Begnt

Begnt

Type	Dungeon
Status	Explored March 883 TA
Location	Shadowkeep (now Dwarrowdelf)
Hex	2313
Campaign	Shadowkeep Campaign #4
Adventure #	68

Introduction

Beyond the fourth portal, lies the fourth level of the Shadowkeep. This level is the home of a race of Mind Flayers known as the Begnt. These creatures are the mad scientists of the dungeon. They wandered into this area many years ago and discovered the Skull Temple in the northeast quadrant. Although they do not profess allegiance to any gods, they found that they could draw power from the Temple. Now, they seek to create (ala Frankenstein) the being found in the mural on the southern wall of the temple. So far, they have been unsuccessful, their rejects being taken past the lightning field and down into the catacombs (where the 5th portal lies). Their only clue to the creators of the temple is that the dungeon is filled with prime numbers. Mathematically curious, the Begnt are exploring the prime number key. They do need a constant stream of bodies to keep their experimentation going.... The big key to this dungeon is beware anything not PRIME.

"The walls, ceilings, and floors of this dungeon are made of polished stone. Doors and other dungeon items are typically made of oak or iron. The ceilings are usually 5 feet in height, causing the taller characters to stoop (moving 25% slower, -3 to hit/damage, no casting around or over). The corridors are dark, damp, and cold."

Canto Four: Begnt

The darkness spawn who long have lain,
Seeking food through mankind's brain.

Numbers hold their power certain,
For they seek to make a person,
In this temple long defiled,
Deep among the skulls high piled.

Seek the pool and the slab of black,
And send these monsters screaming back,
Before they finish task most foul,
Then set your path into the bowels.

Past the crackling wall of flame,
Into the lair of those they maimed,
A bubble of the molten rock,
Holds the fifth and its crystal lock.

My sight grows dim, my bones do ache,
At this haven, some rest I'll take,

Begnt: Portal 4, Level 1

Begnt: Portal 4, Level 1

Room 1: First Entrance Test

This small room with hallways leading from the north and south contains a single pillar. The walls, ceiling, and floor are made of cut stone. It is very dark here. On the stone floor are carved numerals between 1 and 9. A faint flicker of blue black flame can be seen running between the stones.

If the party steps on any non-prime number, they will be attacked by the roper which has been disguised as a pillar in the center of the room.

A round copper disk about four feet in diameter hangs on the eastern wall of this hallway. It is suspended from a simple rope loop hooked over a peg in the wall.

When any non-Begnt gets within 20 feet of the item, it will sound as a low pitched bell. It cannot be destroyed (the small bits will still make noise), but it can be silenced. The bell is not loud, but its sound is designed to carry to the farthest edges of the dungeon. One begnt is tasked with checking any alarms. He will come via the secret door in Room 1.

Room 2: Second Entrance Test

This small room with hallways leading from the north and south contains a single pillar. The pillar appears to be a sleeping roper. The walls, ceiling, and floor are made of cut stone. It is very dark here. On the stone floor are carved numerals between 0 and 9. A faint flicker of blue black flame can be seen running between the stones.

If the party steps on any non-prime number, they will be receive a mild electrical shock for 2d6 hit points of damage. If the column is hit with any spell, the column will flicker wildly with blue-black light for a moment, then the spell will be reflected at the caster at double strength (save versus original caster's level). All weapon attacks will show the column to be made simply of stone.

Room 3: Third Entrance Test

This small room with hallways leading from the north and south contains a single pillar. The pillar appears to be a sleeping roper. The walls, ceiling, and floor are made of cut stone. It is very dark here. On the stone floor are carved numerals between 0 and 9. A faint flicker of blue black flame can be seen running between the stones.

If the party steps on any non-prime number, they will be receive a mild electrical shock for 2d6 hit points of damage. If the column is hit with a hand-held weapon, the party will find out that the roper is actually made of a stone of unusual properties. All non-magical weapons will shatter. All magical weapons get a saving throw against 5th level. Missile and spells will affect the pillar normally for stone.

