This adventuring supplement is designed for D&D5e. On our Patreon page you can get it in PDF format (see image). The downloads include hi-res images for the maps. And there is a variant PDF version designed for Shadowdark RPG.
Our gold is sacred. Claim it and become one with the dunes; a thousand cursed grains. Forever bound to the desert, and easily lost to the wind.
Cryptic Warning
The third of the four sacred temples in the Scalding Duchy is revered and feared by the goblins who dwell within the desert’s most unforgiving regions. It is nestled on a lonely island, reached only by a bridge. The barbaric goblin tribes that inhabit the harsh lands surrounding the temple believe that the most violent sandstorms, capable of swallowing entire settlements, are manifestations of the gods’ wrath. To appease these deities and prevent their fury from devastating the land, the tribes regularly journey to the House of Gold to offer tributes of gold and precious items. These offerings are believed to soothe the gods’ anger, restoring balance to the desert. The main chamber is a sight to behold, filled with thousands of gold ingots that shimmer under the dim light filtering through cracks in the ceiling. However, these riches belong not to mortals but to the goblin gods themselves.
A Golden Temptation
Any who dare to take even a single ingot shall face the temple’s ancient and deadly curses, with the wrath of the gods descending upon the thief (see The Cursed Treasure). The chamber features the massive statue of the headless goblin idol with dragon wings. The otherworldly guardian ensures the sacred treasure remains untouched. Goblins, knowing the ancient warnings, approach the chamber with reverence and caution, offering their tributes with bowed heads and whispered prayers.
The Quest
The heroes must perform the Pact of the Sun to calm the desert and prevent an impending cataclysm. To do so, they must locate the sacred goblin head, hidden within the temple’s labyrinthine passages. The head must be placed atop the god’s statue in the Golden Nave (area 6), only then can the sacred ritual be performed.
Level 3-4 Dungeon
- Danger. Check for a Random Event every 20 minutes and after loud noises (4-in-6 chance).
- Light. Some chambers contain braziers with light spells. The rest are dark. Denizens have darkvision.
- Inlays. Golden inlays in any area (see map) have a 1-in-6 chance of spawning two animated armors. They become liquid when defeated (see Random Event 1).
- Curse. No one can take the gold without suffering the goblin’s curse (see The Cursed Treasure). The heroes have no way to nullify this effect. It is up to them to risk their integrity for a chance to get away with this gold.
| RANDOM EVENT d6 | Details |
| 1 | When the heroes enter a new area, three gold-coated suits of armor (animated armor) attack the intruders. When defeated, the armors become liquid gold and, as if alive, the pools of gold slither toward the closest gold inlay on the ground. |
| 2 | A misplaced cursed gold ingot is found. What the heroes do with it after the warning is up to them (see The Cursed Treasure). |
| 3 | The heroes trigger a trip wire. Poison darts fly and hit all creatures in the area. They take 2d8 damage (DC 12 Constitution). |
| 4 | Four Scalding Duchy goblins made of sand stumble upon the heroes. The immortal guardians fight the intruders until slain. |
| 5 | The floor beneath the heroes begins to shift like sand (DC 12 Dexterity). On a fail, they get sucked in and appear outside the dungeon. This effect occurs instantly and they take no damage. This event can adversely split the party. |
| 6 | The ghost of a dead adventurer throws a cryptic warning before vanishing: “Beware of the golden spirals… They killed me…” |
1. Goblin Camp
A goblin camp huddles among the dunes, led by the wary explorer Rukkar. The goblins refuse to enter the temple, terrified by the rumors of curses and the fate of their scout, who valiantly volunteered to peek inside and has still not returned. The goblins offer a place to rest and eat. The heroes may refill their canteens and waterskins.
2. Antechamber
The heroes cross the entrance threshold and step inside the House of Gold. There are three paths to choose from (see map). Large doors block the option east (area 5).
- Double Doors. The heroes may use force (DC 15 Athletics) or a DC 13 Thieves’ Tools check to bypass the locks of these doors. On a fail, the character involved becomes stressed (roll the next check with disadvantage).
3. North Office
The small chamber is dimly lit. A wooden shelf holds several scrolls and a desk features an open tome. At the far end, a sturdy chest rests against the wall, its iron bindings worn but still secure, waiting to be opened.
- Lore. The heroes may spend 10 minutes searching the area. The documents reveal that goblins have brought tribute here for generations. It is said that the Golden Nave holds so much gold, that it has become impossible to calculate its weight or value. The scrolls show a warning for would-be robbers and gutless treasure-seekers: “Our gold is sacred. Claim it and become one with the dunes; a thousand cursed grains. Forever bound to the desert, and easily lost to the wind”.
- Gold Urn. The artifact is worth 50 gp. Taking it summons the anger of a restless spirit (shadow).
- Trap. The chest contains fine sand. Stepping before it triggers the trapdoor (DC 12 Dexterity or fall to area 7).
