Chapter 4: Temple of Moloch

The Temple of Moloch is an ancient site steeped in magic, and the former home of a legendary artificer. Thessalar was a master alchemist and creator of monsters, whose own blood was said to possess dire magical properties. The artificer’s mad plots, thirst for power, and pursuit of lichdom eventually left the temple a ruin long ago. But the characters now find themselves back in that long ago, facing off against the artificer and his host of monstrous guardians in pursuit of the missing components of the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad. Having come back in time, the characters have a unique opportunity to explore a site now lost to memory—and to lay claim to its legendary riches.

Background

The Temple of Moloch was said to have begun as a series of caverns where the elemental princes Olhydra and Ogrémoch once battled, and in so doing, opened a rift to their respective Elemental Planes. This rift between the Plane of Water and the Plane of Earth resulted in a stream flowing through the caverns, which carries with it gemstones of extreme size and quality—particularly rubies. When ancient peoples came upon these gems, their greed led them to gather as many as possible, and to build a temple at the site to honor Moloch. They built an ornate statue to the exiled archdevil, and set two of the largest ruby gemstones for its eyes.

Centuries later, one of the high priests of the temple, an artificer named Thessalar, was so seduced by power and authority that he slew most of his fellow cultists in a bloody ceremony, then took control of the temple for himself. Thessalar repurposed the chambers of the temple for his own experiments, creating numerous monsters that bore his name (including the thessalhydra), as well as unnatural beasts such as the owlbear that would one day spread across the world.

Several of the missing components of the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad made their way to the temple through the years. At the time the characters visit, Thessalar has installed these components in his lab equipment, channeling their magic for the purpose of endless mutation.

Over the years that were the height of Thessalar’s power in the temple, the artificer’s chief rival was the artificer Moghadam, architect of the Tomb of Horrors. Moghadam recently lured away several sculptors from Thessalar’s temple to help construct his tomb, with false promises of vast salaries. To add insult to injury, Moghadam then sent back a party of mercenary thieves and a master gemsmith to steal the temple’s most famous gems—the eyes of the great statue of Moloch that is the centerpiece of the site. These thieves came under the pretense of delivering animal subjects for Thessalar’s experiments, but were captured. The gemsmith Seodra is now forced to labor for Thessalar, while the thieves are the subjects of dark experiments. All are desperate to escape.

Who Dwells Here?

As with the Tomb of Horrors, this version of the temple takes place in a period of the distant past, and incorporates rare elements of D&D lore. You are, of course, free to use or not use such elements—Thessalar, the creation of the owlbear, and so forth—as you see fit. You can easily substitute Thessalar or any other NPCs in the adventure with characters specific to your campaign, or with general NPCs who can fill the same roles.

Several of the temple’s residents (including Thessalar, his thessalkraken, and the eidolon) are a much more potent threat than characters of the lower levels suggested for the adventure can safely deal with. The players should be forewarned that their characters should treat with such legendary figures carefully—a warning that is repeated by whichever agent the characters are dealing with.

Andras and Stolos

One of Thessalar’s most loyal assistants, Andrastolos was the subject of many of the artificer’s early magical trials. In a grand experiment, Andrastolos’s body and mind were split across two separate beings: Andras and Stolos. Although they both operate in the temple, their split nature and the memory of who they once were disturbs Andras and Stolos so much that they seek each other’s ruin. The only thing that keeps both from killing the other is a desperate belief that their original natures might somehow be restored.

Andras

Andras is a neutral evil male human assassin with the head of a giant snowy owl. Though he retains his full intellect, his speech is hindered, resembling the hoots and clicks of an owl. Cruel and sadistic, Andras has been installed as the temple’s torturer. When the characters arrive, he is overseeing the interrogation of Moghadam’s thieves and their wererat leader, Mack Francache. See area area 9 for Andras’s full statistics.

Stolos

A reverse of Andras, the neutral Stolos possesses the head of an aging man atop the body of a giant owl. Garrulous and inquisitive, Stolos has been installed as the temple’s warden, overseeing the prison and the unfortunate creatures held there. Stolos is a warlock of the Great Old One, but see area area 11 for his full statistics.

Ard-Sagart

Under Thessalar, the high priests of the temple are chosen from sculptors who craft such perfect statues that the temple’s resident eidolon (containing the spirit of the first high priest) selects them for its use. As the temple’s current high priest, Ard-Sagart (a lawful evil male human warlock of the fiend) believes that the wayward sculptors who left for the Tomb of Horrors have caused the temple to lose favor with Moloch. He is eager to rectify this situation by recovering as many gemstones as possible from the temple’s waters as tribute.

Barbatos

The ranger Barbatos (a neutral evil male human; see appendix B for his stat block) uses his tracking, stealth, and combat prowess to trap creatures for selfish gain. He has long worked for Thessalar, trapping animals and monsters to be used in the temple’s experiments. As part of his wages, Barbatos has undergone his own experimentation, with Thessalar wiring items made from living creatures directly into the ranger’s body.

Barbatos is always accompanied by his animal companion, a hell hound named Sadie III.

Mack Francache

This neutral wererat thief is the leader of the band sent to the temple by Moghadam, and charged with stealing the ruby eyes from the temple’s great statue of Moloch. Having failed in his assignment, Francache now languishes in the temple’s torture chamber.

Seodra

A lawful neutral female genasi from the Quasi-elemental Plane of Mineral, Seodra is a gemsmith who studied under Xagy, the mysterious figure who crafted such masterpiece artifacts as Queen Ehlissa’s Marvelous Nightingale. Seodra accompanied Mack Francache and his thieves to the temple, as her expertise was needed to steal the gem eyes of the great statue of Moloch without damaging them. With the gems in hand, Seodra would have been able to craft the jeweled skull of a demilich for Acererak. Unfortunately, she was captured along with the rest of the thieves, and is now forced to work for Thessalar—crafting the same jeweled skull for his own use. See area area 31 for her statistics.

Thessalar

As an artificer, Thessalar is vainglorious, egotistical, and utterly ruthless in furthering his research. His career began as a priest in the service of Moloch, where he rose through the ranks before eventually taking over the temple as a working laboratory. Most of his experiments have involved the pursuit of new forms of life, resulting in such creatures as the thessalhydra and the owlbear. In recent years, he has also researched the prolonging of life—namely his own. Thessalar hopes that by becoming a lich, his research and experiments can continue indefinitely.

Over time, Thessalar has subjected himself to so many of his own experiments that his blood has taken on alchemical and magical properties. He regularly uses it as the basis for many of the reagents used throughout his labs. As a side effect, although Thessalar is now immune to poison and the poisoned condition, any magical liquid or salve that restores hit points acts as a poison against him if applied to a piercing or slashing weapon.

Several of Thessalar’s prized sculptors have been lured away from the temple by Moghadam, his rival artificer, with promises of false payment to help construct the Tomb of Horrors. Worse, the sculptors took with them their best tools and half a manual of stone golems. Both items were part of Thessalar’s plans to craft a powerful stone golem and send it against Moghadam and his tomb. More recently, Moghadam ordered a group of thieves to assault the temple and steal the gemstone eyes from its great statue of Moloch. Thessalar captured the thieves and put the gemsmith accompanying them to work, but the temple still remains on alert against intruders.

See appendix B for Thessalar’s stat block.

Who’s Who

Little is known regarding Xagy—except as a partial anagram for ‘Gygax,’ and for her role in crafting Queen Ehlissa’s Marvelous Nightingale, one of the artifacts appearing in the first edition Dungeon Masters Guide. When operated, this magical-mechanical marvel would shoot eye rays of different colors and effects, and produce songs able to work magical wonders.

Missing Components

The missing components of the Infernal Machine at this location can be found in various laboratory chambers throughout the temple. Removing the components deactivates various controls within these chambers, disrupting experiments and freeing creatures.

