Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Guardians of Gorm

The Guardians of Gorm are followers of Gorm, a god of justice, storms, and war. Members of this tight-knit fellowship value bravery, honesty, and justice tempered by mercy. They view storms as holy and believe thunder to be Gorm's reboant voice.

Guardians wear brass masks depicting the stern, bearded face of Gorm and deep blue tunics. Under each guardian's armor, their right shoulder bears a cobalt-hued tattoo of a lightning bolt.

Mages of Usamigaras

Like their mischievous god Usamigaras—a deity of magic, messengers, and thieves—the Mages of Usamigaras are outwardly kind but duplicitous in nature. They prize trickery above sincerity and never speak their true intentions, advancing their goals through deceit and treachery.

Mages wear silver masks of a smiling, round-faced boy—the face of Usamigaras—along with silvery robes that draw attention away from their hidden wands. Each mage's right palm bears a tattoo of a five-pointed star.

Warriors of Madarua

The ancient god Madarua presides over birth, death, and the shifting seasons. Courage, adaptability, and wit are paramount to the Warriors of Madarua, and these traits have served them well—within the underground city, this faction is outnumbered only by the Cult of Zargon.

Madarua's warriors wear bronze masks of her expressionless face. They dress in bronze armor and favor spears, and each member bears a sickle-shaped tattoo on their left wrist.

Random Ziggurat Encounters

B1: Statue Room

When the characters ascend the monument, read or paraphrase the following text:

The corpse is that of an explorer who reached the ziggurat several weeks ago. After he triggered a deadly crossbow trap in the corridor, his fellow expeditioners stripped him of equipment and proceeded into the monument. A character who examines the area and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check spots a tripped pressure plate on the floor and an empty crossbow in the wall.

When the characters enter the chamber, read or paraphrase the following text:

Footprints of several humanoids are visible in the dust, stopping in front of the center cylinder.

Shortly after all characters enter the chamber, the corpse (or anything propping the door open) crumbles and the door automatically shuts, sealing characters in the lightless chamber. Once closed, the door can be pushed open only from outside. It can't be opened from inside, and it has no lock to pick. The characters must find a new way out of the ziggurat.

B2: Machinery Storeroom

Three giant fire beetles skitter about this storeroom, hunting for food. If the beetles detect the characters, the beetles hiss and attack.

B3: Secret Room

This room can be accessed via two secret doors in the hallways bordering it. When the characters enter, read or paraphrase the following text:

A dishonest member of the Guardians of Gorm stole riches from the faction's treasure room (x) and hid them in this chamber. Before the guardian's last visit, a pack of stirges made the room their lair; when he returned, they drank him dry. A character who inspects the body and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check learns the corpse is fresh but bereft of blood.

B4: Abandoned Priest's Quarters

[image: A Mask of Gorm]

This room was once the quarters of a priest of Gorm. On the desk lies a wooden holy symbol shaped like a lightning bolt. The hobgoblin is an explorer who died weeks ago after the bees in area B5 swarmed her. A character who examines the body and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check determines the hobgoblin was stung by hundreds of insects.

B5: Treasure Room of Gorm

The locked cage holds what little treasure the Guardians of Gorm have accumulated. As an action, a character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools. The key is held by Kanadius, the faction's leader (see x).

Two swarms of bees nest within the hive; use the swarm of insects (wasps) stat block to represent each of them. The bees are friendly toward the Guardians of Gorm but hostile to all others. If a character comes within 5 feet of the cage or disturbs its contents without first donning a mask of Gorm, the swarms erupt from the hive and attack.

B6: Storage Room

The door to this storage room has remained closed for decades. The room contains nothing of value.

B7: Fireworks Storeroom

Three pixies—Wenly, Weenly, and Wally—are investigating the crates in this storeroom. The pixies speak Common and Sylvan. If approached, the friendly pixies introduce themselves and flit about the characters. The pixies inquire eagerly about the characters' outfits, equipment, and travels, but nothing holds the pixies' attention for long.

The pixies entered the ziggurat two days ago through a crack in the stonework. They don't know the history of Cynidicea or its fall, but they've glimpsed a few of the monument's residents and their customs from a safe distance. The pixies won't join the characters in exploring the ziggurat, but they can share the following information:

• Dungeon Dangers. The ziggurat holds many dangers. The deeper you go, the worse it gets.
• Masked Factions. Everyone in the ziggurat wears a mask. If two people wear the same mask, they're part of the same faction. The factions don't seem to get along.

