- Large Island
It’s easy to find a place to anchor or beach a ship here. The island is relatively flat and storms keep the foliage sparse and low to the ground.
The black tower is that of the Lotus Witch. When the heroes come ashore, they will be approached by three Aresian master monks. They have been awaiting on the shore of the island to see who amongst the younger monks will survive their trial.
The Scorpion Tribe#
This island is famed for the “Scorpion Tribe,” a lineage of cursed centaurs who have lived here for centuries. The Centaurs of this tribe are doomed to transform into monstrous Giant Scorpions when they reach adulthood. The only way to overcome the curse is to bond with a mortal rider and leave the island forever.
Scorpions of every size and color live on the island, including the giant scorpions that used to be centaurs. The curse is the work of the Lotus Witch, a powerful
- Sphinx of Lore that lives in the tower at the center of the island. The sphinx keeps to herself. Those foolish enough to approach her tower never return. The centaurs here are all young and impetuous. There
are no elders to temper their youth with wisdom, because the adults all leave the island or transform into scorpions. The knowledge that so many are doomed by the curse makes the centaurs wild, as they know that life can be very short. They band together into groups of twelve— racing, drinking, hunting, and frolicking. They avoid the giant scorpions.
The Bonding Ritual#
When a band of centaurs of the Scorpion Tribe encounter visiting mortals, they may decide to initiate the “bonding ritual.” The ritual involves twelve centaurs and for the entire party to engage in the following activities:
Drinking Contest. Everyone makes opposed Constitution checks until one character wins.
Wrestling Contest. Everyone makes Strength (Athletics) checks until one character wins.
Storytelling Contest. Everyone makes opposed Charisma (Performance) checks.
Stargazing Contest. Everyone makes opposed Wisdom (Perception) checks. Use each contest as an opportunity to roleplay. Ask the winning player how they won the contest. At the end of the ritual festivities, the centaurs may choose one or more heroes to bond with, based on their performance.
Aresian Proving Grounds#
This island is also a holy place of initiation for the warriors of Aresia. Aresians who wish to be considered true warriors make a pilgrimage to the island and test themselves against the scorpions. This doubles as a funeral rite for the centaurs that were transformed. It is a great honor, and a sign of a great destiny, if a young Aresian is able to find and bond with one of the young centaurs of the Scorpion Tribe.
There are usually a dozen young Aresian Monks (appendix B) undergoing their trials on the island. They are expected to work together to trap and kill one of the giant scorpions.
Encounter: Aresian Warriors#
These three Aresian Monks (appendix B) are meditating, exercising, and debating the nature of the universe. They are annoyed to see outsiders on their sacred island. They firmly ask that the heroes not disturb the trials of the younger monks on the island.
If the heroes are respectful, then the monks are willing to explain their customs and the history of the Scorpion Tribe. They don’t know much about the Lotus Witch, except that she dwells in the tower and that she’s the one who cursed the centaurs.
Scorpion Island Key Locations#
X1: Band of Centaurs#
The six Aresian Monks (appendix B)successfully tracked down a single Giant Scorpion to kill for their trials, but unfortunately, they were immediately ambushed by two more. Unless the party comes to their aid within two rounds, they will all be killed, and then the scorpions will turn on the party.
After four rounds, a band of twelve Centaurs Troopers arrives to join the fight against the scorpions. Normally, the centaurs avoid the giant scorpions, but this band is led by Nessa (see appendix A). Nessa is seeking someone to bond with, and she thinks it’s a terrible waste to allow so many mortal warriors be slaughtered for no reason.
Once the fighting is done, Nessa proposes a feast under the stars with the survivors. She’s willing to bond with any hero who impresses her during the bonding ritual. Others in her band of twelve may also choose to bond with the heroes—use your discretion, as centaur mounts make very powerful allies.
