905 Hall of Gilded Devils

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“I can feel the weave of magic shifting as we get closer to the treasure. A powerful relic lies nearby. Do not forget that I claim it as my property…”

Lord Vierlt Caradho

The Church of the Sun is in a state of deep disrepair and abandonment. Most wooden furniture has rotted away. The altar is broken, as if an angry crowd had torn it apart.

Upon entering the Church of the Sun, Killi Steelanvil kneels and prays by the destroyed altar, as if it were in a pristine state. “Blessed be my hammer. My strong arm shall bring the sun’s light to this blasted place.”

Behind the ruined altar of the Church of the Sun, there is a descending staircase. It leads to a chamber with a magic teleportation circle. The Detect Magic spell reveals a strong Conjuration aura embedded in the fiendish runes along its rim. Standing on it teleports living creatures to area 1.

Level 5 Dungeon

Events. Each time the characters visit a new area, there is a 3-in-6 chance of a Dungeon Event.

Cursed Canals. There are canals filled with a black fluid. Each time a creature is touched by this liquid, it is affected by the Cursed Aura as if a full day had passed, even if it passed the save.

Hidden Doors. There are two secret passageways in the dungeon (DC 14 Investigation to find).

Kaliyuga, the Gilded Devil, is trapped in the large, horned, gilded effigy. Its mind-manipulating powers take advantage of the greed of mankind. The devil offers gold, riches, power, and influence. And weak minds believe these empty promises. Kaliyuga, the devil, seeks to abandon its prison, but to do so, it requires a mortal body with both devil blood in its veins and eldritch talent for magic.

1. Teleportation Chamber

A dark, oily broth flows from a closed gate to a pool that surrounds the teleportation circle. It produces an eye-watering, acrid stench.

When the characters arrive, the four statues in the room animate and become horned, winged, gold-furred devils (use the gargoyle statblock). They attack immediately.

Exit. After entering the dungeon, the teleportation circle becomes dormant for 1 hour.

2. Wicked Cells

Gnawed bones and strewn-around rubble lie behind the two cells’ sturdy iron bars.

Sigils. Shoulder pads and vambraces with the Church of the Sun’s sigil are found upon close inspection of the remains (DC 13 Investigation check).

Treasure. The bars can be bent with sheer strength (DC 18 Athletics check). Along the bones and rubble, there is a silver, +1 Ring of Protection.

3. Crossbow Hallway Trap

In the ‘T’ marked spot on the map, there is a pressure-plate. When a creature stands on it, the apparatus in the south end of the hallway triggers. The stone chest is empty.

Crossbow. This device aims and shoots three bolts toward the creature standing on the plate. The creature takes 4d6 Piercing damage (DC 16 Dexterity save / half damage).

4. The Nauseating Ascent

Three 5-foot-long flights of stairs ascend. A canal of bubbling muck in the middle flows down toward the pond in the teleportation chamber.

As the characters ascend toward area 8, the noxious stench of the cursed canals strengthens. There is a passage to area 6 (see Hidden Doors).

Alcoves. There are four recesses along the ascending hallway. Each contains an engraved, pillar-like structure. The fiendish script on its surface glows when characters come within 10 feet of any alcove. Upon activation, six gilded devils are summoned. The devils attack trespassers without mercy.

5. The Hidden Workshop

The documents in this room, if inspected for at least 10 minutes, reveal the inner workings of the Cursed Canals and the 5-mile-radius aura around the dungeon. It explains that the aura was designed to keep mortals away from the dungeon, to keep the devil, Kaliyuga, safely contained. The ritual scroll that can disable the aura is mentioned to be in the dungeon’s library in area 11.

6. Flow Controls

The machinery stops the flow of the Cursed Canals (DC 15 Arcana). Roll with Advantage if the documents in area 5 were read. Success: The dark fluid drains out after 1 hour. Failure: The device is broken, and the canals remain unchanged.

7. The Deathly Passage

Poison Darts. If a creature steps on the tripwire (see map), a barrage of poisoned darts shoots from the wall. Creatures in the hallway take 3d6 Poison damage (DC 14 Constitution save).

The Body. A desiccated corpse lies in the middle of the hallway. He bears a lightning scar on his face. His body is pinned by ten poisoned darts. He is the thief mentioned in Rumor 6.

Blades. The pressure plate (see map) activates the swinging blades. Creatures struck take 2d6 Slashing damage (DC 13 Dexterity save).

d6	Details
1	An eldritch pulse, triggered by the characters’ arrival, courses through the dungeon. In rooms where there are Cursed Canals, the black ichor overflows, threatening to affect creatures present (DC 12 Dexterity save).
2	The characters explore a room with ominous horned statues near the vaulted ceiling. When the characters pass them, they become horned, winged, gold-furred devils (use the gargoyle statblock) and attack.
3	Killi Steelanvil pulls a brick from a wall. The opening behind it lets out copious black ichor. The dwarf and the nearest character are splashed by it (DC 12 Dexterity save). There is a coffer inside with 150 GP.
4	A vivid vision assails all present. The characters witness four robed mages using their magic to bind and imprison a horned entity with a fiery blade. The devil is trapped in a statue with its own likeness.
5	The next time the characters visit an area with lit braziers and have the confidence to put out their own light sources, all light sources in the dungeon are extinguished for 10 minutes, leaving them in darkness.
6	If either of the NPC groups from Town Encounters 2 and 6 did not yet appear in this adventure, either of those groups reaches the teleportation circle, and then area 1. They enter the dungeon seeking the party.

Gilded Devil

Small Fiend (Devil), Lawful Evil

Armor Class 15 Initiative +2 (12)

HP 22 (4d10)

Speed 20 ft., Fly 30 ft.

		MOD	SAVE			MOD	SAVE			MOD	SAVE
Str	10	+0	+0	Dex	14	+2	+2	Con	11	+0	+0
Int	7	-2	-2	Wis	10	+0	+0	Cha	3	-4	-4

Resistances Cold

Immunities Fire, Poison; Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned

Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10

CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2)

Traits

Gilded Restoration. If the gilded devil dies in the Material Plane, it revives with all its Hit Points in 1d6 days unless the effigy in area 8 that contains the soul of Kaliyuga is destroyed.