The Hall of Harsh Reflections

The Free City: a shining gem in the crown of cultured civilization. A place where a pauper can become a prince and everyone has a chance at prosperity. Yet beneath the surface of this bustling metropolis is a rot, festering in the darkness, manipulating the lives of those unaware of its presence. Now, a small adventuring band from out of town may be in over their heads. Their actions in Diamond Lake have attracted the wrath of one of the city’s hidden masters. A gang of infiltrators and an enigmatic mastermind plot their destruction, and only tracing the rot to the root can stop the onslaught.

“The Hall of Harsh Reflections” is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure designed for four 7th-level characters. It is also the fourth installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures, several “Backdrop” articles to help Dungeon Masters run the series, and a handful of poster maps of key locations. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon’s monthly “Wormfood” articles, a series that provides additional material to help players survive this campaign. Your PCs should hit 8th level at some point in this adventure, and if they decide to take some time off from adventuring to sample what city life has to offer, check out issue #33 6 of Dragon for five attractions to tempt your PCs to spend some of their hard-earned loot. This issue of Dragon also features an Ecology of the Spawn of Kyuss, one of the central creatures featured in this campaign.

Of course, you can also run “The Hall of Harsh Reflections” as a stand-alone adventure, or even as a part of a campaign of your own design.

Adventure Background

Loris Raknian, retired gladiator and director of the Free City Arena, has his hands full organizing the upcoming Champion’s Games, when fighters from around the world gather in a festival of violence and pageantry that should put all previous expositions to shame. Despite this enormous logistical challenge, he still manages to keep up with his fellow cultists in the Ebon Triad, including the secretive cell stationed below the corrupt mining village of Diamond Lake. Raknian recently learned that this cell was destroyed and its secret research stolen by a group of locals. Angry at the loss of his associates and concerned about the missing research, Raknian is worried that someone has stumbled onto the cult’s hidden plans. Worse, the sinister tiefling Bozal Zahol, the cultist who converted Raknian to the Ebon Triad and who dwells in a secret temple deep below the Free City Arena, has decreed that if Raknian doesn’t take care of the problem in Diamond Lake soon, things will get very uncomfortable for him.

When Raknian learned, through an ally hidden in Diamond Lake, that those responsible for the cult’s destruction were on their way to the Free City, he breathed a sigh of relief. Far too busy with preparations for the upcoming Champion’s Games to deal with the upstarts himself, Loris contacted Zyrxog, a mind flayer living beneath the city streets and an old associate of the arena master. Loris tasked Zyrxog with destroying the PCs and recovering any missing clues they might have concerning the cult’s nefarious plot. Zyrxog and a coterie of drow thralls came to the Free City years ago and quickly set up operations after dominating a gang of doppelgangers based in the city’s waterfront. Using them as his eyes, ears, and hands on the streets above, the mind flayer has been manipulating events, replacing important officials, and gathering oddities according to his alien designs. Tasked with destroying the meddlesome party from Diamond Lake, Zyrxog quickly sets his doppelgangers into motion, tracking them down and planning their ruin.

Meanwhile, the PCs travel to the Free City seeking Eligos, a learned sage and old friend of their patron Hesti Testapod. They bring with them numerous artifacts, clues to the cult’s plans, and a host of questions they hope the sage can answer.

Adventure Synopsis

“The Hall of Harsh Reflections” begins as the PCs approach the Free City, unaware of the danger that awaits them. After encounters with a corrupt gate guard, an apocalyptic street preacher, and a perilous parade, the party finally reaches the estate of Eligos the sage. The sage informs the PCs that although he can find the answers they seek, it will take time, giving the party a chance to idle away the days at a local inn, the Crooked House.

The doppelgangers attack soon after the PCs arrive, impersonating the PCs and committing a crime in their names, hoping to turn the locals against them. The party must foil this plot, and in so doing learn the location of the shapeshi fters’ hidden base down on the waterfront. This leads them to a confrontation with the dangerous charlatans in their demented house of mirrors. Defeating Telakin, the lord of the doppelgangers, reveals a deeper threat, a hidden master directing their actions. Before the PCs can escape the hideout, Zyrxog himself attempts to destroy them, with the aid of his drow minions.

Tracking down the mind flayer, the PCs invade his alien lair deep beneath the city streets. Here they can defeat Zyrxog, and learn about the aberration’s recent dealings, including numerous transactions with Loris Raknian, master of the Free City Arena and host of the forthcoming Champion’s Games.

Adventure Hooks

Having defeated the cultists in Diamond Lake and the undead lurking under nearby Blackwall Keep, the PCs are told by Hesti Testapod to seek out Eligos in the Free City to learn more about these diabolical cults and their worm-ridden servants. If the adventure is used independently, Hesti Testapod, an eminent sage, contacts the party in hopes of contracting their services. The sage recently came into the possession of an ominous item: a green segmented worm in a jar of preservative fluids, which he hopes to have identified. Unable to leave his small town due to other commitments, the sage offers to pay the PCs to take the jar to the Free City and have the contents identified. Hesti Testapod suggests that the party contact Eligos, a scholar who lives in the Free City. For their services, Hesti Testapod offers to pay the party 500 gp per member. In fact, by changing the nature of the clues found in Zyrxog’s lair, you can use “The Hall of Harsh Reflections” as a great way to tip off the PCs about any number of possible burgeoning conspiracies.

The Journey to the Free City

As the adventure begins, Hesti Testapod has helped the PCs compile the notes and discoveries they’ve made about the Ebon Triad and the spawn of Kyuss in Diamond Lake and the Mistmarsh. He gives them the address of a friend named Eligos, a sage who lives in the Free City who can help make sense of the discoveries and find out what exactly the cult is up to. The journey from Diamond Lake to the Free City is about 85 miles on a road through hills. If your group travels at a speed of 30 feet it’ll take close to five days.

The journey is not without peril. The roads are not as safe as they once were, with bandits and worse prowling the night. The PCs likely pass several patrols, groups of traders or farmers, and gaggles of pilgrims on the road—you can incorporate these as you see fit, perhaps using some of the encounters listed on page 19 of Dungeon #126 as inspiration.

There’s a 10% chance of a dangerous encounter occurring—make two checks per day (one during the day and one at night). If the PCs neglect to take appropriate precautions when they set up camp (setting guards or finding a safe place to camp requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check), the chance of a night encounter increases to 20%. Unless your players particularly enjoy these encounters, though, you should limit the number of encounters to no more than two during the journey unless you’re trying to boost the party’s level up to 7th. All of these encounters have an average EL of 7.

Encounters on the Road

d100	Encounter
01-40	1 Bandit Captain per 1 PC
41-60	2 Dire Wolf per 1 PC
61-75	1.5 Owlbear per 2 PCs
76-90	1.5 Displacer Beast per 2 PCs
91-100	1 Troll per 1 PC (

Bandits:

1d3 Bandit Captain human are out looking to make some easy money by charging exorbitant tolls to passing travelers. Failure to pay the toll (all the money a group is carrying) invites attack. If one of the bandits is slain, the others attempt to flee. Use the stats for the thieves on page 38 for these bandits.

Worgs, Owlbears, and Displacer Beasts:

These predators hunt in packs, and stalk the PCs hoping for one of them to lag so they can pounce. A character can discover them with a successful Wisdom (Perception) check. They break off the attack if half their number are slain.

Trolls:

Two troll brothers named Murnk and Nathk are the only two survivors of a recent raid on a troll lair by a band of adventurers. The trolls are trying to make some money to hire an ettin or hill giant to get revenge on the three adventurers. The only way they know to make money, unfortunately, is by attacking more adventurers. Trolls aren’t that smart. If one of the trolls is killed, the other begs for his life, offering the last of their money (87 silver pieces and one gold piece) as a bribe. If asked about the adventurers that ruined their lair, the trolls describe a quick female elf with a bow, a large loud man with a shiny belt, and a horrible bearded man that threw lots of fire. Astute PCs may recognize the descriptions of local adventurers Tirra, Auric, and Khellek, or they may not. The trolls don’t know who they were, but they do know they were too tough for a group of five of their brothers to handle.

PART ONE: WELCOME TO THE FREE CITY

Gaining access to the Free City is a lengthy endeavor that involves waiting in line for 2 hours, followed by an inspection performed by the guards at the gate. Although the Free City is open to all and relatively safe, the city militia has stringent laws against contraband (namely destructive magic, drugs, and any poison that causes Constitution damage). If disguised as commoners with a DC14 Dexterity (Disguise Kit), the party is let through the gate after a simple questioning of their name and business. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals the guards are looking for a bribe. Otherwise, read or paraphrase the following when the PCs approach the gate.

While the LN human guards have nothing against the PCs, they tend to give a hard time to those outfitted better than themselves. After recording the names of all the party members, the guards ask to take a look at their possessions, citing the need to search for contraband. They look very suspiciously at all weapons and unusual gear, especially any odd talismans, jars containing green worms, or obviously magic items. After the inspection, which is conducted with a healthy dose of concerned looks and disapproving sighs, the guards inform the party that some of their gear may need to be confiscated. Although patently untrue, the guards are looking for a small bribe (5 gp or more) to ease the party’s passage into the city. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check makes this clear. Should the PCs proclaim their innocence forcefully and repeatedly, the guards let them in without much protest. Should any of the PCs actually possess contraband (such as poison or drugs) it is confiscated and the PC is fined 20 gp per dose or banned item.

Once they’re inside the Free City, read or paraphrase the following to the PCs.

The Free City is a blank slate. It could be the City of Greyhawk, Waterdeep, Sharn, or any large city in your home campaign. Feel free to place the various encounter areas in this adventure (or the diversions detailed in Dragon #336’s “Wormfood”) wherever you wish. The Crooked House and Eligos’ manor can be anywhere in the city, of course, while Sodden Hold should be located on a waterfront. Next issue’s “The Champion’s Belt” continues the adventure in the Free City, and also includes a Backdrop article called “The Free City” which details the small neighborhood surrounding the Crooked House and contains numerous small adventure hooks to entertain the PCs between adventures.

