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{
"data": [
{
"type": "section",
"name": "No Silent Secret",
"page": 184,
"id": "316",
"entries": [
"\"No Silent Secret\" is a short adventure for a party of four to six 1st-level characters, who will advance to at least 2nd level by the adventure's conclusion.",
"At the outset, choose which of Theros's three major poleis\u2014Akros, Meletis, or Setessa\u2014you want to start near. Alternatively, you might allow the players to choose the polis based on their character backgrounds. While choosing a polis allows the group to get a glimpse of their potential \"hometown,\" this setting serves as a backdrop only briefly, with much of the adventure taking place far from the safety of civilization.",
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Story Overview",
"page": 184,
"id": "317",
"entries": [
"When Phenax sent Varyas the Knowing a vision of the oracle's impending death, the seer didn't fear\u2014he knew his work was just beginning.",
{
"type": "image",
"href": {
"type": "internal",
"path": "adventure/MOT/136-04-38.webp"
},
"width": 800,
"height": 1315,
"credit": "Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme"
},
"Like all the Returned who followed him, Phenax abandoned his past identity during his flight from the Underworld. Through ages, the god managed to recover parts of his history, but much remained a mystery to him. Recently, though, he discovered a hint of a truth he'd never considered. He had to know more, but the secrets he sought lay only in the Underworld. Phenax wouldn't risk alerting Erebos to his interest, so he sent an agent\u2014a soul willing to forsake life, discover his secret, and return with the knowledge that even the god couldn't escape with.",
"Varyas met his end and dutifully sought Phenax's mystery in the Underworld. Though it took him years, the oracle discovered what he sought. Keeping the information secret and smuggling it out of the Underworld proved challenging, though. To guard what he'd learned, Varyas inscribed it in code upon a mask and, after multiple attempts, successfully followed the Path of Phenax.",
"When he emerged back into the mortal world, Varyas the Returned remembered nothing of his past life, his escape from death, or the strange symbols etched on his mask. All he recognized of the writing scrawled on his mask was the name \"Khea.\"",
"With that, a mystery beyond life and death slipped from a lost past into the living realm of Theros."
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Running the Adventure",
"page": 184,
"id": "318",
"entries": [
"This adventure requires the fifth edition D&D rulebooks ({@book Player's Handbook|PHB}, {@book Dungeon Master's Guide|DMG}, and {@book Monster Manual|MM}). You should read the entire adventure before attempting to run it. If you'd prefer to play, you shouldn't read any farther.",
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "319",
"entries": [
"Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text."
]
},
"The {@book Monster Manual|MM} contains statistics for many of the creatures found in this adventure. When a creature's name appears in {@b bold} type, that's a visual cue pointing you to the creature's stat block in the {@book Monster Manual|MM}. If the stat block appears elsewhere, the adventure's text tells you so.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Adventure Summary",
"page": 184,
"id": "31a",
"entries": [
"The adventure begins with the characters discovering the recently murdered Returned, Varyas, and confronting his killers. Varyas's gold mask bears a code on it, one that points toward the sage Khea who lives in the nearby polis. When the characters investigate, they learn from Khea that the writing is undecipherable except for the first line, which refers to the legendary Court of Orestes, a site sacred to the god Phenax. She also notes that a recent earthquake has uncovered a cave along the Khystonos River that could be the secret site's location. If so, then perhaps within lies the key to deciphering the mask, along with its own treasures.",
"With the information provided by Khea, the adventurers set forth into the wilds, where they'll face multiple storied dangers before reaching the Court of Orestes. Once at the lost holy site, the characters discover ancient guardians, as well as an unliving entity with the potential to reveal Phenax's lost secret."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Starting the Adventure",
"page": 185,
"id": "31b",
"entries": [
"Once the players are ready to begin, explain to them that their characters are among a group of travelers on the road headed into one of Theros's great poleis. They don't need to know each other before this scene, but it's fine if they do. Once the players are ready, read or paraphrase the following text:",
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "31c",
"entries": [
"The sun sinks low in the west, stretching shadows across the well-traveled road only a mile or so from the polis's edge. At your current rate, you\u2014along with a loose crowd of other travelers\u2014should reach the polis outskirts just before dark.",
"Not everyone's moving at a leisurely pace, though.",
"Behind you, a horse rounds a bend in the road, galloping at top speed. The beast looks frantic, terrified and frothing with exertion. Upon it sways a figure wearing a gold mask. The rider barely manages to stay in the saddle, his body bristling with cruel black arrows.",
"Blind with panic, the horse plows on, threatening to trample travelers in its path. Before it can, though, the beast's legs give way. Both mount and rider topple, crashing into the dust with a piercing whinny and a sound like snapping branches."
]
},
"Give the characters a moment to react, encouraging the players to leap into action\u2014in the first moments after an accident, time is of the essence!",
"Anyone who rushes to the {@b horse} and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom ({@skill Animal Handling} or {@skill Medicine}) check can tell that the animal is exhausted and suffering from a multitude of minor abrasions. If it is given water, food, and rest, though, the horse\u2014a red roan mare\u2014will recover fully in a day. Simple tooling on the horse's bridle reveals the horse's name: Photina.",
"Characters more interested in the rider find that he's dead. In fact, he's been dead for some time. The figure's skin is gray, and his wounds weep black blood. His mask is clearly a funerary mask, though it's cast of gold rather than clay. Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence check recognize the strange individual as one of the Returned, someone who has died and come back from the Underworld. A character who removes the victim's mask finds no face beneath it\u2014only blank gray flesh over a black-lipped mouth\u2014and dozens of lines of finely etched symbols covering its interior. Most are written in a strange cipher, but among the unreadable glyphs, the word \"Khea\" stands out prominently.",
"Before the characters can investigate further, read the following text:",
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "31d",
"entries": [
"The sound of racing hooves rises like rolling thunder from the direction the fallen rider emerged. Two more riders round the bend, both wearing dark tunics. The fading light glints upon the snarling gold masks both wear."
