Yuan-Ti Temple: The Slithering Deep [42 x 84] (Patreon)

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.