Turn of Fortune's Wheel

Staff and Visitors

The Platinum Rooms are staffed by approximately a dozen lawful evil tieflings who use the assassin stat block. They politely mingle amid the gambling areas, facilitating betting and fetching visitors refreshments. This staff is directed by Colcook, Shemeshka's personal aide, who oversees the Platinum Rooms from area P1. These staff carry no treasure, but they can pay out a character's winnings at booths similar to that in area P1.

The Platinum Rooms attract a diverse crowd of strange and powerful players. These beings are focused on their entertainment. They have no interest in the characters or the characters' plans, and they won't use violence unless attacked. Use the Platinum Rooms Visitors table to inspire who the characters might meet in the Platinum Rooms.

Guards

Two warden archons (see Morte's Planar Parade) monitor the Platinum Rooms from area P5. Shemeshka won an eon of these archons' service in a deal with a Celestial lord, and the bearlike archons—one black-furred and the other white—obey her dutifully. The warden archons visit areas P1–P4 only if a disruption the tiefling staff can't handle occurs or if a patron is clearly cheating at the games. Any individual who wins at three or more of the games in the Platinum Rooms is considered a cheater. When the archons appear, they politely ask whoever's causing the disruption to come with them to area P6, where they lock away culprits. Characters can access area P5 only by having the warden archons open the portal from that area.

Interrogating the Staff

Shemeshka's staff are under orders to keep visitors happy and busy gambling while also listening for useful information. The staff have no interest in sharing information about themselves or Shemeshka. Through roleplaying or by succeeding on a DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, a character can convince Colcook or another staff member to share the following information:

• An unmarked portal in Fortune's End (see below) leads to Shemeshka's personal retreat, called the House of Liars. The unmarked portal is one-way and can be opened only from the opposite side.
• Guards on the other side of the portal monitor the Platinum Rooms for problems and cheaters.
• Any who win too many of the Platinum Rooms' games are considered cheaters. The guards open the portal to Fortune's End and take cheaters through it, where offenders are never seen again.

Platinum Room Features

[image: Platinum Razorleaf Casino Chip]

The Platinum Rooms share the following features:

• Ceilings. Enclosed areas have 15-foot-high ceilings.
• Climate Control. All the Platinum Rooms have breathable air, normal gravity, and a constant temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Light. Sconces lit by continual flame spells or sourceless overhead illumination fill each area with bright light.
• Realms Beyond. Each of the Platinum Rooms is on a different plane. The features here affect the areas on map 14.1 and 50 feet beyond that area. Beyond that, the plane functions as detailed in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

P1: Fortune's End

Read or paraphrase the following text when the characters first enter the area:

The portal from Fortune's Wheel connects to the hollow skull of a dead god of misfortune floating at a far-flung edge of the Astral Plane. From here, portals connect to locations across the multiverse.

P2: Dungeonland

Dungeonland is a game that takes place on a rocky cluster drifting in the Ethereal Plane. Participants watch a group of adventurers navigate a deadly dungeon and place bets on whether the adventurers will survive or die. The characters can influence the game by submitting magic items, which appear in the dungeon for the game's adventurers to find.

P3a: Supertemporal Arena Entrance

Amber Atwert (lawful evil, tiefling assassin) welcomes anyone who enters the room to the Supertemporal Arena. She explains that through the portal behind her, two unfathomably ancient beings are about to conclude an eons-long struggle: Bowolg the Cosmic Rot and Volsheez the Ever-Empty.

Amber notes that a character can place a bet of 1 platinum chip on either of these primordials. If the chosen primordial wins, the character wins 2 chips. If they choose the wrong primordial, the character loses their chip. If a character places a bet, Amber accepts it and invites them to pass through the portal to area P3b.

She can also explain everything in the "Time in the Arena" section of area P3b, but she doesn't volunteer this unless asked.

P3b: Supertemporal Arena

The Supertemporal Arena drifts at the edge of the Elemental Chaos in an infinity of dissipating energies.

P4: Fiend's Ante

Tiefling attendants moving amid the crowd can explain that the gamblers here are Vixsheer the pit fiend and Bholmaz the balor, two generals of fiendish armies locked in the eternal Blood War. The Fiends are indifferent to the characters and the nearby audience. On the table is a deck of indestructible iron playing cards and several hundred similarly indestructible iron tokens. In the skies above are thousands of stars magically limned in fiery red or crackling green auras.