The pixies attempt to flee if attacked, defending themselves as necessary. They blow raspberries at the characters as they fly away.

B8: Abandoned Room

The walls and floors of this room are covered in patches of hazardous green slime (see the Dungeon Master's Guide). A dwarf member of the Guardians of Gorm perished here weeks ago. The slime has been slowly digesting the body since.

B9: Abandoned Priest's Quarters

On the bed, a giant lizard munches on the body of an unfortunate Cynidicean. If the lizard notices the characters, it abandons its meal in favor of fresh meat. While feasting on the corpse, the lizard tangled its tail in the dead Cynidicean's mask; during combat, the mask remains wrapped around the lizard's tail.

A second giant lizard with pale blue scales and orange spots clings to the ceiling, waiting to ambush unsuspecting entrants. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher notice the lizard before it attacks.

B10: Abandoned Priest's Quarters

This room is identical in arrangement to area B9, but it's unoccupied and contains no corpses. A wooden holy symbol in the shape of a balance rests on the desk.

B11: Barracks of Gorm

Five guardians of Gorm recently repurposed this chamber to house their ranks. The sheet-draped guardian, a dwarf named Artha, is recounting an experience she had on the fourth level of the ziggurat. She claims to have seen the ghost of King Alendria there.

When the guardians notice the characters, Artha stops her story and asks the party to identify themselves and whom they serve. If the characters speak favorably of Gorm or declare no allegiances, Artha warmly invites them to join the Guardians of Gorm, then escorts the party to area B12 to meet the faction's leader, Kanadius. If the characters insult Gorm or claim to worship Madarua or Usamigaras, Artha tells the characters to turn back or suffer Gorm's thunderous wrath.

If the characters attack the guardians or refuse to heed their warnings, the guardians produce weapons and defend their turf. Combat in this room draws the attention of the guardians in area B12, who send two guardians of Gorm from that room to investigate. The guardians aim to knock the characters out rather than kill them, leaving their judgment to Kanadius.

B12: Grand Master of Gorm

[image: The Guardians of Gorm drum up a musical storm in honor of Gorm, their stern-faced god]

A gold-plated statue of Gorm—a smaller version of the statue atop the ziggurat—stands in the hallway east of this room. The gold flakes easily, revealing the statue's wooden construction beneath.

Characters who listen at the door hear drums thrumming within. When the characters enter, read or paraphrase the following text:

Five guardians of Gorm conduct a storm ceremony under the supervision of Kanadius (lawful good, human champion of Gorm; see x), the Grand Master of Gorm. Kanadius—who wears a Helm of Telepathy—is stoic but kind, with a grandfatherly demeanor. He leads by example and has earned the respect of his fellow guardians.

B13: Revolving Passage

This central area connects eight hallways on the third tier of the ziggurat via a revolving passage on a stone turntable.

On the wall inside the revolving passage is a row of four levers, each corresponding to one of the passage's possible orientations: running north to south, east to west, northwest to southeast, or northeast to southwest. When a lever is pulled, if the passage isn't already aligned with the corresponding orientation, the passage grinds faintly and swings clockwise to match the lever. This process takes 1 round. Only one lever can be engaged at once, and pulling a lever disengages any previously engaged lever.

B14: Abandoned Ceremonial Chamber

The cultists of Zargon ravaged this room years ago. Except for the wreckage, the room is empty.

B15: Abandoned Storeroom

The stores in this room are covered in four patches of yellow mold (see the Dungeon Master's Guide).

Most of the food here is unfit for consumption, but a crate marked with a bee along the east wall contains 1d4 doses of healing honey, crystallized but still edible. A creature that consumes one dose of this honey as an action regains 1d4 + 1 hit points. This honey was produced by bees like those in x. Characters can open the crate without disturbing the yellow mold.

B16: Secret Room

This room is hidden behind a secret door in the hallway bordering it and another in the next room. A large wicker basket, filled with coins and gems, rests on the floor. Two horned vipers (poisonous snakes) hide in the basket, ready to strike.