X2: Tower of the Lotus Witch#
This tower is the lair of the Lotus Witch, the island’s true mistress. The sphinx is an exile from the Island of Time. None but she knows why she was exiled. She came to this island seeking knowledge—the centaurs once had a great library; a collection of knowledge carved into the trees of the island’s forest.
But the island’s centaurs, who had long been charged with protecting the forest, chopped it down for firewood. As punishment for this reckless destruction of knowledge, the Lotus Witch cursed the centaurs—and they became known as the Scorpion Tribe.
Approaching the Tower. There is no way to enter the tower from the air. Those who try to enter the tower by flying will meet sudden crosswinds, and storm clouds will appear in the sky where there were none before.
Every round, a Lightning Bolt will strike any flyers for 28 (8d6) lightning damage. A successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw will halve this damage. The bolts will not stop until a flyer lands or turns away and retreats to more than 1,000 ft. from the tower. The tower is immune to all magical spells, and no teleportation magic can access its interior.
Walking Through the Flowers. Only walking into the fields of flowers will reveal the tower’s entrance. Read the following:
No time has actually passed for the heroes as a result of walking through the wildflowers.
One-Way Door. The doorway into the tower is a one-way door. No one will notice this until they decide to leave, only then will they see that the doorway has vanished. Anyone still outside can still see the doorway and is able to enter freely.
Entering the Tower. Refer to Inside the Tower of the Lotus Witch later in this section for what the heroes find there.
X3: Ruined City#
These are the shattered remnants of a Malborn colony, raised millennia ago when their ships entered the Cerulean Gulf and Forgotten Sea. Rival houses carved settlements into these islands, using them as steppingstones for conquest. The malborne people were boundlessly ambitious: master mariners, builders of impossible monuments, and sorcerers who bartered with infernal powers. However, their disunity was their downfall, and they were eventually driven from Thylea in two catastrophic wars with the Gygan Empire.
If the heroes explore the ruins, they find a necropolis at its center. Refer to Malborn Necropolis later in this section.
X4: Petrified Trees#
This grove contains the last surviving library trees of the island. The Lotus Witch petrified them ages ago to preserve their knowledge after the centaurs burned the living forest for firewood. Each petrified tree bears hundreds of lines written in Sylvan. If the heroes can read Sylvan (or use magic to comprehend it), they will find that each tree is dedicated to a single tale.
Roll on the Lore of the Trees table to determine which story is recorded. Most of these stories can be found in the appendix E or appendix K in The Great Labors.
Inside the Tower of the Lotus Witch#
These children are all victims of the sphinx. They are former adventurers, Aresian hopefuls, and centaurs who dared enter the tower and failed the sphinx’s tests. She reduced them all to a youthful state and comes down every few years to keep them young. Some of the children are chronologically centuries old, but they have lived almost all of those years as children. The children collect the lotus flowers outside and press them into oils to be used by the sphinx.
The most helpful child is a five-year-old boy named Leander (NG Commoner). Leander tells the heroes that they are in danger and that they shouldn’t have come. He tells them that the Lotus Witch will be angry with them, and that they must now go see her and then beg for forgiveness. If asked where to find the Lotus Witch, the boy points upwards and tell them that she is at the top of the tower.
The Windowed Staircase#
There is a spiral staircase that ascends upwards for hundreds of feet:
The staircase is 200 feet in height, there are seven windows along its length. Each window looks into another plane of existence. The windows are only a foot in diameter, though a creature of Small size could squeeze through with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Tiny creatures can crawl through the windows with no difficulty. It is impossible to use magic to teleport through them.
Exploring the Windows. Anyone who gets to the other side of a window will fall 100 feet to the ground for 35 (10d6) Bludgeoning damage. If they survive, they will be free to explore whichever world they have entered. After one hour, they will hear a lion roar, and they will be instantly transported to the top of the tower—standing in front of the sphinx.
The Seven Windows. The view seen through each of the seven windows is described below:
Elysium. This window looks out into the beautiful, expansive vistas of the plane, Elysium.