]
},
"The riders are both {@creature Returned Sentry|MOT|Returned sentries} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Returned Sentry}) from the necropolis of Odunos. One wields a shortbow rather than a sling:",
{
"type": "entries",
"id": "31e",
"entries": [
{
"type": "entries",
"id": "31f",
"entries": [
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Shortbow",
"page": 185,
"id": "320",
"entries": [
" Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 ({@dice 1d6 + 2}) piercing damage.",
"These assassins have dogged Varyas across the countryside. They've been sent by an influential figure in Odunos who caught wind of Varyas's agenda and who seeks to silence any who know Phenax's secret. The oracle managed to get away from them at a ferry crossing some distance back, but not before catching several arrows in the back. He remained astride his mount despite his wounds, but Varyas expired moments before his horse crashed in front of the characters. His pursuers don't know that, though.",
"These Returned resent all living people but especially those aiding their target. They assume anyone investigating Varyas's body is assisting him and move to cut them down. Even if no one goes to Varyas's aid, the riders attack the mortals closest to the body, trying to ensure that no witnesses escape. \"Get away from the heretic, bleeder,\" one Returned snarls as she strides into battle. Both ignore any mortals' explanations and fight to the death. Their horses bolt if their riders are slain.",
"If the battle turns against the characters, a patrol of three {@creature Guard||guards} from the polis stumbles upon the scene. The Returned attack them as well. In the aftermath, the guards are quick to rush the characters along, but they don't interfere if anyone searches the bodies."
]
}
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 185,
"id": "321",
"entries": [
"The Returned carry little beyond the gold funerary masks they wear (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Returned}) and their equipment. In addition, one has a pouch containing 20 sp and a broken piece of pottery. Any character who succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence ({@skill Arcana} or {@skill Religion}) check recognizes the shard as an ostraka, a shard from a clay funerary mask, which is used as currency in the Underworld. On it is scratched a brief order from the assassins' commander: \"Silence the heretic Varyas. His secrets must remain dead.\" This leader's identity and agenda speak toward a larger threat beyond this adventure (see \"{@book Myths to Be Told|MOT|4|Myths to Be Told}\" at the end of this adventure for a few possibilities)."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "What the Dead See",
"page": 186,
"id": "322",
"entries": [
"In the wake of the battle with the Returned, the characters have an opportunity to continue along their way. Before they can, though, all of them witness an incredible sight: an omen from the god Phenax.",
{
"type": "image",
"href": {
"type": "internal",
"path": "adventure/MOT/137-04-39.webp"
},
"title": "Mask of Varyas",
"width": 800,
"height": 995,
"credit": "Claudio Pozas"
},
"For a moment, all sounds turn to whispers, and color drains from the world, turning everything shades of gray\u2014everything except for the gleaming golden mask. Seconds later, things return to normal. Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence ({@skill Religion}) check recognizes it as a sign from Phenax, but its exact meaning is unclear. If anyone else is nearby and the characters ask them about the omen, it's clear no bystanders witnessed the vision.",
"A character who scrutinizes the mask finds nothing supernatural about it, but it is plainly marked with the word \"Khea\" followed by line after line of cramped glyphs. If a character seeks out a library in the polis and spends a day trying to decrypt the text, they can make a DC 16 Intelligence check. On a successful check, the character deciphers the simplest part of the cipher: \"Hid from eyes of mortals and gods/Lies wither in Orestes's rot.\" On a failure, they learn nothing.",
"Beyond this, the text remains undecipherable, and the word \"Khea\" is also a mystery. If a character spends an hour inquiring in the polis about \"Khea,\" or succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence ({@skill History}) check (characters native to the nearby polis have advantage on this check), they determine that Khea is the name of a local sage of some renown. Once this fact is ascertained, the way to Khea's ivy-covered home is easy to learn or recall.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Khea the Sage",
"page": 186,
"id": "323",
"entries": [
"Khea (N female human {@creature oracle|MOT}; see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Oracle}) dwells in a nondescript cottage near the edge of the polis. Her home is small and cramped, crowded with drying lavender and histories written in dozens of languages. Khea's a busy woman, and regardless of when the characters arrive, she initially refuses to see them until the next morning. If a character succeeds on a DC 16 Charisma ({@skill Persuasion}) check, though, Khea admits them immediately. A character has advantage on this check if they mention that the sage's name is inscribed on the mask of a Returned. Khea's usual consultation fee is 3 gp, but she waives it once she becomes aware that she is somehow involved in this situation.",
"Khea is a sharp-witted, hearty woman who never says what a brow furrow or eyebrow arch could convey. After admitting the characters, judging their manners, and pointedly telling rude individuals to wait outside, she asks to examine the mask.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Meaning in the Mask",
"page": 186,
"id": "324",
"entries": [
"After studying the mask for some time and consulting scrolls from her collection, Khea confirms that, other than her name, the text is an unusual code. Even if the characters have already deciphered the first lines of the cipher, Khea spends some time verifying it for herself. In short order, she translates the first stanza as: \"Hid from eyes of mortals and gods/Lies wither in Orestes's rot.\" She says that this text is purposefully direct, being a line from a paean to Phenax. As for the rest, Khea reveals that not only is it a cipher, but an incomplete one; letters have been removed from the message in some indiscernible pattern. Without knowing what the other letters are, the writing is impossible to decode\u2014even with magic\u2014since it isn't a meaningful message in its partial form."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Buried in the Court of Orestes",