B17: Abandoned Ceremonial Chamber

The corpse is a thief who sought to plunder the ziggurat but fell to one of its many wandering threats. Unlike the Cynidiceans, the plunderer wears no mask.

B18: Chamber of Usamigaras

[image: Through a starry ritual, the Mages of Usamigaras initiate a new member to their faction]

The corridors outside this room are painted black with tiny stars resembling the night sky. The room's iron doors each bear an engraved star. An audible Alarm spell warns the room's inhabitants when a creature other than a mage of Usamigaras touches either door.

When the characters enter, read or paraphrase:

Four mages of Usamigaras have just initiated a new member in their faction's ceremonial chamber. The ritual was supervised by Auriga Sirkinos (chaotic neutral, elf champion of Usamigaras; see x), Chief Mage of Usamigaras. Superficially amicable and jolly, their pleasant exterior conceals a treacherous fanatic who would do anything to promote their faction. Auriga and the other mages are initially indifferent toward the party.

B19: Mages' Quarters

This remarkably clean room belongs to the Mages of Usamigaras. The mages in area B18 sleep here when away from their stronghold in the underground city (see the "x" section). The chests contain spare robes and various personal belongings but nothing of value.

B20: Chief Mage's Quarters

A dire wolf, captured as a cub and trained as a guard dog, protects Auriga's private chambers. The wolf is hostile toward anyone other than Auriga who enters this room, but a character who makes calming gestures or offers it food can placate it with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. Characters dressed in the attire of the Mages of Usamigaras have advantage on this check. If a character pacifies the wolf, it retrieves a slobbery humanoid bone from under Auriga's bed and whines until a character plays fetch with it.

B21: Shifting Wall

The silver-plated statue at the end of the hall depicts the god Usamigaras and hides a shifting wall. Tapping on the statue reveals its hollow construction.

A character who inspects the statue and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check learns that the statue's wand controls a mechanism in the wall. A character who succeeds on this check by 5 or more also knows the correct direction to pull the wand to cause the wall to shift. Members of the Mages of Usamigaras, including newly initiated characters, know how to control the shifting wall.

If the wand is pulled to the left, the wall and statue rotate ninety degrees, allowing passage into the corridor beyond for 1 minute, then shift back into place.

If the wand is pulled to the right, the statue exhales poison gas in a 15-foot-cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage.

B22: Storeroom

Four dust mephits rummage through the stores in this room. They've just discovered a cask of wine. The dust mephits are hostile toward characters who disrupt their festivities but friendly toward any who join in the revelry.

B23: Ceremonial Chamber of Madarua

In the hallway outside this shrine, two 10-foot-tall bronze statues of female warriors stand with spears crossed to form an arch. Beneath them lies a hidden pressure plate that, when stepped on, rings a chime in x to alert the Warriors of Madarua of creatures approaching their shrine. A character who examines the arch and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the pressure plate.

[image: A Mask of Madarua]

The door to the chamber is locked. As an action, a character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools or force open the door with a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check.

When the characters enter the chamber, read or paraphrase the following text:

Tiny listening holes dot the south wall, concealed by hanging cloths. If the characters forced open the door, the warriors in x investigate, and the encounter in that area happens here instead.

B24: Treasure Room of Madarua

This room's vault contains the treasure of the Warriors of Madarua. The faction's leader, Pandora (see area B25), carries the key. As an action, a character can pick the vault's lock with a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools. A character who fails this check, or who tries to force the vault open, triggers the ceiling trap.

B25: Gymnasium of Madarua

[image: The fearless Warriors of Madarua sharpen their fighting techniques in their stone gymnasium]

Six warriors of Madarua train in this area. The woman supervising them is Pandora (lawful neutral, human champion of Madarua; see x), Madarua's Champion. The oldest and most experienced warrior in the faction, Pandora believes any problem can be solved with swift, direct action. She and the other warriors are initially indifferent to the party.

B26: Ceremonial Chamber of Gorm

The door to this ceremonial chamber is engraved with three lightning bolts limned in blue light. The door is locked and magically trapped. As an action, a character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools. A Detect Magic spell reveals an aura of evocation magic around the door. If a creature outside the chamber picks the lock or touches the trapped door without first speaking the words "by the great god Gorm," the creature takes 4 (1d8) lightning damage.