The following two encounters occur while the party travels between various locations on the streets of the Free City. They can be used any time during the adventure, and are designed to breathe life into the urban environment and fill in the gaps during slow periods.

Event 1: Parade of Thieves (EL 9)

While making their way through the Free City, the PCs find their progress blocked by a parade of street performers and a small menagerie making its way down the street. A large crowd has gathered on both sides of the street, hoping to get a glimpse of exotic monsters and daring jugglers.

Creatures:

The parade, an annual event in celebration of the coming Champion’s Games, makes its way through the streets of the Free City to the entertainment of all. Unfortunately, the garish event also attracts a number of thieves, who use the distracting event as cover for their larcenous ways. Any character that mingles in the crowd to get a better look is a likely target of Aregen and Sald, a pair of rogues with a Sleight of Hand +6 in the crowd.

As an added danger, the beast in the cage, a chimera, has ambitions beyond those of a sideshow attraction. The parade organizers did an excellent job ensuring that the chimera’s breath weapon wouldn’t hurt anyone on the street, and while the lightning isn’t doing much damage to the glass panes, it has been slowly weakening the iron bars of the inner cage.

Just moments after the rogues have had a chance to ply their trade, the chimera’s cage breaks, loosing the beast as the crowd flees in panic (along with the rogues, if they have not been spotted).

Tactics:

The chimera is furious and bent upon gaining a bit of revenge upon the folk that taunted it. Once free of its cage, it moves to attack the nearest target, most likely one of the fleeing townsfolk or performers. A small child left behind makes an easy target should the party back away from the dangerous beast. The chimera’s wings have been clipped. As a result, it can fly but must land by the end of its movement.

Once the chimera is free, Argen and Sald try to flee the scene quickly unless one has been discovered in his thievery. Should this happen, the rogues support each other as much as possible, flanking any target that presents itself. If successful in their Sleight of Hand checks, the rogues make off with whatever the PCs hap pen to carry in their belt pouches or a small item from their packs. This should amount to nothing more than a few coins, a potion, or a sheathed dagger or wand.

Developments:

Should the PCs kill the chimera, the performers are clearly sad dened, but they understand the necessary use of force. If the chimera is instead merely knocked unconscious, the performers are very grateful and reward the PCs with two potions of resist energy (lightning) 20. If either Argen or Sald are killed, the PCs must explain themselves to the local watch captain, who does not look lightly on such harsh retribution. He warns the party that vigilantism will not be toler ated, and that further acts could land them in the stocks (or worse).

Event 2: Street Prophet

Most major communities have their fair share of prognosticators, some crazed and raving about the future, others quiet and lurking, waiting for the signs they know are coming. The Free City is no exception. While some are clearly mad, occasionally one lone voice is a prophet, knowing more than any man should.

The party can easily avoid or ignore the crazed man. If they happen to ask one of the common folk about him, they learn that he is here every day, shouting about this and that. Last week he shouted about “the dragons of the rift and the sins they proclaim” or some such nonsense. No one’s really sure of his name, and most call him the Rain Barrel Man as a result. If the PCs bother to listen to his rant, read them following.

The Rain Barrel Man does not allow interruptions to his rant until the end and begins anew after a few moments. Should the PCs ask questions about his rant, he only stares at them, with no answers forthcoming. He refers to him self as “the prophet of the golden eye” and refuses to share any of his secrets. He is more than willing to repeat his rant, but seems to have no further infor mation about his tale (and in fact, does not seem to know anything about it when not telling it in its entirety).

PART TWO: ELIGOS AND THE CROOKED HOUSE

Eligos lives in one of the more affluent parts of the Free City, known as the Garden District. Although the guards at the gates to this district look at the PCs with sus picion, they do not bar their entry. When the PCs arrive at the address Hesti Testapod pro vided, read them the following.

As the party approaches the front door to the opulent manor, it opens as if they are expected. Pollard, Eligos’s aged elven manservant, asks the PCs their business at the estate and invites them inside to wait for the sage (assuming they mind their manners). Once inside the manor, the party is escorted through the grand foyer, dominated by a marble staircase lined with suits of ancient armor, and topped by an ancient battle banner used as a curtain. Off to one side, a short
hallway leads to a parlor, where the PCs are asked to wait by the austere manser vant. After serving the party a fine wine (or water) along with fresh fruit, Pollard leaves the party to await the sage. The parlor is lined with packed bookcases, framed by various oil paintings of faraway places and fantastic locales (such as a great road of bones, a bustling city set inside a dormant volcano, and an abstract painting of a vast feature less ashen plain). All of the furniture is gilt with fine gold tracery and pad ded with plush red velvet cushions. The floor is polished wood, but covered by a well-worn carpet depicting some forgotten battle between the forces of good and evil. After a few minutes of waiting, Eligos joins the party in the parlor.

Eligos is a patient, levelheaded man, respected throughout the Free City for his obscure knowledge and skill in the arcane. Like Hesti Testapod, Eligos was once apprenticed to the powerful archmage Manzorian. Unlike Hesti Testapod, Eligos still serves the archmage as one of Manzorian’s chief agents in the Free City.

After allowing the party to introduce themselves, Eligos plainly asks what their business is with him. Although patient, his time is valuable and he does not suffer fools. He listens to the PCs’ request calmly, without asking questions unless they mention Hesti Testapod. At that point he raises and eyebrow and says, “Hmm, I never thought I would hear from him again. But nonetheless, please continue.” If asked about the sage of Dia mond Lake, Eligos flatly states that they were both beholden to the same master for a time. He speaks no more of the matter, but does warm up to the party after their relationship with Hesti Testapod
is established.

Eligos is intrigued by their queries, especially those concerning the jar con taining the green worm, Zosiel’s silver diadem, the two demon horns, the talisman of the sphere from the Whispering Cairn, and any tales of the Age of Worms or the nefarious cults in nearby Dia mond Lake. After hearing their request for answers, the sage thinks on it a bit with two fingers raised to his lips and then speaks.

Eligos asks for no payment in these dealings so long as the party mentions Hesti Testapod. Otherwise, he merely asks for future considerations should the need arise. He does not know what this entails, but he assures them it will be nothing dangerous. To complete the research, Eligos needs to keep any objects the party desires investigated.

You should use Eligos to answer any number of questions the PCs might have. In addition to answering direct questions, he can also fill in plot points the party might have missed, discover ing “additional” information they might find useful. At the very least, you can use him to point the PCs to any other loca tions in the Free City you may wish to have them visit.

Be wary not to reveal too much. Infor mation from the first three installments of the Age of Worms Adventure Path should be generally available if the PCs could have learned it themselves through their exploits. Hidden background infor mation may be revealed in later install ments and should be kept secret until that time. In the end, it’s up to you to decide what Eligos discovers, but it should serve to drive the plot forward, fill in some of the gaps, and raise further questions.

If you are not running this adventure as part of the Age of Worms adventure path, Eligos can reveal whatever infor mation is needed to drive your plot. The sage can become a valuable asset to the party, leading them to further adventures and solving some of the riddles that have plagued them.

Their business completed, Eligos summons Pollard to escort the party out, promising to contact them once his research is complete.

The Crooked House

The Foreign Quarter is a diverse and busy neighborhood, packed with shops from dozens of nations and numerous inns that cater to merchants and travel ers from far away lands. The buildings here reflect this diverse ethnicity, as few look alike and construction styles vary wildly from building to building. Structures made from stone, fancifully carved wood, and countless other more exotic materials.

Located in a part of the Foreign Quar ter known as “Midnight’s Muddle,” the Crooked House has seen better days. Parts of its foundation have failed, resulting in a building out of sorts. The inn boasts few right angles, and none of the floors are level. However, the place has a charm not seen in many of the other buildings in the district. Its owner, Tarquin Shortstone XXIV, takes pride in his establishment, and despite its condition he keeps everything in working order, clean, and mostly safe.

Tarquin, neutral good male gnome, runs an honest business, catering to both locals and visitors alike. Many of the owners of local businesses stop by the Crooked House for a pint after closing up for the evening. Tarquin encourages this by cutting most of them a good deal and engaging them in lively conversation about business and local events. He is equally friendly to newcomers, offering up his rooms for the modest price of 6 sp per night, including a small meal in the morning.

The taproom of the Crooked House is often busy late into the night, and things can sometimes get rather lively, especially when a local bard or street performer stops by to entertain the guests. The PCs are free to take a turn on the small stage as well if they possess the skill. Tarquin does not take a cut of the earnings made by any of his performers, and instead offers them free drinks so long as their performances draw more business.

Inside the inn, the taproom is deco rated with numerous trophies, primarily owlbear heads, of which Tarquin is rather fond. The tables have uneven legs so that they sit level on the slightly sloping floor. The staircase leading upstairs is a bit treacherous, as it has shifted significantly over the years. The rooms are all of good quality, containing a straw mattress bed, wardrobe, and table with an oil lamp. When the party arrives, Tarquin is busy serving up a meal and asks if the PCs are interested in joining. He has a num ber of rooms available, all singles. His double rooms and party rooms are cur rently rented out to a merchant caravan that just arrived in the Free City. How ever, should the PCs mention that Eligos sent them, Tarquin cuts them a deal (4 sp per night) and throws in free drinks. Eligos and Tarquin are old friends and frequently meet at a local dragonchess parlor for a friendly game.

It is about this time that Loris Rak nian, director of the Free City Arena, learns of the party’s arrival in town. He contacts Zyrxog and arranges for their destruction the same day. Although events are starting to move against them, the PCs have a few days to explore the Free City, make purchases, and relax before the action begins.

Body Thief (EL 6)

While the PCs take time off, Tarquin encourages them to have a good time while staying at the Crooked House. The doppelganger agents who work for Zyrxog have already begun to observe the PCs, however, learning their habits and abilities while in the guise of common folk. One of them, a rogue named Ixiax ian, has been charged with infiltrating the party. The switch occurs at some point after the PCs speak to Eligos but before event 3 begins. Ixiaxian remains hidden in the party until the real PC is rescued later in the adventure (see area D15).

