The heroes have just successfully figured out the puzzle and have triggered the jade elephant statue, which now slides slowly but smoothly aside to reveal a vault beneath.
The three heroes stand within the Vault of the Elephant, the stale air of the chamber shifting as the massive stone effigy grinds across the floor to reveal the sub-vault's entrance. The two rescued goblin captives hover near the heroes’ heels, their wide eyes darting between the newfound treasure and their "Ambassador" saviors.
The mechanism has functioned perfectly. As the elephant statue completes its rotation, a set of narrow, dust-choked stairs descends into a smaller, more secure chamber below the main vault.
Aele's heart-seed scarab pulses with a faint amber light, reacting to the ancient Thothian resonance in the secure sub-structure.
The captives whisper to one another in their guttural tongue, clearly hesitant to enter a place even their King, Weskenim, has not seen inside for generations.
Dorn commands the goblins to stand guard at the entrance to the Vault of the Elephant, and to raise a hue and cry in alarm if anyone approaches while the heroes are below in the sub-vault. Before descending, Dorn will use an iron spike to ensure that the elephant statue cannot move back into place, sealing the heroes below.
With the spike firmly set and the goblins keeping watch, the heroes turn their attention to the narrow stairs. The Heart-Seed Scarab around Aele's neck pulses with a warm, amber light as he approaches the threshold, its Thothian magic sensing the ancient secrets buried below.
With the spike firmly set and the goblins keeping watch, the heroes turn their attention to the narrow stairs. The Heart-Seed Scarab around Aele's neck pulses with a warm, amber light as he approaches the threshold, its Thothian magic sensing the ancient secrets buried below.
The heroes descend into the cool, stagnant air of the sub-vault in a tight tactical formation. Dorn leads with his shield, the Aegis of the Firmament, held high to intercept any physical threats , while Aele remains a half-step behind, shielded by the fighter’s obsidian-clad bulk.
Maintaining the Blood-Bond, Cabe ensures that any sudden trap damage is distributed across the party's combined health pool.
The Heart-Seed Scarab pulses with amber light. Aele is mentally prepared to trigger Thoth's Champion at the first sign of a guardian.
The stairs end in a small, circular chamber. The floor is covered in a layer of fine, white dust. In the center of the room stands a waist-high stone plinth holding a heavy, leather-bound volume and a small, ivory box.
Aele steps forward, his Silver Signet (Magistrate's Ring) catching the amber light of the Heart-Seed Scarab as he raises his Staff of the Silver Tongue. Utilizing his Thothian insight, he begins a methodical scan of the chamber. His senses are heightened by his specialized gear. He carefully parses the magical weave for any "Weight of Ma'at" seals or similar ritualistic traps.
Aele detects a faint, shimmering aura surrounding the stone plinth. It is not a trap designed to harm, but rather a Vocal Lock or an Identity Seal.
The Ivory Box: The box is protected by a thin veil of abjuration magic that will likely trigger a "Guardianship" spell if opened by anyone not recognized as a Thothian Magistrate or priest.
The Leather Volume: This book is saturated with ancient Thothian energy. Aele senses that the Heart-Seed Scarab is the physical key required to safely lift the "Seal of Silence" from its pages.
The Floor: The white dust on the floor is not mere age; it is finely ground limestone, a common Thothian deterrent for tracking invisible entities—or perhaps revealing the footprints of those who shouldn't be here.
Aele steps closer to the plinth, the Heart-Seed Scarab around his neck glowing with an intense, rhythmic amber light as it recognizes the ancient Thothian wards. He places his hand near the Leather Volume, the translucent green agate of the scarab acting as a conduit between the Scholar and the ancient seal.
As Aele brings the scarab into proximity with the book, the shimmering blue aura begins to harmonize with the amber pulse of the agate. Aele recognizes the specific magical signature as a variation of the seal he was told the scarab could bypass.
The Silver Signet (Magistrate's Ring) on his finger hums in resonance, signaling to the sub-vault's dormant logic that a recognized official of the Empire is present. With a soft click that echoes through the circular chamber, the leather straps on the volume unlatch themselves, and the veil over the ivory box thins into nothingness.
