Yuan-Ti Temple: The Slithering Deep [42 x 84] (Patreon)
Content
All assets used are courtesy of CrossheadStudios, used with permission.
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Broodling / Hatchling Tier Rewards
Dragon Guard / Ancient Dragon Tier Rewards
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Companion map to the 'Yuan-ti Temple' [70 x 70] map, this dungeon lurks deep beneath the temple above. There are two primary ways to enter this dungeon: through the secret entrance within the ruin above, or by being thrown into the pit outside and falling into the lake below. There are also four pathways at the top of the map which are left up to you to decide where they go. Perhaps they lead to more rooms of the temple, or maybe they travel deep into the cavernous depths below.
Most adventurers will find themselves splashing down into the lake below after being bested by overwhelming odds above. This cavern is eerily quiet as the water quickly settles, gently lapping at a forgotten skeleton. Bones litter the bottom of this underwater lake, bones left there by whatever creature has holed itself up in the small cave adjoining this one by the secret tunnel. Should it be found and defeated before it sneaks up on and devours the adventurers, a handsome hoard of treasure awaits.
A natural stone bridge rises out of the water and up into an adjoining system of caves. The muddy dirt floor quickly transitions to rough stone, and the silence from before finds itself replaced by the quiet, rhythmic groaning of wind passing through the gaping chasm just ahead. On this side of the chasm, the cave extends outward and to a few smaller caverns. One of those is blocked by a cave-in that trapped three adventurers and their animal companion within, leaving them to their grisly fate. At the end of the main cavern and spanning the chasm are massive, thick spider webs. These are strong enough to cross, though managing to not get stuck and eaten without falling to your doom can be quite tricky. The webs grow thicker as you cross and move into the cavern ahead. The lair of a brood of giant spiders is tucked within, hiding a great number of corpses that have been steadily collected.
Returning to the cavern with the lake, a set of iron doors sits unlocked right beyond and under the natural stone bridge. This leads into a gauntlet of trapped rooms designed to test the physical and psychological mettle of potential sacrifices to the Yuan-ti God of Death. Yuan-ti and their cultists are very rarely found within unless the adventurers have somehow surprised them by sneaking in rather than being tossed in. The first room is simply filled with the skeletons of past adventurers, left there to serve as a reminder of what lays in store for the latest batch of sacrificial adventurers. The double doors to the next chamber are unlocked, though each set of double doors afterword are locked, being unlocked only by disabling or bypassing the traps or puzzles within.
The first chamber has two grates in the floor at either end that start slowly leaking out poisonous, paralytic gas. Each of the levers on the wall needs to be put to the appropriate positions before the gas disables and slowly disperses as the next set of doors unlock. The second chamber is full of statues of people either praying or begging for their lives. These fill the chamber leading up to a larger statue of a Yuan-ti Priest holding up blades to either side. This could be a good room to insert a riddle or puzzle, or perhaps some of the statues animate and need to be defeated before the next set of doors unlock. The third chamber is very small and mostly filled by a low stone platform covered in pulsing magic runes and a pile of bones. Upon entering, the runes flash a bright red light and multiple skeletons animate each round as one large skeleton begins to form in the center. The next set of doors are unlocked when all skeletons are defeated.
The fourth chamber is simply full of spiked pit traps. This is a good room to place some smaller creatures with Climb or Fly speeds. The doors to the next chamber unlock as soon as they are approached. The fifth chamber has three ballistae rigged to shoot when trip wires are tripped. The ballistae must be disabled or activated before the next set of doors unlock. The fifth chamber is unlike the others in that it is very hot and humid within. Steam vents blast into the room at random intervals and mushrooms are growing throughout. Some of the red mushrooms release poison gas when stepped on. Swarms of centipedes and other bugs are a good fit for this room. Approaching the doors to the next chamber unlocks them. The sixth and final chamber is filled with magic infused snake eggs that begin to hatch the moment the doors are unlocked. The next set of doors unlock once all of the hatching pools are empty of eggs. Beyond this last set of doors are piles of bones strewn along the walls and inside iron cages. Placed conveniently nearby are four comfortable beds, a fountain with fresh water, and a freshly set table of delicious food. None of this is trapped or poisoned in any way, and adventurers who have made it through the gauntlet will not be disturbed by the priests while resting. This area is set up as both a way to psychologically mess with adventurers, as well as to genuinely offer them a chance to recharge. If adventurers can manage to survive long enough to reach this point, they are clearly worthy sacrifices for their God, and should be afforded the chance to struggle at full strength before they're sent on their way.
Just beyond the set table is a large room with a wood ramp spiraling up into the darkness above. This leads to the secret entrance within the ruins. Should adventurers find their way down through this entrance rather than being thrown in, the table below isn't set, and none of the gauntlet doors are locked. There will also likely be some Yuan-ti cultists throughout, likely preparing for the next worthy sacrifice to drop in. At the other end of this large room is a similarly large set of ornate doors. Runes pulsate on the floor just in front of the door; however, they are harmless. When passed over, the head priest can see whoever is on or nearby the rune circle for the next minute, regardless of how far they travel. Opening the doors leads into a massive chamber full of roaring waterfalls that cascade down into the pitch-black depths below. Wind wanders between whispering and howling as the flames of large braziers around the platform dutifully dance. Down and to either side are large libraries overflowing with books and scrolls from all corners of the world, some even from other planes. Books deemed not important enough to sort, but too important to destroy, are piled high at the end of either room. Lastly, the other four passageways lead off to wherever is convenient for you.