Room 4: Five Pillared Room

This room smells of dung and rotting flesh. Besides the four hallways that lead into the room, there are five pillars which support its low ceiling. Deep guttural growling can be heard from the darkened corners.

This room contains five Begnt Hounds - a three-headed variety of hell hounds. They will attack anyone entering the room, but only one will leave down each corridor (with one always remaining behind). In the southwest corner of this room, the small clue note will be found.

Room 5: The Ettin Trap

This room is dark and damp, but the ceiling in a full ten feet high. In the northwest corner of the room are two chests pushed up against the wall. In the northeast corner, two ettins are chained to the walls - one on the north wall and one on the east wall. The ettins seem to be unconscious or dead.

This room is a trap for any creature not finding the secret passage that bypasses this room. The chests and ettins are both illusions (playing on the non-prime theme). Any party entering the room and touching the chests or the ettins will be hailed with small darts coming from holes in the southern wall. There are 3d6 darts which will hit any target (4 sets of darts for 4 targets) doing 1d4 each. In addition, there is a mild sleep poison on them which will require a standard saving throw (per dart) or the victim will fall into a cataleptic slumber.

Careful examination will show a number of small holes in the north wall (from previous visitors) and four one inch holes high on the south wall.

Room 6: The Net Trap

This small room is filled with a mass of sticky strands and fibers. The fibers catch on anything in the room, making it almost impossible to move.

Any creature caught in these webs will need to roll their force of strength percentile (at -50%) even to move. If able to move, it will still take 1d6 rounds to free themselves from the room. They can them pull other trapped members from, this action also taking 1d6 rounds per adventurer. Or, the webs can be torched. This causes 6d6 points of fire damage per character trapped in the web.

A round copper disk about four feet in diameter hangs on the northern wall of this hallway. It is suspended from a simple rope loop hooked over a peg in the wall.

When any non-Begnt gets within 20 feet of the item, it will sound as a low pitched bell. It cannot be destroyed (the small bits will still make noise), but it can be silenced. The bell is not loud, but its sound is designed to carry to the farthest edges of the dungeon. One begnt is tasked with checking any alarms. He will come via the secret door in the south of Room 6.

Room 7: Skull Temple

This room is spacious for this level of the dungeon with a vaulted ceiling and 40 foot high arches. The most noticeable feature of this room is a large pyramid along the northern wall. The pyramid is sixty feet wide, thirty feet deep, and almost 40 feet high. It is made of the skulls of humans, animals, and other creatures. The white pyramid glows faintly, and the whispered sounds of voices can be heard here.

The southern wall is dominated by two large murals, painted in dark hues and faded. The westernmost mural depicts a large humanoid creature, almost 20 feet tall. The most notable feature of the monster is his three slightly triangular shaped heads. He stands behind an altar of skulls, his arms conjuring a spell of some sort. Between his hands, a small blue green ball hovers. In front of the altar, kneeling before him are the figures of Meleandra, the Goddess of Light and Oakentree, the God of Nature. The easternmost mural depicts the same creature, led by a hunting pack of three headed dogs. They are in a dark forest, and their quarry cannot be seen.

Three pillars stand along the southern end of the room, and three niches have been carved into the walls. These contain stone statues of women, naked, holding aloft a small copper gong in one hand and a mallet in the other. The statues appear to shimmer faintly.

In the northeast corner of the room is a finely crafted mirror. The mirror reflects the following scene: Two doors to a room enter at the top of a twenty foot vat of stale brown liquid. A narrow wooden walkway crosses the vat and connects the two doors. The sides of the vat are lost to the shadows below. A single copper pipe runs over the side of the vat and into the wall to the southeast.

In the center of the room are three mind flayers (the Begnt). They are looking at the southwest mural and discussing something in hushed tones. They can be surprised. The women statues will sound the gong (each of a different pitch), if touched by any except the Begnt who created it. The statues are, naturally, illusions which can be walked through easily. The mirror is a teleport back to Portal 1, Level 1, Room 25. This is how the Begnt get to that level to set their traps.

Mind Flayers have nauseous mauve skin that glistens with slime. Four tentacles are purplish black. Their eyes are dead white, no pupil being evident. The three long fingers of each hand are reddish, but the hands are mauve. They are dressed in black robes, with a small human skull hanging from their belt.

