The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan

Come, I will draw you a map of what I understood from their conversation. You should be able to get to Port Nyanzaru on the north side of the island, then in no more than three days journey into the jungle you should find this place and harvest from it the riches that every adventurer craves!”For the DM

• • The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan is located somewhere in Chult, the largely-unexplored jungle to the south of the Sword Coast; be sure to substitute references of “Olman” for “Chultan” 

  • it’s location on Chult is not specified in the adventure text, but because of the level of the adventure it is suggested that it be somewhere near the eastern rim of the Mistcliffs – a few day’s journey from Port Nyanzaru but not a full expedition into the heart of the island 

  • most of Chult’s natives are human, but there are goblins, albino dwarves, aaracockra, and even pteramen (“Terror-Men” to the natives; a race that looks to be equal parts humanoid and flying lizard) that live there 

  • light sources are very important in this adventure – be mindful of the native denizens of the shrine, the length of tunnels, and so on! 

  • Be sure to brush up on the suffocation rules from the DMG 

  • this adventure runs best with four characters at level 5

  • one trap may cause a character to fall asleep for 5,000 years. be sure to carefully read the functions of the trap, as there are a number of ways to dispel the effect! If all else fails, the characters may be able to bring their sleeping ally back to the nearest town and use downtime for spells. 

  • if a character incurs the wrath of Tloques, it can be difficult to adjudicate a visit by the Lord of Outsiders after your game concludes. If these are your regular players, run the encounter as-written in the book – but for Adventurers League play the encounter should be run immediately after the conclusion of the adventure 

  • the sleeping martial arts adepts can be bribed with uncommon or rarer magic items; however, if a character gives up an item in this manner their permanent magic item does not go down by 1 unless the sacrificed item was found during this play session in Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan 

  • The cursed treasure of Pelota requires a Charisma saving throw (the text only indicates “a saving throw”) 

  • Lycanthropy. Refer to the standard Adventurers League rules regarding lycanthropy if a character becomes infected. In short: it it’s not removed at the end of the adventure, or if the character chooses to play a different adventure before curing it, that character is immediately retired from AL play until the lycanthropy is removed. 

  • It is entirely possible to dance until you die due to failed saving throws and exhaustion levels

Magic items

• • The +2 bronze battleaxe differs from the one printed in the DMG and does not have a specific rarity; as such, it is untradeable. 

  • The dried-out potions may be used normally – just add water! 

  • The +1 laminated wooden longsword has additional qualities not present in the DMG and does not have a specific rarity; as such, it is untradeable 

  • The bracelet of rock magic has some special qualities and limited-use rules; read it carefully! 

  • The +1 rusty dagger is not a tradeable item, but if the item breaks the owner’s permanent magic item count is reduced by 1 

  • Using the eagle whistle is not an action; although you can still move and use bonus actions, if you talk (including the use of verbal spell components) you immediately cease using the whistle 

  • Using a mirror of the past requires significant DM interpretation. Be ready to get creative! 

  • Cursed items: casting remove curse only allows a character to un-attune to an item; it does not allow the curse to be shut down unless the item’s text specifically says otherwise

Thinking outside the box

• • increase the size of the maps to 10′ squares instead of the normal 5′ square 

  • add 1-2 additional monsters to each combat 

  • remember that the gas inflicts 1d6 poison damage every hour to creatures that are not native inhabitants of the Shrine. This WILL impact how the characters rest and recuperate! 

  • this place is filled with flavorful traps (and a few very nasty “death traps”, to boot!) – keep the suspense high by making the Investigation, Perception, and Sleight of Hand checks for the characters 

  • remember that traps do not provide experience unless explicitly noted that they do, so be careful when adjusting damage types or imposing disadvantage on search and trap disarm checks 

  • if this group will be playing through the rest of the dungeons, perhaps consider linking the bracelet of rock magic into Omu in some way 

  • the Tomb of Pelota can make an awesome little mini-game experience for your players – imagine it as a combination of basketball, racquetball, and soccer (or football for those outside of the United States) 

Challenge Rating

• • Very Weak: 3 characters level 5, not much combat

  • Weak: 3 characters level 5

  • Normal: 4 characters level 5

  • Strong: 5 characters level 5

  • Very Strong: 6 characters level 5, 5 characters level 6

  • Very Very Strong: 7 characters level 5, 6 characters level 6, 5 characters level 7

  • VVV Strong: 7 characters level 6, 6 characters level 7, 5 characters level 8

Area 1, The Vault of Chicomoztoc

Center Display:

• Very Weak: Remove six Tribal Warriors

• Weak: Remove one Tribal Warrior

• Normal: Twelve Tribal Warriors, one Scout, one Mastiff, and one Panther

• Strong: Change two Tribal Warriors to Scouts

• Very Strong: Change three Tribal Warriors to Scouts, add four Panthers and two Mastiffs

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but change all of the Panthers into two Lions (reskin as large panthers)

• VVV Strong: As Very Very Strong but change all of the Tribal Warriors into a Cult Fanatic and change the Mastiffs into Dire Wolves

Niche B:

• Very Weak: Replace the Cult Fanatic with an Acolyte (replace Sanctuary with Inflict Wounds) and remove one Tribal Warrior

• Weak: Replace the Tribal Warriors with two Scouts, and replace the Cult Fanatic with four Acolytes (replace Sanctuary with Inflict Wounds)

• Normal: Twelve Commoners, five Tribal Warriors, and one Cult Fanatic

• Strong: Replace the Tribal Warriors with three Scouts

• Very Strong: As Strong, but add a Scout and a Cult Fanatic

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but add two Scouts

• VVV Strong: As Very Very Strong but replace five of the Scouts with one Archer (VGtM)

Niche C:

• Very Weak: Replace the Cult Fanatic with an Acolyte (replace Sanctuary with Inflict Wounds)

• Weak: Remove all of the Tribal Warriors

• Normal: Twelve Commoners, one Constrictor Snake, three Tribal Warriors, and one Cult Fanatic

• Strong: Replace the Tribal Warriors with two Scouts

• Very Strong: As Strong but add a Cult Fanatic

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but add a Scout

• VVV Strong: As Strong but replace the Scouts with Berserkers and add one Constrictor Snake

Area 3, Roost of the Conch:

• Very Weak: Kalka-Kylla does not appear, but increase the Giant Crayfish’s HP to 77

• Weak: Make Kalka-Kylla into a reduced threat version of itself (half HP and -2 to all attack rolls, ability checks, saving throws, and saving throw DCs)

• Normal: A Giant Crayfish and Kalka-Kylla

• Strong: Increase Kalka-Kylla’s HP to 130

• Very Strong: Add another Giant Crayfish, both of whom will speak at the same time.

• Very Very Strong: Add another Kalka Kylla who is another boulder in the room.

• VVV Strong: Combine both the Very Strong and Very Very Strong encounter adjustments

Area 7, The Sepulcher of Tloques-Poplocas:

• Very Weak: Tloques’ body begins to degrade instead and simply exists as Vampiric Mist (although it can still attune to the items, it cannot use the berserker axe)

• Weak:  The Vampire Spawn has a maximum of 41 HP (but still use the standard regeneration as written in TYP & the MM)

• Normal: One Vampire Spawn

• Strong: Increase Tloques-Poplocas’ strength to 18 (Berserker Batteaxe is +9 to hit and deals 1d10+6 slashing damage), his regeneration to 15 HP per round, and a saving throw proficiency in Constitution (+6)

• Very Strong: Increase Tloques-Poplocas’ strength to 20 (Bererserker Battleaxe is +10 to hit and deals 1d10+7 slashing damage), increase his constitution to 20, he gains a saving throw proficiency in Constitution (+8), his Armor Class increases to 17 naturally (19 with Bracers of Armor), increase his HP to 143 (15d8+65), and his multiattack allows for three attacks.