"page": 186,
"id": "325",
"entries": [
"Although Khea can't tell the characters much more about the cipher, she recognizes the name Orestes. The line of verse, she says, could refer to the Court of Orestes, the legendary tomb of one of Phenax's earliest followers. Orestes was said to be a master thief and an oracle who foresaw who would become Returned. According to myth, the site also holds \"Phenax's Silence,\" though none know if the name is that of an actual object or merely a poetic flourish. The fact that this readable line begins the inscription leads Khea to surmise that the key to translating the full message lies in the tomb.",
"The exact location of the Court of Orestes is lost to history, but ancient tales hint that it lies along the Khystonos River. This narrow river is about three days' travel away from any of the poleis. Normally such information would mean little, except that Khea has heard of an earthquake that dammed the headwaters of the Khystonos deep in the Katachton Mountains. As a result, the river's flow has been reduced to a trickle for nearly a month, parching the region downstream. Although this event has deeply concerned farmers, the discovery of ancient etchings and ruined structures hidden beneath the waterline has roused many scholars' interest."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Sage Advice",
"page": 187,
"id": "326",
"entries": [
"Beyond her suggestion about the Court of Orestes, Khea is a font of insights. If any of the characters mention the shared vision they experienced, Khea is certain that they witnessed a sign from Phenax, verification of the god's ominous interest in this enigma.",
"Khea can also identify the name Varyas as belonging to a dangerous, rabble-rousing oracle who was devoted to Phenax and who died mysteriously years ago. She has no idea if the Returned was actually him, but Varyas has caused trouble for her more than once\u2014ever since she critically savaged his supposedly satirical comedy, {@i The Satyr's Half-Horn}. She wouldn't put it past the petty priest to harass her even in death.",
"Khea can also answer most questions about the polis she lives in, the lands of Theros, the gods, the Underworld, and the Returned. If any characters balk at the idea of seeking out the Court of Orestes, Khea explains that the gods don't look kindly upon those who ignore their omens, and that Phenax is a particularly dangerous enemy to make. If the threat of divine vengeance isn't enough to encourage them to continue, Khea offers the party 200 gp per character to collect rubbings and historic artifacts from the Court of Orestes.",
"Once the party commits to undertaking the quest, Khea provides the characters with a map and directions to where ruins were discovered along the Khystonos."
]
}
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Into the Wilds",
"page": 187,
"id": "327",
"entries": [
"After meeting with Khea, the characters have an opportunity to explore the polis they're visiting and prepare however they please. During this time, they might learn much about the place. Relate to the players any information appropriate to the polis and its culture from {@book chapter 3|MOT|3}. Additionally, while they make preparations, the characters hear one of the tales from the Polis Rumors table. Each rumor is followed by a note on its accuracy. Those who actively seek information might hear an additional rumor.",
{
"type": "table",
"caption": "Polis Rumors",
"colLabels": [
"d6",
"Rumor"
],
"colStyles": [
"col-2 text-center",
"col-10"
],
"rows": [
[
"1",
"Purphoros's wrath shook the mountains and dammed the Khystonos River. Now villagers downstream suffer as their fields and herds lack the water they need to survive. (Partially true)"
],
[
"2",
"The Akroans have invented a new device of war that can tear down the walls of the mightiest fortress. They tested it in the Katachthon Mountains and plan to use it against any who don't pay tribute. (False)"
],
[
"3",
"A minotaur calling himself King Antigonos wanders the wilderness seeking a suitable heir. Anyone who can pass his test will become his successor. (True)"
],
[
"4",
"If you drink from the legendary Pool of Lyth, the gods will grant your greatest wish. (False)"
],
[
"5",
"Groups of gold-masked Returned from Odunos have been harassing travelers, demanding to know if anyone's seen a Returned wandering alone. (True)"
],
[
"6",
"An immense hydra, Ocyroako, is drinking up the springs that feed the Khystonos River. (False)"
]
]
},
"Khea's directions take roughly three days to follow from any of the three poleis, a journey of approximately 50 miles\u2014though, owing to Theros's changeable landscape, you may adjust this distance and place the Khystonos River in the Katachthons wherever you please (see \"{@book Exploring Theros|MOT|3}\" in {@book chapter 3|MOT|3}). Khea's route avoids obvious dangers, but necessarily runs through untamed lands. If you want to highlight features of Theros, feel free to include any additional encounters you please. In any event, the two following encounters occur along the way\u2014probably on the first and second days of the trip.",
"The journey should also provide the characters with ample time to get to know one another. Encourage each player to share why their character is remarkable or is destined for greatness. If the group comes to believe that fate has brought a band of extraordinary individuals together, feel free to encourage that thinking with signs or omens like those from earlier in the chapter.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "The Waters of Lyth",
"page": 187,
"id": "328",
"entries": [
"Eventually, the party crosses a vale not noted on Khea's map. Read or paraphrase the following description:",
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "329",
"entries": [
"A shallow valley lies amid the rise and fall of the Katachthon foothills. At the dell's far edge stands a great rock outcropping that looks vaguely like a satyr's face. The stones weep a steady flow of water, which spreads into a serene, sky-blue pond. Willows grow along the waters' shore, gently swaying in a light breeze."
