Vecna: Nest of the Eldritch Eye

Investigators for Hire

Kevori and her brother were tasked by Lord Neverember to investigate suspicious cult activity in the city.

Rendezvous Gone Wrong

Kevori came here to rendezvous with Delvin after he'd infiltrated a potential cult hideout.

What She Knows

The only clue Kevori has is the desiccated eyeball that dropped from Delvin's hand.

Kevori requests the characters' aid in uncovering who or what killed her brother while she returns to the Hall of Justice to inform Lord Neverember of these developments. She implores the characters to avenge her brother's death, but she also reminds the characters that Lord Neverember values information and will pay more for capturing cultists alive.

Making a Skiff

Characters have the option of assembling a makeshift skiff from the debris here to make traversing the flooded area easier. A character attempting to assemble a skiff must make a DC 11 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a successful check, the character makes a skiff sturdy enough to support up to two Medium or smaller creatures.

While riding a skiff, a creature can use its movement to propel the skiff up to 20 feet in a direction of its choice.

Water Weird

A neutral evil water weird lurks here. It tries to ambush and kill any creature that enters the tunnel.

Upon entering the tunnel for the first time, a character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices odd waves and currents that suggest the presence of a creature in the water. If a character's passive Wisdom (Perception) score is lower than 15, the character has disadvantage on their initiative roll when the water weird attacks.

Discovering the Ghost's Identity

The ghost is the spirit of the knight entombed in x. Clues regarding the ghost's identity can be found in areas N5 and N6. A character who searches the rotunda for 10 minutes finds no clues related to the ghost in this room.

To regain its identity, the ghost must hear its full name: Chanelle Hallwinter. If a character speaks this name aloud within 20 feet of the ghost, the featureless orb of the ghost's head coalesces into the face of a middle-aged human woman with braided hair, and the ghost's memories return. The ghost is grateful to the characters and resolves to aid them.

What the Ghost Knows

At first, the ghost remembers nothing about Delvin, the cult, or the catacombs. Once the ghost's identity has been restored, it remembers not only its life as Chanelle Hallwinter but also what it has witnessed while haunting these catacombs. The ghost can share the following information with the characters:

• Catacomb Invaders. A small group of Humanoids descended into the catacombs several months ago, whispering about strange rituals and secrets.
• Delvin. Chanelle saw a man matching Delvin's description flee through the rotunda from deeper within the catacombs, pursued by an individual in a hooded gray robe.
• Zombie Infestation. The crypt to the south of the rotunda was desecrated and now swarms with zombies.

Discovering the Ghost's Identity

Characters who search this tomb find treasure (see "Treasure" below) and the following clues:

• Golden Locket. A heart-shaped golden locket sits on one of the bookshelves. The locket is locked but can be either pried open with a successful DC 11 Strength (Athletics) check or picked open with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools. Inside is a small portrait of a human woman, next to which is the inscription, "My dearest Chanelle."
• Relief Details. One of the figures depicted in the sarcophagus's relief carving wears armor that matches the armor of the ghost in area N4.

Treasure

Nestled among the bookshelves are five incense sticks (worth 10 gp each) and a component pouch. A character who inspects the area and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check also finds a hidden compartment in one of the shelved books. Inside is a Spell Scroll of Protection from Evil and Good.

Discovering the Ghost's Identity

Characters who search this tomb for clues find the following pieces of information:

• Family Crest. Engraved on the lid of the sarcophagus is a coat of arms depicting a blunted six-point crown. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (History) check recognizes this symbol as the crest of the Hallwinter family, whose lineage produced renowned knights throughout the Sword Coast.
• Relief Details. One of the figures depicted in the sarcophagus's relief carving wears armor that matches the armor of the ghost in area N4.

Treasure

Most items stored in this tomb have rusted, but one shield remains intact. This shield is a cursed Shield of Missile Attraction; however, if the characters restore the ghost's identity, Chanelle Hallwinter gratefully gives the shield to the characters and removes the curse, transforming the shield into a +1 Shield.

Secret Passage

A character who searches the tomb for secret doors and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check sees the faint outline of a doorway at the back of the tomb. The door is unlocked, swings open with a gentle push, and leads to x.

Disturbed Rubble

When a creature enters the crawlspace for the first time, its movement disturbs some of the rubble above. The creature must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to reach the other side of the crawlspace unscathed. On a failed save, the creature takes 7 (3d4) bludgeoning damage from the falling rubble.

Shrine to Oghma

A character who examines the shrine and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes the image on the shrine as the holy symbol of Oghma, god of knowledge and patron to bards and wizards. If the check succeeds by 3 or more, the character intuits that rededicating the shrine to Oghma could help against the zombies in the area.

To rededicate the shrine, a creature must first use an action to clean it. Once the filth is cleaned off, a creature can use an action to do one of the following:

• Make a DC 14 Charisma (Performance) check using an instrument within 5 feet of the shrine, performing a song dedicated to Oghma.
• Touch the shrine and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher.

Once one of the two options has been done successfully, the shrine glows with white light, and all zombies in the area immediately collapse with the unconscious condition for 24 hours. The condition ends early for a zombie if it takes damage.

Being Sneaky

To move through these rooms without waking the cultists, a creature must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failed check, 1d4 of the cultists wake up.

Awake cultists are hostile but easily cowed. A character can use an action to make a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation) check. On a successful check, all awake cultists that can see or hear the character surrender.

Interrogating the Cultists

Characters can attempt to glean more information from captured cultists by making a DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. On a successful check, a character learns one of the following pieces of information:

• Cult Leader. The cult's leader is Zalryr, who is conducting a profane experiment in the ritual chamber (x). Zalryr aims to "draw secrets from the depths of the mortal soul."
• Cult Worship. The cultists all serve Vecna, whom they refer to as the Whispered One.
• Delvin's Fate. Zalryr uncovered the presence of a spy recently. That spy was chased from the catacombs and assassinated for his transgression. The cultists' description of the spy confirms it was Delvin Fearnehart.

Treasure

A character who searches these rooms and makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds two gray cultist robes and three gaudy jeweled rings worth 10 gp each. If the check succeeds by 3 or more, the character also finds a Hat of Disguise tucked beneath one of the unused cots.

Trapped Lockbox

A character who inspects the shelves and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a small ebony box. The box is locked; Zalryr in area N15 has the key. The box can be picked open by a creature that makes a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check using thieves' tools, or it can be forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

The box is trapped. A creature that opens the box by any means other than using the proper key must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) necrotic damage on a failed saved or half as much damage on a successful one. This trap can't be detected or disarmed.

Inside the box are two Potions of Healing (greater).

Vecna Appears

When Zalryr either surrenders or is slain, read or paraphrase the following:

Vecna bestows one of two supernatural gifts on each character. Have each player roll a die, with the result determining which charm their character receives: the Charm of the Creeping Hand if the die roll is an odd number or the Charm of the Eldritch Eye if the die roll is an even number. While in possession of either charm, the character has the unshakeable feeling that they are being watched. See the next section for descriptions of these charms.