The Fiends are playing a variation on the game three-dragon ante. The stakes are Material Plane worlds—those of the nimbus-marked stars. Every token corresponds to one of the worlds, and the token's bearer has the right to lead legions in conquest of that world. The stars glowing with red flames have invasion rights claimed by the Nine Hells' armies, while the stars with crackling green auras are claimed by the Abyss's hordes.

The world beyond the game table is a lifeless planet. It was once lush and populated, but it has been globally ravaged by the Blood War.

P5: Shemeshka's Guard

Characters can only access this area if the portal here is activated, creating a connection with area P1 (see the "Guards" section earlier in this chapter). On entering this area, read the following description:

This area serves as a guard post for Shemeshka's inner sanctum. If they haven't been dealt with already, two warden archons (see Morte's Planar Parade) stand watch here and review scenes from elsewhere in the Platinum Rooms that flicker on the crystal sphere. The archons order anyone who clearly isn't in Shemeshka's employ to leave. They attack 1 round later, fighting to the death.

P6a: House of Liars

Shemeshka (see Morte's Planar Parade) wants the characters dead and gone. She calls on her two invisible bodyguards lurking in alcoves near the door: an eater of knowledge (that has consumed 5 brains) and a maelephant (see Morte's Planar Parade for both stat blocks). Shemeshka has dressed them in Fortune's Wheel uniforms and doused them in perfume. The bodyguards attack when called.

Shemeshka avoids battle, as she considers it beneath her. However, she won't retreat and uses defensive spells, her Teleport bonus action, and her Fell Counterspell reaction while she mocks intruders and uses her domain to act against foes (see below). Once her bodyguards are dispatched, Shemeshka calls for a truce (see "What Shemeshka Really Knows").

P6b: Resplendent Cage

Shemeshka uses this magical mosaic to lock away her foes and ensure certain secrets stay secret. Any creature with the incapacitated or restrained condition that spends 1 minute within the mosaic's circle is affected by the minimus containment effect of the imprisonment spell and is trapped within a randomly colored gemstone that appears on the floor of this area. Any gemstone created by the mosaic that is returned to this area for 1 minute shatters, ending the spell and releasing the creature imprisoned within. This would affect each of the gems in the mosaics in area P6a. The alcove can be used to imprison or free a creature 10 times every 24 hours.

The detect magic spell reveals that the mosaic sheds an aura of abjuration magic.

What Shemeshka Really Knows

Once Shemeshka's bodyguards are dispatched, she exasperatedly offers to tell the characters everything they want to know if they swear to leave and never bother her again. If they agree, she shares the following details:

• Each character independently ran afoul of Shemeshka some time ago. She was responsible for their deaths but, to her surprise, they returned.
• She has killed each character dozens of times, only to have them reappear. She finally trapped each using the Resplendent Cage (area P6b).
• The characters still returned, but they were diminished and had their memories fractured. She had her servants dump the characters at the Mortuary.
• When the characters appeared again, she sent them to find R04M in the hope they'd never return.
• Shemeshka still has imprisoned incarnations of the characters. She can retrieve them for the characters (a character who searches area P6a for 10 minutes also finds them).
• She believes that the characters' unique situation is a result of a planar imbalance caused by a group of modrons lost in the Outlands. She hopes that by manipulating the data these modrons record, she can profitably influence the workings of their home plane, Mechanus.
• Shemeshka corroborates everything R04M told the characters in chapter 13.

As soon as she has shared this information, or if she is forced into battle after relating this information, Shemeshka uses an amulet of the planes to escape. If she doesn't convey any of this information, the characters can learn it from meticulously kept documents stashed in Shemeshka's desk.

Returned Memories

When the characters' memories return, they're once again aware of the exploits of their 17th-level selves and how they ran afoul of Shemeshka's plots. Players can detail these memories however they please. They can fill in their characters' backgrounds all at once, or they can take time to process their characters' memories, recovering details a little at a time—potentially over multiple sessions.