The Begnt require no sleep and little food or drink (which they create themselves although they prefer human brains). This gives them full time to work on their studies. Their chairs allow them to gather knowledge from their entire race. If they are killed, their particular begnt chair will melt like a candle and their mind will be sent to their orb which will disappear. These begnt were sent from the mind flayer city to explore, and they are trapped by the anti-teleport shield that surrounds the entire dungeon, so they will not flee.

Room 8: Begnt Study Chamber

This room has a short five foot ceiling. The walls are marked with numerous mathematical calculations and drawings marked in some sort of chalk. These have been put on top of older and older notes, giving the appearance of some sort of abstract art. In the center of this room is a strange chair of sorts, made of some sort of waxy substance. A small orb of blue-black light hovers above the chair. There is a strange musty odor in this room.

Room 9: Begnt Study Chamber

This room has a short five foot ceiling. The walls are marked with numerous mathematical calculations and drawings marked in some sort of chalk. These have been put on top of older and older notes, giving the appearance of some sort of abstract art. In the center of this room is a strange chair of sorts, made of some sort of waxy substance. A small orb of blue-black light hovers above the chair. There is a strange musty odor in this room. A black curtain hangs in the northwest corner of the room.

Room 10: Begnt Study Chamber

This room has a short five foot ceiling. The walls are marked with numerous mathematical calculations and drawings marked in some sort of chalk. These have been put on top of older and older notes, giving the appearance of some sort of abstract art. In the center of this room is a strange chair of sorts, made of some sort of waxy substance. A small orb of blue-black light hovers above the chair. There is a strange musty odor in this room. Sitting in the chair is a small figure dressed in black robes, with a small human skull hanging from its belt. The northeast corner of the room is cut off by a black curtain hanging from the ceiling.

Room 11: The Begnt Laboratory

Two sets of stone steps lead up to this room. The ceiling of the room is 15 feet high, and the walls are made of plain, rough-cut stone. A rack along the eastern wall is filled with myriads of vials of liquids and powders. Some are labeled in a strange tongue (not runes). In the center of the northern wall is a big glass cylinder which is open at the top. A number of human looking body parts floating in a thick viscous liquid. Between the severed parts, a white rope-like substance seems to be growing. A table in the center of the room is empty except for some knives stuck into one end. A large chest is pushed up against the western wall. The chest appears to be locked. In the northwest corner, three three-headed dogs growl menacingly.

A closer examination of the chest shows the following magical square etched into its top. The lock is a small copper door knocker.

If the chest is busted open or the wrong number of knocks given, the chest will begin to glow bright blue for the entire round, letting out an unerring lightning bolt (6d8) at the end of each round at the defiler. This can be stopped only by dispelling magic or fleeing into Room 7.

The chest contains: 1000 gold pieces, 3 medium amethysts, Libram of Gainful Conjuration, 6 Arrows +6, Bracers of Defense AC 6, Brooch of Shielding.

There are three begnt hounds here who who will attack any creature entering the room. One will follow through each room, and one will always remain behind.

Room 12: Begnt Study Chamber

This room has a short five foot ceiling. The walls are marked with numerous mathematical calculations and drawings marked in some sort of chalk. These have been put on top of older and older notes, giving the appearance of some sort of abstract art. In the center of this room is a strange chair of sorts, made of some sort of waxy substance. A small orb of blue-black light hovers above the chair. There is a strange musty odor in this room.

Room 13: Begnt Common Room

The hallway to the north of this room has six small niches, three on each side spaced ten feet apart. These contain stone statues of women, naked, holding aloft a small copper gong in one hand and a mallet in the other. The statues appear to shimmer faintly. At the end of the hallway lies a sleeping begnt hound. Four small figures dressed in black robes, with human skulls hanging from their belts are sitting around the west end of the table talking.

The center of this room is filled with a large table and ten chairs. A silver candelabra sits in the middle, its candles burnt to stubs. Around the four corners of the room hang four large silver braziers. The strange musty odor found elsewhere in this level is particularly strong here. On the southern wall is another small niche containing the statue of a woman, naked, holding aloft a small copper gong in one hand and a mallet in the other.