When the characters enter, read or paraphrase:

The Guardians of Gorm conduct religious ceremonies in this dimly lit chamber. Characters who join the faction are inducted here.

If the characters attacked Kanadius earlier in the adventure and he escaped (see x), he's here along with two guardians of Gorm. Otherwise, the room is unoccupied.

B27: Jester's Burial Room

If a creature touches the coffin, the lid flips open, and a cheery wooden jester on a spring pops up and does a little jig. The prop then hangs lifelessly until the trick is reset by shoving the prop back into the coffin, which also contains the jester's ashes.

B28: High Priest's Burial Room

Scorch marks from a former trap cover the door to this room and the wall around it. This magical trap was recently triggered by a ghoul, whose outline is visible among the scorch marks. The door is ajar and safe to open.

When the characters enter, read or paraphrase:

Three ghouls are devouring the corpse of a former high priest. When they detect the characters, the ghouls attack, eager to taste ripe flesh.

B29: Ghostly Haunt

The figure is the spirit of Alendria (lawful good ghost), the last king of Cynidicea. Cursed to wander his once-splendid tomb, the ghost lingers here to warn honorable travelers of its dangers.

If the characters don't attack, the ghost reveals the following information, then fades away:

• Escaping the Ziggurat. The main entrance to—and exit from—the ziggurat (x) lies on the next tier down. Its doors have been closed for centuries and can be opened only from the inside.
• Haunted Tombs. Horrible creatures haunt the burial chambers of the king and queen. One of the creatures claims to be Queen Zanobis herself. The monarchs can't rest until these wicked Undead are slain.
• Undying Enemy. Only fools challenge Zargon and his cultists. All who oppose them fail.

If the characters attack Alendria's ghost, the spirit admonishes them and disappears without delivering the hints above.

B30: Guard Captain's Burial Room

This burial chamber belongs to King Alendria's honor guard, who defend his kingdom even in death. If the characters enter before defeating the banshee in x, the five skeletons animate and attack. The skeletons don't pursue characters outside this room.

If the characters defeat the banshee, the skeletons instead kneel, each pledging a silent vow to defend the characters for the next 1d4 hours or until the skeletons earn their second death (whichever comes sooner). After these vows are fulfilled, the skeletons crumble to dust.

B31: Noble's Burial Room

A mummy rests in the coffin, clutching a +1 Rapier to its wrinkled chest. If disturbed, the mummy awakens, releases the rapier, and attacks.

B32: Ankheg Den

This burial room has become the den of an ankheg, drawn to the tomb complex to feast on giant rodents and Cynidiceans who come to pay their respects. A character who examines the dead rat and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check determines the rat was killed by acid.

Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher feel intensifying tremors beneath them. If a character approaches the mound or remains in this room for longer than 1 minute, the ankheg erupts from the floor and attacks, eager for its next meal.

B33: Astrologer's Burial Room

This burial chamber is brightly lit by two Continual Flame spells cast on brass jars at the coffin's head and foot. Inside the coffin lies the astrologer's body.

B34: Master Thief's Burial Room

A carrion crawler clings to the ceiling in this room, waiting to ambush entrants. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher notice the carrion crawler before it attacks.

A master thief stole a prime burial place near the king and queen, arranging for her locked coffin to be placed in this unmarked chamber. As an action, a character can pick the lock with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools. Inside rests the decrepit, still-smirking corpse of a halfling.

B35: Chamberlain's Burial Room

The door to this room is boarded up with dusty planks. When the characters enter, read:

This burial room was looted during Cynidicea's fall. In the years following, trespassers fell prey to the dangers of the tomb complex. They rose again as five zombies that rush to consume entrants.

B36: Slime Fountain

Constructed to honor the ziggurat's architect, this fountain draws from a contaminated reservoir deep underground. Years ago, a thirsty dwarf explorer succumbed to its corrupted waters.

A creature that drinks from the fountain or touches its waters must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or have the poisoned condition for 1 hour. A Purify Food and Drink spell cleans the fountain and causes its waters to run clear for 1 hour, after which its spout resumes its putrid flow.

B37: Embalming Room

This room was used for embalming corpses. The jars on the tables contain various chemicals for preserving bodies. When the characters enter, two shadows rise from the floor and attack.

