Keys from the Golden Vault

Dannell's Map

Dr. Dannell gives the characters her sketch of the museum (see map 1.1) before they leave for the gala. Although she's a brilliant academic, Dr. Dannell is neither an architect nor a burglar. Her map is based on the public map of the museum's exhibits, so it is incomplete and lacks information about the museum's security measures. For instance, Dr. Dannell knows the museum is outfitted with alarms after it closes to the public, but she doesn't know where those alarms are located or how to bypass them.

Museum Guards

Alarms

Audible alarm spells have been cast in areas marked (A) on map 1.2. The museum's guards and the curator have pass cards that allow them to bypass these alarms, and spare pass cards are kept in x (see "x" below for more information). The alarms are located as follows:

• The front doors to x
• At the bottom of the stairs in x
• In each hallway leading from x to x
• On the doors leading from x to areas x, x, and x
• In the hall leading from x to x
• On the door leading from x to the hallway to x

If an alarm is on a door, touching the door sets off the alarm. If an alarm is on a 5-foot square, entering that square sets it off. The alarm on the front doors in area V1 extends 10 feet, covering the entire width of the doorway. When an alarm sounds, any guards in the area plus 1d3 other guards from that floor hear it and investigate.

The characters can find a record of the museum's payment for these spells, including their specific locations, by searching the records room (area V6); the alarms can also be detected using detect magic. The alarms aren't armed while the museum is open to the public.

Animated Statues

The statues that flank the front desk in x and the statue next to the stairs in x can animate after hours to attack intruders. These statues use the animated armor stat block. Causing a statue to animate alerts any guards in that area.

A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around each statue. A character who becomes aware of the statues' magical nature can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the check is successful, the character realizes the statues can animate.

Gemstone Wing

If the characters don't carefully remove the Murkmire Stone from its pedestal in area V13, arcane lock spells cause all doors leading to the room (including secret doors) to close and lock. As an action, a character can either try to unlock a door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open the door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The characters can learn about this security measure by attending the gala (see the "x" section).

Guards

After hours, Maryam Bikram is stationed at the entrance to the gala. Eleven other museum guards watch the areas indicated in the Guard Locations After Hours table. Guards have keys to certain areas. Guards also have pass cards that allow them to bypass the museum's alarms (see "x" below).

If the characters get into a noisy fight with one or more guards, an additional 1d4 guards arrive each round until all the remaining museum guards are accounted for.

If the guards incapacitate a character or a character surrenders, the guards haul that character to the nearby city watch headquarters. If all the characters are caught, their mission is unsuccessful and the adventure ends.

Alda's Clutch

Characters who watch Alda closely notice a fancy clutch she holds behind her back. Inside the clutch is a map of the museum guards' after-hours stations, a master key to the museum's locked doors, and a pass card that allows Alda to bypass the museum's alarms (see "x" earlier in the adventure for details).

Gemstone Wing Security Measures

A character who spends at least 1 minute studying the pedestal during the gala realizes it has an elaborate defense mechanism (see area V13).

Alarms

An alarm spell has been cast on the bottom of the grand staircase. Another such spell has been cast on the front doors.

Front Doors

The museum's front doors are locked from the inside. As an action, a character can try to pick the lock using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check.

Trap

The 5-foot-by-10-foot section of floor immediately north of the museum's front doors (marked T on map 1.2) contains a pressure plate hidden under a rug. Lifting the rug or pushing it aside reveals the pressure plate, which is activated and deactivated by a toggle switch hidden under the nearby information desk. The trap is normally activated while the museum is closed to the public and deactivated while the museum is open to the public.

The first time a creature steps on the pressure plate while the trap is activated, a weighted net drops from a secret compartment in the ceiling, covering the 10-foot-square area between the front doors and the information desk. Creatures in that area are restrained by the net, and those that fail a DC 10 Strength saving throw are also knocked prone.

A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. The net has AC 10 and 12 hit points. Creatures are no longer restrained by the net once it drops to 0 hit points.

Treasure

Each shop includes a small back room with a locked door. As an action, a character can try to unlock either door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check. Inside each shop's back room is a till containing 1d6 gp, 2d6 sp, and 3d6 cp. Additionally, one set of thieves' tools can be cobbled together from the supplies in the back rooms.