]
},
"Upon seeing this tranquil scene, each character should make a DC 15 Intelligence ({@skill History}) check. Those who succeed recognize this as the storied Pool of Lyth. Tales tell that the pool's sweet blue waters grant visions of the drinker's deepest desires and sometimes even fulfill those desires.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Pool of Lyth",
"page": 187,
"id": "32a",
"entries": [
"There's truth to the tales of the pool's remarkable qualities. Those properties don't extend from some oracular magic, though, but from one of the god Pharika's poisons, which seep from the surrounding rocks and taint the pool. Any creature that drinks from the pool must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain two levels of {@condition exhaustion} for {@dice 1d4} hours as it is overcome with drowsiness and mild hallucinations.",
"The pool is no more than 10 feet deep at its center and only 1 or 2 feet deep near the edges. Anyone who succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom ({@skill Perception}) check or tries to look beneath the pool's surface notices animal and humanoid bones barely covered by the water."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Outcropping Caves",
"page": 187,
"id": "32b",
"entries": [
"Three natural caves open near the top of the 30-foot-high rock formation at the far end of the pool. These crevices might be noticed by anyone who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom ({@skill Perception}) check and can be reached by climbing with a successful DC 12 Strength ({@skill Athletics}) check. These caves serve as the lairs of the harpies that use the pool as their killing ground.",
{
"type": "image",
"href": {
"type": "internal",
"path": "adventure/MOT/138-04-40.webp"
},
"width": 1000,
"height": 1016,
"credit": "Daniel Ljunggren"
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Dubious Oracles",
"page": 188,
"id": "32c",
"entries": [
"Three {@creature Blood-Toll Harpy|MOT|blood-toll harpies} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Blood-Toll Harpy}), sisters named Ahkno, Hakno, and Jhamp, lurk in the caves near the pool. The mangy, dull-witted sisters think they're seers, but they're actually just addicted to the pool's tainted waters. They use the {@condition poisoned} pool to attract and weaken creatures before setting upon their prey.",
"The harpies notice anyone who approaches the pool. Under the pretense of being dream interpreters, the harpies call out and flap close to visitors, encouraging them to drink from the supposedly magical pool so the sisters can interpret their visions. One of the harpies, Jhamp, is a particularly bad liar, snickering and casting obvious glances while her sisters attempt to dupe strangers.",
"If someone drinks from the pool, they are affected as previously described but might still ask the harpies to interpret their meaningless hallucinations. If they do, one of the sisters relates her own deepest desires, describing in detail the flavor profile and mouthfeel of eating one of the drinker's favorite organs.",
"The harpies attack after most of the visitors have drunk from the pool\u2014or earlier if these fraudulent seers grow frustrated."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 188,
"id": "32d",
"entries": [
"Over their years of minding the pool, the harpies have accumulated treasures in their caves. After the harpies are defeated, any character who climbs up to the caves and investigates finds a considerable amount of feather-encrusted filth, along with the following items:",
{
"type": "list",
"items": [
"A total of 39 sp",
"Seven turquoise stones carved with the symbols of random deities (25 gp each)",
"A {@item potion of climbing}",
"A {@item spell scroll} of {@spell sleep}"
]
}
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Broken King Antigonos",
"page": 188,
"id": "32e",
"entries": [
"While the characters cross the wilderness of the Katachthon foothills, the following encounter takes place. Read or paraphrase this description:",
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "32f",
"entries": [
"A scree-choked gully runs between rugged hills, a dry streambed that offers a route through the rising rocks. A bend in the steep bluffs hides what lies ahead, but the sound of hacking coughs comes from around this corner."
]
},
"Just around the corner, some 30 feet from the lead party member, rests the {@creature Broken King Antigonos|MOT|minotaur} known as Broken King Antigonos. He is old and decrepit, garbed in ancient finery worn to tatters. A dented crown rests on his brow, and one of his horns ends in a jagged stump. He drags a rusty greataxe in the dirt, and tied to his back is a 30-pound, clay amphora painted with images of warring hoplites\u2014all of whom have had horns crudely painted on them to make them look like minotaurs. The broad-mouthed amphora is large enough to hold roughly 55 gallons of wine.",
"When Antigonos spies the characters, he hails them, introduces himself, and explains his quest to find an heir to his kingdom\u2014a land he says is a week's travel to the east of the Oraniad Mountains. He claims that he was a great king who was cursed by Mogis after he defied his war advisors by making his sickly but beloved child his heir. He was cast out and has since become tragically obsessed with finding a worthy heir.",
"Whether Antigonos's tale is true, or if he is simply a victim of his own fantasies, is unclear. The threat the wanderer poses, though, certainly isn't. After telling his story, he asks the strongest-looking Medium character to submit to his test, believing the gods placed the group in his path for a purpose.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Test of the Amphora",
"page": 188,
"id": "330",
"entries": [
"Antigonos believes that the true heir of his kingdom will fit perfectly in the enormous amphora he carries, an ancient relic he found deep in the Oraniad Mountains. The container is of sufficient size to hold a Medium creature, but only one that fits perfectly is acceptable for the purpose of the test. Antigonos judges what defines a perfect fit, holding test-takers to inscrutable standards. The minotaur also doesn't reveal that anyone who doesn't fit the amphora must be punished, being trimmed to size if they're too large or having their extra space filled in if they're too small. Only someone who fits perfectly might be deemed the king's rightful heir.",
"Antigonos allows any Medium creature to attempt the test. Doing so requires the creature to climb into the amphora while Antigonos holds it upright. After someone has entered the amphora, roll a {@dice d20} and consult the Test of the Amphora table to determine the results.",
{
"type": "table",
"caption": "Test of the Amphora",
"colLabels": [
"d20",
"Result"
],
"colStyles": [
"col-2 text-center",
"col-10"
],
"rows": [
[
"1\u20139",
"The character is too small. Antigonos tries to solve this problem by scooping several pounds of dirt into the amphora, requiring the creature to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is {@condition blinded}, {@condition restrained}, and begins to suffocate (see {@book chapter 8|PHB|8|Suffocating} of the {@book Player's Handbook|PHB}). On a success, it is affected as if it had been hit by Antigonos's Amphora attack."
