Rotten Halls
General Summary
11 Marpenoth, The Year of the Duplicitous Courtier (1496 DR)
Tomb of the Nine Gods, City of Omu, Chult
Hours after entering the Tomb of the Nine Gods, the adventuring group known as S.M.A.L.L. had still not found the way down the grand staircase to the tomb's lower levels. An invisible wall of force prevented them from going down the staircase or over the balcony's stone rails. They spotted a hunched figure from below the balcony glaring up at them, wearing a mask that the devil's face at the tomb entrance. Without saying a word, the figure stepped out of sight. Everyone realized they weren't alone in the dungeon. From an engraving in the shape of a triangle on the wall atop the staircase, they determined they would need to find something triangular somewhere on the level they were on. But they had no clue what the triangle represented. So they kept exploring. While exploring, they came upon a giant stone skull crusted with moss jutting out from the end of a passageway. A flame flickered within each eye socket, and a view into a chamber beyond could be seen through its open jaws. They left the area momentarily to explore a nearby part of the tomb. Soon, they came upon a corridor carved with birds soaring across its walls. Near its northern end, a large adamantine propeller with five sharp blades blocked the passage. As soon as they began to walk into the corridor, the blades began to spin. Soon, the blades were spinning so fast that the group felt a powerful rush of air pulling them further into the corridor toward the sharp blades. The group immediately went back towards the giant stone skull. An investigation revealed that the skull's lower jaw was hinged. Despite the possibility that the skull was a trap, the group carefully crawled through it into the room beyond. Inside the room, skulls crusted with dried mud glowered from niches cut into the tomb's walls. A stone sarcophagus stood at the center of the chamber, its lid adorned with a coiled serpent carved in relief. Behind the sarcophagus, resting atop a marble pedestal, was an ornate crystal box with a small humanoid skull floating inside it. Suddenly, the voice of a young girl echoed in their minds. “What’s happening? Why can’t I see?" the voice said. The group asked who the young girl was but received no answers. Instead, it kept asking questions like "Where am I? How did I get here?” and "Are you friends of my father? Is he looking for me?” Unsure how to answer the embodied voice, the group examined the sarcophagus. Inside, they found a bundle of faded cloth holding the serpentine bones of a jaculi. Resting atop its remains was a wooden staff. The staff was crafted from polished wood, intricately carved with the sinuous patterns of a serpent winding its way along its length. At the top, the staff culminated in a detailed serpent's head, its eyes made of gleaming emeralds. The staff had a subtle, almost imperceptible, shimmer of enchantment, hinting at the powerful magic within. Zantix, the druid, reached for the staff. Suddenly, green smoke billowed from the staff, coiling around Zantix like a serpent. A sibilant voice whispered in his ear: “Let me help you! I promise to be good.” -
Hours after entering the Tomb of the Nine Gods, the adventuring group known as S.M.A.L.L. had still not found the way down the grand staircase to the tomb's lower levels. An invisible wall of force prevented them from going down the staircase or over the balcony's stone rails. They spotted a hunched figure from below the balcony glaring up at them, wearing a mask that the devil's face at the tomb entrance. Without saying a word, the figure stepped out of sight. Everyone realized they weren't alone in the dungeon. From an engraving in the shape of a triangle on the wall atop the staircase, they determined they would need to find something triangular somewhere on the level they were on. But they had no clue what the triangle represented. So they kept exploring. While exploring, they came upon a giant stone skull crusted with moss jutting out from the end of a passageway. A flame flickered within each eye socket, and a view into a chamber beyond could be seen through its open jaws. They left the area momentarily to explore a nearby part of the tomb. Soon, they came upon a corridor carved with birds soaring across its walls. Near its northern end, a large adamantine propeller with five sharp blades blocked the passage. As soon as they began to walk into the corridor, the blades began to spin. Soon, the blades were spinning so fast that the group felt a powerful rush of air pulling them further into the corridor toward the sharp blades. The group immediately went back towards the giant stone skull. An investigation revealed that the skull's lower jaw was hinged. Despite the possibility that the skull was a trap, the group carefully crawled through it into the room beyond. Inside the room, skulls crusted with dried mud glowered from niches cut into the tomb's walls. A stone sarcophagus stood at the center of the chamber, its lid adorned with a coiled serpent carved in relief. Behind the sarcophagus, resting atop a marble pedestal, was an ornate crystal box with a small humanoid skull floating inside it. Suddenly, the voice of a young girl echoed in their minds. “What’s happening? Why can’t I see?" the voice said. The group asked who the young girl was but received no answers. Instead, it kept asking questions like "Where am I? How did I get here?” and "Are you friends of my father? Is he looking for me?” Unsure how to answer the embodied voice, the group examined the sarcophagus. Inside, they found a bundle of faded cloth holding the serpentine bones of a jaculi. Resting atop its remains was a wooden staff. The staff was crafted from polished wood, intricately carved with the sinuous patterns of a serpent winding its way along its length. At the top, the staff culminated in a detailed serpent's head, its eyes made of gleaming emeralds. The staff had a subtle, almost imperceptible, shimmer of enchantment, hinting at the powerful magic within. Zantix, the druid, reached for the staff. Suddenly, green smoke billowed from the staff, coiling around Zantix like a serpent. A sibilant voice whispered in his ear: “Let me help you! I promise to be good.” -
Rewards Granted
Zantix receives a Staff of the Python (https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/4768-staff-of-the-python
Character(s) interacted with
The spirit of Moa inhabited Zantix after he touched the Staff of the Python.
Report Date
17 May 2024
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