B38: Lady-in-Waiting's Burial Room

The coffin is empty. It once belonged to Therisina, the queen's lady-in-waiting. Unknown to Queen Zanobis, Therisina secretly loved King Alendria and never overcame her sorrow at his passing. She now haunts his tomb (see x). A character who examines the frescoes notices Therisina eying King Alendria with admiration in one scene.

B39: Councilor's Burial Room

Four giant rats have chewed a hole in the coffin and made it their den. The coffin is otherwise empty, its contents pilfered long ago. The rats attack anyone who approaches the coffin.

B40: Southwest Corridor

The slab is a trapdoor. Pulling the ring reveals a ladder down to x on the tier below.

B41: Tomb Annex

This sealed annex, accessible via two secret doors at the west end of the corridor, leads to the burial chambers of King Alendria and Queen Zanobis. The annex contains several obstacles designed to deter tomb robbers and other would-be plunderers.

B42: False Tomb

Everything in this tomb is a sham. The sarcophagi are wood painted to look like solid gold, and they contain only chalk-white skeletons made of clay. Though the chests seem to brim with coins and gems, a character who inspects them and succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check learns they are cheap counterfeits and bits of colored glass.

B43: Queen Zanobis's Tomb

This tomb once contained a treasure trove, which the surviving Cynidiceans plundered long ago. As an action, a character can try to pry open the lid of the sarcophagus, doing so with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. If the sarcophagus is opened, Queen Zanobis—now a wight—springs from it and attacks. She wields a scepter instead of a blade, so her melee attacks deal bludgeoning damage instead of slashing damage.

The queen's mind is clouded by rage. As she lashes out at the characters, Queen Zanobis decries them as "ungrateful looters," seeing them as the Cynidiceans who plundered her tomb in years past. If the queen is slain, she crumbles to ash with a grateful sigh, and her spirit is finally put to rest. If the characters later encounter King Alendria's spirit (see area B44), the spirit of Queen Zanobis appears alongside him to thank the characters.

B44: King Alendria's Tomb

The hall outside this chamber echoes with faint, ethereal sobs. When the characters enter, read:

A banshee haunts King Alendria's grave, weeping over the dead monarch centuries after his passing. Characters who saw the frescoes in x recognize the wailing spirit as Queen Zanobis's lady-in-waiting, Therisina. She attacks all who enter.

B45: Secret Room

A ladder in this room leads up to the trapdoor in x. The outline of a secret door to area B46 is visible here. The room is otherwise empty.

B46: Demetrius's Bedroom

This was the bedroom of Demetrius, a priest in the Mages of Usamigaras. When the Cult of Zargon corrupted his twin brother, Darius, Demetrius vowed to destroy the cult. However, its hold over Darius proved too great, and Darius assassinated his brother. Demetrius's vengeful spirit now resides within the softly glowing robe.

B47: Treasure Room

The tapestry behind the chest is a hostile mimic. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher notice that despite the breeze, the tapestry remains unnaturally still.

As an action, a character can open the padlocked chest with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools.

B48: Kitchen and Dining Room

The giant constrictor snake strikes at any who interrupt its meal. The cupboards are empty, but the dead Cynidicean's robes contain a full waterskin and two days of rations.

B49: Living Room

The two statues are suits of animated armor. Both statues awaken if either door to this room is opened. Created to protect Cynidiceans in this room, the statues are indifferent toward creatures wearing stylized Cynidicean masks and hostile toward all others. The statues never leave the room.

B50: Consultation Room

Two gargoyles guard this room. The gargoyles are hostile toward the characters but don't pursue them beyond the room.

B51: Pit Trap

This intersection contains a 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep pit. The opening is covered by a wooden trapdoor painted to blend into the stone around it. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notice the trapdoor.

When a weight greater than 50 pounds is placed on the trapdoor, the door swings downward. Each creature and object on it falls into the pit, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall and landing with the prone condition on a pile of brittle bones.

B52: Abandoned Clerical Quarters

This damp room's interior shimmers faintly, as if seen through clear water. Just inside the doorway is a hostile gelatinous cube. The cube is still digesting the remains of its last meal—a skeleton that appears to float in mid-air, chunks of gooey flesh clinging to its bones. The room is otherwise empty.