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but increase his HP to 185 (maximum)

• VVV Strong: Use the statistics of Naergoth Bladelord (RoT) - 18 AC, 135 HP, 20/12/16/12/14/16, Dex +5, Wis +6, Percep +6, Stealth +5, Resist necro & nonmagic nonsilvered, immune poison, immune exhaustion + poisoned, darkvision 60 ft., Common, Draconic, CR 11 (7200), Sunlight Sensativity, Multiattack 3 berserker battleaxe, +11 to hit reach 5 ft. 1d10+7 slashing + 3d6 necro, but also add the vampire regen of 10/round

Area 11, The Court of Cemanahuac:

• Very Weak: Change him to be a reduced-threat Flail Snail (VGtM)

• Weak: Decrease his HP to 51

• Normal: One Tecuziztecatl

• Strong: No change

• Very Strong: Add a Flail Snail (VGtM) minion

• Very Very Strong: Same as Very Strong

• VVV Strong: Add another Tecuziztecatl

Area 13, Child of Zotzilaha:

• Very Weak: Remove the Giant Lightning Eel, but increase the Nereid’s HP to 72

• Weak: Make the Nereid a reduced-threat one

• Normal: One Nereid and one Giant Lightning Eel

• Strong: Increase the Nereid’s HP to 72 to the Giant Lightning Eel’s HP to 65

• Very Strong: Add another Giant Lightning Eel but  make the Nereid a reduced-threat one.

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but the Nereid is normal and it’s HP becomes 72

• VVV Strong: There is another Giant Lightning Eel and both of their HP’s become 65.

Area 18, Hallway of the Ancestors:

• Very Weak: Remove five Zombies

• Weak: Remove one Zombie

• Normal: Fifteen Zombies

• Strong: Add one Ghoul who leads the Zombies

• Very Strong: Remove one Zombie, change one to a Ghast and change the rest to Ghouls

• Very Very Strong: Change all of them to Ghouls

• VVV Strong: As Very Strong but add one Ghast who leads the Ghouls

Area 20, Spirit Guard of Ayocuan:

• Very Weak: Replace the Wight with a Reduced-Threat Ghast

• Weak: Decrease the Wight’s HP to 22

• Normal: One Wight

• Strong: Replace the Wight with a Reduced-Threat Revenant who seeks to kill the person who lifted the lamp.

• Very Strong: Add another Wight and make the non-Ayocuan wight a reduced-threat version

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but make the non-Ayocuan wight simply just a 22 HP wight

• VVV Strong: Add another Wight

Area 22, Chamber of Nacehual:

• Very Weak: Remove one Martial Arts Adept

• Weak: Make the Martial Arts Adepts reduced-threat versions of themselves

• Normal: Two Martial Arts Adepts

• Strong: Increase both Martial Arts Adepts HP’s to 99

• Very Strong: Add another Martial Arts Adept named Taxicata (Tax-E-Kah-tah)

• Very Very Strong: Change both of the Martial Arts Adepts into Hellenraes (PotA)

• VVV Strong: Add two more Martial Arts Adepts, one is named Taxicata (Tax-ee-kah-tah) while the other is named Mokonika (Moh-koh-nee-kah)

Area 23, Light Ahead:

• Very Weak: Turn the Will-o-Wisp into a reduced threat version

• Weak: No change

• Normal: One Will-o-Wisp

• Strong: No change

• Very Strong: Give the Will-o-Wisp 36 HP

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong

• VVV Strong: Add another Will-o-Wisp who appears once the party has been trapped

Area 30, The Guardian Beast:

• Very Weak: The Weretiger has the statistics of a reduced-threat Werewolf

• Weak: Reduce the Weretiger’s HP to 60

• Normal: One Weretiger

• Strong: No change

• Very Strong: There are two guardian statues, both of which are Werewolves

• Very Very Strong: There are several more guardian statues in the form of two Jackalweres

• VVV Strong: There is a second Weretiger guardian statue

Area 35, Xipe’s Audience Chamber:

• Very Weak: Xipe is an Ettin with an intelligence of 14, wisdom of 12, and charisma of 15

• Weak: Decrease the HP of the Oni to 55

• Normal: One Oni

• Strong: Xipe is a Formorian

• Very Strong: Xipe is a Death Slaad with 240 HP

• Very Very Strong: Xipe is a Nalfashnee (be warned, this can be very dangerous)

• VVV Strong: Xipe is an Ice Devil (this is also really dangerous)

Area 37, Bed of Xilonen:

• Very Weak: The Roper is a Awakened Tree with 98 HP

• Weak: The Roper has 46 HP

• Normal: One Roper

• Strong: The Roper is a Shambling Mound that looks like a tree

• Very Strong: The Roper has 143 HP

• Very Very Strong: The Tree is a Tree Blight (CoS)

  • Huge Plant, NE

    • 15 AC, 149 HP (13d12+65), speed 30 ft.

    • 23/10/20/6/10/3

    • Immune Blind / Deaf, Blindsight 60 ft., understands common & druidic but can’t speak, CR 7 (2,900 EXP)

    • False Appearance & Siege Monster

    • Multiattack: 2 branch, 2 grasping root, and if it has someone grappled bite as BA

    • Bite: +9, reach 5 ft., 3d8+6 piercing

    • Branch: +9, reach 15 ft., 3d6+6 bludgeoning

    • Grasping Root: +9, reach 15 ft., grappled (escape DC 15) & 1d6+6 bludgeoning @ the start of each of their turns, root has 15 AC and can be severed with 6+ slashing at once, cutting simply ends the grapple but does nothing to the blight.

• VVV Strong: As Strong except the Shambling Mound has 208 HP

Area 39, Chamber of the Second Sun:

• Very Weak: It’s just a normal Giant Constrictor Snake

• Weak: Remove the Baboons but increase the Snake’s HP to 104

• Normal: One Giant Constrictor Snake and four Baboons

• Strong: Change the Baboons into four Apes

• Very Strong: As Strong except the Giant Constrictor Snake is a Giant Subterranean Lizard

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but all of the Apes have 30 HP

• VVV Strong: As Very Very Strong but the Giant Subterranean Lizard has 105 HP

Area 42, The Chapel of Kukulkan

The Guardian:

• Very Weak: There is a suit of Animated Armor that carries a Flying Sword, note how the sword seems to have a life of its own

• Weak: The Horror only has 30 HP

• Normal: One Helmed Horror

• Strong: The armor functions as a Gladiator with only its equipment inside, but it only has 61 HP

• Very Strong: Increase the Horror’s HP to 88

• Very Very Strong: As Strong but without the HP reduction

• VVV Strong: Replace the Helmed Horror with a suit of Strahd’s Animated Armor (CoS)

  • • 21 AC, 112 HP (15d8+45), 30 ft., 17/13/16/9/10/9, Perception +3,

    • Resist cold fire, Immune lightning, poison, Immune blind, charm, deaf, exhaust, frighten, paralyze, petrify, poisoned, blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond), understand but can’t speak common, CR 6 (2300)

    • Antimagic susceptibility & False appearance

    • Multi: two attacks/shocking bolts

    • Greatsword: +6, 5 ft., one target, 2d6+3 slashing + 1d6 lightning

    • Shocking Bolt: +4 (adv vs. metal wearing/holding), 60 ft., one target. 3d6 lightning

Attacking the Couatl:

• Very Weak: The Couatl is a reduced-threat version of itself

• Weak: The Couatl only has 48 HP

• Normal: 1 Couatl

• Strong: No change

• Very Strong: Increase the Couatl’s HP to 143

• Very Very Strong: The Couatl summons two reduced-threat Animated Armors to come to its defense

• VVV Strong: As above but they aren’t reduced-threat versions

Area 43, the Smoking Mirrors:

• Very Weak: The Ochre Jelly is a Gray Ooze with 33 HP

• Weak: Decrease the Jelly’s HP to 22

• Normal: One Ochre Jelly

• Strong: The Ochre Jelly is three Gray Oozes

• Very Strong: The Ochre Jelly is a Black Pudding with 130 HP

• Very Very Strong: Add another Ochre Jelly but decrease one of their HPs to 22.