Before going ahead with this nefari ous plot, you should carefully gauge your group. Pulling off this deception requires you to enter a conspiracy with one player against the rest of the group, a practice that is generally not recommended. If you feel that this would offend your group, feel free to omit this plot entirely. There are three ways you can handle this potentially disruptive plot device. First, you can opt to ignore the subplot if you think recruiting one of the play ers as a double agent would disrupt the campaign. In this case, simply remove Ixiaxian from the adventure and replace the encounter with doppelgangers in area D15 with a group of araneas.

Alternately, there are numerous points during the adventure in which one PC can be separated from the rest of the group. A PC may be arrested at some point and taken to jail apart from the rest of the group (pos sibly as the result of event 3). A PC could be jumped by Ixiaxian while he scouts ahead of the rest of the group while they explore the upper level of Sodden Hold. If you can engineer Ixiaxian’s attack to coincide with a point at which a PC voluntarily leaves the rest of the group (such as if a PC decides to go off on his own to try to contact the Thieves’ Guild, visit his temple, go shop ping, or anything else that may lure PCs apart in the Free City), so much the bet ter. Take that PC into another room and run the encounter with Ixiaxian. If the PC defeats the doppelganger, you can either try again with an identical doppelganger and a different PC later, or you can congratulate that PC on his luck and skill and continue with the adventure as written, replacing the encounter in area D15 with the aranea.

A third possibility is to run the situation as a conspiracy. At some point before this adventure begins, pick the player you think will best be able to play Ixiaxian instead of his character; ideally, this should be a PC that Ixiaxian can mimic the abilities of with ease, like a rogue. Tell this player that at some point, his character will be taken over by a doppelganger. The player should continue to play his character normally, since Ixiaxian wants to observe the party and gather intelligence; his goal is not to betray them or attack them until the group reaches area D15.

Once a PC has been replaced with a doppelganger, allow that PC to continue to play the doppelganger as if it were his own character. The doppelganger certainly takes the time to equip itself with the PC’s gear, and in its attempt to remain in “character” would certainly make the same decisions the PC would make as regards purchasing new equip ment, using one-shot or charged items, and the like. You can even go as far as to let the PC continue using his own character’s stats rather than handing him Ixiaxian’s stats—this method isn’t as precise, but it has the dual benefit of keeping Ixiaxian’s true capabilities secret as well as being the least invasive method as far as the player is concerned.

Since Ixiaxian is a rogue, and since the real PC is going to probably spend several days imprisoned, he is careful to select a PC that not only closely matches his capabilities and skills, but one that won’t be able to escape being mana cled and imprisoned. Ixiaxian avoids
selecting characters who can make a DC 27 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, and characters that can make a DC 28 Strength check. He also avoids taking characters that can use magic or special abilities to escape via changing shape, characters with the Still Spell and/or Silent Spell feats, characters that can wild shape, characters that can cast dimension door, and so on.

Finally, you should be prepared for what could happen if the other PCs discover the deception early. True seeing can reveal the deception, as can an awkwardly placed zone of truth spell combined with some unfortu nate questions. And even though in com bats against other doppelgangers, Ixiaxian’s kin try to avoid hurting him, there’s always the chance that Ixiaxian could get killed elsewhere. Once a doppelganger is slain, its body reverts to its true from, revealing the deception for what it is. The good news for the duplicated PC at this point is that his character didn’t really die. The bad news, of course, is that the duplicated PC is still imprisoned until rescued. In this event, you should engineer events so that the impris oned PC is rescued sooner rather than later. Perhaps the imprisoned PC can be recov ered from the cells in area D6. The impris oned PC might even escape and make his own way back to the party.

Finally, you shouldn’t penalize the cap tured PC’s experience points, even if his character is technically not adventuring with the other PCs for a time. Allow the captured PC a full share of experience, as if he had participated in the encounters he missed.

It is about this time that Loris Rak nian, director of the Free City Arena, learns of the party’s arrival in town. He contacts Zyrxog and arranges for their destruction the same day. Although events are starting to move against them, the PCs have a few days to explore the Free City, make purchases, and relax before the action begins.

Body Thief (EL 6)

While the PCs take time off, Tarquin encourages them to have a good time while staying at the Crooked House. The doppelganger agents who work for Zyrxog have already begun to observe the PCs, however, learning their habits and abilities while in the guise of common folk. One of them, a rogue named Ixiax ian, has been charged with infiltrating the party. The switch occurs at some point after the PCs speak to Eligos but before event 3 begins. Ixiaxian remains hidden in the party until the real PC is rescued later in the adventure (see area D15).

Before going ahead with this nefari ous plot, you should carefully gauge your group. Pulling off this deception requires you to enter a conspiracy with one player against the rest of the group, a practice that is generally not recommended. If you feel that this would offend your group, feel free to omit this plot entirely. There are three ways you can handle this potentially disruptive plot device. First, you can opt to ignore the subplot if you think recruiting one of the play ers as a double agent would disrupt the campaign. In this case, simply remove Ixiaxian from the adventure and replace the encounter with doppelgangers in area D15 with a group of araneas.

Alternately, there are numerous points during the adventure in which one PC can be separated from the rest of the group. A PC may be arrested at some point and taken to jail apart from the rest of the group (pos sibly as the result of event 3). A PC could be jumped by Ixiaxian while he scouts ahead of the rest of the group while they explore the upper level of Sodden Hold. If you can engineer Ixiaxian’s attack to coincide with a point at which a PC voluntarily leaves the rest of the group (such as if a PC decides to go off on his own to try to contact the Thieves’ Guild, visit his temple, go shop ping, or anything else that may lure PCs apart in the Free City), so much the bet ter. Take that PC into another room and run the encounter with Ixiaxian. If the PC defeats the doppelganger, you can either try again with an identical doppelganger and a different PC later, or you can congratulate that PC on his luck and skill and continue with the adventure as written, replacing the encounter in area D15 with the aranea.

A third possibility is to run the situation as a conspiracy. At some point before this adventure begins, pick the player you think will best be able to play Ixiaxian instead of his character; ideally, this should be a PC that Ixiaxian can mimic the abilities of with ease, like a rogue. Tell this player that at some point, his character will be taken over by a doppelganger. The player should continue to play his character normally, since Ixiaxian wants to observe the party and gather intelligence; his goal is not to betray them or attack them until the group reaches area D15.

Once a PC has been replaced with a doppelganger, allow that PC to continue to play the doppelganger as if it were his own character. The doppelganger certainly takes the time to equip itself with the PC’s gear, and in its attempt to remain in “character” would certainly make the same decisions the PC would make as regards purchasing new equip ment, using one-shot or charged items, and the like. You can even go as far as to let the PC continue using his own character’s stats rather than handing him Ixiaxian’s stats—this method isn’t as precise, but it has the dual benefit of keeping Ixiaxian’s true capabilities secret as well as being the least invasive method as far as the player is concerned. Since Ixiaxian is a rogue, and since the real PC is going to probably spend several days imprisoned, he is careful to select a PC that not only closely matches his capabilities and skills, but one that won’t be able to escape being mana cled and imprisoned. Ixiaxian avoids
selecting characters who can make a DC 26 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, and characters that can make a DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check. He also avoids taking characters that can use magic or special abilities to escape via changing shape, characters with the Still Spell and/or Silent Spell feats, characters that can wild shape, characters that can cast dimension door, and so on. Finally, you should be prepared for what could happen if the other PCs discover the deception early. True seeing can reveal the deception, as can an awkwardly placed zone of truth spell combined with some unfortu nate questions. And even though in com bats against other doppelgangers, Ixiaxian’s kin try to avoid hurting him, there’s always the chance that Ixiaxian could get killed elsewhere. Once a doppelganger is slain, its body reverts to its true from, revealing the deception for what it is. The good news for the duplicated PC at this point is that his character didn’t really die. The bad news, of course, is that the duplicated PC is still imprisoned until rescued. In this event, you should engineer events so that the impris oned PC is rescued sooner rather than later. Perhaps the imprisoned PC can be recov ered from the cells in area D6. The impris oned PC might even escape and make his own way back to the party.

Finally, you shouldn’t penalize the cap tured PC’s experience points, even if his character is technically not adventuring with the other PCs for a time. Allow the captured PC a full share of experience, as if he had participated in the encounters he missed.

Event 3: Betrayal at the Bar (EL 9)

Three nights after the PCs arrive at the Free City, Zyrxog’s minions make their move to eliminate the PCs. After impersonating one of the PCs and committing a terrible attack, a dop pelganger named Elaxan tries to turn the tavern patrons against the PCs in a massive brawl.

Creatures:

Waiting until at least one of the PCs has gone to bed, Elaxan (with Doppelganger traits) goes upstairs in the guise of a simple merchant. Once out of sight of the patrons in the common room, Elaxan assumes the identity of one of the party members that has gone to bed. He comes back downstairs, walks up to Tarquin and stabs him with a dagger. He then tries to run back upstairs before anyone can respond. Once out of sight, Elaxan promptly reassumes the merchant guise and comes back downstairs to incite the crowd against the PCs.

Tarquin survives the attack but is at 0 hp and dying behind the bar, with the dagger still in his chest. He makes death saving throws the same as a PC would. The crowd of assem bled patrons quickly begins shouting at the PCs as Elaxan attempts to use his (Persuasion) skill to turn them against the PCs. If none of the PCs counter this with (Persuasion) of their own, this is a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. After the PCs show up, they can make DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) checks to shift the crowd’s attitude in their favor. The crowd’s initial attitude toward the PCs is Unfriendly. Each minute before the PCs show up sways the crowd against the PCs. A Hostile crowd attacks the PCs. A Helpful crowd turns against Elaxan. Either side winning the check by 5 or more can sway their atti tude one step in either direction. Since these checks take 1 minute, sleeping PCs have plenty of time to join the commotion caused downstairs.