With the magical wards neutralized by the scarab, the contents of the plinth are now accessible:
| Item | Description | Aele's assessment |
|---|---|---|
| The Leather Volume | An ancient Thothian tome titled "The Resonances of the Deep Pipes." | Grants Advantage on checks to navigate or manipulate the machinery of Arden Vul. |
| The Ivory Box | A small, cold box carved with the likeness of a lotus. | Contains three vials of shimmering liquid and a silver key. |
Dorn remains at the ready with Swift and the Aegis of the Firmament, his eyes scanning the shadows of the room for any physical guardians that the magical silent alarm might have summoned despite Aele's bypass. Cabe maintains the Blood-Bond, his senses heightened by the primal energy of the vault. The sub-vault remains quiet for now.
Aele carefully reaches for the ivory box, his Silver Signet glinting in the amber light as he lifts the lid. Inside, the silver key and the three vials of shimmering liquid are revealed in the glow of the Heart-Seed Scarab.
Aele performs a quick scholar’s appraisal of the items:
The silver key is cold to the touch and engraved with a stylized elephant’s head; Aele suspects this is the "Master Key" to the deeper mechanisms of the Vault of the Elephant.
Aele recognizes the three shimmering vials as Thothian Elixirs.
Vial 1 (Pale Blue): An Elixir of Clarity, likely granting a temporary boost to Intelligence checks or mental saving throws.
Vial 2 (Deep Crimson): A potent healing draught, possibly equivalent to a high-tier potion of vitality.
Vial 3 (Swirling Amber): This elixir resonates with the Heart-Seed Scarab, perhaps used to temporarily empower Thothian rituals or surges.
While Cabe keeps watch and Dorn remains braced behind the Aegis of the Firmament, Aele turns his attention to the ancient tome. As a Savant and Adept with the Heart-Seed Scarab, he decodes the Thothian script with remarkable speed.
Engineering Map: The volume contains a schematic of the Pipe Tunnels on Sublevel 4, marking the flow of the "Great Breath" and identifying hidden maintenance bypasses.
The Elephant’s Purpose: The book reveals that the Vault of the Elephant was originally designed as a pressure-stabilization chamber for the entire mega-dungeon's hydraulic system.
Ritual Instruction: Aele finds a passage that describes how to use the Silver Key to manually override the Cistern of Skulls floodgates, which could be a decisive tactical advantage in future encounters.
Aele carefully stows the ancient tome and the delicate ivory box into his gear, his Silver Signet glinting as he secures the new assets. With the Heart-Seed Scarab continuing to pulse with a steady amber light, the heroes turn their back on the circular chamber to follow the "Maintenance Bypass" path described in the text.
Following the schematics from the tome, the heroes ascend the stairs, retrieve the Iron Spike to free the elephant mechanism, and signal the goblin sentries to follow. According to the book, a concealed lever behind a loose stone in the main vault's northern wall reveals the Maintenance Bypass.
Dorn finds the concealed lever fairly easily. A narrow, vertical shaft with a rusted iron ladder descends deep into the mechanical "guts" of the Pipe Tunnels. This bypass allows the party to circumvent the main corridors, potentially emerging behind any remaining Beastman patrols near the Cistern of Skulls.
The ladder down into the Maintenance Bypass is slick with condensation and the smell of ancient oil is thick.
As the heroes exit the sub-vault and return to the Vault of the Elephant, something in the magical programming of this site is triggered, perhaps because the Sun-Pendant was removed from the jade elephant statue. Ghasts and the chamber's husks now attack.
Aele stands tall, his Silver Signet Ring catching the amber light of the Heart-Seed Scarab. As the wooden feline constructs tense their springs to leap, Aele strikes the floor with the butt of his staff, projecting a voice of magisterial authority that resonates with the ancient harmonics of the vault.
Aele uses his Advantage (Scarab/Lore) and his +2 bonus (Leather Volume/Thothian Mystery).
Roll 1: 18 | Roll 2: 14
Result: 18 + 4 (Int) + 3 (Proficiency) + 2 (Volume) = 27.
Success: The command is absolute. The feline husks, mid-pounce, twist in the air with impossible agility. Instead of landing on Dorn, they use the warrior's pauldrons as springboards, their wooden claws extending like jagged obsidian as they pivot toward the pale horrors climbing out of the shaft.
Aele has used his Action to dominate the constructs. Now, he utilizes the Scribe's Linothorax to trigger a ritual as a Bonus Action.
Ritual Triggered: Thoth's Comfort.
Effect: Aele, Cabe, and Dorn each gain +1 HP (instantaneous), and +1 to AC and Saving Throws for the next 30 rounds.