],
[
"10\u201319",
"The creature is too large. Antigonos tries to trim them down to size by attacking the creature with his greataxe."
],
[
"20",
"The creature fits! Antigonos declares it his heir. He bestows his crown, robes, and belt pouch on the creature, then bows before wandering off."
]
]
},
"If no one participates in Antigonos's test, the minotaur respects their decision and wanders off dejectedly."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Contending with Antigonos",
"page": 189,
"id": "331",
"entries": [
"Broken King Antigonos is a {@creature Broken King Antigonos|MOT|minotaur} with 38 hit points remaining and who has disadvantage on attack rolls due to his decrepit state. He has the following additional action:",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Amphora",
"page": 189,
"id": "332",
"entries": [
"{@atk mw} +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: 8 ({@dice 1d8 + 4}) bludgeoning damage. If there is not already a creature inside the amphora, the target is {@condition restrained} inside. As an action, the {@condition restrained} creature can make a DC 14 Dexterity ({@skill Acrobatics}) check, escaping from the amphora on a success. The effect also ends if the amphora is destroyed. The amphora has AC 8, 20 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.",
"In addition to taking action against those who don't fit inside his amphora, Antigonos attacks any characters who insult him or try to rob him. Despite his age, he can still muster a flash of his past prowess. He gets distracted easily, though, using his greataxe and amphora (if it is empty) on random targets. If the party attacks him for attempting to harm a character, he curses them for trying to impede the will of the gods and retaliates.",
"If the party doesn't attack the minotaur, he calms down after a few rounds. The minotaur is clearly a victim of Mogis's cruelty. Any character who proposes Antigonos follow their deity instead of remaining in Mogis's shadow, or suggests a similar course, can make a DC 14 Charisma ({@skill Persuasion}) check. If they succeed, Antigonos abandons his amphora, then goes off to learn more about his potential new god. Even if the character fails this check, the minotaur turns thoughtful and departs.",
"However the party contends with Antigonos, grant them experience for having overcome the minotaur."
]
}
]
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"id": "333",
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"In addition to his battered pewter and silver crown (worth 85 gp), amphora (worth 25 gp to the right buyer, such as a vintner), and tattered robes (worthless), Antigonos carries a backpack worn at his belt like a pouch. It holds 16 cp, a large carnelian (worth 75 gp), and an etching of a bookish-looking minotaur youth."
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"page": 189,
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"On the third day of following Khea's directions, the party reaches the Khystonos. Its riverbed is nearly dry, the river reduced to a muddy trickle. After following the lethargic flow for the better part of a day, the adventurers reach a bend where several prominent rocks jut from the mud. These stones mark the entrance to the Court of Orestes.",
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"Beyond the entrance along the Khystonos River, the Court of Orestes is a crumbling, centuries-old tomb. Inside, its walls are made of thick stone blocks, and the ceiling is about 10 feet high. Unless otherwise noted, the crypt's doors have no hinges; each is a rectangular slab that requires a successful DC 12 Strength ({@skill Athletics}) check to shimmy out of place.",
"When the Khystonos is at its full height, the Court of Orestes is underwater. Since the river's damming, though, much of the water has emptied through various cracks in the stonework. Some of the tomb is still partially flooded, though, holding roughly 2 feet of river water. Flooded areas are marked on map 4.16 and count as {@quickref difficult terrain||3}."
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"When the party approaches this area from the south for the first time, assuming sufficient illumination, they can see the tomb entrance from at least 60 feet away. When the structure comes within sight, read the following text:",
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"A shallow stream fills only a fraction of the riverbed. At a bend, an unnatural arrangement of mud-caked stones juts from the exposed riverbank. It appears to be a crude stone lintel and posts supporting a rectangular slab roughly four feet wide and six feet high."
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"Amid the muck and gravel on the northern bank hides a deadly predator, an {@creature amphisbaena|GoS} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Amphisbaena}). The serpent has concealed itself as it watches for prey, the mud covering its body granting it advantage on Dexterity ({@skill Stealth}) checks made to hide. The amphisbaena targets the first creature to approach the stone slab.",
"Once the serpent is dealt with, anyone who examines the rock formation quickly realizes it's a door. Opening or otherwise investigating the door knocks free the dirt encrusting it, revealing an ancient etching of a phoenix wearing a mask rising from a pile of bones."
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"The scent of warm, humid rot smothers this dismal chamber. Mosaics cover the walls, their colors faded and images scrambled by lost tiles. A thick layer of mud covers the floor, as well as stairs that descend to the east. A stone slab blocks the way to the north."
]
},
"The mosaics here once depicted the feats of Orestes, a scoundrel-hero who devoted his life to Phenax. Among the images, Orestes is portrayed stealing the sun from above the polis of Setessa, tricking a cerberus into devouring itself, stealing a kraken's heart, and racing a skiff ahead of the River Guide, Athreos. All the mosaics are ruined now, but they can be repaired enough to reveal the gist of what they depicted if a creature spends an hour searching through the mud to find the missing pieces. Doing so provides no special insight but reveals a few details of the life of the legendary character who lies interred within these halls.",
"If a worshiper of Phenax enters the room, though, that creature sees the mosaics in their complete, original forms\u2014resplendent in gold and shades of royal purple. If that creature touches any of the images, it hears the name \"Orestes\" whispered in its mind. Then the illusion vanishes, revealing the mosaics' actual state."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "3. Viewing Room",
"page": 190,
"id": "33b",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "33c",
"entries": [
"Grave niches and alcoves holding funerary urns line the walls of this chamber. The ceiling in the northern part of the room has collapsed, burying much of the area. At its center, a broken marble bier stands atop a short dais."
