Legacy
Part 5 – Secret Lair
Details
Secret Lair
No one is sure how long ago, but at some time in the past century, a gnome wizard named Herzgilt discovered the ruins of the Citadel under water and began creating a protected lair that he or she could use near town but outside of their notice. The wizard spent most of his early days here moving around the remains of buildings and placing walls of force in areas to keep out the water, then ensuring that the air would be continuously refreshed. He also developed a modification to the wall of force that would allow someone to pass through it and dry their clothes at the same time. He was rather proud of his new Secret Lair. Several years later, his studies were ended when a malevolent entity forced him to flee.
Start here for 7/2
SL1 – Herzgilt began his excavation of the Citadel ruins in this room, using it as his base of operations and reinforcing an old tower that had split in half to provide him a workshop and planning/staging area. The stone ceiling of this tower room 15’ above has been reinforced and waterproofed with a special grout he developed just for this purpose. A few remains of his work tables, tools and spare stone fragments still adorn the room. Now, the naga use this room to enter and leave the ruins and remove the valuables from any victims they have waylaid. With a successful DC24 Per (search), an item from one of the recent captured can be found – Chieftain’s Necklace from Nilak the druid (ornate necklace with the teeth and feathers of a cockatrice and a string of garnets). There are many mundane things lying about the room – backpacks, boots, non-magical weapons, armor, rations, rope, etc.
The naga sisters have hired a pair of ‘muscle’ to guard this entry and help carry victims etc. They are sometimes rewarded with food, i.e. dead victims.
SL2 – The first expansion of the lair was made by moving some large columns and balustrades into positions as ‘floors’ of walkways between ruined buildings. The gnome used his skills to create permanent walls of force in semi-circular tubes to line the walkways. The walls glow bright green and a person needs to get within 5’ for them to see though the force. The walls have the same characteristics as a Wall of Force.
At the far east end of the tunnel, a series of smaller debris is used to step down into a room that lies on a tilt and submerges under the lake floor.
SL3 – This old tower is now used by the naga as a holding area for the captives until the hags can retrieve them. It is currently occupied by two of the adventuring group Night Stalkers who were beaten unconscious, stripped of all but their clothing and manacled to the floor, awaiting the return of the hags in the afternoon for ‘processing’. There are telltale signs of previous imprisonment of dozens of others. If the party is captured, they will have their belongings removed and they will be chained here. The manacles are of good quality. (5xDC32)
As an added precaution, the door to this room is locked with a DC30(x5) good quality lock. There is a small keyhole on both sides of the door. Each naga carries one of these keys, as well as keys to the manacles.
If revived (they will need to be healed at least 1 HP), the two can recall the events that led to their capture;
“Our companion, Selarea had a dream-vision of a secret way into the Citadel ruins through a cave north of that obvious cave opening that most know about. When we got there, we heard calls for help and discovered a pair of adventurers, two female humans, who were caught up in some kind of force-cage trap. They pleaded with us and we tried our best, but could not get through the magic. Selarea and Azi just sat down and we were wondering why, then the two women were free and our friends looked at us like we were enemies and began attacking! We didn’t want to hurt them, but they were relentless… then the two women began biting us! I could feel poison moving through my body, and I woke up here, now… “
They will ask after their friends and if they saw them at the cave.
The two have no armor or weapons, but are willing to wait or accept arms if offered. They wish to return to the cave to look for more clues, but have a feeling that their friends are here in this place. They are not too confident about taking on these enemies w/o their equipment however.
SL4 – At one time this room must have served as a small temple or shrine (Pharasma). The remains of an altar, pews and a font can still be identified. The room sits on an incline, descending to the east where it is fully underground so the windows just show the walls of earth outside. Recently, the hags visited and Dominated two of the captured adventurers and made them kill each other. Signs of combat can be found in the northeast section of this room; blood, hair, etc. The two dead bodies were soul-sucked, relieved of armor and weapons then stacked in the southwest corner. If checked, they died of bludgeoning (club) and slashing (dagger) damage.
SL5 – This cold, damp corridor is completely underground and so the windows and doors (sealed with the special grout) do not go anywhere. A large 10’ wide breach in the southeast wall leads through a small underground passage to a submerged tower. The last 20’ or so of the hallway is submerged in shallow water. When someone rounds the corner, they will be in the aura of the Oozes hiding in the water (DC21 Per) and thin strands of moss and lichen attempt to wrap around ankles – must save or difficult terrain. Once they get within 10’ the Oozes will emerge and attack.
SL6 – A section of the lake bed has been dug out between the corridor and the doorway of a sunken turret. The area is slightly damp but otherwise not unusual.
SL7 – A pair of broken doors lie on the floor of this 15’ tall section of one of the Citadel’s turrets. It is mostly empty except for a broken bed, armoire, standing mirror and a set of stairs spiraling down deeper in the darkness. If someone opens the armoire, they will find it warped shut and need a DC15 Athl to open. Inside is the home of an old Wizard Sponge colony. At the bottom of the main compartment, in one of the creases between the wooden walls is a Wand of Enervation (9) – this item was in the private quarters of the Necromancer!