B53: Priests' Quarters

The masked elf is a doppelganger that killed the Cynidicean it now impersonates. When it becomes aware of the characters, the doppelganger introduces itself as Kastrith, a friendly Cynidicean priest, and volunteers to help the party navigate the ziggurat. The doppelganger aims to split the party and take a character's place by any means necessary.

B54: Storage Room

Two ogres rummage for morsels in this storage room. Candles, incense, and other ceremonial items line its dusty shelves. When the characters enter, the ogres are eating a box of candles. Hungry and unsatisfied, the ogres demand food from all entrants and clobber any who refuse to give it to them.

B55: Hidden Guardroom

Two wererat thieves in humanoid form divide their recent spoils. When they notice the characters, the wererats throw a cloth over the chest to conceal it and leap to their feet.

The wererats initially behave amicably toward the characters and claim to be Cynidiceans who lost their way in the monument—a ruse to buy time so they can rob the characters.

When the conversation stalls, the wererats spring on the characters. The wererats are cowardly; when reduced to half its hit points or fewer, a wererat transforms into a giant rat and attempts to flee.

B56: Temple

The women atop the dais are jackalweres disguised as human Cynidiceans. Sisters and charlatans, the two happened on the ziggurat and began scouring it for valuables. The siblings are insufferably vain but ultimately indifferent toward the characters.

When the sisters notice the characters, they bow and introduce themselves as Chana and Vana, potion sellers extraordinaire. The charlatans try to sell the characters fake potions—glittering bottles advertised as "rare and magical elixirs" with outlandish properties—for anything precious the characters can offer. A Detect Magic spell reveals the potions as fakes. If confronted, the sisters flee, defending themselves as necessary. Failing that, they attempt to wangle their freedom through bribery and deceit.

B57: Entrance Hall

[image: Deep within the ziggurat, a time-worn wall mosaic depicts the rise and fall of Cynidicea]

The doors to this entrance hall have been sealed for centuries. Though the ziggurat is normally covered by mountains of sand, the dunes have temporarily shifted. These main doors can be opened from the inside if two creatures simultaneously turn the spoked platforms and both creatures succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. The doors then slowly swing inward, accompanied by the sound of grating stone and a deluge of sand.

If the characters leave the ziggurat, proceed to this adventure's x.

B58: Acid Pit

The floor of this sunken room is filled with a 6-foot-deep pool of vaporific acid. A creature that enters the pool for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 22 (4d10) acid damage.

A corroded metal box bobs in the hissing pool; its padlocked lid protrudes above the liquid's surface.

B59: Storage Room

A disoriented owlbear, ravenously hungry and drunk on wine, has ransacked this storage room. If not fed immediately, the owlbear attacks. A character who feeds the owlbear and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check calms the creature, changing its attitude to indifferent.

B60: Lobby

The masked figures are six cultists of Zargon. Mesmerized by a visage of their overlord reflected in a bowl of slime, the cultists are indifferent toward the characters. If disturbed, the cultists become hostile.

Non-cultists who gaze into the basin glimpse the nightmarish face of Zargon and must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or have the frightened condition for 1 minute. A creature that fails the saving throw can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

If a character looks into the basin, the cultists snap out of their stupor and attack. They drag any defeated characters to Darius's office (x).

B61: Party Room

Nine Cynidiceans (commoners) revel quietly in this fungal room. To escape their bleak existence, the Cynidiceans have partnered with a myconid sovereign. In exchange for the Cynidiceans tending its garden, the myconid facilitates group melds—vivid, shared dreams that provide entertainment and social interaction. As the partygoers meld, they are blissfully unaware of the characters.

When the characters enter, the sovereign invites them to participate in the meld. If they accept, the sovereign exudes a cloud of hallucinatory spores, drawing the characters into the Cynidiceans' shared dream. For 1 minute, the characters taste the former splendor of Cynidicea as the room around them appears to melt away, replaced by an ornate ballroom filled with joyful citizens in fanciful attire.

If the characters decline, the sovereign allows them to continue onward, asking only that they don't interrupt the meld. Attacking the sovereign shatters the illusion and angers the Cynidiceans, who join the sovereign in driving the characters out by force.

B62: Gambling Room

Some surviving Cynidiceans gamble the fortunes of their lost kingdom in this secluded room. Twelve masked commoners play games here, supervised by four cultists of Zargon.