]
},
"This room once served as a place to view the remains of those who died in Phenax's service and offer final prayers. The bodies this room once held have rotted away in their burial niches, and the urns hold only gray muck. Any character who sifts through the goo must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw for each niche or urn they search or contract sewer plague (see {@disease Sewer Plague||chapter 8} of the {@book Dungeon Master's Guide|DMG}).",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"entries": [
"Amid the rotted remains on each of the six stacked burial niches lie small bits of jewelry, gold teeth, or ancient coins, with each haul worth {@dice 2d4} gp."
],
"id": "000"
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "4. Flooded Catacomb",
"page": 190,
"id": "33d",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "33e",
"entries": [
"The stairs descend into a burial chamber partially flooded with muddy water. Ancient stone walls divide these catacombs, many lined with grave niches holding roughly humanoid shapes wrapped in tattered linen. More than one of these grim parcels floats freely in the stagnant water."
]
},
"These catacombs serve as the burial place of lesser Phenax worshipers who earned the honor of being interred near Orestes. Two feet of water fill the room, making the entire area {@quickref difficult terrain||3}.",
{
"type": "image",
"href": {
"type": "internal",
"path": "adventure/MOT/140-04-41.webp"
},
"width": 800,
"height": 997,
"credit": "Daniel Ljunggren"
},
"Most of the bodies interred here have rotted away, only their wood-and-linen burial dressings holding their shapes. If the characters move through the water, their effort causes a few floating bodies to drift through the muck, bumping into walls and passersby. They are harmless but unsettling nonetheless.",
"In addition to the bodies, three {@creature Returned Sentry|MOT|Returned sentries} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Returned Sentry}) lurk here. These Returned are tritons and, in addition to the statistics of a normal Returned sentry, each can breathe water and has a swim speed of 30 feet. Decades ago, anticipating Varyas's mission, Phenax sent these Returned a vision instructing them to locate the tomb and guard it. The sentries infiltrated the crypt while it was submerged and waited here, drifting in a torpor. Expecting Varyas, the sentries attempt to ambush any non-Returned who enter the catacombs. These Returned are fanatics and fight to the death.",
"The stone slab on the east wall can be moved aside to allow access to area 5, but any check to do so is made with disadvantage because of the room's standing water.",
"Age and water compromised the slab door leading to area 6, which now stands askew.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 191,
"id": "33f",
"entries": [
"Each of the Returned sentries wears a piscine, gold funerary mask (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Returned}). The bodies here bear no grave goods and deteriorate if disturbed."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "5. Crypts of the Deathless",
"page": 191,
"id": "340",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "341",
"entries": [
"Stairs ascend to a hall lined with door frames barred by rusted grates. An iron brazier, its sides sculpted with furious-looking faces, stands in the middle of the hall, midway along its length. Not far beyond, the ceiling has collapsed, burying whatever lies there."
]
},
"These crypts hold the bodies of Phenax worshipers who were expected to return from the afterlife. None did.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Brazier",
"page": 191,
"id": "342",
"entries": [
"The brazier that once lit this hall is sculpted with faces reminiscent of the masks the Returned wear. Any character who examines the brazier and succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence ({@skill Investigation}) check notices that one of the faces is smiling, and that it's looking south toward crypt D."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Crypts",
"page": 191,
"id": "343",
"entries": [
"There are five largely intact crypts here, four of which are sealed by rusty metal grates. The grate of each crypt can be wrenched free or otherwise bypassed with a successful DC 14 Strength ({@skill Athletics}) check. Beyond, each crypt holds a stone sarcophagus engraved with a name and depictions of the occupant's most infamous feats. The lid of a sarcophagus can be opened with a successful DC 12 Strength ({@skill Athletics}) check\u2014though the partially buried sarcophagi in crypts C and E need to be dug out before they can be opened, taking 10 minutes for each one.",
"The crypts contain the remains of the following ne'er-do-wells:",
"{@b Crypt A} holds Yerda Ever-Coin, who paid her debts with stolen stars.",
"{@b Crypt B} holds \"Cyclops\" Phelnidus, beloved by numerals and friend of dice.",
"{@b Crypt C} holds Solt, who was born Returned.",
"{@b Crypt D} holds Gathus Gadus, who could whisper anyone and anything to sleep.",
"{@b Crypt E} is empty. The name on the sarcophagus is violently scratched out, and the engraved images are of robed figures lamenting the loss of their eyes."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Secret Door",
"page": 191,
"id": "344",
"entries": [
"In the back wall of crypt D is a slightly askew secret door. Any character who looks into crypt D and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom ({@skill Perception}) check notices the secret door. Those who enter the crypt immediately notice what looks like a crooked wall. The secret door opens easily."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 191,
"id": "345",
"entries": [
"Aside from the drenched skeletons within, crypts A and D each hold only a mundane clay burial mask. The skeleton in crypt B wears an eyepatch that is actually a {@item two-birds sling|MOT} (see {@book chapter 5|MOT|5}). Crypt C contains a small body wearing a sorrowful silver burial mask worth 50 gp."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "6. Shrine of Phenax",
"page": 192,
"id": "346",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "347",
"entries": [
"Much of the ceiling in the southwestern part of this chamber has collapsed into the rot-tinged water partially filling this room. In alcoves flanking the door to the north stand twin life-sized statues of a figure wearing a burial mask. Both reach out, as if to accept or offer a gift."