Tartarus. This window looks out into the horrifying hellscapes of the prison plane, Tartarus.
Astral. This window looks out into an empty expanse of stars and nebulae—the Astral Plane.
Hades. This window looks out into the dismal plane of Hades. A herd of thousands of Dretch can be seen stampeding across the burning wastelands of Hades. Anyone going through the window will be attacked by dozens of the Dretch.
Earth. This window looks out into Earth in the 10th century BC during the battle for Troy, and the duel between Hector and Achilles. A battle line of Achaeans watches from one side, while the Trojans look down from the walls of Troy. Hector and Achilles fight for 10 rounds before Achilles prevails. If the heroes somehow become involved, treat the two famed warriors as Gladiators (with 165 HP).
Thylea. This window looks out into Thylea from 10 miles above Scorpion Island, and it is the only window to be sealed by a glass cover (10 HP). If the glass is broken, the difference in air pressure between the tower’s interior and 10 miles altitude means that air begins to rush through the window. Anyone within 10 feet of the window must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be sucked into the window; creatures of Small size (or smaller) will pass through. Larger creatures take 3 (1d6) Bludgeoning damage as they slam against the wall around the window. Anyone who is sucked through will fall 10 miles back to Scorpion Island for 70 (20d6) Bludgeoning damage.
Another World. This window looks out into another world. Choose any fantasy world you feel comfortable describing to your players. (For example, it might be a famous battle from The Lord of the Rings.)
The Sphinx’s Lair#
The sphinx’s lair is at the top of the spiral staircase:
The Lotus Witch (TN Sphinx of Lore) listens to the party for a while, but eventually, she interrupts and asks the heroes whether they are aware of the history of Thylea. She explains that it is important to know history, or one will be doomed to repeat history’s mistakes. Those who are oblivious to history are no better than infants—and they should be treated as such. She wonders whether the party deserves to be transformed into infants like the former adventurers downstairs—her “children.”
The Lotus Witch asks the party four questions about the history of Thylea. Feel free to choose simple questions that you know your party can easily answer. If you need ideas, here are some examples:
Who created the Myrmekes race? (Talieus)
Who was the first of the Dragonlords? (Xander)
Who was the cruelest of the Dragonlords? (Estor)
What happened to the City of the Sirens? (It sank.)
When Thylea bore fruit, which two Titans sprang from
a single pit? (Sydon and Lutheria)
The sphinx will be satisfied if the heroes can answer three of the questions correctly. If this is the case, she will answer any five questions the heroes ask of her: she knows everything there is to know about Thylea and its history.
After answering any questions she will send the heroes on their way; they will reappear outside of the tower and will be unable to gain entry ever again.
If the heroes were able to answer her riddles, then she will give the Cursed One a Ring of Resistance (Fire).
Fighting the Lotus Witch#
If the heroes attack the Lotus Witch or fail to answer her questions, she attacks them. The sphinx will not fight to kill—only to incapacitate.
If the sphinx defeats the entire party, she will reduce them all to infants and children and they will join the other children downstairs. If you want the campaign to continue, Pythor or another one of the gods will come to negotiate the heroes’ release and restoration.
Treasure. The sphinx has 15 assorted gems worth 500 GP each. Of more practical value are the half-dozen spell books that the Lotus Witch has collected over the centuries. She took these from various wizards who invaded her tower and, together, the spell books include 5 random spells from each level up to level 6 (30 total).
She also has three Golden Apples (appendix C).
Malborne Necropolis#
This necropolis belongs to the Jino Malabrate, an ancient malborne bloodline. Though the family fled Thylea after their ruinous wars against the gygans, their dead were left behind beneath the ruins of the colony. Time has passed them by, yet the tomb endures, largely undisturbed. The guardians that haunt these halls have seen to that.
Malborne Necropolis#
General Features#
Lighting. The chambers of the necropolis are unlit. The read aloud text assumes that the heroes have brought a light source or possess Darkvision.
