooms.
TOMB OF AMUN-RE ENCOUNTERS
Use the TOMB OF AMUN-RE MAP
L65, The Pharaoh's True Way:
The water flows up the shaft and splashes
around approximately 3 feet above the level of a corridor The corridor
is 30 feel long, ending in a set of bronze double doors
Play: Characters can splash their way to the stone floor of the corridor. Unless the characters have taken great care, light may be a problem because of wet torches. After five minutes the water will change, running down the shaft instead of up The water enters the shaft from a hole just below the floor of the corridor Characters cannot safely enter: the water column from here
L66. Treasury of the Pharaohs:
Bronze double doors open in the center of the south wall of a 30-foot square room Four pillars rise up to the ceiling On the west side of the room, running the full length of the wall, is a reed boat, its mast lashed to the bottom of the boat. There are several jars inside the boat There is a post in the boat's bow with what appears to be an empty setting for a huge gem on it. On the east wall, there is a large painting of the same boat that is on the west side of the room, as though it were sailing high above the clouds, carrying a large and beautiful gemstone in its bow. In the center of the room is a stand with a plaque on it which reads plainly..."Let him who knows our god speak his name." There is another set of bronze double doors in the center of the north wall.
Play: The jars contain Treasure. The painting is a Trap/Trick. The plaque is meaningless.
Trap/Trick: Anyone who tries to touch the painting will find his hand passing right into it. If a character sticks his head through it, he will find himself looking out over the clouds, as if from a window that is 10,000 feet in the air. Thirty feet beyond this window, an exact copy of the reed boat in the treasure room is anchored to a cloud. There is one important difference: the Star of Mo-pelar is in the bow of this boat (See TREASURES AND TOMES) This gem is one of the two treasures te characters need to fulfill their quest. Anyone who lust steps through the magical window will fail 10.000 feet onto the pyramid doing 20-120 (20d6) points of damage The characters will need to find some way of crossing the distance between the painting window and where the boat is anchored in the sky No amount of effort will move the boat from its position in the sky The boat is at the same height as the window The characters might try to grapple the boat and cross on a rope Note that spells such as fly and teleport will operate through this painting./window The window is located 10.000 feet directly above the pyramid.
Treasure: There are 10 ornate vases inside the boat Each contains 500 pp
L67. Tomb of Amun-re:
Through the double doors and down a 10-foot long coridor, you now enter the burial room which is 30 feet wide by 40 feet long. The great sarcophagus is in the center of the room, the golden staff lying across it. In the center of the north wall stands a statue of Amun-re with a carved copy of the Star of Mo-pelar held out in its right hand and the staff held across its body with its left hand A phrase is written on both the east and west walls
Play: The players may proceed with Treasure and Trap/Trick as well as the runes in Lore. The Monster is inside the sarcophagus and will not attack unless the lid is opened
Monster: If the sarcophagus is opened, the Mummy (AC 3; MV 6"; HD 6+3; hp 40; #AT 1, Dmg 1-12 + disease: AL C) wil attack.
Treasure: Lying across the sarcophagus is the Pharaoh's Staff of Ruling. This is one of the two treasures that players need to fulfill their quest. It can be easily and safely taken from the top of the sarcophagus. See TREASURES AND TOMES for its magical powers.
Trap/Trick: The statue is a secret door that leads to a 10-foot wide by 20-foot deep alcove If a character holds the Star of Mo-pelar in his right hand and the staff in the left (as the statue holds them), he and whoever is touching him, will be abie to teleport to the area behind the statue in roon, K4 in the TEMPLE. By holding these items this way a passage can be made back and forth between the two teleport aicoves To use the teleports in either direction, the whole party must leave the alcove and then re-enter as described above.
Lore: There is a base 30% chance of each character correctly reading the writings which say:
A passage was always provided between the tomb of the King and his likeness, whereby the spirit may pass into his ordained statue and live within the stone we worship in the outer world.
MONSTER, CREATURES AND MEN
Dustdiggers
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO APPEARING: 1-20
ARMOR CLASS: i
MOVE: 3"
HIT DICE: 4
%IN LAIR. Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 + AC of victim
SPECIAL ATTACKS. Illusion/Mirage (see below)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE Semi
ALIGNMENT. N
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nii
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
The Dustdiggers inhabit arid areas that have loosely packed, sandy condilions, such as desert dunes A dustdigger will typically dig a hole. cover itself with a layer of sand. and then inflate itself to fill up the hole it made, leaving the ground above level with the surrounding terrain. When an animal walks on top of it.the dustdigger deflates. looking very much like a sinkhole, and uses the sands shifting towards its mouth to slow the escape of its prey After it has fully deflated, it folds its arms up around the victim and attempts to kill it before digestion. The dustdigger's back is AC 4 but its front side is only AC 7. although once it is folded up, its prey is caught and cannot attack Thus, the best strategy is to recognize a dustdigger before it folds.