Scarab Synergy: Because this ritual restores hit points, the Heart-Seed Scarab triggers.
Aele feels the Heart-Seed Scarab pulse with a rhythmic, golden warmth as the Thoth's Comfort ritual takes hold. The amber light flows from the agate scarab into his chest, weaving a shimmering lattice of protective energy around his soul. Aele gains 5 (1d6) Temporary Hit Points.
Party Status
| Hero | HP | Temp HP | AC | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aele | 41/41 | 5 | 16 | Linothorax Active; Rituals are Bonus Actions. |
| Dorn | 35/34 | 0 | 27 | Swift is drawn (+1 AC); Aegis active. |
| Cabe | 32/31 | 0 | 16 | Bow drawn; Blood-Bond active. |
Dorn draws Swift with a ring of cold steel, and stands as a bastion of iron and jade. With an AAC of 27, the Ghast's filthy claws (which usually require a 13 or 14 to hit a standard knight) now need a natural 19 or 20 to find a gap in his defenses.
Dorn steps into the Ghast's reach, using the weight of his +1 Plate to shoulder-charge the creature while swinging Swift in a brutal horizontal arc.
Attack Roll: 17 + 8 (Base/Knack/Str) + 1 (Thoth's Comfort) = 26 to hit.
Damage: 1d8 + 8(Str/Knack) = 15 Damage.
The Result: The blow is devastating. Dorn cleaves through the
Ghast’s ribs, the magical edge of Swift cauterizing the necrotic flesh.
Dorn follows through with a shield bash (Great Strike), forcing the creature to make a Strength save.
Ghast Strength Save: 8 (Failure).
Effect: The Ghast is sent reeling backward,
tumbling over the lip of the shaft and falling
30 feet into the dark. CRUNCH.
Current Tactical Standing Ghast #1: Being shredded by the 3 Feline Husks at the edge of the shaft.
Ghast #2: Fallen 30 feet down the shaft (Taking 3d6 falling damage).
Husks: Occupying the front line.
The Rear Door: The door behind the party has creaked open further. A third Ghast, wearing the tattered remains of a Thothian Priest's robe, is standing in the threshold. It is not attacking yet; it is staring at Aele’s Heart-Seed Scarab with a look of starving recognition.
The battle rhythm tightens as the party faces a pincer attack. Dorn stands as an iron wall at the central shaft, while Cabe and Aele pivot to address the robed horror at the rear door.
Cabe sees the Ghast-Priest staring at Aele’s scarab. Knowing that undead focus is often the prelude to a powerful curse or a lethal pounce, he draws his bowstring to his ear. The Blood-Bond allows him to feel Aele’s intent to channel, so Cabe times his release to disrupt the creature first.
Action: Ranged Attack with Longbow.
Attack Roll: 19 + 6 = 25 to hit.
Damage: $1d8 + 1d6$ (Fire) + 2 (Red Frenzy/if active) = 13 Damage.
Result: The arrow thuds into the Ghast-Priest’s chest, the fire igniting
the ancient, dry silk of its Thothian robes. The creature screeches, its
focus on the scarab momentarily broken by the searing pain.
As the Ghast-Priest reels from Cabe’s arrow, Aele steps forward. He raises the Heart-Seed Scarab high, its amber light flaring into a blinding, solar brilliance that fills the vault. He speaks a word of Final Rest in the Old Thothian tongue.
Action: Turn Undead.
The Check: Aele rolls 1d20 + 7 (Wis/Prof)
with Advantage (Scarab/Lore synergy).
Rolls: 15, 19. Result: 26.
Effect: The Ghast-Priest’s milky eyes widen
in terror as the holy light of Thoth washes
over it. It isn't just turned; it is physically
repulsed.
The ghast scrambles backward into the dark hallway beyond the door, clawing at the walls to escape the Magistrate’s light.
Dorn maintains his position at the lip of the shaft. Below, he can hear the second Ghast groaning as it tries to find purchase on the mechanical rails to climb back up. Above him, the three Feline Husks have finished shredding the first Ghast into necrotic confetti and are now crouched at the edge, their wooden heads tilting in unison as they look down the shaft, awaiting Dorn’s lead. He plants his +2 Shield and readies Swift. If any creature reaches the lip of the shaft, he will use his Great Strike to send them back down.
- Ghast #1: Destroyed.
- Ghast #2: 30 feet down the shaft, injured (15 HP remaining), attempting to climb.
