Ashes to Ashes lvl 6 Adv updated to lvl 7

INCITING ACTION

Taegen Barrowood of the Circle of Rooted Souls (group of druids) approaches the characters and explains to them that fire creatures are loose in their forest, and the druids are looking for help with the issue. If the characters help, the druids will give them 1000 gp and an Acorn of Thankfulness.

INTO THE FOREST

When the characters head to the forest, they can easily follow the scent of smoke and ash deeper into the forest. After some time of following this trail, read the following:
Before you are several small creatures that appear to be made from gouts of flaming lava. They are currently burning down a pair of trees, and behind them stands a stout dwarf-like creature with flaming hair and bronze skin. Nearby is what appears to be a magical portal through which you can see a red-glowing tunnel.
Creatures. The magma creatures are 10 magma mephits and the dwarf-like creature is an azer. They are currently burning down the trees to get ash to take back to Cindertongue, the salamander leader.
Portal. The magical portal leads to the elemental plane of fire where the Pyropups have their lair.
Loot. The azer is carrying a bronze hinged box decorated with flame embossing used for collecting the ash. It contains a dozen glass jars, and several of them are already full of ash from other trees the creatures have burned down. He also carries a small iron spade.

Walls, Floors, and Ceiling. The tunnels and chambers are carved out of volcanic rock, glow with a soft red hue, and are warm to the touch.
Lighting. Most of the cave complex is bathed in dim light from the glowing rock.
Internal Doors. The doors in the complex are made of solid bronze crafted by the azer smiths.

P1. PORTAL ROOM

This room contains the magical portal that leads to and from the material plane.

P2. ENTRY HALL

The walls of both sides of the entry hall are lined hundreds of niches in which sit flaming humanoid skulls. Almost all of the skulls were enchanted with continual flame, but two of the skulls are flameskulls that guard the entry hall against intruders.

Encounter Notes

• The Flameskull attack when the characters reach the midpoint of the entry hall, opening with two fireballs.
  

P3. LAVA PIT

This chamber is situated at the bottom of the mouth of a dormant volcano, and a hundred or so feet up the volcano opens up into the outside. From here the sky is visible, full of obsidian clouds of smoke that reflect red from flames and lava flows below. A large pool of lava dominates this chamber with two flows running off it and into underground tunnels.
Occupants. There are thirteen fire mephits in the lava pool; it's their home.

Encounter Notes

• A couple fire mephits exit the pool and challenge the characters' presence in the area. If the characters are unable to give a reasonable excuse or can't communicate with them (the mephits only speak Ignan), the mephits attack, with the rest of the mephits exiting the pool.
  

P4. SMITHY

The azer use this chamber as their smithy. It contains a large forge that operates using lava, anvils, a quenching basin, hammers, and other blacksmith tools.
Occupants. Three azer are here creating a large bronze totem pole.
Loot.There is a pile of copper ingots in a metal bin worth 10,000 cp in total
.

P5 AZER BARRACKS

This is where the azer sleep. It contains stone beds with fluffy obsidian pillows, several bronze trunks, and a bronze table surrounded by several bronze chairs.
Occupants. Five azer are here. Two of them are sleeping, and the other three are dicing at the table. Once of the azer is a shaman who can cast heat metal (1 time/day) and scorching ray (3 times/day).
Trunks. In addition to trinkets and other personal items, the trunks contain 200 cp, 3000 sp, 500 gp, and a potion of fire resistance.

P6 KENNEL

Three hell hounds dwell here. The room contains piles of volcanic rocks they use as beds and large obsidian chew toys shaped like bones (crafted by the azer, of course).

P7 SALAMANDER LAIR

Three rooms make up the salamanders' lair. One of the rooms contains two salamanders, another contains one salamander and three fire snakes, and the third room contains two dozen salamander eggs in the lava pool. The salamanders use the lava pools as their beds, though they are all currently awake.
Loot. Bronze trunks in the rooms contain a total of 700 cp, 4000 sp, 700 gp, 80 pp. One of the rooms contains a portrait of a fire salamander in a military uniform (worth 25 gp) hanging on the wall. And one of the salamanders carries an elemental gem (Red Corundum).

P8 CONTEMPLATION CELLS

These small rooms are cells where the salamanders and azer can sit in quiet contemplation and worship of their deity Pyrotheus. Three of the cells are empty, one contains a salamander, and the other an azer.
P9. CENTRAL TEMPLE
This large chamber contains a pool of lava with a small island upon which stands a burnished bronze statue of Pyrotheus, a five-headed pyrohydra made of flames with rubies for eyes. Lava flows from the multiple heads into the pool as though from a fountain.
Occupants. The salamander high priest is in the chamber, sprinkling ashes into the lava pool and examining the effects to see if they've finally found the ashes they need or not.

Encounter Notes

• The salamander high priest as the following changes to its stat block:
• o It has 180 hit points.
• o It has the warcaster feat, meaning it has advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain its concentration on spells.
• o Spellcasting. The priest is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The priest has the following cleric spells prepared:
• n Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
• n 1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, guiding bolt, sanctuary
• n 2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, spiritual weapon
• n 3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, spirit guardians
• • The salamander high priest casts spirit guardians immediately when combat breaks out.
• • On round two, four firenewt warriors emerge from the lava pool and join the fight.
• • On initiative count 20 each round, the statue of Pyrotheus shoots three streams of lava at three random characters in the room. Each stream of lava has a +8 to hit and deals 2d6 fire damage.
• • If things go south, the salamander high priest flees into the lava pool.