• VVV Strong: Add another Ochre Jelly

Area 46, Tlazoteotl:

• Very Weak: The Gibbering Mouther is a reduced-threat version of itself

• Weak: Decrease the Mouther’s HP to 33

• Normal: One Gibbering Mouther

• Strong: Increase the Mouther’s HP to 99

• Very Strong: Add another Gibbering Mouther, but decrease both of their HP’s to 33

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong, but only decrease the HP of one of them

• VVV Strong: As Very Very Strong, but don’t decrease the HP

Area 48, Hound of the Bat:

• Very Weak: Replace the Water Weird with an Ice Mephit with 36 HP and a Steam Mephit

• Weak: Decrease the Weird’s HP to 29

• Normal: One Water Weird

• Strong: Increase the Weird’s HP to 99

• Very Strong: Replace the Water Weird with a Water Elemental

• Very Very Strong: As Very Strong but increase the Elemental’s HP to 168

• VVV Strong: Replace the Water Weird with a Water Elemental Myrmidon (with watery armor and weapons) (PotA)

  • • Medium elemental, neutral

    • AC 18, 127 (17d8+51) HP, 40 ft. Swim 40 ft.

    • 18/14/15/8/10/10

    • Resist Acid, nonmagic, Immune poison, Immune paralyze, petrify, poison, prone, Darkvision 60 ft., common, CR 7 (2900 EXP)

    • Magic Weapons

    • Multi - Three attacks, Trident +7 5 ft. one target 1d6+4 piercing, Freezing Strikes (Recharge 6) uses multi and each strike deals 1d10 extra cold and reduces speed by 10 ft.

Area 49, Sacred Chitza-Atlan:

• Very Weak: Replace the Centaur Mummy with a standard Mummy (but reskin it as a Centaur)

• Weak: Decrease the Mummy’s HP to 42

• Normal: One Centaur Mummy

• Strong: Increase the Mummy’s HP to 130

• Very Strong: Add two Zombies

• Very Very Strong: Add two Ghouls

• VVV Strong: Add two Ghasts

Trap Edits

Foreword: Well now that I’ve proposed edits to many of the encounters you may ask: why are you continuing? Haven’t you done enough? NO! I say, I have NOT! I will continue to revamp and work until I am sure you everyone will perish in this dungeon (just kidding of course, although without reading the foreword and the analysis you might think otherwise). Now I hope that I have put these in a way that are well made, akin to the format of the traps from the AL adventures.

Analysis: I am going to work to balance things. You see this dungeon was designed with AD&D in mind, a world of THAC0 and -armor class, however there was a bit more than that. Back in 2E rests did not heal as much as they do now, and in general people had less HP as well (i.e. Sorcerers and Wizards were d4s). In light of this I have adjusted the traps so that they’re balanced for 5E (looking at the table for traps in the DMG) as the TYP version simply extrapolates the damage from the original version to this version.

NOTE: In accordance with adjusting for the tiers the following Saving Throw and Attack Bonus by Tier chart has been created:

T1:

• • Setback:

    • Saving Throw: 8-10

    • Attack Bonus: +0 - +2

  • Dangerous:

    • Saving Throw: 10-12

    • Attack Bonus: +2 - +4

  • Deadly:

    • Saving Throw: 12-14

    • Attack Bonus: +4 - +6

T2:

• • Setback: 

    • Saving Throw: 11-13 

    • Attack Bonus: +3 - +5 

  • Dangerous: 

    • Saving Throw: 13-15 

    • Attack Bonus: +5 - +7 

  • Deadly: 

    • Saving Throw: 15-17 

    • Attack Bonus: +7 - +9

T3:

• • Setback: 

    • Saving Throw: 14-16 

    • Attack Bonus: +6 - +8 

  • Dangerous: 

    • Saving Throw: 16-18 

    • Attack Bonus: +8 - +10 

  • Deadly: 

    • Saving Throw: 18-20 

    • Attack Bonus: +10 - +12 

T4:

• • Setback: 

    • Saving Throw: 17 - 19 

    • Attack Bonus: +9 - +11 

  • Dangerous: 

    • Saving Throw: 19 - 21 

    • Attack Bonus: +11 - +13 

  • Deadly: 

    • Saving Throw: 21 - 23 

    • Attack Bonus: +13 - +15

 NOTE: OPTIONAL The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, Poisonous Gas

Simple Trap (level 5-10, deadly threat)

Poisonous gas seeps through the chamber and harms all who dwell inside unless they are already acclimated to the environment (which cannot be during this adventure).

            Trigger. A creature breathes in the poisonous air that is in the complex in areas 1 - 38.

            Effect. When breathed in the adventurers begin to become drowsy and weary, as the poisonous gas very slowly kills them. Every ten minutes (searching a room, traveling say 200 ft. in a dungeon while searching hallways for traps, two trap disables) they take 1d6 poison damage. This means that over the span of a short rest they take 6d6 poison damage, while for a long rest they will take 48d6 damage. -- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO REFLECT THE CHALLENGE OF THE ORIGINAL MOD. IF THIS IS TOO CHALLENGING, CHANGE TO 1d6 PER HOUR.

            Countermeasures. If they decide to cast protection from poison that will certainly work, as will any immunities or resistances to poison. The only real way to get out of this gas is to find the fastest way up into another layer. If they employ methods like covering their mouth, allow them to do this, however this also muffles their words and any spells that require verbal components have a 50% chance of failure (also the mask would have to be on the whole time to gain the benefit of protection from the gas). If they use masks they can make a DC 15 Constitution save every ten minutes to only take half damage from the gas.

Area 1, Cave-In

Complex Trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

If someone tries to dig into the cave-in they have the off-chance of triggering a rockslide that might bury them inside of the complex… forever lost inside of the Shrine.

            Trigger. A creature (or multiple creatures) that tries/try to dig into the cave-in trigger/s a minor collapse of the ceiling.

            Effect. When triggered, each character choosing to dig takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage, and they must make a DC 13 Dexterity save, or else they take 3d10 additional bludgeoning damage. If they fail the saving throw by 5 or more they are also buried and as a result are restrained, cannot get any air, and blinded. This lasts until they are freed, which they can make one DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check every minute (it’s possible for someone to aid them on this, granting advantage).

Countermeasures. The only real way to prevent this is to not dig. If the players take considerable cautionary measures to prevent a cave-in allow for advantage on the dexterity save unless they can create a way to hold up a lot of weight (around 25,000 pounds for 150 [5 x 30 x 1] cubic feet of mason rock falling) in which case they can prevent the rock-fall. However, note that it will take ten days (which they’re taking poison and must spend downtime days for) worth of digging to find an exit.

Area 1, Falling Door

Simple Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

If the heroes decide to open the door instead of using the key, the heavy bronze slab could come crashing down onto them!

• Trigger. A character decides to remove/break the hinges of the door to allow for entry instead of using the key.

• Effect. When triggered, any character who is in front of the 6 ft. tall door must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity save or else they take 2d10 bludgeoning damage, with only half damage on a successful save.

• Countermeasures. Upon careful analysis of the door (DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, where stonecunning can apply) it can be determined that the door is on a slight slant so that it will fall. If an adventurer tries to prop up the door then the prop has to be able to withstand around 12,000 pounds of copper (30 [1 x 5 x 6] cubic feet of copper) or else it snaps. If the key is used the door also doesn’t fall, which is the only real way to disable the “trap”.

Area 2, Swinging Logs

Simple Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

If a hero is traveling down the path without inspecting the floor, they might not like what they find as they’re hit by a cascade of logs!

• Trigger. Something that weighs more than 25 lbs (including equipment) lands on the pressure plate.

• Effect. Those in the plate’s area take 2d6 bludgeoning damage (no save) and are pushed back five feet. If that forces them into another character they must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity save or they (and the character) take an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage

• Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking ahead for traps on the floor they must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the pressure plate. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a set of Thieves’ Tools (a shim) and a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, if they fail less than five they know that the shim was improperly placed, but if they fail by more than five they believe it is steady.

  • • If an adventurer is prodding ahead with a 10 ft. pole, it requires a (secret) DC 10 strength check to provide enough force on the ground to trigger the trap, otherwise they do not provide enough strength to trigger the trap and they might walk onto it (though they might also be able to notice it with the Perception check when they get closer).

Area 5, Wet Limestone

Complex Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

A coating of wet lime covers the wall of this chamber, but its acidity is certainly present upon contact with flesh.

• Trigger. If an adventurer does not take the proper precautions, touching the wet limestone with anything triggers the trap.

• Effect. Touching the limestone deals one acid damage to the creature (minimum of one barring immunity) touching the limestone with any kind of object (including magical items) deals one acid damage to the item (minimum of one barring immunity). This repeats at the end of every round unless it is scraped or washed off. If it is scraped off with an object that object begins taking damage. If it is washed off then that liquid is ruined, tarnished by the limestone (if they decide to drink the lime water then they are considered to be touching it until a lesser restoration [or other restorative spell] is cast upon them).