The components resemble those found at the clock tower in chapter 1, being gemstone-like buttons made of some unknown material and of various colors. The missing components are disbursed as follows:

• area Area 9. One component, speckled gold
• area Area 14. One component, cloudy orange
• area Area 15. Three components, all emerald green
• area Area 16. One component, light purple
• area Area 22. One component, hazy yellow

Mechanical Guide

If the characters' mechanical guide is lost or destroyed while they explore the Temple of Moloch, you can make use of a number of options to keep the characters from remaining stranded in the past. Thessalar can repair or rebuild the guide for a suitable price, as can Moghadam if an overland trek is made to reach him. (The sculptors in the temple possess maps showing the way to the Tomb of Horrors.) Alternatively, replacement parts for the guide might be recovered from the bottom of the underground lake at the end of the adventure—if the characters are able to deal with the thessalkraken!

Exploring the Temple

The temple is divided into two main sections. Areas 1 through 23 are the working laboratories where Thessalar resides and operates, along with many lizardfolk guards. Areas 24 through 39 make up the temple section, largely inhabited by priests and others who care for the temple’s statues as well as its living demigod, the thessalkraken. That creature dwells in a deep subterranean lake beyond areas 30 and 39.

Numbered locations are keyed to the map on page 29.

Temple Approach

From the point at which the characters arrive outside the temple, they find themselves within striking distance of a small, isolated village. The villagers—quiet, nervous folk—can provide lodging, meager supplies to trade, and directions to the temple.

From the village, a two-mile trek along a seldom-used road ends at the edge of a fen.

A general bleakness hangs over this area, with only a few clumps of brush and tamarack sprouting here and there. Through this, a narrow causeway leads out to a low mound, upon which stand the outer walls of what must be the temple.

The upper levels of the temple are abandoned and falling to ruin, as Thessalar focuses his activities in the dungeons below. Once the characters cross the causeway, they easily spot a stone staircase leading down.

Never Alone

As the characters explore the Temple of Moloch, keep in mind that this is an active, living dungeon filled with guards, servants, and monsters. Different areas provide information on lizardfolk guards heading out on patrol and monsters potentially breaking free and running amok. When that happens, keep a rough idea of where those guards and monsters might be heading, and let the characters hear or see them as they skulk about. Not every encounter with a wandering monster or patrol needs to end in combat, but knowing that they don’t have free run of the dungeon will help keep the characters on their toes.

In addition to those potential encounters, two unusual monsters also patrol the temple complex, and can be encountered at any time, wandering through any corridors or rooms—a thessalhydra and another creation of Moghadam’s known as the thessalheart construct.

Thessalhydra

When the characters first enter the temple, roll a d4. On a 1–2, the temple’s guardian thessalhydra is patrolling the laboratory section (areas 1 to 23). On a 3–4, it patrols the temple section (areas 24 to 39). There are no fixed mechanics for encounters with the thessalhydra, but feel free to have it show up in the distance whenever the characters need incentive to keep moving. The thessalhydra ignores lizardfolk guards and known servants of Thessalar, but attacks all other creatures on sight. Accustomed to inspiring fear, and having grown somewhat lazy in its guardian role, it is usually content to let foes flee from it rather than pursuing.

Each time the characters finish a long rest in the temple, the thessalhydra leaves its current zone and takes up a patrol in the other zone. The thessalheart construct switches to the opposite zone (see below).

Thessalheart Construct

The thessalheart construct is a strange magical-mechanical device that struts about like a chicken, and which features a human heart beating madly behind its glass front. The construct always wanders the zone opposite to the thessalhydra’s zone, and for good reason.

The human heart that sits within the construct is magically connected to the thessalhydra, tapping into the power of the Infernal Machine components as it roams, and feeding that power to the monster as restorative energy. Whenever the thessalhydra is taken to 0 hit points, it stays dead for 1 hour before returning to life with full hit points. Destroying the construct or claiming all the Infernal Machine components is the only way to end this effect.

The thessalheart construct has a telepathic bond to Thessalar, who becomes aware of the characters through the construct’s senses if they encounter it as they wander. If encountered, the construct gets close enough to identify the characters, then attempts to flee to protect itself.

1. Entry Chamber

Stairs from the surface lead down to this damp vaulted chamber. The floor is strewn with bones and rubble. The ceiling is supported by arches meeting at the twenty-foot-high domed peak, and is obscured by thick webs. Corridors lead off to the east, south, and west, with the west ending at a heavy oak door with bronze fittings.

Arrow Slit

Any character who succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check notices an arrow slit concealed in a gap in the stairwell stones. The guards in area area 5 watch the stairs through this slit, giving them a warning of the characters' approach.

Oak Door

Anyone who listens at the door to the west and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check hears a moaning that rises and fades away (caused by strong breezes in area area 2). Opening the door causes the breeze to fill this corridor, creating the effect of a gust of wind spell.

Creature

The webs on the ceiling conceal a mutated giant spider with the beak of a giant owl (use the grell stat block). This creature escaped from Thessalar’s labs and has been allowed to lair here to watch over the entrance. The lizardfolk have nicknamed it “Thacko.”

Treasure

A character who searches the chamber and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check finds 19 sp and a small ruby (worth 20 gp) inside a lizardfolk skull.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the guards in area area 5 to change shifts, allowing the characters to pass through here without being noticed. Spending 2 charges also causes Thacko to grow younger or older. Roll a d4. On a 1–2, the creature halves its hit points. On a 3–4, the creature doubles its hit points.

2. Water Room

This natural cavern provides fresh water for the temple from the cold and fast-flowing stream along its western edge. The stream enters from the north along a tunnel, and exits to the south in the same manner. A cold wind blows from the south tunnel, generated above the subterranean lake the stream flows into (accessed via area area 30 or area 39).

Numerous barrels, casks, and buckets are stored here, all used to collect fresh water.

Pool

The stream forms a small pool 7 feet deep at its center, which is home to numerous small, white blindfish and crayfish. An unusual mineral formation occupies the bottom of the pool. With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character identifies the formation as a limed-over skeleton.

Tunnels

The tunnel to the north has no air space within it, and leads back to the underground spring that is the stream’s source. The tunnel to the south is higher, leaving an ample air space along which the brisk wind is channeled. Characters can make an arduous journey along the south tunnel to the underground lake (see that section at the end of the adventure), encountering hazards and monsters as you determine.

Skeleton

The skeleton is the remains of the temple’s first high priest (whose spirit now resides as the eidolon in area area 25). If the skeleton is examined by a creature in the water, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a key in its hand. (This fits the secret door leading to the treasure vault in area area 38). The key can be easily claimed, but doing so disturbs the skeleton and causes a cylindrical object to dislodge from it. This object is carried off by the stream unless any character in or out of the water succeeds on a DC 18 Dexterity check to snag it.

Treasure

The watertight ivory tube dislodged by the skeleton contains a vellum map of the temple complex. However, slow seepage has blurred all but a small portion, so that the map now shows only area 1; area 2; the passage to area 3, with that area only a smudge; and the passage to area area 26, starting about 20 feet south of the secret door in area 3.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 or more charges in this area creates a 10 percent cumulative chance for a ruby (worth 1d10 × 10 gp) to wash into view from upstream, as well as a 25 percent cumulative chance for 1d4 lizardfolk to arrive on assignment to bring more water into the temple.

Additionally, if 2 or more charges are spent, enough of the lime flakes off the skeleton in the pool that it can be identified without an ability check.

3. Empty Ceremonial Chamber

This chamber resembles a larger version of the entry, with arches meeting at the twenty-five-foot domed peak of the ceiling. A nine-foot-tall wooden platform stands against the south wall, on which several bodies lie wrapped in funeral shrouds.

The wooden platform is used as a dais for religious rites. The faithful are brought here after death, blessed, and then carried to their final resting place in the subterranean lake (where they are consumed by the thessalkraken). The bodies currently upon the platform are four lizardfolk slain during the capture of Moghadam’s thieves, as well as one of those thieves (a female human).