- Ghast-Priest: Fleeing into the rear hallway (Turned for 1 minute).
- Goblins: Pips is cheering from the scroll racks. "Big-light! The Magistrate brings the big-light!"
Dorn points a gauntleted finger toward the dark opening. "Down! Finish it!"
The Feline Husks don't hesitate. Their wooden frames snap with the tension of released springs as they launch themselves into the circular shaft. The sound from below is a chaotic mixture of splintering wood, the wet tearing of necrotic flesh, and a final, gurgling screech that echoes up the stone walls before abruptly falling silent.
The Shaft is Secured A few moments later, the only sound coming from the sub-vault is the rhythmic click-clack of wooden claws on stone as the constructs begin to prowl the lower chamber, awaiting further orders. The immediate threat from below has been neutralized.
The Rear Hallway Aele’s holy light continues to pulse from the Heart-Seed Scarab, creating a zone of sanctuary. The Ghast-Priest is gone, fled deep into the darkness of the marbled halls, its cowardly shrieks fading into the distance.
Pips hops down from the scroll rack, his eyes wide. "The Big-Man commands the wooden cats! This is a good omen, yes! Very good!" He scurries over to the edge of the shaft and peers down. "The way is clear to the guts of the world now."
Dorn grips the Copper Trunk and the Sun-Pendant, giving them a sharp, practiced twist and lift. As the keys clear the floor-slot, the vault responds with a heavy, grinding groan. The Jade Elephant begins to slide back toward its original position with a slow, hydraulic inevitability, and the circular shaft in the floor starts to iris shut.
"The cats are on their own down there for a moment," Dorn grunts, stowing the heavy keys and tightening the grip on his shield. "But that priest is too dangerous to leave at our backs."
Aele and Cabe nod, the Blood-Bond thrumming with the adrenaline of the hunt. The party turns away from the treasures of the vault and sprints toward the rear door, stepping over the necrotic remains of the first Ghast.
The marbled hall beyond the door is cold and opulent, lined with white stone pillars that have been stained by centuries of damp. Aele’s Heart-Seed Scarab continues to pulse with the fading energy of the Turn Undead, illuminating the hallway in rhythmic bursts of amber light.
The Trail: The Ghast-Priest’s retreat was anything but subtle. Pale, putrid ichor from its arrow wound streaks the floor, and the sound of its frantic, wet clawing against the marble walls echoes from around a corner roughly sixty feet ahead.
The Environment: The hallway opens up into a larger gallery with separate doors leading to the left and right. The air here smells of stale incense and dry rot. Finally, the corner the ghast in a hall with rooms along its sides. Aele makes a mental note to investigate the 'Chamber of Transition' and the 'Vestry of the Unspoken'. These are liturgical terms, suggesting this area served as a preparation wing for high-ranking Thothian priests before they entered the presence of the "Elephant."
The Ghast-Priest, its back turned as it frantically claws at the bronze door, is a sitting duck for a warrior of Dorn's caliber. Dorn doesn't just run; he uses the momentum of his heavy plate, launching himself into the air ten feet from the target.
Attack Roll: 18 + 8 (Base/Str/Knack) + 1 (Comfort) = 27 to hit.
Damage: 1d8 + 8 (Str/Knack) = 16 Damage.
Dorn descends like an iron comet. Swift bites deep into the Ghast-Priest’s shoulder, cleaving through the desiccated muscle and bone down to the sternum. The force of the impact slams the creature against the bronze door with a metallic GONG.
The Ghast-Priest let out a final, rattling hiss as the magical edge of Swift—imbued with the light of the vault—severs its connection to the negative plane. The creature collapses into a heap of tattered silk and grey, crumbling flesh. It is truly destroyed.
Cabe skids to a halt, bow still half-drawn, checking the shadows of the "Vestry" and "Chamber" doors. "Cleanly done, Dorn. But look at the door..."
The Bronze Door & The Mystery
The door the Ghast-Priest was trying to open is slightly ajar now, forced by the impact of Dorn’s strike. Beyond it lies not a room, but a steep spiral staircase winding upward. Aele notices a distinct lack of dust on these stairs; something has been using this passage recently.
Dorn says, "All right. Let's go back and investigate those jars and scrolls, then we'll return here, investigate a couple of rooms that seem to have attracted Aele's interest. Finally, we'll investigate this spiral stairwell, which shows signs of recent use."