Tactics:

As this fight occurs in the tap room of the inn, you should determine if any of the PCs are wearing armor and what weapons they carry before the fight begins. Tarquin finds it rude to be fully armed and armored in his establishment, but allows it with a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Unarmed PCs can fight using the same weapons as the patrons, knives (treat as daggers that deal 1d4), bottles (impro vised weapons that deal 1d4) and chairs (improvised clubs that deal 1d4). Throughout the fight, Elaxan uses Cunning Action to move into position, make an attack, and Disengage before the PCs can retaliate. If dropped to below 10 hp, he attempts to flee, changing shape to that of a peasant woman the moment he is out of sight

Developments:

Four minutes after Tar quin is attacked, the city watch arrives on the scene and arrests the party unless they can prove their innocence. If the PCs have killed any of the tavern patrons, they are arrested whether or not they prove that they did not hurt Tarquin. Should the PCs kill Elaxan, he reverts to his true form, much to the shock of all present. This evidence alone is enough to clear the PCs of any charges by the crowd and guard. Should Elaxan be searched, he has daggers that match the one used to attack Tarquin. Without this proof, convincing the city constables requires a DC 23 Charisma (Persuasion) check and a rather good explanation.

Elaxan’s pouch contains a strangely crooked key attached to a small keychain. The key’s head bears a unique design of a ship being pulled underwater by a huge octopus. This key can unlock the front door to the doppelganger’s hideout, a warehouse down by the river called “Sodden Hold.” A DC 11 Charisma (Investigation) check uncovers the clue about the Sodden Hold. In addition, an informant can tell the PCs that the octopus standard was the mark of a now-dead merchant who once owned several warehouses along the waterfront. Most of these buildings have been sold off and rebuilt, but one still stands—Sodden Hold.

If the PCs are arrested, they spend the night in jail, stripped of all their gear and spell components. In the morning, using their agents within the city watch, the doppelgangers have the PCs delivered to their hideout as noted in the sidebar “Delivered into Danger.”

Assuming Tarquin survives, he is very grateful to the party if they prove their innocence. He offers them free room and board for a month as reward. If the poor innkeeper dies as a result of the attack on his life, his son takes over the business soon after. Obviously, if the party mem bers do not prove their innocence, they are forced to leave the fine establishment.

PART THREE: SODDEN HOLD

Down on the banks of the Selintan River, outside the city walls, a large district has been built to service the docks and water ways around the Free City. In among the warehouses, taverns, and shops catering to mariners is a relatively unremarkable warehouse marked “Sodden Hold” in faded green paint. This stone warehouse has a moss-covered roof and is home to a band of doppelgangers, led by Telakin and controlled by a secretive mind flayer named Zyrxog.

This group of shapechangers has spent years infiltrating the government of the Free City, from minor nobles to town guards, and it is from this warehouse and the warrens below it that they plan their insidious schemes. Tasked by their hid den master to destroy the PCs and claim their gear, the band of doppelgangers has set events into motion to draw the PCs to their hideout.

Warehouse Level

Unless otherwise stated, each chamber of the Sodden Hold warehouse is lit with everburning torches suspended from the ceiling 30 feet above. Both the interior and exterior walls are superior masonry walls, while the doors are made of strong wood (see pages 90–91 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for their statistics).

D1. Sodden Hold

Lurking at the water’s edge like a rotten log washed ashore, the warehouse marked “Sodden Hold” is built mostly of stone with a wood shingle roof thick with long, ropey moss. The entire building has a green hue, owing to the large patches of moss and mold that grow on its walls.

A tall set of iron double doors marks the only entrance to the warehouse, as it has no windows. The doors are locked with a good-quality lock, requiring a DC 22 Dexterity (thieves' tools) check to open. Elaxan’s key also opens this door. A DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check by a character with the Track feat reveals that these doors have been used frequently despite the warehouse’s aban doned appearance.

D2. Storage Hall (EL 7)

The doors open into a large space domi nated by dozens of crates and barrels of various sizes. Lit by a number of faintly flickering torches above, a thick layer of dust covers much of the cargo stored here.

This room is used by the doppelgangers to keep up appearances should any local officals stop by for an inspection. Most of the crates and barrels are filled with cheap goods such as rough cloth, spoiled ale, and chainmail links. There are numerous ways out of this chamber, including two doors on the south wall (both locked), a trapped false door on the north wall, and two doors up at the level of the catwalk that runs along the east side of the room (one of which is hidden).

The catwalk on the east side of the room is 15 feet above the floor. The door on the south side of the catwalk leads to area D4 and is not locked. The door on the north side of the catwalk is hidden, requiring a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate. A DC 11 Wisdom (Survival) check by a PC with the Track feat identifies the location of the door by the boot prints leading to it, but does not reveal how to open it. This hidden door leads to area D5 and it is not locked.

Creatures:

Four of the crates and barrels in this chamber are not what they appear to be. The doppelgangers keep four mimics in this chamber to ward off any intruders that might break in. A Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the mimics’ Charisma (Deception) checks notices them hidden among the other crates before they attack. One of the barrels in this cham ber contains a sour alcohol strong enough to dissolve the mimics’ adhesive.

Trap:

The false door leading out of this chamber is trapped. The door is not locked, but attempting to open the door sets off the trap, opening a wide pit in front of the door.

Wide Mouth Spiked Pit Trap:

DC 14. Dexterity saving throw avoids it. Wisdom (Perception) detects something wrong. Intelligence (Investigation) determines the nature of the trap. Dexterity (Theives’ Tools) disables the trap. 40 foot drop dealing 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. 1d4 spikes per creature at +6 to hit for 5 (1d10) piercing damage each.

D3. Abandoned Office

The door leading into this chamber is locked, requiring a DC 19 Dexterity (thieves' tools) check to pass.

This dark chamber is absolutely packed with boxes and bookcases overflowing with ledgers and papers in no apparent order. These papers detail a business that once ran in this building over 10 years ago. Going through all of the papers crammed into this room takes 10 min utes per Intelligence (Investigation) check. A successful DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers a ring of swim ming accidentally discarded by the dop pelgangers when they moved all of the refuse to this chamber.

D4. Rickety Ladder

The door leading into this chamber from the ground floor is locked, requiring a DC 19 Dexterity (thieves' tools) check to open. The door above on the catwalk is unlocked. This small chamber contains a decrepit lad der leading up to a platform level with the catwalk in area D2. This chamber is littered with loose stones and dust.

Attempting to climb the ladder causes it to collapse, bringing down a portion of the catwalk above as well. This deals 2d6 points of damage from falling debris to all those adjacent to the ladder. A DC 11 Dexterity saving throw halves the damage.

D5. Storage Cell

The secret door from the catwalk leads to the top of a staircase that descends into an oblong chamber with only one exit. Along the north wall, a number of unlocked chests contain the belongings of the prisoners (Ilya and Gattel) in the cells of area D6. One chest contains Ilya’s periapt of health, signet rings, and embroidered sky blue cloak (worth 200 gp). Another has Gattel’s bag of holding (type I) containing 863 gp. The other chests here contain the PC’s gear if they are captured and put in one of the holding cells (as noted in the sidebar “Delivered into Danger”).

D6. Cells (EL 8)

This tall chamber contains five cells, each with a wall of iron bars facing the corri dor that runs between them. A number of the cells are occupied, one with a young elven woman, one with a pair of young men, and another with what appears to be a dead man.

These cells are used by the doppelgangers to keep prisoners they plan to impersonate, but do not yet wish to eliminate. Each cell consists of three reinforced masonry walls and one wall made of iron bars (treat as an iron portcullis). There is a simple straw mat, ceramic water bowl, and waste bucket in each cell. The entire room is lit by a pair of everburning torches suspended from the ceiling of the hallway. Each of the cells is locked with an average quality lock, requir ing a DC 19 Dexterity (thieves' tools) check to open. A nearby stick or piece of straw could be used, but the ability check is made at disadvantage

Cell A:

This cell contains a young elven woman, Ilya Starmane (LG female elf aristocrat 4), who was abducted by the doppelgangers nearly a month ago (not that her family knows this). She is cold and untrusting of anyone that comes to speak with her, as the doppelgang ers have been toying with her the whole time, delighting in her anguish. Her family is one of the lesser noble families in the Free City, one of the key trading partners between the city and the nearby elven kingdom of Celene. She has seen hundreds of different individuals come through this area in the past month, rarely the same person twice.

Cell B:

This cell is empty.

Cell C:

Although the resident of this cell appears to be dead, he is barely alive (stable at –7). The man, Gattel Watam (CN male human expert 5), was once a local tax collector before being captured by the doppelgangers 2 years ago. As one of the first subjects of the mind clone (see area D17), Gattel’s mind has shattered, and if he’s revived this becomes readily apparent. Gattel goes through periods of intense weeping, childish laughter, and haughty talk as if he were a high born noble. He is only occasionally lucid enough to identify himself, an act usu ally followed by an attempt to end his life. The doppelgangers keep him alive because the mind clone procedure on him failed and they need to continue to impersonate him to collect funds.

Cell D:

Aside from some blood-soaked straw, this cell is empty.

Cell E:

This cell contains two ordinary human men, both a bit soiled and tired looking. If spoken to, they claim to be Martal and Regim, members of the town guard captured a week ago. They speak in vague terms of the horrible things that happen here, including probing into their minds, severing and then reattach ing limbs, and worse.

Creatures:

In reality, Martal and Regim are the doppelganger guards of this small prison. The door to their cell has a hid den latch allowing them to open it from the inside. Underneath their straw mat tress they have stored a few pieces of gear. The duo begs to be released, but attacks the party once the door is opened. An opposed Sense Motive check versus the doppelgangers’ Bluff checks avoids being surprised on the first round of combat.

Developments:

Once freed, Ilya and Gattel seek to leave this place as soon as possible. Ilya gifts her periapt to the party as reward for saving her, while
Gattel does not claim any of his gear, not recognizing any of it.

D7. Collapsed Chamber (EL 9)

Navigating this chamber is quite dan gerous. Moving at half speed across the wooden planks requires a DC 9 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check t, as they are a bit slip pery from mildew. Failing this check by 4 or more results in a fall down into the water below. The DC is the amount of damage received. Falling subjects a creature to 1d4 attacks from the discarded weapons at +7 to hit for 3 (1d6) piercing damage per hit. Swimming through the shallow water subjects a creature to 1d2 more attacks.

The shaded planks all lead to a piling that is not structurally sound. If a medium or larger character steps onto one of these planks, the piling collapses, dropping anyone on a shaded plank down into the water below. The doppelgangers have placed dozens of weapons in the water below, making it very dangerous to traverse or fall into (as noted under Tactics).