]
},
"Much of this shrine has been destroyed, its altar and most of its trappings ruined by earth and time. The two statues depict the god Phenax; the depictions are slightly disturbing but harmless. The 2-foot-deep standing water here makes the entire room {@quickref difficult terrain||3}.",
"Obscured by water and debris, a mosaic covers the floor between the statues. Only a great effort would reveal the ancient artwork. Any Phenax worshiper who enters the room, however, sees the mosaic clearly, its tiles depicting coins falling from a crumbling skull.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Secret Door",
"page": 192,
"id": "348",
"entries": [
"The east wall bears a secret door. Any character who succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom ({@skill Perception}) check notices a movable wall panel."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "7. Tomb of Orestes",
"page": 192,
"id": "349",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "34a",
"entries": [
"This chamber's ancient masonry rises to form a corbelled dome. At the room's center lies a pool of sludge. A broad sarcophagus rises from the pool, its lid caked in crumbling candle wax and rotted offerings. Whatever rites were performed here were overseen by a larger-than-life statue in the alcove to the south, a sculpture depicting the upper body of a grim, masked man. The statue reaches out, as if to accept what it has been offered.",
"To the east, a portion of the tomb's wall has collapsed, exposing a deep crevasse in the rock."
]
},
"This chamber serves as the resting place of the oracle-thief Orestes. According to legend, Orestes could divine how long someone would live by reading a pool of the person's blood. Those who, in his vision, bled black were destined to one day follow the Path of Phenax, coming back from death as Returned. After Orestes's death, his tomb was consecrated as a holy site by Phenax's followers, in part due to Orestes's sarcophagus taking on the oracle's powers of prophecy.",
"The room's domed ceiling rises 20 feet. The area around Orestes's sarcophagus is {@quickref difficult terrain||3}, not because of the shallow, murky water there, but because of the hundreds of stray bones that lie beneath the water\u2014the remains of animals sacrificed to Phenax.",
"More than the dead dwell in Orestes's tomb, though.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Lampads",
"page": 192,
"id": "34b",
"entries": [
"Two unsettlingly attractive {@creature Lampad|MOT|lampads} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Lampad}) named Antiophes and Callisos recently happened upon Orestes's tomb, gaining access through the collapsed eastern wall. They discovered the magical sarcophagus here and hoped to use it in service to the god Athreos, helping to predict which souls would eventually try to escape the Underworld and reenter the living realm as Returned. Soon after they arrived, though, Varyas's eidolon entered the tomb. Antiophes and Callisos hope to capture the errant soul and deliver it to Athreos, but the spirit has avoided them so far.",
"When the characters arrive, only Antiophes is in the room. The whisper-voiced lampad tries to enlist them in opening Orestes's sarcophagus, where the eidolon is hiding. Those who refuse, or who want to use the eidolon for their own ends, earn Antiophes's wrath. The lampad attacks, using his Corpse Stride ability to teleport between locations in the tomb\u2014particularly areas 4, 5, 7, and 8. If seriously wounded, Antiophes teleports to area 8 and tells his overprotective partner, Callisos, what has happened. Both of the lampads then return to try to drive the characters off."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Eidolon",
"page": 192,
"id": "34c",
"entries": [
"Varyas's {@creature flitterstep eidolon|MOT} (see {@book chapter 6|MOT|6|Eidolons}) dwells in this room. It doesn't know why, but it was attracted to the tomb after returning from death. It doesn't know how much time has passed since then, but eventually it encountered the menacing lampad Antiophes, who threatened to deliver the eidolon to Athreos. To escape the lampad, the eidolon hid inside Orestes's sarcophagus, where it has lurked ever since."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Sarcophagus",
"page": 192,
"entries": [
"The sarcophagus holds the skeleton of Orestes, a few grave goods, and Varyas's cowering eidolon. Additionally, it possesses two magical properties.",
"First, the sarcophagus is blessed by Phenax with a ward against defilement. The lid is supernaturally heavy, requiring a successful DC 20 Strength ({@skill Athletics}) check to dislodge. Any creature who worships Phenax, though, or who wears a funerary mask, finds the lid to be far lighter, gaining a +10 bonus on this check.",
"Additionally, reliefs on the sarcophagus depict Phenax worshipers and Returned, as well as a prominent image of blood dripping onto scales bearing a Returned mask. Images of pale drops hover over a skeleton, while black drops loom over a Returned. Any character who succeeds at a DC 15 Intelligence ({@skill Religion}) check learns that the sarcophagus itself bears a measure of Orestes's oracular gifts. If blood is spilled on the lid, it turns black if the blood's owner is destined to become a Returned. Most of the time, spilled blood doesn't change color. If a character drips their blood upon the sarcophagus lid, though, you can decide if their blood turns black or not\u2014choosing if you want the character's story to go in that direction (and you think the character's player will accept it), or rolling a {@dice d10} and having it turn black on a 1. The ramifications of this revelation are up to you."
],
"id": "001"
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Development",
"page": 192,
"id": "34d",
"entries": [
"If the characters open Orestes's sarcophagus, they find Varyas's eidolon inside. The eidolon is a cowardly creature that tries to flee if attacked. Even through its flickering form, though, its general shape suggests the form and mask of Varyas the Returned. Any character who succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence ({@skill Investigation}) check recognizes the spirit as Varyas's eidolon, and realizes it might be Phenax's Silence. If the characters protect the eidolon or use it for their own ends, Antiophes treats this as an affront and attacks.",
"After any resulting battle with the lampads, the party can converse with Varyas's eidolon, who lethargically agrees to leave with them and help decipher the message on Varyas's mask (see \"Deciphering the Mask\")."