• Countermeasures. Scraping the limestone off of a creature or an object will result in the limestone simply being transferred to the other object (the ground would actually work in this case) and that object taking the damage. If some form of liquid is poured on to the limestone it washes away; however, in order to fully clean a surface a ½ gallon (one waterskin) of liquid must be used. In order to get the limestone away from the “door” itself, it takes either ten minutes of continuous scraping (with damage being dealt to objects/people) or 3 gallons (six waterskins) worth of liquid drenched onto the wall.

Area 6, Even More Rubble!

Complex Trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

If someone tries to dig into the cave-in they have the off-chance of triggering a rockslide that might bury them inside of the complex… forever lost inside of the Shrine.

• Trigger. A creature (or multiple creatures) that tries/try to dig into the cave-in trigger/s a minor collapse of the ceiling.

• Effect. When triggered, each character choosing to dig takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage, and they must make a DC 13 Dexterity save, or else they take 3d10 additional bludgeoning damage. If they fail the saving throw by 5 or more they are also buried and as a result are restrained, cannot get any air, and blinded. This lasts until they are freed, which they can make one DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check every minute (it’s possible for someone to aid them on this, granting advantage).

• Countermeasures. The only real way to prevent this is to not dig. If the players take considerable cautionary measures to prevent a cave-in allow for advantage on the dexterity save unless they can create a way to hold up a lot of weight (around 25,000 pounds for 150 [5 x 30 x 1] cubic feet) of mason rock falling (in which case they can prevent the rock-fall, however note that it will take ten days [which they’re taking poison and must spend downtime days for] worth of digging to find an exit).

Area 7, Lullaby Gas

Complex Trap (level 5-10 setback/deadly threat)

If someone opens the door without first checking for traps… they could be in for a serious surprise of sleeping gas that might put them to sleep!

• Trigger. Someone forces the door open without unlocking and opening the door first.

• Effect. Upon the smashing of the glass sphere, anyone claimed they were bashing down the door (and promptly shoving their way inside) falls prey to the sleeping gas. Anyone who enters the room while the sleeping gas is still active must also make the save at the end of their turn for every turn they linger inside. The save is a DC 11 Constitution save, but on a failure the creature is poisoned for 5,000 years. While they are poisoned they are also unconscious, but they’re unaffected by both other poisons (including the one throughout the Shrine) and time itself. The sleeping gas lasts in the room for a month (time which the heroes do not have) during which time it simply sits stagnant.

• Countermeasures. If magic is used to cure the poison (like lesser restoration or protection from poison) then the poison is not neutralized, they are simply immune to its effects (including the immunity to time and other poisons) for one hour. If someone tries to dispel the magical poison, they must do so using a 7th or higher level slot (or beating a DC 17 spellcasting modifier check). Alternatively the vapors can be cleared with the casting of gust of wind or some other powerful wind creating spell.

Area 8, To Dislodge Algae

Complex Trap (level 5-10 setback threat)

As someone nears the door they see a gathering of what appears to be green slime, but upon further inspection they might realize that it is algae! Upon trying to dislodge this algae is can cause for caustic lime  to fall from the ceiling and drip onto them.

• Trigger. Someone tries to dislodge the algae physically (either by attacking it or literally grabbing it from the wall) makes the algae fall a bit, but so does the caustic lime from the wall.

• Effect. The lime is flung throughout the room, anything the limestone touches (essentially if they’re in the room) is dealt one point of acid damage (minimum of one barring immunity) this includes any worn (even magical) items or anything that would be hit by a fall of caustic lime. This damage repeats at the end of every round unless it is scraped or washed off. If it is scraped off with an object that object begins taking damage. If it is washed off then that liquid is ruined, tarnished by the limestone (if they decide to drink the lime water then they are considered to be touching it until a lesser restoration [or other restorative spell] is cast upon them).

• Countermeasures. Scraping the limestone off of a creature or an object will result in the limestone simply being transferred to the other object, and that object taking the damage. If some form of liquid is poured on to the limestone and scrubbed (action) it washes away; however, in order to fully clean a surface a ½ gallon (one waterskin) of liquid must be used. Luckily for the characters, the mud water is enough to wash the lime away, however they have to be very careful, for they can only scrub one thing off at a time (jumping /falling in is not enough given the height of the water and the fact that simply immersing it in water doesn’t scrub it off.

  • • To dislodge the algae itself: cold damage must be dealt and then it must be shattered with a weapon (bludgeoning weapon, or just the handle of a weapon), force/lightning/necrotic/radiant/thunder damage dealt and then it must be moved aside, or pushed away without touching it (i.e. Thunderwave)

Area 9, BEWARE! Falling Statues

Simple Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

Beautiful glimmering gems on the statue’s eyes are a tempting deception for many treasure seekers, for as they step onto the plate the statue could fall as well!

• Trigger. If a total weight of 100 pounds is placed onto the tray, or if someone succeeds on pushing the statue (DC 10 Strength check) the statue falls.

• Effect. It falls in a 10 ft. by 5 ft. line (in the direction fallen or pushed) and anyone under it or climbing it must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity save or else they take 2d10 bludgeoning damage, half as much on a successful save.

• Countermeasures. Someone who is investigating the statue and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check (stonecunning applies) notices that the statue is top heavy, and unbalanced. If efforts are made to hold the statue up, it has to be enough to hold up 20,000 pounds of solid granite rock.

Area 11, Acid Lime

Simple Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

The walls are heavily coated with lime, which also pollutes the water. This acidic water can have dire effects on anyone who stays in there for a prolonged period of time.

• Trigger. A character stays in the water for thirty minutes triggers the trap/obstacle.

• Effect. Lime has begun to rot away the clothes and items that the character possesses, as well as their own skin. It takes thirty minutes, but after that point the lime has thoroughly soaked into both the skin and the items that the characters are wearing. Once this happens a character takes 2d8 acid damage or if its an item (including nonmagical) it takes 1d8 acid damage.

• Countermeasures. Describe how after about 10 minutes the character feels like they’re getting tickled and by 20 it feels like they have pins and needles. Other than that, there’s not too much that the adventurer can do to prevent this.

Area 12, Flooded Hallway

Complex Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

Upon opening the door to this room, water floods out and shoves everyone in the hallway back into the last room.

• Trigger. Opening the door to the room triggers the trap.

• Effect. Immediately roll initiative, at the start of each creature stuck in the flood must of water’s turn they are pushed 25 ft. first west (until they hit the wall), then south (until they hit the wall), then east (until they hit the wall), until they’re in the moat in area 12. They take 1d4 bludgeoning damage for every ten feet moved (so 2d4 in this case) in conjunction with this pushing and shoving as they’re bumped around the hallway. On their turn for every move “action” they take, they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check (so if someone dashes they have to roll twice). On a success they can move at normal swimming speed, on a failure by less than five they don’t move, but on a failure by five or more (or if they choose not to move as their action or “move action”) they are pushed ten feet (and take the subsequent 1d4 bludgeoning damage). In addition, upon the initial onslaught of the water they must drop whatever they’re holding unless they succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. The object then flows down the “river” at the start of a round 45 ft. until it gets into the moat, at which point it requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check for every 10 minutes of search to find an item (random if there’s more than one) that’s inside the moat due to the brackish water, and from the fact that it’s 12 ft. down. The flood lasts for 5 turns, at which point it subsides as all the water has moved out of the chamber.

• Countermeasures. A character cannot avoid the initial onslaught of water. If on their turn they reach a corner during their movement, they can grab ahold of it as long as they have one free arm. If they do this, they simply need to succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw every time the water comes at them (so probably 4 more times) or else they are dislodged from the wall and have to try to get back all over again, while still taking the damage from bumping into walls.

Area 17, Snapping Trap

Simple Trap (levels 5-10 setback threat)

Upon disturbing the bracelet the eagle’s mouth snaps shut, trapping the character inside… how will they escape?

• Trigger. A character disturbing the bracelet in any way triggers the trap.

• Effect. A player is considered grappled and restrained while they are held by this eagle mouth.