Dustdiggers look like giant starfish with five arms around a central maw. They travel above ground only at night and never for longer than a few minutes at a time They often travel in groups.
Twenty percent of Dustdiggers have a born
talent for illusion. They will typically project a pool of bubbling water
in the desert sands when those approaching come within striking range
Symbayans
FREOUENC'r': Uncommon
NO APPEAHING 5-50-
ARMOR CLASS: Variable itypicaliy 4)
MOVE: 12~~
HIT DICE: Variable (typically 4j
% IN LAIR 60%
TREASURE TYPE. D
NO ATTACKS: )
DAMAGE:ATIACK: By weapon (typically 1-8!
SPECIAL ATTACKS. Nii
SPECIAL DEFENSES: NII
MAGIC RESISTANCE Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Variable
ALIGNMENT: Variable
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILIIY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Symbayans are a group of semi-nomadic tribesmen who deal mainly in trade across the deserts. While they often go on trading missions. they prefer to remain at home, usually at an oasis fortress and trade center. They were once brother tribesmen with the Thunes many centuries ago but were converted to the "True Faith," as they call it, and now their commitment to destroying all idols is equal to the Thunes fervor for preserving them.
Symbayans are generally more civilized. less honest. and more cunning than the Thunes. Their main interest now is trade rather than war.
Pasha of the Efreet, Vizier of the Fire Sultan
FREQUENCY: Unique- out of six
NO APPEARING:1
ARMOR CLASS: -3
MOVE 24~''24'
HIT DICE 101 hit poirits
% IN LAIR 80"?:,
TREASURE TYPE:H
NO ATTACKS. 2
DAMAGE. ATTACK. 2-20/2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS Continuous fire spells
(swe below)
SPECIAL DEFENSES polymorph teleportation
and gaseous form
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (lawful evil)
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY :113
Attack/Defens Modes: A,B,E/F,G,J
There are only six Pashas to the Sultan of the Efreet, each with its own dominion and wealth. They are Viziers to the Sultan and rarely leave the plane of fire except at his command. Nevertheless, they have a great deal of freedom of action and use that freedom by rampaging through the other planes of the universe from time to time.
These Pashas can use these spells as a fifteenth
level Magic User: fireball, flame strike; wall of fire become
invisible assume gaseous form detect magic enlarge polymorph self create
illusion with both visual and aural effects; and fulfill another`s wish
although loathe to do so. The Pasha in this module will not
grant a wish. The Pashas of the Efreet may also teleport at will
to any of the planes known to them, unless they are somehow held back.
They are immune to all fire based attacks, magical or otherwise.
Thunderherders
FREQUENCY Rare
NO APPEARING 10-100+
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 20"
HIT DICE 7
%IN LAIR: 5%
TREASURE IYPE Nii
NO ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nii
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Earthquake
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE Semi
ALIGNMENT N
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Thunderherders are distant cousins to the Purple Worm, but are not aggressive These creatures reavel in vast herds just a few feet under the ground. They are inoffensive creatures ranging front 3-5 feet wide and 5-10 feet long The main dangers from Thunderherders are the incidental earthquakes and the terrible trumpeting that they create as the stampede underground They do no real damage, but do generate a great deal of confusion, knock over tents, and panic all pack animals.
Thune Dervishes
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 5-50+
ARMOR CLASS: Variable (typically 6)
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: Variable (typically 4)
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: J
NO. ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type (typically
ld8+2 with scimitar)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Bloodquest (see below)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Variable
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nit
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
The most common group of native folk encountered
in this adventure are the Nomad Dervishes. These strange nomads range in
age from 15-60 years. They are a dark people, rough from the desert wi
nds and sand. Al lens wherever they go, they roam the desert on an eternal
holy mission. Their mission in life is to protect the religious freedoms
and holy shrines of all nations--regardless of what the specific beliefs
of those nations or shrines might be. If the people hold them as sacred,
that's enough for the Nomad Dervishes. They hate robbers of graves and
tombs, and have come to this pyramid/tomb to protect it from such infidels.
They are fanatical, somber, pessimistic and almost always bad-mannered.
A hot-tempered, emotional people, they generally don't care about outsiders.
They are scrupulously honest, and fearless in a fight. Their only outside
interests are gambling, wine and sports.
If a character steals or damages a holy
item under the eye of one of these Dervishes, the entir~ dan will mark
that character for Bloodquest. This holy rite, carried out under the trembling,
vibrating scream of any Dervishes at hand, means a fight to the death.