The far wall of this chamber used to contain doors for accepting river cargo, but these have been boarded over. The only exit out of this chamber is a door out of sight when the PCs first enter. This door is locked, requiring a DC 19 Dexterity (thieves' tools) check to open.

Creatures:

This room is home to a pair of invisible stalkers. Allied with the doppelgangers, they allow anyone who says the word “deception” to pass without incident. Those not speaking the pass word before crossing out onto the planks are subject to attack.

Tactics:

The invisible stalkers use the element of surprise to attack the PCs once they have begun to cross the planks. Any character that attempts to fly or bypass the planks becomes an immediate target for these silent kill ers. Those standing on a plank are con sidered flat-footed unless they possess 5 ranks in Balance, and must make a DC 9 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid falling if struck. The stalkers know this and try to knock as many PCs as possible into the dangerous waters below.

Those falling into the water are sub ject to 1d4 attacks from the weapons (+10 melee dealing 1d6+4 points of dam age each). The water below is very calm, requiring a DC 10 Swim check to move at half speed, but this provokes more 1d2 more attacks from the weapons placed in the water per 10 feet traversed. It’s a DC 8 Strength (Athletics) check to clamber up a piling back to the floor above.

Treasure:

The doppelgangers often toss the bodies of those they have slain into this fetid pool, along with any gear they find to be of little value. A DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check notices these corpses under neath the water, between the spears. A DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a golden glint among the bodies. This is a golden wand of spiritual weapon (26 charges) accidentally discarded by the gang in their haste and not yet recovered.

D8. Water-filled Pit

The doppelgangers use this room to gain access to their underground war rens. Traditionally, the members of the gang sit in the barrel, floating in the water as the level slowly drains down 40 feet to the floor below, just outside area D9. When they wish to go up, they simply reverse the process, sitting in the barrel as the water level is slowly raised. This process takes a full minute.

Unfortunately, for the party, the water is currently raised and the mechanism to raise and lower the water is in another room. Characters wearing metal armor can simply jump in and sink to the bottom of the shaft in 2 rounds. Oth ers must actively swim to the bottom. As the water is calm, swimming down requires a a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to move at half speed. At the bottom of the shaft, a 20-foot-long passageway leads west to area D9, which is also flooded. There is no light down this shaft, and the water is very salty.

The other hole in the floor of this chamber leads to a stagnant pool of river water trapped underneath this section of the building.

Warren Level

This deep underground sanctuary is where the gang of doppelgangers hatch their nefarious plots and rest from their trials. Unless otherwise noted, a pale blue everburning torch mounted on the wall lights each cham ber. The walls of this level are hewn stone and all of the doors are iron (see pages 90–91 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for their statistics).

These rooms are meticulously well kept. None of the dust and dirt of the warehouse above is present here. The walls in most of the chambers are carved with an intricate flowing scrollwork that never seems to repeat itself.

D9. Water Control Chamber (EL 8)

When the party first enters this cham ber from area D8, they emerge 40 feet beneath the surface of the water. A 10 foot wide pillar of stone in the center of the room rises up to a point 10 feet above the top of the water. A short metal ladder reaches from the top of the pillar to the surface of the water.

On top of the pillar is a large metal lever. Tripping the lever opens wide drains on the floor, and both the water level and pillar sink at an equal rate (about 4 feet per round). After one minute, the pillar is only 10 feet tall and the room (including area D8) is devoid of water. Tripping the lever again reverses this process, raising the pillar and flooding the room. A stone platform, 50 feet above the floor of the room (at the same level as the pillar when fully raised) leads to a locked door. Opening this door requires a DC 19 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check.

Creature:

A giant octopus lives in this chamber. Zyrxog gave the creature to the doppelgangers as a gift when he had finished his experiments upon it. When the water is drained, it escapes the room through one of the drains at the bottom, only to return when the water level rises. If severely wounded, the octopus flees in a cloud of ink to the nearest drain.

One Giant Octopus per 2 PCs with the following changes:

• +1 to Skills
• 20 Strength
• Multiattack: 2 Tentacles attacks
• Tentacles: +8 to hit, 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, 2 creatures can be grappled by the Giant Octopus at a time. Escape DC 18.

Developments:

A secret door is hidden in one wall of this room. It can only be found with a DC 27 Intelligence (Investigation) check, although it is open later, as noted under area D19. This passageway leads to the Free City sew ers and Zyrxog’s lair.

D10. Trapped Hallway (EL 8)

All four doors on the southern wall are locked, requiring a DC 19 Dexterity ({@tool Thieves’ Tools}) check to open. This hallway is generally devoid of activity unless the party makes a great deal of noise, which summons the doppelgangers in area D11 to investigate.

Trap:

The east end of this hallway is actually a dead end, with a trap door covering the floor in a 10-foot by 10-foot area in front of the door. Those walk ing into the area risk falling into the pit below, which is deeper than it appears. An illusory wall spell (caster level 11th) is placed 30 feet below the trap door, creat ing a false floor. The actual floor is 60 feet beneath the floor of the hallway in the area of a magical silence (also at caster level 11th) To those outside the pit, the character falls through the floor and upon triggering the trap door again and investigating inside the pit there is no sign of the missing PC. The walls of the pit are extremely smooth and greased, making it impossible to climb.

Devious Spiked Pit Trap:

DC 14. Wisdom (Perception) to detect. Intelligence (Investigation) to understand. Dexterity ({@tool Thieves’ Tools}) to disarm. 60 foot fall. 6d6 bludgeoning damage. Each creature is targeted by 1d4 spikes, +6 to hit, 5 (1d10) piercing damage each.

D11. Sleeping Quarters (EL 5)

These rooms are practically identical. Each contains two comfortable beds, a washbasin, two full-length mirrors, and a large ward robe packed with different styles of cloth ing. All of the outfits in the Player’s Hand book can be found in one of the rooms.

Creatures:

Two doppelgangers are in each of these rooms at any given time, home from covert operations around the Free City. If not asleep, they are busy practicing one guise or another, trying on various outfits and altering their form.

Tactics:

If a general alarm is raised, the doppelgangers in these rooms (six doppelgangers in all) quickly mobilize to attack any intruders they see in area D10 who move toward either area D13 or D14. They attack in their natural forms, but if combat goes poorly the survivors try to escape into area D16 to regroup.

Treasure:

Various bits of jewelry (brooches, amulets, and rings) are scattered throughout the wardrobes of these rooms with a total value of 500 gp in all. Each room also contains a single noble’s outfit and a single royal outfit, in addition to numerous other outfits totaling 250 gp in all.

D12. Lavatory

This simple bathroom is used by the gang and holds nothing of value.

D13. Planning Room

Telakin and his band of doppelgang ers use this room to chart their progress and plan their next moves as they slowly infiltrate the government and aristoc racy of the Free City. Although the docu ments specifically avoid mentioning the actual names of any individuals replaced, they do detail numerous noble fami lies and government institutions that have been corrupted by their influence. This includes merchant councils, the
leatherworker’s union, the carpenter’s guild, the stonemasons, the courts, the militia, and the directing oligarchy.

Discovering the extent of this corrup tion takes 2 hours of rifling through the maps and papers and a successful DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check.

The southeast corner of this room contains a well-concealed door behind a short bookcase. Finding the door requires a DC 23 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The doppelgangers had this door and the door in the maze installed as a hidden escape route. Treasure: If the PCs hand over the maps and papers detailing the doppel ganger corruption to the authorities, they can expect not only the welcome thanks of many important individuals in the Free City, but a reward of 800 gp per PC.

D14. False Bedroom

This bedroom looks just like all the others (area D11), but without any of the jewelry. Unlike the other rooms, the east wall of this chamber is an illusory wall (caster level 11th) hiding a small chamber beyond.

The small hidden chamber is dark save for a simple iron door that lets in a pale blue radiance from the room beyond. The door is not locked.

D15. Hall of Deception (EL 9)

As noted earlier, one of the characters has been replaced by a doppelganger. That character is actually tied to one of these chairs. The others here are actually dop pelgangers, assuming the guise of the rest of the PCs (one for each). The figures are dressed in tattered clothes, and each is gagged with a dirty rag. The real PC tied up here does not know that any of the others are doppelgangers, and has little memory of anything other than having been locked in this room for days. Once every several hours, a doppelganger comes into the room to give the victims food and water and to remove buckets of waste, but other wise the captive PC has no real concept of how long he or she’s been kept here.

The southern secret door requires a DC 19Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate. If the lights in the chamber are extinguished, a thin pale light can be seen coming from the passageway beyond, revealing the secret door.

Creatures:

The four doppelgangers here are not securely bound; their manacles are rigged so that a DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or DC 10 Strength check allows them to wriggle free. The real character is securely bound with masterwork manacles, requiring a DC 26 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to slip the bonds or DC 21 Strength check to break free.

Once the PCs enter, the doppelgangers attempt to escape their bonds one at a time (as should the real character), moving to embrace the characters as their saviors and crying out that their corresponding character in the party is false. This continues until all the doppelgangers are free and arguing with the group over who is real and who is an impostor. Once they are within melee range, they attack those that they copy, hoping to surprise the characters. This undoubtedly requires a number of Bluff, Disguise, Sense Motive, and Spot checks to resolve. Obviously, the doppelgangers all move to attack the PCs if they are attacked or if the deception is foiled.

This is also the point when the doppelganger hiding within the group reveals his betrayal, attacking the most vulnerable or wounded PC using all of the powers at his disposal. Once the deception is revealed and Ixiaxian attacks the other PCs, the PC who was playing the doppelganger immediately resumes play as their actual PC, who is manacled and tied to the chair.

Note:

If none of the party members are replaced by a doppelganger, this encounter should be swapped with a den of aranea. Instead of mirrored walls, this chamber is filled with thick silvery spider webs from four phase spiders.

Treasure:

In addition to all of the duplicated PC’s gear, Ixiaxian carries a mind clone created from that character’s memories. This mind clone is a sapphire worth 2,000 gp.