• Countermeasures. Someone can apply a pint of oil to allow for the arm to slip out, alternatively if someone succeeds on a DC 40 Strength (Athletics) check they can break off the eagle’s head, but each roll/try takes one minute. Alternatively, someone can try to destroy the eagle head. It has 16 AC and 25 HP and is immune to all damage except bludgeoning. Any damage that is not bludgeoning or that misses the eagle, instead hits the character, and the eagle transfers ¼ of any bludgeoning damage that it takes to the character.

Area 19, Shifting Slab Trap

Complex Trap (levels 5-10 deadly threat)

If the heroes are not careful, they could find themselves trapped, sealed inside of a small alcove and trapped with the poisonous gas. (NOTE: This trap could very well mean the end of the characters so be wary)

• Trigger. When more weight (including equipment) is located on the floor of the alcove, as opposed to the space immediately to the north (left side of the map) of the step up (the “T” on the map)

• Effect. The alcove immediately falls 10 ft. and the pathway rises by the same amount. Everyone must then make DC 15 Dexterity save or they take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and fall down to the back of the room (the southern part against the fall) and fall prone. There is still 5 ft. left between the rising floor and the ceiling but the floor continues to rise. As a result, roll initiative. The floor then moves up one foot for every initiative after 21, until eventually snapping shut at the end of initiative count 15. Adventurers must therefore crawl up (half-movement) the pathway before that or else they’re stuck and trapped inside.

• Countermeasures. Someone checking for traps on the floor/the steps who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (perception) check notices a small hinge. The hinge can be disabled by spending 5 minutes and a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. After the trap has triggered characters can try and push the floor back to the ground, however the counterweight that was dropped from the hinge weighs one ton. As a result there needs to be a combined 66 strength of people pushing on the ceiling to force the hinge back in place. Finally, if they are trapped inside, someone can escape by digging their way out. Without some kind of digging utility it takes two hours of combined effort from the party (one side digging one way another side digging from the other side, etc…) to escape. Note that they still take the poisonous gas damage while this is going on (but this also allows spells like wind walk or gaseous form to work)

Area 24, Death by Sand Trap

Complex Trap (levels 5-10, deadly threat)

NOTE: This trap is very complex, please first read through the timeline to get a general idea and then you can read through the actual in-depth explanation of what happens.

Upon activating this trap, the adventurers could find themselves quickly engulfed by sand…

• • Trigger. Three or more things that each weigh more than 25 lbs (including equipment) land on one of the ten-foot square pressure plates. The trap has a mechanism that as long as less than three creatures are walking on it they do not upset the balance of the counterweights placed on each five-foot area of the pressure plate, but if three or more creatures step into that area the balance is disturbed and the trap triggers.

• Timeline/Quick Synopsis. Round 1, sand begins pouring out; Round 2, ground is DT; Round 4, sand begins restraining; Round 6, DC’s increase; Round 8, Coughing and more saves; Round 11, suffocation by sand.

• Effect. 20 ft. tall gates (up to the ceiling) come crashing down upon the adventurers. One gate appears in front of one or two (back half) heroes and behind the other half, and the other is on the other side of the sealed section, trapping some of them inside of the hallway. Immediately roll initiative. At initiative count 15, the sound of stone moving on stone can be heard as dust begins to trickle out of several (10) medium-sized (6 inches in diameter) holes in the ceiling. At initiative count 10, golden sand begins to quickly fall out of the holes. The sand is falling out at a rate of 4 inches per second (very quickly) and as a result the adventurers only have a limited amount of time or else they will soon suffocate.

  • • After one round, at initiative count 10, 2 feet of sand has covered the ground of the chamber and it has become difficult terrain. After two more rounds (three rounds after the initial slamming of the doors), at initiative count 10, a character in the chamber begins sinking in the six feet of sand that has accumulated in the chamber, as a result anyone moving through the sand must succeed on a DC 10 Strength of Dexterity save or else they are restrained, they must also make a save if they end their turn in the sand, but the DC is only 5 for that (a character who moves and succeeds does not need to make a subsequent save at the end of their turn). On a failure, the character becomes restrained. After two more rounds (five rounds after the initial slamming of the doors), at initiative count 10, the heroes are mostly stuck inside sand (10 ft. of loose sand) and as a result the DC all saves or checks to escape/not be restrained by the sand increase by 5. Two more rounds later (seven rounds after the initial slamming of the doors), at initiative count 10, anyone who is on the surface (essentially all the characters in the chamber) are close enough to the holes in the ceiling and the subsequent dust that is pouring out of them. As a result, at the start of their turns they begin coughing and must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or spend their action hacking up sand. Finally, three rounds later (ten rounds after the initial slamming of the doors), at initiative count 10, the chamber is entirely covered. Any character still inside can no longer breathe and begins suffocating (unable to hold breath because of dust and coughing).

    • A character can free themselves from the restrained condition as an action if they succeed on a DC 5 Strength or Dexterity check, alternatively another character can free them by making the check with their action.

• Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking ahead for traps on the floor they must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the pressure plate. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a set of Thieves’ Tools (a shim) and a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, if they fail less than five they know that the shim was improperly placed, but if they fail by more than five they believe it is steady. If they are instead looking up towards the ceiling or the wall and they come within ten feet of the portcullis (so five feet of the pressure plate essentially), while also succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check (lightly obscured still) then they notice a narrow band of copper extending from wall to wall. A gap between the copper and the surrounding stone suggests that the metal might be part of a door or a portcullis. This object can be prevented from coming down by wedging it in place as if it were a pressure plate (same Thieves’ Tools check).

  • • If an adventurer is prodding ahead with a 10 ft. pole, it requires a (secret) DC 30 strength check to provide enough force on the ground to trigger the trap (more because this is meant to be triggered by three people, not just one [and yes this is technically possible given AL rules]), otherwise they do not provide enough strength to trigger the trap and they might walk onto it (though they might also be able to notice it with the Perception check when they get closer).

    • Once the trap has been triggered there are several ways that the adventurers can go about rescuing either themselves or their allies. Attacking the door is an effective solution (especially if someone has a certain weapon that Shatters things effectively) but the door is still very sturdy, made of timer bound in copper. If someone begins attacking the door have them make attacks as normal against an AC of 15. If someone begins casting spells it’s automatically immune to poison and psychic but otherwise fails any saving throw (think about spells or effects logically to see how they’d work). Once 100 damage has been dealt to the door, it smashes.

    • Meanwhile, if someone tries to provide to leverage and lift up the door, this can be done in general with a combined strength of 300 (which is highly unlikely); alternatively, it can be done with a DC 35 Strength (Athletics) check, as it’s virtually impossible to lift up the door without leverage. What makes it even harder is the fact that sand begins rushing under the cracks of any minor lift and as a result getting a grip through the sand is even harder, which grants disadvantage to the check. If a form of leverage is used (like a crowbar) then the DC is reduced to 30 and the advantage / disadvantage cancel out. HOWEVER, the DC can be increased further by dealing damage to the door (mention that they can knock weight off by damaging the door). For every 5 points of damage they deal reduce both DCs by 1 (so 10 damage would reduce the DCs by 2). Upon either breaking or lifting up the door, sand spills out into the hallway and anyone buried inside can be uncovered with an action.

Area 27, Rolling Stone Trap

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Upon activating this trap the adventurers come under the threat of a huge rolling ball!

• Trigger. Something weighing more than 30 pounds steps on the 10 ft. pressure plate.

• Effect. Immediately roll initiative (the ball acts with a +10 bonus), anyone with a passive perception (don’t forget the -5 from disadvantage) of 14 or lower is surprised by this rolling ball and cannot act. On the ball’s turn it rolls forward down the stairs 60 ft. and everyone in its path must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity save or they take 4d10 bludgeoning damage and have a 50% chance of dropping whatever they’re holding. If they fail by five or more they take maximum (40) damage, drop anything held in hand, and fall prone. The ball then continues moving on its turn until it smashes through the doors to area 25, possibly arousing the beetles to fight the characters.

  • • Any item that was dropped takes as much damage as the character did, recall that magic items can be destroyed they just have resistance to all damage (this almost surely means the end of most objects barring a magical or longsword greatsword [a medium resilient item])

• Countermeasures: If an adventurer is looking ahead for traps on the floor they must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the pressure plate. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a set of Thieves’ Tools (a shim) and a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, if they fail less than five they know that the shim was improperly placed, but if they fail by more than five they believe it is steady.