Use the following questions to help players detail their characters' pasts:

• Did others consider you a hero or a villain?
• For what accomplishment were you best known?
• Did you know any of the other characters?
• Did you have a home on the Material Plane, or did you travel many planes?
• What catastrophe or betrayal led to your demise?
• How do you know Shemeshka was involved in your downfall?

The characters' pasts don't have any bearing on the rest of this adventure, but use these details to inspire where the campaign leads next.

Heroic Equipment

Trapped with each incarnation in the House of Liars are magic items each character possessed when they were at the height of their power. Now that the characters have regained that power, their lost magic items return. Each player should choose one of the following options, then select magic items of these rarities from the Dungeon Master's Guide:

Option A: One magic item of legendary rarity

Option B: Two very rare magic items

Option C: Four magic items of rare or lesser rarity

As the DM, you must approve any magic items a player selects. Encourage any player who selects a cubic gate to make another choice (as one appears in the next chapter). Feel free to also exclude unique magic items, like the sword Blackrazor, or items you find disruptive, like the deck of many things or a ring of three wishes.

Back to the Outlands

Once the characters agree to aid R04M, they'll need to find a way to reach Gzemnid's Realm. R04M shares the location of the portal he originally used to escape into Sigil. This portal's location is up to you. Use this opportunity to return to a favorite site in the adventure or to help characters acclimate to their new powers. The R04M's Portal table suggests a few locations for the gate to Gzemnid's Realm.

"'Anything's possible!' That's what they say. And it's true! Absolutely anything. It's all possible. In the infinite infinities, whatever you can think of is out there. And if you think about it hard enough, it'll come thinking for you!"

Phenomenal Power

The characters have gained considerable power since their last adventure, and the challenges in the following section will test that power. Consider giving characters an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their new powers. Unused portions of this adventure, Sigil and the Outlands, Morte's Planar Parade, or even another anthology of D&D adventures can provide level-appropriate threats. When the characters are ready, proceed with the following section.

Tyrant's Spiral Features

Tyrant's Spiral has the following features:

• Ceilings. Unless noted otherwise, caverns have 30-foot-high ceilings.
• Gaseous Light. Harmless, luminous gases shed dim light throughout the caverns. Strong winds, such as those created by the gust of wind spell, cause the gases to dissipate for 5 minutes before they refresh. During this time, a cavern is dark.
• Modron Tracks. A rut of tracks marks the course of the lost, marching modrons. Any creature that enters this area on foot is affected as described in the "Marching Modrons" section.
• Tyrant Fungus. Beholder-like fungi cover the cavern walls. See the "Fungal Observers" section for details.
• Planar Uncertainty. Gzemnid veils his realm in uncertainty. Only portals and permanent teleportation circles allow reliable transportation into his realm.

Fungal Observers

Gzemnid's Realm is covered with fungal growths bristling with eyestalks and harmless maws. The beholder deity Gzemnid sees through these fungi and threatens intruders by whispering through countless lichenous mouths. This effect can't be dispelled. Improvise how the arrogant god comments on the characters' situation. Gzemnid always refers to itself in the third person. Examples of the beholder god's commentary are provided here:

When a character misses with an attack. "How can you expect to hit anything with so few eyes?"

When a character takes damage. "Cast away your disgusting limbs! Embrace Gzemnid's globular perfection!"

When a character kills a monster. "Unworthy, but we accept your offering!"

When a character calls on the power of a deity or patron to cast a spell. "You beg for power from a weakling! Their pathetic magic is nothing in my realm!"

Marching Modrons

Thousands of modrons march through the caves, unaware that they're traveling in an endless loop. The modrons are indifferent to other creatures and ignore creatures they trample or creatures that try to communicate. If faced with barriers, the modrons create simple structures (like bridges or towers) by linking their bodies or dig around impediments. No matter how many modrons are destroyed, more take their place.

Any non-modron that enters the path of the marching modrons on foot is trampled. The creature must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 44 (8d10) bludgeoning damage and has the prone condition in the closest unoccupied space outside the modrons' path. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage but is otherwise affected the same.

Modrons are unaffected by the march and can move through it unimpeded.