Secret Door

Seven small knobs of stone protrude from the south wall at the level of the platform. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check notices which three knobs show the most wear. Pressing those knobs in any order opens the secret door.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area results in four lizardfolk guards and a lizardfolk shaman opening the secret door to the south and conveying the bodies down the south corridor before vanishing from sight.

4. Guardroom

Since Moghadam’s thieves came to the temple, Thessalar has had the temple on heightened alert and guards stationed around the entrance at all times.

Creatures

Eight lizardfolk, a lizardfolk shaman, and the shaman’s two-headed crocodile companion rest in this area. If they are alerted to intruders by the lizardfolk in area area 5, they head directly for area area 1 to challenge them.

Secret Tunnel

A secret trapdoor in the floor opens to an access tunnel leading to area area 5. It can be found with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the guards to change shifts, leaving for the barracks (area area 6). Spending 2 charges reverses time and causes them to instead head into the temple complex to search for Moghadam’s thieves, believing the thieves have just arrived. You determine where the guards might be encountered as a result.

5. Watch Room

The guards here are companions of the force resting in area 4. They are on active duty, watching the stairs down into area area 1.

Creatures

If the four lizardfolk stationed here spot intruders, two of them travel through the secret tunnel to alert the guards in area 4 and join their hunt. The other two remain here to watch for additional foes descending the stairs, but head out in pursuit of the characters if their allies don’t return within a few minutes.

Arrow Slit

An arrow slit opens up in a gap in the stairwell stones, and provides a view of any creatures descending the stairs into area area 1.

Secret Tunnel

A secret trapdoor in the floor opens to an access tunnel leading to area 4. It can be found with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the guards to change shifts, leaving here for the barracks (area area 6). Spending 2 charges causes them to instead head into the temple complex to search for Moghadam’s thieves, believing the thieves have just arrived. You determine where the guards might be encountered as a result.

6. Barracks

This cluttered chamber serves as a barracks for Thessalar’s lizardfolk servants. Crude sleeping pallets line the walls, and the place has a foul smell.

Creatures

Eight lizardfolk are off duty here, sleeping or leisurely playing at a rudimentary board game using dice and small stones as playing pieces. If they have been alerted to trouble by the lizardfolk in areas 4 or 5, they head into the temple to challenge intruders.

Prisoner

A gruesome scene plays out along the east wall. One of Moghadam’s thieves hangs from manacles there, dead, torn open, and with his innards hanging out, having been given to the lizardfolk to consume.

Treasure

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to search through the lizardfolk’s possessions uncovers 25 cp, 55 sp, and 10 gp.

In addition, twelve uncut rubies (worth 50 gp each) are being used as pieces for the board game. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the board resembles a partial map of the temple, showing areas 1 to 22.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the guards to change shifts, leaving for areas 4 and 5. Spending 2 charges also brings the prisoner back to life. Little Gadai is a lawful neutral human spy. He joins the characters if allowed to, seeking to rescue and rejoin the other thieves to complete their original mission. His knowledge of the temple is limited to areas 1 through 6.

7. Storage Area

This is a general storage area for the temple, holding crates, sacks, and barrels filled with typical goods in support of temple operations (foodstuffs, cloth, oil, tools, and so forth).

Characters who search this area thoroughly might make an unusual discovery with a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check, allowing one check per character. Use the Storage Area Discoveries table to determine what a character discovers, or as inspiration for unusual discoveries of your own.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 or more charges in this area has a 20 percent cumulative chance that 1d4 lizardfolk guards arrive to fetch more supplies for the temple. They attack intruders at once.

Storage Area Discoveries

8. Office of the Torturer

Characters approaching this area from the north can see activity through the open doorway to area area 9, but can’t make out any details until they advance beyond the corridor leading into area area 8.

This chamber serves as the office and apartment of Andras, the temple’s torturer and rival of the warden. It holds a bed, a desk, and mundane gear. The desk contains notes on tortured prisoners and any information they’ve revealed (including the fact that the recently captured thieves were sent by Moghadam). If he is not at work in area area 9, Andras will be found here.

Treasure

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to search the desk uncovers several papers stolen from Stolos (see area area 11), which discuss the split nature of Andras and Stolos.

In addition, a locked strongbox can be found under Andras’s bed. It can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, but contains an easily noticed poison needle trap. A failed check triggers the trap, which deals 1 piercing damage and delivers a dose of Blood of the Lycanthrope (see appendix C). The strongbox can be smashed open with a successful DC 20 Strength check.

The strongbox holds treasure collected from Andras’s recent victims—110 sp, 55 gp, 10 pp, five rubies (worth 100 gp each), and a vial of mummy rot antidote (see appendix C).

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes Andras to return here from area area 9 and prepare to rest.

Exploring the Temple (areas 9-16)

9. Torture Chamber

The characters can hear what’s happening in this area before they see it. Read the following if any character approaches within 30 feet of the open doorway:

A low groaning rises from this chamber, whose open doorway provides a hint of its source. This is a torture chamber, filled with racks, implements of pain, and other foul devices.

As the characters enter, read the following, making adjustments as necessary if Andras is not here:

Two prisoners and a frantic rat lie strapped to tables, and are being worked on by a humanoid figure with the head of a snowy owl. Silver wires connect the tables to a complex control panel standing between them.

Andras

The result of one of Thessalar’s grand experiments, Andras has the body of a male human and the head of a massive snowy owl. Like that of any owl, his head can rotate almost fully around for 360-degree vision.

The prisoners are two of Moghadam’s thieves, who Andras is pressing for additional information as to their raid and Moghadam’s plans. However, the torturer is almost impossible to understand, with his speech resembling the hoots and clicks of an owl. Conversing with Andras requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check or a speak with animals spell, but the torturer speaks to the characters only in bold threats. In combat, Andras uses weapons coated in Blood of the Lycanthrope (see appendix C). He uses the assassin stat block with the following changes:

• He is neutral evil, and can speak and understand Common and Giant Owl.
• Andras has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.
• The poison effect on his shortsword and light crossbow attacks is replaced with the following: If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with wererat lycanthropy.

Andras carries keys that open the concealed door leading to area area 23.

Prisoners

Mack Francache, the neutral wererat leader of Moghadam’s thieves, is the unwilling subject of one of Thessalar’s sadistic experiments, conducted by Andras. His lycanthropic blood is being drained for study by Thessalar, who has already discovered ways in which it might be weaponized (see “area Poisons” in appendix C).

The silver wires connect Francache to a lawful neutral female human bandit captain named Big Gadai (sister to the dead thief in area area 6) and a normal rat. As Andras operates the controls to this strange torture device, he causes Francache’s lycanthropy to transform the rat into a duplicate of Big Gadai, to the pain and horror of everyone involved. When the rat is in human form, it insists that it is the real Big Gadai, as does the real Big Gadai.

Francache bargains with the characters for his freedom, promising anything he can in return—including knowledge of the Tomb of Horrors. (His previous assignment for Moghadam was to spy on its workers while in rat form.)

Control Panel

The control panel is covered with dials, switches, and buttons—including a speckled gold button recognizable as one of the missing components of the Infernal Machine. Removing this component deactivates the controls and releases the restraints on the tables, freeing Francache, Big Gadai, and the rat.

Anyone attempting to disrupt the controls or the wires must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) force damage. The controls and the wires are self-repairing, and cannot be severed or destroyed.

Concealed Door

Located at the back of an empty iron maiden, this locked door leads to area area 23, and is used by Andras to check on the clones there. It can be detected with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. Without the key carried by Andras, its lock can be picked with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or it can be forced with a successful DC 18 Strength check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes Andras to return to his quarters (area area 8) to rest. If Andras and Stolos are both at this location, spending 3 charges results in both transforming back into their original forms—the human Andrastolos and his giant snowy owl companion. If restored to normal, Andrastolos uses Andras’s statistics but his alignment reverts to neutral. He is endlessly grateful to the characters, providing any information about the temple he can (he is familiar with areas 1 through 23), and offering to guide the party as needed.