  • • If an adventurer is prodding ahead with a 10 ft. pole, it requires a (secret) DC 10 strength check to provide enough force on the ground to trigger the trap, otherwise they do not provide enough strength to trigger the trap and they might walk onto it (though they might also be able to notice it with the Perception check when they get closer).

Area 29, A Deadly Game

Complex Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

NOTE: This is also a very complex trap, I’d carefully read through it to fully understand everything.

Upon taking some treasure, a game could trigger, one that could mean the end for the adventurers.

• Trigger. Someone picks up the pelota ball from the secret treasure stache.

• Effect. The pelota ball flies from the character’s grasp (unless they state they try to grab it, in which case allow for a contested athletics vs. acrobatics [the ball has a +11]). If they succeed, the ball still tries to fly away, taking the escape action at the end of each character’s turns. The game will not trigger unless the ball is released, however. Once the ball is released (or if it was not grabbed) it flies and hits the southern (closest) wall at which point a single drum beat can be heard as it continues flying (without provoking AoO’s or taking the disengage action) 30 ft. to the North, at which point it hovers for a moment and then falls. After that it begins bouncing off of the walls, flying around. If you haven’t already rolled initiative, do so now. At the end of each character’s turn the pelota ball in its chaotic bouncing randomly flies towards one of the characters (roll a die), it has a +5 attack bonus and on a hit deals 7 (1d4+5) damage. If anyone hits the ball (AC 15) with an attack or a spell (it automatically fails saving throws, but is immune to the: blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, poisoned, prone, stunned, or unconscious conditions) unless said spell or attack deals bludgeoning damage the adventurer takes half of the damage dealt while the Pelota ball seems unfazed and continues. If bludgeoning damage is dealt the ball momentarily pauses, and the adventurer takes no damage (this is a hint that some form of bludgeoning damage is the answer). The ball does still continue to bounce around after that however. Finally, if the bludgeoning damage is from an unarmed strike like a punch, a kick, or a headbutt then the ball immediately flies into the southern wall as it strikes a depression (another beat of a drum) and then flies 30 ft. back (once again without provoking AoO’s or taking the disengage action). The ball then continues on its chaotic bouncing until it is kicked/headbutted/punched/etc… again. At that point it flies into the southern depression once more (another beat of a drum) as both ends of the hallway begin to glow and fanfare can be heard, notifying the beginning of the game.

  • • The ball then flies (same thing as before) to the center of the hallway. When someone hits/punches/kicks it the game begins. Every time the ball is hit (with the body) it flies 15 ft. to the north, meanwhile at the end of every character’s turn it flies 7.5 ft. to the south (so one square after one turn, two after the next, then one again). If the character gets the idea of being more graceful with their punches and kicks let them! Have them use their dexterity bonus instead of their strength for their attacks. If the ball flies into the northern wall (where it’s trying to get to) then white bolts (one per each creature playing the game) fly out of the statue’s mouth as the music gets worse. Each white bolt deals 1d10 psychic damage and cannot be avoided as the adventurers feel shame for bringing such dishonor to an imaginary crowd. If the adventurers manage to push the ball to the southern wall (while standing over the pit) they must say that they are trying to “score” or aiming for the depression, whichever one works. They must then succeed on hitting an improved AC of 17. If they get 15<=x<17 then they knock the ball into the wall and a hero can try again next turn (although if they get below that then the ball can still fly away as normal). The game ends when the adventurers have a score of more than two when compared to the ball.  At which point fanfare can be heard, and the southern goal goes dark, but the northern goal continues to glow orange. Investigation reveals that a small panel has opened in the back of the depression, containing the treasure detailed.

• Countermeasures. The only real countermeasures are to win, as the ball will still hit and jostle them.

Area 32, Armed Door

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Upon opening up the door out of this chamber, arms surrounding the door instantly grab that person!

• Trigger. Anyone opening the northern door out of this area triggers the trap.

• Effect. The character is instantly grappled and restrained. The hands trap their arms, legs, and the chest area so they are completely incapable of moving. Immediately roll initiative. At initiative count 10 of the first round the floor begins to open up below the character to reveal a 20 ft. deep spiked pit. It finishes opening at initiative count 0 of the second round, at which point the arms immediately release the character and they fall down into the spiked pit. However, at this point it’s revealed that the spikes are not made of metal, instead they are simply rubber coated balsa wood that deals only 1d8 bludgeoning damage (plus the 2d6 from the 20 ft. fall).

• Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking on the door for traps they must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the pressure plate on the door that activates the trap. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a set of Thieves’ Tools (a shim) and a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, if they fail less than five they know that the shim was improperly placed, but if they fail by more than five they believe it is steady. Once the trap has activated an adventurer may try to escape with their action and a successful acrobatics check against DC 20 (athletics is not applicable as from their current position they cannot gain any leverage against the hands). Another adventurer may try and lift the hands off of the grappled one. This requires a total of 30 strength to move one arm away and takes up an adventurers action to add their strength to the sum. Once half (3) arms have been removed the DC to escape decreases to 15.

Area 32, Fusilade of Bolts

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Opening the doors to the room beyond could result in an array of bolts being fired!

• Trigger. The opening of the doors triggers the trap.

• Effect. Five crossbows situated on the ceiling of area 33 (around 10 ft. into the hallway) send crossbow bolts through the doorway. Two hit any character on the left square of the door, two hit any character on the right side, while the last hits either the left or right (in the case of just one character, it hits that square, whereas you should roll randomly in the case of two). The crossbows have a +5 to hit and deal 1d10 piercing damage each.

• Countermeasures. Nothing can identify the trap, but opening the doors from the side (so that they’re not in the line of fire) would allow characters to evade the trap.

Area 33, Will the Real Adventurer Please Stand Up?

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Anyone entering the room is forced to do battle with their doppelganger!

• Trigger. Anyone who walks past the hallway without first disabling the glyph of warding activates this trap.

• Effect. A glyph of warding containing a wall of stone (because wall of fire doesn’t block sight/sound in 5E) activates in between the adventurer who first stepped on the glyph and the rest of the group. Immediately afterwards (and do this part away from the rest of the group), a doppelganger disguises him/her/themselves/self as the person in the room and then begins attacking them (most likely with an ambush). If the adventurer is killed by the doppelganger they are thrown into the coffin and then the doppelganger tries to pass themselves off as the character, but with the explanation that “a vile curse removed all of my spellcasting/tricks/powers so I am stuck using my weapons.” along with a reassurance that “I’ve searched this room, inside the coffin there was actually a sizable amount of treasure (shows treasure to the group). However, other than that there’s not too much, I think those niches might have some stuff though.” The doppelganger continues with the group right up until the point where there’s only themselves and one character left, or if the rest of the group is in serious pain (also they hack and cough as if they take poison damage and “marking” it on their sheet, but they don’t actually take any damage) at which point it tries to kill them and then escape.

• Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking on the door for traps they must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) (doesn’t really matter either way, as you probably should [giving Advantage/Disadvantage is allowed] grant disadvantage on any Intelligence (Investigation) check made as well) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the glyph of warding that activates the trap. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a dispel magic against DC 17.

Area 33, Poisonous Acupuncture

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Upon opening the second pyramid six needles fly out and begin to slowly inject poison into the character.

• Trigger. A character inserts their hand into the chest.

  • Effect. Six finger like stone appendages immediately grab the character. The character is considered grappled and restrained while this is going. Notify the character that any attempt to free themselves would be equivalent to trying to break stone (for that is what they are doing). Immediately roll initiative. At initiative count 0 the needles finally push through the stone and any appendage still attached to the character deals one piercing damage. In addition, if at least one needle stabs a character they must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save (against poison) or take 6d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. In either event,the creature is poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking ld6 poison damage on a failure. The poison ends when the creature makes five successful saves against it. Until the poison ends, any hit points lost to it can't be regained. The poisoned creature is feverish and occasionally trembles, gibbers, or retches.