Prepared for Power

Before running this part of the adventure, familiarize yourself with the characters' new class features. These powers should make the characters feel potent, but if you find the party overpowering encounters in this chapter, consider adding the following additional challenges after a round or two of combat:

• Additional Foes. If an encounter features several of the same creature, have one more of that creature or up to three beholder zombies (mindless, chanting followers of Gzemnid) appear after 2 rounds.
• Gzemnid's Gaze. One of Gzemnid's massive, aberrant eyes opens on the celling. It is a Huge object with AC 14, 60 hit points, and vulnerability to piercing damage. Every round at initiative count 0, the eye focuses on a different random character it can see. That character must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw, or the eye emits a ray that moves the character up to 30 feet in any direction—typically into pits, the path of the marching modrons, or other threats. The character has the restrained condition until initiative count 0 of the next turn or until the eye is destroyed.

Tyrant's Spiral Locations

The following locations are keyed to map 15.1. This map is divided into six smaller maps depicting sites along the modrons' endless march. The distance between areas varies from yards to miles. Feel free to add additional encounters between areas, to change their order, or to have the characters come across the same areas multiple times to reinforce the space's surreal nature.

T1: Lair of the Eye

Read or paraphrase the following text when the characters first enter the area:

The characters arrive on a ledge overlooking the path taken by the modrons trapped in Tyrant's Spiral. The arch here is a duplicate of the portal the characters used to reach Tyrant's Spiral and connects to where they came from. A 50-foot, sheer cliff drops from the ledge to the cavern floor. The cracks in the floor and holes in the ceiling are winding and stretch endlessly through the depths.

• Mummified Beholder. Soon after the characters arrive, a withered beholder called Xabash floats into view and greets them. Xabash has an Intelligence of 6, is indifferent to the characters, and is highly forgetful. In a dreamy voice, Xabash asks if the characters are here to put an end to the bothersome noise (the marching modrons) or to ascend in Gzemnid's gaze. The beholder nods with a dull, fanatical gaze no matter how the characters respond. Xabash can provide general details from the "Tyrant's Spiral" section earlier in this chapter. Once the characters are done conversing with Xabash or if they attack it, the beholder drifts below one of the holes in the ceiling near the room's center (see the following section).

T2: Beherit's Head

The skull belongs to Beherit, a deposed archdevil who ruled the layer of Malbolge in the Nine Hells. It was placed here by Shemeshka's servants to influence the modrons. Although the archdevil is dead, a vestige of its evil remains in its 3-foot-diameter, horned skull. The skull has the following properties:

• Beherit's skull is sapient and lawful evil, having an Intelligence of 22, a Wisdom of 18, and a Charisma of 19. It has hearing and darkvision within a range of 120 feet.
• The skull can speak Common and Infernal, and it can communicate with any creature within 10 feet of itself telepathically. Its voice is a hissing whisper. It reveals that it can communicate only to a single creature at a time.
• The skull can cast the dominate monster spell (save DC 20) three times per day. It orders charmed creatures to free it, carry it to the Nine Hells, and slay any creature that impedes this. The modrons marching through the caverns are immune to the skull's domination.
• The skull is impervious to damage.

Beherit's skull can be removed from its stalagmite. The skull seeks to restore itself to life, which it believes it can do only in the Nine Hells. If the characters negotiate with the skull, it offers to aid their escape if they promise to return it to the Nine Hells. It knows that somewhere in Tyrant's Spiral is the maw of the beholder god Gzemnid, which has the power to create a portal out of the misty caverns.

T3: Ocular Space

The rocks floating in this room are the petrified corpses of long-dead beholder demigods. Creatures can leap between two floating rocks by succeeding on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. A creature that succeeds on three of these checks can climb from the area's northern entrance to the eastern exit. A creature that fails one of these checks falls into the pit below (see the "Pit" section below).

A rock at the northeast edge of the area has a yawning mouth. This mouth holds a portal that opens near the gate-town of Hopeless. To open, the portal requires a freshly cried tear—a fact characters might learn in area T4.