D16. Mirror Maze (EL 9)

Although there are many routes through this maze, pressure plates throughout raise additional mirrored walls that can separate and bewilder the party. Both of the squares on either side of the dashed lines on the map con tain pressure plates. Only when both of these plates have been triggered does the wall between them raise into place with blinding speed. Those adjacent to a rais ing wall can attempt to dive to the other side with a DC 19 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Walls can be lowered by triggering a hidden switch built into the floor, a DC 23 Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate.

Creatures:

This insidious maze is home to Telakin’s personal guards. Three doppelganger guards lurk here, tasked with preventing anyone from penetrat ing the maze. They patrol the maze look ing for intruders until the party enters the maze, at which time two of them use their potions of invisibility to sneak up to the party and attack. The other goes to warn Telakin (area D17) before joining the others in assaulting the party.

Tactics:

The guards sneak around the maze, waiting for the right moment to strike, usually when walls separate the group. Once their invisibility ends, they use their ability to change shape, taking on the appearance of party members to close in and sow confusion. The doppel gangers know the locations of all the slid ing walls and use them to withdraw from combat or further separate the group. The DM should have the PCs make Spot checks to see through approaching dop pelganger disguises even if it’s actually fellow party members approaching.

D17. Telakin’s Hall (EL 10)

The device to the west is used by the doppelgangers to extract memories and knowledge from victims they’ve captured. They then encode this information into gemstones called mind clones (each of which musst be worth a minimum of 2,000 gp). A creature can then access these memories using detect thoughts or telepathy as if he were con tacting the actual person they were duplicated from. The procedure requires the victim to be strapped to the table for 10 minutes, during which time he may make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to resist the process. Failure doesn’t harm the victim in any way, but does result in a mind clone that others can then use to interrogate. A recorded mind still gets a saving throw to resist detect thoughts and similar attacks.

The fantastic cost of producing a mind clone (or purchasing one, for that matter) ensures that Telakin never has enough on hand to do what he really wants, and this leaves the dop pelganger in a perpetual bad mood.

Creature:

As the PCs arrive, the doppelganger leader Telakin is ready for them. He’s assumed the form of Hesti Testapod, the sage of Diamond Lake. When the PCs enter this chamber, he rises from his throne and addresses them. “So kind of you to join me. It is time for me to show you the truth of things. Come and learn what lies beyond!” If the party does not know Hesti Testapod, Telakin instead takes the form of someone important to them (such as Eligos). Telakin’s chamber is also protected by several traps.

Telakin is the thrall of Zyrxog, a pow erful mind flayer. He wears the illithid’s symbol on his brow in most of his assumed forms, save for when he wishes to blend into a crowd. The master tasked Telakin with destroying the party using every means at his disposal. Since the party has made it this far, the task now rests with the greater doppelganger.

Tactics:

If warned of the party’s approach, Telakin switches into his wizard form and casts a number of protective spells, including false life and resist energy (choosing an enegry type frequently used by the party assuming the doppelganger has advanced infor mation on them). The gang leader casts extended mage armor every morning after preparing his spells. After prepar ing himself, Telakin uses clairvoyance to watch the approach of the party and to gauge their abilities.

Telakin remains up near his throne unless sorely pressed, hoping to draw the party into his traps while devastating them with his spells (while in wizard form). Once engaged in melee, Telakin assumes his orc barbarian form and rages, only switching again if sorely hurt.

Telakin has a number of magic items on his person including a +1 frost greataxe , a ring of protection +2, a scroll of fireball, and a wand of cure moderate wounds (26 charges).

Traps:

This chamber contains a total of four traps, two identical pit traps and two pressure plates that set off a poi soned spear trap. The pit traps occupy 10-foot by 10-foot squares on both sides of the room in front of the stairs lead ing up to the throne. The pressure plates take up the 5-foot by 5-foot area at the top of the stairs near the throne, triggering a poison spear from the ceiling above.

Wide Spiked Pit Trap:

DC 12. Wisdom (Perception) to detect. Intelligence (Investigation) to understand the workings. Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to disarm. Dexterity saving throw to avoid. 40-foot fall. 1d4 spikes attack at +5 to hit for 1d10 piercing damage each.

Poisoned Ceiling Spear Trap:

Wisdom (Perception) to detect. Intelligence (Investigation) to understand the workings. Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to disarm. +6 to hit for 1d10 piercing damage and the target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d10 poison damage on a failed saving throw and half as much on a successful one.

Treasure:

Two mind clones sit in locked (DC 23 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check) containers near the device to the west. One is the mind of a foppish nobleman, Syra Viniira, who is an expert on wine and etiquette. Another is a captain of the militia, Durgan Shat terhelm, expert of the watch routines and patterns. Each is contained in a gem worth 2,000 gp. All the other samples are in use about the city. The subjects of these particular mind clones are both dead, their bodies rotting in the pool above.

Development:

Once Telakin is defeated, the PCs are free to look about the chamber. Telakin has little on his person aside from his magic items and a key ring with keys to every room in Sodden Hold. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check of the stone throne reveals a hidden button that opens the door to Telakin’s private sanctum behind the throne.

D18. Telakin’s Sanctum

Treasure:

The rug is a minor magic item that is worth 500 gp but does noth ing more than change patterns.

The chest is locked, requiring a DC 23 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check to open (although Telakin’s key ring has the key). Inside the chest is a host of forged and original documents detailing Free City treaties, merchant dealings, and religious papers. Although not pertinent to the party, they clearly illustrate the level of infiltration the gang possessed. In addition to these there is a sack containing 1,500 gp, a scroll of dominate person, and a missive written with a strange alien hand. The message reads: “I have a task for you, thrall. Meet me at the sewer junction beneath the cold forge and I will give you the details. There are some troublesome small minds that must be removed.” The document is signed with some sort of symbol made to look like a spiraling tentacle (identical to that on Telakin’s forehead).

Aside from the contents of the chest, the wardrobe contains every outfit in the Player’s Handbook as well as 500 gp in jewelry. The large mirror is magic—once per day, for a period of 10 minutes, it can be commanded to show the true form of a creature that is physically disguising its shape (it has no power to penetrate illusions). Telakin prefers to look upon his true form, as he feels that all other forms are inferior to the perfection of his actual shape. This mirror is large and cumbersome (it weighs 250 pounds), but it’s worth 10,000 gp.

D19. Zyrxog’s Entrance (EL 7)

Zyrxog, Telakin’s mind flayer master has been watching events unfold through the use of his scrying pool. When he sees Telakin defeated, the mind flayer comes to investigate with a few of his drow thralls. When the PCs return to area D9, the secret door is open and Zyrxog and his minions are here waiting for the party to return.

Creatures:

Although Zyrxog is pres ent here, he does not wish to personally combat the party at this time aside from launching a mind blast to open up combat (unless the drow are in the way). He hopes that his drow minions are sufficient to deal with the PCs and flees at the first sign of danger to himself, using plane shift to go ethereal and return to his sanctuary. The drow are thralls to Zyrxog and remain to fight to the death no matter the odds.

Tactics:

After Zyrxog uses his mind blast, the drow move in to attack, cloak ing the area in darkness and relying on
Blind-Fight to offset the concealment penalties. Although they fight to the death, they do not carelessly throw their lives away. They use their powers and their alchemical items to best effect. The drow wear boots caked with yellow phos phorescent fungus.

Zyrxog remains in the darkness throughout the fight, but anyone with darkvision can make out the mind flayer and can see that he wears the same sym bol found on the papers in Telakin’s room and on Telakin’s forehead.

Developments:

Zyrxog does not pursue the party, allowing them a chance to rest and recuperate from their trials. Once com bat is over, the party is free to explore the tunnel leading out of this area. After only 50 feet it joins the Free City sewer system, and tracking the group becomes difficult. The only clue the PCs have to the mind flayer’s location is the note from Telakin’s room and the residue on the drow’s boots. This fungus can be identified with a DC 11 Intelligence (Nature) check as a relatively rare harmless fungus called Beggar’s Gold that grows in underground urban environ ments. It is not present in any of the nearby tunnels or sewers.

PART FOUR: ZYRXOG’S DOMAIN

Although the party has defeated Telakin and his doppelganger clan, they have only just begun to discover the con spiracy arrayed against them. Tracking down the mind flayer requires investi gation below the streets of the Free City in the sewers beneath a business called Cold Forge, an armor and weapon smith located in the Artisan’s Quarter.

Sewer access can be gained via any one of a number of local grates. As most of these are in the middle of city streets, this is difficult to do during the day without being accosted by the city watch, who are suspicious of anyone venturing into the depths and seek to prevent such explora tion whenever possible.

Once in the sewers, finding the entrance to Zyrxog’s domain is no easy task. The pri mary sewer tunnels are 10 feet wide and are half full of brackish water, up to 3 feet deep in some places. The tunnels are a maze of small chambers, large cisterns, and small pipes with no currently accurate maps. Finding the entrance to Zyrxog’s domain by tracking the drow requires 1d6+3 DC DC 19 Wisdom (Survival) checks. Each check takes 1d3 hours of exploration. A DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check is enough to reveal that Beggar’s Gold often grows in sewers where run off from smithies or forges can be found. With this information, the Wisdom (Survival) check to Track them drops to DC 15.

A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Charisma (Investigation) check is enough to locate the smithy called Cold Forge. The owner of this smithy, a foul-mouthed man named Crusty Patten, is unaware of the danger that lurks under his establishment. If the party is searching for phospho rescent mold, finding Zyrxog’s domain only requires a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check without the need of the Track feat.

Every hour spent searching comes with an 10% chance of an encounter. If a battle breaks out, feel free to use a portion of the Map of Mystery on the last page of this issue to run the combat. Roll on the following table to determine what is encountered.