Ceilings. The ceilings are 10 feet high throughout.
Malborne Necropolis#
Key Locations#
XN1: Entrance#
If Comprehend Languages or similar magic is used to decipher the ancient language on the lintel, then it reads as follows:
The door is locked and indestructible due to being forged from adamantine. It requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using Thieves’ Tools to open.
XN2: The First Guardian#
The statue is bound to the spirit of a Jino-Malabrate servant who was sacrificed to become a guardian of the tomb. Once a creature passes by the statue or tries to damage it, the spirit will attempt to animate the statue.
It takes 1d6 rounds for the spirit to animate it as a Clay
- Golem. During this time, the golem’s eyes will glow. The golem has the Incapacitated condition until the spirit successfully animates it. Hidden Tomb. A secret door is concealed behind mural
work along the left wall. A careful inspection and successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals faint seams and worn hinges. The door can easily be pushed open. Beyond lies a small chamber holding a stone sarcophagus. This is where the body of the servant was interred.
The lid of the sarcophagus can be moved aside with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. Within is the well-preserved corpse of the servant. The body is restrained by manacles around its wrists and ankles that are secured to the bottom of the sarcophagus. If the clay golem has been destroyed, the spirit has returned to his body. His eyes will open, and he will scream at the heroes in a dialect of the malborne language that has been dead for thousands of years. He is telling them to destroy him so that he may be finally free. If released, he will attack the heroes until they are forced to destroy him. He is an undead Wight.
XN3: Entrance Chamber#
The six bronze urns hold the ashes of devoted retainers of the Jino Malabrate line. The urns are finely made and worth 25 GP apiece. The stone coffers once stored personal effects and humble treasures, but time has reduced their contents to dust and fragments.
The black oval is a portal that can only be used by the
- Shedu (appendix B) that acts as the primary guardian of the necropolis. For more information on the shedu refer to area XN6.
XN4: Lesser Tombs#
Each sarcophagus contains the mummified remains of a lesser member of the Jino Malabrate line, their wrappings brittle and sunken with age. Fifteen bronze urns stand nearby, each inscribed with the names of loyal household servants; their ashes lie undisturbed within. The urns are finely made and worth 25 GP apiece.
The stone coffers once held personal effects such as cosmetics jars, fine linens, writing palettes, and family scrolls. Centuries have reduced these contents to dust and faded fragments, worthless save as traces of forgotten lives.
XN5: Noble Tombs#
Within each sarcophagus lies the mummified remains of a patriarch of the Jino Malabrate line, draped in the tatters of once fine burial linens.
Treasure. The valuables were placed in the four ivory boxes, each belonging to one of the honored dead. Time has spared only a handful of treasures: A gold signet ring (175 GP), a silver writing stylus (250 GP), a platinum necklace (750 GP), a pair of bronze ceremonial scales (200 GP), a carved ivory seal (300 GP), and a lacquered bronze incense burner (150 GP).
XN6: Founding Patriarch’s Tomb#
Within the sarcophagus is the body of the founder of the Jino-Malabrate. If the heroes attempt to open the sarcophagi, read the following:
The Lamassu (appendix B) is no mere guardian, it is a sentinel created by the Jino Malabrate family to act as an eternal guardian of the necropolis. Even it does not know much about its origins, whether it was once a mortal of malborne blood, or a construct shaped from flesh.
It speaks in riddles and fragments:
“I was … king? Priest? Or nothing at all. I remember a
throne carved from night … and a scream that broke the sea.” This place is memory. To steal from it is to become
part of it.”
If the heroes attempt to open the sarcophagi, the lamassu will attack with its full might. It can use the obsidian oval as a portal to area XN3, stepping between rooms as if they were linked. No other creature may use the obsidian ovals. If it is defeated, read the following:
This is a Shedu (appendix B) which fights to the death.
Treasure. The sarcophagus contains a powerful weapon, the Trident of Andromeda which be used as a weapon against the Kraken in chapter 10.