T4: Arlgolcheir's Morass

The ooze is all that remains of the semi-dead demon lord Arlgolcheir, a Fiend Shemeshka freed from an Abyssal prison and deposited here to terrorize the modrons. The muck has the following properties:

• The ooze is sentient and chaotic evil, having an Intelligence of 20, a Wisdom of 22, and a Charisma of 17. It has hearing and darkvision within a range of 120 feet.
• It can speak Common and Abyssal. Its voice is a halting rasp that chokes frequently.
• When a creature enters the area covered in ooze for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 55 (10d10) acid damage and have the restrained condition. A restrained creature can repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Arlgolcheir can choose not to restrain a creature.
• The ooze regenerates rapidly, making it effectively impervious to damage.

Arlgolcheir seeks to reassume its demonic form and escape Gzemnid's Realm. It is being trampled by the modrons, which prevents it from restoring itself. The demon lord tries to convince the characters to halt the modrons trampling it. If the characters can stop or reroute the modrons for 3 rounds, Arlgolcheir changes into a version of its true form, that of a constantly rotting and re-forming corpse with shifting features (chaotic evil; use the lich stat block). It revels in its freedom and shares anything it knows with those who free it, such as details of the portal in area T3 and how to activate it. After this, Arlgolcheir is quick to turn on the characters.

T5: Gzemnid's Maw

The beholder god Gzemnid can see through this area's eyestalks and speak from the depths. Gzemnid encourages creatures to leap into its mouth or to destroy the modron bridge and send it toppling into its maw.

Any creature that falls into Gzemnid's maw plummets 200 feet before passing through a shimmering black veil, which obliterates the creature and leaves no remains.

T6: X01's Throng

Four septon modrons carry their fallen leader, the hexton modron X01 (see Morte's Planar Parade for both stat blocks). Three septons attack any non-modron that comes within 10 feet of them and any creature that tries to interfere with X01. The remaining septon continues to carry X01, attacking only if X01 is stolen. The septons fight to the death.

Septons carrying X01 move with the other modrons at a rate of 20 feet per round. The septons drop their leader only if they have the incapacitated condition or take 30 or more damage from a single attack.

Investigating X01

A character who spends 1 minute investigating X01 finds a panel on the modron's head leaking green vapor. If the panel is opened or X01 is deliberately damaged, read the following:

The character with the highest Intelligence who witnesses this realizes the congealing vapor is X01's interpretation of the Outlands, one overrun with evil Fiends. This becomes clear a moment later when X01's shouting escalates. Proceed with the following section.

Corrupted Data

The modrons' belief that the Outlands have been corrupted are so strong that they've shaken the underpinnings of the plane. Now these mistaken beliefs manifest as a planar incarnate (see Morte's Planar Parade) of a plane that doesn't exist: a Fiend-overrun version of the Outlands (use the planar incarnate's Fiend form). The planar incarnate is hostile toward non-modrons. The round after appearing, it attacks the characters and fights until destroyed.

Lost Data

Once the planar incarnate is destroyed, X01 collapses. A character with proficiency in Intelligence (Arcana or Medicine) can tell the following:

• X01 is alive, but its mind is vacant.
• To reactivate, X01 would need to recover its knowledge about the planes.

The Mosaic Mimir has the information X01 needs to reactivate. The characters might come to this conclusion on their own, or a character who investigates X01's body might realize that within the damaged panel is enough room for the mimir. If a character inserts the mimir into X01, the hexton reactivates a moment later. This has multiple effects, which are summarized in the following sections.

[image: The distorted beliefs of the hexton modron X01 and its wayward followers manifest as a godlike incarnation of a nonexistent realm]

Accurate

If the characters' mimir largely details the Outlands in an unbiased way, X01 realizes reality is behaving within expected parameters. It reactivates as a calm, logical modron that is eager to lead its followers directly to Mechanus, where they can make an unremarkable report.

Inconsistent

If the characters provided inconsistent details about the Outlands—several accurate and several skewed—X01 reactivates and exhibits dramatic mood swings. It seeks to lead the modrons to its home plane, but it is uncertain where that is.

Skewed

If the characters' reports on the Outlands reflect their bias for a particular philosophy or alignment, the modrons act in opposition. The Skewed Data Results table notes X01's personality after being influenced by data skewed along the lines of particular alignments. If the information characters provided to their mimir strongly reflects the philosophies of a faction in Sigil, choose the result that best corresponds with that faction's agenda.