Free City Sewer Encounters

d100	Encounter
01-30	Male human body rotting in the water with a large hole in its skull
31–40	Zyrxog’s symbol on the sewer wall (advantage on the next Wisdom (Survival) check).
41–55	Gelatinous Cube HP 99, +5 to hit, 10 (3d6) replaced by 17 (5d6) acid damage, 21 (6d6) acid damage replaced by 28 (8d6) acid damage (EL 3); +/- 30 HP per 1 PC above or below 4.
56–70	2 Darkmantles per 1 PC (EL 5
71–75	3 Gricks per 2 PC
76–80	1 Carrion Crawler per 1 PC
81–95	1 Swarm of Centipedes 52 hp per 1 PC
96–100	1 Black Pudding per 2 PCs

Drow Caves

A large patch of Beggar’s Gold marks the entrance to Zyrxog’s domain, just off an ancient and particularly deep (60 feet underground) sewer tunnel. The path to the mind flayer’s personal domain crosses through an area of natural caves occupied by his drow thralls, who are generally not allowed in the main com plex. The ceiling of these chambers and connecting corridors is 20 feet high unless noted otherwise.

None of these caves are lit unless noted. The walls are unworked stone and the floors are uneven in most places, making the ground difficult terrain.

M1. Fungus Cavern (EL 6)

The center of this room is covered in yellow mold (Dungeon Master’s Guide 76)cultivated by Zyrxog to keep the drow from leaving their caves and prevent intruders from wandering in. The yellow mold is very similar in texture to Beggar’s Gold, and it takes a DDC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check to identify it properly as a result. Zyrxog uses levitate to move over the mold by clambering along the wall near the ceiling 20 feet above.

Creatures:

In addition to the yellow mold, this room is also home to four shriekers that warn the drow of anyone approaching the area. The shriekers emit a piercing wail if any light or creature comes to within 10 feet. This shrieking persists for 1d4 rounds and is audible throughout the cavern complex.

M2. Drow Sentries (EL 7)

This section of cavern corridor is rela tively unremarkable. It slopes down toward area M3, where running water can be heard and reflected light glim mers in the distance.

Creatures:

Hiding above the passage way is a trio of drow thralls tasked with guarding the corridor. A ledge 10 feet above the passageway leads to a small alcove where the drow wait in absolute silence. If warned by the shriekers, these three set up an ambush, coating the floor below in flammable oil (Flask) and preparing to throw alchemist’s fire down at the party to ignite it. Once ignited, the oil burns for 2 rounds, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to anyone in the affected area. The cave wall leading up to them is relatively smooth, requiring a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

If not warned of the party’s presence, the drow are reclining out of sight, rely ing upon their keen ears to hear intrud ers approach.

M3. Spirit Pool (EL 9)

The drow avoid lingering in this cham ber, fearful of the creature that lurks near the pool. When traveling through this room, they stay along the west wall, gathering what water they need from the stream before it disappears through a crack in the wall.

Creature:

This chamber is home to Fassash, a Spirit Naga(105 hp) with little respect for the drow that live nearby. Fassash is on friendly terms with Zyrxog, but not under the mind flayer’s control. When the party enters this chamber, the spirit naga is relaxing, coiled around one of the stalagmites near the pool.

Tactics:

Fassash is not spoiling for a fight unless the party takes hostile actions. When the party approaches, the naga uncoils to look at them, subjecting those that have come too close to its gaze. The naga then demands an apology from the party for disturbing its slumber. Arro gant and cruel, the spirit naga assumes that he is greater than any humanoid and demands deference. Should the party show the proper respect to the mighty serpent and offer it at least 1,000 gp worth of treasure, Fassash lets the PCs by without incident. If sufficiently pam pered with a DC 23 Charisma (Persuasion) check, he might even reveal a few cryptic clues
about what lies beyond.

If combat does break out, Fassash uses invisibility to flee the area and prepare him self with divine favor, shield of faith, and dis placement before returning to deal with the party, tracking them down if necessary. He prefers to use fireball followed by summon swarm before engaging in melee.

Treasure:

The naga’s pool glows due to a phosphorescent fungus that grows at its bottom, but this is also where his treasure is kept. Scattered around the bottom of the pool are 8 pp, an emerald worth 200 gp, and a small crystal jug that is actually an eversmoking bottle.

M4. Drow Enclave (EL 11)

This chamber is used by the drow as a residence and training ground. The chambers up above are used for sleeping, while the majority of the guards spend their time on the floor below, training, relaxing, or preparing food.

The pen off to the side contains a half-starved cow and a number of pigs, brought down here to feed the drow. They gather the rest of their sustenance from the various types of fungus and moss that grow throughout the caves. The gated corridor to the south leads to the chattel pen, used to keep Zyrxog’s food and a few undead minions.

Combat:

A total of six drow rest in this room at any given time: two up in the sleep ing area, and four on the floor. Myrianaas, cleric of Lolth, leads this group. All are com pletely loyal to their mind flayer overlord and fight to the death to prevent intruders from gaining access to his sanctum.

Tactics:

If warned of the party’s approach, the drow are all awake and ready for a fight. Myrianaas prepares by casting magic vestment on her shield (increasing her Armor Class by 2) and arranging her forces. She places three of the drow on the floor between her and the entrance, while the other two are up near the sleeping area prepared to fire their crossbows and join the combat from the flank when the time is right. Myrianaas only casts her short-duration spells when the PCs draw close (possibly while they deal with the spirit naga). These spells include bear’s endurance, divine favor, prayer, and shield of faith. She saves divine power until the PCs approach her in melee combat.

Myrianaas flees to area M7 if sorely pressed, making her last stand there while assuring that Zyrxog is warned of the party’s approach.

Treasure:

Aside from their gear, the drow have little else of value. Myrianaas maintains a small shrine to Lolth up in the sleeping caves, which includes a small jade statue of the spider goddess worth 300 gp.

M5. Chattel Pen (EL 3)

A wall of iron bars running from floor to ceiling blocks the entrance to this cham ber. An iron door is set into this wall of bars, but it is locked and only Myrianaas has the key. A DC 19 Dexterity ({@tool Thieves’ Tools}) check opens the door if the key is missing. Just inside the iron door stand four rotting corpses with large gaping holes in their heads. Beyond them is a chamber full of debris, scraps of cloth, mounds of straw, and pools of filth. Dark corridors stretch out from one side of the chamber.

Zyrxog uses this chamber to store those destined to become his next meals. The dark corridors lead to a small area where a few prisoners currently await their fate. The current crop includes a pair of merchants captured on their way into the Free City, an elven craftsman, and two young women caught heading home after a long day’s work at a nearby tavern. These five do not dare attempt an escape, in part because of the zombies guarding the door and because of the deadly drow that lie beyond.

If freed of their bondage, these five are immensely grateful and quickly flee the area, assuming the party helps them get by the yellow mold. This group can describe the mind flayer that comes to collect them every few days. Aside from that, they know very little about this complex. Those that go deeper in do not come back out.

Creatures:

The four rotting corpses standing just inside the door are ordinary zombies (hp 37, slam attack 6 (2d4 +1)). They have been ordered to prevent anyone from escaping, but have no orders about anyone entering the chamber. If the party attempts to leave this room or attacks the zombies, they attack, fighting until slain.

M6. Warding Glyph (EL 5)

The cavern corridor widens into a small chamber before continuing onward. The floor has been smoothed here, and in the center is a large faintly glowing purple symbol. The symbol on the floor is a permanent illusion, placed here to mark the bound ary of Zyrxog’s domain.

Trap:

The real danger in this chamber is a powerful glyph of warding scribed on the room’s ceiling set to go off when any nonevil creature passes under it. A detect magic spots this hidden glyph, as does a DC 21 Intelligence (Investigation) check.

Glyph of Warding (Blast):

DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) to detect. Dispel magic to dispel. 27 (6d8) acid damage in a 20 foot radius.

M7. Tentacle Guardians (EL 9)

Set into the cavern wall of this forebod ing chamber are a pair of tall white mar ble double doors, streaked with veins of a faintly glowing purple mineral. Flanking the doors are a pair of tall ivory columns, each bearing a tentacular symbol burned into their surface.

The symbol on the columns is Zyrxog’s personal seal, seen on Telakin’s forehead and on the floor of the previous chamber.

The doors are not locked, but they are barred from the inside and must be bat tered open. The doors have AC 17, Damage Threshold 4, 72 hp, but they can be burst open with a DC 19 Stength check check.

Creatures:

Zyrxog stations a group of creatures he’s created here—terrestrial mollusks called octopins (medium size with the Spider Climb trait). The octopins stay out of sight, hidden behind col umns, stalagmites, and stalactites up near the ceiling. They use their pene trating gaze to keep an eye on the doors without revealing their presence. When the party approaches the door, they move out of hiding, hoping to surprise the PCs from every direction.

Zyrzog’s Sanctum

These last chambers make up the mind flayer’s private hold, visited only by his most trusted allies. All of the walls are carefully carved marble with a repeating tentacle pattern. Unless otherwise noted, each of these chambers has a 40-foot-high ceiling, while the corridor ceilings are only 20 feet high. The doors are stone and, aside from the entry doors, unlocked.

M8. Stone Brain (EL 7)

In the center of this tall domed chamber is a large brain, carved from a single block of purple-veined white marble. Its veins seem to pulsate with every breath you take, as if aware of your presence. Four stone benches are arrayed around the room, each with a pair of iron manacles bolted to the top.

Zyrxog created this chamber to break the will of particularly stubborn thralls who required too much of his atten tion to properly “convert” to his way of thinking. The brain in the center of the room is a sentient magic item, whose personality is a clone of Zyrxog’s. Able to communicate telepathically with anyone in the room (and Zyrxog, if he is within a 1-mile radius), the brain’s primary function is to break the minds of those chained to the benches. It can perform the same onslaught on anyone within 15 feet. None of the manacles are currently occupied, but some show signs of recent use.

Trap:

Once per round, the stone brain performs a mental assault against one tar get in the chamber. It moves from target to target, attempting to force compliance. On a failed Will save, the target is affected by a dominate person, becoming loyal to Zyrxog and hostile to the rest of the party. If the target makes its save, it instead takes 1 point of Wisdom damage.

The brain has AC 17, Damage Threshold 8 and ceases functioning after taking 50 points of damage. If destroyed in this way, all creatures under its influence are freed (although any Wisdom damage remains).