If trouble breaks out in this room, Darius and two more cultists barge out of area B63, swords at the ready. The gamblers try to abstain from combat.

[image: A Mask of Zargon]

B63: Darius's Office

Darius (chaotic evil, human cult fanatic) and two cultists of Zargon lurk in this office, counting coins confiscated from Cynidicean gamblers. They are hostile toward anyone not garbed in their cult's attire.

If a character is wearing Demetrius's white robe, Darius exclaims:

Darius and his cohorts fight to the death.

Expanded Ziggurat Features

Unless otherwise noted, this tier has the following features:

• Ceilings. Corridors have 15-foot-high ceilings, and rooms have 20-foot-high ceilings.
• Doors. Translucent membranes curtain the entrances to each area. Creatures that pass through a membrane are coated in a mucilaginous glaze.
• Lighting. Bulbous growths cling to walls throughout. Their pulsing, sickly glow provides dim light.
• Slime. A film of sticky slime covers most surfaces.

Random Encounters

For each hour the party spends on this level, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, the characters encounter 1d4 + 1 cultists led by a cult fanatic looking for sacrifices. Each cult member wears a gold mask of Zargon worth 50 gp.

Expanded Ziggurat Locations

The following locations are keyed to map 2.4.

B64: Mouth of Zargon

A black pudding creeps along the ceiling. It attempts to plop onto one of the characters and drag them into one of the slimy chutes on the floor.

B65: Ritual Chamber

Twelve cultists perform a wicked ritual in this room. The cultists are hostile toward intruders but continue intoning even in combat—only death can separate the Zargonites from their goal. The cultist on the pedestal refrains from joining combat until the ritual is complete; if they are killed, another cultist takes their place on the altar.

The ritual continues for 3 rounds or until all cultists have been dispatched. A Silence spell that envelops all the cultists also stops the ritual.

If one or more cultists are still chanting at the end of round 2, the cultist on the altar (or closest to it) transforms into a gibbering mouther with all its hit points. Read or paraphrase the following text:

B66: Cultists' Quarters

Low-ranking members of the Cult of Zargon sleep in these communal chambers.

B67: Belly of the Beast

Six duergar loyal to Zargon work to expand this fleshy chamber. When the characters enter, two of the duergar are arguing over the quality of their tools. The duergar are friendly to characters who wear the masks of Zargon's cultists, allowing them to pass; otherwise, the duergar greet intruders with hostility.

B68: Spawning Chamber

Four cult fanatics deposit leftovers from sacrifices in area B69 into vats here in hopes of birthing Oozes to serve Zargon. The cultists are hostile toward intruders not garbed in their cult's attire.

If a cultist is slain, their companions rush to cast themselves into the vats, where they quickly dissolve and potentially spawn oozes. The cultists praise Zargon with their last breaths.

B69: Foul Chapel

Cultists present sacrifices to the Returner in this unholy temple. When the characters enter, Zekrikitch—a high priest of Zargon transformed by the Returner's slime—is addressing six cultists. Zekrikitch uses the mind flayer stat block, though he can also speak Common. Four of the tentacles under the high priest's mask are alive, writhing subtly as he speaks.

Zekrikitch telepathically probes the minds of any unexpected guests. If the characters attempt to fool the cultists using disguises or magic, the high priest plays along while telepathically warning his allies, who attack as one.

If the characters are defeated here or elsewhere on this level, the cultists chain one unlucky character to the altar and lock the remaining characters in the cages. The cultists then ring the gong.

B70: Lair of Zargon

A lake of slime fills this ruined chamber, whose walls climb 40 feet to a cavernous ceiling. Froth and scum line the lake's edge.

Shortly after the characters enter, a deep, guttural voice echoes in their minds. At first, its words are unintelligible, but slowly the gibberish gives way to a question: "What worlds have you destroyed?"

Give the party a moment to answer, then read:

The creature is Zargon the Returner, the deathless aberration responsible for the fall of Cynidicea. Although Zargon is ageless, it is no god. A cunning evil of an age beyond memory, Zargon has discovered feigning godhood begets it a glut of sacrifices from those who crave its power.

If confronted by characters of 10th level or lower, Zargon toys with the party. Mildly impressed by the characters' foolish resolve, the elder evil might offer to make them minions, lieutenants, or priests—but not before threatening to eat them. Zargon spares those who tremble before it, acknowledge it as a god, or make it an offering of at least 600 gp.