Loot. The statue of the pyrohydra has ten rubies for eyes, and each ruby is worth 100 gp. Draped around the neck of one of the heads is a necklace of resistance (fire).

RESOLUTION

When the salamander high priest is defeated, the salamanders stop opening portals into that part of the material plane, resolving the problem at hand. In return, the druids give the characters an Acorn of Thankfulness as promised.

Relations

Neutrals/Bystanders

The Circle of Rooted Souls. A group of druids in the forest.
Taegen Barrowood. The leader of the druids.

Adversaries

The Pyropups. A clan of salamanders on the elemental plane of fire who worship the fire deity Pyrotheus.
Cindertongue. The salamander leader.
Pyrotheus. A lesser deity of fire that appears as a pyrohydra made of flames.

Magma Mephit — CR 1/2
• Firenewt warriors — CR 1/2
• Fire Snake — CR 1
• Azer — CR 2
• Hell Hound — CR 3
• Flameskull — CR 4
• Salamander — CR 5

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

• 2 flameskulls
• 1 salamander and 2 fire snakes
• [roll4d6] magma mephits
• 1d4+2 azer

Backdrops

Encounters

FOREST ENCOUNTER

• Hard encounter
• 10 magma mephitis
• 2 azer
• XP to award: 1900 XP (475 XP each)

Loot

Bronze hinged box decorated with flame embossing used for collecting the ash it contains a dozen glass jars, and several of them are already full of ash from other trees. (500 gp.) Also a small iron spade (10 gp||1d6 Slashing||3 lb.)

P2. ENTRY HALL

• Medium Encounter
• 2 flameskulls attack when the characters reach the midpoint of the entry hall, opening with two fireballs.
• initiative 7 and 18
• XP to award: 2200 XP (550 XP each)

P3. LAVA PIT

Encounter A couple fire mephits exit the pool and challenge the characters' presence in the area. If the characters are unable to give a reasonable excuse or can't communicate with them (the mephits only speak Ignan), the mephits attack, with the rest of the mephits exiting the pool.

P4. SMITHY

• Medium Encounter
• 5 azer are here creating a large bronze totem pole.
• XP to award: 1800 XP (450 XP each)

Loot

There is a pile of copper ingots in a metal bin worth 10,000 cp (100 gp) in total
.

P5 AZER BARRACKS

• Hard Encounter
• 1 Azer Shaman
• 4 Azer (2 sleeping) next round
• Shaman 12, Azer 4. 19,8, 8
• XP to award: 2500 XP (625 XP each)

Loot

Bronze trunks (35 lb. 50 gp.) In addition to trinkets and other personal items, including 5 war hammers (15 gp, 2 lb. each 1d8 bludgeoning versatile 1d10 and a potion of fire resistance.

Trinkets:

1. A pocket sundial that only works in the moonlight.
2. The hollowed-out shell of a large hermit crab
3. An enormous scale, perhaps from a bronze dragon.
4. A blank book whose pages refuse to hold ink, chalk, graphite, or any other substance for marking.
5. A metal butter container marked with the words "Property of Professor Chaos."
6. A box of twelve matching pieces of broccoli.
   
   

P6 KENNEL

• Deadly Encounter
• 5 Hell Hounds CR 3
• XP to award: 3500 XP (875 XP each)

P7 SALAMANDER LAIR

• Deadly Encounter
• 2 Salamanders (CR 5)
• 1 Salamander (CR 5) & 3 Fire Snakes (CR 1)
• XP to award: 6000 XP (1500 XP each)
  

Loot

Bronze trunks in the rooms contain a total of 700 cp, 4000 sp, 700 gp, 80 pp. One of the rooms contains a portrait of a fire salamander in a military uniform (worth 25 gp) hanging on the wall. And one of the salamanders carries an elemental gem (Red Corundum worth 50 gp.).

P8 CONTEMPLATION CELLS

• Medium Encounter
• 1 Salamander (CR 5)
• 1 Azer (CR 3)
• XP to award: 2500 XP (625 XP each)

P9. CENTRAL TEMPLE

• Deadly Encounter
• Salamander High Priest
• initiative count 20 each round, the statue of Pyrotheus
• 4 four firenewt warriors (on round 2)
• XP to award: 5400 XP (1350 XP each)

• The salamander high priest casts spirit guardians immediately when combat breaks out. • On round two, four firenewt warriors emerge from the lava pool and join the fight. • On initiative count 20 each round, the statue of Pyrotheus shoots three streams of lava at three random characters in the room. Each stream of lava has a +8 to hit and deals 2d6 fire damage. • If things go south, the salamander high priest flees into the lava pool.

Loot

The statue of the pyrohydra has ten rubies for eyes, and each ruby is worth 100 gp. Draped around the neck of one of the heads is a Tourmaline Necklace of Resistance (cold).

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright 2020, Lucus Hart, the DM Lair, LLC, www.thedmlair.com Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, LLC. System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls,J eremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee,J ames Wyatt, RobertJ . Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

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