Alarms

The short hallways that connect this area to the grand entrance (x) have alarm spells cast on them.

Secret Doors

The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the west wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V4.

Secret Doors

The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the east wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V3.

Alarm

An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to x.

Deadly Doll

After hours, the curator enables her office's defense mechanism: a five-foot-tall doll with the name "Marigold" sewn onto its vintage dress. When a creature other than Alda enters the room, the doll animates and attacks. Marigold uses the scarecrow stat block and fights until destroyed.

At your discretion, a noisy fight might attract the attention of the guards patrolling area V1.

Guards' Patrol Routes

If the characters didn't snatch Alda's clutch during the gala, they can find a copy of the guards' after-hours patrol routes on the desk under some other loose paperwork (see the "x" section).

Alarm

An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to x.

Records

This room contains records about past and current exhibits as well as the museum's financial records. A character who searches this area also finds information about the placement of the building's alarm spells (see "x" earlier in the adventure).

Alarm

An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to x.

Pass Card Stash

Characters who take a minute to search the boxes find a small, partially open box in the southwest corner. Inside are three palm-sized pass cards, each stamped with the museum's logo. A scrap of paper inside the box reads "spare alarm pass cards." Each pass card allows its bearer to bypass the museum's alarms, as described in the "x" section earlier in this adventure.

Treasure

Tucked between supply boxes in the northwest corner is a vial containing a potion of vitality.

Secret Door

Between two of the 15-foot-square exhibit rooms is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door opens to reveal x.

Fake Murkmire Stone

A character who examines the stones on display in the easternmost room realizes the central display cabinet includes a chunk of jade similar in size and weight to the Murkmire Stone. The display case is locked, but a character can take an action to try to open it using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. Smashing the display case's glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.

Secret Door

Between this exhibit and area V10 is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal area V13.

Treasure

A character who studies the exhibit and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check realizes the items on display include two flawless weapons: a +1 dagger and a +1 handaxe. The weapons are inside a glass case with a jammed lock, so the characters must break or cut through the glass to access the weapons. Breaking the glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.

Treasure

A small lockbox is stashed under the counter. As an action, a character can try to open the lockbox using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. The lockbox contains 15 gp, 7 sp, and 24 cp.

Alarms

An alarm spell has been cast in the hallway leading to the Unearthed Café (area V11). Another alarm spell has been cast on the door in the middle of the east wall (which leads to area V13).

Allosaurus

The allosaurus looks like a preserved specimen, but the museum hired rock gnomes to transform it into a harmless animatronic display. A character who examines the display's base notices a small hatch covering a panel of buttons. A character can use these controls to turn on the animatronic display, which alerts not only the guards in this area but also the guards in areas V11 and V13.

As an action, a character can use tinker's tools or thieves' tools to try to overload the magic that powers the controls, doing so with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. This causes the animatronic creature to break free from its display base and rampage for 10 minutes before becoming inert again. The creature stomps through the area, then heads down the grand staircase, causing mayhem in area V1. While it rampages, the creature uses the allosaurus stat block, with these changes:

• The animatronic allosaurus is a Construct.
• It is immune to poison and psychic damage, as well as the charmed, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions.

Vent

The east wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to area V13. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.

Light-Green Stone

The light-green stone on the pedestal is the Murkmire Stone, which is described at the end of this adventure. As Dr. Dannell fears, the stone is indeed an eldritch creature's egg. At 10:30 p.m., the effects described in "x" begin, and at midnight, the egg hatches. See "x" to learn what happens when the egg hatches.

Rigged Pedestal

A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around the pedestal, which is attached to the floor and can't be moved. A character who examines the pedestal notices tiny glyphs carved into its base and can make a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, the character realizes that all doors leading to the room will lock if the stone is removed from the pedestal.

If the Murkmire Stone is removed from the pedestal, arcane lock spells activate on all doors leading to the room (including secret doors), causing them to close and lock. As an action, a character can try to open a locked door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open a locked door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The arcane lock spells don't prevent the curator or the museum guards from opening the doors.

Replacing the Murkmire Stone with a fake can prevent the trap from triggering. A suitable fake can be found in x. Swapping it for the real Murkmire Stone without activating the arcane lock spells requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

Vent

The west wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to x. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.