The women statues will sound the gong (each of a different pitch), if touched by any except the Begnt who created it. The statues are, naturally, illusions which can be walked through easily.

Room 14-19: Begnt Study Chambers

This room has a short five foot ceiling. The walls are marked with numerous mathematical calculations and drawings marked in some sort of chalk. These have been put on top of older and older notes, giving the appearance of some sort of abstract art. In the center of this room is a strange chair of sorts, made of some sort of waxy substance. A small orb of blue-black light hovers above the chair. There is a strange musty odor in this room.

[Room 14]: Sitting in the chair is a small figure dressed in black robes, with a small human skull hanging from its belt.

[Room 19]: "Sitting in the chair is a small figure dressed in black robes, with a small human skull hanging from its belt."

Room 20: Begnt Chapel

A set of stairs lead up to a heavy iron portcullis separating the hallway from a large room beyond. A slight flickering of magical flames can be seen dancing around the bars of the portcullis. Next to the portcullis are scrawled some numbers in a white chalky substance: "16-18-9-13-5".

The southern door to this room is barred from the outside with a large iron rod. A slight flickering of magical flames can be seen dancing around the rod.

The of aura of this room's ancient past can be felt by any who look upon it. The room is long and narrow, with a ceiling 20 feet high, a single door in the south, and an arch in the western wall leading to a room beyond. Four ancient pillars are carved to resemble a stack of human skulls, widening out at the top and bottom to support the ceiling. In the center of the room, three steps lead up to a large polished black stone, eight feet long, four feet wide, and four feet high. The black stone is perfectly carved, straight and smooth. A powerful aura can be felt here.

Upon entering, a ghost appears in the western archway. It beckons the party forward into the small chamber beyond. A slight shimmering can be seen in the archway, as the party approaches. The ghost enters the small room. Looking in, you see a black pool of liquid (feels and smells like water) with three steps leading down to it. On the far wall, written in an old dialect of common is the following phrase.

Slide the black stone towards winter's cold pole using 32, zero or both.

The ghost will disappear into the northern wall at this point.

This room was a chapel that the Begnt found attached to the Skull Temple. They come here to study the strange room, but it is always kept well locked. The portculis can be raised by saying the word "PRIME" written numerically on the wall next it: 16-18-9-13-5.

By freezing the pool, and sliding the block to the north, a secret lever is tripped, and a small secret door in the northwest corner opens revealing a treasure stash: 500 gold pieces, glowing black huge opal, 5 very small sapphires, Dust of Disappearance, Ring of Swimming, Ring of Feather Falling, Short Sword +3.

At this point, the ghost will beckon the party to throw the opal into the black pool. If the party does this, the pool will start to boil and slowly (every few turns) a headless figure will emerge, covered in black slime. The figure will head up the stairs to the Skull Temple to reclaim his head. These figures will then attack the Begnt (ignoring the party), until Rooms 1 though 25 are cleansed. If the party attempts to leave with the opal the ghost will attack.

Room 21: A Storeroom

This room is filled with boxes and crates, mostly unopened and obviously not used in quite some time. The walls of this room are plain and unadorned. The boxes are filled with equipment used in wilderness and cave exploring such as hammers, spikes, coils of rope, leather backpacks, and the like.

Room 22: Another Storeroom

The door to this room is slightly ajar. The room is filled with boxes and crates, most of which have been overturned and smashed, the contents spilling out onto the floor. Half-eaten iron rations, dried jerky, and the like seem to fill most of the crates. The walls of this room are plain and unadorned.

Two giant amphisbanea snakes live here, the botched effort of earlier Begnt experiments. The snakes will attack if the room is searched.

Room 23: Explorer's Quarters

This small room was once living quarters of some sort. A bed lies pushed up against the southern wall. The skeleton of a man lies on the bed, his head missing. The man is wearing heavy travelling clothes and light leather armor. A small table near the bed hold an explorer's lantern, long since burned out. An old wooden bench on the northern wall is piled with packs, coils of rope, and other climber's tools.