10. Prison Cells

Characters entering this area can see activity through the open doorway to area area 11, but can’t make out any details until they advance. If the characters engage in any noisy or noticeable activity here (including advancing down the corridor with light sources), Stolos emerges from area area 11 to investigate.

A long hallway leads past six cell doors, alternating three on each side. Five of the doors are constructed from iron bars, with the exception of what appears to be a glass door at the end.

The doors to the cells are locked, and Stolos (in area area 11) has the keys. They can also be unlocked with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or forced open from outside the cell with a successful DC 20 Strength check.

Prisoners

The cells are occupied as follows:

10a

Three lizardfolk here are being punished for various transgressions. Mean-tempered and suspicious, they nonetheless offer information regarding the temple in exchange for their freedom, knowing their fate is otherwise horrible experimentation. They are likely to turn against the party at the first opportunity.

10b

Two of Moghadam’s thieves (both lawful evil Spy) are incarcerated here, one wounded and one near death, and both desperate to be freed. They are periodically taken out for interrogation in area area 9, and are aware that experiments performed on them have created clones of themselves. They vehemently claim to be the real thieves.

The two join the characters if allowed, seeking to rescue and rejoin the other thieves to complete their original mission. Their evil nature inspires them to betray the characters if doing so works to their advantage.

10c

This cell is currently empty.

10d

This cell contains magically created duplicates of the thieves in 10b. They also claim to be the real thieves. (At your determination, these might be the real thieves, with the duplicates in 10b unaware of their true nature.)

10e

Two Doppelganger are being held here for study and as eventual experimental subjects. They attempt to look like Mack Francache, Seodra the gemsmith, or anyone else they’ve seen pass through the cell area in order to escape.

10f

This cell is sealed off behind a padlocked sheet of transparent glassteel—a resilient magical material as strong as metal—to prevent the escape of the adult oblex inside. The oblex can still use its Eat Memories action and Sulfurous Impersonation trait to create copies of anyone approaching too closely.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes one of the cell doors (chosen at random, excluding cell F) to rust with age and weaken. In this state, a door can be forced opened with a successful DC 10 Strength check from either side.

11. Office of the Warden

Adjust the following text if the characters attract Stolos’s attention as they approach this area.

The end of the cell hallway opens up to an office. A most unusual figure is seen behind a large desk strewn with papers—a huge white owl with the head of an aging man, seated atop a large, ornate bird stand. The figure reads while turning pages with a talon, muttering curses about, “That damned thumb-screwer, Andras.”

Stolos

The result of the same experiment that produced Andras (area area 9), Stolos has the head of a male human atop the body of a giant snowy owl. He readily converses with the characters even if their initial appearance is suspicious, asking them friendly questions with the aim of discovering if Moghadam sent them.

If asked about his unusual appearance, Stolos angrily admits that he and Andras derived from a singular human subject and his giant snowy owl companion years before. The two hybrid creatures now have an intense hatred for one another, owing to a mutual disgust for their split nature.

Stolos offers to work with the characters if they harm or impede Andras (most easily by freeing the prisoners being tortured in area area 9). His only real aim is for the characters to sow chaos before the temple’s guards invariably deliver them back into his custody.

Stolos uses the warlock of the Great Old One stat block with the following changes:

• He is neutral evil.
• He has a flying speed of 30 feet.
• Replace his dagger attack with the following attack: Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) slashing damage.

Stolos carries the keys to the cells in area area 10.

Treasure

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check to search the desk uncovers a box of nine Paper Bird (see appendix C) used to send messages to Thessalar.

In addition, a locked strongbox can be found under the desk. It can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, but contains an easily noticed poison gas trap. A failed check triggers the trap, which sprays a dose of Dust of the Mummy (see appendix C) at the character making the check. The strongbox can be smashed open with a successful DC 20 Strength check, but doing so targets each character within 5 feet of the strongbox with Dust of the Mummy.

The strongbox holds the treasure collected from Stolos’s current prisoners—45 gp, 23 pp, ten small rubies (worth 25 gp each), a ring of water walking, and a vial of blood of the lycanthrope antidote (see appendix C).

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes Stolos to leave and check on the cells in area area 10. If Andras and Stolos are both at this location, spending 3 charges results in both transforming back into their original forms. See area area 9 for details.

12. Owl Laboratory

Whenever anyone enters this area, a huge cacophony of shrieks and hooting is raised from the animals kept here. The walls of the room are lined with cages filled with Owl—one pair each of barn owls, horned owls, screech owls, and snowy owls. Against one wall, a huge cage holds a giant owl. In addition, several terrariums hold live mice, lizards, and small snakes used as food for the owls. Various cabinets hold prepared owl food, supplies, and implements for both the care and dissection of these creatures.

Any character who feeds the owls or succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can successfully quiet them.

Barbatos

The neutral evil human ranger Barbatos is either here or in area 13 (a 50 percent chance for either; see appendix B for his stat block), accompanied by his hell hound companion, Sadie III. He carries keys to the cages in this area and area 13. Arrogant and cruel, Barbatos threatens and taunts the characters before attempting to capture them for Thessalar. If they prove too powerful, he flees and sets up hit-and-run ambushes for them as they continue to explore the temple.

A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check made while Barbatos is in combat identifies a number of silver wires connecting the ranger’s cloak and backpack. If Barbatos is defeated, examining his body reveals that the backpack holds a troll’s still-beating heart, while his cloak incorporates the feathery antennae of several rust monsters. The silver wires connect those living tissues to the ranger’s own heart, providing his unique features. This setup is made permanently inoperable if Barbatos is slain.

Anyone attempting to disrupt the wires must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) force damage. The wires are self-repairing, and cannot be severed or destroyed.

Owls

If the owls are freed, they try to escape, flying out to area area 1 and up the stairs. If Barbatos is still in the room when the owls escape, they attack him first.

A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can convince at least one of the owls (of your choice) to remain with the party for the duration of the adventure. Feeding the owls first provides advantage on this check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes all the cage doors to rust with age and weaken, allowing the owls to break free. There is a 50 percent chance that the giant owl also ages into an undead version of itself that attacks until destroyed. The Skeletal Giant Owl uses the giant owl stat block with the following changes:

• It has the undead type instead of the beast type.
• It has vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
• It is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and is immune to exhaustion.

13. Bear Laboratory

Whenever anyone enters this area, a low growling rises from the animals kept here. A number of large, sturdy cages house one pair each of Black Bear, Brown Bear, and Polar Bear. In addition, shelves and cupboards throughout the room hold dried fish, dried berries, and grubs as food for the bears, along with tools and supplies.

Any character who feeds the bears or succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can successfully quiet them.

Barbatos

The ranger Barbatos is either here or in area 12 (a 50 percent chance for either), accompanied by his hell hound companion, Sadie III. See appendix B for his stat block, and area area 12 for more information.

Bears

If the bears are freed, they scatter throughout the temple, attacking anyone they see before eventually making their way to area area 1 and up the stairs. If Barbatos is still in the room when the bears escape, they attack him first.

A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can convince at least one of the bears (of your choice) to remain with the party for the duration of the adventure. Feeding the bears first provides advantage on this check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes all the cage doors to rust with age and weaken, allowing the bears to break free. There is a 50 percent chance that both polar bears also age into undead versions of themselves that attack anyone in the room until destroyed. Each Skeletal Polar Bear uses the polar bear stat block with the following changes:

• It has the undead type instead of the beast type.
• It has vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
• It is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and is immune to exhaustion.

14. Main Laboratory (North)

Depending on how they move through this area, the characters might see into area area 16 at the same time. See that area for additional details.

A massive L-shaped laboratory space is filled with creatures strapped down to tables or chained to the floor, all attended to by lizardfolk workers. In this north wing of the lab, two tables hold terrified-looking fish-folk of some kind, connected by silver wires to other tables holding stoic-looking lizardfolk. More silver wires connect the tables to a complex control panel standing between them.