Secret Door

The south wall contains a secret door that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the far end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal the hallway between areas x and x.

Loading Docks

The warehouse doors open onto an underground ramp that leads to street level. A character who has observed the whole building from the outside can easily find where the ramp exits at ground level. The doors are locked, and their hinges are stiff. Unlocking them requires a successful DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves' tools; after that, shoving the doors open requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. This is noisy and attracts the attention of one guard patrolling the grand entrance above (x).

Secret Door

In the basement's northwest corner, a secret door opens into a 50-foot-long tunnel that emerges in a copse of trees near the museum.

Treasure

Most of the items in the boxes would be nearly impossible to sell, as they would quickly be identified as stolen museum property. However, the boxes in the southeastern corner contain the items from the Gemstone Wing that were stored to make room for the Murkmire Stone gala: gemstones and chunks of raw silver ore, all found locally. The 20 pounds of gems and ore are worth 150 gp total.

Skylight

The skylight overhead is locked. A character can use an action to try to unlock the skylight using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. Lifting the skylight to open it then requires a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check.

Loose bricks are scattered on the roof near the skylight. A character could use a brick to prop the skylight open.

Another Stone

After the Murkmire Stone is neutralized, Dr. Dannell hears from a colleague that another expedition in the Murkmire has unearthed a similar object. This time, however, the egg is closer to hatching, and strange happenings are befalling the excavation crew. With Dr. Dannell still discredited, it's up to the characters to venture into the dangerous Murkmire, locate the crew, and contain the egg. But when the characters arrive at the dig site, the egg has hatched—and now the characters must defeat the hatchling before it causes more harm. The hatchling uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage.

Investigate the Hatchling

A strange creature has appeared in the crocodile enclosure at the Varkenbluff Zoo. The creature hatched from an egg similar to the Murkmire Stone and is now nearly 8 feet long. The zoo's baby crocodiles have disappeared, and animals near the crocodile enclosure have become violent. Headaches plague zookeepers who have tried to capture the creature. While Dr. Dannell tries to convince the zookeepers of the creature's nature, it's up to the characters to stop the hatchling. It's growing bigger by the hour as more animals disappear or act erratically. The hatchling uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage.

Reinstate Dr. Dannell

Now that she knows her theories about the Murkmire Stone were correct, Dr. Dannell seeks to regain her position at Varkenbluff University. She has assembled proof that the Murkmire Stone is an eldritch creature's egg. But the museum's curator blocks her reinstatement bid—and then goes missing, casting further suspicion on Dr. Dannell. Dr. Dannell offers the characters a share of her future earnings for their help tracking down the curator and convincing her to reverse her vote against Dr. Dannell. The characters follow Alda's trail through Varkenbluff's high society and discover the curator is the head of an illegal syndicate fencing stolen objects. The characters must confront her and her minions to save Dr. Dannell's reputation and prevent stolen historical objects from being sold illegally.

A Stolen Stone

Shortly after the characters' unsuccessful heist, Alda Arkin steals the stone herself. The secret leader of an illegal syndicate that fences stolen historical objects, the curator believes she can get a high price for this strange piece. Using an arcane ritual, the curator renders the egg unable to hatch, but its dire effects persist. When the egg's eldritch energy transforms the curator into a Monstrosity, she holes up in her manor with the egg, unable to think straight. The characters must confront the warped creatures within Alda's manor—including the curator—before the stone can cause more mayhem.

Museum Feeding Frenzy

The Murkmire Stone hatches into an eight-foot-long, nascent eldritch horror, and the stone's effects cease. At first, the museum's staff assumes someone stole the stone and closes the building. But the hatchling terrorizes and eats the guards one by one. Curator Alda Arkin admits Dr. Dannell's theory might be correct and hires the characters to stop the eldritch creature. The wily monster is now the size of a pony and uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage. It has set traps using the slime it secretes while metabolizing its food, and the entire museum is its nightmarish habitat. The characters must stop this creature before it outgrows the museum.

If the eldritch horror isn't defeated within a few days, it rampages through the museum's front doors, bolting toward Varkenbluff University. Now grown to enormous proportions, the juvenile eldritch horror uses the behir stat block but speaks no languages and has an Intelligence score of 18. It also has the following additional action option:

The city needs heroes to track down the horror and incapacitate it before it causes even more carnage.