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 192,
"id": "34e",
"entries": [
"Aside from Orestes's ancient bones, the sarcophagus holds gold burial jewelry: an amulet (worth 65 gp), a cloak clasp (worth 35 gp), and a broad armband bearing green tourmalines etched to look like serpentine eyes (worth 150 gp). Additionally, Orestes's clay burial mask is sculpted with a look of wide-eyed shock. The mask functions as {@item slippers of spider climbing}."
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "8. Cave and Tunnel",
"page": 193,
"id": "34f",
"entries": [
{
"type": "insetReadaloud",
"id": "350",
"entries": [
"On the crumbling eastern wall of the tomb is a rough-edged hole that leads to an uneven cavity in the earth. Two ancient urns and beds of crushed bones lie inside. To the south, a narrow tunnel stretches into darkness."
]
},
"Antiophes and Callisos use this cave as their dwelling, heaping bones here to suit their tastes. Callisos spends much time here, etching grimly poetic prayers to Athreos on the walls with ink and bone chisels. If called to battle by Antiophes, or if audible conflict continues in area 7 for more than 3 rounds, Callisos enters the fray.",
"The tunnel here leads to a cave system that, after days of travel, eventually winds through the lair of the wolf-toothed night hag, Stolsluko, then to the shores of the Tartyx River. Details of these endless chambers are beyond the scope of this adventure.",
{
"type": "entries",
"name": "Treasure",
"page": 193,
"id": "351",
"entries": [
"There are two 2-foot-tall lekythoi (jugs used in some burial rites) in this room. One holds muddy ashes that Callisos employs as ink. The other contains a quantity of amber liquid amounting to three {@item Potion of Healing||potions of healing}\u2014sacrifices to Phenax pilfered from the nearby tomb. The potions can be collected in empty containers the characters might have with them, or the full urn (weighing 15 pounds) can be taken."
]
}
]
}
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Deciphering the Mask",
"page": 193,
"id": "352",
"entries": [
"Characters curious about the nature of Phenax's Silence find no grand prize in the Court of Orestes. Rather than great wealth, the seer Orestes vaguely predicted the events that would transpire here. As a result, his prophecy and the resulting legend of Phenax's Silence foreshadowed the memories the god lost when returning from the Underworld and the first step to giving those memories voice once more: Varyas's eidolon.",
"With the aid of both the eidolon and Varyas's mask, a character can start the process of revealing the message written on the mask. While Varyas's eidolon doesn't remember the message's contents, it retains the ability to interpret the cipher\u2014though, possibly in piecemeal or half-accurate terms. Deciphering the mask is an elaborate process, and keeping the eidolon on task is a time-consuming endeavor, requiring that a character spend an hour and succeed on a DC 14 Charisma ({@skill Intimidation} or {@skill Persuasion}) check. On a failed check, the eidolon rambles, sharing disjointed half-memories and dreamy opinions about its surroundings. On a success, the eidolon reveals a snippet of the cipher's meaning.",
"What the eidolon reveals is a worthy secret... and one left to you to choose, depending on the story you want to tell. Consult the Secrets of Phenax table, which presents several options for what divine secret Varyas's eidolon might relate. The veracity of this secret is up to you to decide, and learning more about it might color future adventures of your own design.",
{
"type": "table",
"caption": "Secrets of Phenax",
"colLabels": [
"d6",
"Result"
],
"colStyles": [
"col-2 text-center",
"col-10"
],
"rows": [
[
"1",
"As a mortal, Phenax was destined to free the Titans from the Underworld. Mortals killed him to save themselves. The gods let him escape the Underworld to save themselves. What will Phenax do if he learns of his true destiny?"
],
[
"2",
"A secret deity languishes on an island just beyond where the Tartyx cascades off the world's edge. There stands a dilapidated palace where Phenax hid for a time during his escape from the Underworld. The palace's ruler is nothing less than Phenax's eidolon."
],
[
"3",
"Phenax has triplet offspring, three souls that the god of deception abandoned in the Underworld. Erebos hides these souls, valuing them as hostages\u2014if Phenax ever remembers that they exist."
],
[
"4",
"Phenax's bloodline continues. The god's many-times-over grandchildren live as master thieves and number among the few souls who might be able to steal Phenax's place among the gods for their own."
],
[
"5",
"The secret to Phenax's immortality lies in the Underworld and is accessible only by those who have died, come back, and journeyed to the Underworld once more. By discovering this secret, any Returned could become a god."
],
[
"6",
"Phenax is dying, his immortality flawed. Over the ages, he has manipulated destiny and his own bloodline to bring about the existence of a being that has the potential to reinvigorate him for another epoch: one of the characters."
]
]
},
"More of the eidolon's secrets might be coaxed forth, but doing that requires patient conversations, greater insights into Varyas's schemes, or intervention from Phenax's other servants (or even the god himself), all of which might be the goals of future adventures."
]
},
{
"type": "section",
"name": "Myths to Be Told",
"page": 193,
"id": "353",
"entries": [
"If the party has uncovered the secret of Varyas's mask and the mysteries being smuggled out of the Underworld, consider whether each character has earned an increase to their piety score (see {@book chapter 2|MOT|2|Piety}). Where the story goes next is up to you. To guide the characters to their next adventure, consider the following questions:",
{
"type": "list",
"items": [
"If Varyas was enlisted by Phenax to discover his secrets, what else might the god have told the sage?",
"What other secrets might Varyas's eidolon know? Perhaps an oracle, like Khea, could coax forth more?",
"Someone in league with the Returned had Varyas killed. Who could it be\u2014agents of Odunos, followers of Erebos, or perhaps Tymaret the Murder King himself? And what might their intentions toward the party be?"
]
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
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