SERTROUS
CHAPTER 8
bears the symbol of Sertrous (a coiled but headless snake wrapped around and through a snake’s skull), as do the immense tapestries and banners that hang from the hall’s 100-foot-high ceiling. The approach to the double doors that lead to area B is warded by a forbiddance spell (CL 15th, Will DC 28) keyed to chaotic evil. As soon as a creature of any alignment other than chaotic evil enters this area, the snake statues scattered throughout areas B through G begin hissing loudly in alarm, alerting the entire Reliquary to the presence of intruders.
B. Grand Temple of Sertrous (EL 20) The leaders of the Vanguard meet in this grand chamber to hear the teachings of their leader, to offer prayers and offerings to Sertrous, and to present captured treasures and religious texts. As the central chamber, it also serves as the primary point of defense. When the PCs reach this chamber, they are confronted with a band of Vanguard assassins and Seghulerak herself (see encounter 8–1, page 122). This room provides the only entrance to the Inmost Vault (area H), an entrance that normally doesn’t even exist. Carved into the ceiling of the chamber is the visage of an immense serpent. It can be commanded to open through the use of Dark Speech, by a miracle or wish, or with a password that can be found in area E. When opened, the jaws reveal a stone shaft leading up through the ceiling. No stairs or other means of ascent is apparent—flight (or Seghulerak’s air walk) is the standard method of travel up to area H above. In this chamber and in areas C through G stand statues of coiled serpents. These statues function as an alarm system and as guardians. A statue can make one attack of opportunity per round against a creature of any alignment other than chaotic evil that is within 5 feet, striking with a single bite attack.
C. Assassin’s Hold The assassins who guard the Reliquary from intrusion sleep and eat in this chamber. If the PCs invade the Reliquary without Seghulerak having a chance to prepare for them, the six Vanguard assassins begin here instead of in area B. The secret door that leads to area G can be discovered with a DC 30 Search check and is protected by a symbol of insanity (Will DC 30).
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RING OF AIRWALKING
Price (Item Level): 40,000 gp (17th) Body Slot: Ring Caster Level: 7th Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) transmutation Activation: — Weight: — This blue crystal ring allows the wearer to act as if continually under the effect of an air walk spell. Prerequisites: Forge Ring, air walk. Cost to Create: 20,000 gp, 1,600 XP, 40 days.
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120
D. Pits of the Forsaken (EL 19) The most important prisoners are kept in these pits, hateful holes that remain perpetually half flooded and infested with snakes. The warden of this prison is Seghulerak’s cohort, a powerful marilith demon named Zuvexus (see encounter 8–2, page 124). Zuvexus wears a ring of airwalking (see sidebar) that allows her to move around the room with ease.
E. Heretic’s Walk This towering chamber is lined with bookshelves, upon which rest the collected lore stolen during dozens of crusades against the mortal realm. Many books are badly damaged, but they all share one theme—they are religious works stolen from countless razed temples. Characters who spend enough time in research can uncover the solution to any remaining mysteries that still vex them about the Vanguard, Sertrous, and his history. The password for operating the portal in area B to the Inmost Vault can be found here with a DC 30 Knowledge (the planes) check made after 1d6 hours of research. As in area C, the secret door that leads to area G can be discovered with a DC 30 Search check and is protected by a symbol of insanity (Will DC 30).
F. Apostle’s Chambers Seghulerak’s chamber is decadent, with a haphazard decor of stolen artwork and furnishings from two dozen nations. Seghulerak spends increasingly little time here, kept busy with the work of leading the Vanguard to triumph. As in area C, the secret door that leads to area G can be discovered with a DC 30 Search check and is protected by a symbol of insanity (Will DC 30).
G. The Treasury This room should represent the greatest single treasure that the PCs find during their entire adventuring career. The wealth here has accumulated over dozens of crusades and consists of coins, gems, and all manner of artwork and magic items. It’s not unlikely that an artifact or two languishes here as well. You should tailor this treasure to the campaign, but it should represent at least 1,500,000 gp in value.
H. Inmost Vault (EL 23) Upon passing through the portal in the ceiling of area B, a character must make a DC 25 Fortitude save to enter the Inmost Vault. A character who fails takes 2d6 points of Strength drain and is teleported to a prison in area D, while all his gear is teleported into the treasury (area G). With a successful save, the character emerges from a well up into a strange realm. Unlike the other seven chambers, the Inmost Vault lies in an area bordered below by the tesseract the Reliquary is built upon. One could fly forever into the boundless gray skies above, but after a day’s journey along the steaming festering fens of the ground here (regardless of the speed of the journey), a traveler finds himself in the Hungry Tarns of the Abyss. Of more import, however, is the stone altar about 50 feet from the well, for upon it rests the skull of Sertrous—and next to it, the final guardian and First Heretic Avamerin (see encounter 8–3, page 126).