• Countermeasures. A character can try to escape from the stony grasp, but as noted it is incredibly hard (DC 30 Acrobatics or Athletics). A character can instead choose to try and attack one appendage with their weapon. The appendage has an AC of 13 and a single hit will “kill” it, but if they miss by 5 or more (total of 8 or lower) then instead they actually hit the character. If it’s a spell, then the appendage is immune to fire (burning stone doesn’t really work), poison, necrotic, radiant, lightning, and psychic damage, as well as all conditions. Note that it also automatically fails any saving throw. Finally, it if’s an AoE attack (yes they exist)/spell it will hit the character grappled by the “fingers”, so ask before you blast.

Area 33, A Scented Shock/Fusillade of Darts (repetition is intentional)

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Releasing the catch to open the chest itself activates a harmless trap, but upon opening the chest the adventurers are greeted to a more harmful surprise!

• Trigger. The first trap is triggered by pressing the catch, while the second trap is triggered by opening the chest fully without holding down the lever.

• Effect. The activation of the first trap simply releases a burst of harmless perfumed oil on anyone within 5 ft. of them. Immediately roll initiative and begin marking down the number of rounds that pass (though nothing will come of this). Reminder that oil cannot simply be removed with water, it requires some other polar substance to get off, so watch as the adventurers might struggle and use resources to get some harmless oil off of them (what the perfume smells like is completely up to you). The activation of the second trap, however, is slightly more deadly. Four darts fly out on the front and back of the chest, each has a +6 to hit and deals 2d4 piercing damage per hit. They also have a range of 60 ft., so if someone is opening the chest with a ten foot pole (but still in front of it) they will still be attacked.

• Countermeasures. The nozzles that spew out the perfumed oil can be found with a careful analysis of the chest along with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget the poison gas), whereupon they can try and disabling, but notify them that to do this they’d have to essentially remove the entire chest lid without touching the catch. Upon spending 10 minutes and succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check the lid is removed, a failure means they can roll 10 minutes later. However, in disabling the trap and removing the lid, the lever can pop up, triggering the darts! The dart activation mechanism cannot originally be found, but if the adventurers choose to slowly/cautiously (they should be using those words) open the chest lid after releasing the catch then they notice a partially raised lever. They can choose to hold the lever down by succeeding on a DC 12 Strength check. On a success the lever is held down for that round, but it might not be in the next round (whereupon another Strength check must be rolled). During this time someone can grab one thing (or around 10 small things in a handful) as their action + interact with object action to store it.

Area 34, Shocking Blades

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Activating a pressure plate results in the door being barred, along with a shocking revelation!

• Trigger. Setting enough weight (30 lbs.) on the pressure plate triggers this trap.

• Effect. Upon the activation of the trap, two of the carved warriors pivot out from the walls in front of the party, crossing their metal halberds before them to bar the way to the northern doors. The blades spark and hum when they are brought together. A creature that touches either of the blades takes 2d4 lightning damage and must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed while it is in contact. A paralyzed creature takes the damage again at the start of each of its turns (and therefore must make the save again).

• Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking ahead for traps on the floor they must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the pressure plate. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a set of Thieves’ Tools (a shim) and a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, if they fail less than five they know that the shim was improperly placed, but if they fail by more than five they believe it is steady.

  • • If an adventurer is prodding ahead with a 10 ft. pole, it requires a (secret) DC 10 strength check to provide enough force on the ground to trigger the trap, otherwise they do not provide enough strength to trigger the trap and they might walk onto it (though they might also be able to notice it with the Perception check when they get closer).

    • There is barely enough room for a Medium humanoid to crawl under the crossed polearms and between the statues. Doing so without touching the blades requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. On a failure, the adventurer takes the damage and has to make the save again.

Area 35, Liquid Light

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Entering into the pool of oil below could have blinding consequences on them!

• • Trigger. Someone falls into the well.

  • Effect. Whatever is immersed begins to be covered with the strange liquid, and soon the liquid spreads. At the end of a character’s turn, if they are without bright or dim light, the glow covers 5% more of the characters body. Once the character is fully covered they can not see, breathe, or hear. Inform the character when they’re 50% covered that it’s beginning to feel itchy and really irritating as to clue the character in that this isn’t something they want to continue.

  • Countermeasures. Removing all light will stop the spread of the liquid, as will immersing any parts that are exposed on the character, however this requires a lot of water (25 gallons or so to be a bit more precise [which is 50 waterskins or so] for complete immersion, which is roughly 1.125 [or 2.5 waterskins] for every 5% of coverage). Alternatively any form of magical darkness will render the liquid inert as long as it’s in the magical darkness + one hour after it leaves.

Area 38, Barred Pit

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Traversing these pits could easily result in the adventurers falling inside of them!

• Trigger. An adventurer begins to try and cross the pit.

• Effect. In order to move across the pitted hallway, a character must leap over the small gaps that lead down into the pits below. Any movement onto a bar costs an extra foot of movement (do not forget that moving through a player’s space is difficult terrain, and two medium/small creatures can’t end their movement in each-other’s spaces), and if they move less than or equal to half of their movement in a round they must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, if they move more than half, but equal to or less than their full movement the DC increases to 15. If they move more than their full movement in a round then the DC increases to 20. On a failed check the creature cannot move for that turn, on a failure by 5 or more they fall into the pit.

  • • The third and sixth bars along the way are corroded. When a character moves onto one of these bars, roll a d20. On a roll of 5 or lower, or 2 or lower for a Small character, the bar breaks. If the bar doesn't break and the roll is 10 or lower, some obvious sign of the bar's weakness becomes evident, such as chipping or bending. If a bar breaks, any character standing on them falls, but in addition the DC to leap over two bars increases by 5.

    • If a character takes any damage while on a bar, they must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 6 + the damage taken. If the saving throw fails by 4 or less, the creature falls prone, catching itself on the bar. (To stand up on the bar afterward, a character must make a Dexterity check as if attempting to move on the bars, and it costs half their movement.) If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the character falls in the pit.

    • Someone who falls into the pit always comes down on a bush, cushioning the impact. The fall deals only ld6 bludgeoning damage, but the character lands on a plant's adhesive blossoms.

• Countermeasures. Obviously spider climb/flight/jump are effective, but other than that the only real way to overcome the “trap” is to jump over the bars as quickly and effectively as possible.

Area 39, Cave-In

Complex Trap (level 5-10, dangerous threat)

If someone tries to escape through the hole in the ceiling, they have the off-chance of triggering a rockslide that might bury them inside of the complex… forever lost inside of the Shrine.

• Trigger. A creature (or multiple creatures) that tries/try to dig into the cave-in trigger/s a minor collapse of the ceiling.

• Effect. When triggered, each character choosing to dig takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage, and they must make a DC 13 Dexterity save, or else they take 3d10 additional bludgeoning damage. If they fail the saving throw by 5 or more they are also buried and as a result are restrained, cannot get any air, and blinded. This lasts until they are freed, which they can make one DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check every minute (it’s possible for someone to aid them on this, granting advantage).

• Countermeasures. The only real way to prevent this is to not dig. If the players take considerable cautionary measures to prevent a cave-in allow for advantage on the dexterity save unless they can create a way to hold up a lot of weight (around 25,000 pounds for 150 [5 x 30 x 1] cubic feet of mason rock falling) in which case they can prevent the rock-fall. However, note that it will take ten days (which they’re taking poison and must spend downtime days for) worth of digging to find an exit.

Area 40, The Dragon’s Breath

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Walking part way up the steps triggers the activation of a stone dragon that blocks the way!

• • Trigger. A glyph of warding has been etched on the stairs halfway up the staircase.

  • Effect. The glyph animates the a stone statue of a dragon (use the statistics of a Stone Golem except it can’t take actions or reactions). It then barges through the secret door if anyone moves onto the final 5 ft. section of the stairs. It moves 10 unpreventable feet out of the secret door until it is standing over the stairs. It then proceeds to breathe a 30 ft. by 10 ft. line of steam down the hallway. Anyone in the line must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or they take 2d4+2 fire damage with half damage on a successful save. It also coats the stairway with slick moisture, and as a result anyone moving on the stairs must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity save or they fall prone and take 1 bludgeoning damage before they can move, and that ends their turn. The dragon repeats its breath weapon if anyone successfully moves at least 5 ft. up or down the stairs, it does this twice more (for a total of 3 times) before it retreats back and the secret door closes behind it.

