Hall of Verdigris – Temple of Elemental Evil Area of the Week 04/25/03

This page is a part (Dungeons of Elemental Evil #213) of a playthrough that spanned the year of 2003. All the information was taken from TSR’s original AD&D adventure, the Temple of Elemental Evil.

For the players: This huge hall, 40 ‘x 90’, has an arched ceiling some 30 feet overhead. The many buttresses and arches form a tracery of shadowy dimness; the ceiling’s exact height is not discernible. The floor and walls are covered in slabs of polished stone, apparently azurite-malachite from the swirls of blue intermingled with the deep green. Some magic has evidently been placed here, for a soft cloudy greenish luminosity seeps from the walls and floor, seemingly floating in the air, making the whole chamber appear as if deep underwater. This impression is enhanced by the bronze doors, fountain, and other work; all are covered with verdigris. Even the damp air seems to smell of the sea. Several weird things in this place come to your immediate attention.

In the middle of the west wall is a great sheet of bronze, a bas relief of an underwater vista — seaweed, shells, and various forms of marine life. The head of a fish-like thing projects from this, a most hideous visage. Its ghastly maw emits a stream of water, which falls into a tiered series of four basins. The fourth and largest never overflows, so it must have a drain system somewhere.

Near the mid-portion of the hall, some 40 feet distant from the east wall and 30 feet from the north wall, is a bronze altar with many marine creatures sculpted in bas relief upon its sides. It is about four feet high and round, with a ten-foot diameter. Its top is concave, and a shallow basin apparently about two feet deep is filled with water. The bottom of the basin is filled with coins, a sprinkling of gems, and many small seashells.

In the mouth of a 20′ wide alcove south of the altar basin stands an idol or statue of serpentine stone, expertly sculpted to depict a writhing, amorphous agglomeration of fish, eels, octopi, and other marine monsters. This horrid thing is about eight feet high and nearly as broad, the whole forming a globular mass standing about four feet from the altar basin. The alcove to its rear is ten feet deep, the back wall of which is covered by a drapery apparently fashioned from seaweed and water!

Each corner of the hall is filled by a triangular plinth, filling it and extending about 20 feet upwards. Atop each of these columns is a gargoyle-like statue made of bronze and coated with verdigris.

For the DM: The whole place radiates a dim magic and is pervaded with evil. In use, offerings are brought to the fountain and dipped in each basin, highest to lowest, before being placed on/in the altar. If this procedure is not followed, the gargoyles on the plinths give chase (see below).

The altar basin is filled with salt water, of course. The treasure therein consists of 42 cp, 37 sp, 60 ep, 51 gp, 23 pp, and 39 gems worth a total of 1, 920 gp (17 varied agates worth 10 gp each, 3 bloodstones and 6 zircons worth 50 gp each, and 4 amethysts, 3 red garnets, and 6 tourmalines worth 100 gp each). If the altar is defiled or damaged, or if anything is removed from it, the guardian idol animates to pursue and punish the offenders (see below).

If a sacrifice or donation is properly prepared with the fountain (A) and placed in the altar basin, a magic mouth on the idol in the alcove makes a hooting noise, summoning the occupants of area 214 to receive the worshippers. If the altar is improperly handled, the idol starts to roll slowly toward the offender, issuing forth hissing and hooting noises which likewise alert the occupants of area 214. In either case they appear in 2-5 rounds.

The idol is actually a juggernaut. It can roll over victims (inflicting 10d10 points of damage) or reach out in any direction with eel heads, tentacles, pincers, and other attack forms to six foot range, doing so four times each round and inflicting 2-12 points of damage in each such attack. This thing is not able to turn sharply or reverse directions unless it first comes to a complete halt. For every ten feet it travels it can turn about three feet; it must travel 30 feet to make a 90 degree turn. It is also slow to start; in the first round of animation it can move but ten feet per round, but gains 1″ additional movement each round thereafter until its maximum 12″ rate is achieved. (For example, in the ninth round of animation it moves at 9″ rate.)

Juggernaut: AC 2, MV 1″ to 12″, HD 10, hp 66,
#AT 4 and 1, D 2-12 (x4) and 10-100; XP 3924

Each of the gargoyles atop the triangular columns is actually a zombie wearing a magical gargoyle cloak. This garment gives the wearer all the characteristics of a gargoyle, and even the mentality in this case; thus —

Gargoyles (4): AC 5, MV 9″/15″, HD 4 + 4, hp 28 each, #AT 4, D 1-3/1-3/1-6/1-4,
SA + 1 bonus “to hit” and damage when first swooping to attack,
SD hit only by + 1 or better magic weapons; XP 305 each (as if gargoyles)

Note that the zombies may be Turned normally by a cleric. If one takes 20 or more points of damage from edged weapons or fire, consider the cloak destroyed. If the creatures are slain without damage to the cloaks, subsequent examination shows each to be a green-colored zombie. Any character donning a gargoyle cloak is able to fly, attack, etc. as if a gargoyle, just as did the zombies. However, if a wearer keeps a cloak on for longer than one turn, apply a 10% chance per turn (cumulative) that the wearer gains the mind of a gargoyle as well, and either attacks or flies away (just as would a real gargoyle). Only death or a wish returns the victim to normal form.

The seaweed wall to the south is merely a cleverly embroidered but normal drapery. It conceals another alcove 10′ deep and 20′ wide, with verdigris-covered bronze doors to the south and normal doors to the east and west.