Within the Nest
The party has gone through most of the Nest, and now finds themselves within a secret temple below the Nest. The party has made their a dent within the temple and now finds themselves staring at the large ritual chamber where Law Master Hassal is chained above a pool of blood.
SS:
An underground cathedral opens before you. At one end, a sculptured balcony perches atop five rearing stone serpents. Blood dribbling from the serpents’ jaws falls into a semicircular basin, and from there flows along a sloped trough into a wide stone bowl set into the floor. South of the bowl is a mezzanine, prominently situated atop which is a cauldron of steaming broth that exudes fleshy odors. To the west, a huge gong carved with snake patterns stands on a second balcony.
During rituals, the fane swells with yuan-ti, but the room is unguarded otherwise. When struck, the gong can be heard throughout the temple complex. One strike announces the start of a serpent ritual: when sounded, all the yuan-ti within the temple complex arrive here within half an hour. Two or more strikes in quick succession signal an alarm: when sounded, yuan-ti throughout the temple converge on this location as quickly as possible (see the Temple Roster table). Blood Pool
Blood spilled in area 6 is channeled into this room, and the central pool contains 3d6 inches of viscid, days-old blood from previous sacrifices. The yuan-ti wallow in the blood from time to time, and prisoners are sometimes brought here to be eaten by frenzied revelers or transformed into yuan-ti (see “Yuan-ti Rituals” below).
Cauldron
A stew made from boiled flesh sloshes inside the cauldron, which is heated by a volcanic vent in the floor underneath it. Upturning the cauldron is an action that requires a successful DC 15 Strength check. When the cauldron is tipped, each creature on the floor within a 15-foot cone of the cauldron must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
North Balcony and Teleporter
Ras Nsi and Fenthaza use the north balcony to address underlings. To climb up, a character must succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. The balustrades around the balcony provide half cover against ranged attacks originating from the room below.
Set into the back wall is an alcove with an engraved stone disk on the floor — one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters”).
Portcullis
A portcullis seals the entrance to area 10. A bronze lever is set into the wall north of the gate, out of sight of area 10. Lifting the lever raises the portcullis, and pulling the lever down causes the portcullis to drop.
Yuan-ti Rituals
Once every ten days, the yuan-ti gather in the fane for a depraved ritual. The ceremony takes place over the course of one night, with a skeleton crew guarding the rest of the temple complex during these periods.
During the ritual, mesmerizing incense is burned in the wall sconces. (See area 13 for more information on the incense.) Fenthaza preaches to the congregation from the north balcony. As the ceremony reaches fever pitch, she joins the revelers in the blood pool to feast on the prisoners before slithering back to her quarters. On occasion, human prisoners are transformed into yuan-ti purebloods or broodguards during these rituals. To undergo the change, prisoners must bathe with snakes in the blood of sacrificial victims while under the influence of temple drugs. The transformation leaves each prisoner with 1d6 levels of exhaustion. Once they’ve shed their old skin, those who survive the process are taken to their new home in the yuan-ti nests (area 18) to recuperate. Those who die are fed to the hydra in area 21.
Fenthaza can arrange for captured human characters to be transformed into yuan-ti purebloods so they can roam freely within the temple complex and get closer to Ras Nsi. The transformation can be undone only by a wish spell or divine intervention. A human that undergoes and survives the ritual retains its traits and gains the following yuan-ti racial traits.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the poison spray cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Possible scenes:
Talking with Law master Hassal
The children of the crimson sun arrive.
Teleporter "traps" within the temple
The room of power:
1. Eroded River Rock: This mundane looking flat rock has been washed smooth by eons of swift rapids flowing over it. It still drips as if recently removed from the river that created it. It has been imbued with the power and fury of the river. When water is dropped onto it, the rock accelerates the water into a powerful stream which has the power to erode any non-magical surface. Combined with the Create Water spell, the effects can be devastating. Locks cut through in seconds, buildings eroded to the foundation in minutes, landscapes sculpted in hours, mountain passes cut in days. Used offensively, the jets of water can do serious damage to anyone foolish enough to get in the way. Destroyed by: If Destroy Water is cast upon it while it is not carried, the stone will erode into a fine sand. Alternatively, placing the stone back into the river where it was created will cause the stone to erode.
2. Heart of Gold: An artifact that if the user holding it kills an unwilling good oriented user, all evil oriented characters in the nearby vicinity have a one in (number) chance of becoming increasingly good natured depending on how much good of a person the sacrifice was (up to DM’s discretion). However, this also works the other way around. Introduction: The protagonist could be either extreme good or extreme evil character killing like-oriented individuals. The PCs then find out about the heart. Destroyed by: The heart loses HP for each willing participant (depending on how much of a good or bad person they were). The heart originally starts with 1HP but increases with every unwilling participant of the ritual by 1 point.
3. Metallurgist’s Bible: This ancient book conveys upon it’s user the ability to make masterworks of war. Any weapon crafted with this artifact’s knowledge does double the amount of damage dice (1d6 shortsword –> 2d6). To retain this feature, the weapon must be soaked in the blood of an ancient red dragon once a year. Destroyed by: For every point of damage it takes, it immediately heals the same amount, and conjures a spectral weapon that seeks out it’s attacker and does the same amount of damage back. The only way to destroy it is to burn it in the fires of the forge where it’s first weapon was created.