The experiment underway in this area involves transferring and enhancing the amphibiousness of locathah prisoners to Thessalar’s loyal lizardfolk guards. (The artificer’s aim is to establish a permanent population of lizardfolk in the underground lake to uncover more of the gems there.)

Creatures

Four Lizardfolk Shaman work here as lab managers, overseeing two Lizardfolk Render connected to a pair of locathah. If attacked, the shamans release the renders to take on the characters, then one shaman flees to alert the rest of the laboratory section of the temple (areas 1 through 23).

If the locathah are freed, they attempt to flee for area area 2, hoping to escape the temple via the river. However, a successful DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince them to remain with the characters for the duration of the adventure, as long as they can access fresh water every 4 hours.

Control Panel

The control panel is covered with dials, switches, and buttons—including a cloudy orange button recognizable as one of the missing components of the Infernal Machine. Removing this component deactivates the controls and releases the restraints on the tables, freeing all the creatures in this area.

Anyone attempting to disrupt the controls or the wires must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) force damage. The controls and the wires are self-repairing, and cannot be severed or destroyed.

Treasure

Any search of the room finds two vials of Thessaltoxin (see appendix C), whose polymorph capabilities are being used to facilitate the experiments here.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the lizardfolk renders on the tables to devolve back into standard lizardfolk.

15. Thessalar’s Laboratory

Adjoining the main laboratory, Thessalar’s private lab is the site of the artificer’s most challenging experiments.

Amazing instruments of complex design fill this laboratory, all seemingly engaged in active experimentation. Facing the doorway is a wooden desk, its legs resembling four small dryads whose outstretched hands are clasped together to support a desktop littered with thick tomes, alchemical vessels, and a complex control panel.

An ancient male human sits behind the desk, with a homunculus perched on his shoulder.

“More of Moghadam’s mercenaries, I presume?” the figure asks wearily. “I still haven’t disposed of the last poor souls the so-called master of the tomb sent here.” The homunculus then pulls the alchemist’s face into an expression of wry contempt.

Thessalar

The imperturbable artificer Thessalar readily converses with the characters, albeit with a domineering attitude. His starting assumption is that they’ve been sent by Moghadam, and he wants to learn as much about his rival’s machinations as he can. See appendix B for his stat block.

Grand Experiments

If the characters poke around the room while speaking with Thessalar, they can take in some of the experiments on display. These include the following, along with whatever other odd and wondrous examples you might think of:

• Orreries display unknown planets and various models of the planes.
• Glass piping connects tanks holding strange liquids and materials, all in an ongoing state of transmutation.
• A miniaturized human lies in apparent stasis in a windowed glass case.
• A vermiform pseudodragon twists and crawls about inside a large crystal tank.
• A colony of ants is constructing an elaborate city system in a huge glass tank—complete with an ant lion larva to which tiny insect victims are being sacrificed.

Thessalar’s Bargain

Thessalar knows about the Infernal Machine components in the temple, and appears to entertain the notion of bargaining with the characters for them. In truth, he will never part with them as long as they fuel his experiments, and he looks to subvert any deal by eventually feeding the characters to the thessalkraken in the subterranean lake.

In exchange for the components in his possession, Thessalar proposes any of the following options:

• The characters can travel to the Tomb of Horrors (see chapter 3) to recover Seodra’s plans for crafting the jeweled skull of a demilich, as well as the remaining jeweled teeth (both in area area 18a of the tomb). This will allow the captured gemsmith to complete the skull for Thessalar instead.
• The characters can instead travel to the tomb to either facilitate a prisoner exchange (offering Seodra for Thessalar’s missing sculptors), or to disrupt its construction by stealing Moghadam’s plans for the tomb.

The distance between the Temple of Moloch and the Tomb of Horrors is left to your determination, as are the details of the overland journey. If you don’t want to play out that journey, the characters' mechanical guide can use its teleportation ability to take them to the tomb.

If the characters have already caused trouble in the temple, or if Thessalar suspects they will, he might just task them with the “easy challenge” of collecting gemstones from the temple’s subterranean lake as replacements for the missing components—without mentioning the thessalkraken that dwells there.

Homunculus

Resembling an impish version of Moloch (complete with small ruby eyes worth 100 gp each), Thessalar’s homunculus assists with the artificer’s experiments, and acts as a conduit for the complicated weave of magic in the Temple of Moloch. If the homunculus is destroyed, the eidolon in the main temple (area area 25) must immediately use its Incorporeal Movement trait to enter the nearest available sacred statue, where it remains trapped. If no sacred statues are available, the eidolon is destroyed.

Thessalar’s homunculus uses the normal stat block with the following change:

• The homunculus has the following additional attack option: Acidic Spittle. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) acid damage.

Control Panel

The control panel on the desk is covered with dials, switches, and buttons—including three emerald-green buttons recognizable as missing components from the Infernal Machine. Removing these missing components deactivates the controls and releases the pseudodragon and the ant swarm (use the swarm of insects stat block), which attack the nearest creatures until destroyed.

Treasure

The table is, in fact, crafted from four dryads, all subject to a diminution effect and subsequently petrified. If the characters have the ability to undo this state for all of them, the dryads are grateful to them. They promise a favor of your determination, then leave the temple for the nearby woods where they once dwelled.

If this area is searched, a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers research notes regarding Thessalar’s experiments, including his creation of the various thessalbeasts and the owlbear. The miniaturized human in stasis is described as a prototype phylactery, and is part of the artificer’s research into lichdom. Other notes mention Nolzur’s apprenticeship and the experiments with his blood (see area area 7 of chapter 3) and how the silver wires can be used to attach the organs of creatures to other hosts (including Barbatos in areas 12 or 13, and the ettin in area area 35).

In addition, this area contains alchemist’s supplies, an herbalism kit, two vials each of Thessaltoxin and thessaltoxin antidote (see appendix C), a box of ten Paper Bird (appendix C), and a strongbox containing three exceptional rubies worth 500 gp each.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area has no effect on Thessalar or his homunculus, but one of the experiments in the lab randomly advances as you determine. For example, using 1 charge might cause the pseudodragon to age into an undead pseudo-dracolich form, the miniature human to revert into a miniature baby that wakes from stasis and starts crying, and so forth.

16. Main Laboratory (South)

Depending on how they move through this area, the characters might see into area area 14 at the same time. See that area for additional details.

A massive L-shaped laboratory space is filled with creatures strapped down to tables or chained to the floor, all attended to by lizardfolk workers. In this west wing of the lab, two owlbears are chained to the floor, connected by silver wires to a third creature that appears to be a two-headed owlbear. More silver wire connects their restraints to a complex control panel standing between them.

The experiment underway in this area involves creating a two-headed owlbear by infusing an owlbear—a classic creation of Thessalar’s—with ettin’s blood.

Creatures

Four Lizardfolk Shaman work here as lab managers, overseeing the process by which two Owlbear are fueling the creation of a new creature—a two-headed owlbear nicknamed Bear-Bear (see appendix B for its stat block). If the lizardfolk shamans are attacked, they release the owlbears and the two-headed owlbear to take on the characters, then flee to alert the rest of the laboratory section of the temple (areas 1 through 23).

If the owlbears or their two-headed kin are freed, the cruel experiments performed on them have pushed them all to the breaking point. They ignore each other but attack any other creatures they can see.

Control Panel

The control panel is covered with dials, switches, and buttons—including a light-purple button recognizable as one of the missing components of the Infernal Machine. Removing this component deactivates the controls and releases the restraints on the tables, freeing all the creatures in this area.

Anyone attempting to disrupt the controls or the wires must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) force damage. The controls and the wires are self-repairing, and cannot be severed or destroyed.

Treasure

Any search of the room recovers two vials of Thessaltoxin (see appendix C) and a vial labeled “Distilled Ettin Blood” (worth 25 gp to an alchemist), all used to facilitate the experiments here.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the owlbears' chains to rust with age and weaken, even as the owlbears age into undead versions, break free, and attack until destroyed. Each of the skeletal, rotted creatures uses the skeletal owlbear or skeletal two-headed owlbear stat block which includes the following changes:

• It has the undead type instead of the monstrosity type.
• It has vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
• It is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and is immune to exhaustion.