  • Countermeasures. If an adventurer is looking on the door for traps they must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) (doesn’t really matter either way, as you probably should [giving Advantage/Disadvantage is allowed] grant disadvantage on any Intelligence (Investigation) check made as well) check (don’t forget how there’s the gas that lightly obscures things) to find the glyph of warding that activates the trap. Upon finding it, they can disable it with a dispel magic against DC 15. If the adventurers don’t move (in terms of placement in the world) and they do enough damage to kill a stone golem it crumbles and breaks.

Area 42, The Man in the Mirror

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Even a single glance in this mirror can trap a character inside of a dual between them and an evil mirror version of themself.

• Trigger. Anyone who looks around the room and approaches within 10 ft. of the mirror without explicitly stating that they are not looking at the mirror (no prompting from the DM) triggers the trap.

• Effect. The character must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or else they suddenly stop moving paralyzed, as an evil reflection of the character appears in their mind and tries to kill them. It has the exact same statistics of the character (HP, AC, spells, etc…) except that any attacks or damage that the mirror image deals/makes becomes +6 to hit or a DC 14 saving throw. The damage is also then reduced to 1d6/how many attacks are made psychic damage. For example, a mirror image of a fighter who attacks twice deals 1d3 psychic damage per hit, while a mirror image of a wizard who fireballs deals 1d6 psychic damage (with a DC 14 dex save for half damage).

• Countermeasures. Dealing enough damage to kill the mirror image makes it disappear, freeing the character from their stasis. If someone tries to jostle the character allow the character another DC 15 Wisdom save (note that this can only be done once). Once the mirror image has been defeated or the creature has been jostled awake, nobody in the group can be affected by it for 24 hours.

Area 42, The Couatl’s Cure

Run as written, it’s not intended to be a real trap, more of just an interesting puzzle.

Area 43, The Colored Mirrors

Run as written, these are not supposed to be deadly either, just intriguing effects.

Area 44, The Spinning Octopus

Complex Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Touching this octopus causes for it to animate and immediately grab the adventurers, trying to run them against the ground!

• Trigger. Anyone who touches the octopus triggers the trap.

• Effect. The eight arms of the octopus immediately animate and try to grab up to eight people within the room (roll randomly if there are more than eight people). All effected must immediately make a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity save or else they become grappled and restrained by the tentacles of the “octopus”, then roll initiative as the octopus begins to spin around in circles. On initiative count 10 the octopus has rotated a full 360 degrees, and everyone still grappled and restrained takes 3d4 bludgeoning damage as they are scraped around the rocky room. This damage repeats on every subsequent round at initiative count 10. If an adventurer manages to escape from the grapple they still take 1d4 bludgeoning damage as they are dropped to the floor and battered by the other spinning tentacles (and possibly the characters). Finally, if the adventurers all escape without destroying the gem, a terrible curse is placed upon the group. Do not tell them this, but they have disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws made with a random (d6) ability score (so whenever they roll something, roll another d20 in secret and take the lower). This lasts for 5 days or until  a remove curse spell is cast on them (or dispel magic as if this curse is a 8th level spell)

• Countermeasures. On a characters turn they can use their action to try and escape from the grapple with an escape DC of 15. Alternatively they can attack the arm itself (albeit with the restrained condition), an arm has an AC of 17, 18 HP, and is resistant to all damage (as it is magical). It automatically fails all saving throws, but is immune to poison & psychic damage, and all conditions except restrained and grappled (which simply stop it from moving), although it will automatically succeed and grapple checks. A character can also try to destroy the central gem which has an AC of 17 and 15 HP. It automatically fails all saving throws and adduct conditions as you see fit. Once destroyed, the alter stops and all characters are released.

Area 44, Gem of the Whirling Dervish

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, deadly trap)

Grabbing ahold of the gem (without touching the statue) could send the character into an insane dance as they hurl themselves about the room slamming into walls and whatnot.

• Trigger. Grabbing the gem triggers this trap.

• Effect. The grabber of the gem immediately falls under the effects of a permanent otto’s irresistible dance. However, this is no ordinary dance. Instead they slam themselves into the walls and/or the floor with great force to the point that they take 1d4+1 bludgeoning damage. They repeat this action for as long as they are under the effects of the spell.

• Countermeasures. Casting remove curse will end the spell, as will a casting of dispel magic against a 6th level spell. Alternatively the adventurer could be grappled, restrained, etc… but they would still continue to dance whenever able.

Area 45, Obstacles of the Terrain

Keep as is, the intention is for wacky and crazy effects to happen and that’s what’s going on.

Area 50, Falling Wall

Simple Trap (level 5-10, setback threat)

If the heroes decide to mess with the wall, the heavy jade slab could come crashing down onto them!

• • Trigger. A character messes around with the door.

  • Effect. When triggered, any character who is in front of the 7 ft. wide, 7 ft. tall wall of jade must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity save or else they take 2d10 bludgeoning damage, with only half damage on a successful save. In addition on a failure they will fall prone, have the wind knocked out of them, and be unable to breathe. In order to allow for them to breathe again someone must lift up the wall which requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

  • Countermeasures. Upon careful analysis of the wall (DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, where stonecunning can apply) it can be determined that the wall is on a slight slant so that it will fall with even the slightest tampering. If an adventurer tries to prop up the door then the prop has to be able to withstand around 14,994 pounds of jade (49 [1 x 7 x 7] cubic feet of copper) or else it snaps.

Area 51, Wind Tunnel

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, setback trap)

Opening a hatch in the ceiling could trigger a whirlwind of chaos to be released!

• • Trigger. Anyone who opens the hazardous hatch in the ceiling triggers the trap. 

  • Effect. A whirlwind immediately comes out of the hatch and occupies the 15 x 15 ft. cubicle in the hallway. Anyone who starts their turn or enters the whirlwind’s space must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw. If someone is on the rungs of the ladder they make the save with advantage. On a failure they are hurled 10 ft. in a random (roll a d8) direction and they fall prone, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage in the process. If they hit spikes they take 1d10 slashing damage, if they hit an object (like the wall) they take 1d6 more bludgeoning damage, and if they hit a creature the creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone. On a successful save the creature takes only half damage and doesn’t fall prone. 

    • In addition to the forced movement, any movement made by the characters takes three times as much movement (so 10 ft. of movement takes 30 ft. of movement speed). 

  • Countermeasures. No matter how much a character tries the hatch cannot be shut, the whirlwind doesn’t die down on its own either. The only for sure way to pass through unhampered is to use the corrugated surface of the floor as a makeshift ladder, maintaining one’s grip and making it through the tunnel.

Area 52, Petrification Deception

Keep as normal, but I would recommend notifying the person that they have become a doppelganger in private, and should RP that way as a result. Then hand the affected person a “character sheet” (just give them the information of the doppelganger’s stats on a character sheet), and describe the doppelganger as a “fighter” who “dual-wields”

Area 53, Opening the Valve

Keep as normal as well, although you might want to add the challenge that the wall shifts, pushing the character onto the balance beam, and then for every round they remain on the balance beam they have to make the Dexterity (Acrobatics) check at the end of their turns to put some pressure on the opening of the portcullis.

Area 54, When Bats Attack

Simple Trap (levels 5-10, dangerous trap)

Upon trying to move the altar the sharp wings of a bat could come out and strike out the tomb raiders!

• Trigger. Characters who are lifting the altar (which requires a combined strength of 30) trigger the trap.

• Effect. As the altar gets to a sideways position (90o turn) the two wings slash out towards the people closest to the sides. Each character that is slashed at must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity save or else they take 4d10 slashing damage. If they succeed on the save they take no damage, but the next closest person must make the dexterity save (and so on and so forth until the wing is completely against the bottom of the altar).

• Countermeasures. Anyone who explicitly states that they are ducking down, or is shorter than four feet inherently is automatically missed by the altar’s wings. In addition, if the group explicitly states that they are slowly opening the altar then they notice the levers and joints that activate the trap (although there’s not enough space for someone to squeeze through, just enough to stick a hand for disabling the trap). Someone can try and disable the trap by falling prone, spending ten minutes, and succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. If they fail by less than five they know they’ve failed and can spend another ten minutes, but if they fail by five or more then they believe they’ve succeeded but upon opening up the altar all the way so that the treasure can actually be grabbed the trap triggers.