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dropbear8mybaby
2016-09-23, 12:56 AM
This is the result of this thread: Need some ideas for a trapped tomb (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?501273-Need-some-ideas-for-a-trapped-tomb).

The Cairn of Thelgaar Ironhand

Entrance

The entrance tunnel to the main chamber below is little more than a hole in a large mound of earth and stone, barely large enough to accommodate a medium creature on all fours. This requires each character to squeeze (as per the squeezing rules, p. 192 PHB) as they crawl prone for fifty feet down a 27˚ angled tunnel.

At the 50 ft. mark, the tunnel suddenly takes a sharp turn directly downwards for 50 ft. before opening into a circular chamber that is 50 ft. in diameter and a further 20 ft. below the opening in the ceiling. Climbing down the smoothly bored cylindrical tunnel is very difficult, requiring successive Athletics checks against a DC of 15 for every ten feet, or risk falling the remaining distance to the chamber below.

The floor of the chamber is littered with bones, some of which still have decaying, albeit desiccated, flesh on them. A successful Medicine check (DC 5) reveals massive slashing, bludgeoning and burning damage to the bodies. There is easily over a hundred bodies scattered about, making the entire area difficult terrain. In addition, there are scattered treasures that are actually quite easy to gather and amounts to the following:

811 cp, 8021 sp, 2133 gp, 107 pp, 2 x Amethyst (100 gp), Chrysoberyl (100 gp), 2 x Garnet (100 gp), Spinel (100 gp), Bead of Force.


The Six Trials of the Iron Hand of Tempus

Six pillars, set against the walls in the circular chamber, have before them six large runes, spanning 5 feet in diameter, on the floor in front of them. At the top of each pillar is also carved a likeness that alternates between that of Tempus and that of Thelgaar Ironhand.

When a rune is stood upon, it will glow with a fiery radiance. Runes on the pillar will then not only appear but also light up with the same radiance, burning into existence one after the other down the length of the pillar. The runes are in the tongue of the giants. Each set of runes is an unfinished sentence that, if finished correctly by the person standing on the floor rune, will then complete the sentence by lighting up new runes and grant their boon to all present in the chamber. The runes only recognise answers given aloud and spoken in the tongue of the giants.

Regardless of getting the answer right or wrong, once the person standing on a rune says anything in the tongue of the giants after stepping onto a rune, an opening will present itself in the pillar at human arm height. The opening reveals a hollow that goes inside the pillar roughly two feet, requiring a person to stick their arm in to pull on the handle inside. Pulling the handle unlocks that lock with an audible chunk of stone and metal moving behind the walls.

Each of the runes represents a trial. There are six trials, six runes, six locks. The answers to the Trials of Tempus can be determined by making a successful Religion check against a DC of 15. A follower of Tempus gets advantage on this check. The answers to the Trials of Thelgaar can be determined by making a successful History check against a DC of 15. A Northlander gets advantage on this check.

Trials of Tempus

1. To run away is to invite... defeat (success grants +5 AC to everyone for 1 hour).
2. Without honour victory is... hollow (success grants magic weapon to all weapons being worn for 1 hour).
3. Triumph does not come without... conflict (success grants everyone temporary hit points equal to current hit point total for 1 hour).

Trials of Thelgaar

1. The Ironhand was honourable to... all (success grants advantage on all attacks for 1 hour).
2. The Ironhand could not be... corrupted (success grants advantage to all saving throws for 1 hour).
3. The Ironhand died for... peace (success grants resistance to fire and poison damage for 1 hour).

Once all six locks are unlocked then the chamber descends, leaving an area roughly ten feet in diameter to form a new pillar in the centre. Inside this large pillar is an iron golem. The chamber descends twenty feet and clunks to a stop.

Pit of the Iron Hand

As soon as the last rune is deciphered and the last handle is pulled so that all six locks are unlocked, everyone has to make a Dexterity save against a DC of 19 or fall prone as the platform suddenly and violently descends to reveal an Iron Golem that is fashioned in the likeness of Thelgaar Ironhand. The Iron Golem is also wielding Ironhand's Reckoning. This increases the normal damage and attack bonus for the Iron Golem's Sword attack by +1. This also starts initiative. Treat the golem as if it's surprised in order to represent it "activating".

At the start of every round, one of the six runes on the floor (determined randomly) will start to glow and increase in intensity in successive pulses of light until the end of the round, when it explodes as a Fireball (DC 13) centred on itself. The runes are 5 feet from the walls so the fireball engulfs a circular area that reaches 25 feet into the centre of the chamber. If someone stands on the rune then the pulses will diminish in intensity instead of increasing. If someone is standing on a pulsing rune at the end of the round then it will not go off. The character standing on it at the end of the round will be healed by forcing it to expend one of their own Hit Dice, but for maximum result.

If someone stands on it who has no Hit Dice to spend, they will instead have to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15), or be disintegrated as per the spell of the same name.

Ironhand's Reckoning: giant slayer greatsword.