Room 24: The Garbage Pit

The smell coming up the stairs from this room is almost unimaginable. Death and decay, garbage left to rot in closed and damp room. This room is dark, giant spider webs can be found strung between two pillars thirty feet into this room. The size of the room cannot be determined, as the shadows are thick here. A layer of sewage lies on the floor, black and unhealthy. Movement can be seen rippling through the muck, and strange shufflings are noticeable after a short time here.

If the small secret door in the eastern wall is opened, the room will fill 3 feet with garbage. The same description as above applies.

This room is where the Begnt throw their discarded material (except the meat that they feed to the creatures beyond Room 25. This room contains 12,000 gold pieces worth of items: small gems, coins, jewelry, and small trinkets. However, the effort to find them would take days, so it is not considered formal "treasure". The room does sustain several monsters, however: Giant Spider (8), Shambling Mound (2), Crocodile (2).

Room 25: The Barrier Room

This room is separated into two parts by a crackling wall of blue electricity. Two copper poles run from the ceiling of the room to the floor. Between them, a sheet of blue magical flames dances dangerously. The western side of the room is empty except for a set of stairs leading down. The eastern side of the room contains two begnt hounds growling with fur bristled. On the northern wall is the following puzzle scrawled in white chalk. Next to the puzzle, set into the wall is a small copper door knocker.

One hound will persue, but the other will always stay in the room.

By knocking the solution, the wall of electricity disappears for one round. During the second round, a humming sound can be heard coming from the two copper poles. During the third round, sparks start to fly between the poles (no damage). At the end of the third round, the wall jumps back into place.

Close examination will show the same device on the other side of the wall.

Begnt: Portal 4, Level 2

Begnt: Portal 4, Level 2

Introduction to the Caves of the Begnt

The Begnt don't actually ever visit this level of the dungeon except to drop off failed experiments or freshly killed bodies (without head, of course) to Room 26. A unique community has formed in these sixteen rooms. The leader is a fire elemental of the nastiest disposition found in Room 33. His lieutenants are the fire elementals in Rooms 29, 30, and 34. The remaining rooms are filled with fire wolves and the six living denizens of these caves. The six denizens all have low intelligence and can be tricked. The elementals are a bit more clever. Room 42 includes a rare crack in the earth that leads back up to the city (although teleport still won't work).

Room 26: Entrance Cavern

This large cavern is over a hundred feet long, and the ceiling is hidden in the shadows. Five natural tunnels lead from the cavern. A sixth hallway has been cut into the eastern wall with stairs leading up. Upon entering, a number of glowing red eyes can be seen from the natural tunnels. The creatures will not approach unless they significantly outnumber their prey.

This small room is the lair of the fire wolves. It is filled with the charred bones (no skulls) of countless creatures: humans, animals, and the like.

Room 27: Empty Cavern

This large cavern has three tunnels leading from it. The ceiling is fifty feet high. A number of small rocks and broken boulders are strewn along the floor of this room.

There is nothing of interest here.

Room 28: Xorn Lair

This strangely shaped cavern looks like it was formed when the northern and eastern walls separated during an earthquake. A number of piles of rocks are stacked around this room. Two tunnels lead from this cavern.

If entered, the party will be attacked by a Xorn named Cnud. Cnud is the only creature that was not "built" by the begnt. He hangs around because the other lesser creatures will follow his orders. He will try to bully the others and will attack with little provocation. He is currently hiding in his rock pile - also his treasure.

Room 29: Fire Pit

This cavern has four large exits and a number of small tubes leading from it. In the center of the room is a 20 foot deep pit. At the bottom of the pit is a pool of lava, slowly bubbling. The heat and smell of sulfur are overpowering here.

A fire elemental will come out to challenge any that venture into this room. If attacked, he will warn the other elementals in Rooms 30, 32, and 34. He will not let the party pass through the passage to the north (and his master, Magma).

Room 30: Fire Pit

This cavern has five large exits and a number of small tubes leading from it. In the center of the room is a 20 foot deep pit. At the bottom of the pit is a pool of lava, slowly bubbling. The heat and smell of sulfur are overpowering here.