Exploring the Temple (areas 17-24)

17. Midden

As the characters approach this area, a foul stench begins to rise. When the door is opened, read:

The stench from the chamber beyond the door delivers a punch like an angered demigod. The floor slopes toward an open pit at its center, and is covered in a layer of waste, blood, and viscera.

The temple residents bring their refuse to this filthy chamber, including organic waste from the various laboratories. The foul debris here is ankle deep at the edges of the chamber, rising to knee deep closer to the center where the floor slopes toward the pit (area 18).

Upon entering this area, a character must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. Each character who moves across the floor must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity check or fall prone at the end of their move. If the check fails by 5 or more, the character slides 5 feet closer to the pit.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes a lizardfolk to appear here with a bucket of waste to dispose of. The lizardfolk ignores the characters, expecting that anyone hanging out in the midden must have some good reason to do so.

18. Disposal Pit

This open pit collects the waste thrown into the midden (area 17), where it feeds the otyugh that dwells in the pit. If any creature moves within 5 feet of the pit, the otyugh clambers out and attacks.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge within 5 feet of the pit evolves the otyugh into a neo-otyugh, which leaves the pit and attacks any creatures it can see. If the characters flee, the neo-otyugh begins to roam the temple, attacking all creatures as it looks to establish itself as the new ruler of the site.

19. Sitting Room

Serving as Thessalar’s private study, this area is richly furnished with ornate tables, chairs, and cabinets all carved from expensive stone. A fireplace along the west wall is carved to resemble a smaller version of the famed statue of Moloch in the main temple (area area 25).

Treasure

With successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to search this area, the characters can uncover several items of interest:

• A vial of Thessaltoxin (see appendix C)
• A tiny mimic in the shape of a jewelry box; the mimic deals half damage with its pseudopod and bite attacks, and has only 1 hit point
• Three rubies (worth 200 gp each)
• A piece of river crystal (400 gp)

In addition, designs can be found for Thessalar’s homunculus, indicating how it was crafted from a sliver of the statue of Moloch, and hinting that its destruction will disrupt the eidolon in area area 25.

20. Thessalar’s Bedroom

Thessalar’s private sleeping quarters are richly furnished with an ornate bed, chests filled with clothes, and other personal effects. A fireplace along the east wall resembles a smaller version of the famed statue of Moloch in the main temple (area area 25).

Treasure

A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to search this area uncovers a key to the treasure vault in area area 38 (set with a small ruby worth 20 gp). In addition, journal entries hint at Thessalar’s immunity to poison and his vulnerability to magic potions and salves that restore hit points.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes Thessalar to return here from his private lab (area area 15) and prepare to rest. His homunculus remains in the lab to clean up experiments in progress, providing the characters with a window of opportunity to deal with it alone if they so choose.

21. Elite Guard Barracks

This damp chamber is filled with dry straw sleeping palettes, and houses the guards responsible for the protection of Thessalar’s apartments and laboratories.

Creatures

Three Lizardfolk Render are stationed here. They attack any intruders to subdue them, then drag them before Thessalar in area area 15.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area reverses time and causes the lizardfolk to head into the temple complex to search for Moghadam’s thieves, believing the thieves have just arrived. You determine where the guards might be encountered as a result.

22. Alchemical Lab

This laboratory space is filled with worktables holding tubing, glassware, and all manner of alchemical experiments. All the various experiments are connected by silver wires to a complex control panel.

Control Panel

The control panel is covered with dials, switches, and buttons—including a hazy yellow button recognizable as one of the missing components of the Infernal Machine. Removing this component deactivates the controls and shuts down all the experiments underway here.

Treasure

Any search of this area recovers a set of alchemist’s supplies, a set of glassblower’s tools, and a set of tinker’s tools. In addition, a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check identifies two vials of Thessaltoxin, one vial of blood of the lycanthrope antidote, one vial of mummy rot antidote, and one vial of thessaltoxin antidote. See appendix C for all these items.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area advances the experiments underway here, producing three identical vials of liquid. One is water, one is a potion of poison, and one is a potion chosen by you.

23. Body Tanks

If the characters have met Thessalar already, they recognize the bodies in the tank as the artificer. Adjust the following read-aloud text accordingly:

This chamber holds a half-dozen floor-to-ceiling glass tanks, four of which are filled with a light-blue fluid in which the body of an elderly male human is suspended. Three of the bodies appear lifeless and inert. The fourth looks toward you and mouths silent words.

Thessalar maintains several clones in tanks of preserving chemicals here, prepared by the spell of the same name and awaiting his use. Three clones are inert. The fourth has managed to gain a degree of sentience from its proximity to the magic of the missing components of the Infernal Machine, and mouths its demand to be set free. If freed, it claims to be the true Thessalar and that the artificer in area area 15 is an impostor.

Any freed clone uses the same stat block as Thessalar (see appendix C) but lacks his special equipment and his homunculus.

Concealed Door

Located at the back of an empty tank, this locked door leads to area area 9. It can be detected with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. Without the key carried by Andras, its lock can be picked with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or it can be forced with a successful DC 18 Strength check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 or more charges in this area causes one clone per charge to gain sentience, awaken, and demand to be set free. If all four are awakened, Thessalar arrives to investigate.

24. Halls of Statues

This series of long hallways are each lined with statues created by the temple’s sculptors through the ages. Many depict Moloch, but other archdevils, demon lords, and former high priests of the temple are also represented. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) check identifies any statue’s specific subject, including several statues of Demogorgon, Asmodeus, Dagon, Bel, Zariel, Mammon, and Semuanya.

Sacred Statues

Ten of the statues in this area are large enough to serve as Sacred Statue. The eidolon in area 25 can enter and animate those statues as needed (see appendix B).

The sacred statues can be attacked to destroy them, preventing the eidolon from animating them. When not occupied by the eidolon, each statue has AC 17, 50 hit points, resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A sacred statue is also vulnerable to the set of superior mason’s tools found in area area 11 of chapter 3. A character proficient with mason’s tools can use the superior set to destroy a sacred statue with a successful DC 13 Dexterity check.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 or more charges in this area causes one sacred statue per charge to age and crumble to rubble, as long as the statue is not occupied by the eidolon.

Exploring the Temple (areas 25-32)

25. Main Temple

The north end of this vaulted chamber is entirely filled by the temple’s famed statue of Moloch. The impressive figure rises twenty-five feet high, nearly touching the ceiling. Its hands hold a massive burning brazier, illuminating the chamber with an eerie flickering glow. The brazier’s fire reflects brightly within the facets of the statue’s massive ruby eyes.

Statue of Moloch

The eyes of the statue are the largest rubies ever recovered from the underground lake, and were cut and faceted by the temple’s first priests. With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check or a detect magic spell, a character discerns that the gem eyes are a focal point for the magic of the temple, and are magically connected to the various control panels making use of the missing components from the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check made to examine the gems reveals that they are connected to the statue with silver wires similar to those seen in Thessalar’s labs.

The gems can be removed with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. However, doing so deactivates any control panel still utilizing components from the Infernal Machine in the temple (in areas 9, 14, 15, 16, and 22). This disrupts the experiments and frees the bound creatures in all those areas.

The eidolon in this area (see below) can enter the statue to transform it into a sacred statue. The statue can be attacked to destroy it, preventing the eidolon from animating it. When not occupied by the eidolon, the statue has AC 17, 50 hit points, resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The statue is also vulnerable to the set of superior mason’s tools found in area area 11 of chapter 3. A character proficient with mason’s tools can use the superior set to destroy the statue with a successful DC 13 Dexterity check.

If the sacred statue is destroyed, the eidolon can enter one of the other appropriate statues in area 24.

Alcove

In the east wall, a narrow corridor leads to a tiny chapel room where the temple’s first high priest communed with Moloch. After the priest’s death, Moloch rewarded their faithful service by transforming him them into the eidolon that still resides here.