Portal to Hopeless

The portal to Hopeless in area T3 is narrow and a challenge for the modrons to reach. It will take days for all the modrons to pass through, and likely many portal-key tears to keep the portal open. Beholders also frequent this area and try to pick off modrons as they escape.

Portal to Sigil

The portal in area T1, which the characters used to enter Tyrant's Spiral, still functions. However, like the portal to Hopeless, it is difficult to reach. Additionally, unleashing thousands of modrons on Sigil is dangerous. Should this happen, the Lady of Pain intervenes quickly and, through a dabus, informs the characters they have 10 minutes to set things right. How the characters can reconcile this—and avoid the Mazes—is up to you.

Portal to Xaos

The portal in area T5 opens only when Gzemnid pleases. Characters can convince the beholder god to let the modrons pass, but Gzemnid demands to consume half the modrons first. A character can convince Gzemnid to eat only a quarter of the modrons by succeeding on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check, or they might bribe Gzemnid with the promise of bringing it a more tempting meal—for example, it has always wanted to eat a dragon or another god.

Remarkable Escape

It would take hundreds of castings of spells like gate or teleportation circle to relocate all the modrons. You might allow the characters to develop outlandish schemes or entreat otherworldly beings to help the modrons escape. Debts and ramifications accrued here can provide springboards to future adventures.

Abandonment or Sacrifice

The characters can leave the modrons in Tyrant's Spiral, but eventually Shemeshka or another being will manipulate the modrons to their own ends. If the characters try to destroy the modrons en masse, X01 commands the modrons to defend themselves. Although annihilating the modrons would maintain the equilibrium of the planes, doing so might have ramifications on characters' alignments.

Accurate

On returning to their home plane, the modrons report their data, which results in incremental refinements to Mechanus's workings. No precipitable changes to the status quo of the multiverse occur. No other creatures suffer the multiversal glitch the characters experienced.

Inconsistent

Unless the characters intervene, it takes months for X01 and a much-diminished group of modrons to return to Mechanus. When they do, chaos ensues. Modrons behave strangely across the planes, and chaotic creatures like slaadi operate unopposed. Numerous creatures experience the multiversal glitch that affected the characters. Ultimately, the modron leader, Primus, initiates a new Great Modron March to correct the chaos sweeping the planes.

Skewed

On the modrons' return to Mechanus, the skewed data in the characters' mimir causes all modrons across the planes to react differently toward different philosophies or types of beings. The Multiversal Effects of Skewed Data table summarizes the new behavior of the vast majority of modrons.

Farrow or Other Sigil Contacts

Farrow or another Sigil-based ally is glad to hear the characters resolved the strangeness plaguing them. The ally is well connected and know others who need accomplished adventurers. The ally also knows of useful portals, including those to Material Plane worlds the characters might hail from. Use this ally to lead the characters to future adventures.

R04M

Depending on how the characters resolved the situation in Tyrant's Spiral, R04M might be pleased or horrified. Nevertheless, if the characters helped any of the modrons escape, R04M rewards them with the promised gems. This includes gems worth 15,013 gp as well as an elemental gem (emerald) and a resin-encrusted ring of regeneration.

If the modron remains on good terms with the characters, R04M might seek to join them and see more of the multiverse. Or, if the characters have skewed the planes in some way, R04M might seek to set things right, perhaps by pursuing multiversal secrets within the Spire.

Shemeshka

The arcanaloth is frustrated by the characters' interfering with her plot and avoids them for a time, but she isn't one to let annoyance get in the way of opportunity. Shemeshka might eventually contact the characters to involve them in future schemes.

Shemeshka might contact the characters sooner if the data in their mimir skewed toward evil, as it's possible the characters produced the results she was seeking. If they did, the arcanaloth enjoys increased business selling weapons to demons, devils, and modrons embroiled in the Blood War. Shemeshka sends the characters polite thank-you notes, each with a complimentary platinum casino chip and an invitation to visit Fortune's Wheel anytime.

Sigil Factions

A character who reports their exploits to a Sigil faction they're a member of gains the attention of their faction's leaders. If the characters' mimir changed the multiverse in a way that their faction is in favor of or opposed to, a character's faction leader might have work for the party, either capitalizing on changes to reality or seeking to set things right.