A fire elemental will come out to challenge any that venture into this room. If attacked, he will warn the other elementals in Rooms 29, 32, and 34. He will not let the party pass through the passage to the north (and his master, Magma).

Room 31: Empty Cavern

This large cavern has three tunnels leading from it. The ceiling is fifty feet high. A number of small rocks and broken boulders are strewn along the floor of this room. An intense heat and the smell of sulfur eminates from the northern passage here.

There is nothing of interest here.

Room 32: Magma's Bridge

This large room consists of two small ledges with tunnels leading back from them. A number of small holes in the roof vent the steam out of this sulfurous furnace. A narrow rope bridge extends for 100 feet connecting the small ledges. Under the bridge, a bubbling pit of magma waits to disintegrate any careless character who might fall in.

This room is the home of Magma, a fire elemental of the nastiest disposition. Magma has proclaimed himself the ruler of these caverns. He accepts sacrifices from his six minions (who he allows to cross the bridge to his treasure vault. All others are thrown to a firey death. The ettin's best friend (another ettin) was the last such victim.

Room 33: Fire Elemental's Treasure Vault

The room is a natural cavern roughly 30 in diameter. A number of small ancillary tunnels lead from this room, but soon become too small for an adventurer to squeeze through. Piled in the center of the room is large heap of gold pieces. A javelin, staff, and several suits of armor protrude from the haul. This room is very hot, and the steam escaping from Room 32 is moving into the small tubes.

The treasure is: 5000 gold pieces, 1 large ruby, Javelin +1, Horned Devil Slayer, Staff +1, Potion of Flying, Rope of Constriction, Banded Mail +3, Chain Mail +2.

Room 34: Fire Pit

This cavern has four large exits and a number of small tubes leading from it. In the center of the room is a 20 foot deep pit. At the bottom of the pit is a pool of lava, slowly bubbling. The heat and smell of sulfur are overpowering here.

A fire elemental will come out to challenge any that venture into this room. If attacked, he will warn the other elementals in Rooms 29, 30, and 32. He will not let the party pass through the passage to the north (and his master, Magma).

Room 35: Empty Cavern

This large cavern has four tunnels leading from it. The ceiling is fifty feet high. A number of small rocks and broken boulders are strewn along the floor of this room. An intense heat and the smell of sulfur eminates from the northern passage here.

A closer examination of the rubble in the southwest corner shows that one of the boulders is actually carved in shape of a woman's head. Further investigation shows nothing of interest here.

Room 36: Ettin Lair

This cavern has two tunnels leading from the northern wall, and one tunnel leading from the southern wall. It is strewn with large rockslides. In the southeast corner, some rocks have been piled to form a protective cave of sorts.

Closer examination shows the cave to contain two piles of dirty cloth and straw. There is sign of recent life here.

Tucked under one pile of straw is a large golden necklace.

This is the lair of the chronically depressed ettin, Isak. He lost Trok, his companion, to the fire elementals recently. Now he mopes around and thinks of revenge. Isak has a strange third head which hangs dead on his back.

Room 37: Rust Monster Lair

This room is a small cavern with a 15 foot ceiling. Four passages lead from the room. Other than the usual rock slides and piles of stones, this room is dominated by a large pile of wood and leather scraps. These are piled into a large, dishelved hut-like structure. A single door in the south leads into the pile.

Tak the Rust Monster is the smartest of the cavern's six denzens. He whirls his propeller tail wildly when excited. Tak has two heads, both of which tend to talk when he gets excited. He will be the voice of reason if things get out of hand. The other monsters look to him as a leader, "cause he's smart".

Room 38: Empty Cavern

This small cavern has three tunnels leading from it. The ceiling is thiry feet high. The ceiling of this room has collapsed in points, and the floor is no better than a path through large boulders to the exits.

There is nothing of interest here.

Room 39: Anhkheg's Lair

The passage leading into this room slopes gently upward. The stone floor also gives way to a gravelly soil. This room is about 40 feet long with a roof that slopes downwards towards the eastern end. Two large mounds of rocky soil have been piled up in niches at the far end.