If the characters desecrate any part of the temple, including tampering with or examining the statue’s gemstone eyes, the eidolon enters the sacred statue of Moloch and attacks.

Concealed Door

In the southeast corner of this area, a door concealed behind a tapestry leads to the guardroom (area area 34). A fight between the characters and the eidolon (in or out of the sacred statue) is heard by the guards, who rush up to investigate.

Treasure

Notwithstanding their value to Moghadam and Thessalar, the statue’s gemstone eyes are worth 5,000 gp each.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area forces the eidolon to either enter or leave the sacred statue. Doing so causes the eidolon to attack if it is not already in combat with the characters.

26. Workshop

The temple’s sculptors labor in this workshop, which is filled with tables and benches covered in tools and raw materials for the crafting and repair of statuary.

Creatures

The five human sculptors here (use the cultist stat block) work feverishly to cover for the absence of the colleagues who left for the Tomb of Horrors. If the characters talk to them, the sculptors assume they were sent from the tomb as well, and ask about their missing colleagues. The sculptors share that Thessalar has captured the thieves sent out by Moghadam, including the gemsmith in area area 31). They also know about the eidolon in area 25, and that this area of the temple is guarded by a two-headed giant called “the Demogorgon” (in area area 35).

Treasure

In addition to ten rubies (worth 50 gp each) being worked into statues, this area contains two sets of jeweler’s tools and mason’s tools, as well as half a manual of stone golems. This is the torn matching half of the half manual held by the sculptors in area area 11 of chapter 3. Even incomplete, it is worth 500 gp.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the sculptors to leave and return to their dormitory (area area 33).

27. Workshop and Storage

This area holds a large kiln, which is constantly lit and used for the crafting of statues, homunculi, and other objects for the temple. Tools, chunks of stone, and lumps of clay wrapped in cloth are scattered about.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the homunculus in area area 15 to return here (its place of origin).

28. Private Chapel

The temple’s high priest resides in these small quarters, which contain a bed, personal effects, ceremonial robes, and religious instruments of office. A fireplace along the northeast wall is carved to resemble a smaller version of the famed statue of Moloch.

Alcoves

The larger alcove to the south of this area holds a pile of sacred stones for the construction of a powerful stone golem. This stone supposedly fell from Ogrémoch’s body during the fight against Olhydra that carved out the first of the temple caverns. The smaller alcove holds the golem under construction. Thessalar hopes to recover his sculptors, their superior mason’s tools, and their half of the manual of stone golems to complete this golem and send it out against Moghadam.

High Priest

Ard-Sagart (a lawful evil male human warlock of the fiend) is here when the characters arrive, praying before the fireplace. With the loss of the sculptors in Thessalar’s service, he believes the temple has lost favor with Moloch. To remedy this, he has requested more lizardfolk to brave the underwater lake and collect gemstones as tribute. He is preparing to bless the next volunteers.

Secret Door

A secret door to the underground lake is hidden within the fireplace, and can be detected with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. The image of the brazier held by the statue of Moloch is worked into the fireplace hearth. Two types of offering can be placed in this graven brazier—either a character’s sacrifice of blood (represented by a self-inflicted wound that deals 5 piercing or slashing damage) or a gemstone of any value. Either offering is consumed when given, whereupon the fireplace flames magically lower and the secret door in the back of the fireplace opens.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the high priest to leave for area 29 by way of the secret door, then prepare for a ceremony of blessing.

29. Secret Equipment Room

Gear and equipment related to exploring the underground lake are stored in this private chapel to the temple’s living demigod, the thessalkraken. Search and salvage gear are normally assigned to the lizardfolk charged with searching the subterranean lake for gems. Before entering the lake, the lizardfolk are blessed by the high priest in front of a smaller version of the statue of Moloch, modified to resemble the thessalkraken by having its arms changed into tentacles and its mouth filled with long needle-like teeth.

Treasure

In addition to mundane gear, this area contains a folding boat, a helm of underwater action (see appendix C), and an incomplete apparatus of Kwalish. The missing levers of the apparatus can be found in area area 7, and require a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check or a Dexterity check using thieves' tools or tinker’s tools to reassemble.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes 1d4 Lizardfolk Render to arrive for the priest’s blessing before departing down the stairs to the underground lake (area 30). They attack unless they can be convinced the characters are part of the blessing ceremony.

30. Hidden Stairs

This winding set of stairs leads down to a natural cavern system below the temple. The main cavern is filled with a vast subterranean lake, fed by the stream at area area 2. See “Underground Lake” at the end of this chapter for more information.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the thessalkraken to reveal itself as it breaks the surface of the water seeking food. Spending 2 charges also causes 1d4 Lizardfolk Render to arrive, ready to brave the waters in search of gems. The lizardfolk take the appearance of the characters as a sign of offering, and attempt to force them into the water as sacrifices for their demigod.

31. Gemsmith’s Cell

The oak door leading to this area is locked, but can be opened with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or forced open with a successful DC 14 Strength check. The chamber beyond holds the temple’s most valued prisoner, Seodra the gemsmith.

This room contains a cot, a footlocker, a basin, and a worktable covered in various tools. The table is presently occupied by a female genasi, her skin encrusted with patches of faceted crystals. The project she’s working on is a silver skull with jeweled teeth.

Not bothering to look at you, the genasi says, “Your interruptions are not helping. For the last time, tell Thessalar I need more time to finish!”

The Gemsmith

Seodra is an earth genasi from the Quasi-elemental Plane of Mineral. Sent by Moghadam to assist the thieves charged with stealing the gemstone eyes from the statue of Moloch in area area 25, she was captured and put to work.

If the characters talk of rescuing her, Seodra refuses to leave unless they also promise to help her steal the statue’s eyes. She takes her tools and the silver skull if the characters convince her to come with them. Seodra uses the noble stat block with the following changes:

• She has AC 19 (natural armor).
• She speaks Common and Primordial.
• She can move across difficult terrain made of stone without expending extra movement.
• She has the following trait: Treasure Sense. Seodra can pinpoint, by scent, the location of precious metals and stones, such as coins and gems, within 60 feet of her.

Treasure

The worktable contains the workings for the jeweled skull of a demilich: a solid silver skull (worth 2,000 gp) into which three diamonds (1,000 gp each) have been cut and set as teeth. Thessalar plans to use the skull for his own ascension to lichdom, either as his lich’s phylactery or as the skull of a demilich.

Seodra possesses a set of superior jeweler’s tools. These tools grant advantage when used to make an appropriate crafting check, and are worth 500 gp.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area taps into the ritual magic Seodra is using to craft the demilich’s skull, causing a random character to age by one year. This effect can be reversed by casting a remove curse spell using a 6th-level spell slot.

32. Guardroom

Four Lizardfolk Render are stationed here, assigned to watch over the gemsmith in area 31.

Corridor

The small corridor leading east across from the guardroom dead-ends at a point with several natural fissures in the floor (leading to the underground lake below), and is used as a privy.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the lizardfolk to head into the temple complex to search for Moghadam’s thieves, believing the thieves have just arrived. You determine where the guards might be encountered as a result.

Exploring the Temple (areas 33-39)

33. Sculptors' Dormitory

This cramped dormitory holds bunks and simple furnishings for the fifteen sculptors originally living in the temple. Ten of those sculptors left the temple to work at the Tomb of Horrors, with only five remaining at work in area area 26.

Belongings

A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to search this area uncovers a figurine of wondrous power hidden by one of the sculptors (choose any rare figurine). The figurine is wrapped in a crumpled invitation sent from Moghadam for employment at the Tomb of Horrors, promising exorbitant wages and offering a map showing the route to the temple.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the sculptors to leave their work in area area 26 and return here to rest.

34. Guardroom

Four Lizardfolk Shaman are stationed here as temple guards. If they hear any sign of trouble along the corridor from area area 25, they rush through the concealed doors to help defend the eidolon and the sacred statue there.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the lizardfolk to head into the temple complex to search for Moghadam’s thieves, believing the thieves have just arrived. You determine where the guards might be encountered as a result.

