#homebrewmaps

9 Shrines (Tomb of Annihilation)

--A--

A set of ice stairs leads down into a hall of stone. Snow drifts have seem to collected on the steps and piles of snow have gathered around the base.

Note 1: Anyone passing through will find it slippery with the snow, which comes up to calf height. You can require players to move half distance or some sort of roll to push through the drifts.

Note 2: Getting into the snow drifts triggers the statue B

--B--

A ten foot statue of a snow (angel/demon/elemental) stands on a block of ice facing the stairs.

Note: When any player enters the snow drifts upon the stairs in A, the statue will unleash a breath of snowy air. This effect can be anything from cone of cold to a few points of cold damage depending on the level of party.

--C--

A wall of translucent ice seems shattered in the middle as if something long ago has broken through.

Note: This should give the players an idea on how to break the ice wall at H.

--D--

This is a chamber of blue and gray icy stone floors with ice covered walls. Several pits surround the area, reaching about ten feet down and are filled with rows of sharp ice shards. Your breath hangs in the cold, stinging your throat and lungs and in the center is a block of ice 10x10x10 in size.

Note: Anyone moving across the room will find it very slippery as a thin layer of ice covers the ground. This will require players moving at half speed or require a Dex related check to not fall Of course any checks made should increase in difficulty the faster a character tries to move. A fumbled roll could see the player falling into an ice pit F

--E--

This is a block of translucent ice that glows with a faint ambient blue light. The sounds of a swirling snowstorm can be heard as a whisper if one gets close and perhaps words that are muffled by the winds.

Note 1: The block is a transformed Water(ice) elemental. Depending on the difficulty you wish to use, the block of ice can have hit points as per an elemental of a certain size, a block of ice of its size, or stone. As the block of ice is mostly an obstacle encounter, I suggest going with higher hit points so the players are forced to solve the challenges around the room G, H, while avoiding the ice block. Fire should do increased damage. For added challenge, the block can deal cold damage upon contact, regenerate drawing in the cold of the room to heal damage, or even spawn small ice elementals that break off from it to protect the block from players' attacks. Once the block is at 0 hit points, it will shatter.

Note 2: The whispered words are the elemental trying to communicate in its native tongue. It could be for aid in transforming back to its original form, or a warning of the chamber beyond or gibberish, depending on the DM's choice.

Note 3: Once the players have entered the chamber for two full rounds, the block will activate sliding across the ground trying to ram the players into pits or into the walls. You can use an attack score vs their AC, or have them roll a save to dodge. If hit, they take d6 ram damage, are knocked back 5 feet and must roll a DEX related check or fall, with a critical fail being launched into the pit F. They will also fall into the pit if within 5 feet of pit F when failing.

--F--

An icy pit that drops 10 feet into a bed of sharp ice shards.

Note 1: Falling into a pit deals fall damage (ten feet but the pit can be deeper) plus d6 damage for the spikes with an added d6 for each ten feet a players falls. Example: 20 feet - 2d6 falling 2d6 spike damage The spikes can do additional cold damage for added difficulty and force the player to roll a freeze check as if hold person, their bodies freezing or becoming stuck to the spikes.

Note 2: Climbing out will require a climb check but the walls are icy so it will be an increased difficulty.

--G--

Several chains ending in loops come out of the wall.

Note 1: Pulling on the chain requires a DEX related check to not fall, a fumble of a 1 resulting in falling into a pit F.

Note 2: All four chains must be pulled to open the portcullis at H For an added challenge, all 4 chains may need to pulled at once, or strength checks required to free the chain from the frozen walls

--H--

A large wall of translucent ice gives only vague images of the room beyond, a faint aura of blue and orange coming from the other side. Before the wall, a portcullis bars the way.

Note 1: If all 4 chains are pulled G, then the portcullis will rise.

Note 2: The wall of ice can be broken through once the portcullis has been raised. For an added challenge, the ice wall can be impervious or resistant to damage requiring the block E to break. A player can stand in front of the wall trying to get the block E to hit them and then with a successful dodge, the block will slide past them into the wall, breaking it open.

--I--

This room sends out a blast of frigid air that stings the skin upon contact. Snow and ice cover the ground and spending more than a few moment within the frozen chamber begins to hurt. Upon an altar of blue ice, an orb of frozen blue pulses with light. Several bodies frosted with snow lay at the base. In the upper part of the room, the remains of a titan lay half buried in the snow, a large two handed sword, its metal glowing a deep red embedded into the rib-cage.

Note: Upon entering the room, anyone not immune to cold begins to take cold damage, the strength of which can be determined by the level of the party. I suggest d6 damage per 3 levels of the party max of 5d6 - saves should be allowed.

--J--

An icy sphere hovers inches above a solid cylindrical block of ice. It hum's like the sounds of moving ice-sheets cracking in the far north and slowly spins. Encased inside is the item you have come for (key, magic item, prisoner, etc)

Once the door is opened, the players escape, popping back out the same door they came in.

Note 1: Cold damage to the players should double within 5 feet of the sphere.

Note 2: Touching the sphere will result in the titan corpse K to animate and attack.

Note 3: Using the fire-blade placed in the titans chest can break the sphere allowing the players to get at the item.

Note 4: The bodies are of dead adventures. They should have equipment ice-coated and stuck to the floor. However if thawed, the players could find treasure and magic items. The treasure can be random or geared to the players. (Maybe some solid ice potions of healing, useful once thawed)

--K--

Titanic size bones lay frozen in the snowy mounds with a large two handed sword, its metal glowing a bright orange, the end embedded through the rib cage. The blade has a series of runes in ancient script glowing a bright yellow with engravings of flame along the pummel and handle. It stands nearly 10 feet tall and casts a reddish glow on its surroundings

Note 1: When any player touches the orb J, the skeleton will animate and attack. You can use huge skeleton stats for the fight.

Note 2: If the players touch the sword before the orb, the bones will turn to ash. However, the sword is hot to the touch and weighs nearly a 100 pounds. It will deal d6 fire damage to anyone who tries to wield it. The sword cannot be welded in any useful way in combat, however, a STR roll can be used to swing it at the orb J, shattering the magical field encasing the item.

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