4. South Office
This chamber is similar to area 3. It has an identical golden urn and the same sand-filled chest and trap.
- Lore. If heroes spend 10 minutes searching the area, the documents reveal the magic word “sabled’hor”. This is the keyword to unlock area 9. Additionally, they obtain three random Wizard spell scrolls, and three Priest spell scrolls, all scrolls are Level 1 or Level 2.
5. Golden Nave (Upper Level)
A grand chamber with eight standing sarcophagi surrounding a large irregularly-shaped opening. Two stone counters rest on each side of it. Piles and piles of gold rest below, they can be seen from here.
- guardians. The characters have no time to interact with anything in the room; four sarcophagi open, their lids cast aside violently. Four Scalding Duchy goblins made of sand step out to fight the intruders. The remaining four sarcophagi release their goblin guardians at the start of the 3rd round of combat. The characters can interact with the chamber only after the battle.
- Stone Counters. Spending 10 minutes inspecting the open journals on the counters reveals an arcane command word, ‘abajo’. It activates the levitating platform that safely descends to area 6 (see below).
- Descent. The two dungeon levels are 40 feet apart. To jump down unscathed is improbable (4d6 damage). Characters can jump down and roll on their back to minimize this damage (DC 12 Acrobatics for half damage). If they have climbing gear, the characters descend with little effort (DC 10 Athletics, roll with advantage). They take the fall damage shown above if they fail this check.
- Skulls. Goblin skulls rest on stone plinths within 5-foot-wide alcoves. Their empty eye sockets seem to witness and monitor all that occurs in this chamber.
6. Golden Nave (Lower Level)
The main chamber is vast and ominous, dominated by a massive headless statue at the far end. Eight stone pillars flank the effigy and support the chamber’s upper level. Four towering suits of goblinoid armor stand as silent guardians, their hollow, yellow eyes watching over the endless piles of gold ingots that line the north and south walls of this chamber.
- Headless God. The incredible gold formation has the shape of a corpulent, fat goblin. Two long wings sprout from its back, granting it a divine allure. If the heroes investigate the area, they notice that the walls and ceiling show old frescoes that depict the same golden statue but complete, with its head, and a crowd praying.
- The Mission. The heroes have come here to perform the Pact of the Sun However, starting to do so with the incomplete statue makes the ritual fail instantly.
- The Gold. This treasure belongs to the goblin deities of yore, the dune gods. Touching this treasure comes with a great punishment (see The Cursed Treasure).
7. Spiked Pit North
Creatures that fall from area 3 are impaled and take 3d10 damage (DC 13 Acrobatics for half). Victims must quickly get away or be burned, taking 2d8 damage (DC 14 Acrobatics, roll with disadvantage if they failed the impaling check above). The gates that take to area 6 are locked (DC 12 Thieves’ Tools to open).
8. Spiked Pit South
Use the same description as in area 7. Same DCs too.
9. Engines and Devices
The heroes may learn how to bypass the barred door in area 4. These engines fuel the traps in areas 7 and 8. They can be shut off (DC 12 Arcana). Otherwise, they must be wrecked but this causes an explosion. All creatures take 1d8 damage (DC 11 Dexterity to move aside).
10. Golden Sun
This goblin head belongs to the statue in area 6. Before it can be retrieved, one wight and two zombies come out of the standing sarcophagi to fight the intruders.
11. Golden Urns
Each golden urn is worth 40 gp. They hold the ashes of important goblins of yore that built this place. Taking these as treasure summons the anger of four shadows.
- Stoup. The heroes may spend 10 minutes praying to the goblin gods. They gain inspiration in exchange. However, the opposite occurs if they take the golden urns; they lose any inspiration they had when they arrived.
12. Secret Vault
The heroes find this area if they notice the secret button behind the goblin’s head in area 10 (DC 12 Perception).
- Treasure. This loot is not cursed. A longsword with a pearl set in the pommel (50 gp), a gilded helm plumed with roc feathers (95 gp), a suit of crimson chainmail with matching shield (goblin size, 70 gp), a flawless diamond (360 gp), and several leather bags with thousands of old goblin coins (the lot is worth 1,654 gp).
The heroes perform the Pact of the Sun once the statue’s head is back in place. The ritual appeases the gods of the sand. The heroes may leave victorious once the ritual is done. Only one more temple remains…
The Cursed Treasure
The heroes experience a vision; in this reality, they see their hand approach the gold and turn to dust before reaching it. Then, everything around them becomes grains of sand and they are swallowed whole. They wake up where they were, their hand stretched out, a few centimeters away from a tempting gold ingot.
The heroes are free to ignore this warning; they can grab gold ingots with no consequence. The curse makes itself tangible when they leave the area. The robber’s body turns to sand in a matter of seconds, becoming unable to keep their armor or gear on. They crumble and fall apart. In seconds, all that remains of that person are grains of sand. And a Scalding Duchy goblin made of it rises. They remember nothing of their past life. And their only purpose is to protect the House of Gold now.
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