Dominate Person Trap:

he Stone Brain acts on initiative 20. It can cast dominate person once per round on a humanoid in its chamber. The target must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, succumbing to the spell on a failure and having disadvantage on all Wisdom based attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of the Stone Brains next turn on a success. The Stone Brain can use its action to control a humanoid under dominate person or attempt to control an additional humanoid. If it is destroyed any creatures are freed of its control.

M9. Laboratory (EL 10)

At the end of a long staircase, an odd cham ber reveals itself. A number of tall book cases, a desk, and a large tank full of green liquid takes up half the room. A stone door stands closed on the opposite wall. This chamber is Zyrxog’s laboratory, where he created the octopins and per fected a number of his other insidious experiments. The bookshelves are full of books on anatomy and arcane fusion tech niques. The desk contains numerous logs pertaining to the creation of the octopins, along with notes on a new experiment that has yet to begin. In this new experi ment, Zyrxog hopes to create a parasite that hides inside its host and makes it very susceptible to suggestion, something he tentatively calls a “mind worm.” The door in this chamber leads to Zyrxog’s scrying pool and is not locked.

Creature:

The tank in this chamber contains a large and rather nasty octopin (medium size with the Spider Climb trait) that Zyrxog has been specially grow ing. Although not quite mature, it is still mobile and comes crawling out of the open-top tank when disturbed. When the party enters the room, it is hiding out of sight in the murk.

Treasure:

Although most of the equip ment is too bulky to move and of little value in its current state, the library is worth 1,000 gp if sold to a collector with dubious purposes (or 500 gp if sold to a respectable dealer).

M10. Viewing Pool

In the center of a small round chamber is a perfectly calm pool of water, glowing with a faint blue light. A reflective green light flows out of a hallway, opposite the entry.

This small chamber contains Zyrxog’s viewing pool. Anyone sitting on one of the benches and looking into the pool can view any location within 5 miles, as though using the spell clairvoyance.
The location viewed must be well known to the viewer. Specifying an area never seen before results in the pool going dark. When the PCs enter, the pool is viewing Telakin’s throne room as it currently appears.

The hallway beyond leads to a small balcony overlooking the cathedral of the mind (area M13). This balcony is 45 feet above the floor of that chamber, with no apparent way down.

M11. Museum (EL 9)

In the center of this large chamber is a grotesque ebony statue of a vulture headed humanoid with large feathery wings and razor sharp talons at the end of avian digits. The rest of the room is taken up by large glass cases, each full of dark twisted artifacts, from a shrunken head to a tome chained shut and a num ber of jars containing the severed parts of numerous creatures.

This chamber is full of dangerous relics and things best left undiscovered. Zyrxog has spent most of his time in the Free City collecting and selling such oddities, having them imported or stolen when the owner proved difficult. A permanent alarm spell (caster level 11th) wards this room, alerting Zyrxog of intruders with a silent mental alarm.

Case #1: Sitting on the top shelf of this case is the preserved head of a juvenile black dragon whose eyes glow a faint green. This case also contains an odd black metal cage, covered in thorns, with nothing inside. Resting on a large velvet pillow is a +1 unholy dagger that brings horrible misfortune to any that wield it (DM’s discretion). On the bottom are a kyton’s chains that twitch and wiggle of their own volition.

Case #2: The top shelf of this case con tains four blank books labeled “unspeakable tome.” A fifth book hides behind them, a vacuous grimore. Anyone who reads a single word of the vacuous grimoire must make 2 Wisdom saving throws. Someone who fails the first has disadvantage on all Intelligence-based attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until they complete 1d4 long rests. Someone who fails the second has disadvantage on all Wisdom-based attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until they complete 1d4 long rests. Beneath these is a weathered and tarnished bronze griffon figurine of wondrous power. Unfortunately, when used, the griffon is fiendish, and attacks the wielder until slain at which time it returns to its statue form. This case also contains four jars, each containing the preserved eyestalk of a beholder. There are six other empty jars behind these.

Case #3: A petrified pseudodragon sits on top of this glass case. If returned to flesh, it could be convinced to serve as a familiar. The top shelf of this case contains a stuffed doll that bears an uncanny (but coincidental) similarity to one of the PCs—the doll is pierced with 20 spikes from a spiked devil. The doll radiates strong necromancy, but has no apparent effect. A 4-inch-thick tome wrapped in chains sits next to the doll. The book is a tiny animated object and flies around the room, attacking every one until slain. The book lists the names of 100 demons, including their home and details of their conquests. On the bottom shelf is a battered berserker sword and a golden periapt of foul rotting.

Creature:

In the center of the room is a vrock statue. Although bound in this form, the magic holding the fiend in place is set to release if the statue or any of the cases is disturbed. The effect can be disarmed like a trap if discovered with a DC 23 Intelligence (Arcana) check and disabled with a DC 23 Intelligence (Arcana) check.

Tactics:

If animated, the vrock quickly uses its mirror image ability while releas ing its spores. It follows this up with a stunning screech before engaging in melee. It does not use its summon tanar’ri ability during combat, preferring instead to rely upon its melee abilities.

M12. Hallway

This long hallway slopes down 30 feet before it reaches the floor of the cathedral of the mind (area M13). The walls of this hall are painted with a long frieze, depicting mind flayers marching across the surface of the world, with no sun overhead and all the races of the surface bowing before the tentacled horrors.

M13. Cathedral of the Mind (EL 12)

At the end of the long ramping hall, a grand chamber opens to a height of eighty feet. Opposite the entry is a tall octagonal column of jet-black stone, glowing with green symbols running up one of its faces. A deep pool of placid green liquid stands before the column, bathing the entire chamber in an otherworldly light.

If warned of their approach, Zyrzog is present in this chamber, waiting for them to enter. Continue with the following.

Floating above the pool is a humanoid form with strange rubbery purple flesh, dressed in black robes, wielding a staff of red hot metal. Its head is hairless and bulbous, with four long tentacles where its mouth should be. Inside your head you hear an alien voice. “You dare enter my sanctum! Fools. I shall finish what Telakin could not. Your weak minds will be a sumptuous feast, your terror a pleasing garnish!”

Zyrxog created this cham ber as a place that he one day hopes will play host to a small community of his ilk. The pool swims with the mind flayer tadpoles, still years from maturation and not yet ready for ceremorphosis (the process by which a mind flayer tadpole gestates in a host and becomes a full-grown mind flayer). Although disgusting, they are harmless at this stage in their lives.

The column at the back of the pool is enchanted with powerful magic, creating an hallow effect throughout the room. This gives Zyrxog and his minions fire resistance.

Creatures:

If warned, Zyrxog and two octopins (medium size with the Spider Climb trait) wait for the PCs in this room. Zyrxog floats 40 feet above the end of the pool under the effects of levitate. The octopins cling the wall above the entrance to the room, 30-feet above the floor. If the party avoids warning the mind flayer, he is in his chamber (area M14), studying his notes

Tactics:

If warned of the party’s approach, Zyrxog prepares himself by casting false life and resist energy (of a type the mind flayer saw the PCs use in their fight against Tela kin). If given the time, the mastermind also casts shield and displacement. When combat begins, Zyrxog uses mind blast against the party before his octopins charge down the wall to engage them. After this, he uses mind blast when possible and his metamagic rod to empower his lightning bolts when that is not an option. He uses suggestion to urge targets to throw all of their weapons to the bottom of the spawning pool or to take off heavy armor. Even if pressed, Zyrxog does not plane shift away in a vain hope of defeating the party to prevent them from raiding his private chambers and destroy ing the tadpoles, ruining his plans and
years of work.

The octopins charge down the wall seeking to expose the party to their gaze, while tearing into the weaker members in the rear.

Treasure:

Aside from Zyrxog’s gear, the tadpoles in the pool are worth 1,000 gp if sold to the right shady dealer. However, if all the tadpoles are destroyed, the party should be awarded 2,000 XP for elimi nating such a dangerous threat.

M14. Zyrxog’s Private Chamber

Behind the black column, Zyrxog main tains his private quarters, where he rests and contemplates his plans. The room contains a desk, two bookshelves full of books pertaining to the Free City and the areas beneath it, and a locked chest (Zyrxog carries the key). Lying open on the desk is a ledger, written in Undercommon. It details the mind flayer’s recent business transactions in rare and dangerous items with patrons throughout the Free City. The most recent lists a payment for the sale of an ancient relic listed as the Apos tolic Scrolls. This transaction is between the mind flayer and Loris Raknian, director of the Free City Arena. Of more import to the PCs is a note that Raknian also paid Zyrxog to assassinate the PCs. Discovering Rak nian’s motivations and the truth behind the Apostolic Scrolls is covered in “The Champion’s Belt,” the next installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path.

Treasure

Opening the chest requires a DC 23 Dexterity ({@tool Thieves’ Tools}) check. The chest con tains large bags full of coins. The bags contain 950 cp, 220 sp, 300 gp, and 25 pp. A fifth bag contains loose gemstones totaling 1,500 gp in value.

Concluding The Adventure

Should the PCs fail in their mission, they are more than likely dead. Should they survive, they have undoubtedly learned that they have a powerful enemy in the Free City— Loris Raknian. As long as the PCs remain in the Free City, they are in danger.

A few days after the PCs defeat Zyrxog and have had a chance to rest and recu perate, but before they have a proper chance to act on the information they’ve learned about Raknian and his mysteri ous interest in their livelihood, Eligos sends them a note inviting them to his estate for dinner. If you intend on run ning the next adventure in the Age of Worms Adventure Path, that adventure begins with this meeting. If you’re run ning “Hall of Harsh Reflections” as a stand-alone adventure, use the following to give this adventure some closure. Once the PCs arrive, the sage invites them in and enjoys a sumptuous feast with them, while discussing the results of his research. He is disturbed by what he has learned and by the recent events that have plagued the party, and sincerely hopes that the party is searching for a way to stop those behind these nefarious plots. He returns any materials loaned to him, wishes them luck in their quest, and bids them farewell.

In any event, as the PCs approach Eli gos’s estate, a young boy darts past, rush ing about posting flyers on every tree, wall, and message board he can find. The flyers read, “The Free City Champion’s Games are coming!” Just below is an illustration of the Free City arena and at the bottom, “Loris Raknian, Director.”