4. The Dagger of God Killing: This weapon is a +3 dagger. If you speak the name of a god while you are on the same plane of existence as them they become mortal for 24 hours, this ability can only be used once per day, while a god is mortal in this way any attack with this weapon against them deals an extra 3d6 necrotic damage. Destroyed by: They say the Dagger of God Killing can only be destroyed by a powerful force older than the gods themselves.
5. A deck of Illusions
The king is pushed out of his war due to the highstorm and comes back to the nest
During rituals, the fane swells with yuan-ti, but the room is unguarded otherwise. When struck, the gong can be heard throughout the temple complex. One strike announces the start of a serpent ritual: when sounded, all the yuan-ti within the temple complex arrive here within half an hour. Two or more strikes in quick succession signal an alarm: when sounded, yuan-ti throughout the temple converge on this location as quickly as possible (see the Temple Roster table). Blood Pool
Blood spilled in area 6 is channeled into this room, and the central pool contains 3d6 inches of viscid, days-old blood from previous sacrifices. The yuan-ti wallow in the blood from time to time, and prisoners are sometimes brought here to be eaten by frenzied revelers or transformed into yuan-ti (see “Yuan-ti Rituals” below).
Cauldron
A stew made from boiled flesh sloshes inside the cauldron, which is heated by a volcanic vent in the floor underneath it. Upturning the cauldron is an action that requires a successful DC 15 Strength check. When the cauldron is tipped, each creature on the floor within a 15-foot cone of the cauldron must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
North Balcony and Teleporter
Ras Nsi and Fenthaza use the north balcony to address underlings. To climb up, a character must succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. The balustrades around the balcony provide half cover against ranged attacks originating from the room below.
Set into the back wall is an alcove with an engraved stone disk on the floor — one of Ras Nsi’s magic teleporters (see “Teleporters”).
Portcullis
A portcullis seals the entrance to area 10. A bronze lever is set into the wall north of the gate, out of sight of area 10. Lifting the lever raises the portcullis, and pulling the lever down causes the portcullis to drop.
Yuan-ti Rituals
Once every ten days, the yuan-ti gather in the fane for a depraved ritual. The ceremony takes place over the course of one night, with a skeleton crew guarding the rest of the temple complex during these periods.
During the ritual, mesmerizing incense is burned in the wall sconces. (See area 13 for more information on the incense.) Fenthaza preaches to the congregation from the north balcony. As the ceremony reaches fever pitch, she joins the revelers in the blood pool to feast on the prisoners before slithering back to her quarters. On occasion, human prisoners are transformed into yuan-ti purebloods or broodguards during these rituals. To undergo the change, prisoners must bathe with snakes in the blood of sacrificial victims while under the influence of temple drugs. The transformation leaves each prisoner with 1d6 levels of exhaustion. Once they’ve shed their old skin, those who survive the process are taken to their new home in the yuan-ti nests (area 18) to recuperate. Those who die are fed to the hydra in area 21.
Fenthaza can arrange for captured human characters to be transformed into yuan-ti purebloods so they can roam freely within the temple complex and get closer to Ras Nsi. The transformation can be undone only by a wish spell or divine intervention. A human that undergoes and survives the ritual retains its traits and gains the following yuan-ti racial traits.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the poison spray cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Possible scenes:
Talking with Law master Hassal
The children of the crimson sun arrive.
Teleporter "traps" within the temple
The room of power:
1. Eroded River Rock: This mundane looking flat rock has been washed smooth by eons of swift rapids flowing over it. It still drips as if recently removed from the river that created it. It has been imbued with the power and fury of the river. When water is dropped onto it, the rock accelerates the water into a powerful stream which has the power to erode any non-magical surface. Combined with the Create Water spell, the effects can be devastating. Locks cut through in seconds, buildings eroded to the foundation in minutes, landscapes sculpted in hours, mountain passes cut in days. Used offensively, the jets of water can do serious damage to anyone foolish enough to get in the way. Destroyed by: If Destroy Water is cast upon it while it is not carried, the stone will erode into a fine sand. Alternatively, placing the stone back into the river where it was created will cause the stone to erode.
2. Heart of Gold: An artifact that if the user holding it kills an unwilling good oriented user, all evil oriented characters in the nearby vicinity have a one in (number) chance of becoming increasingly good natured depending on how much good of a person the sacrifice was (up to DM’s discretion). However, this also works the other way around. Introduction: The protagonist could be either extreme good or extreme evil character killing like-oriented individuals. The PCs then find out about the heart. Destroyed by: The heart loses HP for each willing participant (depending on how much of a good or bad person they were). The heart originally starts with 1HP but increases with every unwilling participant of the ritual by 1 point.
3. Metallurgist’s Bible: This ancient book conveys upon it’s user the ability to make masterworks of war. Any weapon crafted with this artifact’s knowledge does double the amount of damage dice (1d6 shortsword –> 2d6). To retain this feature, the weapon must be soaked in the blood of an ancient red dragon once a year. Destroyed by: For every point of damage it takes, it immediately heals the same amount, and conjures a spectral weapon that seeks out it’s attacker and does the same amount of damage back. The only way to destroy it is to burn it in the fires of the forge where it’s first weapon was created.
4. The Dagger of God Killing: This weapon is a +3 dagger. If you speak the name of a god while you are on the same plane of existence as them they become mortal for 24 hours, this ability can only be used once per day, while a god is mortal in this way any attack with this weapon against them deals an extra 3d6 necrotic damage. Destroyed by: They say the Dagger of God Killing can only be destroyed by a powerful force older than the gods themselves.
5. A deck of Illusions
The king is pushed out of his war due to the highstorm and comes back to the nest
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