If the Dervishes find any shrine damaged, they will use their considerable
tracking powers to hunt down and destroy the evil one. One to six Dervishes
will typically carry out this function. Thune Dervishes have the tracking
abilities of Rangers.
Magical Items and The Tome of Amun-re
The Tome of Amun-re is an ancient work that is written in the Common Speech, but with an alphabet that has not been used for many centuries and is quite difficult to read.
There are two chapters within the tome: the BOOK OF AMUN-RE and the TALE OF YEARS. Characters trying to read the tome must first tell the DM which chapter they want to read. There is a base 20% for each character to correctly read each verse. Only one verse may be read per turn. Thieves may add their read languages score to the base 20% chance for every verse, but in only one chapter. Characters using a comprehend languages spell will always be able to correctly read a verse. When a percentile roll ind icates that a character correctly reads a verse, the DM should roll ld6 (for the BOOK OF AM UN-R E) or 1 d 1 O (f or the TALE OF YEARS) to determine which verse was read. If the DM rolls a verse that has already been read succesfully, another roll should be made. Remember that no one translates an ancient work while fighting, walking or doing anything except studying the book.
BOOK OF AMUN-RE:
Verse 1
I, Amun-re, do set forth a record of myself and of my dealings with this world. The years fold back in my mind. There were green and fertile fields in my youth.Throughout the land flowers grew in abundance in the thick and lush forests, filling the air with pure fragrance and well-being. Traders in their sandships would travel a year and more to come to our oasis on the borderlands and bid a high price for our sweet perfumes. Fru its and sweet meats came from our fields, while within the city of Terbakar, the mills turned out a secretly woven cloth, fine enough for kings and queens."
Verse 2
"The river of Athis was the mother of our land, giving life itself with its waters. Springing forth from the courtyard of the Old Palace, Athis blossomed all that she touched, even in the harsh Borderlands, and gave strength and health to her chi Idren. My father would sit with me beside the spring and tell me the stories of her wonderf ul power and her blessing to the land; the very gift of Isis. There, by the raging torrents of Athis, I grow strong in the love of my father, as we played and learned of life and its living."
Verse 3
"But not by him alone was I instructed.
Daily was I taught by the priests and wisemen of my country about the order
of kings and the heavens. I learned of the passing of the kings and how
they, after death, journey to Heaven Westward, making the long passage
in their burial ships, sailing across the River of Death until they reach
the Farthest Shore. There, they are admitted to their separate estates
by Osiris, God of Death,
According to the riches they have brought
with them. I also .tamed of wicked men whose minds had darkened and forgotten
the old ways, who plundered the Old One's tombs and took their riches,
thus robbing them of their place in Heaven Westv/ard. As a boy, I would
often cry in the night at such thoughts--and the fear of judgment of Osiris
lodged in my heart."
Verse 4
"My father had built a tomb for himself
to guard against just such wickedness. Yet, only a few years after my father's
death, there were whisperings that even his great burial place had been
desecrated. I was tortured by thoughts of his spirit wandering forever,
alone. Cloaked in the darkness of deepest night, I went to my father's
tomb. No priest followed me to witness my trespass upon the world of the
dead. I carefully slipped past the traps that barred the way when, suddenly,
I came upon his sarcophagus."
Verse 5
"I gazed through watery eyes at the broken clay pots that had contained the gold. The once jewel-encrusted hull of my father's ship was barren and scarred with gouges. I knew with certainty that he could not have approached the great Osiris in that mockery of a boat, without so much as a humble clay token."
Verse 6
"In weakness and horror, I fell upon my father's sarcophagus and stared at the scarred wooden image of my father's face. It had once been covered with the purest of gold leaf. His golden Staff of Ruling was nowhere to be found. I lay myself upon the scarred surf ace to hide its imperfections, weeping great tears of fury. My torch went out as, too, did the light within my soul. I emerged from the tomb as the sun arose. Clutching my own staff, I swore by all the gods that I would not be cheated of my place in Heaven Westward."
TALE OF THE YEARS:
Verse 1
"But it was said throughout the land that from that time forth, those who entered the tomb either came forth saying that its riches were already plundered or else they never returned at all."
Verse 2
"The fact that no treasure has ever been
brought out from the tomb is emphasized by the fact that the curse is still
in effect."
Verse 3
"Munafik, the Chief High Priest of Amun-re,
was also something of a sage--a lover of book-lore and of learning."
Verse 4
"it was said later that Munafik may have
had a hand in the curse, for of all the books he read, many were of the
black arts, and the prophets that passed this way avoided him as a beggar
would a good bath."
Verse 5
"Though there had been much bad talk about
Amun-re, It was generally known by the people and priests alike that he
was the greatest of the gods in Heaven Westward, for he alone nianifested
his power in his own temple."