Zargon takes adventurers of 11th level or higher more seriously. Deprived of worthy challengers for centuries, the Returner dares the characters to claim its horn, as so many before them have tried.

In combat, Zargon fights to the death. The creature secretly delights at its own destruction, knowing it will regrow from its horn.

Life in the Underground City

A deep freshwater lake lies in the center of the city, just beyond Zargon's polluting influence. The lake provides cool, clean water and fish—which it has aplenty—to the populace. The Cynidiceans also breed underground livestock—giant rodents, cave lizards, and the occasional carrion crawler.

Cynidiceans farm edible fungi in mildewy fields forested with mushrooms. Myconids roam these dense patches of overgrowth, which are more akin to fungal thickets than cultivated fields. These neighborly fungi help citizens transcend their dismal existence through communal melds in which they share dreams of a nobler era. Some Cynidiceans have grown to prefer these joyful melds over their daily lives, sinking into complacency. The priests of Zargon encourage this behavior—as long as the melds continue, the people are less likely to object to the cruelty the cult inflicts on them.

Noteworthy Sites

The underground city occupies a vast cavern connected to catacombs of the old kingdom and the ziggurat above. Squat communal buildings in forgotten architectural styles line its forlorn streets, which are patrolled by Zargon's cultists.

Entrance to the Ziggurat

This tunnel connects the underground city to the main entrance chamber of the ziggurat (x).

Eye of Zargon

Outside the city lies a caustic pit known as the Eye of Zargon: a crater with a sickly glow reminiscent of Zargon's cycloptic eye. Zargonites regard the site as sacred and perform rituals to the Returner there. One legend states that to truly kill Zargon, its horn must be cast into the pit, but some fear this might be a deliberate misdirection spread by the cult.

Faction Strongholds

While most of the city lives in fear of Zargon and its devotees, three growing factions—the faithful of Cynidicea's old gods—plot to overthrow the Cult of Zargon and restore their former kingdom. Each faction does so alone, as mistrust and longstanding rivalries prevent them from uniting against the cult.

The factions maintain the following strongholds in the underground city:

• Stronghold of Gorm. The Guardians of Gorm's headquarters is a pair of crooked towers mosaicked with brass tiles. The towers rise high above the complex's walled perimeter.
• Stronghold of Madarua. Four guard towers pierce the air above the stronghold of the Warriors of Madarua like the spears of her fearless warriors. Day and night, the walled complex echoes with the clanging of steel from training combatants.
• Stronghold of Usamigaras. The Mages of Usamigaras have no formal stronghold. Though outwardly welcoming, the wily mages gather in reinforced houses connected by a web of tunnels beneath the streets, allowing them to confuse and ambush invaders.

Goblin Cliff Dwellings

On the lake's west shore, sheer cliffs rise to a plateau ruled by a gang of cave-dwelling goblinoid bandits. Seeking valuables, these goblinoids regularly descend the rickety scaffoldings and frayed rope ladders that cling to the cliffs, clashing with the Cynidiceans in the underground city. The goblinoid leader, a merciless hobgoblin warlord named Krod the Wretched, plans to conquer the underground city and loot its riches when the Cynidiceans reach the nadir of their sufferings.

Island of Death

A small, stony island pockmarked with caves and tree-sized fungi rises from the lake. In the center of the island stands a circle of ancient menhirs predating the first-laid stones of Cynidicea. No one knows who built these monoliths or for what purpose, but they're rumored to be a source of necromantic power. When the Cynidiceans first fled here, they buried their dead on this island, along with priceless treasures—but the island slowly became infested with Undead, and soon those who voyaged there ceased to return.

Lower Catacombs

An enormous stone slab seals the entrance to the lower catacombs. Locals warn against tampering with the barrier, which separates the underground city from terrible dangers lurking below.

Temple of Zargon

Shaped like Zargon's menacing black horn, the Temple of Zargon houses the Returner's most loyal priests. Zargonites defend the structure at all hours. A sizable wing contains prison cells for sacrificial captives, embittered rebels, and anyone else foolish enough to offend the one-eyed tyrant or its cultists. The Returner's judgment awaits all who enter.