35. Office of the Demogorgon

This area houses an ettin, originally brought here for Thessalar’s experiments. The giant is kept both for his blood supply, which Thessalar uses in the crafting of new two-headed creatures, and as a guard for the treasure vault (area area 38).

As the characters approach the entrance to this area, read:

A deep voice cries out through the open doorway ahead, quickly responded to by a second voice.

“So! You come to honor Emmanuel, right head of the Demogorgon!”

“No! You honor Hebediah, left head of Demogorgon!”

When the characters can see into this area, read:

This filthy chamber is occupied by an ettin who is the source of the bellowing. The right head of the creature sports a stylish beard, while the left head has a large, curving mustache. Silver wires extend from a large pouch hanging around the giant’s two necks, connecting directly into his chest. A pig snoozes on the floor at the ettin’s feet.

“Stand still!” one head roars. “My steward Slippy will present you for a formal audience.”

“No! My steward Sticky will present you!”

Both heads then ignore you as they begin bellowing over one another for Slippy and Sticky to attend them.

The Demogorgon

“The Demogorgon” is thoroughly deranged, with Thessalar cruelly humoring the creature’s condition in his “honored” treatment. See appendix B for “The Demogorgon” stat block. At one time, he was told that he was a statue of Demogorgon brought to life by Thessalar’s experiments. He has since come to believe that he is now the actual Demogorgon, with his two heads addressing one another as Aameul and Hathradiah—mispronounced as Emmanuel and Hebediah, respectively. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (History) check allows a character to recall the real names of Demogorgon’s heads.

Much like the true Demogorgon, the ettin’s two heads constantly clash and refuse to speak directly with one another, instead relaying messages through their assigned stewards (housed in areas 36 and 37).

If the ettin is defeated, examining the pouches around his necks reveals a collection of eyeballs and still-beating dragon hearts. The silver wires connect those living tissues to the ettin’s own hearts, providing the creature’s unique features. This setup is made permanently inoperable if the ettin is slain.

Anyone attempting to disrupt the wires must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) force damage. The wires are self-repairing, and cannot be severed or destroyed.

Alcoves

Various alcoves and side passages around this area hold a foul-smelling clutter of chickens, pigs, and goats kept behind wicker barricades, raised as food for the ettin. They are tended by the boggle who is steward to both the ettin’s heads (see areas 36 and 37).

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the chickens to lay more eggs, to the delight of the ettin. Both his heads call out for their steward to gather the eggs at once.

36. Office of Hebediah’s Steward

This office apartment houses the steward assigned to the ettin’s left head (Hebediah). The room is meagerly furnished with a cot and a single chair, and connects to area 37 via a short hall hidden behind a poorly hung curtain. The tunnel is easily discovered with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.

“Slippy”

If not already met when summoned to area 35, there is a 50 percent chance that the steward to the ettin is found in this area. If not in this area, the boggle is in area 37.

This boggle was one of two caught trying to use their Dimensional Rift traits to reach into the temple’s treasure vault (area area 38). As punishment, they were assigned to provide care and grooming to the ettin’s left and right heads, as well as relaying messages on the giant’s behalf. When the ettin wants to talk to himself, one head gives the message to his steward, who runs off to deliver it to the other steward, who runs back to deliver it to the other head, and back down the line.

The two stewards are identical except for an epaulet worn on the left or right shoulder of their livery, but they have of late never been seen together. This is because only one boggle remains, the companion boggle having been disposed of in area area 7. Both stewards are thus now the same creature, who works hard to make sure this is never discovered. The boggle intuits (correctly) that if the ettin were to uncover this secret, he would rip the boggle in half as a furious means of getting the proper number of stewards once more.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the steward to run back if they are elsewhere, or rush off to perform some task or deliver a muddled message to the ettin. In the course of doing so, they confuse matters such that their true nature as steward to both heads is accidentally revealed, incurring the ettin’s wrath.

If 1 more charge is subsequently spent, things instead rewind and the ettin forgets all. The steward realizes they have been saved and is eternally grateful to the characters, helping them in any way possible.

37. Office of Emmanuel’s Steward

This office apartment houses the steward assigned to the ettin’s right head (Emmanuel). It is meagerly furnished with a cot and a small table, and connects to area 36 via a panel hidden behind a poorly hung curtain. The tunnel is easily discovered with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.

“Sticky”

If not already met when summoned to area area 35, there is a 50 percent chance that the steward to the ettin is found in this area. If not in this area, the boggle is in area 36. See area 36 for details on the identity of Sticky and Slippy.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend charges in this area has the same effect as in area 36.

38. Treasure Vault

The wealth the temple has collected over centuries is stored in this hidden vault. Much of this wealth consists of gemstones gathered from the underground lake beyond areas 30 and 39.

Secret Door

The secret door leading into this area can be detected with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check, but is locked. Without the key (found in area area 2 or area area 20), the lock requires a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves' tools to open, or it can be forced open with a successful DC 22 Strength check.

Treasure

Uncut rubies and other gems are piled and sorted here according to size—two hundred tiny stones (worth 10 gp each), one hundred small stones (25 gp each), twenty medium stones (100 gp each), and five large stones (200 gp each).

A small cask holds cut and polished rubies—fifty small gems (worth 100 gp each), ten medium gems (150 gp each), and five large gems (250 gp each).

In addition, five magic gems and stones are stored in individual coffers scattered about the room—an Elemental Gem, Yellow Diamond, an Ioun stone of vitality (see appendix C), and three Spell Gem (see appendix C). Two of the spell gems are Spell Gem (Lapis lazuli) holding identify and unseen servant. The third is a Spell Gem (Quartz) holding locate object.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area either causes 1d4 of the largest uncut rubies to become cut and polished, doubling their value (a 50 percent chance), or causes the same number of the largest cut rubies to degrade back to raw stones, halving their value.

39. Stairs to Underground Lake

These twisting, turning stairs lead down to the underground lake that opens up beneath the temple complex.

Underground Lake

The full details of the natural cavern system that opens up below the temple are left for you to design if desired. The main cavern, reached by the stairs at area area 30 or 39, is filled by a subterranean lake fed by the stream at area area 2.

When the characters descend the stairs at area area 30 or area 39, read:

The stairs end abruptly, opening up to a vast natural cavern deep beneath the temple. A pebbly beach extends toward the dark waters of a subterranean lake that fills the cavern, a cold wind blowing across it.

If the characters have light sources with them, anyone peering into the water notes a dull red gleam where a raw ruby sits at the bottom of the lake near the shore.

Any creature setting foot on the beach or entering the water must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check or rouse the dread creature lurking within the lake.

Creature

One of Thessalar’s monstrous creations, the thessalkraken proved too dangerous to safely handle and was exiled to these caverns years ago. It has since grown too large to return to the temple, and now serves as a kind of living demigod to the cultists and lizardfolk serving Thessalar, who refer to it as the “Child of Moloch.”

Treasure

Lizardfolk in service to Thessalar are sent here to brave the waters and attempt to recover more gemstones from the bottom of the lake. When the characters arrive here, the bottom of the lake is littered with 1d10 rubies. Roll a d10 to determine the value of each ruby found—

• 1–5: 10 gp
• 6–7: 25 gp
• 8–9: 100 gp
• 10: 200 gp

If all the rubies are claimed, it takes 24 hours for more rubies to appear in the lake.

The bottom of the lake is also covered with the cracked bones of the many creatures sacrificed to the thessalkraken, or who ran afoul of it while diving for gems.

Manipulating Time

Having a mechanical guide spend 1 charge in this area causes the thessalkraken to break the surface of the water seeking food, thus revealing itself. Spending 2 charges also causes 1d4 Lizardfolk Render to arrive, ready to brave the waters in search of gemstones. The lizardfolk take the appearance of the characters as a sign of offering, and attempt to force them into the water as sacrifices for their demigod.