This is the home of Monty, a shy anhkheg with two extra legs that drag behind his bony body. Monty will almost always go along with the other denizens of the caves, except for the fact that he is afraid of the fire elementals.

Room 40: Shambling Mound Lair

The entire western wall of this room was destroyed in a landslide, giving the room a strange diamond shaped appearance. In the southern end of the room, a huge pile of rotting vegetation sends an effuvium into the single hallway leading from the northern wall. Atop all of this garbage is a huge three armed shambling mound.

This is the lair of Shruggs, a loveable pile of discarded plant matter. Shruggs will follow all the other denizens (and maybe the party) around, doing whatever he is told. Slow to anger, this shambling mound is terrifying when mad. Under his pile of waste, Shruggs has 100 gold pieces and 2 small diamonds.

Room 41: The Minotaur's Maze

The rocks in this cavern have been arranged to form narrow hallways, winding around in a serpentine maze. The rock walls are roughly 15 feet high, falling just a few feet short of the low ceiling of this room.

This is the lair of Lazzar. Lazzar is very aggressive and quick to anger. He will attack on sight unless one of his companions is around. He holds a grudge against almost anything. Lazzar has 20 gold pieces and a small ivory elephant in a small beltpouch.

Room 42: The Fifth Portal

This strange round room looks like it was formed by a large bubble of lava that solidified. The walls are smooth and with the exception of a deep crevise in the eastern wall, the form is almost perfect. The eastern wall has been opened up by a crack in the earth. A ledge 20 feet from the ground is accessible from a pile of rocks at the base. A single small tunnel leads from the southern wall.

Careful examination of the crevise shows that this ledge was used as a camping ground sometime in the past. A bedroll and blanket has been laid out, and some ashes show that a fire once burned in this crack. There is no ceiling in this room, and the end of a climber's rope dangles from a point well out of sight.

Careful examination of the southern hallway shows that the passageway is man-made. Fifteen feet into the hallway, it ends in a large stone door. A skeleton lies on the ground, one hand still around a shovel, the other hand just touching the door itself. The door is made of white alabaster traced in gold. A faint aura of magic can be felt radiating from the door. A strange pyramid of glass disks sits on a post near the door. The disks are colored orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. From the thickness of the disks, it looks like the post will hold one more of the delicate glass items.

A page from an adventurer's notebook lies underneath the body, obviously torn from its book when the corpse was searched by a previous adventurer. The note has the following message on it.

This door is similar to the one that Kegan and I saw
described in the historical manuscript of old city religions
that the late governor of the city used to keep in his library.
I wish that we could remember
the cryptic poem that was stuck in the book.
I told Kegan we should have pocketed that
piece of parchment. Behind this door must lie the
unplundered temples of the old city gods. Kegan and I
are at a disagreement. He wants to explore the cave
complex to the north searching for the key to the door,
and I will get this door open with my trusty shovel.
So it is on this day that history is made.
I, Ivor Goodtrowel, will undertake the excavation
of a lifetime.

Monsters Roper The Begnt - Mind Flayers (10) Begnt Hounds (11) Ghost Giant Spiders (8) Shambling Mound (2) Crocodile (2) Fire Wolves (8) Shambling Mound (Shruggs) Ankheg (Monty) Xorn (Cnud) Ettin (Isak) Rust Monster (Tak) Minotaur (Lazzar) Fire Elementals (4)

Treasure 1000 gold pieces (Room 11) 3 medium amethysts Libram of Gainful Conjuration 6 Arrows +6 Bracers of Defense AC 6 Brooch of Shielding 500 gold pieces (Room 20) glowing black huge opal 5 very small sapphires Dust of Disappearance Ring of Swimming Ring of Feather Falling Short Sword +3 5000 gold pieces (Room 33) 1 large ruby Javelin +1, Horned Devil Slayer Staff +1 Potion of Flying Rope of Constriction Banded Mail +3 Chain Mail +2 Golden Necklace 100 gold pieces (Room 40) 2 small diamonds 20 gold pieces (Room 41) Small Ivory Elephant