Verse 6
"Sacrifices of food and gold were brought
daily to lay on the altars before the statues in the small worship temples
left anil right from the stair entrance to the tomb."
Verse 7
"it is our priesthood rite that whatsoever
Osiris accepts he will take from the altar and that wh ich he wishes the
priests to have. he leaves on the altar. This profited the priests greatly,
except that all offerings left in the East Temple would disappear and never
be found again."
Verse 8
"Several priests, upset to see their assets
disappearing, searched the room carefully, and they, too, disappeared.
The temple became a most hallowed spot, so that all who wished to give
offerings came to that temple only. The priesthood then became unprofitable
and our doctrine had to be changedtourism turned the trick."
Verse 9
"Offerings were often made, for a passage
was always provided between the tomb of the king and his likeness, whereby
his spirit might pass into his ordained statue and live within the stone
we worship here. Such a passage was always provided for the kings that
they might live among us once more."
Verse 10
"The phrases of our priesthood are always
to be said in their order. I once tried to say the prayer: "Cleanse our
feet and live in our land once again," but got the order confused and,
so, cried out, "Cleanse our land and live in our feet once again." It rained
for three weeks during which time the priests could do nothing but dance
the wala-tamba night and day."
PHARAOH'S RULING STAFF:
The staff is worth 5,000 gp and, in the hands of one who knows how to use it, is capable of three types of magical acts:
1. Striking the tip to the ground three times will cause the staff to polymorph itself into a large venomous snake (AC 4; MV 15", H D 4; hp 28; #AT 1 ; Dmg 1-4 + save vs. Poison or die; AL same as whoever wields the staff). The snake will not attack the wielder of the staff. Grasping the snake by the tail firmly, at -2 to hit, polymorphs the snake back to a golden staff.
2. Striking the ground twice and then spinning the tip in the air will create a globular ball of lightning which,for every round it is spun before released at its target, will develop 1-10 points damage potential. Note, however, that the person spinning the lightning must concentrate both on- its spin ning and on its direction for detonation. If the spinner is disturbed during his spinning (e.g. he moves, is hit or is distracted) then the ball detonates on the spot with as much damage as had been spun to that point.
3. Striking the ground once and then pointing it skyward will produce a clap of thunder of such volume that all exposed creatures within 1,000 feet must save vs. Petrification or be struck with fear for 1-10 rounds.
The staff holds only five charges of each
type. Only a sage (and his fee) will extract the above information--or
a little lucky experimentation.
THE STAR OF MO-PELAR:
This relic can be used as a gem of true
seeing. It appears as an opalescent large gem, 5 inches in diameter. This
gem is one of a set of three that have a foretold destiny in the desert.
That story is told in "Oasis of the White Palm" and "Lost Tomb of Martek,"
the other two modules in the Desert of Desolation Series.
Optional Ending
At the end of the module's play, the DM may want to provide a story/ending for the players to wrap things up. The following scenario is provided as an optional ending to the module.
SCENARIO: To be used if the party has succeeded in leaving the tomb with both the ruling staff and the Star Gem of Mo-pelar:
Stretching under the sun to the sharp and distant horizon, a silence hangs heavy in the still dry air. Time itself seems to be stopped in its flight, holding all the world in the balance. You see a lone figure, unmoving in the distance. As you ponder those pitiful robes, a change begins to take place.
The roll of distant thunder comes gently across the far-flung sands. The horizon blurs in the distance and shifts to the left at ail the compass points and starts to spin around the massive pyramid. As it tightens its circle, the wind comes closer, blocking you r sig ht of everything beyond it. That endless track and the lone figure have vanished. The tighten ing whi rlwind rises to a jarring crescendo as the sand and wind crash in upon the temple and tomb. Whirling winds and sand sing past you, a chorus of a thousand voices: the hopes and cries of a land long dead, and the name of a hapless pharaoh--Amun-re. Only the awesome pyramid itself can be seen. Its forbidding form stands in dark majesty through the winds. The sandstorm turns to a spiral above the tomb, rising in its rage to glorious heights, bends westward--and takes flight.
And all is still once more.
The sand in the air drifts slowly to the earth below in silence and all is as it was. Yet not quite, for the silence is not complete. Down below, as yet unseen through the settling dust, lifts the cool sound of running water. The clearing air soon reveals a cracked pool, now overflowing with spring-clear water, and a long dead channel, taking, at each step, its own parched drink before passing the flowing river on. It will take time to heal this land, but there will be blossoms in the spring, for Athis has returned from her exile--and with her comes life.
CREDITS
DESIGN: Tracy and Laura Hickman
EDITING: Curtis Smith